Ahead of the Tide:  Leading Employees Through Change

Accepting change as a County employee is one thing, influencing others to gain acceptance is an entirely different skill set!  As a supervisor, manager or team leader, action and commitment to make change happen are critical.  Often change is initiated at a higher level and passed on to you for implementation.  This course assesses your leadership abilities in how you manage employees through change.  Gain insight on how to create a positive change environment where employees are change-friendly and successful implementation comes sooner rather than later.

Competency:  Leadership
Learning Objectives: Course Length: 3.5 hrs

• Actively manage resistance to change
• Identify six qualities supervisors should develop in employees that contribute to a positive change experience
• Analyze employees’ personal journey through the change process

Audience: Team Leaders, Supervisors and Managers
Delivery: Facilitated discussion, self-assessment, peer coaching and small group exercises.

Behind Every Great Leader: Tapping Into Your Greatest Asset

How do you manage to get to “top performance”?  What are the key actions you can take to foster and demonstrate collaborative effort?  The skills and knowledge to get to top performance are surprisingly basic…the challenge is executing them consistently.  This interactive course includes a road map for modeling collaboration, worksheets to support a consistent focus on effective group work, and five techniques to counteract common causes of team ineffectiveness.

Competency:  Leadership
Learning Objectives: Course Length: 3.5 hrs

• Determine the differences between groups and teams
• Distinguish between the key behaviors of collaboration vs. encouragement
• Recognize and redirect counter-productive behaviors exhibited by team members

Audience: Supervisors/Managers
Delivery: Lecture, discussion and exercises.

FastForward: Gateway to County Management

FastForward is designed to empower managers with knowledge and equip them to make the best use of all the resources available to them, resulting in a more effective organization.  It is a manager’s orientation to Broward County culture, policies and management practices – critical whether you have been promoted from within or hired from outside the organization. 

Competency:  Leadership
Learning Objectives: Length: 37.5 hrs (five 7.5 hr sessions)

• Navigate the organization’s chain of communication by understanding positions, “ranks,” and lines of authority
• Interact tactfully with others when managing internal conflicts among co-workers and external complaints
• Review County-specific policies in relation to: Human Resources, Purchasing, Budgeting and Dealing with the Media

Audience: Managers
Delivery: Self-assessment, small group and pair activities, large group discussion, lecture, skill practice, role play.
 
Leading with Influence

One of the biggest career moves an individual makes is going from superstar to supervisor.  And, although it is a monumental shift in the way an individual works, it is often overlooked.  This course helps smooth the transition into management.  It examines leadership characteristics and teaches a better understanding of the impact positive and negative behaviors have in the workplace.  How to overcome obstacles in the supervisory role and build goal setting are discussed.

Competency:  Leadership 
Learning Objectives: Course Length: 3.5 hrs

• Establish personal leadership principles
• Identify barriers to overcome when shifting from superstar to supervisor
• Create an action plan based on a positive approach to furthering managerial goals

Audience: Employees aspiring to be or in supervisory positions
Delivery: Discussion, breakouts action plans.

Management Basics: Soft Skills 101

Successful management requires proficiency in managing both the job and the people; yet, historically, “soft skills” have taken the back seat to planning, organization, time management, budgeting, delegation etc. This course focuses on developing the behavioral soft skills.

Competency:  Leadership
Learning Objectives: Course Length: 10.5 hrs (three 3.5 hr sessions)

• Understand the value and effectiveness of cultivating positive working relationships with direct reports
• Establish performance expectations and learn how to monitor, evaluate and correct performance problems
• Create a positive work environment

Audience: Managers and Positive Start Graduates
Delivery: Lecture, skill practice, discussion video.

Positive Start

Supervision requires the ability to interact with staff at all levels, planning and problem solving skills, proficiency in customer service, and knowledge of County-specific policies and procedures. This series provides new supervisors with an understanding of the skills that are necessary to be effective and provides an environment for supervisors to exchange knowledge, experience, and expertise.

Competency:  Leadership
Learning Objectives:  Course Length: Classic 44 hrs or Flex 21 hrs 

• Develop effective communication skills
• Understand and apply key County policies, procedures, rules and regulations
• Know and apply legal human resource practice

Audience: Supervisors
Delivery: Lecture, DVD discussion.

The Encouraging Leader

This course illustrates the importance of employee recognition and the types of rewards leaders can give to truly motivate top performance.  Many people assume that money is the way to motivate others but this course offers other approaches. It explores real-life examples of managers helping others believe in themselves, celebrating their uniqueness, and discovering their own value.

Competency:  Leadership
Learning Objectives: Course Length: 3.5 hrs

• Understand why it is important to find time for employee recognition
• Learn how appreciation mobilizes people to excel
• Realize the benefits of celebrating both individual and group achievements

Audience: Supervisors/Managers
Delivery: Lecture, video, small group exercises discussion.

The Leadership Challenge

Research done by authors Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner proves that successful leaders occur in all shapes, sizes, genders, nationalities and roles within organizations.   The use of certain exemplary leadership practices, the only requirements for success, is addressed in this course.

Competency:  Leadership
Learning Objectives: Course Length: 3.5 hrs

• Name five practices of exemplary leadership
• Understand 10 commitments of exemplary leadership
• Outline specific actions that can be taken in line with these practices and commitments to move current
  projects forward

Audience: Open to All
Delivery: Video, discussion and action plans.

The Manager’s Journey®: Skills for Today’s Leaders

This course is targeted to experienced supervisors and new managers and provides practical learning methodologies designed for the advanced learner. The scenario-based design introduces advanced skills related to political astuteness, creative performance plans, ethical decision making, individual motivational strategies and more!

Competency:  Leadership
Learning Objectives: Course Length: 121.0 hrs (six 3.5 hr sessions)

• Identify employee and management expectations for new managers
• Establish individual work habits to foster efficient and organized practices
• Apply four fundamental written communication guidelines to everyday documentation

Audience: Managers, Supervisors, Positive Start Graduates
Delivery: Lecture, self-assessments, small and large group activities, role play, skill practice, discussion, peer evaluation and job aids.

The Supervisor’s Apprenticeship®: Skills for Rising Leaders

Highly skilled workers are often promoted ‘up the ladder’ into semi-supervisory positions in recognition of their hard work and technical expertise, without receiving an opportunity to develop specific talents that will be of strategic importance. This competency-based course is offered to individuals targeted as potential future supervisors and prepares novice leaders by positioning them for a move into a supervisory function. 

Competency:  Leadership
Learning Objectives:  Course Length: 30 hrs (six 3.5 hr sessions and 9 hrs job app.)

• Evaluate individual leadership skills
• Establish efficient work habits
• Provide constructive feedback

Audience: Managers, lead workers, librarian in charge, administrative assistants and aspiring staff
Delivery: Self-assessment, small group and pair activities, large group discussion, lecture, skill practice, role play, discussion and job aids.

Toeing the Line: Just-in-Time Training for New Supervisors

This course addresses the needs of the new supervisor, specifically transitioning from being on the frontline to managing others.  Often these individuals may be well versed in the technical line of work but have limited skills in motivating, delegating, and communicating.  Mastering these skills helps smooth the transition and assists in leadership success.

Competency:  Leadership
Learning Objectives:  Course Length: 3.5 hrs

• Enhance communication skills
• Recognize individual supervisory strengths
• Identify motivational challenges and how to overcome them

Audience: Lead employees, new or potential supervisors
Delivery: Lecture, small group and pair exercises, role play.