Operational Leadership

Target group

This training program is designed for managers who are responsible on a daily basis for people and operational results, such as:

• Supervisors and first-line managers
• Team leaders and shift supervisors
• Production and operations managers
• Managers in logistics, maintenance, quality or other operational environments
• Experienced operational managers who want to strengthen their leadership skills

The program is cross-sectoral. The operational context and daily leadership challenges form the common foundation.

Our approach

• This is not a training program where you sit back and relax for three days.
• We combine brief theoretical frameworks with practical exercises, case studies, reflection, and the sharing of experiences. Participants bring their own leadership challenges and apply the models and techniques to situations they encounter every day.
• You’ll learn from the trainer, but just as much by practicing, sharing experiences, and reflecting with other operational leaders.
• Throughout the program, you’ll work on your own leadership development and determine which specific actions you want to implement in your own team after the program.

More about Stanwick Academy

About the training

Operational leadership takes place where people and results converge.

That’s why we don’t rely on a single leadership model. Over the course of the three days, you’ll be introduced to various practical models, insights, and techniques that will help you better understand situations and address them in a goal-oriented manner.

We structure the training around three pillars:

1. Leading Yourself

Understanding your role and consciously managing your own leadership style.

2. Leading People

Communicating, providing feedback, coaching, and influencing behavior.

3. Leading Teams and Results

Strengthening collaboration, driving performance, and engaging people in change.

Theory and practice are constantly intertwined. We work with relatable situations from the operational world and consistently apply them to your own work environment.

What to expect?

During these three days:

• You’ll gain greater insight into your role and impact as an operational leader
• You’ll discover your own leadership style, strengths, and pitfalls
• You’ll learn to adapt your leadership style to different people and situations
• You’ll strengthen your skills in communication, feedback, and coaching
• You’ll learn how to handle resistance, tension, and difficult conversations
• You’ll discover how to foster collaboration and ownership within your team
• You’ll gain practical tools to drive performance and create an open dialogue
• You’ll learn how to engage employees and teams in change
• You’ll translate these insights into concrete actions for your own leadership practice

Programme

Day 1 – Leading yourself

Standing Firm in Your Role as a Leader

Good leadership begins with self-awareness and an understanding of the role you’re taking on.

We’ll explore what’s expected of an operational leader and how your own behavior influences the people around you.

Topics we’ll cover include:

• The role of the operational leader
• From expert and problem-solver to leader of people
• Core qualities and pitfalls
• Self-awareness and emotional intelligence
• Your own leadership style
• Situational leadership: What does this employee need from me in this situation?
• Personal resilience: dealing with pressure, boundaries, and energy

Key question: How can I consciously and confidently embody my role as a leader?

Day 2 – Leading people

Communicating, Influencing and Developing

Leadership is evident in your daily interactions. How do you provide direction? How do you address someone? How do you ensure that employees think for themselves instead of turning to you for every problem?

This day focuses on your impact on others.

Among other topics, we’ll focus on:

• Communicating clearly and connectively
• Giving and receiving feedback
• Recognizing and influencing behavior
• Having difficult conversations
• Dealing with resistance and conflict
• Coaching-style leadership
• Asking the right questions instead of providing the solution yourself
• Motivating employees and fostering ownership

We’ll practice with relatable scenarios and your own cases so you can try out different approaches.

Key question: How do I get people on board and help them grow and take ownership?

Day 3 – Leading teams and results

From Day-to-Day Management to Sustainable Performance

As an operational leader, you don’t just manage individuals. You’re also responsible for the collaboration and performance of the entire team.

On day three, we therefore bring teamwork, performance management and change together.

Building strong teams

• What does a team need to function effectively?
• Clear goals, roles, and responsibilities
• Strengthening collaboration and trust
• Recognizing patterns that hinder effective collaboration
• Building ownership within the team

Managing performance

• From organizational objectives to day-to-day practice
• Clarifying expectations and objectives
• Making performance visible and open to discussion
• Monitoring results without resorting to micromanagement
• Balancing people-oriented and results-oriented leadership
• Adjusting course when results fall short

Leading Change

Change is a constant in an operational environment. New processes, technology, structures, or expectations require not only a plan but also leadership.

We focus on:

• What makes change successful?
• Understanding where resistance comes from
• Engaging and involving employees
• Creating clarity about the “why” and the direction
• Dealing with different reactions to change
• Your role as a leader during change

Key question: How do I create a team that takes joint responsibility for results and can adapt to change?