The Essential Competencies for Middle Managers in Libraries

Description

Managing from the middle of an organization brings a unique set of challenges that others may not face or understand. Whether you’re excited about the opportunity or not, your position as middle manager provides a unique platform to show meaningful value to your organization and your team. It’s also an opportunity for you develop your own leadership skills.

This 5-Part Blended Learning Course will focus on many of the essential competencies Middle Managers need to be successful in their work including Decision-Making, Performance Management, Creativity and Visioning and Leadership.

Whether you are currently in a middle management position or aspire to be in a management position in the future, this course will provide an opportunity to sharpen your skills in managing yourself and others.

Part #1 Essential Communication Skills

When you’re in a position of Middle Management, communication can be especially tricky. You need to be effective in communicating with the people above and below you, yet you may not have authority over the people you are communicating with to achieve the results that are expected.

This interactive and informative program will focus on how to be more effective in communicating your needs and expectations while maintaining healthy relationships with them. Specifically, participants will learn:

• How to apply the principles of the Communication Cycle
• How to be more effective in all forms of communication including in person, by phone and via email
• How to focus their communication by applying the Platinum Rule
• More about their Communication Style through the EYDI Communication Assessment Tool

Participants are expected to complete the EYDI Assessment Tool and other assignments before the program. There will be post program assignments to be completed including the Learning and Application Worksheet.

Part #2 Essential Competencies for Middle Managers

This training day will dig deep into the essential competencies of Decision-Making, Performance Management, Creativity and Visioning and Leadership in helping Middle Managers succeed in their work.

Our focus in this interactive and thought-provoking program will be on Managing Yourself, Not Your Time; Analysis and Decision Making and Coaching Skills. Attendees will leave with tools and techniques they can immediately apply in their work, and will be given an opportunity to practice some of the techniques in the workshop.

Specifically, participants will learn:

• How to use the Forced Choice Analysis tool to prioritize and complete to do list items
• Identify time wasters and bottlenecks
• Getting more comfortable telling others “no”
• How to use Gap Analysis to determine the current state of a project, process or outcome and to create the future state
• Distinguishing the advantages and disadvantages of three decision making process and knowing what processes work best in various situations
• How to use two different models of coaching with employees
• The difference between managing and coaching and disciplining and coaching
• Giving constructive feedback without needing to be right or making the employee feel that they are wrong

Participants are expected to complete assigned reading and exercises before the program. There will be post workshop assignments to be completed before the next training program.

Part #3 Managing Conflict Skills

Conflict in the workplace might be inevitable, as employees have different personalities, goals, and opinions. Learning how to handle conflict efficiently is an essential skill for anyone in middle management as you will likely deal with conflict from the people above and below you.

In this interactive and informative program, you’ll discover your own emotional triggers, learn how to manage difficult encounters with diplomacy, tact, and credibility and to resolve workplace.

Specifically, participants will learn:

• How to adapt to the different styles of conflict management used by employees, peers and bosses
• How to use three techniques to minimize workplace situations of conflict
• How to use conflict situations as an opportunity for growth and learning

Participants are expected to complete assigned reading and exercises before the program. There will be post workshop assignments to be completed before the next training program.

Part #4 Office Hours (On-line) with Andrew Sanderbeck

You’ve learned a lot and have had the opportunity to practice some of the things that you’ve listed on your Learning and Application Worksheet in your workplace.

Office Hours is an opportunity to talk one on one or in a group with Andrew Sanderbeck about some of the obstacles and challenges you are having in achieving the goals or changes you wish to implement.

Take advantage of the opportunity to hear another perspective and/or get a fresh approach to an obstacle or challenge.

Part #5 The Finale

We’ll look at the feedback that you give us from the course to address issues or concerns that you have in our Finale. We’ll also introduce and explain the Learning and Application Worksheet Follow-Up Questionnaire that you will use to continue the learning from the course into the future.

A description of the Finale program will be announced by the end of February.

Contact us to book this in-person training.