SPARK! Supervisor Academy

Advance Your Leadership Skills

UMB SPARK! is an initiative designed to serve as the Supervisor’s Pathway to Advance and Reignite Knowledge. This is a mandatory nine-month learning program for current UMB supervisors in the Executive Director role and below or faculty who supervise staff. Participants will engage in learning experiences to advance and improve their supervisor skills.

The goals of the program are to:​

• Advance supervisory knowledge, skills, and performance​.
• Address the growing and changing needs of a diverse supervisory workforce.​
• Enable supervisors to cultivate strong leadership qualities and be more effective in their supervisory role​.
• Provide ongoing opportunities for supervisors to network and collaborate.

Eligibility

All UMB supervisors in the Executive Director role and below, or faculty who supervise staff, are required to participate in the UMB SPARK! Supervisor Academy.  (This generally means the supervisor completes the yearly performance evaluation for at least one UMB staff member – regular exempt or regular nonexempt.)

Staff members who hold manager titles and do not directly supervise staff are not eligible to participate in UMB SPARK! Supervisor Academy (e.g. case managers, project managers, care managers, program managers, etc.).  However, they are invited to participate in other career and leadership learning opportunities with UMB’s Employee Learning and Development programs.

How to Enroll

UMB SPARK! cohorts are held twice a year. Information about upcoming cohorts and dates for registration will be announced in The Elm and shared with supervisors via email.

Supervisor Academy Program Components

The UMB SPARK! program is comprised of four components that provide learning and networking opportunities via in-person sessions, virtual instructor-led classes, self-paced e-learning modules, and an ongoing Community of Practice.​

Setting Up for Excellence

The program begins with an introductory session. This session will provide an overview of the program, examine the roles and responsibilities of a supervisor, and explore strategies for enhancing self-mastery and relationship building.

Excellence in Motion Sessions

The Excellence in Motion component consists of eight instructor-led sessions. Three of these sessions are in-person; five are virtual. Session topics include Leading Yourself, Building Your Team, Leading Your Team, Developing Your Team, Communicating with Your Team, Leading with Organizational Awareness, Talent Recruitment and Management, and Performance Management.

eLearning for Excellence

The program includes two self-paced, eLearning journeys hosted in Percipio. These learning journeys include skill benchmarks, videos, courses, and AI simulation activities. ​

• Fueling the SPARK: Inspiring and Navigating Change​
• Igniting Excellence: Sparking Solutions and Mastering Decision Making

Leading with Excellence

Leading with Excellence programs are open to all UMB supervisors, regardless of program participation. This community of experienced practitioners provides ongoing learning and networking opportunities for UMB supervisors. ​

• SPARK! Q Meetings are quarterly meetings where UMB supervisors can gather to learn valuable strategies, share challenges, and engage in supportive dialogue to advance their leadership efforts. ​
• Through the SPARK! Leaders Network additional learning opportunities and webinars, e-learning courses and tools, and books and website recommendations will be shared for continued learning. 

SPARK! FAQs