workplace leadership through professional by...

WORKPLACE LEADERSHIP 1

WORKPLACE LEADERSHIP THROUGH PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: LAMBTON COLLEGE SUPPORT STAFF GROUP

By

HEATHER DIANNE COURTNEY-TORRES

Integrated Studies Project

submitted to Dr. Angela Specht

in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of

Master of Arts – Integrated Studies

Athabasca, Alberta

September, 2010


ABSTRACT

This project focuses on the need for post secondary intuitions, more specifically

Lambton College, to react to global pressures by maintaining a competitive edge by

investing in training and development of the support staff employee group. Support staff

are responsible for front line requests from internal and external stakeholders and in

most cases are the first point of contact. This employee group is a viable resource for the

College in executing institutional objectives by effectively meeting the needs of internal

and external clients. Since the Ontario College System is being influenced by ministry

initiatives which are diversifying the student enrollment, support staff are experiencing

changes to their roles and expectations within Lambton College and across the province

of Ontario. By integrating a theoretical and pedagogical principal to an applied workplace

leadership program, a well-built certificate can meet both the professional development

needs Lambton College’s support staff while acknowledging its organizational mission

and mandate. This workplace leadership certificate focuses on many subject areas in

developing leadership skills such as communication, customer service, critical and

creative thinking, cultural/community sensitivity, coaching and leading teams, Strengths

based leadership, project management, the Ontario college system, entrepreneurial

spirit. The underlying theme of the workplace leadership certificate highlight concepts

from Lambton College’s newly adopted positive psychology assessment called Strengths

Quest. By using positive psychology through workplace leadership training and

development, Lambton College will be able to improve employee confidence, knowledge

and skills in the workplace. In effect, by possessing leadership traits, staff will develop

more self-confidence in themselves and in what they do and therefore will become more

productive while assisting the College meet its goals of improving processes to maintain

a competitive edge.


CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION …………………………………………………………………………. 4

ONTARIO COLLEGE SYSTEM ………………………………………………………… 5

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN WORKPLACE ………………………………. 11

SUPPORT STAFF WORKPLACE TRIANING ………………………………………... 14

SUPPORT STAFF WORKPLACE LEADERSHIP CURRICULUM …………………. 21

FEEDBACK AND MOVING FORWARD ………………………………………………. 28

CONCLUSION ……………………………………………………………………………. 31

REFERENCES …………………………………………………………………………… 33

APPENDIX 1 ……………………………………………………………………………… 37

APPENDIX 2 ……………………………………………………………………………… 41


Workplace Leadership through Professional Development:

Lambton College Support Staff Group

Introduction

Increasing enrollment and diversification of the student population within Ontario

post-secondary educational institutions have created specific challenges for provincial

colleges and their support staff. In order to meet these challenges head on and improve

the quality of education and assistance new and existing demographic of students

receive, colleges would benefit from investing in training and the development of their

support staff, who represent the first line of communication for all internal and external

stakeholders. This project focuses on the need for post secondary intuitions, specifically

Lambton College, to maintain a competitive edge by investing in training and

development of its support staff employee group. This employee group is a viable

resource for Lambton College in executing institutional objectives when responding to

the needs of internal and external clients. Given the important role of support staff within

the College, they need to be provided with relevant professional development, such as

workplace leadership, in order to develop their skill set and improve their ability to serve

College stakeholders.

Workplace leadership is viewed as influencing without authority. This leadership

style goes beyond formal positions and can be seen in traits such as drive, honesty and

moral character, intelligence, relevant knowledge, self-confidence as well as the desire

to influence others (DeCenzo, 1997, 363). By possessing leadership traits through

training, staff are believed to develop more self-confidence in their work and as a result

become more productive.

A well developed workplace leadership certificate can help meet both the

professional developmental needs of support staff while fulfilling Lambton’s strategic

plan. By using positive psychology through a newly adopted assessment called


Strengths Quest, Lambton College should consider workplace leadership training as a

means to improve employee confidence, knowledge and skills in the workplace. In effect,

this will help the College meet its goals of improving processes to ensure student

success while maintaining a competitive edge.

Ontario College System – Lambton College

The Ontario College System, which include faculty and support staff, are

supported by the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU). The purpose of this

project is to focus on the role of support staff within the college system, specifically

Lambton College. With approximately, 275 full-time employees at Lambton, the Support

Staff group consists of 123 full-time employees, which represent 45% of the total

employee group (Lambton College, 2009, Organizational Chart). This group, through

many departments, including Registrar’s Office, Financial Aid, Student Success

Services, Information Technology, Marketing & Recruitment, International Services,

Library Resource Centre, Dean’s assistants, and laboratory technologists, are usually

the first point of contact for students, staff, faculty and others who wish to access the

college’s services. In effect, this makes the support staff group a viable resource for the

College in executing institutional effectiveness.

Lambton College’s support staff are experiencing transformations to their roles

due to many influencers seen through changes in policies and practices to meet the

needs of stakeholders (students, staff, community members, and political leaders).

Maehal (2000) states, colleges “must choose to make extensive changes in their

accustomed policies and practices to embrace serving adult learners as a central part of

their missions; otherwise, they risk being replaced by other servers ready to adapt to the

new conditions” (p.5). Lambton is experiencing changes with the introduction of new

technologies such as online learning; diverse student population due to online learners,

an increase in mature student enrollment and international student interest; global


competition of other learning institutions; and, the increased need for educational

training within the workplace. There is approximately 1,000 full-time support staff across

the Ontario College system (OPSEU, 2004, p.1). From 1987-2002, support staff hires

across Ontario increased by 1%, while student enrollment increased 43% (OPSEU,

2004, p.9). Considering support staff are the first point of contact, these employees have

a crucial impact on the portrayal of the College’s image. As colleges grow and respond

to external and internal pressures, support staff are directly impacted. The changes in

the workforce stem, in part, from the effects of global competition across the world.

Employers and employees’ expectations and images of the workforce are changing due

to heightened competition. Globalization effects people, cultures and economies all over

the world, as our communities are becoming more and more interconnected (Hytten,

2009, p.397). This interconnection increases the demands on institutions to offer

diversified services to meet the needs of people from all over the world. Professor Hytten

defined globalization as a pattern of “what happens when the movement of people,

goods, or ideas among countries and regions accelerates” (2009, p.397). Global

pressures can have many impacts on organizations, which can encourage employers

and employees to embrace different viewpoints and ideas. This will allow for

organizations to enhance employee knowledge, cultivate and understand tolerance and

develop enriching social arrangements (Hytten, 2009, p.398). Being open to change

and what change brings is important for organizations dealing with heightened

competition.

As global competition increases, the entire post-secondary educational system in

Ontario, students, community members and government officials, expect support staff to

be more flexible when carrying out services to ensure student success. In 2008, the

Ontario Public Service Employee Union support staff collective agreement was being

renewed in response to global pressures and the changing educational system. The first


main theme that management anticipated incorporating into the workplace, which

directly affects support staff, was to improve processes so employees are able to

respond and resolve unique issues and circumstances within their own environment.

Secondly, management needs to encourage term specific employees by focusing on

professional development and movement between different jobs within the college

system (OPSEU, 2008, Bargaining Bulletin). Process improvements and professional

development encourage flexibility within the workplace. Instead of doing ordinary tasks,

support staff are being pressured to use critical and creative thinking while being more

productive. These demands can result in great opportunities of growth for support staff,

as long as they are given the proper resources to carry out their tasks.

In addition to management demands, a report written by Ontario Public Service

Employee Union, A Strategy for Quality Education (2004), summarizes the post-

secondary educational system in Ontario is under great stress (p.1). This report

highlights areas that are in need of attention in order for college’s to provide quality

educational experiences, accessible services and instructive options for all students.

While the economy and society are demanding a more educated workforce colleges

must be able to identify these trends by responding to these demands as well as from

the demands of students seeking higher education (OPSEU, 2004, p.1). As the need for

higher and quality education has grown, funding for post-secondary institutions has

decreased. The trend throughout Canada, in particular Ontario is that, “provincial

spending has declined and responsibility for funding education has been offloaded onto

students and their families” (OPSEU, 2004, p.2). Since funding has decreased, students

are responsible for funding their own education and the expectation of quality education

becomes more important. In addition, society’s expectations are increasing. In 2004,

Human Resources Development Canada forecasted that “more than 70% of new jobs

would require some form of postsecondary education” (OPSEU, 2004, p.2). The growing


need for higher education raises the issue of accessibility for all students, which

increases pressure on college's to respond. The need for more accessible education is

evident through various government initiatives. Shults believes these changes are

because “community colleges are bound by service to constituencies at the local, state,

societal, and global levels and serve diverse and often underprepared student

populations” (2008, p.1). There is an expectation to provide services and education to an

array of needs, including those with disabilities, from low income families, as well as

immigrant, international and aboriginal students. At the same time, there is a tremendous

inequality of access to higher education for these groups in Ontario (OPSEU, 2004, p.3).

This inequality mainly stems from these groups not having the resources to fund and

support their educational needs. Colleges are recognizing this need and are creating

better services and pathways to provide the proper resources so everyone has a better

chance of becoming educated. For example, with the help of the provincial government,

colleges and universities receive funding on a yearly basis for a program called the

Ontario First Generation Bursary. First generation students are defined as those whose

parents have not participated in post-secondary studies (Ministry of Training, Colleges

and Universities, 2010). Funding for these students is intended to encourage them to

increase their level of education and succeed economically, socially and culturally.

Encouraging these students to succeed educationally will in effect result in a more

educated diverse population. Accommodating the needs of a diverse student population

demands more flexibility and tolerance from support staff because students may not be

used to the educational system and need more assistance with accessing the College’s

services therefore reaching out to support staff to help solve issues or answer questions.

In addition, Lambton College has been influenced by other government funded

programs such as Second Career and the School to College to Work Initiative (SCWI),

while simultaneously receiving less funding due to the economic downturn. Second


Career is a provincial program for Ontarians who have been laid off and provides these

people with skills training and financial support to help them find employment in a new

more employable sector (Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, July 2010). In

effect, Lambton College introduced a number of new, more flexible programs and

opportunities to meet the needs of this diverse group of mature students (Annual Report,

2008-2009, p.4). The School to College to Work Initiative is another provincial program

that has increased the diversity in Lambton’s enrollment. This initiative offers high school

students, usually those at risk of not graduating high school, an opportunity to

experience college as an option for the future (Annual Report, 2008-2009, p.5). Through

this program, Lambton College is leading the way across the province by providing

countless opportunities for high school students (Annual Report, 2008-2009, p.5).

Oblinger (2010), states “students of all ages today demand greater engagement and

flexibility in terms of resources, support services and course offerings” (p.4). The First

Generation Bursary, Second Career and School to College to Work Initiative government

initiatives are ways to encourage diverse populations to participate in post-secondary

education and in effect will increase the productivity of the overall workforce. Since

increased enrollment is partly due to these programs, more support staff jobs will be

created or changed in order to focus on ensuring student success. The government

funded programs could affect changes in staffing and processes of student services to

educate and assist students with the College system. Support staff will be expected to

learn how to accommodate multiple requests from various groups of students to help

give these students a positive post-secondary experience.

Lambton College is also actively increasing its enrollment with an international

student base. According to Lambton College’s 2008-2009 Annual Report, the institution

experienced a record number of international students and is continually growing each

year (2008/2009, p.8). From 2008-2009, international education brought in


approximately $2.5 million, out of the $12.7 million the College receives in tuition fees

(Annual Report, 2008/2009, p.8). In effect, Lambton’s program and course deliveries

have been improved to meet the needs of its diverse student population nationally and

internationally, which has directly influenced the roles of support staff. Having such

diverse groups of students on campus requires more specialized student services

because each student requires different accommodations depending on their personal

and academic situation. Trying to meet the needs of all students will directly influence

the job expectations of support staff because they will need to be educated on cultural

differences. Support staff will need to gain a cultural sensitivity to the personality

differences of international students to effectively communicate with these students to

make them feel more comfortable in the college setting. Due to all these changes to

student enrolment, employees need to consider opportunities to become more engaged

in creating a desirable workplace for themselves while meeting the college’s operational

goals.

As an employer, Lambton College must understand the influence of globalization

and embrace global pressures that are demonstrated through government initiatives and

the College’s own competitive needs. Lambton College strives to provide an innovative

learning environment for the college community through the objectives set out in its

strategic plan. The Strategic Plan is broken down into sections highlighting the College’s

mission, values and strategic priorities. The strategic priorities of Lambton College

highlights academic excellence, student success, technological and service excellence,

community success and accountability for administration, faculty and staff to deliver

(Lambton College, 2008, Strategic Plan). As Lambton College faces the challenges of

competing in a global environment, administration is pursuing opportunities to enhance

strategies to adapt to the needs of its internal and external stakeholders. While specific

provincial government initiatives provide funding for Lambton, other funding for the


College remains to decline. The College’s Business Plan and Budget Report from

spending in 2009 states, “responding to the continuing economic challenges facing the

province of Ontario, the budget focused primarily on the spending restraint to deal with

record Provincial deficits” (p.5, 2010-2011). The operations of Ontario Colleges,

specifically Lambton College, are influenced by expectations from many of its external

and internal constituents. As a publically funded institution, Lambton College has a

sense of obligation to meeting the educational and training needs of customers,

maintaining a partnership with the local community, while following policies and

procedures of government standards.

Professional Development in the Workplace

The strength of an organization in the twenty-first century stems from its ability to

position its performance in a global setting. The increase of a global economy impacts

the work environment of all organizations, more specifically, employee behavior, human

relations and organizational performance (Lussier, 2002, p.24). Employers are investing

in employee training because people are seen as a valuable resource as a means to

grow and maximize profitability. When using people as a resource, companies must use

them wisely because the most productive individuals are those who remain challenged

and engaged (Green, 1990, p.9). The size of the support staff group demonstrates the

need for Lambton to invest in training and development in order to promote flexibility and

adaptability of the changes they are experiencing in their jobs. While encouraging

support staff to embrace change, the College must provide the resources to support

them. Increased numbers of employees need access to learning and training

opportunities in order to do their jobs, and to adapt to changes in their work (Stahmer,

1995, p. 41). To accommodate the continuous changes to the College’s daily operations,

support staff must be provided with the appropriate resources to do their job and ensure

quality.


Providing training and development for support staff actively demonstrates a

caring nature for this employee group and in effect, they may be motivated to participate

in professional development to meet the objectives of the College’s strategic plan. Many

companies use professional development as workplace training and skill development to

train a more productive and innovative employee (Canadian Council on Learning, 2007,

p.4). Companies who desire to produce a highly effective and efficient workplace must

meet the training needs of their employees, while at the same time meeting the needs of

external stakeholders through training that is relevant and applicable to demands of

external stakeholders. Engaging employees is an important factor with professional

development in order to meet the unique needs of individuals. When introducing training

and development, staff need to believe the training will be beneficial to them personally

and professionally. Ollerhead believes, “People who feel that the organization they’re

working for cares enough about them to focus on their training and development, are

likely to feel much more motivated” (2009, p.31). In addition, employers must create a

culture where the individual employee makes conscious choices and plays a pro-active

role in finding the right career development opportunities (Frans van de Cen, 2007,

p.45). If employees believe a certain type of professional development training is

applicable to their workplace, the more engaged and motivated they will become. In

effect, to understand an employee’s training needs is to understand what keeps them

engaged and motivated. Jacobson and Kaye (1988) state “organizations that train

employees to draw on alterative resources will discover a higher performing, more

participatory workforce, where each employee is actively engaged in achieving the goals

of the organization” (p.43). In order to encourage employees to draw on their alternative

resources, they must encompass the skill, knowledge and confidence to do so and this

can be done through leadership training.

By adapting to the training needs of employees, Lambton College will produce a


highly effective and efficient workplace. An increasing number of adults need access to

learning opportunities and continuous training in order to do their jobs, and to be ready

to adapt to changes in their work (Stahmer, 1995, p. 41). Lambton College has identified

this need for professional development, which is stated in the Academic and Student

Success Plan (2010):

For an organization to grow and prosper, its employees must grow. Therefore,

there must be some process through which there is an opportunity for career

development for all employees in the many roles that are in the organization.

Career development must also include improved job performance and job

satisfaction for all those who are satisfied in the role they play within the

organization.

Acknowledging the need for career development for support staff is the first step to

discovering the type of development that is needed. When developing a new training

program for Lambton College, it must be in line with Lambton’s strategic plan and also

with the Learning Innovation Centre’s (LInC) operational plan for support staff. The

Learning Innovation Centre is Lambton College’s office of professional development,

which facilitates training and development offerings. The Learning Innovation Centre’s

operational plan indicates the need to develop support staff, specifically through a

leadership certificate to be offered in 2011 (Church, 2010). Professional development is

a training tool Lambton is using to enhance the skills of support staff employees.

Lambton has also invested in a strategy to motivate and engage staff through the

use of a positive psychology technique called Strengths Quest. This technique

encourages staff to reflect on and improve their strengths, rather than focusing on their

weaknesses. By offering more positive encouragement, staff can be more productive

and happy in the workplace because they can recognize their own successes as well as

have a better understanding of their colleague’s strengths. Strengths Quest is a lifelong


adventure that is composed of three aspects: discovery, development and application of

an individual’s talents in his/her academic life, relationships and career (Clifton,

Anderson, Schreiner, 2006, p.11). This assessment reveals an individual’s top five

strengths/talents out of a list of 34 possible themes. Once an individual’s strengths are

identified, each individual is given the opportunity to allow the discovery, development

and application by generating optimism, providing a sense of direction, generating

confidence and also as sense of vitality (Clifton, Anderson, Schreiner, 2006, p.15).

Strengths Quest is a newer concept to Lambton that was introduced in January 2010

and is becoming more popular and accepted by staff. Out of one 123 support staff, 55

have completed the Strengths Quest assessment and that number continues to increase

(LInC, 2010). This increase demonstrates that support staff are interested in developing

themselves in the workplace which in effect presents an opportunity for administration to

actively develop and invest in more training for this employee group. Workplace

leadership training will complement employee strengths through developing their

potential to use newfound abilities in compelling and meaningful ways (Shults, 2008,

p.11). Through this training, Lambton College’s support staff have an opportunity to

become more engaged within the workplace, while playing an active role within the

organization’s growth and its ability to maintain a competitive edge.

Support Staff Workplace Leadership Training

Workplace leadership training is a way for an organization to improve company

performance through its staff. Through leadership training, an organization can

accomplish its goals and objectives by properly training staff to be knowledgeable about

their job and their organization's expectations. Essentially, a company’s growth is directly

related to individual people, at all levels, making better decisions (Setzer, 2008, p.31).

Workplace leadership training is essential for all staff in order for them to be more

knowledgeable and confident when making decisions in the workplace. Individuals


without official managerial duties can possess leadership roles within post-secondary

institutions (Shults, 2008, p.11). All employees encompass leadership roles within the

workplace through making decisions and providing service to stakeholders. Basically,

leadership is needed at every level of an organization and is called “non-positional”

team-based leadership (McGill, 1998, p.40). For support staff to provide superior service

and demonstrate effective decision-making skills, they must be provided with the tools

and resources to learn and apply customer service, interpersonal and decision-making

skills., Setzer (2008), believes “leadership training can make employees realize they can

be more effective on the job because they can better relate to people and become more

powerful” (p.32). Workplace leadership training encourages continuous personal and

professional improvement for support staff’s well-being.

Workplace leadership training is most beneficial when all levels of employees are

encouraged to participate. Green (1990) argues that post-secondary institutions should

invest in leadership training:

The benefits of leadership development accrue to the institution, since a college

or university is only as good as its faculty and staff. The ability to attract, retain

and develop good people is central to institutional effectiveness; individual and

institutional developments are inextricably tied together (p.8).

With proper workplace leadership training, all employees will have the ability to grow and

prosper within their current and future roles within the College, which can positively

impact increased job performance and job satisfaction. Workplace leadership training

encourages continuous personal and professional improvement for the well-being of

support staff. This type of training will be a benefit to support staff because it can create

a common language and experience that will hopefully influence other support staff to

participate in the leadership training or at least learn and be mentored from those who

have already completed the training. Developing and offering a program for support staff


can provide a common language, a shared experience and help to establish or clarify

common goals (Green, 1990, p.10). Providing workplace leadership training to support

staff should enhance the College’s daily operations and may influence positive

institutional change. Green (1990) also believes “as people change and grow, they bring

new perspectives and insights to their work; leadership development can serve as a

catalyst for institutional change and renewal by introducing new ideas and new ways of

doing things” (p.9). Workplace leadership training can help the College, more specifically

support staff, to fulfill its commitment to Lambton College’s Strategic Plan by meeting the

components laid out in the priorities section:

Technological and Service Excellence: providing superior facilities and services

that exceed student expectations and decision-making made on the frontline; and

Accountability: affecting explicit service standards enhanced through continuous

improvement and accountability; innovation and entrepreneurship encouraged

and supported throughout the organization; and a shared responsibility for

employee wellness and professional development (2010).

Training must be in line with the employee’s needs as well as the College’s needs. The

Canadian Council on Learning (2007) state “training is most effective when it is linked to

a firm’s business strategy and integrated with its plans and priorities in order to address

challenges and opportunities” (p.7). The workplace leadership training for support staff is

a positive investment for the College because it supports the goals of the Strategic Plan

and will enhance the interest of support staff to participate.

The purpose of the Support Staff Workplace Leadership Certificate is to enhance

the development of support staff to become more confident in themselves and their role

within the workplace while helping Lambton meets it priorities in the strategic plan. Refer

to Appendix 1 for a draft preliminary proposal of the program. This program proposal

explains how leadership training aligns with the College’s Strategic Plan, compares the


existing leadership programs available at other institutions, explains the delivery and

timeline for the program, and discusses how leadership training can benefit support staff

as well as Lambton College. If approved by senior administration, the president and vice-

presidents, the program proposal will be sent to the program review committee for final

approval in October of 2010. Once the program proposal has been accepted by all the

required parties, the training is scheduled to begin in February 2011. Every year the

Learning Innovation Centre organizes a Professional Development Day for support staff

and there are plans for one of the training modules to be delivered so that staff who

participate have at least one of the training courses completed, which may generate

interest to continue with the program. Due to limited resources, the training will be

offered to a group of approximately twelve volunteer support staff, selected on a lottery

basis, upon the approval from their direct supervisor. There is anticipation that more than

twelve support staff will be interested in the training, but the final selection process is still

undecided.

The Workplace Leadership Certificate is anticipated to be delivered as an Award of

Completion. Support staff who complete all the required modules will receive this Award,

which will be recognized by Lambton College. There has been discussion that the

Human Resource Department at the College will recognize the award of completion and

list it as an asset within internal job postings. Having the College recognize the Award of

Completion will communicate to support staff that leadership training is a valuable asset

within the workplace. Leadership training must be an institutional commitment, practiced

at all levels and encouraged throughout the entire institution (Green, 1990, p.12). Green

(1990) confirms “once the commitment is established, leadership development needs to

be institutionalized…it must be compatible with the traditions and culture of the

institution” (p.12). If support staff feel that the workplace leadership training is accepted

and recognized institutionally there should be a more engaged commitment.


The delivery of the training will be offered over the course of nine months so staff

appreciate that the learning is an investment and a meaningful tool, which can be

applied to their workplace and enhance growth. Over the course of the nine month

training each module will be delivered from two to four times a month, two hours per day.

According to the Ontario Public Service Employee Union Support Staff Collective

Agreement section 9.5 support staff are given three professional development days

(2008, p. 36). Staff will be given the option to use these days for the training and in

addition, Lambton College will give them the remaining hours. If staff choose not to use

their professional development days they will need to make up the time missed from

work. As much as the College creates and encourages opportunities for leadership

development, support staff must want to seize these opportunities (Green, 1990, p.8).

With the shared time format, staff will more likely be committed to the training and in

effect, become more engaged in the workplace because both the College and staff are

investing their time.

As part of the preliminary program proposal there must be a comparative

analysis of what programs already exists at other post-secondary learning institutions.

Even though it seems obvious that the proposed workplace leadership training will be

beneficial for the College and support staff, knowing what other Ontario colleges and

universities offer is important to explore. Lambton College offers a Leadership Skills

Certificate offered through The Ontario Management Development Program (OMDP).

Many Ontario colleges and universities offer some form of support staff professional

development. Mohawk College offers a Workplace Leadership Certificate Program

specifically for its support staff as an opportunity to reflect on and implement strategies

for personal and career development (Mohawk College, 2010, Workplace Leadership

Certificate). Algonquin College offers a Leadership Development Certificate Program to

their internal workforce that includes managers, supervisors, team leaders, and those


wanting to develop leadership competencies (Algonquin College, 2010, Leadership

Development Certificate). This certificate is offered to leaders of external organizations

or anyone who intends to become a manager and who is interested in upper leadership

training. McMaster University has developed various MVP Professional Development

Workshops that can be applied towards a certificate or diploma. This opportunity is

available to the general public and McMaster employees, including supervisors,

managers, professional and administrative staff from various industries (McMaster

University, 2010, MVP Workshops). The University of Western Ontario offers a

professional certificate Effective Leadership Program. This certificate is for new leaders,

as well as those with experience, to begin their leadership development (UWO, 2010,

The Effective Leadership Program). These training opportunities offer a diverse

assortment of courses and training techniques, but the majority of them do not focus

specifically on a certain college or university employee group.

The leadership training offered at Lambton College, McMaster University and UWO

are meant for professionals in the workplace, typically, those who are managers or

managers in training. These programs are designed for anyone interested in becoming a

manager or to enhance their positional leadership skills. The variety of courses offered

are quite theoretical and credit weighted, which requires the completion of assignments

and tests. Typically, the people taking these courses are targeted leaders and are

expecting to advance in the workplace. The topics of the courses in these programs are

interesting to consider as topics for Lambton’s Workplace Leadership Certificate,

however, they need to be more applicable to the type of workplace support staff

experience.

The leadership training options at Mohawk and Algonquin College are similar to the

type of training Lambton College would like to offer support staff; Mohawk’s program is

specially targeted to support staff so the type of courses and the learning outcomes are


similar concepts of what Lambton is interested in offering. However, the length of

Mohawk’s program is too long and even though the courses are relevant topics, they are

not specific enough to Lambton’s workplace. The delivery of Algonquin’s program is

more ideal for the training method of Lambton’s program. The delivery modules of the

subject areas are more practical for support staff. Both Algonquin’s and Mohawk’s

programs can be easily applied to the workplace because they were developed for

actual staff at each of the colleges.

Workplace leadership training is a positive approach to pursue in order to keep

support staff engaged and efficient in the workplace. The overall goal of the Certificate is

to provide Lambton College support staff with the opportunity to participate in training

that will benefit themselves personally and professionally. Participants will have the

opportunity to positively influence their colleagues through the skills they have

developed. Green (1990) believes that “professional development can contribute to

one’s competence on the job. Essential to effectiveness in every organization are

employees who know their jobs, are abreast of the latest information they need to do

their jobs, and know how to get access to resources they need” (p.9). The desired

outcome of the Support Staff Workplace Leadership Certificate is to enhance the

development of support staff by using their professional and personal resources to

become more confident in themselves and their role within the workplace. This

leadership training will help develop more knowledgeable and better connected staff. In

effect, some staff may feel encouraged to grow within the organization, and this training

certificate provides an important component for succession planning. However, the

purpose of the workplace leadership training for Lambton’s support staff is not

necessarily to prepare and encourage all staff to want to advance into management

roles. There will be no guarantee for advancement upon completion of the training,

however, this training will help the College target leaders as a way to inspire these future


leaders for succession planning advancement to management in the College or

elsewhere. McGill and Slocum believe organizations need to know who its leaders are

and how to develop their leadership abilities to effectively deal with leadership situations

and succession planning (1998, p.45). To target leaders in the workplace begins with

general leadership training so employees can learn about themselves and where they fit

into the organization (Setzer, 2008, p.30). Preparing support staff for the future and

encouraging them to reflect on their role within the College is an important tactic to stay

competitive.

Support Staff Workplace Leadership Curriculum

The development of the courses within the Workplace Leadership Certificate is

important to align with the needs and expectations of both the College and its support

staff. Jacobson and Kaye (1988) believe “professional development training requires

adjustments in attitude, perspective, thinking and orientation of trainers and employees.

These adjustments are not just in how they perform their jobs each day, but also in how

they perceive their jobs and their roles in the organization (p.43). Support staff must be

interested in the type of training they will receive in order for them to commit to it. Refer

Appendix 2 for the Workplace Leadership Training Learning Outcomes. Once the

learning outcomes are approved by Lambton’s senior management, a meeting will be

scheduled with Lambton’s Support Staff Professional Development Committee to ensure

staff will be receptive to the training. The learning outcome modules focus on

communication, customer relationship management, critical and creative thinking,

cultural and community sensitivity, coaching and leading teams, strengths based

leadership, project management, the Ontario College system, and entrepreneurial spirit

(Work Place Learning Outcomes, 2010). This workplace leadership training is a way for

Lambton to create a positive environment and give support staff the opportunity to excel,

which is important when introducing professional development training (DeCenzo,1997,


p.326). The topics of the learning outcomes directly relate to the role of a support staff

member as it pertains to the College’s Strategic Plan.

Communication is an important skill, not only in the workplace, but in everyday life.

The learning outcome is to develop staff to “communicate effectively in leadership roles

as a team leader or team member by identifying ways to improve interpersonal

relationships, such as active listening skills and giving and receiving feedback” (Work

Place Learning Outcomes, 2010). Gaining excellent communication skills will assist staff

to meet all areas of Lambton’s Strategic Priorities, as well as meeting the statement in

the Values section, “in all our interactions, we commit to open and effective

communication” (Lambton College, 2008 Strategic Plan). This training will prepare staff

to communicate more effectively on a day to day basis and during difficult tasks.

Presentation Coach, Linowes (1999) believes “the ability to communicate well is a

valued skill…and employers need to help employees see how enhanced well-being and

an ability to communicate effectively can rebound to their benefit on the job (p.24).

Communication skills are imperative for employees to be successful within the workplace

by responding to requests from internal and external stakeholders.

Customer service is a very important component for Lambton to be competitive with

other post-secondary learning institutions. The learning outcome will train support staff to

“apply essential competencies in customer service to meet the needs of a

customer/colleague in a friendly, courteous and convenient environment; and to utilize

the College’s computer student systems such as WedAdvisor, Datatel, and Lambton

Instructional Online Network (LION) to support student success” (Work Place Learning

Outcomes, 2010). Support staff need to represent all aspects of customer service and

understand Lambton’s student computer systems in order to effectively respond to

student and staff requests. Lambton College must ensure that support staff understand

what complete customer focus means at a practical level (Ollerhead, 2009, p.31). Staff


must identify Lambton’s customers, their needs and most importantly, how to meet these

needs (Ollerhead, 2009, p.29). The training support staff receives will assist them in

identifying Lambton’s customers and be able to utilize resources to provide superior

customer service. The majority of Lambton’s, strategic priorities highlight aspects of

providing customer service, more specifically technological & service excellence, which

states Lambton will provide “superior facilities and services that exceed student

expectations” (Lambton College, 2008, Strategic Plan). Realistically, in order for

Lambton to meet all components of its strategic plan, customer service is a key factor for

success.

Critical and creative thinking enhances customer service because in order to provide

customer service, support staff must be able to make decisions in an effective and

efficient manner, while keeping the customers and Lambton’s needs in mind. The

learning module will train staff to “define and explain creative and critical thinking in

relation to the role of the leader in decision-making; and debate an issue or problem

using creative and critical thinking skills” (Work Place Learning Outcomes, 2010). This

module is anticipated to provide support staff with the confidence to make critical and

creative decisions on their own or with colleagues by debating an issue or a problem that

affects their workplace. Critical and creative thinking are essential skills for support staff

because in the Strategic Plan under technological and service excellence it highlights

“decision-making to be promoted on the front line” (Lambton College, 2008, Strategic

Plan). Since support staff are the front line staff, this direction speaks directly to them.

Critical and creative thinking is a conceptual skill that is important in workplace

leadership training because it allows staff to look at the ‘big picture’ by giving them the

ability to think in the abstract, analyzing lots of information and making connections

(DeCenzo, 1997, p.369). This type of skill is important for staff to think of new and

innovative solutions that they may have never considered before.


Cultural and community sensitivity is important for Lambton’s support staff because

as the student population diversifies staff need to be more open-minded. This learning

outcome will train support staff to “develop leadership capabilities and cultural sensitivity

as a citizen of the local community and across Ontario, Canada, and internationally by

volunteering and getting involved in a worthy cause; and to demonstrate sensitivity to the

diversity of cultures and designated groups at Lambton” (Work Place Learning

Outcomes, 2010). This type of training is important to Lambton College stating “in all our

interactions, we commit to fair and equitable treatment of all, respect for individual

perspectives and diversity and an environment that empowers people to be innovative

and caring” (2008, Strategic Plan). All post-secondary learning institutions, specifically

Lambton College, are experiencing a change in demographics of its learners. Miehal

(2000) believes “these learners possess a full range of learning needs, circumstances

and preferences. There must be greater flexibility and recognition of adult characteristics

in order to serve them; some of these characteristics are family, culture, part-time

studies, changing workforce and the aging population” (p.7). Developing an

understanding of the diverse population that support staff work with on a daily basis will

build a sensitivity and respect for diversity.

Coaching and leading teams is a way for support staff to work well with colleagues to

assist in their department’s operational success. The learning module will have support

staff “compare and contrast leadership and management skills; examine fundamental

changes that have occurred in organizations which have led to the evolution of a team

based approach; and identify characteristics of group dynamics by performing coaching

and mentoring skills to develop and improve individual and team effectiveness” (Work

Place Learning Outcomes, 2010). Gaining an understanding of group dynamics allows

staff to work well together to provide superior service. Stated under technological and

service excellence of Lambton’s strategic direction, “We enhance our programs and


services through caring, competent employees and the innovative use of technologies”

(Lambton College, 2008, Strategic Plan). Providing support staff with coaching and

leading skills will encourage team cohesiveness and improved support systems. Peers

can be a valuable resource acting as teachers and mentors providing information on

issues and by providing feedback in less threatening ways (Green, 1990, p.11).

Lambton’s support staff is diverse, so understanding the dynamics of one’s colleague

can help staff appreciate these differences and work effectively in teams and mentorship

roles.

Strengths based leadership stems from the Strengths Quest assessment that all staff

participating in the training will have completed. The learning outcome will have staff

“apply Strengths based leadership to develop, encourage and enhance engagement

levels; and discuss attributes of the four principle Strength Leadership Themes” (Work

Place Learning Outcomes, 2010). Strengths based leadership will be incorporated into

every learning module of the workplace leadership training, however, there will be time

dedicated solely to Strengths learning. This type of training is part of the professional

development plan, found in the strategic direction accountability stating Lambton has a

“shared responsibility for employee wellness and professional development” (Lambton

College, 2008, Strategic Plan). Strengths training is a valuable tool for staff to become

more self aware and comfortable with changes in the workplace. Setzer (2008) believes

“a way to measure and improve social competence involves measuring an employee’s

emotional intelligence, demonstrated through self-awareness, social awareness, self-

management and social skills” (p.31). This is the purpose of Strengths training because

it creates emotional intelligence in participants so they are able to become more aware

of their talents and potential strengths (Clifton, Anderson, Schreiner, 2006, p.5). As

support staff become more cognizant of their own strengths, as well as their colleagues

strengths, they will be more flexible to adapt to their changing work environment.


Project management is a unique component to workplace leadership training. The

training will encourage staff to “create and sustain a professional portfolio that develops

strategies for personal and professional development to enhance work performance and

maximize career opportunities; and using one’s own strengths, lead a departmental or

college project utilizing project management processes and tools in order to effectively

maximize resources” (Work Place Learning Outcomes, 2010). This part of the training

allows support staff to create their own portfolio and to utilize their skills by applying what

they have learned to a real work situation. The portfolio will be a professional

development tool to be reviewed with a manager during their yearly performance review.

This way, staff will be able to communicate to their manager what they have learned and

how they will use their new skills to positively impact their department and the College as

a whole. To develop workplace leadership in staff, they must take ownership of their

opportunities and abilities as well as take responsibility for their own learning and

continued growth (Green, 1009, p.8). The workplace leadership training allows staff to

develop their own portfolio to give them a valuable tool when looking to grow within their

role or within in the College.

Knowing and understanding the Ontario College System is another unique

component to the workplace leadership training. The training will have support staff

“explain the College’s strategic planning process within context of the Ontario College

System and local community; and discuss operational planning and how it supports

strategic planning and impacts departmental priorities and outcomes” (Work Place

Learning Outcomes, 2010). This outcome will give staff an opportunity to analyze the

College’s Strategic Plan as well as gain an appreciation for the operational plans of their

department. Keeping staff involved in and aware of the future planning of the College will

create more of a connection and commitment with all employees. When discussing

professional development, Green (1990) firmly believes “the benefits to individuals


cannot be isolated from the outcomes of the institutional context in which these

individuals work; with more skill and knowledge employees will be even more productive”

(p.9). When professional development and institutional goals are integrated, both the

institution and the employee prevail.

The entrepreneurial spirit module is a way for support staff to personally invest

themselves in the future of Lambton College. The learning outcome encourages support

staff to “identify the significance of entrepreneurship and innovation in the operations

and growth of community college programs and services” (Work Place Learning

Outcomes, 2010). As Lambton’s community diversifies, staff need to become more

committed and supported by the College. Under the strategic direction of accountability,

it states Lambton promotes “innovation and entrepreneurship is encouraged and

supported throughout the organization” (Lambton College, 2008, Strategic Plan).

Encompassing an entrepreneurial spirit allows staff to prepare for the future usually by

taking on new challenges. This progression is a way for staff to broaden their horizons

by giving them new experiences and provides exposure to new and unique

organizational activities (DeCenzo, 1997, p.448). Gaining a well-rounded understanding

of the College’s operations will give support staff the tools to visualize their future and

the College’s future.

The facilitation of the workplace leadership training is just as important as the

content. To make learning more applicable, Lambton has planned to encourage its own

staff to facilitate the modules. Some of Lambton’s internal key subject matter experts will

be asked to play a role in the delivery of the training content. This allows staff to learn

from experts within the College and directly relate what they are learning to the

workplace. Having Lambton’s own staff participate in the facilitation also promotes an

entrepreneurial spirit College-wide. This type of format complements William Maehal’s

four pillars of learning; learning to live together, learning to know, learning to do, and


learning to be (2000, p.4). All participating and facilitating staff will grow an appreciation

of each other and an understanding of the College’s operations, and in a sense, learning

to live together. Learning to know encourages staff to hear from experts in the field and

learn skills that make people successful. Learning to do is a skill in itself because it

requires staff to take what they know and actually apply it to the workplace. Having

Lambton staff facilitate the teaching, allows the facilitators the opportunity to mentor staff

to apply applicable skills in order to do their job better. Learning to be is the end result of

the training where staff are able to know, do and then live what they have learned. The

facilitators of the training have been successful within the College, so their guidance will

help trace a path for staff to be a role model to peers and a pillar of the organizations

success. The success of post-secondary learning institutions does not lie in their ability

to seek and fix problems such as enrollment, revenue and budget problems, but their

ability to develop its human capital in an attempt to realize the organizations full

operating potential (Shults, 2007, p.3). Investing in staff through workplace leadership as

professional development is a positive step forward like the right avenue for Lambton

College in order to maintain a competitive edge and sustain operations into the future.

Lambton College Administration Feedback and Moving Forward

As part of the approval process in order for the workplace leadership certificate to

move forward, many senior directors must review the contents. The Director of the

Learning Innovation Centre, Donna Church, has been providing mentorship during the

development of the program. Church has provided her feedback regarding her support

for the workplace leadership training for support staff (personal communication, August

25, 2010):

“Heather Courtney-Torres approached me months ago with a number of

concepts that she was considering for her finale project involving her Master’s

program. We discussed the composition of the three work groups at Lambton


College and the development needs of many. Concurrent with Heather’s

academic work is the ongoing initiative Lambton has undertaken regarding

strength assessment for all employees.

Strength Quest, based on positive psychology and championed by

Donald Clifton, PH.D was brought into the college community at the front line and

as a result has been embraced by our support staff group, who has entered into

discussing among themselves and with their managers regarding their talents

and the composition of their department. This type of dialog is positively

impacting our work culture.

It is from a place of strength we have asked how we can better support

our staff in developing their leadership skills. I suggested to Heather that a

comprehensive approach to the development of a program for Support Staff

which focused on Leadership in an identified need and something that she may

wish to consider. Heather’s recent immersion into strengths provided an

opportunity to look at this potential program through an entirely new lens.

Our initial discussion focused on Lambton College’s Strategic Plan and

the alignment of such a program with our College Priorities. More specifically

Technological and Service Excellence and Accountability with the identified

outcomes being: decision making promoted on the front line, explicit service

standards and shared responsibility for employee wellness and professional

development.

The preliminary proposal work provided Heather with an opportunity to

research and assesses best practices across the Ontario college system. This

comparator work created dialog with internal and external stakeholders which

generated a framework for intended learning outcomes, type of credential and

workshop content. Heather’s work was presented to me for critical input and


discussed with the Director of Human Resources. The preliminary proposal

focusing on Leadership skills is positioned with strengths. Heather remains

cognisant of the importance of an approach which, respects that we all have

different talents and they need to be built upon, and the resulting strengths will

occur. This acquisition of strengths is hard work and involves peer support, a

formal opportunity to learn, and most importantly apply.

Heather’s work has stimulated strong interest among managers who are

keen to support the ever changing staff needs of a dynamic organization. Key to

this health in the workplace is the investment in the development of our team

members. Heather will be presenting her proposal work to the Senior

Management Team in October 2010. In addition our current Support Staff

Professional Development Committee will be consulted on a regular basis.

Formal feedback on the Preliminary proposal will be garnered from key

stakeholders. Heather will have an opportunity to reflect on this intelligence and

revise her proposal work.

The finished Support Staff Leadership Proposal will be presented to the

college’s Program Development Committee. This group is comprised of the

Academic Deans, Registrar, Director Student Success, Vice President Academic

and Director Learning Innovation & Part-time Studies. The formal support of this

standing committee is a requirement for any program moving to final approval

stages” (Church, 2010).

Church’s support of the workplace leadership certificate demonstrates the probability of

the preliminary program proposal and learning outcomes to be approved by senior

administration. Once the program has gone through the appropriate approval channels,

the learning outcomes will be developed into curriculum for delivery in the early months

of 2011.


In order to ensure support staff can maximize their workplace productivity,

Lambton must provide opportunities of skill and knowledge development through

training. The Canadian Council on Learning (2007) believes that “training is most

effective when it is linked to a firm’s business strategy and integrated with its places and

priorities…” (p. 7). Lambton College encourages professional development, especially

with the support staff group. As part of the College’s academic and student success plan

for 2010/2011, under academic excellence, professional development is a priority. This

plan proposes to “support the development and growth of support staff in achieving their

professional goals” (Lambton College, 2010, Academic & Student Success Plan). It is

important for the longevity of Lambton College to constantly encourage staff to develop

their skills.

Conclusion

Post-secondary institutions are considering various strategies in order to react to

global pressures and sustain operations well into the future. Lambton College is a

smaller, rural post-secondary institution, compared to the other Ontario Colleges, and is

preparing well for the influx of various pressures. Lambton College is reacting to the

competitive pressures it experiences through changes to program and course delivery,

providing the necessary support and services to ensure student success, meeting

expectations of its diverse student population, growing global competition, and ministry

involvement, all the while striving to meet the training and development needs of its

employees. These pressures are changing the roles of all employees, especially the role

of the support staff group. This group is a viable resource for executing institutional

objectives and therefore needs to be more flexible and resourceful to meet the needs

and objectives of Lambton College while at the same time responding to the requests of

customers. The important role support staff play in Lambton College demonstrates the

need for the College to provide professional development through workplace leadership


training. By providing workplace leadership training and development to support staff,

Lambton College will be able to maintain a competitive edge to compete on a global

level. The Workplace Leadership Certificate encompasses a variety of topics to promote

and develop leadership skills. In addition, the use of positive psychology, through

Strengths Quest training, will become integrated into the training so staff can develop

and focus on their strengths to become more self-aware and understanding of their

colleagues strengths. Shults (2008) believes:

“Focusing on building strengths and improving organizational capabilities via

explicit appreciation and development of human capital, a college allows itself to

move toward an abundance and reach upward toward an improved state of

functioning that is organizational vitality” (p. 3).

With the development of strengths based leadership skills Lambton College’s support

staff will be prepared with the skills to perform at optimal levels. Lambton will be

prepared to meet the demanding needs of its internal and external stakeholders brought

on by global competition, governmental initiatives and diversified student enrollment. In

essence, understanding these impacts and adapting to these changes will eventually

alter an organization’s product and also the expectations of employee performance.

Companies must view change as a way of life because the ability to manage change

determines its success (Lussier, 2002, p.414). A company must be able to embrace

global pressures and the changes happening to its institution to maintain a competitive

edge and grow globally.

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Appendix 1 Preliminary Program Proposal

Foundations of Workplace Leadership for Support Staff Step 1: Identification of Opportunity This form is required when requesting preliminary approval of a new full or part-time credit program from the Program Development Committee. This approval is required before a new program can be advertised in college marketing material. Credential Framework for the Proposed Program (Check One)

X Board of Governors Certificate or Award of Completion

� Ontario College Certificate

� Ontario College Diploma

� Ontario College Advanced Diploma

� Ontario College Graduate Certificate

� Applied Degree

X Explore Flexible Delivery Format – Workshops

Validation of Current Credential and Program Titles The proposal requires an investigation into current CVS/MTCU program approvals to ensure that the suggested titleage and credential is in compliance with the Framework for Programs of Instruction. The following Ontario Colleges and Universities offer similar credential and program titles: Algonquin College Leadership Development Program - Award Lambton College Leadership BOG Certificate McMaster University MVP Professional Development Workshops Mohawk College Workplace Leadership Certificate Program -

Award University of Western Ontario Effective Leadership Program These Leadership programs are in-house offerings for staff interested in building

on the knowledge, skills and competencies involved in becoming a better leader

and/or influencer personally and professionally while encouraging and mentoring

colleagues within the workplace.

Prospective applicants include current or future leaders, support staff and staff

from external organizations.


Step 2: Strategic Plan

Give a short description of the program and address the following; does the program fit with Lambton College’s Strategic Plan and current program mix. Technological and Service Excellence:

• Superior facilities and services that exceed student expectations

• Decision-making made on the frontline.

Accountability: • Explicit service standards enhanced through continuous improvement and

accountability

• Innovation and entrepreneurship encouraged and supported throughout the organization

• Shared responsibility for employee wellness and professional development

Workplace Leadership training for support staff meets the above components

of Lambton’s Strategic Plan. For support staff to provide superior service and

demonstrate effective decision making to students, staff must be provided with

the tools to learn and apply customer service skills, interpersonal skills and

decision-making skills. In addition, Workplace Leadership training encourages

continuous personal and professional improvement for support staff’s wellbeing.

More specifically, about support staffs role within Lambton College the

College’s Support Staff Appraisal and Policy Procedures, states: For an

organization to grow and prosper, its employees must grow. Therefore, there

must be some process through which there is an opportunity for career

development for all employees in the many roles that are in the organization.

Career development must also include improved job performance and job

satisfaction for all those who are satisfied in the role they play within the

organization (Lambton College, 2010, Academic and Student Success Plan).

Leadership is a strength that all employees should possess in the

workplace. Leadership goes beyond formal positions and can be seen in traits

such as; drive, honesty and moral character, intelligence, relevant knowledge,

self-confidence and the desire to influence others (De Cenzo, 1997, 363). By


possessing leadership traits, workers develop more self-confidence in them and

in what they do and therefore can become more productive.

Step 3: Unique Program Aspects How and through what means will the program be offered?

• Non-credit, award of completion

• Workshops during the work week, through shared time, ie. 2:30pm –

4:30pm

• Portfolio development

• Consultation with manager and colleagues

Step 4: Potential Student Interest Who will participate in this training opportunity?

Any Lambton College full-time support staff employee is eligible for this

training opportunity. With approximately, two hundred and seventy-five full-time

employees at Lambton, the Support Staff group consists of one hundred and

twenty-three full-time employed, which is 45% of the total employee group

(Organizational Chart, 2009). Attention must be focused on Support Staff so they

are able to do their job to their greatest potential to meet the College’s objectives.

Step 5: Potential Industry or Professional Interest Why is this topic important? Provide some background information and employment options.

For a company, and similarly for educational institutions, to maintain a

competitive edge in the global world, they must invest in their employees. The

Canadian Council on Learning (2007) claims “[e]very day new products, new

firms, new industries and new technologies are emerging all the time; skills are

becoming dated and new ones are required” (p. 2). Adopting a strategy of

promoting life-long learning, organizations must invest in workplace professional

development.


The overall purpose of this project is to demonstrate the importance of

workplace leadership and professional development. Employers need to

encourage their staff to take advantage of lifelong learning opportunities and to

allow staff to become more self-aware and believe they hold a valid role in their

company’s or in this case, college’s success. In order to encourage staff to adopt

a lifelong learning outlook, employers need to provide accessible and relevant

learning opportunities for their staff.

Step 6: Timeline to offer this Program When will this program be implemented? This training will be implemented in the 2011 winter term. The Support Staff PD

day is going to be held in February 2011 and one of the workshops will be held

during the event so everyone who participates will receive recognition for the

completion of the module. The module for this day is still undecided. This concept

was brought to the Support Staff PD Committee and has been approved.

Step 7: Endorsements

Administration Approve Reject Date Signature Judy Morris, VP Academics

Donna Church, Director, LInC & Part-Time Studies

Professional Development Committee (PDC)


Appendix 2 Workplace Leadership Learning Outcomes

Communication Proposed Hours: 4 Facilitator:

• Communicate effectively in leadership roles as a team leader or team member by identifying ways to improve interpersonal relationships such as active listening skills and giving and receiving feedback.

Customer Service Proposed Hours: 4 Facilitator:

• Apply essential competencies in customer service to meet the needs of a customer/colleague in a friendly, courteous and convenient environment.

• Utilize the college student systems such as WedAdvisor, Datatel, and LION to support student success.

Critical & Creative Thinking Proposed Hours: 4 Facilitator:

• Define and explain creative and critical thinking in relation to the role of the leader in decision-making.

• Debate an issue/problem using creative critical thinking skills.

Cultural/Community Sensitivity Proposed Hours: 4 Facilitator: • Develop leadership capabilities and cultural sensitivity as a citizen of the local community

and across Ontario, Canada, and internationally by volunteering and getting involved in a worthy cause.

• Demonstrate sensitivity to the diversity of cultures and designated groups at Lambton.

Coaching & Leading Teams Proposed Hours: 4 Facilitator: • Compare and contrast leadership and management skills. • Examine fundamental changes that have occurred in organizations which have led to the

evolution of a team based approach. • Identify characteristics of group dynamics by performing coaching and mentoring skills to

develop and improve individual and team effectiveness. Strengths Based Leadership Proposed Hours: 2 Facilitator:

• Apply Strengths based leadership to develop, encourage and enhance engagement levels.

• Discuss attributes of the four principle Strength Leadership Themes. Project Management Proposed Hours: 8 Facilitator:

• Create and sustain a professional portfolio that develops strategies for personal and professional development to enhance work performance and maximize career opportunities.

• Using one’s own Strengths, lead a departmental or college project utilizing project management processes and tools in order to effectively maximize resources.

Ontario College System Proposed Hours: 4 Facilitator:

• Explain the College’s strategic planning process within context of the Ontario College System and local community.

• Discuss operational planning and how it supports strategic planning and impacts departmental priorities and outcomes.

Entrepreneurial Spirit Proposed Hours: 4 Facilitator: • Identify the significance of entrepreneurship and innovation in the operations and growth

of community college programs and services.

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