Leadership and Client Services Manager Development

Before we get started  --- All solutions and training programs can be tailored, modularized, adapted, or customized to meet your business needs, implementation and culture. We are happy to discuss options with you.

Client Services Leaders are unique in that they are playing dual roles of leading teams and clients to achieve amazing results!

Leaders and Client Service managers at different levels have a unique set of challenges and spend their time managing specific critical interactions and activities.  The more customized their development journey is to your organization and their role, the more productive, increased capacity, energy, and success they create. .

What we also know to be true, is true behavioral change does not happen overnight, but takes time, practice, coaching, and feedback. 

The most impactful method to truly gain skills and become "Great" is to enage in development over a period a time, in other words, a Learning Journey. Often the journey includes face-to-face workshops, virtual learning, cohort discussions, on-the-job application, and manager coaching, feedback, and lots of practice. 

As an example, we have provided a Learning Journey for Professional Services Leaders,  Leaders who are working closely with clients in implementing services and products. The same journey can be customized for Leaders of other functions.

Our research has shown that role specific training can make a huge difference in building both personal and organizational capacity. Specifically, we have found that this key leadership role requires a certain mindset and unique set of skills to include the following.

• Ensure success of the project from high customer satisfaction to profitability to team and client engagement
• Lead with credibility, confidence, and competence
• Build, engage, and maintain Executive level relationships
• Help client’s to achieve their goals that are both directly and indirectly related to the project
• Drive excellent project management excellence 
• Achieve profitability goals while leading and developing talent
• Drive internal and client team to solve issues and meet and exceed expectations
• Act as high level expert in how the product/service will impact the business
• Business Acumen Savvy

The Professional Services Leader (2 day workshop)

Successful Leaders and Engagement Managers focus on leading clients, themselves, and their teams. The magic comes when all three are aligned and balanced to achieve the goals.

Primary objectives include: 

Leading Clients

• Establish and continually engage stakeholders by developing rapport and an understanding of individual’s politics, concerns, issues, needs, and cares

• Understand one’s own and others communication styles
• Act as a trusted advisor by adding value and providing ideas on overcoming concerns so that each stakeholder can buy-in
• Provide recommendations so they are easily understood and digestible by each stakeholder
• Set up routine check-ins and communicate effectively and professionally by aligning with customer’s goals.
• Hold challenging conversations with executive stakeholders with confidence
• Leading Self
• Develop and implement your Personal Leadership brand
• Increase your energy and capacity to get things done and manage multiple projects
• Set goals and priorities for self and others
• Focus on what is important (internal and external) vs. noise 
• Know when and how to bring in other company resources
• Leading the Team
• Implements key behaviors to take teams through the forming, storming, norming, to performing stages
• Set goals and priorities 
• Provides developmental and career coaching
• Provides ongoing feedback for recognition and development 

Strategic Communication 

Leaders and Engagement Managers are interacting constantly with team members, clients, and internal stakeholders. Each interaction and communication leaves the listener feeling either positive or NOT and has a lasting impression which carries over into other interactions. Having the right communication mindset and skills are critical to all leaders:

• Communicate strategically
• Translate strategy into action
• Influence and gain commitment from stakeholders and team members
• Facilitate group meetings
• Balance the self, others, and the situation in every conversation 

Module 3: Influencing and Negotiating with Clients 

Most leaders feel uncomfortable and often incompetent when it comes to having the more challenging conversation. Responses therefore can range from being aggressive, demanding, or greedy to being weak, afraid to talk about the issue, or choosing not to bring it up. None of these responses are healthy for the leader, the business, or the client. Being prepared for the more challenging conversations, having tools at your disposal and most important practicing what might happen are key to being both competent and confident. 

Business and Financial Acumen

We also provide business, financial, and industry acumen through our partnership. Please ask us about these solutions as well.

Additional Solutions and Training

All of the above examples and courses are customized and can be modularized to fit ½ day or multiple day events and virtual learning. 
We also know that additional topics are key to the development of our people, please ask as we have both designed a variety of leadership and management topics and have other partners to assist with specialized needs.