Leading without formal authority

Summary

Perhaps you are responsible for delivering projects using contractors? Perhaps you are a technical expert following a technically focused career path? As engineers we are often in leadership roles that don’t come with the line management authority that enables us to give straight orders. Yet we still have to get things done through others. It is, therefore, important to understand the nature of these relationships as well as techniques to lead and influence those people around you.

Engineers routinely find themselves managing outsourced work teams or working as a member of an outsourced team on a customer’s site themselves. As engineering organisations strive to improve time to market, cost and quality the use of outsourcing and contractors will continue. Those who are able to master ‘leading’ through complex relationships will become highly prized.

This pragmatic course deals with the unique challenges associated with this way of working. You will be given practical advice on how to build leadership credibility, develop your communication and influencing skills and overcome the challenges presented by having no “line” authority.

Who should attend?

Those in project or technical leadership roles and those seeking to develop their career in non-line management positions.

How will I benefit?

After the course you will be able to:  

• Understand what makes an effective leader
• Recognise the importance of trust in leadership and how to build it
• Explore stakeholder expectations and how to manage them
• Use tools to analyse stakeholders and predict their behaviour
• Develop your assertiveness and apply this to your leadership approach
• Consider your approach to communication and take responsibility for communicating your message more clearly
• Use the power that you do have to lead effectively
• Develop a range of approaches to influencing
• Use questioning and listening techniques to influence others
• Understand how we are influenced at a subconscious level
• Have tools to use when things go wrong to give feedback and handle conflict

Key topics

• Leadership – what constitutes leadership and how to develop your approach
• Trust - Building trust through consistency and best practice
• Expectations – Understanding and managing expectations of those around you
• Communication – how to take responsibility for communication and develop assertiveness
• Influencing – Exploring influence and a range of different approaches to use
• Handling conflict - What to do when things go wrong

Meet our trainers

These trainers regularly teach Leading without formal authority.