Leadership Series with Madison College

In a collaborative effort between the DeForest/Windsor Chamber of Commerce and Sun Prairie Chamber of Commerce, we are once again excited to offer an exceptional educational opportunity for you to explore and expand upon your leadership skills and network with fellow members from across the Chambers and our communities.  Our partners at Madison College have worked with us to create a short and impactful Leadership Development Series, highlighting the latest skills and behaviors associated with some of the most common leadership practices and competencies integral to the success of any business and organization. 

• Here’s how it works: presented in a hybrid learning format, participants will be exposed to some of the latest practices around several key foundational leadership competencies. Delivered first in a virtual online asynchronous learning module, members will then be invited to share in a facilitated on-line LIVE coaching session with their peers, led by the leadership development instructional team from Madison College.  The free-flowing narrative will leverage the material from the online module, and incorporate the working knowledge, experiences, and insight of experienced leaders and practitioners. We’ll dive into the most effective actions and thought processes of great leadership; how to handle conflicts & difficult situations within the workplace; explore what effective communication strategies and practices look & sound like; address the transition from individual contributor to leader; and examine how we manage every-day stress, all thru interactive sharing and scenario-based situational leadership coaching.
• Interaction and contribution are key, as you get out of it what you put into it!  Bring your thoughts, questions, ideas and experiences into the conversation as we address common themes in leadership and what works (or not) across a variety of industries and organizations.
• You may sign up for one, two or all five modules, whatever works into your schedule.  Topics will be made available every week, starting with the release of the online learning modules.  Links to the online modules and coaching sessuibs will be sent to paid participants a few days before the beginning of the series. Take a look at the schedule to see what works for you:

• The Essentials of leadership – Address the practical behaviors and experiences associated with leading individuals and teams in the operational and strategic efforts of your organization. Serving as the foundation as you advance your leadership abilities, we’ll look at the various styles and approaches to leading people and processes; traits and applications of leadership competencies; flexing to meet the needs of your team members; and recognizing when to lead and when to follow.
• Effective Communication – Communication is not communication until the desired, intended meaning and message is accurately conveyed and received. Listen for meaning rather than prematurely responding or arriving at inaccurate conclusions based upon assumptions. Check for understanding and meaning. Convey messages such that others listen and hear, comprehending to make sound judgments of what our intent truly is within a message.
• Peer Today, Boss Tomorrow – Examine the transition from individual contributor to leading and managing. Understand the key roles, functions and responsibilities of leading others, and examine the traits and characteristics of taking on a position of authority. Look for the pitfalls in moving from peer to supervisor, and build strong strategies in developing trust and respect in the relationship with those around you.
• Managing Conflict & Difficult People – Be able to identify potential conflict situations, and the root causes of friction between people, processes and ideas that go in opposite directions. Look at the barriers to resolving conflict, and how to develop and implement strategies that move you towards a cohesive team environment. Know the ‘difficult people’ in your life, how to connect with them in a collaborative manner, and make a conflict work for the benefit of all.
• Stress Management – Learn to recognize the signs, symptoms and triggers of stress and steps to manage it. Take a deeper look into your own personal triggers and recognize the indicators of stress in those around you. Explore coping mechanisms and the effects that stress has on individuals, teams and others. Learn to better manage ‘the self’ and to be a support mechanism in managing anxieties and life’s unexpected challenges.