On Wednesday, May 8, 2019, senior government and private industry leaders filled the University of Ottawa’s Tabaret Hall for Telfer’s 3rd annual, full-day seminar dedicated to successful complex project execution.
Accomplished leaders from diverse organization including the Department of National Defence, IBM, the Canadian Space Agency, CHU Sainte-Justine, Accenture, and West Midlands Police delivered presentations on how they approach the challenges and best practices of some of their organization’s most dynamic and intricate programs.
Patrick Finn, ADM Materiel, DND opened the seminar with his insights on leadership in project delivery. Accenture’s David West, and West Midlands Police’s Alexandra Shariff collaboratively spoke on the ‘how and why’ the UK’s ‘West Midlands police 2020’ business transformation and reorganization were so successful. DND’s Isabelle Latulippe discussed how to manage a project when the technology needed, threatens to become obsolete due to prolonged project cycles. Other speakers included Col. Jeremy Hansen with the Canadian Space Agency who spoke on the complexities of human space flight, and CISSS Montérégie-Est - CHU Sainte-Justine’s nursing director Claude Fortin discussed practical elements of change management implementation and stated, “The healthcare system is a highly complex ecosystem composed of several elements eminently based on relationships with a high level of interdependence. A hospital, for example, is a 24/7 organism, you cannot shut down one part of a hospital to proceed with an isolated program".
The day highlighted winning business strategy and transformation techniques, as well as discussions on how to build integrated high-performance teams. Characteristics such as honesty, compassion, integrity, and empathy in conversations were needed in building strong lasting relationships and a positive working environment.
Originally the seminar, as part of Telfer’s MBCPL, was reserved solely for the program’s candidates. It quickly became, however, a popular knowledge sharing forum. The ability to deliver complex programs are increasingly sought-after skills that move beyond the iron triangle, especially when projects and initiatives no longer follow systematic lifecycle that is fixed and linear, have quickly changed the scope, and multiple stakeholders with different objectives.
More specialized training is needed to bring a Canadian solution to a Canadian context. The Telfer School of Management’s Executive Master of Business in Complex Project Leadership seeks to bridge the gap and connect candidates to what matters academically and professionally, enhancing their career and their value in their workplace environment, giving them the advanced skills and confidence to be successful leaders and deliver successful program outcomes. Candidates are exposed to a lifelong network of accomplished leaders and practitioners.
Save the date for next year’s seminar in May.
For more information about the program, updates and this event, please click here.
