Cambridge
Academy
In London

Introduction:

This IT leadership and creative strategy development program is designed to provide IT leaders and professionals with transformational tools and techniques to help them maximize their and their team's creative potential. The starting point for this conference is self-discovery.

Participants in the IT leadership and creative strategy development seminar will work on the inside first and then focus on the business world. Engaging in IT leadership through a creative strategy course, attendees will explore the facets of IT leadership development and discover pathways toward IT leadership certifications.

Creative Strategic IT Leadership: Harnessing IT Strategy for Business Excellence:

The world of IT is not just about technology. It's about imagining and executing a strategy that aligns IT with business goals. In this vital module, attendees will delve into the heart of creative, strategic IT leadership. They will unravel the secrets of IT strategic planning and creative, strategic thinking as they acquire the tools to craft an IT strategy that supports and propels their organization forward.

Through interactive sessions, participants in the IT leadership and creative strategy development seminar will gain insights into the nuances of IT leadership skills and how to apply creative and strategic thinking skills to IT challenges and opportunities.

Course Objectives

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

·        Set out their leadership brand and understand the critical components of IT strategy development.

·        Demonstrate innovative methods for harnessing others' creative, strategic thinking and potential.

·        Articulate a vision using multiple sensory representations and communicate creative, strategic planning.

·        Communicate their vision in refreshing and engaging ways, leveraging IT strategy solutions.

·        Identify critical components of a strategically-aligned IT department within the scope of strategic IT.

·        Apply value and performance measurement techniques.

·        Develop meaningful recruitment and retention policies.

·        Evaluate technology solutions, vendor selection, and outsourcing.

Target Audience

This course is designed for:

·        IT Team Leaders.

·        IT Managers.

·        IT Professionals from both Technical and Management Backgrounds.

·        IT Operations Staff.

·        Networks/Systems and IT Projects Staff.

·        Technical Professionals.

Course Outlines:

Day 1: Creative Problem-Solving:

·        Leadership Reality Assessment.

·        Leadership vs. Management.

·        Understanding Our Brain Function.

·        Myths of Creativity.

·        The limitations of the rational.

·        Divergent approaches to problem-solving.

·        Letting go of logic.

·        Analogous thinking modes.

·        Convergent and divergent modes.

Day 2: Overcoming Personal Blockers to Creativity:

·        Sigmoid Curve.

·        Lifecycle Model.

·        Continuous Improvement.

·        Breakthrough step change.

·        Understand Self-awareness and the nature of the ego.

·        Personal goal alignment.

·        Adoption and innovation: personal preferences for creating meaning.

·        Explore attitudes to risk.

·        Know about left- & right-brain thinking.

Day 3: Developing the Vision Creatively:

·        Six thinking hats.

·        Use differing thinking styles.

·        JoHari's window.

·        Understand the business plan process and create a vision.

·        Harness the power of the team.

·        Know the organizational culture and its influence on innovation.

·        Letting go of the ego.

·        Work with different creative preferences.

Day 4: Communicating the Vision Creatively:

·        The 7-Step Creative Process.

·        Models of communication.

·        Viral visioning.

·        Authenticity and trust.

·        Learn creativity tools, techniques, and strategies.

·        Letting go of the vision.

·        Lead without directing.

·        Possible leadership beliefs.

Day 5: From Ideas to Action: Creativity and Change:

·        Motivation.

·        Hierarchy of Needs.

·        Overcome organizational barriers to creativity and change.

·        Nurtur a learning environment.

·        Is Money a motivator?

·        Personality Profiling.

·        Build a creative consensus.

·        Engaging stakeholders creatively

·        Influence and motivation through change.

Day 6: Leading and Managing the IT Department:

·        Understand the challenges of the IT manager.

·        How do you value IT services?

·        Communicate IT value to upper management, peers, and end-users.

·        Understand the responsibilities of the IT team leader.

·        Managing Technology:

·        Understand the Strategy for Managing Existing Technology

·        Know when to develop and adopt New Technologies.

·        Be Aware of how to manage assets effectively.

·        Using Influence:

·        Understand the different types of influential power.

·        Be aware of the various influence strategies.

·        Select the most effective influence strategy for the situation.

·        Understand negotiations, tactics, and techniques.

·        Use influence effectively to thrive as an IT manager.

·        Strategic Decision Making:

·        Apply strategic decision-making.

·        Recognize strategic decisions and initiatives.

·        Apply strategic decision-making to vendor selection.

·        Understand when to outsource.

·        Developing the IT Strategic Plan and Budget:

·        Use the mission as an IT driver.

·        Define the customer profile.

·        Understand the partnership model.

·        Create a strategic plan.

·        Planning and budgeting issues.

Day 7: Managing IT Quality:

·        Understand the importance of managing by process.

·        Understand the definitions of quality.

·        Apply maturity models.

·        Use process management.

·        Apply international standards.

Day 8: Building the IT Management Team:

·        Evaluate IT performance and metrics.

·        Understand delegation and motivation.

·        Team-building.

·        Manage the management team and stakeholders.

Day 9: IT Performance Metrics:

·        Develop a measurement strategy.

·        Create a "Best Practices" based organization.

·        Deploy metrics.

·        Manage by facts and results.

·        Integrate metrics into the strategic plan.

Day 10: Common Pitfalls and Lessons Learned:

·        Balance technical and corporate requirements.

·        Balance tactical and strategic decisions.

·        Evaluate new and existing technologies.

·        Balance management styles and culture.