Professional Development for Leaders

Many people are chosen to take on leadership roles because they are very good at what they do. Little thought may be given to what these leaders will need to be successful once they assume new responsibilities for the work of other people. Yet many leadership skills, attitudes and abilities can be learned.

Kathleen is an engaging and effective workshop presenter who will give your leadership and management teams new tools to increase their performance. A seasoned presenter, she is frequently asked to speak at conferences and workshops. See Upcoming Events.

Her practical approaches and easy, conversational style are appreciated by audiences. She involves people in the content through hands-on activities tailored to the needs of the group. You can get a flavor of how Kathleen approaches learning on her "how to" web site, How To Lead Effective Meetings [Exit Station1].

• Bringing Your Strategic Plan to Life
• Improving Your Processes Quickly
• Leading in Times of Change
• Communication for Leaders
• Making Decisions That Hold Up
• Employee Performance Assessment and Improvement
• The Clover Practice™ (A Way to Stay Emotionally Healthy At Work)
• Best Practices for Managing Your E-Mail

Bringing Your Strategic Plan to Life

It's an unfortunate story that is replayed too many times. Organizations invest time and money into a strategic planning process, but the plan is implemented incompletely or not at all. This workshop provides proven techniques for ensuring that the strategic plan is implemented. This workshop is recommended for any organization intending to begin strategic planning, Kathleen says, "The seeds for implementation are sown in how the plan is first created."

• Energize a plan that exists now
• Engage stakeholders in creating a new plan
• Evaluate a draft plan for implementation-readiness
• Apply tools for implementation such as step charts, tree diagrams, and assigning of point people

Improving Your Processes Quickly

Process improvement was, perhaps, too popular for its own good in the past. Individuals and organizations undertook process improvement projects that sometimes could take months and years to complete. (Many didn't take years and were fabulously successful in improving the bottom line.) The point today is that most processes can be improved quickly in a matter of 2 substantial meetings with the right team and the Accelerated Improvement Process.

• Flowchart core processes
• Use tools to identify root causes of process problems
• Launch an Accelerated Improvement Process

Leading in Times of Change

Every organization Kathleen has worked with recently has been coping with change on a large scale. Yet leaders are not given much training or coaching on how to lead in shifting times. This workshop is intended to provide tools for leaders as well as to help them avoid some of the costly mistakes often made in times of change.

• Explain all of the components needed for a successful change effort
• Avoid common mistakes during change efforts
• Create a communication plan to use during times of change

Communication for Leaders

The ability to communicate effectively is an expectation of leaders in any setting, whether business, education or the community. Effective communication is more than being able to give a good summary or a pep talk. Communication is grounded in fundamental beliefs about people and leadership.

• Chose appropriate channels and protocols for communication
• Communicate effectively in a diverse workplace
• Participate in difficult conversations

Making Decisions That Hold Up

A very wise person once told Kathleen, "When you make a decision, just hope that the problem you solved is bigger than the one you just created." That advice which seemed pessimistic at the time has proven to be golden. Almost everyone can think of a decision that didn't go well or that created results in the opposite direction of what was intended. This workshop provides tools for leaders to use in making decisions that have the best chances for success.

• Recognize common patterns and characteristics of systems (systems thinking)
• Elicit employees' contributions to problem-solving through brainstorming multi-voting, and the affinity process
• Anticipate unintended consequences of decisions.

Employee Performance Assessment and Improvement

Attorneys who advocate for clients who have lost their jobs often say that the documents kept by the employers are their best evidence in favor of the employee. On the other hand, having sound performance appraisal and improvement systems can add immeasurably to the performance of an organization by helping individuals perform at their best.

• Recognize strengths and weaknesses of current appraisal & improvement systems
• Write personal/professional goal statements including measures, resources, and training and development plans
• Clearly articulate expectations for performance and communicate effectively to employees their strengths and weaknesses

The Clover Practice™ (A Way to Stay Emotionally Healthy At Work)

Staying healthy emotionally and spiritually while you work can be a challenge in any organization. Kathleen will share The Clover Practice™ distilled from 20 years of experience as a consultant working with many different organizations. The principles can help you navigate your professional life with integrity and wholeness. A practice is something you do every day, no matter what the circumstances. The symbol for this practice is a 3-leaf clover.

• Distinguish between ones own opinion and "the truth"
• Discuss issues forthrightly in a way that others can "hear" the message
• Look for ways in which people contribute (somewhat or a lot) to problems they are experience in the workplace
• Recognize when it is time to leave a workplace

Best Practices for Managing Your E-Mail

Most of us learned how to use our E-mail systems by the seat of our pants. Kathleen will share business experts' advice on best practices for managing the flood of E-mail most employees receive. One piece of advice offered by every expert on the subject will surprise you!

1. Manage their own E-mail more effectively
2. Write and send more effective E-mail messages to others
3. Describe how a uniform guide for E-mail practices for each workplace is beneficial.