Course Catalog

Leading Beyond the Gantt: Practical Tools to Strengthen Leadership, Communication, and Team Collaboration

Description

You know the process. You’ve managed complex projects and kept schedules moving—but some still stall, not because of the plan, but because of the people. Stress runs high, communication turns reactive, and even experienced leaders struggle to keep everyone aligned.

This immersive five-day workshop equips project leaders with actionable tools to move teams forward when communication falters. You’ll learn to uncover what’s driving tension, defuse stress before it spreads, and shift dialogue from defensive to productive. Through 30 field-tested tools and visual techniques, you’ll expand your ability to influence, coach, and collaborate with confidence—especially when others can’t.

This participatory program focuses on doing, not theory. You’ll build skills through experiential labs, small-group dialogue, and real-world practice that turns concepts into behavior. Expect to leave with a sharper vocabulary, stronger composure, and the skill to turn difficult interactions into forward momentum.

Agenda

Day 1: Aware

• Self-Awareness & Mindset Foundations

• Emotional Resilience & Communication Clarity

• Feedback Integration & Self-Reflection

• Understanding Behavioral Motivations

Day 2: Label

• Navigating Goals & Managing Manipulation

• Emotional Awareness & Cognitive Processing

Day 3: Agency

• Emotional Intelligence & Behavioral Language

• Mindset Tools & Bias Reduction

• Emotional Regulation & Empathy Dial

Day 4: Control

• Effective Questioning & Inner Voice Engagement

• Advanced Communication Tools & Mindset Shifts

Day 5: Own

• Integrative Leadership Practice & Applied Cognitive Control

• Adaptive Communication & Real-World Tool Application

• Empathy in Action & Constructive Influence

Reviews

“This training helps you understand what it takes to be a more effective manager and get the best from your team.”

“I’ve started applying your tools and feel as if 50 lbs. have been lifted off my shoulders—the way you make it real and comfortable is hugely important!”

Learning Objectives

• Cultivate self-awareness and manage emotional responses under pressure.

• Enhance communication, listening, and reframing to influence stakeholders.

• Apply emotional intelligence to foster psychological safety and team trust.

• Recognize mindset patterns to increase flexibility and resilience.

• Navigate interpersonal dynamics ethically while managing manipulation.

• Align behavioral insights with project and organizational strategy.

• Employ ethical communication that supports governance and collaboration.

Graduates leave with a usable toolkit, measurable increases in confidence, and communication skills proven to reduce project friction, increase collaboration, and improve stakeholder satisfaction.

The course cost includes Owning Your IT, its companion workbook, and all learning materials mailed directly to you.

About the Instructor

Margot Halstead, MBA, PMP, MCC, is the creator of Owning Your IT: Actionable Tools to Improve Your Interpersonal Communication—a framework advancing project leaders’ emotional intelligence and self-awareness. With 15 years designing and delivering leadership and communication programs for NASA, the Department of Defense, FEMA, and Fortune 500 firms, Margot bridges technical execution with human dynamics—where most projects falter.

As both a PMP and Master Certified Coach, she blends project management discipline with the behavioral science of coaching. Her programs teach that behaviors follow thoughts, helping leaders recognize patterns that derail collaboration and apply tools that restore clarity and composure.

Her signature Grumples—visual bookmarks from her book—help learners recall techniques under pressure. Each course is experiential, filled with frameworks aligned to PMI’s Talent Triangle. Learners describe her facilitation as “direct, life-changing, and unforgettable.” Participants leave equipped to manage what truly determines project success: the human connection.

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