Engineers, IT professionals and scientists are typically promoted to positions of leadership as a “reward” for their technical excellence. These new roles, as either a team leader or manager, demand a completely different set of skills. These new skills include effective communication skills, conflict resolution, and change management. To be successful, the new manager must quickly demonstrate proficiency in these new skills. The new manager must also resolve any personal and professional issues associated with the transition from technologist to generalist. In this workshop we will cover each of these topics as well as practice these new leadership skills and techniques. Participants will also have an opportunity to share their own problems and experiences with leadership.
Topics
- Management and leadership vs. technical competence
- Definitions of management and leadership
- The key differences between management and leadership
- Characteristics of technical professionals
- Challenges of leaders with technical backgrounds
- Skills and competencies for technical leaders
- Technical, administrative and people skills
- Managing the environment
- Building trust
- Managing change
- Creating a motivational environment
- Communicating effectively
- Resolving conflict
- Becoming a well-rounded technical leader
- Performance planning
- Factors which influence technical career growth and development
- Appraising performance
- The importance of career planning
- Developing the well-rounded technical professional
- Summary and wrap-up
- Action planning for near-term developmental milestones
Learning Outcomes
As a result of attending this program, participants will have learned and practiced the techniques needed to:
- Understand the challenges of the transition to leadership
- Learn the skills and behaviors that make leaders successful
- Learn effective techniques to resolve conflict
- Practice interpersonal communication skills that are required of effective leaders
Who Should Attend
Engineers, IT professionals and scientists moving into a management role, or anticipating such a move.
This program is applicable to all for-profit and not-for-profit organizations.
Level of Prior Knowledge in This Subject Area: None
