Progressing from creativity through innovation into effective strategy
Introduction
This intensive, high level 5-day workshop is aimed at enabling entrepreneurs, corporate venturing managers and others involved in new business development to operate effectively at the most advanced level in their activities. The emphasis is on leveraging creativity, analysis and judgement in building tomorrow’s organisation out of today’s organisation whilst sustaining top-level performance in current business during change.
The workshop concentrates on enhancing each participant’s ability to lead and manage innovative approaches to new business development. There is a clear emphasis on making decisions that deal with the faster pace of change that is encountered in all contemporary business sectors. Using highly interactive study of best practice, the workshop will provide experienced managers with practical ideas and new skills that will make a significant impact on the performance of their teams. Participants will sharpen their focus on the factors that will result in business success in the short and medium term as they plan for a different future in their part of the organisation. This workshop is also useful to participants who are planning to launch their own business.
Learning objectives
At the end of this five-day workshop, participants will be able to:
- Identify, evaluate and launch new business opportunities
- Build a successful new company or part of your existing company
- Leverage and commercialise innovations from research laboratories
- Create and grow high-value financially strong operations
- Achieve and sustain continuous performance improvement
Target Audience
This workshop will be of particular benefit to experienced managers and specialists who are currently working at a senior or executive level and are now ready to assume greater responsibility for identifying new opportunities and leading the development of the organisation of the future. This can include (but is not limited to) the following:
- Strategic planners
- Specialists in economic development
- Joint venture and supply chain managers
- Operations analysts and management accountants
- Business owners planning for major expansion
- Other individuals at senior management or executive level
Training Methodology
This interactive results-oriented event combines facilitated discussions with structured lessons framed by a comprehensive learning manual that functions as a “guidebook” for reference after the workshop. The detail of each day is illustrated by a PowerPoint slide deck with case examples and case studies for group work. All case examples and case studies deal with real-life situations in which the workshop leader has been personally involved. Ample time will be scheduled for questions and answers, interactive exercises and generating new ideas.
Programme Content
DAY ONE
Assessing the Current Performance and Potential of Your Organisation
- What is an entrepreneur?
- What is the potential of your business for sustained profitable growth?
- The strategic requirement for product and process innovation
Strategic Planning for Competitive Success
- Developing your distinctive corporate strategy
- Communicating and implementing programmes of action
- Measuring and adjusting your unique corporate strategy
DAY TWO
Leadership Development
- The special characteristics of leadership in an entrepreneurial culture
- Why would anyone agree to be led by you?
- What is “transformational leadership”?
Risk Management
- Identification and assessment of risk
- Tools and techniques - risk management and risk mitigation
- Tools and techniques of risk transfer
DAY THREE
Planning for Innovation and Using Innovation Effectively
- Innovation – discovering and evaluating new ideas
- Selecting and applying the best innovation techniques and processes
- Developing and sustaining an innovation culture
Marketing & Branding
- Effective marketing strategy in an entrepreneurial business
- How to calculate your marketing Return On Investment
- How to develop and leverage a brand
DAY FOUR
Forecasting & Budgeting
- Forecasting demand - the most critical element
- The different roles of forecasting and budgeting
- The master budget as a support of strategy
Entrepreneurial Finance
- Financial structure options - start-up/mezzanine/second and third phase
- The balance of cash flow/debt/equity financing
- Z-score & other analysis tools
DAY FIVE
Operational Excellence
- How to measure success and potential
- The need for alignment between strategic and operational leadership
- The essence of strategic leadership in an entrepreneurial culture
Continuous Process Improvement
- The 6-Sigma audit and analysis
- World class process improvement techniques
- The “Kaizen” concept and its application across the organisation
