The central objectives of this course are as follows:

• Learn how to develop a plan to achieve the goals you want for you and your company and develop strategic thinking in your organization/business unit/team.
• Determine where you and your company want to be.
• Develop a strategic plan for - your organization (company/division/business unit/team and for yourself personally.
• Identify the principles and mechanisms that drive successful implementation
• Develop measurable action plans that result in success. Identify, measure, and track critical success factors
• Behave correctly in both business and social situations.
• Interact effectively with different types of guests.
• Play the role of the ideal host at various functions.
• Organize and manage events such as business luncheons and formal dinners.
• Meet and greet important guests, clients and customers in a proper manner.
• Deal successfully with the media.

How We Think: Are we simply allowing things to happen, or are we making them happen the way we want?

• What is strategy – core concept and definition of terms
• What is a Strategic Plan?
• How we think?
  • Analytical thinking
  • Creative thinking
• What is a Leader? - The difference between leadership and management
• Strategic and operational goals – the significance and difference
• Two key roles
• Visionary - the role of the Chief Executive Officer
• Chief implementer - the role of the Chief Operating Officer
• Building a strategy/business planning team
• Two key roles

Strategic Planning

• Cost-based strategies versus differentiation-based strategies
• Concept of the “business model”: the integrated supply-demand chain
• Vision, Mission and Values – case examples, class discussion and guidelines
• Practical group exercise on Vision/Mission statements
• Analysis of the business environment (1) – the SPECCTRE technique
• Analysis of the business environment (2) - the 5-forces technique

Linkage to Marketing and Sales and Strategy Choice

• How to evaluate market structures, trends and prospects
• SWOT analysis and the strategy matrix
• Strategic choice – how to make strategy selection decisions
• Marketing plans and sales plans
• Market plan – capturing value rather than just volume
• Sales plan – how to choose and fulfill market opportunities

Linkage to the financial dimension

• Strategic versus operational aspects of finance. The strategic role of the Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
• The issue of financial risk/volatility and its impact on strategy
• Globalization of the financial markets
• The issue of financial risk/volatility and its impact on strategy
• The strategic impact of time compression and shortening life-cycles
• Capital-labor substitution, overhead cost, fixed and variable costs, breakeven analysis. The financial aspects of supply chain design – the “value engineering” of fixed and variable cost through outsourcing and “minimal inventory” processes.

Bringing It All Together

• Review
  • Vision
  • Mission
  • Values
  • Strategic choice and critical goals
  • Marketing and Sales Plans
  • Operational Plan
• Developing Action plans
• The importance of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and measurements
• Building a business strategy team and gaining buy-in within the organization
• The importance of strategic planning aligned throughout an organization and its supply-demand chains. The emerging 21st century concept of 'dynamic alignment'
• The 'death of distance' and the shift of competitiveness from product/service to business model

Definitions of Etiquette and Protocol

• The Importance of Etiquette in Business
• The Importance of Protocol in Business
• Applying the Right Behavior in Different Situations
• Creating the Right Image for your Organization
• Image Building and Image Management

Guest Relations

• Gaining Guests’ Respect
• Understanding Human Relations
• Proper Greetings and Introductions
• Professional Hand-Shaking
• Giving Business Cards in a Proper Way
• People’s Names (Pronunciation and Remembering)

The Ideal Host

• Key Qualities of the Ideal Host
• Dealing with Different Types of Guests
• Handling Difficult Personalities
• Dealing with Guests’ Complaints
• Handling Guests’ Complaints in a Timely Manner
• Perception and Business Relations

Managing Events and Behavior

• The Business Meal
• Table Manners at Business Lunches and Business Dinners
• Setting of the Room and Table
• Mistakes to Avoid at Business Events
• Meeting Guests at Airports

Proper Communication Etiquette

• Phone Etiquette
• Meeting Etiquette
• Email Etiquette

Handling the Media

• Dealing with Questions
• Handling Confidential Information
• Effective Public Relations