Aug. 15, 2018

This paid piece is sponsored by the USD Beacom School of Business executive education program.

It’s possible to learn how to be a more successful manager.

An upcoming course put on next month by the USD Beacom School of Business executive education program will help you get started.

Taught by leadership consultant and coach Stephanie McGovern, the class focuses on the interpersonal skills that are critical to success in leadership, and it will include rich resources for additional study.

It will be held Sept. 27 and 28 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the University Center in Sioux Falls.

To learn more and register, click here.

Here’s a preview from McGovern on what to expect.

In your work with business leaders, do you find many who actually have been trained in leadership?

Most leaders have been promoted based on their technical or time/project management skills.  In other words, they themselves are great at doing excellent work and getting things done on time. Leadership however, is about getting work done through others. That is a whole other challenge. The fundamental question for leaders is “How do I work with people of differing strengths, personalities and needs to bring out the best in them so we can produce great work together.”

Your course is called Leadership Essentials. What would you say some of those essentials are for leaders?

• Understanding their role. What are the high-leverage focus areas given all the things coming at me?
• Leveraging and adapting their natural leadership style. What is my natural leadership style, when does it work and when do I need to adapt my style to better meet the needs of some of my team members?
• Core interpersonal skills that build trust and respect. What do I need to do more or less of to increase engagement and commitment?
• Creating a productive work environment. What are the essential processes, structures and behaviors that create a motivating work environment?

What sort of professional is a good fit for your course? Who should consider taking it?

Anyone who is responsible for the work performance of others, team leads, supervisors, managers, even higher-level leaders. This is also a great preview for people who may be considering becoming a supervisor for the first time.

Tell us what to expect in the class. How would you describe your teaching style?

I believe learning is more than just understanding concepts. I have a very participative, involving style that helps apply leadership principles to everyday situations. Leadership is a combination of art and science, and sharing real life experiences helps develop the art of how to apply the concepts. In addition, I believe everyone brings good experience to share whether they currently lead people or not, so I look for opportunities to “share the wisdom” of the class. I also have a great sense of humor and love to laugh at the crazy situations we sometime encounter at work.

What sort of takeaways will people have from the course? How do you anticipate them putting what they learned to work?

I think people will come away with more confidence in how to leverage their strengths as a leader as well as how to manage some of their blind spots. I also think they will be better prepared with skills and tools to navigate a variety of leadership challenges, such as managing conflict, increasing commitment and engagement, unleashing the natural energy and strengths of others, and minimizing drama in the workplace.

You’ve been an instructor in the executive education program in the past. What kind of feedback have you had from participants that you’re integrating into this course?

I continue to build in real-life examples so the content really hits home. I also do some on-the-spot adapting to make sure people’s specific situations are addressed.

To learn more and register, click here.

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