HR's WorkLife and Organizational Development team is pleased to present the 2007-2008 Learning Opportunities course catalog. Our courses are designed to support staff participation in the University's shared vision of Scholarship in Action; strengthen excellence in the workplace and the community; and develop individual innovation, creativity and collaborative

How to Register

1. Click on the Select Session box for the session(s) you are interested in
2. Complete the registration form at the bottom of the page
3. Click the Submit button

Courses in this series are designed for:

• Staff emerging as or preparing for leading others;
• Staff in current roles which require them to lead teams;
• New supervisors; or,
• Supervisors who have not received formal training.

Take a new look at customer service and explore how customer expectations, needs and demands have changed in the past three decades. This session helps participants "walk a mile in another's shoes" by recognizing obstacles many large organizations encounter.

Renee Downey-Hart will discuss different listening styles, review the diverse communications needs of customers, and offer tools and skills that are effective in a variety of situations. Participants will:

• Learn a listening tool to enhance customer interactions;
• Understand how to spot what different customers really want; and,
• Recognize the generational differences in customer expectations and identify ways to meet them.

The term "Emotional Intelligence" became popular in 1995 thanks to Daniel Goleman's best-selling book, Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ. Since then, there has been a powerful argument that factors such as self-awareness, self-discipline, and empathy significantly contribute to personal and professional success. The Office of Human Resources has adopted the Six Seconds Emotional Intelligence (SEI) model, based on Goleman's theory, to help staff develop their Emotional Intelligence (EQ) and apply it to become more successful in their personal and professional lives.

Prior to this session participants will take an online assessment. Participants will learn:

• Their personal EQ feedback score with identified EQ strengths and suggested behaviors for development;
• Three foundations of EQ: Self Awareness, Self Direction, Purposeful Action; and,
• Eight EQ relationship building skills that can improve one's ability to work collaboratively with others.

Neil Strodel will kick off the first session of the Supervisor Series. He will share his insights regarding the importance of the supervisor role at SU and how effective supervisors are one of the foundations for SU's success. This session will introduce participants to Paul Hersey's Situational Leadership theory. This flexible approach to leadership teaches supervisors to identify individual readiness and choose the most effective style to lead toward success. Participants will learn and explore the following:

• The definition of leadership;
• Accurate assessment of staff readiness for challenging assignments; and,
• Four motivational styles.

Resiliency is described as the ability to bounce back and thrive during times of adversity and continuous change. When we develop behaviors and attitudes that strengthen our resiliency we move from reacting or surviving change to engaging behaviors that help us cope and bounce back stronger and more resilient than before. At a time when Syracuse University is continuously changing and providing new challenges and opportunities for staff, developing a resiliency quotient is a critical skill.

Participants will learn:

• Their personal resiliency quotient;
• The definition of resiliency and why it is different and more empowering than "managing stress";
• Why leaders in modern organizations value workers who have mastered the art of resiliency; and,
• The five steps to developing resiliency skills and strengths.

The University promotes a workplace that respects the individual and values individual skills, experiences and knowledge, allowing each person to be a fully contributing member to the mission of the University. There are various policies, procedures and programs that focus on providing a respectful workplace for all employees and making this vision a reality. Participants will learn about the following:

• SU Affinity Groups;
• Illegal harassment or discrimination and how you can get it to stop;
• Available options to help you handle conflict with your boss;
• Mediation of peer-to-peer conflict;
• Formal and informal ways to deal with sexual harassment; and,
• Dialogue Circles.

Successful supervisors can effectively manage a diverse team. This session will explore the many facets of workplace diversity including gender, age, generation and lifestyle. These differences can often contribute to inexplicable communication barriers and growing tensions. This session will discuss the challenges supervisors face when leading a diverse team and will offer strategies for effectively managing diversity. Participants will learn:

• Effective strategies for leading a diverse team;
• Supervisor behaviors that embrace a diverse workforce;
• How to address team issues that may be related to diversity; and,
• Intervention resources available from the Office of Human Resources.

This session gives participants opportunities to explore their own personality type through the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI). The MBTI is a widely used instrument that examines how we gain our energy, perceive the world around us, and make decisions. It has many practical applications including career development, individual development planning, and team building. Prior to this session participants will take an online MBTI assessment. Results will be distributed at the session and participants will:

• Learn what the four letter type code means;
• Learn about the other types and how to interact with them; and,
• Explore the strengths and weaknesses of each type.

As a supervisor, you are responsible for accomplishing work through others. This session will address how investing time to match tasks with skills and abilities is key to successful delegation and employee development. The act of delegating work involves finely tuned interpersonal skills, judging the readiness of an employee to take on a project, instilling confidence in an employee and providing consistent feedback on progress. Participants will learn how to:

• Clearly identify how delegation fits into their work and how it can make them successful;
• Develop a technique for fair and effective delegation to all employees; and,
• Recognize common delegation pitfalls and how to avoid them.

This session will identify the beginning signs of defensiveness in oneself and in others and discuss techniques to reduce it. Participants will learn the five key positions of people in conflict and strategies to stop conflicts before they get out of hand. Participants will learn:

• Strategies for communicating with angry people;
• Non-defensive vs. supportive communication;
• Techniques for preventing conflict; and,
• Techniques for resolving conflict.

Effective meeting facilitation skills are vital for success as a supervisor. Go beyond creating an agenda and into the heart of effective facilitation skills and strategies. Participants will learn:

• How to manage effective meetings before, during and after they take place;
• How to take on roles that help achieve results;
• Management for meetings; and,
• Problem-solving in groups.

What are the Chancellor's expectations for staff engagement in the University's shared vision, Scholarship in Action? How can your everyday contributions support Scholarship in Action? Learn from our panel as they share insights into the Chancellor's vision and the critical support role for staff. Panel members include:

• Neil Strodel, associate vice president - chief human resources officer
• Chuck Merrihew, associate vice president, Institutional Advancement
• Dave Rezak, The Bandier Program
• Jeanne Steffes, associate vice president, Student Affairs
• Linda Littlejohn, associate vice president, Engagement Initiatives
• Chris Bolt , news director, WAER Jazz88
• Cathryn Newton, dean, The Soling Program

The modern work environment requires a new way of working and thinking. The terms "creatives" and "knowledge workers" are used to describe desirable and successful workers in the 21st century. This session will present ideas to jump start your creative thinking with a practical approach to higher level critical thinking and problem solving skills. Participants will:

• Learn an eight-step method analyzing problems and generating multiple alternatives;
• Explore fun mental exercises and activities that can improve creative thinking; and,
• Explore and apply techniques for improved creative thinking.

Learn how to increase your effectiveness in difficult conversations by understanding your style in tense situations and develop conversation skills that work. Explore how to apply these techniques in situations commonly encountered by supervisors. Participants will learn to:

• Improve conflict resolution skills;
• Identify potential problems early to resolve disagreements candidly and respectfully; and,
• Express ideas in a way that builds acceptance rather than resistance.

Uncover preferred styles of verbal and nonverbal communication with a fast and fun assessment. Using a 24-item inventory, participants will learn their preference for one of four communication styles, how to use their own style to enhance communication and recognize the various facets of communication. Participants will explore communication in the workplace and discuss etiquette guidelines. Participants will learn how to:

• Pinpoint one of four style preferences;
• Recognize the strengths and weaknesses of each style;
• Learn how to interact with different styles; and,
• Apply the model to improve everyday workplace communication.

Supervisors are responsible for the day-to-day operations of their departments and for fostering an environment that encourages staff to perform at their very best. Explore key elements of a positive work environment and what supervisors can do to enhance the work atmosphere. Participants will:

• Explore effective supervisor behaviors that inspire, motivate and engage staff;
• Learn effective reward and recognition strategies; and,
• Learn creative low- and no-cost reward and recognition solutions.

Note: All fields are required.

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