Live in possibilities.

This unique program, which is designed to actively pursue the goals and objectives as outlined with your respective institution’s mission and vision strategy, is suitable for all faculty serving as Dean, Associate Dean, Department Chair or Department Head.  This selective program will serve to enhance the skills of leadership within this critical realm of a college or university.  Participants will be encouraged to view each module in light of goals for their college or department and focus on the transfer of knowledge and incorporating best practices within their setting.  Hence, actual progress towards the college or university’s goals, mission and vision is an expected outcome.

For maximum effectiveness, this program is designed for 12 individuals per program.  Nomination criteria will be determined according to the specifics of the college or university.  Participants are to be selected by a panel of Academic Administrators who will identify the individuals based on agreed upon criteria.  In an effort to encourage networking and open problem-solving, this panel will endeavor to include a mixture of deans, department chairs and academic directors representing various colleges throughout the university.  Thus, a natural effort integrating all areas assists in the result of moving the institution closer to the mission and vision.

Unlike leadership symposiums periodically offered for deans or department chairs from throughout the nation’s colleges and universities, this program is tailored to address your institution’s specific goals, mission and vision.  This focus enables increased forward progress and effective change for your institution and can be instrumental in addressing tier level and accreditation issues.

Format

The format of the modules will be comprised of lecture, experiential activity, group discussion and transfer of learning applications (TOLA).  Dates and times of the modules will be determined by the institution; however, a once monthly full day module or a bi-monthly half day session is advised to ensure transfer of knowledge and efficacy of the program.

Program Modules

1st Module:  INSIGHTS into Personal & Professional Effectiveness

A Jungian-based personality assessment, INSIGHTS Discovery forms the cornerstone of the LEADING U program.  Participants will complete an on-line assessment from which a personality profile is compiled.  This profile enables the individual to better understand themselves which allows deeper understanding of others’ behaviors.  In better understanding these two concepts, more effective interaction with others is encouraged.

2nd Module:  Emotional Intelligence – Competencies for Transforming Leader’s Styles

The degree to which a leader can understand one’s own feelings, empathize with others and regulate emotions can have a profound effect on their leadership style and capabilities.  The Emotional Intelligence Core Competencies will identify behaviors necessary to provide insightful, dynamic leadership within the institution.  An on-line assessment resulting in an emotional intelligence profile will be used to identify the participant’s EQi.  Core competency behaviors can then be addressed to attain maximum individual leadership effectiveness.

3rd Module:  Transformational Leader, Visionary, Coach and Mentor – The Academic Viewpoint

Effective leadership at the dean and department chair level requires competency and integration of three components:  conceptual understanding, skill development and reflective practice.  This module, using the INSIGHTS and EQi and a leadership style assessment will assist participants in identifying their particular style of leadership and enable them to determine when other styles can be used more effectively in different situations.  This module will allow each participant to identify the biggest challenges associated with managing within their respective positions and will explore methods of effectively meeting those challenges. 

4th Module:  Communication Across Curriculums, Colleges and Communities

Effective communication is the absolute key to positive or negative interactions.  The ability to ensure a message is received in the intended manner is of paramount importance at higher levels within the institution.  Using the communication information in INSIGHTS Discovery, participants will strengthen their communication styles.  Techniques to liberate the flow of communication such as feedback, forward-feed, peer and institutional communication will be addressed.  In addition, listening skills, an underutilized but critical component of communication will be explored.  Finally, participants will hone their presentation skills.

5th Module:  Succession Strategies and Strategic Planning – The Road Less Traveled

Often, an institution loses extremely valuable knowledge and concepts through retirement, job change or other modes of attrition.  The ability to forward a goal is hindered when the information is lost through the separation of key individuals who have commanded the knowledge base of the often unspoken or recorded guidelines for achieving it.  The imperative associated with a continual knowledge base as linked to personnel components; recruitment, retention, development, performance management and knowledge management, will be discussed and participants’ will formulate their own objectives as related to this material.  Attention will be directed towards how these strategies affect and are affected by the institution’s strategic planning.

6th Module:  Change and Conflict Resolution

The only constant in life is change, yet many are not adept at accepting or enabling change to occur.  The cycle of change will be discussed and we will explore where the university and individual colleges or departments stand within the cycle of change.  Strategies to embrace change thereby enabling progression towards goals will be featured.  Many divisive issues arise throughout the institution as a result of the inability of individuals to communicate effectively, compromise, collaborate or merely agree to disagree.  Utilizing the INSIGHTS and EQi assessments, we will illustrate effective methods of handling conflict based upon personality’s competencies.  Additionally, the art of negotiation to arbitrate differences will be investigated.

7th Module:  Performance Management and Administrative Issues

The two top major issues for an individual in the dean or department chair roles have been identified as administrative competencies and the management of performance of faculty.  These issues include the development of faculty and the management of administrative tasks for which they have little or no training.  Effective methods of coaching, mentoring and enabling faculty will be explored in – depth.  This session will also allow for various administrative issues to be addressed.  Participants will identify issues pre-session which they feel would be beneficial for further instruction and/or clarification.  Administrators within the institution will be called upon to discuss these identified issues thereby enhancing the institution’s flow of information or processes through greater understanding.

8th Module:  Embracing and Enabling Diversity

Institutions of higher education epitomize a multi-cultural atmosphere.  Whether student, administration or faculty focused, it is imperative that an institution embrace and enable the richness associated with this diversity.  This session will assist in identifying strategies to capitalize on the many faces and facets found within the institution.  Participants will have an opportunity to discuss particular issues associated with providing quality educational and employment experiences to these diverse population groups.

9th Module:  Team Building/Challenge course

Concepts surrounding building an effective team will be highlighted in this session.  The first half of the session is devoted to the stages of team-building and the importance of successfully negotiating each of the stages.  How to combine personalities and skill strengths of personnel through the use of the INSIGHTS Discovery assessment and other tools will enable team cohesion.  The challenge course segment of this session will illustrate team building through physical, cooperative activities.  The activities associated with the course will be of “low” activities enabling everyone’s participation. “A-HA” moments are plentiful during this session as participants discover the power of “doing”. 

10th Module:  Implementing Best Practices

Using innovative and creative models, this session will provide participants with the opportunity to discuss and design a model of best practices which incorporates all of the knowledge and skills assimilated throughout the program.  Individuals will tailor and commit to their best practice methodologies for their respective college or department, as well as design best practices for the institution.  Based upon the collective knowledge within the group, methods of moving the institution forward with respect to the goals, mission and vision will provide a blueprint which other areas within the institution can adopt.