Leadership University Program
Background
Today’s organizations face a variety of challenges including:
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Poor staff morale
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Low customer satisfaction
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Ineffective and unhealthy conflict resolution
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Lack of appropriate internal communication
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Organizational infighting
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Unsatisfactory customer service
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Inadequate training for managers
In order to increase customer satisfaction, improve efficiency, increase morale, create trust and improve
overall managerial effectiveness, today’s organizations must invest in developing existing employees to
overcome the aforementioned challenges.
Program Overview
Leadership University provides a series of six 8-hour classes on supervisory leadership skills for
managers for a total of 48 hours of training. The schedule and format is determined based on the needs
of the individual company or organization. Participants who successfully complete all six classes will
receive a supervisory leadership certificate from Edinboro University.
The coursework in the program is designed to provide business professionals with the necessary skills for
effective supervisory leadership. Courses are taught by university faculty or professional instructors with
strong academic or professional backgrounds in communication and management, as well as
professional and consulting experience. The courses offer practical content for professionals using a
variety of active learning approaches including case study analysis, role-playing, and simulations among
other techniques. All courses offer a high degree of interactivity to engage adult professional learners.
Required Courses
The Fundamentals of Management
In the workplace, managers must take a diverse group of employees with differing skills, motivations and
experience levels and blend them together to work productively and efficiently together—no easy task!
This course introduces participants to the fundamentals of management including learning delegation
skills to improve efficiency, practicing effective meeting management, assessing individual behavioral
styles of employees, and dealing with difficult employees and customers.
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Leadership University Program
Essential Management Skills
The way in which managers supervise and coach employees can impact employee satisfaction, turnover
and morale, as well as overall organizational performance. This course provides managers with strategic
tools to define goals, objectives and responsibilities in the workplace as a means of striving for peak
performance management and continuous improvement. Participants will receive and practice skills in
planning and goal setting to establish a process for setting expectations, monitoring performance,
effecting change, delivering constructive feedback and rewarding superior performance.
Motivating Your Staff
In any workplace, motivating employees is complex and dependent on the wants and needs of each
individual—what motivates one person might not motivate another. This course helps participants gain
insight into what motivates different employees to want to succeed in their job and ultimately create a
more satisfied and productive workforce. Participants will learn what practices and procedures can
motivate and de-motivate employees, while developing their individual managerial style that will foster a
team of self-starters through the use of internal and external incentives.
Communication Effectiveness for Managers
Research shows that the majority of workplace problems can be traced back to unclear or insufficient
communication in the organization. The ability to communicate clearly is essential for successful
managers at all levels. This course helps participants practice effective communication skills including
communicating clearly to avoid misunderstanding, developing active listening skills, and improving
interpersonal communication skills when working with employees and customers. In addition participants
will learn to choose the most appropriate method for communicating messages and expressing those
messages through print, electronic and face-t0-face formats.
Leading an Effective Team
More than 75% of organizations used team-based formats in some aspect of their day-to-day operations;
however, working effectively in teams can prove challenging to employees. This course will explore the
dynamics of teamwork and team development, and discuss what procedures are essential to building
productive teams in a healthcare setting. Participants will develop confidence in their abilities to be
productive team leaders by learning tools and strategies that work in today’s workplace teams.
Basic Conflict Management
Today’s professionals face more conflict and greater complexity in the workplace than ever before,
coupled with the fact that few ever receive formal training in conflict resolution strategies. This course
teaches strategies for productive conflict management in interpersonal, group, and organizational
contexts. It examines the causes and types of conflict, develops knowledge of the nature of conflict, and
offers tactics for resolving conflict situations.
Edinboro University Faculty*
Dr. Melissa Gibson is an Associate Professor in the Communication and Media Studies Department at
Edinboro University. She earned her master’s and doctoral degrees in organizational communication and
business management from Ohio University. Prior to her current position, Melissa taught at Western
Michigan University, Gannon University and Mercyhurst College. In 18 years of teaching at the college
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Leadership University Program
level, Melissa has taught more than 30 different courses ranging from bachelor’s to doctoral level classes.
In addition to a textbook and book chapters, Melissa has published 7 peer-reviewed journal articles,
presented 40 conference presentations, and secured grants totaling $250,000. She has received
numerous teaching awards including 1999 Professor of the Year at Western Michigan University. She has
been a consultant and trainer for various organizations across the Midwest since 1994, including the
College of Osteopathic Medicine, Health and Human Services Division in Zainesville, Ohio.
Dr. Kathleen M. Golden is a Professor in the Communication and Media Studies Department at Edinboro
University. She has a Ph.D. from Kent State University and has over 30 years of teaching and consulting
experience. She teaches on both the undergraduate and graduate level. Dr. Golden has expertise in
computer assisted decision making, Expert Choice, and has facilitated meetings using that
software/hardware combination across Edinboro University both in and outside of the classroom. She
has several times served as a trainer for mammography technicians through Vantage Health Care. Her
work has extended to Europe, where she assisted Business Process Management theorists, from across
the world, in problem solving and idea generation in Luxembourg. She is active in Story at Work in
Washington, DC, a group of organizational consultants who utilize storytelling to implement change in
organizations. She is currently on the Communication board for the Educational Testing Service in
Princeton, NJ, and she serves as creator and editor of ancillary materials for the nationally top-ranked
Pearson Higher Education textbook on interviewing.
Dr. Timothy Thompson is a Professor in the Communication & Media Studies Department at Edinboro
University. He writes and consults on communication, creativity, conflict, and stress management. Most
recently, he completed a book entitled Creative Communication: Social Systems Making Mind, and
conducted workshops on “exercising creativity” at the Virginia Ball Center for Creative Inquiry. The
workshop was part of the initial activities for the “Aging Well in East Central Indiana” at Ball State
University. Dr. Thompson planned and facilitated student and faculty retreats for the Rochester Institute
of Technology on several occasions over the last nine years. The weekend retreats at Beaver Hollow
Conference Center were focused on enhancing teaching and learning at RIT. The RIT retreat is modeled
after the PA State System’s Summer Academy for the Advancement of College Teaching, from which
Thompson is a 1992 graduate. Dr. Thompson also directs the Edinboro Highland Games & Scottish
Festival at the University. He received his doctorate from Bowling Green State University in 1986.
Location
All courses can be located at Edinboro University Main Campus in Edinboro, The Porreco College of
Edinboro University in Erie, or on-site at your location.
Contact: Beth A. Zewe, Coordinator of Porreco College Outreach & Continuing Education, 112 Wiley
Arts & Science Center | 200 Cooper Circle| Edinboro, PA 16444 or call (814) 732-1420.
zewe@edinboro.edu. Visit us at: http://ce.edinboro.edu.
*Faculty and Instructors determined for each customized program.
One of the 14 universities in Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education
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