SkillSoft

Overview: Project-based operations have become the norm in today’s business world. In essence, almost every work effort is a project, from constructing a new building to designing and delivering a new information management system. As projects become the primary method for getting things done and effecting organizational change, it is crucial to choose a good and proven method for managing projects. However, projects cannot be properly managed in a silo. Every aspect of project management is affected by the organization, the social environment, the project’s stakeholders, both internal and external, and many other aspects of the context in which the project is carried out. Understanding this context is critical to good planning and good decision making as the project progresses toward achieving its objectives.

Overview: Processes: a set of interrelated actions and activities performed to achieve a specified set of products, results, or services. Good processes, meaning those based on sound principles and proven practices, are project managers’ best friends. They act like the solid tracks that keep a train going in the direction it needs to go. Following a set of established processes minimizes confusion and uncertainty for the project manager and all project stakeholders. It ensures the effective progress of the project from initiation through to close-out. In this course, learners will be given an overview of the project management process groups as defined in A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) Guide Fourth Edition published by the Project Management Institute (PMI). Specifically, learners will be introduced to the following project management process groups: Initiating, Planning, Executing, Monitoring & Controlling, and Closing. Learners will also discover how the process groups interact with the nine knowledge areas: Project Integration Management, Project Scope Management, Project Time Management, Project Cost Management, Project Quality Management, Project Human Resource Management, Project Communications Management, Project Risk Management, and Project Procurement Management. This course provides a foundational knowledge base reflecting the most up-to-date project management information so learners can effectively put principles to work at their own organizations. This course will assist in preparing learners for the PMBOK certification exam.

Overview: Why is it so hard to get people to agree to a good idea? Why are some leaders constantly faced with challenges and objections? Reaching agreement as a leader does not mean you should manipulate or force people to accept your ideas and accomplish your objectives; there are ethical ways for leaders to successfully build influence. Leaders attempting to influence and persuade others are faced with the challenges of navigating through organizational politics. An effective leader recognizes that organizational politics can provide positive ways to influence others in order to accomplish goals.

Overview: Conflict can have many causes disagreements about who does what, or about how things are done, as well as disagreements related to personality and style. And inevitably, conflicts will arise in the workplace, so it’s critical to be able to deal with them successfully. If you avoid conflict that requires quick, decisive action, or if you take an aggressive approach when you need to gain the commitment of the other person, you may make the situation worse. Unresolved conflict can intensify and hinder your productivity as you spend more time worrying about the conflict than achieving your goals. And remember, the costs of prolonged conflict can be high negative emotions, blocked communication, and stress. But choosing the appropriate response based on the type of conflict is important. When you address conflict properly, you will experience a number of benefits: it can enhance your creativity and it can strengthen your relationships, for example.

Overview: Whether you like it or not, conflict is an inevitable part of life. So learning to deal with it effectively is a key skill. The more quickly and effectively you can resolve a conflict, the sooner you can get on with more productive activities in your day. Additionally, each successfully resolved conflict will lead to more confidence and knowledge about how to approach other conflicts you may face in the future.

Overview: Managers often find confronting employees difficult and unpleasant. This Business Impact explores strategies for turning these confrontations into positive, win-win experiences.

Overview: Conflict between individuals of equal status and power can be difficult to resolve. This challenge focuses on strategies for resolving such conflict.

Overview: Conflict with coworkers is something we all deal with it at some point, and facing accusations in the workplace can be especially difficult. This Challenge explores some possible ways to address accusers.

Overview: While often considered destructive, conflict can prove beneficial if properly managed. This challenge focuses on methods for managing conflict.

Overview: A truly effective team is equal to more than the sum of its parts. And it takes the dedication of every member of the team. Effective team members go beyond themselves and their personal desires and goals. If you want to be an effective team member, your challenge is to put the team first, which means maximizing your contributions to help the team accomplish its purpose.

Overview: All individuals have strengths that allow them to achieve goals consistently and successfully. In a team setting, those individual strengths can combine to lead the whole team to success, or they can create conflict and tension. To harness individual strengths and personalities, you need solid ground rules for the team. You also need to allocate roles and responsibilities for maximum efficiency.

Overview: Three elements are always present in any effective, cohesive team: open communication, cooperation, and trust. Like the strands of a cord, these elements hold the team together and give it strength. Without these elements, team members will not participate fully in team activities and they won’t find true satisfaction in their work. When trust and open communication is present, ideas flow and people find solutions to problems. When there’s cooperation, team members feel connected to each other, and morale is high.

Overview: You are not the boss. You’ve been called “peer,” “esteemed colleague,” “invaluable staff member,” and “friend,” but no one’s even come close to calling you “boss.” When you stop to think about it, you realize you have no real authority whatsoever. In fact, you have much more power than you think, even if you are on the bottom rung of the corporate ladder. As Jack London said, “Life is not always a matter of being dealt a winning hand, but sometimes, of playing a poor hand well.” In the corporate world, when it comes to getting results when you have no authority, it is imperative that you play your best hand. In this course, you’ll learn how.

Overview: When it comes to being a member of a team, what role do you think you should play? Legendary Alabama football coach Bear Bryant said, ” In order to have a winner, the team must have a feeling of unity; every player must put the team first--ahead of personal glory.” Yet, according to general George S. Patton Jr., “If everyone is thinking alike then somebody isn’t thinking.” When it comes to getting results without authority on your team, it’s necessary to do both. In this course, you’ll learn how to achieve results by playing the game, and you’ll learn how to assert yourself. When it comes to being a member of a team, what role do you think you should play? Legendary Alabama football coach Bear Bryant said, ” In order to have a winner, the team must have a feeling of unity; every player must put the team first--ahead of personal glory.” Yet, according to general George S. Patton Jr., “If everyone is thinking alike then somebody isn’t thinking.” When it comes to getting results without authority on your team, it’s necessary to do both. In this course, you’ll learn how to achieve results by playing the game, and you’ll learn how to assert yourself.

Overview: Lily Tomlin said, “I always wondered why somebody doesn’t do something about that. Then I realized I was somebody.” Tomlin could have been speaking on behalf of many employees in the corporate world who, despite having little authority, take it upon themselves to become leaders nonetheless. Becoming a leader, and getting results, without authority is especially important in today’s corporate culture, where middle management and the concept of seniority are being replaced by a flat organization structure and intense competition. Such an environment makes the need for leadership skills especially crucial. In this course, you’ll learn how to circumvent your lack of authority to get results through effective leadership.

Overview: “If you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours.” Is this an effective strategy for gaining allies to create change? How about, “If you do it my way, you’ll feel better about yourself“? Finding and winning partners for the purpose of creating change is not easy in the intensely competitive and harried environment of the corporate world. It’s especially difficult when you lack authority. The people whose help you need most may have no desire to help you, or if they do, they may lack the time. In either case, winning allies, partnering successfully, and creating change require unique strategies when you are not the one who is in control.

Overview: When you want something done, you have to either do it yourself or see to it that someone else does it. As adept as you may be at multi-tasking, there will be times when you’ll need a colleague’s help or buy-in to perform a task. But how can you effectively achieve results without any formal authority within the organization? Communication is the answer. Through the effective use of the various forms of communication, you’ll be able to extend your influence at work even without any recognized authority. This course is designed to help you become a more effective communicator so that you can become more productive and use written and spoken communication to achieve results.

Overview: What does the word “boss” mean to you? Does it stand for Big Old Stubborn Sourpuss? Or does “boss” conjure an image of a level-headed, flexible, and thoughtful co-worker? Whatever the case, as an employee working in a subordinate role, it’s up to you to learn how to get the results you desire. That means knowing how to do everything from building a relationship with your boss to dealing effectively with him when he only wants to disagree. In this course, you’ll learn how to get results from your boss in a number of situations despite your lack of authority.

Overview: Three elements are always present in any effective, cohesive team: open communication, cooperation, and trust. Like the strands of a cord, these elements hold the team together and give it strength. Without these elements, team members will not participate fully in team activities and they won’t find true satisfaction in their work. When trust and open communication is present, ideas flow and people find solutions to problems. When there’s cooperation, team members feel connected to each other, and morale is high.

Overview: A crucial component of optimal team performance is the ability of all team members to openly express their ideas, goals, and needs, as well as share thoughts about each other’s performance both positive and negative. The same principle applies when it comes to receiving feedback. It’s far better to hear the truth directly than to assume your performance is the best it can be.

Overview: There are many gains to be made by adopting a matrix organizational structure, but the approach itself does not guarantee success. Managers must recognize that authority, power, and internal politics have a significant impact on any team structure.

Overview: Leading successful teams is an art, and team leaders can face many challenges when trying to optimize team performance. Whether you’re a current team leader or simply someone who would like to develop the skills that would make you a strong candidate, you need to know certain things about how teams function and what it takes to develop a high-performance team. Among the most important things to know: good team development begins on day one. Forming an effective and cohesive team is fundamental to the success of the team later on, and pulling the right team together from the start has benefits far beyond just completing tasks on time.

Overview: Virtual teams are emerging as the basic unit for conducting business of all types. Studies show that over 80% of workers today are involved in some way with team members who are not physically located in the same office. Virtual communication networks have made virtual teams possible, while globalization has made them a necessity. Leading virtual teams presents new challenges to leaders and managers. Virtual team leaders must find ways to successfully manage people who are separated by distance, time zones, and cultural differences.

Overview: Teams have diverse personalities, skills, and interests that are challenging to put together. You may not get along with every team member, but it’s important that you can work together to achieve the same goal. At the end of this course, you’ll have the skills needed to work with different personality styles, control your gut reactions to difficult people, and deal with difficult team members.

Overview: How many times have you said nothing because it was “good for the team” or got angry before thinking over the situation? These examples illustrate how important communication is in the workplace. Communication is more than what you say. It’s what you don’t say, how you listen to others, and how you listen to what you say. At the end of this course, you’ll have the skills you need to listen actively, use feedback in your teams, sensitively communicate verbally and nonverbally, and assume the best of your team members.