September 10, 2026 – Academic Affairs Leadership Academy Program Kick-Off 9:00am – 4:00pm (Breakfast and Lunch Provided) October 1, 2026 – The Anatomy of Trust Trust is at the heart of leadership; you cannot lead those who do not trust you. Covey says we move at the speed of trust—when trust is high, people give you the benefit of the doubt, they find your meaning, they are willing to take a chance. When trust is low, they challenge you every step of the way, they misinterpret you, they assume the worst. It’s our job as leaders to build and cultivate trust—both interpersonally and also among and between the team. In this session, we’ll explore the topic of trust building. Specifically, we’ll explore the following: November 5, 2026 – The Power of Delegation You will learn how to use delegation as a strategic leadership tool to empower your team, manage your own workload more effectively, and create a more sustainable leadership practice. By entrusting others with meaningful responsibilities, you can focus on advancing departmental goals, reduce burnout, and model trust in your faculty and staff. Ultimately, this approach strengthens the department and institution by fostering a culture of growth, innovation, and […]
Take this opportunity to rethink how your meetings are designed by exploring the hidden expectations and preferences people bring to the table. Using the Five Paths to Leadership® model as a framework, you’ll reflect on your current meeting practices, collaborate in small groups to design your “ideal meeting,” and share insights that highlight different leadership strengths and needs. Together, we’ll surface practical ways to make your meetings more inclusive, engaging, and productive.
Having difficult conversations is unavoidable—it’s also vital to being an effective supervisor. This session is designed to give you practical tools and boost your confidence, ensuring that you can approach these moments with clarity and composure, and leading to better outcomes for both your direct reports and the entire organization. This session is a component of the Advanced Supervision Certificate, but you are not required to be a part of a current or past cohort to attend this program. If you haven’t considered the Advanced Supervision Certificate, we invite you to check it out.
We’ve all heard the standard airline advice to secure your own oxygen mask before assisting others, and this rule applies to supervision, as well. If you’re running on empty, you can’t fully lead your direct reports. In this session, we’ll shift our focus from self-care as a perk, to self-care as essential maintenance—as a necessary task to keep you functioning as a capable leader. We’ll share practical ways to recharge and lead with clarity and resilience. This session is a component of the Advanced Supervision Certificate, but you are not required to be a part of a current or past cohort to attend this program. If you haven’t considered the Advanced Supervision Certificate, we invite you to check it out.
The Sage path in The Five Paths to Leadership® is fundamentally about integration and balance—it’s the practice that helps you to access all the other paths with intention and wisdom. This session will expand upon your knowledge of how the Sage helps with self-awareness, reflection, and adaptive leadership, transforming the shadow into wisdom and leading under pressure.
General description of the course
This course equips Department Chairs with practical tools to transform meetings from routine obligations into purposeful, productive experiences. You’ll learn to design intentional agendas, build psychological safety, and use facilitation strategies that ensure that all voices are heard. The course also introduces decision-making models and the Five Paths to Leadership® framework to help you adapt your approach to different team dynamics. You’ll leave with a reflective practice for continuously improving how you lead meetings that move their departments forward.
Session 1 — Foundations of Service Excellence Objectives: Establish shared understanding of service excellence; introduce university-specific context and expectations. Pre-work: Session 2 — Service Excellence Competencies & Skills Objectives:Build practical interpersonal skills to improve clarity, rapport, and trust. Pre-work: Session 3 — De-Escalating Difficult Situations Objectives:Prepare staff to handle complaints, difficult interactions, and high-pressure moments. Solidify learning and drive long-term behavioral change. Pre-work:
This course invites Department Chairs to use delegation as a strategic leadership tool to empower your team, manage your own workload more effectively, and create more sustainable leadership practices. By entrusting others with meaningful responsibilities, you can focus on advancing departmental goals, reducing burnout, and modeling trust for your faculty and staff. Ultimately, this approach strengthens the department and institution by fostering a culture of growth, innovation, and leadership development.
