Active Leadership for IT Professionals

Whether participants choose to participate in the face-to-face classroom, virtual classroom or the On-Demand digital version of the course, the topics are the same. The approaches will vary to suit the learning modality.

1. The Context for Leadership

• Consider the balanced approach to leadership – Strategy, Systems, Social and Self
• Understand the business context for stronger leadership
• Reflect on the results of your leadership assessment (The Active Leadership Profile)
• Learn about KUBA – Know, Understand, Believe and Act

2. Introduction to the Active Leadership Model

• Learn and Ability and Motivation and the three Leadership Styles
• Apply the Active Leadership Model to two case studies
• Begin to consider your own team members and complete an assessment of their Ability and Motivation

3. The Power of Communication

• Essential communication factors for all people leaders
• Assess your own Personal Needs and the impact on others
• Assess others’ Personal Needs and identify implications to your leadership style
• Ask really good questions and listen actively
• Use facts, episodes, and feelings to appeal to others' long-term memory
• Assign tasks considering others’ Ability and Motivation and Personal Needs

4. Coaching

• Provide the time and attention required for team members to develop their skills in the jobs they do now
• Complete a coaching survey by rating the quality and quantity of the coaching you and your team members receive today
• Apply the Foundational Principles of Coaching
• Assess progress using the same combination of leadership styles as when the work was assigned

5. Provide Feedback

• Understand how/why both positive and constructive feedback are important motivators that enhance performance
• Use the four-step Feedback Loop to deliver positive or constructive feedback
• Apply the Principles of Recognition and Reward
• Clearly identify performance gaps and understand how to conduct difficult conversations

6. Making Choices

• Make commitments to what you will do next as a leader

7. The Coach's Toolkit

• The Active Leadership tools in review

• Assess personal leadership behaviours and attitudes that impact the performance of others
• Plan and deliver clear, concise communication to direct, guide and engage employees
• Understand what people need in order to change a behaviour or practice
• Determine how ability and motivation impact performance and outcomes, regardless of the task
• Explore three different leadership styles and when they should be used to maximize the performance of others
• Match the appropriate leadership style to individuals and specific tasks
• Explore how the foundational principles of coaching impact coaching results
• Differentiate between "coaching for job" versus "coaching for career"
• Provide behavioural feedback that recognizes and rewards employee performance
• Use a consistent approach to providing feedback that reinforces desired behaviors and helps achieve performance improvements
• Assess performance gaps and improve task performance
• Coach, reinforce and create a motivational climate for employee growth and retention
• Create a personal development plan based on assessed leadership strengths and development needs

Pre-work is required for this class, including two assessments:

• Active Leadership Profile (self and others assessment)
• Personal Needs Assessment (self assessment)

A three week timeline is necessary to complete the pre-work and assessments prior to attending class.

IT Managers, IT Professionals and Business Managers with team members or charged with leading teams.