Management, Leadership & Personal Effectiveness
Organisational Development service within Human Resources offer a range of programmes to support your professional development. These include courses on managing people, managing resources, managing research projects and leadership. There are also a range of workshops focussing on more generic personal skills such as communicating effectively, managing your workload and influencing, all of which are designed to assist you in developing your academic career.
The workshops below are specifically designed for new academic staff on ECDP and Postdoctoral Researchers. Participation should be considered as part of a Personal Development Plan.
In addition to the workshops below (which are only open to academic and research staff) Organisational Development service offers a broad range of workshops and resources for all staff groups.
To book on to any of these courses, please visit CoreHR.
Please Note - As of June 2020 the courses below are undergoing review to ensure their content and delivery remains current to the needs of participants and the University. They are offered subject to availability which may change as the review progresses.
Building Better Relationships through Self Awareness
Description:
Explore the theory of personality type (using the MBTI instrument) to promote greater understanding of yourself and others to facilitate better communication.
Target Audience:
This workshop may be useful to those who have an interest in advanced communication skills and exploring how they, and others, approach work. Before the workshop you will be sent a link to an on-line questionnaire which must be completed prior to attending the course. This workshop is also suitable for Early Career Researchers.
To view dates, times and to book a place or add your name to the waiting list for this workshop please login to the HR Self Service Portal
Communicating Effectively - For Academics
Description:
Communicating clearly with others and with the desired impact is a skill that is essential for many staff, however it can be challenging at times. This workshop focuses on the critical elements for effective interpersonal face-to-face verbal and non-verbal communication and can help to build self-confidence through various communication techniques.
By the end of this workshop you will have an opportunity to:
- understand the key elements of communication and the factors impacting effective communication
- understand the communication process and be able to identify the opportunities and challenges in getting your message across with the desired impact
- be able to identify different communication styles in action and flex your style to influence others
- be able to identify different ways to convey your message clearly, concisely and assertively, and ensure you have understood the message others are conveying to you
- experiment with aspects of persuasive communication
To view dates, times and to book a place or add your name to the waiting list for this workshop please login to the HR Self Service Portal
Influencing Skills
Description:
This course aims to increase your understanding of successful influencing and how being effective in this area can strengthen relationships and improve outcomes. In today’s organisations, this is a critical skill and the intention is to discuss and explore strategies for successful influencing while providing participants with a toolkit they can use to increase their effectiveness in the workplace.
Target Audience:
This workshop may be of interest to individuals who would like to improve influencing skills in the workplace.
During the workshop, there will be an opportunity to:
- identify your own preferences in communication style and how this impacts on your relationships with stakeholders and therefore your ability to influence them
- explore the importance of other people’s perceptions and perspectives when attempting to influence them
- identify different influencing strategies and examine when and how to adapt their style to use each effectively
- build a strategy using the tools provided to increase effectiveness in the workplace
To view dates, times and to book a place or add your name to the waiting list for this workshop please login to the HR Self Service Portal
Leading without Formal Authority - For Academics
Description:
In academic careers individuals often find themselves in a leadership position where they have no formal authority - for example managing the delivery of a teaching programme or leading a collaborative research project. This workshop explores the unique challenges associated with this way of working and will provide practical advice on how to build leadership credibility and overcome challenges of having no ‘line’ authority.
By the end of this workshop you will have an opportunity to:
- understand the different relationships that exist today and manage expectations accordingly
- understand why rational argument alone is often not persuasive
- identify ways in which you influence more effectively
- understand the importance of building credibility and trust and why they matter
To view dates, times and to book a place or add your name to the waiting list for this workshop please login to the HR Self Service Portal
Managing Research Projects – for MVLS / Science & Engineering
Description:
This two day workshop focuses on how to scope and manage a research project and understand the importance of the management of risks and relationships. It develops participants’ awareness of how to manage simple and complex projects; working with stakeholders; how to lead and manage diverse teams as a project manager / in a Principle Investigator role; and how to plan, monitor and evaluate project success. Course participants should leave with a toolkit of project planning tools and techniques to equip them to lead successful research projects.
Target Audience:
This workshop is suitable for Early Career Researchers.
By the end of this workshop you will have an opportunity to:
- understand the core principles of project management
- understand how to scope, lead and manage successful research projects
- develop an understanding of how to effectively identify and manage risks
- understand the importance of effective colleague and stakeholder relationships in delivering successful projects
- be aware of, and be able to apply, a range of tools and techniques to enable effective scoping, monitoring and management of research projects
- be aware of the management responsibilities of a PI when working with research staff
To view dates, times and to book a place or add your name to the waiting list for this workshop please login to the HR Self Service Portal
Managing Research Projects – for Social Sciences / Arts
Description:
This workshop focuses on managing projects while working in collaborative teams. Participants, who are not line managers of research staff, will learn about managing relationships and how to work effectively with stakeholders. During the course, participants will be introduced to project management tools and techniques that will enable effective scoping, monitoring and management of their research projects.
Target Audience:
This workshop is suitable for Early Career Researchers.
By the end of this workshop you will have an opportunity to:
- understand the core principles of project management in research environments
- develop an understanding of how to effectively manage colleague and stakeholder relationships
- be aware of, and be able to apply, a range of tools and techniques to enable effective scoping, monitoring and management of research projects
To view dates, times and to book a place or add your name to the waiting list for this workshop please login to the HR Self Service Portal
Managing Research Teams
Description:
As your academic career progresses you will often become a line manager for staff – most commonly research staff working on funded projects. Managing people and resources can be challenging, especially for staff who may be new to these responsibilities. This workshop explains the roles and responsibilities of a manager and provides a foundation for best practice approaches and techniques to achieve results with your team.
By the end of this workshop you will have an opportunity to:
- identify the role and key responsibilities of effective managers
- identify the characteristics of effective management practices
- plan and prioritise your workload and delegate effectively
- understand the performance cycle and how to effectively manage performance to enable them to perform at their best
- understand how teams work and how to get the best from your team
To view dates, times and to book a place or add your name to the waiting list for this workshop please login to the HR Self Service Portal