Planning Specialist

Strategic Planning for Communication Practitioners

Format availability:

In-Person, Online streaming

Duration:

5 Days

Introduction to the course

In order to be successful managers must have the ability to plan strategically. Developing this competency is a key component of managerial skills enhancement given that effective strategic planning is essential to the future success of any organization. However, most strategic planning is lacking in vision. It is merely a straight-line extrapolation of the past into the future. In a world where the pace of change is greater than ever before this is at best short-sighted and at worst a prescription for disaster.

Real strategic planning is about positioning the organization for a future which will be different from the past. This Planning Specialist training course will focus on strategic planning as the essential management system guiding the manager and organization into the future by setting focused goals that will establish and enhance competitiveness. This training course will also focus on the necessity of developing both personal mental agility and organizational agility. Close examination will be made of the driving forces creating both strategic successes and failures.

Highlights of this training course are as follows:

  • Presentation of the Concept and Significance of Strategy and Strategic Planning
  • Introduction to the Main Approaches to Strategy Formulation and Goal Setting
  • Case Examples of Organizations Formulating Strategic Plans
  • Group Work on Specific Cases and Problems
  • Extensive Use of Practical Examples in which the course leader has been personally involved

 

Course details

By the end of this training course, you will be able to:

  • Examine how to design visionary strategic plans
  • Consider utilization of a model for organizational assessment
  • Formulate insights into strategic planning problems to avoid
  • Identify and learn from examples of strategic success and failure
  • Develop understanding of the nature of the organizational life cycle
  • Study the preparation of effective contingency plans

How does the organization benefit by sending employees to this training course?

  • Employees are better able to relate their functional work to the overall direction of the organization
  • There will be greater flexibility within the organization
  • Employees’ capability in analysing and building creative solutions will be enhanced
  • Employees will have more confidence in setting and aiming for ambitious targets
  • Employees will be better placed to cope with organizational change
  • Employees will think more rigorously about creating tomorrow’s organization out of today’s organization

How does the delegate benefit by attending this training course?

  • Participants will learn how to combine analytical and creative thinking
  • Participants will have a better understanding of the global business environment of the 21st century
  • Participants will learn how to make choices in making best use of finite resources
  • Participants will develop improved preparedness to deal with contingencies
  • Participants will learn how to set challenging, realistic and achievable targets
  • Participants will have further developed their ability to move up in their organization

This Planning Specialist training course is designed for professionals involved with the planning process. It will be of benefit for all managers who seek to enhance their planning skills.

Typical delegates would include the following:

  • Specialist Managers
  • Operational Managers
  • Team Leaders

Daily Agenda

DAY 1:
Strategy, Strategic Planning and Competitive Positioning
  • Introduction to the training course – Structure and Content
  • Strategy - Concept and Significance
  • Competitive Positioning” vs. “Blue Sky” Approaches
  • Achieving Competitive Advantage through Flexibility and Agility
  • The Interaction of Strategy, Structure and Business Processes
  • Gathering Information and Intelligence for the SWOT Analysis
DAY 2:
Strategic Intent, Strategic Choice and Balancing Scorecards
  • Vision and Mission Statements - Preparing for the Future
  • Business Analysis and Contingency Planning
  • Strategic Choice
  • Converting the SWOT Analysis into the “Strategy Matrix
  • Strategy Formulation – Programmes, Projects, Policies
  • Transforming the Organization - Strategy Implementation and Managing Change
DAY 3:
Assessing the Current State of the Organization
  • Leadership and Management in Relation to Strategy
  • Customer and Market Focus
  • Human Resources and Knowledge Management
  • Building a Strategic Planning Team
  • Effective Process Management to Achieve Business Results
  • Monitoring and Measuring Business Performance
DAY 4:
Strategic Planning Best Practice Whilst Avoiding the Pitfalls
  • The Strategy Life-cycle and the Problem of Strategic Drift
  • Getting Innovative Thinking into the Organization
  • The Potentially Negative Dimensions of Success
  • How to Avoid 'Paralysis by Analysis'?
  • Overcoming Inability to Evaluate Fresh Ideas - Denying the Truth and Thinking Inside the Box
  • The Critical Importance of Good Planning Team Dynamics
DAY 5:
Personal Strategic Planning
  • Applying Strategic Tools and Techniques to the Individual
  • Personal Goal Setting, Creating a Personal Strategic Plan
  • Implementing Change - Achieving Progress as a Strategic Manager
  • The Mix of Competencies and Personal Skills required in 21st Century Business
  • Executing Strategy - How to break it down and get it done?
  • Developing Inspiration and Gathering Support
  • Overcoming Adversity by Leveraging Your Skills and Building on Success
  • Conclusion - A Personal Role in the Strategic Planning and Goal Setting Processes
Assessment
  • Following attendance on the training course, you are required to complete a SWOT analysis on the area of the organisation for which you have responsibility
  • You should bear in mind the topics covered on the training course
  • The SWOT analysis should be accompanied by explanations to substantiate each claim or recognition of specific characteristics

Professional certificate & Accreditation

Learn the concepts of strategy and strategic planning and understand the best practices to implement strategic objectives through this training course

Frequently Asked Questions

There are no prerequisites. Our courses are open to students of all backgrounds who are 18 years of age and older. All courses are conducted in English. Video lectures include English subtitles and the option to slow-down, pause, or replay lectures for better retention. Discussion boards are a critical component of each of our courses; therefore, we suggest students have a conversational knowledge of English when pursuing a Certificate of Completion. For any of the art writing courses, students need to be 100% proficient in written English.

You should have an up-to-date web browser such as: Chrome, Safari, Firefox, or Internet Explorer. For more detailed information, please see the guides for supported browsers and basic computer specifications. Our Online Courses can be accessed on a mobile or tablet device, although we strongly encourage you to have access to a desktop or laptop computer and reliable internet connection for certain course components. Former students have told us it is easiest to read discussion threads and complete written assignments on a laptop or desktop computer.

Registration is available on our website. Just follow these simple steps: Click the “Apply Now” button in the top right corner of your screen. Select “Online Courses.” Choose your course(s). You will be asked for basic contact information and your credit card payment. We require full payment at the time of registration and all tuition is billed in US dollars. Be sure to check with your bank or credit card company, as your financial institution may charge a foreign transaction fee.

Our classes are kept small, at no more than 30 students, to better facilitate and encourage personalized interaction with the instructor and fellow participants. Your classmates come from all over the globe and contribute their global perspectives and experience. Some are currently working within the arts while others are just beginning. All classmates share in their passion for the art world.

It is recommended that you begin your course promptly. If you do need to start the course a few days late, contact your instructor as soon as possible after the course has opened to discuss your options. Registration closes on the Friday after the course begins.

Enroll now

Click on a date to enroll and save your seat
Dubai
14-18 Oct 2024
Fee: $7,000
Online streaming
18-22 Nov 2024
Fee: $3,950
London
18-22 Nov 2024
Fee: $7,000
Istanbul
16-20 Dec 2024
Fee: $7,000
Dubai
16-20 Dec 2024
Fee: $7,000
Amsterdam
06-10 Jan 2025
Fee: $7,000
London
03-07 Feb 2025
Fee: $7,000
Online streaming
12-16 May 2025
Fee: $3,950
Dubai
23-27 Jun 2025
Fee: $7,000
London
01-05 Sep 2025
Fee: $7,000
Online streaming
01-05 Sep 2025
Fee: $3,950
Istanbul
08-12 Sep 2025
Fee: $7,000
Dubai
20-24 Oct 2025
Fee: $7,000
London
24-28 Nov 2025
Fee: $7,000
Dubai
22-26 Dec 2025
Fee: $7,000
Course customization available
Course customization available

This training course is available to be conducted at your own pace & at your own time. Request for a quotation now and our training advisor will contact you shortly

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