In-house Management Development workshops
Management - the art, the skill, the science of getting something done through others is an often misunderstood concept. Yet it is one which is key to success in hierarchical structures such as local authorities. Achieving corporate or community objectives cannot be done single-handedly and managing staff, budgets, and resources to achieve those objectives is a challenge that requires both knowledge/understanding and skill.
Most local authorities expect their more senior professional staff not only to be specialists in their own fields of expertise but also to be (at the very least) competent managers of others. Yet, at the same time, they fail to provide them with the opportunity to develop a basic understanding of managerial concepts. Management qualifications are often seen as desirable rather than essential and our experience shows that nowhere is this more so than in planning and associated environmental disciplines.
To try to bridge this knowledge and skills gap, we have developed a new programme of one-day Management Development workshops, aimed specifically at planners and those in related disciplines. The programme is available for delivery exclusively on an "in-house" basis for individual local authorities or for groups of neighbouring authorities working jointly. View the benefits of in-house training.
The programme has been designed to allow flexibility to individual clients in terms of the specific aspects of management they would like us to cover and the amount of time and other resources they are able to devote to management development.
At an introductory level, we offer a single one-day workshop entitled Professionals Becoming Managers, which provides an overview of management concepts and skills. This is an interactive workshop focusing on the "seven lamps of management" ie seven individual elements of managerial activity which, when brought together, provide a basic understanding of the key concepts and skills needed to be a successful manager.
At the more detailed level, we then offer one-day workshops on five of these individual "lamps", allowing each specific element of modern management practice to be explored across a whole day.
- Supervision and Leadership addresses many of the thorny issues encountered when trying both to provide inspirational leadership and handle difficult situations and/or difficult staff members. It also addresses how best to handle staff in times of change.
- Negotiation Skills considers how as managers, officers are expected to negotiate to achieve corporate/community goals, with partner organisations, other local authority services and developers and their agents. It also includes some concepts which can be applied when negotiating changes/improvements with the individual's own staff.
- Managing and Developing Teams explores how teams evolve, what makes a good team, and how team dynamics change depending on the personalities involved and how they are managed.
- Personal and Organisational Effectiveness looks at what organisational goals the individual is responsible for and how best they can target their efforts into achieving them.
- Managing the Customer's Experience provides an essential look at what is expected of a modern planning/ environmental service, covering internal and external customers alike.
Authorities can thus either take an "overview" approach or focus on some or all of the individual themes as required. The workshops are interactive and designed to be accessible to both existing and aspiring managers.
Workshop presenter
This series of workshops is presented by Chris Weetman, Senior Planning Consultant with TRA. Chris is the key Course Tutor on TRA's Certificated Course in Management Concepts and Skills in Planning. He has wide experience of managing staff in a number of different local authorities. His experience includes handling a wide range of difficult management issues including re-structuring services and taking disciplinary issues through to employment tribunal. He brings a keen understanding of how modern service provision is changing.
Further details
If you would like to see outline programmes for any of the workshops listed here, or to discuss your in-house training requirements further, please contact Angela Holmes.
Other management training for planning/development staff
Additional management training provided by TRA but on an "inter-authority" basis includes:
- TRA Certificated Course in Management Concepts and Skills in Planning
- Negotiation Concepts and Skills for planning and development staff: 1 day workshop (England & Wales 2010) (Scotland)
- Professionals Becoming Managers: 1 day workshop (England & Wales 2010)