Management & Supervisory Training

3 hour course

Baseball player Sam Ewing once said, “Hard work spotlights the character of people: some turn up their sleeves, some turn up their noses, and some don't turn up at all.” Unfortunately, the value of strong work ethic is a missing component in many of today’s business and industry organizations. This course can definitely help you in managing employees with problems in work ethic. 

Learning Outcomes:

• Understand how to "model" strong work ethic in a team environment
• Explore the consequences of procrastination/lack of strong work ethic
• Learn how to develop new behavior patterns

3 hour course

Familiarity with the basics of state and federal employment laws will help you maintain a fair and positive work environment, and will help you avoid the personal and business liability that can result from violating state or federal employment law. This course is designed to help you understand at-will employment, non-discrimination and non-harassment laws (including: age, race, gender, disability, religion, national origin, and medical condition), medical leave and health privacy, defamation, and more. In addition to a basic overview, you will learn what to do, not do, and when to refer to a specialist.

Learning Outcomes:

• Recognize the broadly applicable employment laws
• Understand how to maintain fairness and compliance
• Recognize and avoid the most common mistakes

3 hour course

How many times have you thought, “There’s just not enough hours in the day!” By learning to manage your time more effectively, it’s almost like you’re adding those extra hours! Studies have shown that the average American worker currently wastes approximately 32 percent of his/her time on the job and wasted time reduces productivity. In this course, you’ll learn easy and applicable ways to get more out of your day, starting now! 

Learning Outcomes:

• Learn productivity and time management techniques
• Explore a how-to approach to time management
• Understand how the company/plant atmosphere contributes to effective use of time or promotes time theft

3 hour course

Ask yourself the following three questions:

1. How media savvy are you?
2. In the event of a natural or man-made disaster, could your company handle the resulting media scrutiny?
3. Why is a "no comment" to the media the kiss of death?

If you want to master the media or at least get a better handle on your media relations, then plan to attend this course.

Learning Outcomes:

• Understand an overview of the communication process
• Learn processes on crafting a better message to the media
• Explore crisis management highlights

4 hour course

Decisions, decisions. Sometimes, they can be quite difficult, especially when they involve an entire company. This training session is designed to help you in the decision-making process. Areas such as inventory control, production integration, quality, and optimization of process operations will be discussed. Assessment, analysis, and anticipated consequences of decision making are emphasized. You should decide to enroll in this one!

Learning Outcomes:

• Correctly assess changing situations in a modern business and industrial environment
• Make decisions based on correct analytical assessments
• Identify risk and potential problems

4 hour course

There’s an old saying that goes, “Negative people need drama like oxygen. Stay positive—it will take their breath away.” Negativity is everywhere, it seems, and its influence can be especially detrimental in the workplace–just like a virus. An organization can have various “carriers.” It could be a manager who’s overly critical or who vents frustration on employees. There might be people whose negative outlooks have nothing to do with work. Negative attitudes can disrupt entire organizations causing critical drops in morale and productivity. In this course, learn what you can do to protect yourself and others.

Learning Outcomes:

• Understand the different types and consequences of negative attitudes
• Learn to recognize the need to take responsibility for a negative attitude and its consequences
• Explore how to replace old, ineffective reactions with adaptable, productive responses

3 hour course

The word “delegate” means “to entrust (a task or responsibility) to another person, typically one who is less senior than oneself.” It sounds simple enough, right? But why do so many of us have trouble letting tasks go and delegating them to others? This course is designed for managers and supervisors who want to expand their potential and productivity and help their employees grow and develop as well.  

Learning Outcomes:

• Understand how to create a positive climate for delegation
• Discover how to reduce barriers for both the delegates and the delegatee
• What to delegate and what not to delegate

3 hour course

According to the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education, the U.S. workforce (generally ages 25 to 64) is in the midst of a sweeping demographic transformation. From 1980 to 2020, the white working-age population is projected to decline from 82% to 63% while during the same period, the minority portion of the workforce is projected to double from 18% to 37%. The failure to manage diverse employees results in lawsuits, turnover, and lowered productivity—things that you don’t want for your company or yourself. This course goes beyond a legal understanding of fair supervisory practices to assist in building a culture that maximizes the potential of diversity.  

Learning Outcomes:

• Explore how to define workforce diversity
• Understand the benefits of diversity for teams
• Appreciate the benefits of diversity in team problem solving and improvements

3 hour course

Unless you’re Donald Trump, you probably never like saying the words, “You’re fired.” When you think about it, nearly every kind of employee discipline has the potential to be uncomfortable. But, does it have to be? This course will help you to deal with discipline more effectively by using assertive and affirmative language and behaviors. 

Learning Outcomes:

• Explore differences between discipline and punishment
• Understand how to be more assertive in dealing with misbehavior
• Learn uses of positive and negative reinforcement and preventative strategies

4 hour course

Did you know that for every point you’re able to raise your Emotional Quotient, your annual salary is said to raise $1,300? Emotional intelligence has been defined as achieving goals through the ability to manage feelings and emotions, and to be empathetic to others. Improving your EQ leads to influence–the ability to motivate others through conscientious and ethical behavior. This “other kind of smart” is the #1 predictor of success both personally and professionally. Knowing what it is and how to use it will help to improve both your personal and professional life.

Learning Outcomes:

• Understand what emotional intelligence is and its importance for personal and professional success
• Recognize and understand the five competencies which build on each other to raise E.I. level
• Listen to and employ emotions for better decision making

4 hour course

According to a recent survey, 45% of employees have witnessed misconduct in the workplace. Of this figure, 65% say they reported the misconduct they saw. With incidents of wrongdoing being so commonplace, you owe it to yourself to familiarize yourself with the basic principles of ethics. This course will provide you with methods for sorting out ethical issues and resolving dilemmas.  

Learning Outcomes:

• Clarify values, ethics, power, and leadership concepts
• Explore perspectives on methods of solving ethics/values dilemmas
• Understand ethical dilemmas/solutions in typical organizations

4 hour course

Author Wes Fessler once said, “Fairness is man’s ability to rise above his prejudices.” Being fair is important in all walks of life but it is even more so when you’re a supervisor. State and federal legislation have covered virtually every aspect of managing; even so, most of the required practices simply involve treating people fairly through the use of sound human resources practices. This workshop is designed to help you become more aware of basic guidelines that should reduce potential litigation and help prevent unfair and illegal discrimination in the workplace. 

Learning Outcomes:

• Understand and apply the knowledge/skills needed to conduct a successful interview
• Examine the legal implications of numerous areas of possible discriminatory concern
• Determine appropriate courses of action to take in order to comply with federal regulations

4 hour course

Benjamin Franklin once said, “Beware of little expenses. A small leak will sink a great ship.” Being able to effectively manage finances is a crucial part of most jobs. This thorough course will help you to understand and apply several of the core concepts of finance.

Learning Outcomes:

• Understand the concepts and goals of finance/financial managers
• Explore the three types of business organizations
• Be able to apply the four basic principles of finance

4 hour course

When describing the challenging task of supervising former colleagues, business writer Michael Watkins states:  “It combines the challenges of any promotion with the additional challenge of people having to recalibrate their relationship with you.” Yes, effective supervision can sometimes be a challenge for even the most experienced manager. It can become especially tricky for the manager who has been promoted and is now in the position of having to supervise employees who used to be co-workers and peers. If you are currently in this position or are looking to be promoted soon, this course could be especially beneficial for you.

Learning Outcomes:

• Explore the basic supervisory, human relations, special strategies and other skills needed to supervise former peers
• Understand potential problems/solutions that can arise when supervising former peers
• Recognize actions to avoid when supervising former peers

4 hour course

There’s a saying that goes “A goal without a plan is just a wish.” Establishing goals and objectives can be a giant step in the right direction; however, following through and taking appropriate action is critical. This course will help you to not only determine goals but also the best methods of transforming those goals to a reality. 

Learning Outcomes:

• Identify opportunities for setting goals and objectives
• Write goal statements
• Develop and implement action plans

4 hour course

This course is based on the ideas Jim Collins developed for his seminal book, "Good to Great." As Collins notes, "It's not really that much harder to be great than good, and if you're not motivated to greatness, perhaps you should consider doing something else where you are." This course will explore taking steps in the right direction to move you further down the path to greatness, both personally and for your company.

Learning Outcomes:

• Learn the characteristics of “Level 5 Leaders,” who have both personal humility and professional will
• Understand Collins’ concepts related to teambuilding and motivation
• Explore how to develop and maintain a culture of self-discipline and how to build momentum

4 hour course

Come immerse yourself in the powerful (and practical) philosophies that are so successful in our area school systems! Success at any age will depend, in large part, on that person’s ability to understand leadership, interpersonal relationships, and what one might call "life management." Success, however, will remain elusive... unless one is able to understand the basic principles of effective living and then integrate these principles into their personal and professional lives. An additional 4 hour Follow Up course is also available on request.  

Learning Outcomes:

• Learn the basic principles of the character/personality ethic
• Identify value and habit developments that empower people to deal with different situations
• Explore the seven habits of highly successful people

4 hour course

Inventor Henry Ford once said, “If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right.” Learning how to boost your skills as a leader has the potential for profound effects, not only on yourself but also on your direct reports. In this session, you will focus on leadership style, directing employees and the basic expectations and the differences between the past and new fundamentals in leadership.

Learning Outcomes:

• Understand basic supervision styles, concepts, and issues
• Learn how to create a positive climate for worker performance
• Explore different leadership styles and how to develop them

4 hour course

When you hear the phrase “office politics,” most people associate it with negative behavior. However, office politics can be beneficial both to individuals and the organization as a whole. This course offers you a unique perspective on office politics and strategies for what to do when power plays, favoritism, and gossip disrupt productivity. 

Learning Outcomes:

• Identify and effectively handle devious tactics, build rapport, and develop genuine relationships
• Explore how to make office politics positive
• Implement recovery strategies

4 hour course

We’ve all heard the phrase, “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.” However, when it comes to performance appraisals, all the positives (and negatives) need to be fully disclosed. Performance appraisals are not just measurement and evaluation, but are also a process of defining desired performance and creating a system of evaluation and review to support it. In this course, you will learn to conduct meaningful performance appraisals that will result in improved worker motivation and performance. 

Learning Outcomes:

• Understand who and what should be involved with performance appraisal and review
• Explore when and how often performance appraisals should be done
• Learn methods of how feedback should be given

4 hour course

Renowned Project Management expert Cornelius Fichtner once said, “The ‘P’ is as much about ‘People’ management as it is about ‘Project’ management.“ A project can be differentiated from ongoing business operations in that it is "a temporary endeavor to create a unique product or service." (Chatfield and Johnson, 2000) Within this short definition can be found the basic "project triangle": time, cost, and performance. In this course, you will explore the "art" of project management—the continual balancing of these three areas throughout the process of planned and unplanned events to arrive at a successful completion. 

Learning Outcomes:

• Understand the basic principles of project management/project teams
• Evaluate likely project risks and develop appropriate response strategies
• Monitor the key project issues of schedule, budget, and performance deliverables and develop problem responses

4 hour course

Legendary basketball coach John Wooden once said, “A coach is someone who can give correction without causing resentment.”

“Coaching” can be described as instructing, directing, or prompting the movements of employees toward specific goals and is becoming a standard in today’s companies. Coaching also ensures the transfer of knowledge and application of skills when employees return to their jobs after completing training. This course will help you understand just how important the coaching process is and give you some new techniques to try on the job.

Learning Outcomes:

• Understand the coaching process and its myths/realities
• Assess effectiveness of the coaching component
• Use principles of ensuring the transfer of knowledge and application of skills

4 hour course

Our work today entails mastering more knowledge and skills than ever before. From advanced technology to greater emphasis upon efficiency and increased productivity, we are simply required to know more, and know it better, than any generation of worker before us. This course will provide you with critical information about components of supervisory success and help you incorporate those skills into your role as a leader. 

Learning Outcomes:

• Learn value of planning, prioritizing, delegating, and problem solving
• Examine the role of communication, modeling behavior, trust, and team leadership
• Implement effective discipline and praise, acting as liaison between company and employees

4 hour course

What motivates you? Is it inspirational music like the theme from Chariots of Fire? Is it a moving story like in the Rocky film series? Or, is it something (or someone) else? This course will examine what motivates people and will offer suggestions on how to build your influence and encouraging others. 

Learning Outcomes:

• Explore differing personality styles that indicate how someone can be motivated and how s/he tends to interact with others
• Understand and apply motivational techniques
• Learn priorities that relate to all management

4 hour course

One of Sheryl Crow’s hit songs was titled “A Change Would Do You Good,” but is that statement really true? Changes (both positive and negative) are constantly occurring in the workplace. Whether we like it or not, “change” is one of the few constants at work—learning how to adapt is key.

Learning Outcomes:

• Understand the basics of change
• Explore methods of handling change in the workplace
• How to help other team members handle change in an effective manner

4 hour course

Trying to get more out of the people you supervise–trying to get them to go that extra mile–isn’t easy. Most employees will tell you what influences their productivity more than anything else is their immediate supervisor. A good supervisor inspires people to give their all; a bad one inspires them to leave. In this course, you’ll examine yourself as a supervisor from your direct reports’ perspective.  

Learning Outcomes:

• Self-examination of one’s own behavior and the possible negative effects it can cause
• Understand the positive effects of good management on people’s motivation and productivity
• Explore effective management skills that improve motivation, productivity and the bottom line

4 hour course

Getting new employees up-to-speed and performing to their full ability and potential is increasingly important to the continued viability of companies, organizations and agencies. This is especially true in today’s economy, where unemployment is low and the labor market is tight. This class is designed to help you streamline your orientation process so that new hires will be fully engaged and contribute significantly to achieving your mission and goals as soon as possible.

Learning Outcomes:

• Orient new employees to organizational culture while integrating into existing teams
• Facilitate immediate buy-in to your organizational goals and objectives
• Design and execute ongoing programs designed to enhance communication, innovation, and teamwork while navigating the political challenges that accompany the introduction of new employees