OED's talent development resources provide individual employees a variety of opportunities to improve their sense of leadership, accomplish professional goals, and explore new skill sets. In addition to self-paced learning courses through The Learning Hub (UMB's Learning Management System), OED is proud to offer instructor-led workshops and several cohort programs for professional development appropriate for various roles and career stages.  

Building Bridges Across Maryland

The Building Bridges Across Maryland (BBAM) program includes a cohort of individuals from various higher education institutions in the state of Maryland who attend seven sessions - one held at each participating institution. The program begins with a kickoff session that brings participants together to learn what is expected to complete the program and to get to know each other. After the final session, participants are invited to attend a formal graduation where they receive a certificate of completion and a digital badge. 

Support Staff Cohorts

Cohorts begin early during the month of August. Topic sessions begin in September and continue through March. Topics are updated and changed based on cohort feedback each year, but generally include:

• Managing Your Strengths
• Managing Up
• Radical Adaptability: 5 Keys to Personal Change
• Online Practices of Self-Care and Behavior Change for Resilience
• Presenting in a Virtual World
• Becoming a Champion of Inclusion at All Levels of the Institution
• Shifting Your Mindset When Serving Customers. 

Learn more about the BBAM 2021-2022 Calendar

Alumni Events

Program graduates may be invited back to continue their professional development, reconnect and meet members of other cohorts. Stay tuned for our next alumni event!

For more information, please contact Michele Hunt at mhunt@umaryland.edu.

Career Essentials

Career Essentials is designed for individual contributors looking to sharpen interpersonal skills and develop a solid foundation for their career.  The program offers a flex cohort model in which perticipants must complete five core courses and five to six electives.  

For more information, please contact Michele Hunt at mhunt@umaryland.edu.

Emerging Leaders

Particpants of this program will be given the opportunity to examine leadership within the context of UMB culture through interactions and learning experiences with member's of UMB's senior leadership.   The program meetins once a month throughout the academic year with additional opportunities to expand and enhance your professional network.  

For more information, see the Emerging Leaders webpage or contact Kelly Ward at kelly.ward@umaryland.edu.

Management Essentials

The Management Essentials program is geared toward managers and supervisors, but is open to all employees who have begun their leadership journey toward formal management roles. Managers will develop and apply skills fundamental to success as a leader.  

SOCIAL STYLE & Versatility

The foundation of the Mangement Essentials program is a multi-rater assessment similar to a 360-degree assessment. Everyone has preferred ways of acting and interacting. 

Some people work quickly, others more slowly. Some respond better to data and others to stories or personal experiences. SOCIAL STYLE training helps you understand your own preferences and those of others. Most importantly it teaches you how to recognize the behavior of others and create strong, productive relationships with anyone.  The Golden Rule says to treat others the way YOU want to be treated. But the SOCIAL STYLE Platinum Rule shows you how to treat others the way THEY want to be treated. The impact this has is profound.

• Leaders and team members use Style to work effectively and improve team effectiveness
• Understanding Style reduces personality conflicts
• Greatly improves communication and creates a more inclusiveness workplace
• Builds a common culture, boosts employee engagement, improves change efforts

Modules

The program is made up of six learning modules designed to empower individuals on their leadership journey. We refer to this program as a flex-cohort program. Once you have completed the initial Interpersonal Communications module based on the multi-rater assessment, you are free to attend the other modules in any order. The modules are offered every two weeks three times per year (Spring, Summer, and Fall). Register via the LMS. Below is a more detailed description of each session:

Interpersonal Communications:  This is the foundational module for the entire program. It provides an overview of SOCIAL STYLE & Versatility and allows you to review your Social Style assessment and versatility report. The intended outcome is to learn about your behavior and the way others perceive you and how that can enhance or possibly derail your interpersonal relationships.

Effective Delegation: The ability to delegate is one of the key indicators of an effective leader. Clear, timely and purposeful delegation can boost the productivity of individuals, teams, and organizations. This delegation module is for managers, supervisors and team leaders who need a better understanding of how and when to delegate.

Performance Feedback: Giving effective feedback to your team members is one of the key responsibilities of anyone who supervises or manages others. It improves performance, boosts morale and can help people to do their job to the best of their ability. Learn how to give feedback that is supportive and avoid common mistakes that limit employee engagement and productivity.

Productive Conflict: Learn ways to increase your personal effectiveness through the recognition and management of conflict. Identify the negative effects of tension on yourself and others and find ways to grow through conflict.

Cultural Proficiency: The purpose of this module is to develop culturally competent leaders that excel at creating and maintaining an inclusive environment.  You will identify various cultural dimensions and develop strategies to promote teamwork in a diverse environment. You will also examine implicit bias and develop strategies to combat its impact.

Successful Teams: Building a successful team is one of the most important jobs of a leader. Bruce Tuckman identified five predictable stages of healthy team development: Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing and Adjoining. Each of the five stages are necessary and inevitable for teams to grow, face up to challenges, tackle problems, find solutions, plan work, and deliver results. Learn ways to bring your employees together around common goals utilizing Tuckman’s Five Stages of Team Development.

For more information, please contact Michele Hunt at mhunt@umaryland.edu