Developing Global Project Management Skills
Our client was a Japan-based global organization with offices around the world.
Challenge
Most of their project managers had never worked outside of Japan. They had little or no experience managing people from other cultures. HR wanted to develop project leaders with “Global Project Management Skills”.
Solution:
A team of project management specialists worked together to develop a 5-day intensive global project leadership training program. The program included the following components:
Assessments (pre and post)
- Global Leadership Competency Assessment
- Intercultural Competency Assessment
- Communication Style Assessment
- Project Leadership Assessment
- Negotiation Style Assessment
Training Modules (Developing Global Project Management Skills)
- Global Project Management
- Global Project Leadership
- Communication Across Cultures
- Cross Cultural Awareness
- Cultural Dimensions
- High and Low context Communication
- Differing Motivation Factors and Priorities Across Cultures
- The Facilitative Leader
- The Coaching Leader
Simulations
- Presenting Logically
- Dealing with Foreign Audiences
- Managing across cultures
- Conflict Resolution
- Project Meeting Facilitation
- Situational Leadership
- Providing Feedback
Follow-up Coaching
Executive coaching was provided to ease the transition of the new behaviors to the workplace
Results
The participants’ behavior was measurably changed by the end of the workshop. Ongoing coaching showed that the behavioral change, while challenging, was still evident months after the training event.
The verification team was able to plan and execute their work with confidence as a result of the training, documentation, and performance support tools.
Conclusion (and Lessons Learned)
Adult learners learn best when they recognize the need to change and have a desire to learn. Kicking off a leadership development program with self-awareness assessment is one very effective way to help participants recognize their own strengths and weaknesses and ignite the desire to build on their strengths.
