Management Training Topics - SR Project
From Extension Collaborative Wiki
List Modules that are needed for teaching management to those that manage others and those that manage managers. Just list the topics and then write a 2-3 line definition of the topic. Try not to duplicate any existing topic. You should seek to identify topics that would be taught over a span of half a day or longer.
Coaching - Providing others with the opportunity to develop new skills; offering instructions and advice; and providing support and feedback to enhance performance.
Building Strong Networks and Collaborations - Respects the influence of networking on our perspectives, relationships, and ability to be effectively reach segments of the community. Understands the pros and cons of networking and collaboration. Can maintain strong relationships and collaborations that effectively increase program impact.
Public Relations - the practice of managing the flow of information between Cooperative Extension and its publics; the methods and activities are intended to create a favorable public image for the organization.
Understanding Self, Strengths and Weaknesses - Continuously seeks to understand self and respects with humility weaknesses and strengths. Seeks to understand others and appreciate differences in personality, culture, and leadership skills.
Understanding your Leadership Strengths and Weaknesses - Kouzes and Posner (www.pfeiffer.com) have designed a training that helps you to inventory and strengthen your leadership skills
Understanding Your Managerial Strengths and Weaknesses - Managerial Assessment of Proficiency (MAP) materials (www.traininghouse.com) help to determine managerial strengths and areas for further growth and development.
Civil Rights, Equal Employment Opportunity, and Affirmative Action - understands the legal requirements that prohibit discrimination against any individual in employment or participation in educational programs; actions taken to ensure equal opportunty for all
Strategic Planning - understands and is capable of implementing the process of defining the organization's direction or course of action
Managing People for Performance (appraisals) - Setting clear performance targets, providing specific feedback and coaching on a regular basis; and addressing performance problems in a fair and consistent manner. Understands the steps in coaching performance using appraisals. Provides performance reviews that are constructive and result in employee improved performance
Leading Change - Creating a vision for a better situation in the future and inspiring others to share and work toward accomplishing this vision.
Managing Advisory Leaders and Committees -Understands the purpose and value of advisory leaders, their roles and responsibilities. Can build, maintain, and sustain over time a strong advisory leadership committee.
Understanding and Managing Conflict - Understanding conflict resolution styles and other major concepts related to managing conflict. Understanding common ground, win/win solutions, negotiation and the skills needed to bring around agreement on solutions.
Ethical Decision Making - Ability to identify core values for decision making when policy is not clear. Understanding of philosophical approaches to decision making and their impact on resolving difficult decisions. Ability to demonstrate an effective process for ethical decision making.
Policy and Procedures - [This is one that we will not be able to develop, but will need to be developed individually by each state.. I thought we should at least note it given the importance it plays in the success of managers.] Understands most significant policies without needing support. Is aware of resources available (human and written) for clarification on policy. Can enforce policy and procedures when necessary.
Recruitment and Hiring - Ability to conduct a strong recruitment effort, conduct interviews that predict performance, do reference checking and ensure that EEO laws and policy is followed during hires.
Marketing and Promotion - Ability to increase the visibility and awareness of Extension's impacts among various networks.
Mentoring and Shadowing - Activities that an aspiring manager may want to use to learn more about the day-to-day responsibililties and expectations for management positions. Training may help participants to most effectively use these tools.
Financial Management - Can develop budgets, place effective controls on management of financial resources, managing funding streams, and make adjustments as funding is increased or decreased. Can develop plans that result in acquiring new resources from one or more sources.
Leading the Total County Program - Can provide leadership for and coordinate the efforts of the county extension staff in developing a total county educational program. Maintain a strong county advisory group for the total program and ensure strong local support for all programs.
Leading High Performing Teams - Understands team development theory and process. Develops trust, veracity, commitment to a common purpose and accountability among team members. Increasing mutual trust; encouraging cooperation, coordination, and identification with the work unit; encouraging information sharing among individuals; including others in processes and decisions
Delegating - Assigning responsibilities and the authority to carry them out; maintaining the proper level of involvement without abdicating or micromanaging; assigning tasks that are a good fit with a person’s capabilities; assigning tasks for development
Building Relationships - Displaying empathy and sensitivity to the needs and concerns of others; supporting others when they are facing difficult tasks
Building Trust & Personal Accountability - Keeping promises and honoring commitments; accepting responsibility for one’s actions; being honest and truthful when communicating information; and assuming responsibility for dealing with problems, crises, or issues
Time Management - Allocating time appropriately among people and projects; balancing his or her workload when involved in multiple projects
Flexibility & Agility- Adjusting one’s behavior to new information or changing circumstances; remaining open to new ways of doing things; experimenting with new methods; and working effectively in an unstructured or dynamic environment
Critical & Analytical Thinking -Questioning basic assumptions; applying sound reasoning; understanding the complexity of an issue and breaking it down into manageable pieces; and understanding the implications of data/information; making decisiions based on the evidence
Valuing Diversity - Demonstrating respect for individual differences; establishing a climate in which all people can be comfortable and productive; and taking advantage of cultural knowledge, capability, or information to develop or enhance products or services
Strengthening Your Facilitation Skills – Haskell and Cyr of Univ. of Maine Cooperative Extension (modified by Virginia Cooperative Extension CV Specialists) designed a training that will help you practice more effective and efficient methods to facilitate groups
