Capacity for Challenge

This highly interactive and robustly researched 1-day programme developed with Elliott Walker provides you with new insights, awareness and strategies for challenging others and when you are challenged yourself.

It can be commissioned as an inhouse programme for between 8 and 25 people.

Overview

Constructive challenge is positive. It can lead to innovation, improved business and individual performance and more productive working relationships.

At work, there are inevitably times when we feel we need to challenge someone or something. There are also times when others may challenge us.

Understanding the nature of challenge and how to give and receive it responsibly and positively are essential skills for any leader or technical specialist.

Capacity for Challenge is ideal for:

  • Leaders, managers and technical specialists in any organisation
  • Frontline staff working in challenging situations
  • People working in changing organisations or dynamic relationships with colleagues, suppliers or customers

Learning outcomes

  • Understand the nature of challenge, how confrontation is different, and how conflict happens – and how to keep challenge positive and constructive to avoid confrontation and conflict
  • Build confidence in your ability to challenge thinking and behaviour when you believe it is the right thing to do
  • Identify ways to respond more constructively to being challenged yourself

Example Agenda

Introduction

  • Understanding challenge
  • The differences between challenge, confrontation and conflict

Challenge and organisational culture

  • Key success factors
  • Different ideas and perspectives and levels of support
  • Identifying ‘live’ challenges
  • Learning strategies to overcome potential barriers

Power and influence

  • Different sources of positive personal power
  • The role of influencing in challenge

How things can escalate

  • Levels of conflict
  • Understanding the escalation process and how to prevent it

Emotional intelligence

  • The role of emotional intelligence in managing challenge effectively
  • Key tools and techniques for self-management when challenging or being challenged
  • Three degrees of bravery

Working with different perspectives

  • Understanding needs and concerns
  • Stakeholder mapping

“I will especially use the techniques on understanding emotions and how to deal with conflict. An excellent day, really interesting and enjoyable. Thank you.”

“I feel much more confident about challenging.”

“I particularly like the pieces about timing and emotional intelligence as I will use these
when I next need to challenge. I’ve learned not to rush into a challenge, to think first!”

“Excellent workshop, great experience. Felt the course was delivered in an easy, relatable manner, would recommend.”

“Really good course, delivered brilliantly.”

“I loved how engaging the course was, and all the activities. The quote about people owning their opinions not their own set of ‘facts’ will stick with me.”

previous arrow
next arrow
Slider