UCAR LEADERSHIP ACADEMY COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

Action Learning Project
Comprised of four action learning teams, with approximately six L/A participants. Teams will be guided by executive sponsors and team coaches. Participants will draw on methods and leadership attributes gained through the L/A to work on an organizational issue/area of inquiry that has cross-discipline scope and broad implications. By using experiences and learning from the program, teams will present a final proposal at the end of the program. Monthly project team meetings required.

Action Learning Project Presentations
Project teams present outcomes/proposals for their selected action-learning project.

Building Effective Teams/Action Learning Project Launch.
Participants will learn how to lead a team to achieve its full potential and facilitate a group to reach its goals, gauge team performance with assessment tools, adjust leadership styles according to a teams' stage of development, and how to move teams through difficult periods. Participants will also self-select an action-learning project, meet their executive sponsor and begin working with their team. Chain Reaction will attend and co-facilitate with UCAR HR personnel.

Change Management
Participants will learn to delineate differences between change and transition; gain an understanding of the process of transition; understand the primary emotions, behaviors and action steps of each phase of the transition model; and examine resistance to change; identify key questions a team has in relationship to specific future or current changes; and develop a plan of action for managing change and transitions.

Diversity & Inclusion
Participants will develop increased awareness and skills in leveraging diversity and inclusion for increased organizational and personal success, gain greater awareness and appreciation of the similarities and differences everyone brings to the organization, and explore tools, research findings, and best practices for building and sustaining an effective diverse workplace.

Employee Performance and Development
Participants will learn to provide constructive feedback and communicate difficult messages using the Co-Active Coaching Model to release employee potential, create career and development plans that align individual and organizational goals, and guide others to set goals and establish effective accountability structures.

Electives
Optional classes available through Staff Development targeting management competencies.

Ethics and Leadership
Participants will review UCAR's policy and guidelines on ethical standards and conduct in all of its scientific, technical, educational, and administrative operations. Case studies will be reviewed and discussed.

Foundations of Leadership
Participants will learn foundational leadership skills focused on self-awareness and leading others which are immediately applicable in the workplace. These skills will be demonstrated and practiced as a way of communicating across all levels of the organization. Participants will also learn to work through conflict and will learn a model for conducting career and development discussions with employees to enhance their potential.

Human Ingredient: Creating Organizational Excellence
Participants will learn how to orient themselves to interact with others most effectively. Sessions includes lecture, experiential activities and scientifically valid self-assessments. FIRO theory of interpersonal behavior is highlighted.

Graduation Celebration
Celebration of successful completion of the program with L/A participants, management and guests. Awards and refreshments.

Kick-off Session
Participants will receive a welcome from the President's Council, summary overview of the L/A program, course content, expectations and setting group norms.

Legal Issues in Managing Employees
Participants will review and discuss polices, laws and regulations relating to the management of employees. Wage and Hour Practices; Affirmative Action; Leave Policies; Working Arrangements; Conflict of Interest; Employment Discrimination; Discipline Policy; Problem Resolution Policies; Termination Policy.

Legal and Corporate Responsibilities
Participants will review UCAR Policies and Procedures. Discuss what is expected of managers, liabilities---individual vs. corporate? Employment Law--Individual Responsibility vs. Corporate Responsibility; Torts; Contractual Authority; Export Laws; New Sarbanes-Oxley legislation; Conflicts of Interest; Business Rules.

Level 3 Leadership
Participants will learn how to apply skills learned during the Foundations of Leadership class to working with teams. Participants will work within their action learning teams and the action learning topics will serve as living examples throughout the class. This class teaches the natural cycles and human dynamics of teams and how to surface and address underlying team issues and achieve high performance.

One-on-One Coaching
Confidential one-on-one sessions with a personal coach to identify goals, discuss individual experiences, prepare for opportunities and challenges and integrate classroom learning. Sessions held pre-term, mid-term, and end-term.

Presentation Skills
Participants will learn the basic skills necessary for the development and delivery of effective presentations, develop and present a short 10-minute presentation and receive both class and instructor feedback. Presentations will be videotaped.

Program Review and Wrap-Up (3-hour session)
Pulling it all together! Program review and integration methodologies discussed.

Project Leadership
Participants will learn how to coordinate projects; use project development tools, techniques and methodologies to create realistic project schedules; identify resources, monitor needs, control costs, set realistic schedules, manage risks; balance technical task and people-oriented requirements; recognize effective interpersonal communication, feedback and negotiation techniques; and utilize group problem-solving tools for innovative group thinking.

Project Team Meetings
Monthly team meetings to discuss review and prepare action-learning projects. Team coaches provided to assist with team processes.

Small Team Coaching
A group of four participants along with a Chain Reaction coach informally discuss individual experiences and learning in support of one another. Each participant will plan two field applications from any aspect of L/A then share and reflect in subsequent meetings on what they have learned from the fieldwork. Meetings held approximately one per month.

Strategic Planning
Participants will learn the concepts of strategic planning and models for creating a vision, building a mission, establishing goals, creating measures, and evaluating for results.

UCAR Business Operations
Participants will review and discuss budget and business operations of UCAR/NCAR/UOP in federal funding, treasury operations, legal compliance issues, sponsored agreements and contracts.

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