Architecture and Soft Skills

1. Concepts of Soft versus Hard Skills

2. Relevance to the work of an architect

3. Overview of key skills to be reviewed

Outcome: Awareness of the importance of soft skills in the world of architecture

 

Foundational Communications Skills

1. Advocacy and Inquiry

2. Observation and assessment

3. Listening

4. Feedback

5. Attitude

Outcome: Awareness and understanding of some of the building blocks for effective interpersonal communication

Skills: Communication Skills

 

Scoping and Framing

1. Defining context and boundaries

2. Preparing for meetings

Outcome: Tools to help you plan the breadth and depth of your architecture projects and meetings

Skills: Planning and organizing, Strategic thinking

 

Project Management

1. Stakeholder management

2. Communications plans

3. Project milestone reviews

Outcome: Awareness of fundamental principles of project planning

Skills: Planning and organizing, Systems thinking, Learning

 

Review/Interviewing Sessions

1. Preparing for a review

2. Principles of effective reviews/interviews

3. Leading the session

Outcome: Improved capability to lead review/interview sessions

Skills: Interpersonal communications, Analysis and synthesis of information

 

Meeting Facilitation

1. Meeting preparation

2. Safety for open discussion

3. Hearing all voices in the room

4. Addressing problems and issues

5. When to have a meeting / when not to have a meeting

Outcome: Understanding of skills needed to lead a workshop or review meeting

Skills: Planning and organizing, Interpersonal communications, People leadership

 

Presentations

1. Principles of effective presentations

2. Storytelling

3. Storyboarding

Outcome: Improved understanding of the importance of sharing stories around your architecture efforts

Skills: Storytelling, Interpersonal communications, Teaching

 

Governance and Decision Making

1. Governance principles

2. Committee structures and methods

3. Decision records

4. Prioritization

5. RACI

6. Conensus and Negotiating

Outcome: Improved understanding of the importance of creating shared views so that meaningful action can be taken

Skills: Governance, Creating shared views, Flexibility, Building trust

 

Influencing and Networking

1. The importance of emotion

2. Trust and relationships

3. Communities of interest

4. Coaching

Outcome: Improved capability to relate to and engage others to help you achieve success

Skills: Political and cultural awareness, Interpersonal communications, People leadership, Team building, Building trust

 

Creativity and Strategic Thinking

1. Paradigms

2. Strategic thinking

3. Learning

Outcome: Improved capability to generate new ideas

Skills: Strategic thinking, Empathy

 

Time Management

1. Creating the environment

2. Prioritization

3. Health and well being

Outcome: Awareness of fundamental principles of managing your time and the time of others

Skills: Time management

 

Change Management

1. Basic principles

2. Resistance to change

3. The “ACTIOn” model for change

Outcome: Awareness of fundamental principles of managing change

Skills: Change management