Event Category: Free For All-Inclusive

Self-Awareness as Your Superpower: A Certificate Program for Department Chairs (July Cohort)

Self-awareness lies at the heart of effective leadership. A self-aware department chair understands why they lead the way they do because they study their own attitudes, behaviors, and motives. However, the most effective department chairs also practice “other-awareness,” which means that they study the impact of their attitudes, behaviors, and motives on others. And this can be your superpower, because it increases your effectiveness in developing meaningful relationships with your stakeholders, including your dean, faculty, staff, and students.  Join us for a four-week certificate program designed to help you build your self-awareness superpower.  Throughout this course, you’ll explore:    As a final activity, you will create a personalized definition of leadership—something that communicates who you are as a leader—and you’ll discuss with your peers how you can apply it to a current leadership challenge you’re facing now.   

Donor-Centric Stewardship: A Partnership with Annual Giving and Donor Relations 

It is no surprise that advancement shops are experiencing increasingly greater external philanthropic competition, which can lead to declining donor interest and investment in your institution over time. Therefore, it is imperative that annual giving staff consider revising or updating their donor acquisition and retention strategies to better serve the changing needs and desires of their donors. Having a well-defined stewardship plan for annual giving donors not only sustains your donor interest, it also creates an opportunity for internal collaboration that may not have existed before.  The annual giving and donor relations staff at Old Dominion University (ODU) identified and seized upon such an opportunity.  They came together to consolidate their stewardship efforts, and as a result, they have:  Join us at this online event to hear how these two teams came together and to learn how you can collaborate in similar ways on your own campus.  

Customer Service Skills Training: Certification for Higher Education Professionals

As competition in higher education intensifies, so do the appetites of prospective students for institutions that provide the best education and experience for their tuition dollars. Instilling a culture of service excellence at all levels of an institution can directly enhance enrollment and improve student retention. The COVID-19 pandemic has had an undeniable impact on both the student and employee experience. And with the pending enrollment cliff, institutions will need to retain students at a higher rate, making service excellence more important than ever before.  Join us for this virtual learning experience developed for higher education frontline customer service professionals and those who supervise them. Through interactive and small-group activities, you will dive into:  You will leave this training with increased confidence in your customer service skills and a greater ability to handle a wide variety of service scenarios.   Watch our expert faculty talk about why getting customer service right is key in higher education:

Five Paths to Leadership℠ Results Debrief Session (April 19, 2024)

Now included in membership! Academic Impressions’ Five Paths to Leadership℠ Assessment has been leveraged in our leadership programs for years. Thousands of leaders in higher ed have benefited from this dynamic model that explores and reveals how one’s leadership styles manifest under normal circumstances—and how they change under stress. Having a deeper understanding of your own leadership styles in varying situations increases your self-awareness, enhances your emotional quotient, and allows you to more effectively plan, communicate, strategize, and, ultimately, lead. Join us to learn what your own leadership styles are, how they might change under stress, and how this can apply to your team. During the workshop, we’ll walk through:

Five Paths to Leadership℠ Results Debrief Session (March 22, 2024)

Now included in membership! Academic Impressions’ Five Paths to Leadership℠ Assessment has been leveraged in our leadership programs for years. Thousands of leaders in higher ed have benefited from this dynamic model that explores and reveals how one’s leadership styles manifest under normal circumstances—and how they change under stress. Having a deeper understanding of your own leadership styles in varying situations increases your self-awareness, enhances your emotional quotient, and allows you to more effectively plan, communicate, strategize, and, ultimately, lead. Join us to learn what your own leadership styles are, how they might change under stress, and how this can apply to your team. During the workshop, we’ll walk through:

Five Paths to Leadership℠ Results Debrief Session (May 31, 2024)

Now included in membership! Academic Impressions’ Five Paths to Leadership℠ Assessment has been leveraged in our leadership programs for years. Thousands of leaders in higher ed have benefited from this dynamic model that explores and reveals how one’s leadership styles manifest under normal circumstances—and how they change under stress. Having a deeper understanding of your own leadership styles in varying situations increases your self-awareness, enhances your emotional quotient, and allows you to more effectively plan, communicate, strategize, and, ultimately, lead. Join us to learn what your own leadership styles are, how they might change under stress, and how this can apply to your team. During the workshop, we’ll walk through:

Inclusive Leadership Certificate Program: Build Your Skills and Self-Awareness – September Cohort

Effective leadership is inclusive leadership. When our colleagues feel they can show up authentically in all aspects of their identities and contribute without fear of repercussion, we’re building stronger teams and stronger organizations. But this doesn’t happen automatically—it takes time, intention, and continuous learning and growth.  Our Inclusive Leadership Certificate Program: Build Your Skills and Self-Awareness is designed as a first step on that journey. Academic Impressions’ leadership model takes a holistic approach to leadership across four key dimensions: self-awareness and personal development, interpersonal leadership skills, team development, and leading at the organizational level. This program takes you on a deep dive into self-awareness and personal development to help you to become a more inclusive leader. You can participate individually or with your team in this 4-week program, which explores four key questions:  Each week includes resources and practical strategies to help you to lead more inclusively. The course culminates in a draft of your inclusive leadership philosophy which you can use as a guide in the future—because this work does not end with the conclusion of the program. 

Taking a Formative Assessment Approach to Annual Faculty Evaluations

Whether your faculty are standout rock stars, or they are struggling to perform as expected, the annual evaluation is a valuable opportunity to foster engagement with them. It’s a chance to reflect on how the year has gone, express gratitude for their contributions to the campus community, and provide specific and actionable feedback to help them progress towards the next career milestones. But how do you structure your time together so that it’s positive, productive, and supportive for all faculty?  Join us online to learn how you can plan for and guide the faculty evaluation session, so that it’s impactful for all involved. You’ll also learn about a 5-step process that focuses on formative assessment and allows you to co-create a vision for success alongside your faculty. Come prepared to engage in dialogue, ask questions, and share your insights with other department chairs from across the country. 

The Art of Faculty Accountability

For many reasons, it can feel challenging to hold faculty accountable for their performance—especially when they’re struggling. The truth is, not holding faculty to expected standards often seeds long-term problems, creates resentment amongst faculty colleagues, and is a disservice to the institution’s students. But how do we do this work in a way that brings out the best in our faculty?  Join us online to discuss ways to inspire faculty to pursue higher levels of performance. You’ll hear from a panel of three academic leaders at various career levels—Department Chair, Dean, and Assistant Provost. Together, they’ll share their experience, tips, and strategies for how to hold faculty at all stages of their career accountable in ways that are supportive and mission-aligned ways. We invite you to come prepared to share your own insights, tips, or questions for the group, so that we can grow our collective wisdom, as well. 

Supervision Certificate Program – March 4 Cohort

All too often in higher education, individuals move into a supervisory role without the necessary tools and skills to be successful. Particularly in today’s challenging environments, effective supervision is key to building an equally effective culture where each individual can contribute to team success. Join us online for a four-week bootcamp specifically designed for higher education supervisors who are new to their roles or looking to deepen their skills.