DEVELOPING AND MANAGING R&D TEAMS

This three day workshop is designed to provide R&D managers with the knowledge and skills required to manage highly trained professionals in an R&D team environment. This workshop draws heavily on the vast literature on the management of R&D teams.

Who Should Attend

R&D personnel in the following categories would benefit from this workshop:

  • Scientists or engineers who take on the role of R&D project team leaders
  • Scientists, engineers or technologists who are being considered for promotion to team or group leader positions
  • Bench level scientists or engineers who have to work as members of a research team.

WORKSHOP OUTLINE

Module One: Putting the R&D Team Together

  • Characteristics of an Effective Team Leader
  • Range of Authorities and Responsibilities
  • Team Leadership Style and Sources of Power
  • The R&D Team Leader's Key Activities
  • Team Leader Selection Criteria
  • Selecting the Team Members

Module Two: Establishing the R &D Team Processes

  • Team Dynamics - Stages of Formal Team Development
  • Importance of the First Team Meeting
  • Team Authority
  • Rewarding and Motivating the Team
  • How Management Can Support Team Effectiveness
  • Organizational Conditions or Actions that Support/Inhibit Team Effectiveness
  • Characteristics of an Effective R&D Team
  • Symptoms of a "Sick" Team

Module Three: Listening Skills Needed by the R&D Team

  • General Interpersonal Communications Model
  • Causes of Ineffective Interpersonal Communications
  • Specific Causes of Ineffective Communications in R&D
  • Techniques to Overcome Poor Interpersonal Communications
  • Importance of Upwards Organizational Communications
  • Impact of Poor Interpersonal Communication
  • Review of Studies of Communication in R&D

Module Four: Managing Conflict in the R&D Team

  • Positive Attributes of Conflict
  • Stages of the Conflict Cycle
  • Causes of Interpersonal Conflict Among Scientific Staff
  • The Five Methods of Resolving Interpersonal Conflict
  • Role of the R&D Team Leader in Resolving Interpersonal Conflict

Module Five: R&D Team Members Performance Management

  • Poor Performer vs. the Difficult Employee
  • Causes of Poor Performance
  • Performance Appraisal - Why and How
  • Actions to Deal with Poor Performance by a Team Member
  • Dealing with the Disruptive Team Member

Module Six: Summary of Workshop and General Discussion

Workshop Director: Thomas E. Clarke, M.Sc., M.B.A.

Mr. Clarke has designed and presented R&D management workshops to scientific personnel in government and industrial laboratories for over twenty-five years, and has been a consultant  to several government departments on the management of R&D personnel.

 

Group rates available.

Price includes a 100+ page workshop manual



Clarke-Reavley Consultants 
707 - 172 Wentworth Drive
Canada, B3M 0P4
Tel: (902) 420-4201
E-Mail: Clarkerev@bellaliant.net