cultivating a Networking Mindset & being prepared

We kick off the program with "starting with the end in mind" and exploring steps in reverse-engineering big picture project aspirations to craft clear and measurable project outlines.  In the first part of this workshop, leaders will:

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• Experience the Project Envisioning Process:  we start with broad strokes that identify project purpose and anticipated outcomes that are aligned with company or organizational values and mission.

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• Set measurable and achievable project goals, defining scope, and key deliverables: participants dig deeper into project goals and clearly outlined objectives that are tied to measurable outputs for their particular program.  They also acquire tools in communicating project purpose and scope to their team members and project stakeholders, building buy-in, clarity and motivation for nest steps. 

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• Develop detailed project plans, identify & allocate resources, and establish accountability frameworks: leaders continue to work on their logframes, further defining action steps, fleshing out delegated tasks and timelines, and itemizing available resources and projected budgets needed for project implementation.  The metrics and steps outlined in this part of the process allows leaders to track progress and performance throughout the project's execution phase.

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• Ensure communciation channels are clearly mapped out: a key factor in successful project execution is establishing clear roles and communication channels.  Here, we work through often-overlooked communication mapping to ensure the clear roll-out and implementation of the project or event at hand.

Understanding positioning, influence & different contexts

​Once every participant has completed the first six steps of their respective project logframes, we learn how to anticipate potential risks and challenges that could derail the team's efforts in delivering on their project or event plan.  Here, we:

• Identify potential risks and false assumptions that may create project bottlenecks, proactively considering mitigation strategies: we learn how to anticipate potential project risks and assumptions by evaluating internal and external factors, and develop contingency plans to address obstacles before they derail a project's progress or event execution.

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• Apply design thinking techniques to identify the root cause of potential problems and manage obstacles, keeping the project on track: leaders understand how to use structured problem-solving approaches to unearth the underlying issues of certain issues so they can make informed decisions and take appropriate action, ensuring that problems are resolved quickly without compromising project outcomes.

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• Develop a learning culture around mistakes and 'failing fast': when testing prototypes and actvities that leaders integrate into their project plan, many unforseen events can go wrong.  In this part of the training, we guide participants through an experiential process where they understand the value in "failing fast" and remaining agile in the face of temporary setbacks.  This leadership mindset in the project execution phase enables managers to adapt to ever-evolving situations, sharing valuable learning with the team, and forging ahead with additional wisdom and lived experience.

Developing and maintaining meaningful professional relationships

​In the final day of this 3-part course, we take a deep dive into monitoring & evaluation practices that allow leaders and their teams the opportunity to gauge project impact or event success.  Leaders walk away with the ability to:

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• Return to baseline indicators and project metrics to gauge project impact or event success: by exploring how to compare baseline data and project metrics that were established during the planning phase, leaders can identify and quantify tangible changes and positive outcomes from their project and determine the effectiveness of their strategies and project plan.

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• Facilitate event or project "retrospectives" where lived experiences and learnings are shared and documented : in the final step of the program, participants draft important questions that help to unearth valuable learning and feedback from the team and all relevant stakeholders after the project or event has concluded.  This final piece allows project managers the opportunity to document successes, analyze challenges, identify key lessons learned and make vital recommendations for future projects and events.  Too often, leaders overlook this essential step and fail to share this indispensable information with their team for the benefit and development of everyone and the organization or company for whom they work.​

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