You've just landed the big promotion that's catapulted you to the management level. You are now the boss, but have never managed others before. What do you do? As the saying goes: "Great leaders aren't born, they're made." You must start with some training.
Corporate College, a division of Cuyahoga Community College, offers numerous leadership-development programs and courses specifically designed for the newly promoted manager.
"There are thousands of programs available," says Rosalind Thompson, leadership trainer with Corporate College. "And if we don't have it, we'll find it."
Corporate College's instruction runs the gamut of professional development and leadership training topics. Some of these crucial leadership skills include: change management; coaching; executive leadership; handling conflict; performance management; leadership and inspiration; emotional intelligence; trust building; listening; public speaking; and hundreds more.
Corporate College offers courses through open enrollment for those who want to pursue their professional development on their own. In addition, Corporate College East in Warrensville Heights and Corporate College West in Westlake offer courses on a contract basis with instruction designed specifically for a company's employees.
A new open enrollment program offered this season, "Take Charge of Your Professional Development," is proving to be extremely popular. This course was designed for those leaders and future leaders who don't have a formal professional development program through their employers and want to advance in their careers. In this highly interactive session, the employee will learn the steps to initiate, create and execute their own development plan and become a lifelong learner.
"We believe people are responsible for their own development," Thompson says. "If they want to be leaders, they've got to become lifelong learners."
The program, which runs monthly, looks at goal setting and finding mentors to help reach those goals, which is critical for anyone who wants to become a leader within their company. The next session will take place Oct. 23 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Corporate College East for an enrollment fee of $20.
"People will leave that night with a plan to set their goals," Thompson says. "They will learn how to measure how they're doing and how to show their bosses they're taking an initiative to become a leader."
At Corporate College, even the experienced manager can learn to become a high-performance leader. Some of the college's most popular courses are being offered this fall, including: "Managing Conflict in the Workplace," "Effective Communication," "Getting Started as a New Leader" and "Accountability: The Buck Stops Here."
Most courses are offered in a one-day workshop format with experts in their fields. Cost is just $225 for a full day of training, including lunch. The programs provide real-world business solutions that leaders can put to use immediately.
The majority of Coporate College's leadership-development programs can be designed specifically for an organization on a contractual basis. These programs are tailor-made for the professional development needs of the client and can last for as long as the organization demands. These programs can take place at Corporate College or on-site at the company.
"People don't realize that Corporate College can truly be your one-stop shop for all of your leadership and management training," Thompson concludes.