MetroWest Leadership Development Program
Overview
This program provides an opportunity for both new and mid- to senior-level managers to develop greater leadership potential, institutional stewardship and creative cross-functional collaboration and problem solving. Through participation in this program, the manager’s professional growth will be
advanced through enhancing both his and her knowledge and skills.
The ultimate purpose is not simply to enable managers to lead more effectively, thereby improving the performance of the institution as a whole, but also to invest in the further development of key talent for the institution.
As a result of this program, the participants will gain:
• Enhanced skills for supervising, managing and leading
• Enhanced cross-institutional collegiality and community
• Understanding what is necessary to manage effectively in a diverse workplace
• Preparation for future leadership opportunities
Who Would Benefit
This program is intended for all managers who are seeking to expand their networks amongst colleges and universities while developing their leadership style.
Program Details
The workshops will run for eight sessions and will meet every other Thursday for 2 hours from 9:00am to 11:00am.
The schedule - Spring 2024
Sessions will run from 9:00-11:00 AM Eastern Time through Zoom.
9/26/2024 - Session 1
10/10/2024 - Session 2
11/1/2024 - Session 3
11/7/2024 - Session 4
11/21/2024 - Session 5
12/5/2024 - Session 6
12/19/2024 - Session 7
1/9/2025 - Session 8
1/23/2025 - Session 9
There are two optional cohort coaching sessions (11/1/2024 & 12/13/2024)
Session 1 Peer to Boss
Thursday, September 26, 2024 (9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.)
You may have the opportunity to take on different leadership roles in the course of your work experience. The transition from being a work peer to being ‘the boss’ is almost always going to have its moments of awkwardness. It is not simply about stopping doing what you used to do as an individual contributor. Nor is it all about providing direction and having all the answers.
This session will educate managers on:
• Identifying your blind spots
• Managing relationships
• Setting appropriate expectations
• Asking for and give candid feedback
• Delegating effectively
Session 2 The Art of Agile Leadership
Thursday, October 10, 2024 (9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.)
Change initiatives fail for all sorts of reasons. One significant reason for change-failure is that the leaders of the change effort see it as an event, rather than a process. Effective change leadership involves a series of actions, most of which will need to be repeated multiple times before the change reaches a satisfactory completion. The ability to lead and not simply manage change can be the difference between a successful transition and a downward spiral of dissatisfaction and ineffectiveness.
This session will educate managers on:
• Keys to successfully effecting institutional change.
• Recognizing the significance of adaptation, reflection, and flexibility.
• Managing the context NOT the instruction set.
• Creating buy-in and sustaining momentum.
Session 3 Managing Communication
Thursday, October 24, 2024 (9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.)
Exceptional times call for exceptional leadership. Despite disruption and uncertainty, we need to remain grounded, make tough calls and deliver key information in a targeted, timely and actionable way.
This session will educate managers on:
• Tools and techniques to aid in building communication, conversations, and compelling stories and delivering them in a way that is impactful, genuine, and motivational.
• Audience profiling to increase relevance
• Selection of tools beyond PowerPoint that help engage
• The power of “3” – focusing on “three things” that an audience needs to know so that they can be enlisted and moved to action.
Session 4 Managing the Human Element of Change
Thursday, November 7, 2024 (9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.)
The ability to manage the human dynamics of change in the workplace can make the difference between a successful transition and a downward spiral of dissatisfaction. The better managers can identify and address their own change concerns, as well as increase their capacity for resilience, the more they will positively affect those around them.
This workshop will educate managers on:
• Key emotional issues and concerns associated with any significant change
• Tips, tools and resources that will help managers successfully deal with uncertainty and change
• Strategies to support oneself and one’s employees and enhance resilience.
Session 5 Managing Teams
Thursday, November 21, 2024 (9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.)
Teams creates the culture of an organization. In the current climate, hybrid teams have become commonplace – and present new challenges.
This session will educate managers on:
• The qualities of productive and healthy teams
• Key strategies to enhance the performance of their own teams.
• Effective practices for supporting teams and building collaboration
• Strategies for leading and managing meetings.
Session 6 Managing Decision Making
Thursday, December 5, 2024 (9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.)
Difficult problems and important decisions require more than a “best guess” or “gut call,” particularly when the outcomes will have multiple impacts. This highly interactive session will examine common problems and explore various techniques and strategies.
This session will educate managers on:
• Decision making methods and styles
• Criteria for effective decision making
Session 7 Managing Up, Down and Across
Thursday, December 19, 2024 (9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.)
Institutions are like ecosystems – networks of interdependent individuals and groups who interact in order to thrive. As a manager, your role in your institutional ecosystem comes with a specific set of relationships and interactions – up, down and across from you. How you manage those is crucial to your success.
This session will educate managers on key strategies for managing in those three directions:
• How to add value by making your manager’s job easier
• How to partner with colleagues and peers for mutual success
• How to help your direct reports help you.
Session 8 Managing Conflicts
Thursday, January 9, 2025 (9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.)
The goal of conflict management is twofold: to ensure mutual understanding of the nature of the problem, and to arrive at a mutually agreed-upon solution. This session focuses on the essential nature of conflict, and techniques for exposing, defusing, and resolving our own conflicts, as well as those of others.
This session will educate managers on:
• Recognizing the nature, sources, and dynamics of conflict.
• The strengths and limitations of various conflict management styles.
• Techniques for successfully managing conflict resolution discussions.
Session 9 Managing Performance Conversations
Thursday, January 23, 2025 (9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.)
Successful performance management calls for clear and achievable expectations. It demands that themanager understand the tasks as well as the abilities of who will tackle them. A strong supervisor must ensure performance can be measured, reviewed and adjusted in ways that will work for the university and the employee. The particular challenges of managing a hybrid workforce will be addressed.
This session will educate managers on:
• Purpose of performance management.
• Establishing performance expectations.
• Documenting employee performance.
• Engaging and coaching employees.