How do you define ‘leadership’ in the context of this programme?

Today’s managers face the challenge to build and lead an effective team made up of diverse personalities in a competitive and ever changing business environment. Leadership in this constantly changing environment requires managers to keep abreast with the knowledge and personal attributes needed to stay ahead of the rapid pace of change. Our programme is designed to provide managers with these skills, tools, and competencies through the following workshops; Strategic management, Leading organisational change, Leading in a changing environment, Financial management, Marketing for the progressive organisation, Project management and Accounting for managers.

The programme was developed in response to the constantly changing business environment, where managers face challenges and changes that rapidly transform where, how and with whom they do business. Yet, many in leadership roles lack the art and science needed to manage both an organisation and its people. The course was also designed for individuals without business related qualifications or training who manage a team, but find it difficult to build a strong leadership presence. These individuals may come from other disciplines such as, science, engineering or medicine.

Who do you think will benefit the most from this course?

This course will benefit experienced managers, who what to refresh and learn new practices that will enable them to continue to lead with confidence. For example, the workshop Leading in a Changing Environment would allow existing managers to familiarise themselves with the current trends in leadership research and review their own leadership style and set development targets. New managers would also find this course useful for learning the practical tools and techniques required to become a successful manager.

Could you describe the personal background of the last cohort for this programme.

In November 2013, the course ran with a global cohort of 16 participates from Malaysia, Brazil, Qatar, the UK, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Morocco and Sweden. The delegates were all senior professionals from a variety of sectors including oil and gas, luxury fashion, funeral services, education, professional services, construction, printing, IT, transport, printing and minting and government.

What are some of the unique teachings offered in this programme?

We provide a toolkit that covers how to learn the pivotal aspects of management and leadership, which will prepare managers to be as effective and efficient. To achieve this objective, the programme is consolidated with a series of case study analysis and experiential learning techniques. Participates also have the rare opportunity to meet and network with other delegates from other parts of the world and exchange experiences and knowledge. This creates the opportunity to learn and engage in business in other parts of the world.

What are the main challenges of being in a leadership role?

Managers have to deal/interact with ever increasing number of sophisticated, highly educated and skilled staff and air jordan 12 it is proving challenging to manage this highly mobile, expectant and demanding group of workers. The skills and value they bring to productivity and the work place make them a very valuable asset. Only good and dynamic leadership can retain their loyalty and longevity in any organization. Leadership in organizations are also faced with challenges of the constantly changing global market place. For instance, the search for new markets and changing visions and goals is part of the new challenge. Therefore it is important that they keep up to date with leadership and management skills that will enable them to be a superior competitor in the market place.

Professional background of Frances Ewulugo

Dr Ekwulugo has extensive experience in both private and public sector organisations in the UK and overseas. She obtained her Master’s degree in Management from the University of Kent and a PhD from the University of Hull. Her research interests are in the areas of marketing and small business management, particularly in emerging economies.

Her research interests and consulting activities are mainly in the area of Small business management and marketing, particularly in emerging economies. She currently represents her University in Africa. She collaborated with the Haringey Development Agency on a project sponsored by the United Nations

To find out more about the Management and Leadership Development programme and the next start date please read here.

At Westminster Business School we have been running PRINCE2 courses for some time. They have proved extremely popular and I have indeed completed both the air jordan 11 Foundation and Practitioner courses myself.

As a PRINCE2 Practitioner I was interested to understand how PRINCE2 differed from Agile , bearing in mind this course has just been added to our portfolio and is available from February 2014.

I am a recent MBA graduate and now a PRINCE2 Practitioner, I have previously been involved in numerous projects. Becoming a PRINCE2 Practitioner has provided me with a much better understanding of a projectlifecycleand how PRINCE2 benefitsorganisations, enabling managers to better control resources and manage business and project risk more effectively.

PRINCE2 is widely regarded as the gold standard of project management and is often a prerequisite for job descriptions and is recognised as being essential for keeping projects in control, particularly in the public sector.

Agile seems more suited to IT projects, which are widely regarded as difficult to manage and commonly exceed budgets or fail to achieve the expected objective. Is this because they’re being run using the wrong method?

Agile is iterative, in that development can be done, and re done, based on new information or changes in requirements. This would suit itself to an IT environment, where something can be revised over and over again until the desired solution is achieved. However, this process would not suit the building of a skyscraper. Who is going to start building a skyscraper without knowing what the end result should look like, or in fact demolish a half built skyscraper if the specification changes?

By using an Agile methodology projects are then broken down into bite size chunks, where decisions can be made throughout the project about the details required after each iteration. This creates the freedom to choose what is and is not required at various stages of a project, allowing a tighter rein on budgets and reduced project spend.

It seems to me that Agile as a system will work well for IT projects. Anyone wishing to keep such a project in control using PRINCE2 could end up with less control.

The Agile (AgilePM) certification aims to address the needs of those working in a project focused environment who want to be Agile. The course covers an approach to project management that sits alongside PRINCE2. If you would like to find out more then read more here.

Westminster Business School Executive Development team are pleased to announce that they have added another professional course to their expanding portfolio of professional and short courses. Due to the growing success of PRINCE2 , they now offer Agile (Agile PM) which covers an approach to project management that sits alongside PRINCE2.

The certification, accredited by APMG International, aims to address the needs of those working in a project focused environment who want to be Agile. Individuals will learn how to deliver Agile Projects in organisations requiring standards, rigour air jordan 10 and visibility around project management.

The course will benefit Project Managers who want to add to their knowledge of traditional approaches and who work in a fast paced changing environment and are embracing empowerment provided by agile methods. The programme will also suit agile team members who wish to become Agile Project Mangers.