Shared Services Leadership

Introduction

The Shared Services Leadership course is designed for professionals who are responsible for managing or leading shared services functions in organizations. Shared services are centralized functions or processes that provide support across various departments, often including HR, IT, finance, procurement, and customer service. Effective leadership in shared services is critical to achieving operational efficiency, optimizing resource utilization, and ensuring that services meet the needs of internal stakeholders. This five-day course will equip participants with the knowledge and skills to lead shared services teams, improve service delivery, and drive continuous improvement. Through practical exercises, real-world case studies, and interactive discussions, participants will learn how to align shared services with organizational goals and enhance their strategic value.

Course Objectives

By the end of this five-day course, participants will be able to:

1. Understand the Role of Shared Services: Gain a comprehensive understanding of shared services and their strategic importance in modern organizations.
2. Develop Leadership Skills for Shared Services: Learn the leadership skills needed to lead diverse teams and manage multi-functional shared services functions effectively.
3. Align Shared Services with Organizational Strategy: Understand how to align shared services with the broader goals of the organization, ensuring that services add value and support business objectives.
4. Optimize Service Delivery and Operational Efficiency: Learn strategies for improving service delivery, reducing costs, and optimizing efficiency within shared services functions.
5. Drive Continuous Improvement: Develop the skills to implement a culture of continuous improvement, innovation, and best practices within shared services.
6. Manage Stakeholder Expectations: Learn how to effectively manage stakeholder relationships, including internal clients and senior leadership, to ensure satisfaction and value delivery.
7. Implement Performance Metrics and SLAs: Understand how to develop and implement key performance indicators (KPIs) and service level agreements (SLAs) to measure and manage shared services performance.
8. Build High-Performance Teams: Develop skills for leading high-performing teams, fostering collaboration, and managing cross-functional workgroups.
9. Navigate Change and Transformation: Learn how to lead shared services through organizational change, technology adoption, and service transformation.
10. Create a Personal Leadership Development Plan: Develop a personal leadership plan that focuses on growth and improvement in shared services management.

Course Outline

Day 1: Introduction to Shared Services and Leadership

• Understanding Shared Services: Overview of shared services models, functions, and structures.
• Strategic Importance of Shared Services: How shared services contribute to organizational efficiency and business strategy.
• Leadership in Shared Services: The unique leadership challenges and opportunities in managing shared services teams.
• Key Competencies for Shared Services Leaders: Identifying and developing the leadership skills necessary to succeed in a shared services environment.
• Case Study: Exploring a successful shared services transformation story and identifying leadership best practices.
• Practical Exercise: Participants will assess their current leadership style and areas for improvement in leading shared services functions.

Day 2: Aligning Shared Services with Organizational Strategy

• Aligning Shared Services with Business Goals: Understanding the connection between shared services and the broader organizational strategy.
• Value Proposition of Shared Services: How to define and communicate the value that shared services bring to the organization.
• Strategic Planning for Shared Services: Steps for developing a strategic plan that aligns with business priorities and drives operational excellence.
• Managing Stakeholder Expectations: Techniques for managing and communicating with stakeholders, including internal clients, senior leadership, and external vendors.
• Practical Exercise: Developing a strategic alignment plan for a shared services function in your organization.
• Case Study: Analyzing a shared services initiative that failed due to poor alignment with organizational strategy and discussing lessons learned.

Day 3: Optimizing Service Delivery and Operational Efficiency

• Service Delivery Models: Exploring different service delivery models for shared services, including centralized vs. decentralized models.
• Improving Service Efficiency: Techniques for optimizing processes, reducing waste, and improving the quality of service delivery.
• Cost Management in Shared Services: Strategies for controlling costs while maintaining high-quality service delivery.
• Leveraging Technology in Shared Services: Exploring how automation, cloud-based solutions, and digital tools can improve efficiency and reduce operational costs.
• Performance Metrics and SLAs: Developing key performance indicators (KPIs) and service level agreements (SLAs) to track and improve service delivery.
• Practical Exercise: Participants will design a performance management framework, including KPIs and SLAs, for a shared services function.
• Case Study: Reviewing a case where shared services achieved significant cost savings and improved service delivery through process optimization.

Day 4: Leading Change and Continuous Improvement

• Driving a Culture of Continuous Improvement: Developing a mindset of innovation and continuous improvement within the shared services function.
• Change Management in Shared Services: Best practices for leading shared services through organizational change, technology adoption, and service transformation.
• Problem-Solving and Innovation: Techniques for fostering creativity and innovation within shared services teams to solve complex challenges.
• Building High-Performance Teams: Leading cross-functional teams, fostering collaboration, and managing diverse teams to achieve organizational goals.
• Coaching and Mentoring: How to coach shared services staff to improve performance, develop skills, and advance their careers.
• Practical Exercise: Participants will create a change management plan for implementing a new service or process within a shared services function.
• Case Study: Reviewing a successful shared services change initiative and discussing how continuous improvement and innovation were key to success.

Day 5: Developing a Personal Leadership Plan and Future Challenges

• Leadership Development in Shared Services: Identifying opportunities for personal leadership growth and career development in shared services management.
• Managing Emerging Trends and Future Challenges: Exploring emerging trends in shared services, such as automation, artificial intelligence, and outsourcing, and how they will impact leadership roles.
• Creating a Personal Leadership Development Plan: Developing an actionable leadership plan to strengthen skills, overcome challenges, and achieve long-term career goals.
• Feedback and Reflection: Participants will reflect on their learnings from the course, receive feedback from peers, and discuss how they plan to implement their new skills.
• Course Wrap-Up and Action Steps: Final discussions on key takeaways and the next steps to take in improving shared services leadership.
• Closing Remarks: Summarizing the course and offering resources for continued development in shared services leadership.