Course catalogue

The art and science of asking questions is the source of all knowledge.

 - Thomas Berger

Asking open-ended questions is a powerful tool to not only spark new ideas and discussions but also developing strategic thinking, collaboration and innovative business solutions. Leaders who demonstrate curiosity and active listening skills are ideally qualified for asking open-ended questions and helping their teams discover original answers to corporate challenges.

• Define an open-ended question 

• Identify the best practices in asking open-ended questions 

• Explain how to encourage and enable employees to use open-ended questions in business meetings 

• Recognize the advantages of open-ended questions

Teams are the backbone of contemporary business life. Executive teams, work teams, cross-functional teams, high-performance teams, and project teams serve a variety of purposes, but they all have the same goal: to solidify the organization’s competitive advantage in the marketplace. 

Cross-functional team leaders draw individuals from departments across the organization to address a particular problem. They might select development engineers, marketing professionals, sales people, legal experts, customer service managers, accountants, and HR executives to apply their various talents to accomplish the goal. The concept is powerful. But this mix of diverse skill sets, professional experience, and personalities also comes with challenges—and you need to manage the team carefully in order to maximize its potential for success.

• State the challenges of handling a diverse team 

• List the ways to manage these challenges 

• Apply the strategies to leverage the power of your team

The simplest definition of diversity is “a range or variety of different things”. In the context of D&I, diversity refers to “the traits and characteristics that make people unique” which include (but are not limited to) race, ethnicity, age, gender, socio-economic class, ability, sexual orientation, and nationality. The summation of these variables combine to create life experiences which shape how a person solves problems, creates, and assesses risk. These are examples of “diversity of thinking” which yields direct and indirect benefits that are foundational to the business case for investments in D&I initiatives.

An inclusive environment is one in which “all individuals are treated fairly and respectfully, feel welcome, have equal access to opportunities and resources, and can contribute fully to the organization’s success.”

• What are strategies to improve D&I initiatives?

• What is the business case for D&I?

• What are the gaps in the business case for D&I?

Leaders in a World Economic Forum study listed creativity as the third most important work skill they seek in employees. And as organizations face increasingly complex business issues, they are training their employees to be smart risk-takers and creative thinkers. They are hiring for these competencies, too. As you apply the recommendations provided in this course, your skills will increase, your employees will grow more confident and competent in their abilities, and together, you will create a powerful culture of innovation.

• Identify the need and ways to harness creative thinking    

• Identify ways to build a culture of creative thinking    

• Explore recommendations for developing your team’s creative thinking

The journey of a successful leader begins with both personal and professional development. Leaders stay on top of their industry and economy. They are future-focused, positive, and strong communicators. Leaders spend time in self-reflection and education, learning how to maximize their strengths and improve their weaknesses. They study best practices for working with others and know how to get the most out of their employees. They combine these knowledges to guide their organization. Leaders pursue goals persistently. They are open-minded and flexible in their approaches, encourage team members to embrace innovative thinking, and cultivate an environment of positive work culture. They develop team members through coaching, delegating, and mentoring. They also model and inculcate behaviors they want their employees to have, such as integrity, strong communication skills, innovation, emotional intelligence, strategic decision-making, confidence, and vision. Above all, a successful leader provides clarity of purpose, direction, and support, so that everyone succeeds as they work to achieve common goals.

• Demonstrate excellence in business strategy

• Apply essential personality characteristics

• Build critical people skills required to achieve goals