Mastering Team Influence

Course aims

By the end of the course, you will have strengthened the leadership skills to work effectively beyond your technical role. You will also be able to: 

• Understand the complexity of workplace leadership systems that guide decision-making and the setting of priorities. 
• Adapt your communication and leadership style to build trust, credibility and influence with different stakeholders. 
• Align team activities to follow the organisational strategy. 
• Discover the real business need before proposing technical solutions. 
• Network and map your allies to strengthen collaboration and improve organisational outcomes. 
• Negotiate priorities, manage expectations, and confidently say ‘no’ when commitments are unrealistic. 
• Communicate complex technical information clearly and simply to technical and non-technical audiences. 
• Lead with greater influence across the organisation, even when you have little or no formal authority. 

Level and demands

Whether you are leading a team, managing projects or acting as a senior technical specialist, this course will help you extend your influence well beyond your technical expertise. It is also useful if you are stepping into greater leadership responsibility and want to build the interpersonal and communication skills that are often learned through experience on the job.

Programme details

Session 1 – Leading Up 

Lesson 1 – Understanding Bosses 
Gain insight into how managers think, the competing pressures they face, and why they make decisions that may not always be visible or obvious. 

Lesson 2 – Synchronising Style 
Learn how to adapt your communication and working style to different stakeholders to build trust, strengthen relationships, and increase influence. 

Session 2 – Leading with Purpose 

Lesson 3 – Follow to Lead 
Discover how understanding organisational strategy enables you to lead more effectively and align your team’s efforts with business priorities. 

Lesson 4 – Probe for Purpose 
Develop questioning techniques that uncover the real business need behind requests so you can deliver solutions that add greater value. 

Session 3 – Leading Through Influence 

Lesson 5 – Network to Influence 
Build meaningful relationships across the organisation that expand your influence, improve collaboration and help you achieve better outcomes. 

Lesson 6 – Negotiate to Say No 
Learn practical techniques for negotiating priorities, managing expectations and saying ‘no’ when necessary so your ‘yes’ carries commitment and credibility. 

Session 4 – Leading with Clarity 

Lesson 7 – Communicate Simply 
Master practical techniques for translating complex technical information into clear, concise messages that decision-makers and stakeholders understand. 

Programme Wrap-up 
Bring the seven leadership principles together into a practical framework for managing up, influencing across the organisation, and leading beyond your formal role. 

Trevor Manning

Technical Trainer and Author

Trevor Manning is a qualified telecoms engineer, who is still involved in world-leading innovation projects. He has over 30 years’ leadership experience, from technical roles, to COO roles, to advisory-board roles in the US, UK, South Africa, Italy and Australia. This international experience, in a variety of companies, has given him insights into how the workplace really operates. 

To lead others and achieve the right business results, as well as having influence at a technical level is a difficult balance. Trevor developed insights and frameworks that helped to create practical management habits, and developed his inspirational leadership skills through a deep understanding of the leadership mindset. He runs a consultancy business specialising in helping engineers transition from expert practitioner to business leader. This includes regular leadership training programs at the University of Wisconsin – Madison College of Engineering. 

Trevor lives in Brisbane, Australia.

Berenice Manning

Berenice Manning is a seasoned Learning and Development professional with a wealth of experience in the education sector. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree, coupled with a high school Teaching Diploma. Before transitioning into adult education, Berenice dedicated over 20 years to teaching Science in high school. Her expertise extends to her previous role as the Leader of eLearning in a large high school, where she played a pivotal role in shaping digital learning initiatives. 

Berenice believes in using technology to enhance the learning experience and is passionate about imparting this knowledge to others. Her commitment to educational innovation led her to become a prominent advocate for the effective use of various technology platforms during training sessions, a commitment evident in the development of the highly interactive courses: Technical Team Leadership and Mastering Team Communication.

To be eligible for a certificate of attendance, you will need to attend the whole course. Participants who meet this criterion will be emailed a link and instructions for accessing their University of Oxford digital certificate after the course ends.

The certificate will show your name, the course title, and the dates of the course you attended. You will be able to download your certificate and share it on social media if you choose to do so.

Fees

Payment

Fees include course materials, tuition, refreshments, and lunches. The price does not include accommodation.

All courses are VAT exempt.

Register immediately online 

Click the ‘Book now’ button on this webpage. Payment by credit or debit card is required.

Request an invoice

If you require an invoice for your company or personal records, please email us at business@conted.ox.ac.uk to request an online enrolment form. Payment is then accepted online, by credit/debit card, or by bank transfer.

Textbooks

Manning, T, HELP! I need to Manage Up and Across (Trevor Manning Consultancy Pty Ltd, Nov 2025)

Although not included in the course fee, accommodation may be available at our on-site Rewley House Residential Centre. All bedrooms are en suite and decorated to a high standard, and come with tea and coffee-making facilities, free Wi-Fi access and Freeview TV. Guests can take advantage of the excellent dining facilities and common room bar, where they may relax and network with others on the programme.

To check prices, availability and to book rooms, please visit the Rewley House Residential Centre website. 

Enrolled students are entitled to discounted accommodation rates for the purpose of study at Rewley House and can contact the administration team for the promotional code to use for making online accommodation bookings via the website.

Module code: O26C017N3Y

If you would like to discuss your application or any part of the application process before applying, please contact us on business@conted.ox.ac.uk

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