About the Training Course

Research suggests that as many as two-thirds of all change initiatives are unsuccessful to some extent. And, the words above of Niccolo Machiavelli illustrate the challenges of introducing and managing change.
Reorganizing, restructuring and implementation of new systems and working practices are important elements of most change programmes. These nearly always involve the support and commitment of staff.
Yet, successful change can be achieved at individual, team and organisational levels through the use of a number of practical tools and skills. Change is best achieved through the understanding and commitment of the people involved - but there are occasions when a guided missile may be needed!

Engineers, scientists, managers and other staff from all sectors who are responsible for, or involved in, managing change from small scale interventions to large scale restructuring.

Previous course attendees have come from:
BP, Esso Serve Europe Ltd, Intel Corporation (UK) Ltd, Arthur D. Little, Nextel Communications, Strata Health Solutions, ADVA Optical Networking Ltd, LSBU, Merck Speciality Chemicals Ltd, The Moser Group, SNC Pipeline Group, Analog Devices, Margalla Technology, University of Luxembourg, Wipro Technologies, QinetiQ, McDonald Restaurants Ltd, Techrem Limited, Sprint Communications, Whirlpool/Polar S.A, ACWA Power Projects, University of Cambridge, ZTE Corporation, Positive Financial Services, Ipsen Pharmaceutical Limited, Mentor Graphics UK Ltd, Oxford Immunotec, Glasgow Caledonian University, ATOS Origin Netherlands, Colgate Palmolive, GlaxoSmithKline and more.

This highly successful and practical course investigates the main theories and underpinning principles and relates these to current changes in the commercial and public sectors.
A wide range of tools are discussed and practiced in relation to individual, group and organizational change. In particular hard skills will be explored including:

• strategic planning
• systems thinking
• gap analysis
• force-field analysis
• scenario planning
• stakeholder mapping
• options for change
• surfacing problems
• process consulting
• organizational development
• the learning organization questionnaire

It is essential to possess the practical techniques for managing change, yet the greatest challenges are often to be found with the people dimension. The soft skills of communication; negotiation; persuasion; assertiveness etc combined with personal skills of motivation, endurance, and resilience are all needed to overcome potential resistance and inertia.
The emphasis throughout the course is to bring practical applications to the circumstances facing delegates. All participants are encouraged to bring with them their own experiences and plans so that strategies can be developed for intervention in the workplace. This course is particularly suitable for delivery in-house as part of the strategy of encouraging change. It enables a detailed examination of where the organization is currently positioned; where it wants to go, and how it is going to get there.