Cranfield School of Management

Changing Nature of Organisations

AM: Martin Clarke

Understanding the key trends that influence the process of managing and leading today, and the application of these insights to the problem of managing change. This session will explore the notion of different "organisational mindsets" and provide the basis for a constructive approach to political working.

You will discuss your own approach to political situations and also examine recent research about how effective managers get things done in complex and turbulent conditions to illustrate how a political mindset works in practice.

Developing a Political Mindset

PM: Dr David Butcher

This session will further consider constructive politics in action and will highlight different types of political behaviour. A model will be used to enable participants to map their own approach to politics, and those of their colleagues. This will form a basis from which individuals can consider their own motives in using politics.

Guest Speaker

Kate Wilson, Group MD Scholastic UK

The political realities of senior management, illustrated with Kate's own experiences of leading and managing.

Evening Reflection

Participants will be asked to work in small groups to identify a "worthwhile cause" that can be used in the action planning process.

Relationships, Networks, Teams and Change

AM: Catherine Bailey

This session will address the centrality of networks and relationships to getting things done. Distinctions will be drawn between collaborative groups and ideal teams and participants will consider their own approach to team working from a political perspective. The idea of bottom up change through political "pockets of good practice" or centres of excellence will be explored.

Managing Change

PM: Martin Clarke

This final session will provide you with a "politically sensitive" model of change management and time will be made available to apply these ideas to your own "worthy cause" as an individual and group action planning process.

The programme will consist of formal input, case studies of political influence in action, small and large group discussion, and individual reflection.