Course description
Public Service Manager Programme
Volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity – the classic VUCA environment – are the order of the day. If this is the new normal, you need all the help you can get.
And that’s why we developed this programme. Inspired by a tried-and-tested programme we already deliver for private sector organisations, this programme has been designed by our two lead specialists in public service management – Amanda Dudman and David Elverson. Amanda focuses on the management side of the equation, helping even the most experienced managers find new ways of working more effectively, while David focuses on supporting the commercial agenda.
Aimed at public service managers and leaders who line manage others, this ILM-recognised programme takes a modular approach and gives participants plenty of tools and strategies for dealing with current challenges in the workplace through expert trainer input and skills practice.
In addition, there is the opportunity to learn from peers, share experiences, address how to deal with the more challenging issues, and prepare action plans to implement with confidence back at work.
Tough times continue for public services as internal and external drivers in a fast-moving landscape put ever more pressure on managers, the ‘squeezed middle’. Demands on resources and time mean that managers need practical and workable everyday solutions and approaches that support them in their busy, stretching daily work.
Upcoming start dates
Suitability - Who should attend?
Who should attend?
This management development programme has been designed specifically for public service organisations – local authorities, housing associations, NHS Trusts, VCSEs and any other organisations outside the private sector but needing to adapt to a changing and increasingly commercial world.
The programme is ideal for any manager in a public service organisation wanting to improve their management skills. It is ideal for both newly appointed or promoted managers and any managers who have been in post for a while but who have not had the benefit of attending a structured development programme.
Training Course Content
Managing and Leading Day-to-day
Your Role as a Manager and Creating a Personal Development Plan
- Welcome and Introductions
- Setting the Scene and Creating Expectations – Introducing the Programme
- Your Role as a Manager
- Drawing Up a Development Plan
- Peer-to-peer Development Discussions
The Vuca Environment in Which You Manage
- What is Vuca?
- Vuca Insights and Approaches During Continuous Change
- Action Planning and Peer Learning Review
Personal Tools for Managing in a Changing Work Environment
Time and Stress
- Time Thieves and Pressures
- Signs of Stress and Spotting Them
- What’s in Your Stress Container?
- Tips and Ideas for Managing Your Stress Levels
- Learning Review
Remote and Agile Working
- Rowe (Results Orientated Work Environment)
- Managing People in a Remote and Agile Environment
- Building Trust
- Are You an Agile Manager?
- Learning Review
Improving Performance
Supporting and Developing People
- How Do You Learn?
- Creating Effective Development Plans
- Holding Great Development and Learning One-to-ones
- Practising With Your Peers
- Learning Review
Enabling Accountability and Responsibility
- The Accountability Ladder
- Having Accountable Team Members Who Take Responsibility
- Deal – a Structured Approach for Holding an Accountability Discussion
- Peer Practice Using the Deal Framework
- Learning Review
Honest Conversations
Holding Honest Conversations: Providing Feedback, Managing Challenging Discussions and Dealing With Conflict
- Your Honest Conversation Challenges
- Building the Relationship
- Providing and Receiving Feedback
- Dealing With Challenging Behaviours
- Listening and Rapport
- The Emotional Bank Account
- ‘fierce Conversations’ – Dealing With Conflict in a Conversation
- Learning Review
Developing and Implementing an Enterprising Approach
Developing Entrepreneurial Thinking
- What is Entrepreneurship?
- Types of Innovation
- Benefits of Entrepreneurship
- Challenge Focused Innovation
- Review and Action Planning
Creating a Culture of Entrepreneurial Thinking at Work
- Practising Entrepreneurial Thinking – Tools and Techniques
- Imaginative Ways of Using Resources
- Review and Action Planning
Motivation and Engagement for Resilience
Better Motivation at Work
- Defining Motivation
- Exploring Some Motivation Thinking
- Skill or Will?
- Drawing Up a Motivation Plan for Someone You Manage
- Review and Action Planning
Managing for Engagement and Resilience
- What’s Your Engagement and Wellbeing Challenge?
- Commitment V Compliance
- The Resilience Gallery
- Activities That Boost Resilience and Support Wellbeing
- Learning Review
Managing and Leading Strategically
Coaching Skills
- The Core Skills and Behaviours for Coaching
- The Coaching Spectrum (Downey)
- Coaching Each Other
- How You Coach Without Giving the Answers
- Learning Review
The Leader’s Shadow
- The Influence Your Values Have on Your Style
- Your Impact: the Shadow of a Leader
- It Starts With Me – What I Say, How I Act, How I Measure
- Learning Review
Commercial Skills
Commercial Awareness in the Public Sector
- What is Commercial Thinking?
- Defining Strategic Commercial Objectives
- Developing a Strategic Focus
- Defining Customer Targets
- The Competitive Marketplace
- Meeting Stakeholder Expectations
- Implementation – Systems, Structures and Processes
- Implementation – People and Culture
- Tools and Checklists
The Political Dimension and Wrapping It All Up
Working in a Political Environment
- Communicating With Elected Members and Understanding Their Motivations
- The Political Structure Where You Work
- Using the Member Officer Relationship Protocol
- Influencing Skills and Approaches
- Formulating an Influencing Plan
Programme Review
- Reviewing Activities
- Personal, Group and Peer-led Learning Review of All the Modules and Personal Learning
- Call to Action – Going Forwards and My Next Steps
- Action Planning and Evaluation
Course delivery details
A series of sixteen ‘bite-sized’ and full-day modules, over a period of nine months. Can also be delivered virtually. Or blended. Key features include:
- ‘Pre-work’ before each module, to ensure that all participants have addressed the issues in advance of each module, thereby allowing all the sessions to be run at the optimal level and speed
- Individual and group exercises and skills practice sessions in each module, for truly experiential learning
- Limited group size (minimum 6, maximum 12) to ensure the ideal participant: trainer ratio
- ILM Development Certificate for each participant (which can be used as evidence for CPD purposes, where appropriate)
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Maximum Performance
At Maximum Performance, we are passionate about improving the performance of individuals, teams and organisations. Our extensive portfolio of courses are offered via a range of flexible delivery options - including open courses, in-house training, webinars and virtual classrooms. We...