Five-Day Program Overview
Day 1: Strategic Thinking and Management
Day 2: Communication and Team Leadership
Day 3: Problem Solving and Decision Making
Day 4: Design Thinking for Innovation
Day 5: Marketing and Product Lifecycle Management
Training Methodology
The program follows an interactive, practice-oriented learning approach that encourages active participation.
Short theoretical sessions are combined with case studies, collaborative exercises, role-playing activities, and practical assignments at the end of each day.
Participants are encouraged to introduce real workplace challenges into the learning activities, allowing them to explore how the methods can be applied in their own professional environments.
Day 1: Strategic Thinking and Management
The first day focuses on developing a strategic perspective, evaluating the business environment, establishing aligned objectives, and converting strategic plans into actionable initiatives.
1. Strategic Thinking and Vision Development
Examining the macro-environment and identifying early indicators of change
Recognizing potential opportunities and threats before they become critical
Converting strategic insights into a clear vision that can be communicated across the organization
2. Strategic Analysis Frameworks
Applying PESTLE to assess external environmental influences
Using SWOT findings to evaluate the current position and develop strategic alternatives
Assessing competitive conditions through Porter's Five Forces
3. Setting and Cascading Objectives
Applying the Objectives and Key Results (OKR) framework
Establishing meaningful Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Ensuring alignment of objectives across organizational levels and teams
4. Strategic Planning and Implementation
Developing strategic roadmaps and defining key milestones
Prioritizing initiatives and allocating available resources
Converting strategic direction into operational action plans
5. Change Management and Organizational Agility
Making strategic decisions in uncertain environments
Supporting organizational adaptation and addressing resistance to change
Incorporating agile practices into strategic planning cycles
Practical Exercise:
Working in teams, participants examine a case organization using PESTLE, SWOT, and Porter's Five Forces. Based on their findings, they prepare a one-page strategic plan supported by OKRs and a 12-month implementation roadmap.
Day 2: Communication and Team Leadership
The second day explores effective communication, adaptable leadership approaches, and the development of trust-based environments that support strong team performance.
6. Effective and Influential Communication
Strengthening active listening and empathy
Communicating ideas clearly, accurately, and concisely
Adjusting communication approaches for different audiences
7. Leadership Approaches and Situational Leadership
Reviewing the main leadership styles
Applying Situational Leadership by matching leadership behavior to employee competence and commitment
Leading employees with different levels of motivation
8. Developing a Feedback Culture
Delivering constructive feedback through the Situation–Behaviour–Impact (SBI) model
Receiving criticism and responding appropriately
Establishing feedback as a consistent team practice
9. Team Dynamics and Trust Development
Understanding the stages of team development
Creating and supporting high-performing teams
Encouraging psychological safety within the team
10. Conflict Resolution and Negotiation
Identifying common sources of conflict and different conflict management styles
Addressing disagreements among team members
Using principled negotiation to reach constructive agreements
Practical Exercise:
Participants take part in role-playing activities involving a challenging feedback conversation using SBI, a Situational Leadership scenario, and a team conflict mediation exercise. Peer observations and group discussions are used to review the outcomes.
Day 3: Problem Solving and Decision Making
The third day introduces systematic approaches to understanding business problems and making effective decisions when facing uncertainty, limited information, or time constraints.
11. Root Cause Analysis Methods
Applying the 5 Whys technique to investigate underlying causes
Using Fishbone (Ishikawa) diagrams to organize possible causes
Prioritizing causes through Pareto analysis and the 80/20 principle
12. Analytical and Critical Thinking
Defining problems with accuracy and clarity
Using data to support analysis and conclusions
Challenging assumptions and identifying cognitive biases
13. Structured Decision-Making Frameworks
Applying weighted decision matrices
Comparing alternatives through risk-reward analysis
Using RICE and ICE frameworks to prioritize options
14. Creative Approaches to Problem Solving
Exploring alternative scenarios and possible solutions
Applying lateral thinking techniques
Keeping idea generation separate from idea evaluation
15. Decision Making During Crises
Making timely and effective decisions under pressure
Taking action when information is incomplete
Communicating decisions clearly in crisis situations
Practical Exercise:
Participants select a real workplace challenge and examine it using root cause analysis techniques. They then prioritize possible solutions with RICE or a decision matrix and complete the session with a crisis decision-making simulation.
Day 4: Design Thinking for Innovation
The fourth day introduces a human-centered innovation approach, guiding participants from understanding user needs to developing and testing potential solutions.
16. Understanding Design Thinking
Exploring the human-centered approach to innovation
Reviewing the key principles and five stages of design thinking
Identifying business situations where design thinking can be applied
17. Empathy and User Research
18. Defining and Reframing the Problem
Identifying the most relevant problem to address
Discovering and clarifying user needs
Developing a Point of View (POV) statement
19. Ideation and Idea Development
Applying structured brainstorming methods
Using techniques that encourage thinking beyond conventional solutions
Evaluating and selecting ideas for further development
20. Prototyping and User Testing
Creating prototypes quickly and with limited resources
Conducting user tests and collecting feedback
Refining and improving solutions through iterative development
Practical Exercise:
Teams work through a complete design sprint based on a business challenge. The activity includes user interviews, persona development, POV definition, ideation, creation of a paper-based or digital prototype, and a round of user testing.
Day 5: Marketing and Product Lifecycle Management
The final day examines how products can be managed from initial concept through market introduction and subsequent lifecycle stages, with data and performance indicators supporting strategic decisions.
21. Product Lifecycle Stages (PLC)
Understanding the introduction, growth, maturity, and decline stages
Managing appropriate strategies throughout each lifecycle phase
Exploring methods for extending and renewing the product lifecycle
22. Market Research and Customer Segmentation
Identifying and defining target audiences
Exploring different customer segmentation approaches
Developing a compelling Value Proposition
23. Marketing Mix (4P / 7P) and Market Positioning
Developing strategies for product, price, place, and promotion
Applying the extended 7P marketing mix to service offerings
Positioning products and brands in relation to competitors
24. Product Strategy and Roadmap Development
Creating a structured product roadmap
Managing the progression from product idea to market launch
Developing Go-to-Market (GTM) plans
25. Product Performance Measurement and Analytics
Identifying essential product performance metrics
Analyzing customer retention
Managing ongoing product enhancement and improvement cycles
Practical Exercise – Final Project:
Working in teams, participants develop a go-to-market plan for a selected product. The project brings together customer segmentation, value proposition, marketing mix, product roadmap, and success metrics. Each team presents its completed plan to the group at the end of the program.
