Leadership is a vital ingredient that determines the success of any organisation. Ideas of leadership have changed significantly, and there is a shift from the traditional authoritarian leadership to more participative/situational approach. Quite often organisations waste too much time trying to change an individual’s composition rather than focusing on developing their unique abilities and talents. This is also the case in faith organisations where leadership development is usually not considered as a key strategic priority. The lack of leadership development opportunities for volunteers in faith organisations seems to create further problems particularly for those who are given leadership positions without any exposure to the principles of effective leadership. The aim of this programme is to enable you to develop and improve your skills and ability as a leader.
Strategic planning is an essential leadership skill. It involves identifying and clarifying the vision, mission and core values of an organisation to establish a fit with its overall aims. Strategic planning requires an awareness of an organisation’s current position, its external environment and impact of these external factors on the organisation. It is a buzz word often associated with secular / business environment, and quite often it is not usually perceived as relevant to Faith organisations. The reality is that the long-term growth/survival of faith organisations depends on a thorough spiritual needs assessment, identifying the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats they face in order to fulfil their vision and the ability to develop their spiritual brand and personality i.e. something that differentiates it from other organisations. The aim of this programme is to evaluate why the process, content and context of strategy is important and to examine how external tools and internal analysis help managers/leaders develop a better strategy.
Culture is an individual, psychological, as well as a social construct. Organisations have their own unique culture which inevitably forms part of its identity or personality.There is substantial evidence to indicate the impact of culture on organisational performance. The culture of an organisation defines what is acceptable and what is not. It is, in fact, the framework of behaviour that unites all members of the organisation. With regards to faith institutions, evidence point to the fact that most do not have a clearly defined culture which is embraced by all members. Members have their own unique culture which represents their identity. Without defining the culture, it is impossible to understand the purpose of the organisation. This can eventually lead to different factions in the organisation which then threatens its vision and survival/growth. The aim of this programme is to examine the impact of culture on organisational performance and how the external environment can influence culture.
A decision is an explicit commitment to action and quite often involves a commitment of resources (i.e., time, effort, finance, people, etc.choices). People make choices about limited resources in organisations.options can impact on the value added in the organisation i.e. the process of transforming inputs into outputs. Good decisions add value, poor ones do the opposite. Poor decision-making can impact on relationships and frigid atmospheres in organisations. Faith organisations rely on the goodwill of volunteers if they are to operate effectively and achieve their aims and objectives. This requires careful and most times, having to make difficult decisions on how resources should be allocated while also considering the visions and missions of the organisation.The aim of this programme is to identify different aspects of decision making in organisations and examine alternative ways of making effective decisions.
The external business environment changes quite rapidly, which means that organisational change can be targeted at individual behaviour, organisational structures/culture, problem-solving, or technology. Organisations need to develop proactive strategies to respond better to change. Change as a concept can be quite complicated and may lead to negative as well as positive outcomes both in secular and faith organisations. The whole essence of faith organisations requires change/transformation. Evidence indicates that the level of management/leadership provided for leaders in faith organisations during training does not cover this topic in-depth. The aim of this programme is to examine how the change process can be conducted efficiently and effectively to engage all stakeholders and minimise any negative impact.
Teamwork is an essential feature of organisational life whether in the private, public or voluntary sector. The performance of a team is influenced by a wide range of internal and external factors. Volunteers in faith organisations have to work collaboratively to develop a clear understanding of the vision, aims and objectives of the organisation but this can sometimes be challenging without a good grasp of team dynamics and team development process.
Conflict can develop in different forms and from many sources and can be between individuals or between groups. Conflict is a real feature of organisational life. The fact that organisations are made up of people from different cultures, diverse views, opposing priorities can cause the best teams or staff to experience or engage in conflict with one another. This is normal and often unavoidable even among senior leaders. Like any social unit, faith organisations are sometimes engaged in conflicts, and they have to deal with it, but they have the added advantage to resort to biblical principles to make peace. However, an awareness of the sources/types of conflict and management strategies cannot be ignored. The aim of this program is not to practice avoiding conflict, but to become good at resolving and managing conflict while focusing on achieving the goals and objectives of the organisation.
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Working with others requires the capacity to recognise and shape how our emotions can impact on both personal and working relationship.
The ability to develop a well-balanced array of specific emotional intelligence capabilities also known as Emotional Quotient (EQ) is one of the outstanding strengths of effective leaders because of the direct link between business success and performance. Although this programme may be considered as relevant to secular organisations, the nature of leadership role in faith organisations involves human dynamics. The emphasis on theology alone may not be sufficient for leaders to be self-aware or to develop a profound sense of human emotions which they are most likely to encounter as part of their job. EI has s a real value for churches as it embodies what the faith stands for and can impact both the spiritual and intellectual aspects of our lives. The aim of this course is to enable participants to improve their interpersonal and intrapersonal skills, adapt and respond positively to their work environment. The course provides an opportunity to improve personal effectiveness and team performance and also learn strategies to manage your emotions and respond to the emotions of others. The course will specifically examine the core EQ skills namely, self-awareness, self-management, social awareness and (social skills) relationship management.
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Power and influence are usually exerted within a group context or the wider organisation. The general assumption is that power and influence are dependent on the position in the organisational hierarchy. Sometimes, seniority and power do go hand in hand, but in most cases, power can be found elsewhere in the organisation and, at times in the most unexpected places. It is often evident to recognise when power is exercised particularly when you are at the receiving end. Power can sometimes put people in a manic state which may eventually lead to rash, rude, and unethical actions. Even faith organisations have processes that are not clearly defined, and some remain unaccountable. This can potentially result in misuse of power. The aim of this course is to introduce specific models to demonstrate how power and influence can be used positively to optimise organisational performance.
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