Developing critical influence skills for better outcomes

The most successful IT professionals are those who understand the craft of 'influence' - helping others understand the challenges in a project and motivating them to work together to overcome them.

In fact, influence is one of the most overlooked but essential skills in IT, and mastering the art is often the difference between success and failure in tech and other projects, and in everyday life.

This workshop, delivered by Cherri Holland the author of 'Influencing 101', will help develop the influencing skills and insights of project managers, business analysts, developers, product owners - and in fact anyone responsible for technology outcomes either internally as a member of an IT team or working externally with clients to develop and deliver technology solutions.

Objectives

Sample scenarios we work on that typically take up time and/or threaten the success of IT projects include:

1. A client contact (typically product owner) leaves half way into a project. You have to ensure continuity and delivery with someone new who may not be the correct appointment due to their knowledge, capability, credibility or influence.
2. You are meeting with multiple stakeholders (business, project management, technical, financial) where people don't universally support a solution or decisions that have been made. Emotions escalate and you need an effective strategy to get a positive (or at least neutral) outcome.
3. You take over a project after the person before you got the client offside, defensive, anxious/risk-averse and/or suspicious and mistrustful.
4. A project meeting with multiple stakeholders (not initiated/started by you) is going off track and you need to take charge of the discussion (when this is not your personality). This could include political agendas by clients at the meeting that you have nothing to do with.
5. Some of the client's staff/users are offside and change-resistant, and complain about you to management. They employ a number of strategies to undermine progress.
6. You simply need to get a team onside and focused on delivery of a project or outcomes.

At the end of the course attendees will be equipped with some insights and skills to deal with these and other situations requiring influence for success.

About the Trainer

Cherri Holland has worked with thousands of leaders and service teams from hundreds of organisations and business units across most sectors in 9 countries to improve performance and organisational efficiency.

She provides practical insights and skills for managers and leaders within accounting, legal and IT firms to dramatically improve their interpersonal and relationship skills and, hereby, their impact in their role.

Cherri also trains and consults on behalf of a number of institutions, including New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants, University of Auckland Business School and Auckland University of Technology, and is a Fellow of the Institute for Digital Transformation and a member of Agile Auckland.

No courses are currently scheduled

Simply register your interest and we'll look at whether we can bring to you when you want it. If you're interested in an in-house option, register your interest and we'll come back to you.

Indicative Cost

Indicative cost for public workshops. Please contact us for in-house pricing.

All ITP Financial Members: FREE
Staff of Corporate Partners (20% Discount): $0.87 + GST / $1.00 incl GST

This is an indicative cost only. Actual cost will be confirmed with you. Minimum numbers and other conditions apply.