Programs

Why Is Leadership Development Important?

Independent studies by CCL, The Conference Board, Bersin by Deloitte, and HR analytics expert McBassi & Company consistently reach the same conclusion: Leadership development is one of the most pressing issues facing organizations today.

Why? Because it represents a great chance for businesses to seize a competitive advantage in their industries. If your organization commits to developing its leaders, you can expect to gain a competitive advantage by improving the bottom line; attracting, developing, and retaining talent; driving strategy execution; and increasing your success when navigating change.

The Greater Reading Chamber Alliance (GRCA) is your premier regional resource for professional development. Programs are available under a pay-as-you-go model affording you the flexibility to engage how and when it will be most beneficial for you.

We have been delivering professional development programs for over 20 years; we know a thing or two. It’s easy to teach leadership concepts, the hard part is turning the learning into skills and behaviors that drive results, and that is where we excel.

Our interactive programs are all about peer-to-peer learning, applying new skills and assessing how effectively new skills work for participants. Leadership development is not about a full-day event, but rather about learning new skills over time. This allows participants to test new skills and share what worked and where they need further development.

GRCA is giving you the tools to put the pieces together. We are moving forward with scheduling in-person training sessions at this time. All state-mandated safety and sanitary protocols will be followed. Our staff will continue to monitor the status of the pandemic and will make decisions accordingly. If in-person training is prohibited, virtual sessions will be held.

Lead Worker Certificate Series

Looking to begin developing your employees? No better place to start than our Lead Worker Certificate Program. This program provides your employees with a comprehensive immersion in key skills every employee needs to be successful on the production floor or in the office. If you want to lay a strong foundation for future organizational growth, this is the program for you.

The program exposes participants to a set of key skills that will help them be a more productive employee and learn the basics of leading others in a formal or informal role.

To check when we’re offering this program next, check out our Training Calendar, or call 610.898.8386 for more information and to learn how to bring this program to your organization.

Supervisor Certificate Series

GRCA’s Supervisor Certificate Series is a sequence of courses focusing on core competencies supervisors need to excel in their current position and position themselves for future advancement.

Benefits of the Supervisor Certificate Series

Supervisors can have the single greatest impact on your business. An effective supervisor boosts employee’s performance, satisfaction and retention, which is why investing in the development of your supervisors can be the single most important investment you make in your organization. The Supervisor Certificate Series is valuable to the new supervisor as well as to the experienced supervisor who is looking to grow to the next level of effectiveness.

Module 1 – Principles of Supervision

Move your organization from good to great. In this module, participants learn key skills required to be a successful leader including examining ways to get things done through people, identifying their behavioral profile and style, identifying barriers to communication, understanding the stages of group development and how to use emotional intelligence in day-to-day interactions to improve communication.

Module 2 – Managing Performance and Developing Employees

Build better supervisors. In the second module, participants continue their growth by further examining key skills of the supervision. Participants examine the impact of a diverse workforce on the workplace, understand job satisfaction and its impact on performance, how to maximize a coachable moment, learn the steps of successful delegation, understand how to set and communicate clear expectations of work and apply the key elements of effective feedback.

Sessions for Module 2 include:

Module 3 – Leveraging Workplace Relationships for Organizational Success

Build better workplace relationships. In the third module, participants continue to expand their knowledge of the importance of being a supervisor and the impact on the organization. Participants learn the Performance Management Cycle, how to apply the seven key points of effective disciplinary action, understand key equal employment laws and when they apply, describe the areas of disagreement that give rise to conflict in the workplace, know when to use which type of communication in a workplace setting and use a systematic approach to problem solving.

Sessions for Module 3 include:

Lessons in Leadership

Are you looking for an in-depth leadership development program to take your business to the next level of performance? Lessons in Leadership is designed as an all-inclusive leadership development program to prepare leaders to reach the next level of confidence and competence.

These six-session programs are facilitated by nationally known author, trainer, speaker and coach and speaker Shawn Doyle.

Lessons in Leadership: Excellence in Execution

Are your employees in sync with ownership philosophies/ Are your managers leading change that results in fewer turnovers, higher productivity and more profitability? Want to increase synergy to drive performance and innovation?

Lessons in Leadership: Leading Today’s Workforce

This thought-provoking, highly interactive program is designed to teach emerging leaders the advanced skills needed to be successful in today’s fast paced work environment.

The program is an integrated approach consisting of the following elements:

Certificate in Advance Leadership Principles

GRCA provides those who complete two Essentials programs with a Certificate in Advanced Leadership Principles. Each Essential program is five sessions long and builds upon the previous program curriculum.

The Essentials of Effective Management and Essentials of Effective Leadership programs are advanced graduate level leadership programs designed for supervisors, managers and directors who want to continue their professional growth and development. The program provides a deep dive into competencies required to be an effective leader in today’s dynamic, fast-paced environment.

Essentials of Effective Management Program

Exceed in decision making. In these high-level, second-order learning programs, participants are challenged to examine their current modes of behavior to define new opportunities for organizational growth. Participants become aware of many aspects of their thinking, decision-making, communication and presentations that serve as a turning point in producing significant and lasting growth in their own performance and in their management and leadership of others.  

Essentials of Effective Leadership Program

Get extraordinary results. The Essentials of Effective Leadership builds on the Essential of Effective Management program and it expands and goes deeper into self-awareness and understanding of human nature in a way that is actionable and what is essential for creating desired change, unlocking the potential in others and the teams they lead. New material includes incorporating emotional intelligence, increasing one’s authentic power and influence, shifting to effective mindsets and adopting the practices that create extraordinary new results and desired outcomes.  

Emotional Intelligence in The Workplace

Learn how to operate at a high-level of emotional intelligence and master communication, influence others and enjoy long-term success for yourself, your team and the organization. In this four-session, highly interactive program participants learn to focus on performance and productivity rather than misperceptions, miscommunication and unnecessary problem escalation. By learning and applying the four components of Emotional Intelligence: Self-Awareness, Self-Management, Social Awareness and Relationship Management participants benefit in becoming a more effective leader and communicator in their professional and personal lives.

Computer Training

To check when we’re offering these programs next, check out our Training Calendar, or call 610-898-8386 for more information.

Learn More

If the below training options are not quite suiting the needs of your company, GRCA offers Customized Professional Development Programs. Provide an out-of-the-box training solution for your team, your department or multiple teams within your organization to experience a professional development program together. Customized training can be held in our facility or on-site at your location.

• Leadership academy programs
• Computer training
• Human resources roundtable
• Industry group programs
• Special interest group gatherings
• Access to resources and publications
• And much more!

Training opportunities are open to all Greater Reading businesses, GRCA members receive special discounts. To learn more about our professional training and development offerings, contact: Mark Dolinski, VP of Training & Professional Development | 610.898.8386

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