Management and Leadership

• Traditional Classroom: 2.5-day Duration
• Virtual Instructor-led: Five 3-3.5 hour sessions;

This program is designed to elevate Human Resource professionals from transactional task management to strategic business partnership. Participants will learn to provide thought-leadership on decisions that impact human capital and will increase their partnering skills and relationships with senior leaders by developing in four core skills areas: foundational skills, influence, working in a matrix organization, and stakeholder management.

Target Audience

Individuals who will benefit from this workshop those in human resources (HR) who want to elevate their skills and strengthen their relationships with senior leadership.

Learning Objectives

• Define the HR Business Partner role.
• Navigate dotted line/direct line conflicts by influencing without authority.
• Manage dual reporting relationships effective in a matrix organization.
• Balance competing stakeholder priorities and expectations.
• Move from a task-oriented to advisory role using a consultative HR approach.
• Confidently represent company policies and procedures, becoming a policy steward.

Course Outline

SESSION 1: FOUNDATION OF HR BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP
MORNING SESSION: WHAT DOES EFFECTIVE BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP LOOK LIKE? (4 HOURS)

Hour 1: Defining the HR Business Partner Role

• What does an effective business partner look like, act like, talk like?
• Moving from order-taker to consultant
• Understanding your role as policy steward and business advisor
• Activity: Self-assessment - Current vs. target business partner behaviors

Hour 2: Matrix Organization Navigation Fundamentals

• Understanding dotted line vs. direct line relationships
• Identifying when there are gaps between stakeholder directions
• Framework for managing conflicting priorities without immediate escalation
• Case Study: Plant HR Manager scenarios – balancing plant director vs. HR director
• Expectations

Hour 3: Stakeholder Management Essentials

• Mapping your stakeholder ecosystem (direct reports, dotted lines, clients)
• Setting clear expectations with different stakeholder groups
• Building credibility across multiple relationships
• Tool Introduction: Stakeholder mapping template and expectation-setting frameworks

Hour 4: Decision-Making Without Authority

• When to own decisions vs. when to escalate
• Critical thinking framework for gap identification
• Understanding scope of authority and decision rights
• Activity: Decision tree creation for common HR scenarios

AFTERNOON SESSION: PRACTICAL APPLICATION AND SKILL BUILDING (4 HOURS)

Hour 5: Consultative Approach Mastery

• Moving from "yes" to "how can we achieve your outcome?"
• Asking powerful questions before taking action
• Coaching stakeholders through problem-solving
• Practice: Consultative conversation role-plays

Hour 6: Managing Conflicting Stakeholder Directions

• Identifying gaps between what different stakeholders want
• Tools for assessing business need vs. stakeholder want
• Compromise and negotiation strategies
• Scenario Practice: Marketing VP vs. Sales VP competing priorities

Hour 7: Policy Stewardship and Professional Courage

• Representing company policies confidently at all levels
• Having difficult conversations about policy adherence
• When and how to be the "policy police"
• Role-Play: Stopping CEO from violating safety policy scenario

Hour 8: Action Planning and Commitment

• Individual behavior change commitments
• 30-day implementation goals focusing on reduced escalations
• Peer accountability partnerships
• Tools and templates for immediate use

Bridge Learning and Connection with Peers

SESSION 2: INFLUENCE AND PERSUASION MASTERY
SESSION FOCUS: BUILDING INFLUENCE WITHOUT AUTHORITY (3 HOURS)

Virtual Check-in (30 minutes)

• Progress sharing: Reduced escalations and improved stakeholder management

Core Influence Skills (2 hours)

• BRAIN Influence Model Application
  • Bridging: Finding common ground between conflicting stakeholders
  • Rationalizing: Data-driven approaches to policy discussions
  • Asserting: Professional authority without formal power
  • Inspiring: Motivating compliance and engagement
  • Negotiating: Win-win solutions for competing priorities
• Matrix-Specific Influence Scenarios
  • Managing up to both direct and dotted line managers
  • Lateral influence with client groups and peers
  • Downward influence without formal authority
• Difficult Conversation Navigation
  • Delivering unwelcome news (policy constraints, resource limitations)
  • Pushback management and resistance handling
  • Setting boundaries while maintaining relationships

Practice and Application (30 minutes)

• Role-play scenarios specific to plant vs. corporate environments
• Peer coaching on real workplace challenges
• Influence planning for upcoming stakeholder interactions

Bridge Learning and Connection with Peers

SESSION 3: STAKEHOLDER MANAGEMENT
SESSION FOCUS: MASTERING COMPLEX STAKEHOLDER DYNAMICS (2.5 HOURS)

Progress Review (30 minutes)

• Success stories and continued challenges
• Metric review: Escalation reduction and stakeholder satisfaction

Advanced Skills Development (1.5 hours)

• Complex Stakeholder Scenarios
  • Managing multiple competing priorities simultaneously
  • Crisis decision-making without authority
  • Building coalitions for policy implementation
• Consultative Mastery
  • Advanced questioning techniques for gap identification
  • Facilitating stakeholder problem-solving sessions
  • Creating win-win solutions from competing demands
• Professional Brand Building
  • Establishing yourself as trusted business advisor
  • Building reputation for sound judgment and policy expertise
  • Career development through effective business partnership

Integration and Sustainability (30 minutes)

• Long-term development planning
• Peer mentoring network establishment
• Resource sharing and continued learning commitments

MDV1021 Course Code