This workshop has been specially developed for Senior Executives and Managers striving to take their organisation to higher stages of success. It draws upon and extends Strategic Roadmapping as developed by Cambridge University and The Australian National University and harnesses recent research advances from the field of contextual behavioural science. The intervention will prepare leaders for the complexities of strategically steering their department and divisions through uncertainty, turmoil and volatility so characteristic of the global situation today. Uniquely, strategic roadmapping provides strategists with a toolkit for benchmarking and qualifying opportunities fit for purpose and capability that ensure greater success in the long-run.

Importantly, this work recognizes the critical human dimensions of any organisational strategy and uses powerful tools gained from recent insights on polycentric governance and prosociality in inspiring top managers and maintaining team spirit and cohesion in pursuit of organisational goals.

The session is led by behavioural psychologist Dr Robert Styles who, with the help of systems engineer Dr Matthew Doolan, first developed strategic roadmapping with an emphasis on the human dimensions of roadmap execution in 2015. The unique and innovative approach to developing strategy draws extensively from the latest, empirically-validated and evidence-based research advances in contextual behavioural science and systems engineering.

Topics to be covered:

Stage 1

• Draft vision/goal based on preferred and probable futures that reflect a response to adaptive challenges
• Identify key criteria for success
• Identify opportunities and qualify how well-poorly they respond to the key criteria for success
• Rank each opportunity ‘fit for vision’

Stage 2

• Assign and benchmark capabilities required to achieve each opportunity against select criteria
• Rank each opportunity ‘fit for capability’
• Prioritise opportunities based on ‘fitness for vision’ and ‘fitness for capability’
• Draft a roadmap underpinned by actions over time to achieve the opportunities and vision
• Compare individual team roadmaps and identify common elements and actions

Learning outcomes:

• Strategically influence and coordinate organisation-wide efforts in realising tangible goals
• Empower and inspire motivated, cooperative and productive teams by actively engaging them in the planning process
• Communicate with impact in creating a robust organisational vision and goals for the future
• Catalyse innovation and changed behaviours in Senior Executives and Managers within your organisation
• Become a strategic-thinking and influential leader and advisor

Outcomes:

Participating individuals and organisations will be more adequately equipped to response to the challenges of this century. For example, in the areas of food, water and energy security while taking into consideration gender equity and social inclusion. The issues being faced by the public and associated sectors are complex and seeming intractable. An effective response, I believe, will necessarily be multi-disciplinary for those who rise to the challenge. Hence the design of the program – an accessible, well informed, deliberative process that catalyses innovative responses from individuals within nested and interrelated team and community arrangements to the challenges they face within their sphere of influence.

Anticipated behavioural and business impacts of the course include:

Senior executives & managers will learn to:

• Chart and substantiate the required investment for strategy execution in their organisation
• Manage the expectations of Boards, staff, stakeholders and the citizen
• Empower and enhance the performance of the executives and managers integral to the effort and strengthen their commitment and resilience
• Manage potential ‘crisis’ and the vagaries of volatile, uncertain events in charting the pathway forward
• Maintain a collegial, professional, confident and productive workforce and work environment

Who should attend?

Senior Executives and Managers striving to develop robust strategies and plans that will most effectively realise organisational KPI’s. Leaders wanting the best for their organisation and keen to improve their advisory roles. SES officers and senior managers who wish to be prepared for dealing with the economic, political and social uncertainties of our times and who want to command loyal, top performing teams.

Selected participants should hold a mid or senior-level policy, practice, research or reform role, in either government, civil society or the private sector. Ideally they should have completed at least an Undergraduate or Masters level tertiary qualification, have at least five years’ work experience at mid to senior levels, and have a good understanding of the discipline they are representing.