During the program, learners are expected to dedicate approximately 4-5 hours per week (synchronous and asynchronous) to have an engaged and successful learning experience. We ask that participants actively plan the time they will spend on the institute each week, even on a daily basis. Once a week, we will hold a live, synchronous online meeting to discuss resources, activities, and projects in support of the five competencies:
All sessions will be on Thursdays, 3– 4:30 p.m. ET.
- Week 1: Thursday, January 23
- Week 2: Thursday, January 30
- Week 3: Thursday, February 6
- Week 4: Thursday, February 13
- Week 5: Thursday, February 20
- Week 6: Thursday, February 27
- Week 7: Thursday, March 6 (Break Week - No Live Session)
- Week 8: Thursday, March 13
- Week 9: Thursday, March 20
- Week 10: Thursday, March 27
- Week 11: Thursday, April 3
Managers Institute Competencies’ Learning Outcomes
Competency 1: Management Values and Decisions
The ability to make vitally important decisions is not an innate skill for managers, but rather, one that is developed over the life of a career. These decisions, both big and small, are strongly linked to the values held by each individual. Understanding your own managerial values will help you instill these values in others, cultivate relationships, and build high-functioning teams. This competency focuses on the qualities and characteristics that make managers successful. Through discussion and self-reflection, you will develop a clearer picture of what you stand for and how you can make more effective decisions.
By the end of this competency, you will be able to:
- Analyze characteristics and traits of effective managers
- Assess your management strengths and weaknesses
- Analyze strategies for promoting a more diverse and inclusive workplace environment
- Explain the importance of emotional intelligence as a management skill
- Create a plan for approaching ethical decision-making
Competency 2: Organizational Communication
Effective communication strengthens relationships throughout an organization. As a manager with supervisory experience, you will need to communicate with others who have differing communication styles. Having a clear understanding of your own style and preferences is critical in finding ways to successfully communicate with others.
By the end of this competency, you will be able to:
- Analyze communication styles used in different workplace situations
- Identify management practices that strengthen trust with internal and external partners
- Analyze strategies for negotiating and persuading others
- Discuss ways to manage interpersonal conflict in the workplace
- Demonstrate effective presentation skills using industry best practices
Competency 3: Team Development and Optimization
How do you develop a high-performing team at your institution? This is a critical question for frontline managers in higher education but one that is difficult to answer. Team development requires a commitment to selecting the right people and putting them in situations where they can be successful and motivated. It also requires an investment of time to engage with each individual and provide opportunities for growth within the context of the organization. Because of the ubiquitous nature of teams and their importance to organizational success, creating a functional, efficacious team is an important skill for managers.
By the end of this competency, you will be able to:
- Describe the value of effective teams at institutions of higher education
- Evaluate management opportunities for delegation
- Evaluate opportunities for coaching and mentoring in your current role
- Practice giving and receiving feedback
- Develop a comprehensive approach to support employee performance
- Create a plan for maximizing individual and team development
Competency 4: Financial Management
Leaders in higher education face increasing pressure to do more with less. Competition for funding is at a premium with many states slashing budgets for their colleges and universities. For this reason, managers need to have a clear understanding of financial management and budgeting. In addition to making sure individual projects stay on track, managers must be willing to fight for necessary funds to support the key initiatives of their departments. They also need to understand the differences between capital and operational expenses. Supporting the financial viability of the institution and maintaining transparency over expenditures are critical responsibilities for managers in higher education.
By the end of this competency, you will be able to:
- Develop strategies to overcome common budgeting challenges
- Identify opportunities to support the budgeting strategy of the institution
- Develop partnerships to help secure necessary funds for critical workplace initiatives
- Use leadership skills to support budgeting efforts
Competency 5: Project Prioritization and Controls
Projects allow work to get done across the institution. As a manager, you have direct oversight into the planning and implementation of project work. You have a responsibility to make sure stakeholders are informed and happy, work is completed on time and under budget, and that positive change is incorporated and embraced. Even skilled managers struggle with balancing the competing demands and limited resources at their disposal. This competency provides strategies for ensuring that work gets done efficiently and effectively across projects. You will discuss ways of maximizing your time and prioritizing tasks that reliably lead to better project outcomes.
By the end of this competency, you will be able to:
- Develop a plan for engaging key project stakeholders
- Develop strategies to maximize the efficiency of meetings and individual work
- Assess techniques for prioritizing competing demands
- Use strategic thinking to help others navigate organizational changes
- Determine critical sources of data to manage people and projects