Soft Skills Curriculum

Soft Skills IT Seminars Technical competency alone does not guarantee professional success. To succeed in today’s complex project environments, ‘People Skills’ are essential for IT professionals. OTA’s Soft Skills seminars help IT consultants and in-house personnel increase their overall effectiveness when dealing with the people and organizational dimensions of projects. Case studies and project simulations ensure that the skills carry over into real life applications.

Following is a list of OTA’s Soft Skills seminars and their outlines. Click on the seminar title to see a brief description. Detailed outlines can be obtained by communicating with OTA at : info@ota.ca

OTA seminars can be customized to meet specific professional development requirements.

OTA's Soft Skills Curriculum:



Soft Skills Seminar DESCRIPTIONS:


Fundamentals of IT CONSULTING (1 day)

Description

This one-day workshop introduces newly hired consultants to the role(s) they can expect to play in large IT projects. The focus is on fundamental consulting skills, such as managing expectations, building trust, questioning and probing.


Objectives

  • Define the skills that IT consultants need to develop for professional success
  • Apply a process for establishing trust with colleagues and customers
  • Understand the professional and ethical behaviors expected by customers
  • Practice proven “survival skills” for consultants (i.e. “when and how to say “No” and “I don’t know”)

Seminar Outcomes

  • A clear understanding of the role and responsibilities of a consultant
  • The opportunity to do a “skills self-assessment”
  • More effective positioning of consultants on customer projects

*: To obtain a detailed outline of this seminar, contact OTA at: info@ota.ca

Advanced Consulting Skills (2 days)

Description

It takes more than product knowledge to make an effective consultant. Designed specifically for professionals working on enterprise projects, this seminar allows participants to expand their customer interaction skills and have a greater impact on project success.

Interactive workshops, real-life examples and simulations focus on proven techniques to maximize value to the project and the organization.


Objectives

  • Understand where and how consultants can add value
  • Understand the responsibilities and challenges associated with common consulting roles
  • Identify the typical organizational impacts of enterprise IT or process-driven solutions
  • Establish trust and rapport with key project stakeholders and partner organizations
  • Provide opportunities for skills development and sharing of lessons learned
  • Apply objection-handling and stakeholder analysis techniques

Seminar Outcomes

  • Better management of customer expectations and improved customer satisfaction
  • A stronger commitment to excellence as an IT consultant
  • Better appreciation and management of project’s “people risks”
  • The ability to have more influence with relevant stakeholders
  • More harmonious relationships with partner firms

*: To obtain a detailed outline of this seminar, contact OTA at: info@ota.ca

Selling IT Services (2 days)

Description

Designed for Account Team members (sales professionals, lead consultants, project managers, etc.) involved in the selling of IT services, this workshop helps participants articulate a unique value proposition that meets the specific requirements of their customers and prospects.


The processes, techniques and deliverables are complemented by lessons learned, best practices, tips, tricks and simulations on services opportunities. Course materials can be customized to fit with the organization’s existing sales methodology.


Objectives

  • Understand the What, When and How of selling services
  • Improve project success ratios
  • Achieve a better understanding of their role in a specific project context
  • Increase familiarity and usage of structured sales methods, techniques and tools
  • Understand the value of a repeatable, team-based process for selling professional services
  • Define the elements of a convincing value proposition
  • Provide a technique for surfacing and aligning with buyer’s needs and expectations
  • Understand common services sales mistakes and take corrective actions
  • Understand common opportunities for up-selling/cross-selling
  • Apply effective questioning, probing and objection-handling techniques
  • Build trust with internal colleagues and foster collaborative account ownership
  • Understand how to set (and avoid) competitive traps

Seminar Outcomes

  • Increased effectiveness of services sales teams
  • Improved managerial visibility into services sales processes
  • Ability to document, transfer and leverage best practices within the organization
  • Help IT professionals contribute more effectively to the services sales process
  • Improved customer satisfaction and repeat business

*: To obtain a detailed outline of this seminar, contact OTA at: info@ota.ca

Consultant Interview Skills (1 day)

Description

This highly acclaimed workshop helps IT and management consultants build up their confidence and performance when being interviewed for consulting engagements.

Experienced instructors introduce a proven Interview Success Model (Connect / Content /Convince), that participants can immediately apply to develop their own reusable personal value proposition.

Heavy emphasis is given to practice and skills development; each participant being involved in several simulated interviews, face-to-face and over the phone.


Objectives

  • Develop a reusable personal introduction and value proposition (Interview Cheat Sheet)
  • Apply techniques for dealing with objections and difficult questions
  • Share and apply lessons learned for face-to-face and phone interviews
  • Practice interviews and receive customized feedback from instructors and peers

Seminar Outcomes

  • More confidence in interview situations (telephone and face-to-face)
  • Increased consultant placement and utilization
  • A better understanding of what to expect in interviews
  • A better understanding of how to have an impact in interviews
  • An “edge” over other candidates for the position

*: To obtain a detailed outline of this seminar, contact OTA at: info@ota.ca

This seminar is also available as an E-learning product. To view a demo: click here

Presentation & Communication Skills (2 days)

Description

Successful IT professionals have the ability to build rapport, transfer knowledge and influence the client organization. This two (2) day seminar helps participants establish credibility and communicate more effectively, both formally and informally, in project-related situations.

Emphasis is on practice, with the participants delivering a variety of presentations in various project contexts.

The seminar goes beyond presentation skills to address issues related to group facilitation, consensus-building, objection-handling and resistance to change. The approach used has the participants deliver several presentations in a variety of contexts (i.e. sales support, project kick-off, etc.). Presentations are videotaped and each participant receives group and individual coaching from the class and the instructor.


Objectives

  • Improve communication and listening skills in both professional and personal environments
  • Apply a simple model for researching the audience and structuring effective presentations
  • Learn to deal with nervousness and improve verbal and non-verbal skills
  • Understand the differences between formal presentations and workshop facilitation
  • Achieving a greater impact on decision making

Seminar Outcomes

  • The ability to make effective formal and informal presentations to a wide variety of audiences
  • Effectively manage negativity and deal with difficult questions
  • A deep understanding of the process of influencing others and the knowledge of how to structure communication to obtain maximum impact
  • Improved leadership skills

*: To obtain a detailed outline of this seminar, contact OTA at: info@ota.ca

Negotiation & Conflict Management Skills (2 days)

Description

In today’s complex project environments, partnering is critical to success. However, establishing successful partnerships, be it with customers, suppliers or team members, calls for effective conflict and negotiation skills.

This workshop focuses on common project conflicts over scope, resources and commitments. It introduces a simple framework that helps participants understand their interests, as well the other party’s interests, and then determine the negotiation options available to them.


Objectives

  • Understand common sources of conflicts in large projects
  • Differentiate between partnerships and customer/supplier relationships
  • Recognize early warning signs of conflict
  • Apply a checklist for defining your interests and your bottom line
  • Apply a situational analysis model to determine conflict management and negotiation strategies
  • Understand how to effectively deal with competitive or avoidance strategies
  • Learn how to manage conflicts and find solutions in which all parties are winners

Seminar Outcomes

  • Increased self-confidence and skills to manage interpersonal relationships
  • Mastering of efficient negociation techniques
  • Increased productivity while sustaining your energy level
  • Capacity to facilitate change through negotiation
  • Increased customer satisfaction and repeat business

*: To obtain a detailed outline of this seminar, contact OTA at: info@ota.ca

Project Leadership Skills (2-3 days)

Description

The seminar builds on the participants’ own experiences to review core project leadership concepts, tasks, techniques and deliverables as they apply to large IT enterprise projects, especially those involving enterprise software. Emphasis is on the leadership and people skills expected of project managers and team leads.

Leadership skills are covered in the context of the phases of an IT project. The seminar can also be customized to integrate/reinforce the organization’s existing project methodology.

Common people and organizational risks at each phase of a project are described and participants are given the opportunity to discuss proven preventive and corrective actions for applicability to their own projects.

The organizational challenges of projects are also covered, such as: decision making, fostering client ownership, managing expectations and the adoption of organizational change. Participants are encouraged to assess their skills and produce a personal development plan.


Objectives

  • Define the leadership competencies today’s customers expect of project managers and team leads
  • Understand your preferred leadership style, and apply situational leadership techniques
  • Define the specific leadership actions that need to be taken at each phase of the project
  • Apply a model for defining and assessing team member competencies
  • Understand why and how to establish knowledge transfer contracts with customers
  • Practice a technique for delivering effective feedback to team members and subordinates
  • Understand how to incorporate organizational change management deliverables into the overall project plan

Seminar Outcomes

  • Higher morale and productivity of project teams
  • Reduced conflicts with customers
  • More structured approach to knowledge transfer with customer team members
  • Awareness of personal leadership style and increased managerial flexibility
  • Accelerated adoption of project deliverables by customers

*: To obtain a detailed outline of this seminar, contact OTA at: info@ota.ca

ERP Team Lead (2-3 days)

Description

This workshop focuses on the knowledge and skills required of senior IT consultants to succeed in the role of Team Lead in ERP-led engagements. Overviews of the latest ERP implementation methods, tools and templates are balanced with the leadership skills necessary to guide mixed teams of ERP consultants, 3rd party contractors and customers. Simulations and case studies prepare functional and technical team leads for the real-life challenges they will encounter.


Objectives

  • Describe the responsibilities and expectations for the ERP Team Lead role in the management of ERP-led projects
  • Understand and apply the resources available to ERP Team Leads to mitigate common risks and ensure the consistency, quality and value of their deliverables
  • Assess and practice leadership skills: teaming, coaching, communication, negotiation and conflict management
  • Share lessons learned and resources with peers

Seminar Outcomes

  • Understanding the behavioral changes necessary to transition from a consultant role to a team lead role
  • Development of the skills needed to be an effective team leader
  • Best practices for getting maximum team synergy

*: To obtain a detailed outline of this seminar, contact OTA at: info@ota.ca

Situational Leadership (1 day)

Description

This one-day workshop introduces the Blanchard Situational Leadership (SLII) model to managers, providing opportunities to enhance communications, diagnosis and flexibility skills. Because it opens up communications, SLII is especially effective when working with knowledge workers, whether they be colleagues, subordinates or customers. SLII invites individuals to teach managers about themselves and what kind of help they need in order to develop their competence, motivation and confidence. The workshop also introduces best practices and available resources for managing virtual teams in a multicultural environment.


Objectives

  • Assess their ‘preferred’ leadership or coaching style
  • Apply a structured approach for assessing competence, motivational and performance needs
  • Understand the consequences of under and over-supervision in different contexts
  • Be able to apply different leadership styles depending on the requirements of the tasks at hand and the needs of the individual
  • Practice a structured coaching approach to a variety of project situations
  • Develop a common language for discussing people development challenges with managers and peers

Seminar Outcomes

  • The development of the skill of flexing your leadership style to be most effective in any situation
  • An understanding of the team formation process and the skill to motivate virtual teams to optimal performance
  • The ability to analyze, diagnose and intervene when performance lags with individuals or groups
  • Knowing where to find resources for increasing the effectiveness of virtual teams and dealing with cross-cultural communication challenges

*: To obtain a detailed outline of this seminar, contact OTA at: info@ota.ca