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The Programme

There are no plans to run this programme in 2015-2016.

The details below relate to when the programme ran in 2013 and are for information only.

1. Who is it for?

2. Nomination Process

3. The Workshops

  • Dates & Times
  • Content and Objectives

4. Coaching

5. Action Planning and Future Development

1. Who Should Attend

The overall aim of the programme is to equip Research Team Leaders with the key skills in leading and managing their teams to meet departmental and project requirements.

It is suitable for:

  • Researchers who currently lead and manage research teams and have responsibility for early contract research staff and postgraduate students,
    OR
  • Research active staff who lead an area of work, in collaboration with other team leaders and other teams.

Participants are likely to be on grades 6 or 7 and will need their nomination to be supported by their Principal Investigator or Head of Department.

To get the most out of the programme it is important that participants are open to learning and implementing new ways of managing and supervising their research teams and that they are willing to engage fully in the various aspects of the programme. In particular, participants are expected to set aside the time needed to complete the pre-course work, attend the workshops and the one to one coaching sessions.

Want to find out more?

If you are interested in attending the Research Team Leaders Programme then please complete a nomination form below or if you would like more information please contact:
Sandy Sparks x74121 or Lisa Lavender x74947.

2. Nomination Process

Please read the aims and objectives for the course and complete the nomination form to apply for a place stating how and why the course meets your individual needs – you will also need a supporting statement from your Principal Investigator or Head of Department.

There are up to 12 places on the programme and you must be able to attend all the workshops and the coaching sessions. Priority will be given to those who can best identify how the programme will meet their development needs - including needs identified as part of their annual review - and where there is a clear statement of support from their nominating managers.

3. The Workshops

Dates, times and venue:

Workshop 1: Wednesday 23rd January 12.45pm - 5.00pm Arden House Conference Centre
Workshop 2: Wednesday 6th February 12.45pm - 5.00pm Arden House Conference Centre
Coaching 1: Thursday 7th February 1-hour time slot to be arranged
with each participant
Arden House Conference Centre
Workshop 3: Wednesday 20th February 12.45pm - 5.00pm Arden House Conference Centre
Workshop 4: Wednesday 6th March 12.45pm - 5.00pm Arden House Conference Centre
Coaching 2: Thursday 7th March 1-hour time slot to be arranged
with each participant
Arden House Conference Centre

All 4 workshops commence with a buffet lunch at 12.45pm and the workshop begins at 1.30pm

Content and Objectives:

Workshop One – Working with Others

Content: Listening, Team Working, Team Characteristics, Belbin’s Team Roles

Pre-work: Completion of the Belbin Team Roles questionnaire

Objectives: At the end of this session participants will have:

• Reflected upon the impact of effective listening and practised their listening skills
• Understood the stages of team building
• Reviewed and discussed the characteristics of effective teams
• Taken part in a team activity
• Reviewed their own Belbin team role

Workshop Two – Leading Your Team

Content: Approaches to Leadership, The Three Circles Model, Functional Leadership, Personal Leadership Report and Profile

Pre-work: Completion of the Team Leadership Questionnaire

Objectives: At the end of this session participants will have:

• Reviewed the demands placed on them as leaders
• Understood the three-circles model of leadership
• Taken part in a leadership activity
• Considered key leadership functions
• Reflected on what research leaders do
• Reviewed their personal leadership profile

Workshop Three – Handling Change and Uncertainty

Content: The process of Change, Leading during Change, the SCARF model, Supporting and Motivating Individuals

Pre-work: Prepare outlines of personal examples of change

Objectives: At the end of this session participants will have:

• Reflected upon the process of change
• Consider how change and uncertainty affects leadership
• Reviewed the SCARF model
• Reflected upon personal examples of change/uncertainty
• Reflected upon how to support and motivate individuals during change/ uncertainty

Workshop Four – Running Effective Meetings

Content: Principles of Effective Meetings, Demonstration Meeting (subject to be determined by participants), Meeting Review, The Thinking Environment, Programme Review, Personal Action Planning

Pre-work: Suggestions for meeting agenda items

Objectives: At the end of this session participants will have:

• Reflected upon their own experiences of meetings
• Reviewed and understood the principles of running effective meetings
• Taken part in an effective meeting
• Made progress in addressing the issues covered in the meeting
• Developed a Personal Action Plan.

4. Coaching

Each participant will also take part in two one-to-one coaching conversations which have been scheduled to take place the day after Workshops two and four. The first conversation will give participants the time to discuss their Belbin Team Roles and Personal Leadership Profile in more detail, the second conversation will give participants the opportunity to discuss issues arising from the programme as a whole and identify areas for further development.

5. Action Planning and Future Development

Specific time will be set aside for you to identify actions you are going to take to apply what you have learnt from the programme.

Learning Sets (optional)
At the end of the programme participants will be offered the option to form into learning sets. The learning sets will give participants more time to embed the learning from the workshops and to explore issues that they would like to resolve as research team leaders.

The learning sets will be supported by a facilitator, initially, but then will be self facilitating.