Introduction

Operational excellence has become a critical leadership responsibility in environments defined by rapid change, competitive pressure, and rising customer expectations. Organisations must continually improve how work is performed while aligning operations with strategic objectives and governance requirements. Leaders play a decisive role in shaping the culture, systems, and behaviours that enable sustainable performance improvement. This Operational Excellence for Leaders training course addresses how leaders can translate strategy into operational results while fostering a culture of continuous improvement and accountability.

The course positions operational excellence as more than efficiency or cost reduction. It focuses on creating an integrated operating model that aligns people, processes, and systems to deliver consistent value. Participants gain structured insight into improvement frameworks, lean principles, and project-based execution, while strengthening their ability to lead cultural change and embed operational excellence as a long-term organisational capability.

 

Key Learning Outcomes

At the end of this training course, participants will be able to:

Training Methodology

This training course adopts a structured, practice-focused learning approach that combines guided instruction, applied discussion, and experiential exercises. Participants examine real operational challenges and improvement scenarios to strengthen leadership judgement, strategic alignment, and the practical application of operational excellence frameworks within their organisations.

Operational Excellence for Leaders

Who Should Attend?

This training course is ideal for professionals seeking to…

  • Senior and middle managers with operational responsibility
  • Business unit and functional leaders
  • Continuous improvement and operational excellence leaders
  • Project and performance management professionals
  • Strategy and transformation leaders
  • Professionals responsible for driving operational change

Course Outline

Day 1

The Business Case for Operational Excellence (Op Ex)

  • The discipline of market leaders
  • Overview of Op Ex - Framework, Principles, and Benefits
  • Strategy alignment and execution tools - McKinsey’s 7S, Balanced Scorecard, and Strategy Map
  • The linkage between Strategy & Operations Management
  • The dynamics of an organization’s “Golden Triangle” – People, Process, and Systems
  • Roles of Op Ex in Good Corporate Governance
  • Integrated Management Systems – Quality, Environmental, and Safety & Health
Day 2

The Project-based Approach to Achieving Strategic Operational Objectives

  • Overview of Project-based Management
  • Project pipeline development and prioritisation
  • Project Management fundamentals - Lifecycle, Constraints, Tools, and Deliverables
  • Evaluating a project’s business case proposal
  • Key competencies for project managers
Day 3

Practices & Methodologies for Operational Excellence

  • Continuous improvement (C.I.) – Philosophy, Action Plan, and PDCA cycle
  • The Nine Tough Questions on C.I.
  • Applying a problem-solving model - A3, 8D, and DMAIC  
  • Key analytical and creative thinking tools
  • Analysing business processes
  • Key tools for process modelling and analysis
  • Theory of Constraints (TOC)
Day 4

Lean Organization Practices

  • The history of lean movement
  • Lean management - 4P framework and 14 principles
  • Finding & eliminating wastes
  • Visual management & controls – 5S, Kanban, Andon, and Standard Work
  • Costs of Quality (COQ) - Types, Benefits, and Measures
  • Case Study: Op Ex in Manufacturing, Service, or process-based organizations  
Day 5

Leading Cultural Change for Operational Excellence

  • Leadership in Operational Excellence
  • Understanding the Cultural Web
  • Elements of Corporate Culture Analysis
  • Applying a model for organizational change
  • Building high-performing teams (HPTs)

International Standards & Professional Alignment

Our training courses are aligned with internationally recognised professional standards and frameworks across leadership, strategy, finance, governance, risk, compliance, and audit. By integrating globally trusted models, we ensure learners develop practical, relevant, and industry-recognised capabilities.

Our trainings draw on leading international standards and professional frameworks, including ISO, ISACA, COSO, OECD, IIA, FATF, Basel, IFRS/ISSB, GRI, NIST, CPD, ILM and the OECD AI Principles. This alignment ensures consistency with global best practices across financial management, risk oversight, digital governance, sustainability, and strategic decision-making..

Designed in alignment with globally recognised professional bodies, our courses support continuous professional development, strengthen organisational capability, and provide clear pathways toward professional certifications valued worldwide.

Ready to Take the Next Step?

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FAQs

This training course focuses on the leadership role in operational excellence, emphasising strategic alignment, governance, and cultural influence rather than isolated improvement tools.  

The course demonstrates how operational excellence enables consistent value creation through disciplined processes, engaged people, and continuous improvement aligned with strategic goals.  

Yes, the training course links strategic intent with operational execution, helping leaders translate organisational objectives into measurable performance improvements.  

The course includes lean principles and practices as part of a broader operational excellence framework, focusing on waste reduction, flow, and value creation.  

Participants gain the capability to lead operational excellence initiatives, strengthen organisational culture, and deliver sustained performance improvement across the value stream.

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