The job of a manager consists mainly of achieving results through others, yet managing people effectively is also the supervisor’s hardest job. In this course, participants will learn a valuable tool to help develop and manage their employees. You will learn your own preferred employee management style and, more importantly, how to adapt your style to meet the needs of each individual employee. You will understand the keys that unlock the door to employee motivation and how to master two types of interaction: directive and facilitative. Role flexibility, readiness analysis, and teaming for success – three basic skills that help you develop your employees – will be addressed. You will leave this course knowing how to lead employees to peak performance through effective directing, coaching, mentoring, delegating, and empowering.

In many workplaces today, the only constant is change. In this course participants will understand how the process of change in our personal and professional lives affects us. This course explores natural responses to change such as fear, resistance, and denial and helps leaders understand and practice the skills necessary to lead themselves and others through a successful change effort. Participants will discover how to be more flexible, how to create strategies for accepting the new and different, and how to be more comfortable taking risks. Supervisors will learn how to approach employees in change situations to help them better deal with the transitions they experience.

As our organizations continue to change in response to a changing environment, our expectations of our leaders are changing as well. In this course, participants will learn Daniel Goleman’s five components of emotional intelligence. You will apply these components to your own leadership style through assessment and feedback and practice techniques designed to enhance your level of emotional intelligence or “EQ”. Because most leadership situations today require the use of influence rather than absolute authority, you will also learn about the best ways to enhance your credibility and improve your influencing skills. You will leave the workshop with a meaningful personal leadership credo that will inspire you and remind you to continue to work on achieving a high EQ.

Is your team ready to take strategic planning to the next level? This creative session is facilitated through the LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® method (LSP), an innovation in applied learning based on the concept of “hand knowledge” that provides you and your team with a refreshing approach to this common goal setting exercise. By utilizing LEGOS®, participants will “think with their hands” in a way that will stimulate ideation, drive conversation, and bring your team to effective (and memorable) solutions.

This workshop is an opportunity to take time out from your daily round of duties as a supervisor, manager, or team lead and spend time reflecting on who you want to be as a leader. In your management and supervisory roles, you are responsible for making sure the work gets done. Using your management and technical skills, you focus on tasks, projects, deadlines, budgets, and efficiencies. In your role as a leader, however, you must use your vision, influence, and interpersonal skills to focus on relationships, teamwork, building trust and commitment, and being an effective coach and role model. In this workshop, you will learn about the latest ideas in leadership, as well as be refreshed on some of the tried-and-true ideas still successfully being used in today’s workplace. Using the Strengths-Based Leadership model, this workshop helps leaders discover and capitalize on their own leadership strengths and style, uncover their development areas, design a plan to make improvements, and integrate new ideas into their daily interactions.

Organizations today are often flatter and leaner – meaning fewer opportunities for promotion and smaller raises. How can supervisors and managers provide an atmosphere that will help motivate employees to continue to contribute, even in the absence of traditional rewards like promotions and raises? In this course you will learn many of the easy-to-adopt techniques used by managers in some of the leading U.S. companies and agencies. You will learn what motivates you, as well as what makes your employees tick and the power of positive feedback. You will leave this course feeling more inspired and motivated yourself – and better able to create the motivational atmosphere that will power your team’s productivity and morale!

Developing your employees and preparing them for delegation is one of the key responsibilities of a supervisor. And taking on the role of mentor for those who may not report directly to you is also a satisfying experience – helping another person grow and flourish. In this course you will learn how to take on and succeed in the role of mentor effectively – and also how to find a mentor for yourself, for we all can benefit from having someone help us spread our wings and fly. You will learn and practice how to help someone else develop their problem-solving and decision-making skills. You will understand when to give advice and when to ask the right questions and you will learn why, what, how, when, and to whom to delegate.

There are many people in your own life who helped you get where you are today – all the “coaches and counselors” who were there for you, who cared about you, and who got honest with you when you needed it most. Now it’s your turn. In this course you will learn how to diagnose performance problems and how to develop effective coaching plans. You will improve your ability to help your employees make the best of the ups and downs they experience every day – respectfully, directly, and sincerely. From encouraging employees to repeat good results, to correcting poor work in a positive way, to turning dead-end performances around, this course offers sensible advice for managing performance effectively. The specific coaching skills of observing, questioning, listening, and demonstrating will be presented and practiced.

One of the most important aspects of a supervisor’s job is providing ongoing positive and corrective feedback to those they supervise. In addition, it is necessary at all levels in an organization to be able to bring up and resolve difficult topics in a respectful but effective way. Often, we are busy, and finding the time to plan and carry out even a short feedback conversation can be elusive. Sometimes we avoid having a conversation to provide corrective feedback because we are hoping the performance or conduct will improve on its own, or we don’t want to make the situation worse, or we are pretty sure we will encounter resistance from the recipient of our feedback. This workshop provides an easy-to-remember and effective framework for offering feedback and holding important but perhaps touchy conversations in a way that is most likely to achieve positive results, while building stronger relationships with colleagues.

Our employees are our most expensive as well as our most valuable assets. In this workshop you will understand how effective selection techniques can increase productivity and employee retention and reduce the cost of turnover and poor hiring decisions. You will learn how to use job analysis, pre-screening techniques, and behavioral interviewing to predict on-the-job success. Potential liability issues surrounding the hiring process will also be covered. You will leave this course with the ability to develop behavior-based interview questions, conduct an effective interview, and make improved hiring decisions.

Managers and supervisors often say the least-liked part of their job is giving the dreaded performance appraisal. In this course you will learn a three-step method for effectively managing employee performance. You will practice setting clear expectations and goals, giving both positive and corrective feedback, conducting an effective performance appraisal, and helping employees develop an Individual Development Plan. Effective techniques and concepts include “Staying Above the Water Line” and how to avoid ten common “Performance Management Pitfalls”. You will leave the course with tools that will help you build a performance management program for each employee that increases the likelihood that your employees will actually look forward to coming to work!

Most employees who are promoted to the position of supervisor get little or no training in how to do their new job, even though the job of a front-line supervisor is one of the most challenging jobs there is! Often, individuals are chosen to be supervisors because they succeeded well at doing their technical jobs – they are excellent individual contributors. In this course you will learn the knowledge, skills, and abilities that are needed to become a good supervisor. You will learn how to handle the sometimes difficult issues of supervising former peers or workers who may have more seniority and of being seen as part of “management”. You will rate your supervisory skills and abilities and design an Individual Development Plan to help you build on your strengths and focus on areas where improvement may be needed. This course is designed to assist and support all supervisors and especially those who are new to the position or about to be promoted.

Most of us know our IQ or Intelligence Quotient score. Do you know your EQ – your Emotional Intelligence score? Guess which one has the most to do with your success at work and in life… If you guessed EQ, research shows you are right! This seminar will explain the five components of Emotional Intelligence, provide you with criteria to measure how well you use your EQ, and suggest some innovative ways for you to enhance your EQ and revolutionize your working experience.

In this workshop we will explore the types of conflict that can develop in the workplace among co-workers, between supervisors and employees, during customer interactions, and with outside contractors and vendors. Participants will rate themselves using either the Style Matters Assessment or the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Assessment, which will enable them to find out which of the five main conflict-handling styles is their preferred style, the strengths and limitations of each style, and which styles they would benefit from developing. Participants will also discover where they may have “reactive” responses that interfere with their ability to resolve conflict. The workshop will cover conflict that may result from personality styles, communication styles, and competing priorities and values. The importance of working toward win/win results will be emphasized throughout, with opportunities to practice various conflict resolution techniques.

The act of listening to another person can be a gift for both the person speaking and the person listening. Listening fully to another allows us to show willingness, empathy, and caring and lets the other person feel understood – even if the listener does not agree with what is being said. And the listener benefits by coming to truly understand what the other person is saying – and may learn a lot in the process. In this course, participants will learn helpful tools for listening in many different types of professional situations, such as listening to instructions or directions, listening when in disagreement with the content of what is being said, listening when the method of delivery is emotional or off-putting, and listening in confrontational situations. Other topics include how to stay focused, how to demonstrate a listening attitude, how to demonstrate understanding when giving a response, and listening for facts, emotion, and content.

Do you ever avoid saying what’s on your mind, hesitate to speak up, or speak in such a way that you are easily ignored? Or at the other extreme, do you sometimes speak your mind, but in a hostile, confrontational manner? Neither pattern is likely to accomplish the goal most of us want: to be heard and understood. Finding the right style of communication – assertive, but not too passive or too aggressive – is like being Goldilocks in the house of the three bears and trying to find the chair that is not too hard, not too soft, but “just right”. In this interactive workshop, you will learn how to use assertive communication skills to speak up successfully in the way that is most likely to get you the response from others that you want. You will assess your current assertiveness quotient, learn to “Watch Out for Wimpy Words”, be aware of subtle messages your body language sends, and switch from reactive to proactive responses.

As our workplaces become more diverse, and as we are asked to interact more and more frequently with coworkers, teams, customers, vendors, regulators, and others, it becomes ever more important to excel at getting along well with all types of individuals. The first step is understanding yourself and your own preferences and style, and the second step is understanding the styles and preferences of others. The MBTI is the most widely used personality assessment instrument and is invaluable in helping people improve their ability to communicate, lead, and motivate their teams. This course provides an interactive and inspiring environment for learning about yourself and others.

Being able to improve existing processes is an important tool for any manager’s toolbox. Improving productivity is key in today’s workplace, and this interactive workshop helps team leaders and team members learn how to examine their processes to streamline them and create efficiencies wherever possible. In the workshop, participants learn a simple seven-step method for process improvement, including how to analyze process problems, create process flow charts, identify bottlenecks, solicit ideas for improvement, implement successful changes, and measure results. Participants will return to the workplace with a practical process improvement method that they can apply immediately to enhance the work of their teams. Extra benefit for teams that attend as a group: you will have the opportunity to improve one of your own processes on the spot and leave the workshop ready to further refine and implement your new and improved process.

As the workforce ages, most organizations are looking at fairly large numbers of employees reaching retirement age and leaving the organization. This course helps participants understand the steps needed to transfer the knowledge, skills, and expertise of employees who will be leaving to others in the organization. In addition, participants will learn the components of a good succession plan and how to develop and implement a successful strategy to identify team member knowledge, skills, experience, and potential. Also included is information on mentoring programs, leadership development strategies, and other ways to ensure the future success of the team and the organization.

Most of us would need a calculator to count up the number of meetings we attend in any given year! Some managers estimate that 80% of their time is spent – often unproductively – in meetings. In this course you will understand when to hold a meeting (and when not to), who to invite, and how to set the stage for a successful gathering that actually accomplishes something. You will understand the importance of advance planning and agenda setting, how to shorten the actual meeting time, and how to follow up after the meeting for maximum effectiveness.

As leaders in local government know, being highly effective stewards of taxpayer resources takes more than a basic understanding of economic principles; there are many other vital considerations beyond budgeting. And as we begin to assess and impact the future, we must first learn. This session guides participants on how to best leverage financial discipline and forecasting with truly understanding your organization’s and communities’ unique realities. Together we’ll cover the principal considerations of an unmitigated commitment to strengthening our communities’ social fabric, creating rules and policy that favor the common good, and doing some tough but necessary work which will require courage, resolve, determination, and strength of character.

Texting and tweeting – our newest forms of written communication – make even email, which has only been around since the 80’s, seem a little outdated! The good news is that more of us are communicating through the written word more often and in more formats than ever before. The bad news – in the professional world – is that we often trade clear, effective communication that is understood by all for speed and brevity. The ability to express ourselves in writing is one of the most valued skills in today’s workplace. How do we ensure that we continue to communicate so that others understand our meaning, no matter what method – electronic or otherwise – we are using? This course focuses on how to write, edit, and proofread effective business communications simply, clearly, and logically. You will learn and practice a visual method for organizing your thoughts prior to writing. Email guidelines and other tips, techniques, and easy reference guides are included. Examples and tools help you avoid the most common grammar, punctuation, word usage, and spelling errors. In this course, you will get the answers to your writing questions and leave with an improved ability to communicate with others using the written word.

Are you ready for the next change – and the next one after that? Over the last few years, we have all been asked to make big changes in the way we work and the way we live. And then, just as many of us had gotten the hang of working in a new way, perhaps working from home and connecting virtually, we were asked to return to the way things were – or to re-invent a new way of working and living. That’s a lot of change! How do we remain resilient in the face of multiple transitions? This interactive and practical seminar explores our natural responses to change and provides a roadmap for understanding and practicing the skills necessary to help ourselves and others move successfully through transitions. Participants will discover how to:

• approach change with a more flexible mindset
• recognize the stages of a transition and how to move through them
• create successful strategies for navigating uncharted waters and taking risks

We know this all too well. There is a shortage of resources, yet there are many expectations of us from the communities we serve. We are the ones called upon to help and serve others, yet how can we effectively do so if we’re exhausted and no longer possess the same enthusiasm that brought us to the profession? The answer lies within you. This session will encourage you to take a step back, focus on the importance of turning inward to identify your needs, and learn how to truly care for yourself first. Only then will you be able to effectively lead and serve others with excellence every day.

Managers are called upon to use facilitation skills in many situations – from helping two employees resolve a conflict, to group problem solving, to running a strategic planning session. In this workshop you will learn and practice facilitation skills that will enable you to manage difficult meeting participants, capture important information, solicit information and ideas, avoid group think, and foster creativity in the group setting. You will hear tips and techniques for fostering group participation, keeping participants on track, and resolving issues through consensus-building. Information will be provided on how to facilitate strategic-planning, brainstorming, problem-solving, and process-improvement sessions.

Do you feel that non-essentials eat up your prime time? Do you reply, “swamped” or “up to my ears in alligators” when people ask, “How are you doing?” Are you always busy but never seem to get it all done? Then give yourself a break and attend this course, which will help you refocus on and find time for your priorities. You will learn how to use the time you have more efficiently and effectively. In this course you will plan the future using your mission, vision, and goals, learn how to prioritize your activities, how to recognize “time bandits”, how and when to say “no”, when to delegate, and when to relegate. You will leave with an Action Plan you can immediately implement to put you back in control of your time and your life.

According to surveys, the number one fear people have is not death or being audited by the IRS – it is public speaking! Although many people possess expertise and knowledge in their fields, they often cannot communicate that information clearly, concisely, and confidently. This highly participatory workshop will teach you skills that will enable you to communicate with confidence and success in any size group. In a relaxed, supportive atmosphere you will learn techniques that will help you organize your thoughts, control stage fright, speak well under pressure, and effectively answer audience questions.

Resiliency is the ability to withstand and recover from adversity. Have you ever wondered how to effectively build it so you can unlock your true potential? This training focuses on learning the 10 skills of resilience, identifying which ones you personally want to improve, and equipping yourself with the tools to grow in these areas. The ability to utilize these skills will not only enable you to consistently decipher your current reality from perceived reality, but also allow you to conquer even the toughest obstacles so you can continue to operate in a credible and confident manner.

Professionals have endured significant new realities over the past few years. They have needed to continually steer a ship in new directions while maintaining a sense of professional success on top of the iceberg. Our thoughts, behaviors, and beliefs are heavily influenced by our experiences. Based on realities and experiences, we must continually be able to decipher our current realities to continue to stay above water and be successful. This session will allow you to evaluate current conditions affecting your work, identify your individual leadership strategy, and plan for shifting realities while remaining on top of the iceberg of success.

Most of us have not had an opportunity to learn about data – how to collect it, how to analyze it, and how to use it to improve productivity and create successful outcomes. When we hear phrases like “analytics and data-driven decision making” we just aren’t sure how this kind of thinking might impact our work and our organizations. Often, those of us who work in service-driven professions can sometimes find it hard to focus on data, know what to collect, understand how to apply it to our situation, or know how to deliver a data-driven message in an effective and persuasive manner. This interactive workshop will help participants understand and become comfortable with data, showing them how to approach its collection and use from a new perspective to achieve desired outcomes and results.