Communicating for Effective Advisory and Challenge Functions (G075)

Workshops > Complete List > Challenge Functions

WHY SHOULD YOU ATTEND?

For you as for most public servants, providing effective advice is a core responsibility, if not the largest part of your day-to-day activities. You provide relevant, timely and expert opinions on a variety of topics. The choices you influence lead to implementing strategic and tactical action plans to support the achievement of corporate objectives. You know from experience that your contribution will be sought and valued only when it is credible and if you are trusted for your competence, integrity and loyalty.

Providing valued advice also includes, at times, the need to challenge pre-established strategies or solutions. Exercising this challenge function with your clients requires not only solid contextual knowledge and expertise, but also tact and diplomacy, in order to maintain a constructive relationship between all parties.

WHAT WILL YOU LEARN?

Whatever your specific area of responsibility (Human Resources, Administrative Support, Information Technology, Program Management, Finance, Audit and Evaluation, Communications, etc.) this one day workshop will:

• help you identify and develop the superior communications skills, as well as actions and behaviours, that will enhance your capacity to exercise your advisory and challenge functions;
• provide you with practical insights, techniques and tools to become a sought after and trusted advisor;
• clarify key concepts associated with client services, partnerships, responsibilities and accountability.

This will be achieved through interactive presentations, discussions, shared experience and exercises.

WHAT WILL YOU TAKE AWAY?

• Workbook with checklists
• Exercises and handouts

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT COMPETENCIES

• Thinking Things Through: Innovating through analysis and ideas
• Engagement: Working effectively with people, organizations and partners
• http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/tal/kcl/ekl-eng.asp

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

This practical workshop will be most profitable for mid-level and senior officers (e.g. PE 4-5-6, AS 4-5-6, CS 2-3-4, IS 4-5-6, PM 4-5-6, FI 4-5-6), with responsibility to advise clients on the best course of action, and sometimes to question pre-conceived ideas on how to achieve their corporate objectives.

Agenda
8:45 - 9:15	Introductions and Workshop Overview Participants will each have two minutes to introduce themselves (position, level, type of responsibilities) and give one example of when and how they provide advice to their client(s).
9:15 - 9:45	First, let's agree on Key Concepts and Terms What do we really mean by: Client(s)/partner(s), stakeholders, advice/advisor, expectations, objectives (your clients' and yours), accountability vs. responsibility, strategic vs. tactical, actions vs. results, trust, credibility, reputation, etc.?
9:45 - 10:15	So, who/what am I? Advisor, doer, leader, manager, supporter, "go-fer" etc? Who do I report to and who am I accountable to? What results am I responsible/accountable for?
10:15 - 10:30	Break
10:30 - 10:45	Exercise What contextual elements influence the advisory/challenge functions?
10:45 - 11:30	What Roles do Advisors play? Ongoing roles. "Before" roles. "During" roles. "After" roles. Challenger role.
11:30 - 12:00	What is "Effective" Advice? Is the advice timely, relevant, realistic, affordable, reliable, understandable, strategic, creative, "win-win", ethical, legal, value-added, etc., and what does this mean practically and concretely?
12:00 - 12:45	Lunch
12:45 - 13:15	What are the Seven Attributes of Effective Advisory and Challenge Functions? Credibility, candour, competence, expertise, integrity, loyalty, leading to trust.
13:15 - 14:00	Exercise Based on a supplied case study, participants work in small groups to map-out the steps involved in advising a client on the best course of action to achieve stated corporate results.
14:00 - 14:45	What is the Challenge Function and how do I survive it? The W-5 of challenging your client(s) and yourself. Conversation, not confrontation. Psychology 101. A five-step process. Your supervisor's role. CLM's (Career Limiting Moves) to avoid! Key success factors.
14:45 - 15:00	Break
15:00 - 15:15	Exercise Based on the case study, participants list the steps required to prepare for an "animated" discussion with their client.
15:15 - 15:30	Are we ready to commit? Managing expectations and accountability through Service Agreements, MOU's and Performance Indicators.
15:30 - 16:00	Why should my client(s) listen to me? Because I offer... I am... and I behave like...
16:00 - 16:30	Wrap-up and Evaluation Participants will complete a short evaluation