Management Skills for an IT Environment

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this course about? In this course, you learn how to build an empowered and motivated team of technical professionals, harness the power of individuals, and create a proactive, customer-focused and results-oriented culture. In this immersive four-day course, you build a blueprint for personal success using proven management models. Who will benefit from this course? The course benefits: People who have been promoted to lead a project or team of IT professionals Those who are expecting or planning to be promoted to an IT managerial position in the foreseeable future Established IT managers who want to refresh their tools and techniques What kind of background do I need? No special background is required. You need only have the desire to learn the skills that will make you a successful manager. How does this course differ from Course 290, Management Skills? Both Course 906, Management Skills for an IT Environment, and Course 290, Management Skills, focus on the fundamental skills, best practices and behaviors of effective managers. If you are managing technical people, you should take Course 906, Management Skills for an IT Environment. Otherwise, you should take Course 290, Management Skills. Due to the similarity of these courses, it is not appropriate to take both. How does this course approach the topic of management? Your natural managerial ability can be appreciably improved through formal training. This course teaches you what good management is and how to do it effectively. You learn the tasks of the two fundamental managerial roles: Administrative Manager: Setting objectives, delegating tasks, carrying out appraisals and running the day-to-day work of the team Leader: Building a vision for the team, motivating individual team members, communicating effectively and building the ability of the team to do an outstanding job How is this course structured? This course is structured around a dynamic style of learning created by Learning Tree called RealityPlusTM -- an immersive experience that engages you in authentic tasks within a simulated real-world context. Through media-rich case studies, role playing, videos and hands-on activities, you are immersed throughout the course in a scenario where the decisions you make affect the outcome of the simulation. The RealityPlus learning method is presented in a safe environment where you gain new skills and practice the most effective techniques to bring back to your job. At the end of your course, you are prepared to apply these new skills immediately and successfully within your organization. How does emotional intelligence apply to management? In order to develop self awareness and self responsibility in others, managers must demonstrate these qualities themselves. The emotional intelligence model focuses on key building blocks that enable managers to deal productively with a broad range of individuals and challenging situations. I prefer to do things on my own. Why should I delegate? An effective manager uses delegation as a tool to empower and encourage others. Through effective delegation, you continually increase the capability of your team, demonstrated through the team's ability to work collaboratively and communicate effectively. This ultimately results in increased revenue, cost savings and a satisfied customer base. I have an underperforming employee. Can I really motivate him/her? Yes. By understanding your employee's individuality, skills, strengths and personal values, it is possible to develop customized motivational strategies. These can be used to maintain the motivation of employees who are on target or redirect the efforts of the employee whose performance goes off track. How much time is spent on each topic? Content Hours The challenge of IT management 3.5 Developing management excellence 3.5 Emotional Intelligence (EI) in action 2.5 Motivating technical workers 2.25 Delegating for empowerment 2.0 Facilitating success for IT teams 3.0 Reinforcing and redirecting performance through coaching 2.25 Implementing your managerial vision 2.0 Times, including the workshops, are estimates; exact times may vary according to the needs of each class. What kinds of activities are included? The course includes group activities through which you develop skills in team building, problem solving and delegation. In individual sessions, you analyze problems and identify solutions to management challenges. Activities focus on the following topics: Mapping stakeholder interdependencies, defining the manager's job, creating a vision, maintaining customer focus, teambuilding, managing delegation and planning your new role as a manager. Is this course applicable to a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification? Yes. Although this course is not designed as preparation for the exam, it is beneficial to anyone working toward PMI's PMP certification. For those who are currently certified, completion of this course counts as 23 professional development units (Sixty units must be completed every three years to maintain certification). For more details, please see the Learning Tree PMI Registered Education Provider Q&A. If you are an experienced project manager intending to take the PMP exam, you should take Course 276, Preparing for the Project Management Professional (PMP®) Exam. In this course you learn essential PMBOK® Guide - Third Edition terminology, tools and techniques. You gain practical test-taking experience through PMI-style practice exams and create your own personal study plan for continued use after the course. How does this course relate to other Learning Tree courses? Learning Tree offers a number of courses in management, communication and planning: 224, The Art of Coaching: Enabling Employees to Achieve Their Potential offers the skills to apply coaching techniques to unlock employee potential 294, Influence Skills: Getting Results Without Direct Authority focuses on the specific behaviors and attitudes that enable you to achieve desired results without relying on the use of authority 904, Responding to Conflict: Creating Resolution and Cooperation offers the skills to effectively handle conflict and apply proven techniques to build an environment of cooperation 905, Facilitation Skills provides the skills to facilitate goal-oriented results through planning, collaboration and consensus 284, Critical Thinking and Creative Problem Solving provides the skills to leverage your personal thinking preferences using tools and techniques based on cutting-edge technologies 281, Finance and Accounting for Non-Financial Managers teaches you to integrate financial concepts and policies into the management decision and budgeting process The following courses may also be of interest: 246, Managing Information Overload: Techniques for Working Smarter  247, MBA Essentials: Enhancing Organizational Performance  340, Project Management for Software Development  296, Project Management: Skills for Success  346, Project Leadership: Building High-Performance Teams  286, Project Risk Management  275, Leading Virtual and Remote Teams  908, Making Successful Business Decisions: Getting It Right the First Time

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