The document describes a training model developed by Dr. Shaul Nehamkin for managers in high-tech organizations. The model aims to develop management skills like responsibility, initiative, purpose, and independence. It involves modular group training sessions, real-world experience implementing skills, mentorship, and ongoing guidance. The integrated method combines concrete training, experience gaining, enhanced mentoring, and follow-up. Feedback from participants praised its practical focus and utility for improving management language, self-awareness, and norms.

1. Dr. Shaul Nehamkin Organizational Psychologist nehamkin@netvision.net.il +972-52-2563643
2016
Responsibility, Initiative, Purpose and Independence in
High-Tech Management skills
Development of Management Skills and Norms – Dr Shaul Nehamkin
Background:
Corporate high-tech organizations operate in a very dynamic and highly competitive market,
and are therefore required to produce innovative, sophisticated, sustainable products and
services with speed, flexibility and efficiency.
In order to cope with a competitive business environment, high-tech organizations hire
employees with ‘know-how’ (Peter Drucker – “Management Challenges for the 21st Century”),
who possess sophistication, independence and ambition.
The managerial challenge in coping with a competitive business environment and ‘know-how’
employees requires developed and unique management skills appropriate to this organizational
environment.
The management skills required for these challenges are based on Responsibility, Initiative,
Purpose and Independence (empowerment).
Experience shows that it is possible to develop management capabilities through training and
the implementation of practical management skills. Dr. Shaul Nehamkin has trained and
implemented these skills over the last 15 years in Israel’s leading technology companies: Start-
ups, local companies and international corporations.
During his work, Dr. Nehamkin became acquainted with the unique characteristics of
management challenges that high-tech companies face, and so he developed and refined a
proven training model for managers (at different levels) – a model dedicated to the
development of management skills, their implementation and preservation in high-tech
organizations

2. Dr. Shaul Nehamkin Organizational Psychologist nehamkin@netvision.net.il +972-52-2563643
The purpose of the training model and its principles:
 The purpose of the training model is to impart purposeful training habits in the
organization and operation of people and resources, so as to effectively accomplish goals,
tasks and organizational objectives in a competitive, dynamic and sophisticated
environment.
 The training model has added organizational value in that that it formulates a common
managerial language and desired management norms.
 The training model is based on the cognitive-behavioral approach and focuses on the
acquisition of management thinking patterns which develop concepts, skills, habits and
managerial norms.
 The training is comprised of four dimensions:
o Acquisition of practical advice for dealing with managerial dilemmas
o Expansion of the organization's management perspective
o Strengthening self-awareness
o Practical experience and practice
 The training incorporates four learning modes:
o Analysis and understanding of managerial dilemmas the manager faces
o Definition and illustration of practical management skills
o Analysis and practice of management situations
o Learning from the experience of others
 The implementation of management skills combines training, gaining experience and the
mentoring of supervisors and HR personnel.

3. Dr. Shaul Nehamkin Organizational Psychologist nehamkin@netvision.net.il +972-52-2563643
Integrated training method:
The acquisition and implementation of complex skills and management habits, requires a
combination of four training components:
 Concrete training: group training sessions that include analyzing managerial dilemmas,
learning practical management skills, simulations and practice of relevant management
situations.
 Gaining real experience: In between the training sessions managers practice the skills
learned through practical experience in analyzing management situations, self analysis,
feedback and consulting with supervisors and HR personnel.
 Enhanced mentoring: supervisors and HR personnel actively guide and mentor the
managers participating in the course by discussing with them the content they learn,
analyzing dilemmas with them, providing directed counseling and setting a personal
example.
 Ongoing guidance: After a series of training sessions and mentoring, it is important to have
periodic meetings with superiors to analyze organizational situations, refresh managerial
thinking, encourage peer learning and hone in on desired managerial norms within the
organization.

4. Dr. Shaul Nehamkin Organizational Psychologist nehamkin@netvision.net.il +972-52-2563643
Stages of the training process:
1. Defining the objectives and the content of the training is carried out through a needs
assessment, based on interviews and focus groups to identify managerial dilemmas,
defining practical rules, values and norms of desired management, either of the
organization itself or of a certain management population.
2. Formulating content for a modular training program in accordance with the needs
assessment from a “list of management skills” which has been defined, organized,
polished and updated based on many years of experience of thousands of managers and
dozens of organizations.
3. Preparing supervisors and HR personnel for mentoring the managers by: reviewing the
content and mentor model, setting each manager his or her personal learning
objectives, defining desired management norms and establishing organizational
commitment to the training process.
4. A series of group training sessions (can also be carried out one-on-one) consisting of
clusters of coherent management skills and dilemmas.
5. Every training session should focus on a central dilemma or management norm by
learning and practicing a set of 2-5 practical management skills.
6. In between sessions, the managers participating in the program are required to practice
the management skills they have been taught by way of concrete experience, analyzing
situations, self-analysis and consultation with supervisors and HR personnel.
7. Meetings are held throughout the process to assess and evaluate progress and monitor
the learning process. This is done by way of reciprocal feedback, and the managers in
the program draw conclusions with the help of supervisors and HR personnel.
8. During and at the end of the training and mentoring process, it is recommended to hold
quarterly implementation meetings, based on "Managerial Case Analysis" procedure
(with the assistance of supervisors and HR personnel) and for the purpose of reviewing
material, encouraging peer learning, and defining desired management norms.

5. Dr. Shaul Nehamkin Organizational Psychologist nehamkin@netvision.net.il +972-52-2563643
Main contents of the training program
 The concept of a managerial position: logical thinking, managerial responsibility, exercising
managerial authority, representing the organization
 Management roles: the complete management cycle – planning, organization, operation
and monitoring
 Leadership: inspiration, role modeling, challenging, personal development
 Managerial approaches: control, delegating, authority, support and consideration
 Employees development: recruitment, integration, support, expectations, feedback,
mentoring and training
 Planning: S.W.O.T analysis, task management, objective-based management
 Motivating people: sources of influence, motivation techniques, coping with burnout
 Management routine: work meetings, team meetings, implementation of norms
 Tasks and time management: priorities, delegating, Tracking tasks, infrastructure tasks,
work plans
 Work with direct supervisor: assertive, coordinated expectations, mutual criticism, impact
on working relationships
 Interfaces collaboration: cooperation, interfaces maps, conflict resolution, organizational
diplomacy
 Assessment evaluation: performance analysis, instilling work norms, ongoing development
 Strategies: defining management principles, organizational assessment, forming a vision,
work plans
Theoretical sources:
Approach, models and content, stem and derived, from the following sources:
 Edgar Schein: Psychological models in the context of organizational management
 Peter Drucker: insights and perspectives on management and business
 Spencer Johnson: Models of management
 Eliyahu Goldratt: Management and organizational processes
 Jack Welch: Management practices
 Dov Frohman: Entrepreneurial management approach

6. Dr. Shaul Nehamkin Organizational Psychologist nehamkin@netvision.net.il +972-52-2563643
Personal background (Dr Shaul Nehamkin)
 Academic qualifications: BA in Psychology (Haifa University, 1994), MA in Organizational
Psychology (Bar Ilan University 1996), Ph.D. in Organizational Psychology (Bar Ilan
University 1998).
 During his MA studies, Dr Nehamkin researched the area of “influences and sources of
managerial motivation”. And during his Ph.D. he researched the area of “the impact of
various managerial styles on an organization's ability to change and adapt itself to the
business environment”.
 Dr. Nehamkin is a research fellow in the IDF in the field of “assessment of managerial
potential at senior level officers.
 Since 1996, Dr. Nehamkin focused on training managers in the development and
implementation of management skills and management norms in 50 high-tech companies,
both in Israel and overseas.
 Dr. Nehamkin trains managers at all levels: management, directors, first line managers,
team leaders, project managers, product managers, account managers and more.
 Dr. Nehamkin develops and instructs in modular training programs, on both a small and
large scale, depending on the organization's needs: comprehensive programs for all the
managers of an organization, programs for specific levels of management, programs for
managers entering their role and programs targeted for specific managerial issues or
organizational crises.
 In addition, Dr Nehamkin instructs in management team development, provides
consultation to individual managers and assesses managers at various assessment centers
for the identification of management potential and screening for management positions.
 In recent years, Dr, Nehamkin has trained and developed instructors who are applying his
method. These include independent instructors who work in Israel; instructors for the
development of management skills in start-ups in the Palestinian Authority as part of the
Cisco Program; instructors from India and Eastern Europe to implement management
norms in companies purchased by Ness Tech; HR managers to implement management
norms in companies purchased in Israel by IBM. Development and Instructor Training
Program to empower managerial leadership at Texas Instruments.
 Dr. Nehamkin works with 50 companies, all of which are high-tech organizations in Israel –
large (over 1,000 employees), average-sized (between 200-800 employees) and small
organizations (50 -150 employees), and start-ups.

7. Dr. Shaul Nehamkin Organizational Psychologist nehamkin@netvision.net.il +972-52-2563643
Dr. Nehamkin’s clients:
Large Organizations:
Apple, Microsoft, Intel, IBM, E.M.C, Checkpoint, EBay, HP, Qualcomm, Polycom, Elbit, Sandisk,
Texas Instruments, Broadcom, Cadence, Philips, Samsung, Alcatel-Lucent, Motorola, Nokia-
Simens-Networks, Tower-Jazz Semiconductor…
Medium-sized Organizations:
Checkpoint , MediaMind, PMC, Ceragon, Alvarion , Superderivatives, Attenti (3M IL), XIV (IBM
IL), RSA (EMC IL), Gilat, Vmware, Conduit, Visonic, Vocaltec, Teledata, Yael Software, Lantiq,
Mobileaccess, Micron, Ceva, Novoton Semicondactor, Rad, Radvision (Avaya IL), Random Logic
Small organizations and Start-ups:
Traiana, 3I-Mind, Anobit (Apple IL), Stor-Dot, Simply Pay, Click Tale, Click Dimensions,
Primesense, NetoMedia, Altair, Ezchip, Cvidya, Optier, Delver (Sears IL), Wisair, Liveu,
Myheritage, Netformx, Siverge, Sysaid, Skyvision, Timetoknow, Final, Perion, Radcom,
Bioness, Schema, Trusteer, Clicksoftware, Commtouch, Superderivatives, Altair / Sony, Iron-
Source, Payoneer, Kaltura, Similarweb, Simplee, Ravelosystems (Oracle), Plarium, Taptica,
Worldmate

8. Dr. Shaul Nehamkin Organizational Psychologist nehamkin@netvision.net.il +972-52-2563643
Feedback and recommendations:
The following are quotes from feedback given by managers who participated in Dr. Nehamkin’s
training programs:
 “I have attended many management courses throughout my career, but this was the most
practical and purposeful course.” (D, from Intel)
 “Usually managerial training programs are mainly theoretical, but this program was
different - we actually received practical management tools.” (M, Microsoft)
 “The content of the management course was based very much on reality. I came away with
practical tips and advice that I can put straight to use.” (N, IBM)
 “The management course provides everyday management language for managers of a
company. We all now speak the same "language" which has greatly improved work
relations among the managers at my company.” (V, E.M.C)
 “The managerial course content is very practical and helps us to evaluate ourselves and
recognize our strengths and weaknesses. It’s an excellent way to improve self-awareness.”
(R, MediaMind)
 The management course greatly improved manager's capabilities in the organization.
Everyone speaks the same management language and this has helped shape the
management norms.” (M, HR manager at Primesense)