Professional Development Programs

Project Life: People Leaders for Project LIFE

Also available in-person: August 19; 9:00 am – 4:00 pm located in EHOB 102 HR Training Room:  Register here.

Delve into the importance of creating a supportive and welcoming workplace. In this class, we focus on understanding different ways that people think, learn, and interact with the world around them. Through practical applications, dialogue, scenarios, and reflection, we will explore various aspects of workplace dynamics. We will address misconceptions and barriers that can hinder employees and that challenge effective teamwork. Our goal is to provide resources that foster a supportive environment for everyone. 

Facilitated by Kirsty Lauder, Post Dr Assoc, Lab of Ornithology and Jennifer Fonseca, Senior Management Consultant, ODE

Prioritizing Impact, Maximizing Efficiency

Also available:

• August 5; 9-10 am
• September 18; 1-2 pm

In this hands-on class, participants will learn how to maximize their team’s productivity and impact! This tool helps teams assess, prioritize, and optimize tasks to focus on what truly matters, ensuring that limited resources are used effectively and things that can be let go of are sent on their way! By the end of the session, attendees will be equipped with a tool to help streamline their workflows, eliminate inefficiencies, and maintain high performance even when short-staffed.

Facilitated by AVP, Kathy Burkgren and Senior Management Consultant, Ari Mack, Organizational Development & Effectiveness (ODE)

How to Prioritize Work When Everything Feels Important 

Are you tired of feeling overwhelmed by your workload? Do you struggle to stay focused in a world full of distractions? Join us on a journey toward productivity mastery, where you will develop habits that will keep you agile and on track in an ever-changing environment.

• Understand the steps for prioritizing work -Discover tools to manage work
• Consider how to evaluate tasks-based urgency and importance
• Learn the 1-3-5 rule to planning work
• Explore how to focus and be successful in a distracted world.
• Develop habits to review and adjust priorities

Facilitated by Ari Mack, Senior Management Consultant, ODE

Interviewing with Confidence 

“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail” – Ben Franklin. Being offered an interview is exciting and can also be daunting. Hear from an expert recruiter about everything you need to prepare for your interview and feel equipped to answer confidently. You will learn how to present your true self, highlight your strongest attributes, and adequately prepare for anticipated questions. Walk into the next job interview with total confidence. 

Facilitated by Brad Stock, Talent Acquisition Partner, HR Recruitment & Employment

Unlocking Your Authentic Voice: The Art of Public Speaking 

In-person held in the Division of Human Resources Training Room, Suite 102 in the East Hill Office Building (EHOB) at 395 Pine Tree Rd.  

Nervous about leading that meeting? Losing sleep over how you’ll manage to give that talk in front of all those people? Join us for this staff development teaser program where you will explore how to unlock the power of authenticity in public speaking. Our immersive course is designed to empower your voice and presence whether you're a seasoned speaker or stepping onto the stage for the first time. This class is tailored to help you connect deeply with your audience through genuine, communication and impactful presence.

What You'll Learn:

• Techniques to overcome nervousness and speak confidently.
• How to explore/discover your personal speaking style that reflects your true self and values. Strategies for connecting with your audience on multiple levels.
• Understand the importance of authenticity in building trust and credibility with an audience.
• Develop a toolkit of practical techniques to deliver memorable and impactful presentations.

Facilitated by Ari Mack, Senior Management Consultant, ODE

Crafting Your Best Resume 

Your resume is most likely the first impression you’ll make on a hiring manager or internal recruiter, so it’s extremely important to ensure that impression is accurate. While different opportunities require different resumes, the real goal of most resumes is to secure an opportunity to INTERVIEW. In this session, you will learn tips and important information on how to be strategic as you build your resume. 

Facilitated by Jamie Doss, Talent Acquisition Partner, HR Recruitment & Employment

Prioritizing Impact, Maximizing Efficiency

Also available:

• September 18; 1-2 pm

In this hands-on class, participants will learn how to maximize their team’s productivity and impact! This tool helps teams assess, prioritize, and optimize tasks to focus on what truly matters, ensuring that limited resources are used effectively and things that can be let go of are sent on their way! By the end of the session, attendees will be equipped with a tool to help streamline their workflows, eliminate inefficiencies, and maintain high performance even when short-staffed.

Facilitated by AVP, Kathy Burkgren and Senior Management Consultant, Ari Mack, Organizational Development & Effectiveness (ODE)

How to Shine as an Internal Candidate at Cornell 

Would you like to expand your opportunities to grow within Cornell? Applying for an internal job posting may allow you to advance your career, move to a different department, and learn new skills. In this workshop, you will learn about Cornell’s recruiting process and what you can do to stand out as an internal candidate. 

Facilitated by Carolyn Chow, Talent Acquisition Partner, HR Recruitment & Employment

Write a Winning Cover Letter 

Cover letters are an important part of your application materials and can serve as an example of your communication skills! In this workshop, we will review important details to pay attention to when communicating your interest and fit for a job. You’ll see examples of what to include and how to format a cover letter and you’ll hear about what hiring managers look for in cover letters. 

Facilitated by Carolyn Chow, Talent Acquisition Partner, HR Recruitment & Employment

The Power of Transferable Skills 

Curious about how your skills can open doors to new opportunities? Join us for an engaging session on Transferable Skills, where a panel of colleagues will share their real-life stories of career change and growth. Hear how they identified and leveraged the skills they already had to successfully pivot into new roles or industries. Whether you’re actively exploring a change or just want to be more intentional about your development, this session will offer inspiration, insight, and practical takeaways you can apply to your own career journey.  

Facilitated by Radhika Nayak, Career Development & Coaching Program Consultant, Organizational Development & Effectiveness (ODE)

Developing and Implementing an Outward Mindset 

Registration Fee: $300

In-person held in the Division of Human Resources Training Room, Suite 102 in the East Hill Office Building (EHOB) at 395 Pine Tree Rd.  

This 2-day, in-person workshop will enable participants learn the difference between inward and outward mindsets.

They discover where they have been inward and how to turn more outward. They learn how to turn their mindsets and behaviors outward by applying the following tool sets:

• Self-awareness tools—Four tools to overcome a self-focused inward mindset and more consistently work with an others-inclusive outward mindset.
• Mindset change tools—Two tools to implement and sustain an outward mindset.
• Accountability tools—Three accountability tools to help individuals clarify their roles and hold themselves accountable for their impact on others
• Collaboration tools—Eight collaboration tools to help individuals and teams plan, work, and resolve differences more collaboratively and effectively.

Facilitated by Jennifer Fonseca, Senior Management Consultant, ODE

Change Fatigue 

Our world is experiencing change at a record pace. Much of that change is also unprecedented, from pandemics, and economic challenges, to how we work (hybrid, remotely, wearing masks). Yet, change is the one constant we continue to experience, and because of that, we can struggle with change fatigue. This class will explore the forces behind the change and how to navigate it. We will learn about the signs of change fatigue and how we can minimize them. We will also explore potential ways we respond to change and identify what is within our control and how we can potentially move these changes forward.

• Understand change and why there is so much of it happening.
• Learn about change fatigue and how to recognize the signs.
• Explore potential ways we respond to change.
• Recognize what is within our control and how we use it to move the change forward.

Facilitated by Steve Jackson, Senior Management Consultant, and Tanya Grove Asst Director and Senior Management Consultant, ODE 

Project Life: People Leaders for Project LIFE

Delve into the importance of creating a supportive and welcoming workplace. In this class, we focus on understanding different ways that people think, learn, and interact with the world around them. Through practical applications, dialogue, scenarios, and reflection, we will explore various aspects of workplace dynamics. We will address misconceptions and barriers that can hinder employees and that challenge effective teamwork. Our goal is to provide resources that foster a supportive environment for everyone. 

Facilitated by Kirsty Lauder, Post Dr Assoc, Lab of Ornithology and Jennifer Fonseca, Senior Management Consultant, ODE

Utilizing Artificial Intelligence: From Theory to Application 

This comprehensive course is designed to provide you with a solid foundation in understanding and utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) technologies effectively. Whether you're a beginner or have some experience with AI, this course will equip you with the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate the world of AI confidently. 

Facilitated by Steve Jackson, Senior Management Consultant and Ari Mack, Senior Management Consultant, ODE

Emotional Agility 

Emotional Agility: Harnessing your inner energy for action, impact and growth. Emotional agility allows us to harness the power of our Emotional Intelligence to take action through the highs and lows we experience as human beings. In this class you’ll learn more about the pillars of emotional agility, as well as explore your own strengths and growth opportunities when it comes to tapping into the emotional energy that flows through you!

Facilitated by Ari Mack, Senior Management Consultant, ODE

Radical Responsibility 

Join us for a workshop on Taking Radical Responsibility, commitment #1 from “The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership” by Jim Dethmer, Diana Chapman & Kaley Warner Klemp. This program will focus on thinking through how we might think about our response-ability, our ability to respond to all of the things that life has in store for us! We ask that you come prepared to be at least a tad vulnerable, be willing to challenge and be challenged by all parts of the program. Everyone is welcomed to engage deeply, nudge and tug at all aspects of the program for the sake of increasing our respective capacities for radical responsibility. 

Facilitated by Marcus Brooks, Senior Management Consultant & Trainer, ODE

Being a Conscious Leader  

In its most simple form, conscious leadership is bringing one's whole self with total awareness to your leadership position. Conscious leaders focus on the “we” rather than the “me” and realize that their role is to create a collaborative culture of trust, care, and influence. These leaders are concerned about the overall vision, are self-motivated, and are not prone to making impulsive decisions. Conscientious leaders are concerned about getting a job done in the best way for their organization and the individuals on their team. Conscious leadership is a critical element to developing a thriving team and organization that operates from presence. Conscious leaders automatically create a reliable and robust culture of trust which has a powerful impact on morale and by extension, productivity.

Facilitated by ODE Kathy Burkgren, AVP, and Jennifer Fonseca, Senior Management Consultant

Coaching for Performance 

Do you wish that your team members came to you with a solution to the problem rather than seeking the answer? In this course, discover the power of coaching to bring out the best in your team and colleagues so you can be more agile to meet the changing needs of the organization and excel in your role and responsibilities. 

Facilitated by Steve Jackson, Senior Management Consultant, ODE and Dane Cruz, Director, Cornell Interactive Theatre Ensemble (CITE)

Create a Learning Culture – Explore Your Impact 

More than any time in history, the products, tools, and services we use in life and in work are being dreamed about, invented, and shared with us at an ever-increasing pace. The positive of this is that we experience new, exciting things like new ways of listening to music, recording sound, communicating with one another, exchanging documents, money, and information, processes to develop new ideas, new foods, new ways of procuring food, and the list goes on. The pace at which change occurs around us, both in and out of the workplace calls for us to be engaged, take risks, be ever-passionate explorers of new knowledge to help drive effectiveness, innovation, and application of new learnings. Learn how you can be part of creating and maintaining a learning culture.

Facilitated by Radhika Nayak,  Career Development & Coaching Program Consultant, ODE

Managing and Facilitating Meetings 

As a result of communicating in remote, onsite, and hybrid work environments, you will learn effective techniques for facilitating business meetings.

Facilitated by Marcus Brooks, Senior Management Consultant and Trainer, ODE

So, You Want to Be a People Leader? 

Discover if you have the desire and would like to acquire or hone the skills to be an excellent people leader. Data recently gathered at Cornell and supported by data being reported on across the world, indicates that people don’t leave jobs, they leave bad managers and toxic work environments. Too often in the past individuals who were good technical experts were chosen to lead and manage others. Often the skill that makes you the best technical expert is completely different than the skill of leading and managing others. Excellent people leaders are critical to creating a culture where people feel valued, a sense of belonging, and engaged. 

Facilitated by Marcus Brooks, Senior Management Consultant and Trainer, ODE

Problem Solving and Decision-Making 

This class focuses on three people leading skills: problem solving, applying judgment and decision making. Participants will explore each of these concepts in some depth, learn useful approaches, and practice application of them. Participants will also explore the value of diversity in decision making and problem solving. 

Facilitated by Jennifer Fonseca, Senior Management Consultant, ODE

Emotional Intelligence 

Emotional Intelligence (EQ): The capacity to be aware of, control, guide, and express one's emotions, and to handle interpersonal relationships judiciously and empathetically.

Come join us as we explore our own self-perception and expression and move through how it effects our interpersonal relationships, decision making, and stress management.

• Gain an understanding of what emotional intelligence is, how it works, and how we talk about it.
• Gain a better understanding of emotions and their roles in our daily lives at work and beyond.
• Gain a better understanding of the importance of emotional intelligence in navigating current events.
• As a leadership strength, begin building a foundation of emotional intelligence to cultivate growth, performance, and well-being in the workplace.

Facilitated by Ari Mack, Senior Management Consultant, ODE

Prioritizing Impact, Maximizing Efficiency

In this hands-on class, participants will learn how to maximize their team’s productivity and impact! This tool helps teams assess, prioritize, and optimize tasks to focus on what truly matters, ensuring that limited resources are used effectively and things that can be let go of are sent on their way! By the end of the session, attendees will be equipped with a tool to help streamline their workflows, eliminate inefficiencies, and maintain high performance even when short-staffed.

Facilitated by AVP, Kathy Burkgren and Senior Management Consultant, Ari Mack, Organizational Development & Effectiveness (ODE)

An Inclusive Approach to Leadership 

Cultivating an inclusive approach to leadership moves the participant beyond seeing diversity and inclusion as a separate subject, or to-do item, toward embedding equitable practices into their everyday leadership style regardless of the field they work in or what their job title is. By both understanding and expanding their impact and role as a leader and examining their leadership style through the lens of inclusion and equity, participants will sharpen their ability to manage individuals and teams. In this session, participants will actively engage with one another to explore how to tangibly apply an inclusive approach to demonstration the Cornell Leadership Skills for Success. 

Facilitated by Erin Sember-Chase, Diversity and Inclusion Learning Consultant, Department of Inclusion and Belonging

Delegating for Development and Effectiveness 

Delegating responsibility is a powerful statement to employees about how much they are trusted and how competent and valued they are to the organization. 

Facilitated by AVP Kathryn Burkgren, ODE

Giving and Receiving Feedback 

Learn Cornell's expectations on giving and receiving feedback and strategies to do that well. 

Facilitated by Marcus Brooks, Senior Management Consultant and Trainer, ODE

Establishing and Maintaining Trust in Workgroups

Learn how to establish trust within onsite, hybrid and remote work-groups; and what actions in work lead to trust and which disrupt trust. 

Facilitated by Marcus Brooks, Senior Management Consultant and Trainer, ODE

Introduction to Leadership Embodiment 

Much of the effect we have on others is communicated non-verbally by our physical presence. How we show up and the physical postures we hold are the key to lowering emotional reactivity, while increasing our power, resilience, and flexibility. Leadership Embodiment introduces participants to straightforward practices to effectively enhance our embodied leadership. 

Facilitated by Graham Hall, Senior Project Manager with Cornell University’s Project Management Office (PMO) in Cornell Information Technologies (CIT). 

Creating and Nurturing a Highly Functional Team 

As a leader, managing team dynamics in a productive and meaningful way can be the key to over-all success. This course focuses on five areas that are critical to a leader’s ability to keep a team moving forward. Trust, conflict, commitment, accountability, and results are everyday factors that are a part of everyone’s work life. Join other leaders for small and large group discussions as we share strategies from Patrick Lencioni’s “The Five Dysfunctions of a Team”.

Facilitated by Marcus Brooks, Senior Management Consultant, ODE

Managing Up ster effective relationships throughout the organization, regardless of your role. In this session you’ll gain the awareness and tools that will help you consciously establish communication channels with your leaders! Explore managing up skills that help you be the architect of your own workplace experience! 

Facilitated by Ari Mack, Senior Management Consultant, ODE

Effective Listening October 7; 1:00-2:15 pm

How well you listen has a major impact on how effective you are in your work, and on the quality of your relationships with others. Good listeners are more productive and have greater ability to influence, persuade, and negotiate. They also seem to have fewer misunderstandings and less unresolved conflict. Listening is a skill that everyone can develop. Learn the importance of listening and techniques for effective listening. 

Facilitated by ODE Senior Management Consultant & Trainer, Marcus Brooks

Managing for Retention and Development 

This session is designed to help people leaders manage the performance of their teams from setting expectations, giving feedback, and finally conducting a formal performance review. The exceptional people leader is the one who can communicate expectations about the quality, quantity, and timeliness of work to be produced in a clear and timely manner and then provide consistent and objective feedback to the employee about his/her success in meeting those expectations. The session is very interactive with a variety of small and large group activities. Participants will come to understand the impact of diversity on performance reviews.

• Understand why it is appropriate and how to set performance expectations.
• Recognize and apply sound principles of giving (and receiving) feedback, feedback in the moment, feedback when you are different from the other person, giving peers feedback, giving your supervisor feedback.
• Explain why performance reviews are often viewed as a negative experience.
• Identify means to diminish the fear and anxiety that often accompany performance review.
• Identify strategies for handling not only positive reviews (the easy ones) but those requiring corrective action as well (the difficult ones).
• Apply the strategies for conducting performance reviews to any review instrument currently in use.

Facilitators: Senior Management Consultants Ari Mack and Steve Jackson, ODE

Seeing Around Corners 

Looking ahead and creating an environment that encourages innovation is a valuable skill for any leader to practice. As leaders we need to pay attention to shifts in the business landscape, known as inflection points. These shifts can either create new opportunities or they can lead to devastating consequences. Leaders who can spot those inflection points, or “see around corners” early, are poised to succeed. Most shifts have subtly built over time. “Seeing Around Corners” will help you learn to leverage this concept to create a more effective, innovative, and pro-active approach to the work with which you and your team engage. 

Facilitated by Ari Mack, Senior Management Consultant, ODE

Difficult Conversations nd some conversations are harder to have than others. Learn how to approach and manage difficult conversations. 

Facilitated by ODE Sr. Management Consultant & Trainer, Marcus Brooks

Navigating Your Worklife Journey 

Work-life integration, well-being, self-care. There is a way to bring your full, healthy authentic self to work. In this session, we discuss and develop strategies that integrate a life of play, rest, and action. Create your best life by developing a plan that works for you. Learn how to disrupt conditioned patterns of work that increase you and your team’s efficiency.

• Develop an understanding of what well-being means to YOU as a leader.
• Develop strategies to integrate your self-care routines into your day to day lives.
• Develop an understanding of how living a life of play and rest can maximize not only your efficiency as a leader, but your team’s overall efficiency as well.
• Begin developing strategies to help you cultivate an environment of work-life integration and well-being.

Facilitated by ODE Senior Management Consultants, Ari Mack and Jennifer Fonseca

Leader As Coach

Registration Fee: $50

The four consecutive half-day Leader as Coach focuses on the supervisor or leader as coach based on the 2002-19 Presence-Based Coaching model. After the course, you'll have access to follow-up coaching sessions providing the opportunity for skill mastery by putting all your learning and intentions into practice.

Open to faculty, supervisors and staff who are responsible for the work of others as supervisors or project or program managers and who have attended the Faculty Leadership Program, Chair Program, Harold D. Craft Leadership Program or Turning Point as the program builds on concepts from those programs.

Facilitators: Kathryn Burkgren, Ph.D., AVP, Tanya Grove, Assistant Director, and Ari Mack, Sr. Management Consultant, ODE

Unleashing the Power of Your Team 

What does it mean to be a leader and unleash the power of your team? In this course, you will explore the behaviors and cultural issues that get in the way of leading effectively, as well as your role in creating an environment where all employees feel empowered.

Facilitated by Marcus Brooks, Senior Management Consultant and Trainer, ODE and Dane Cruz, Director, CITE

Employee Engagement November 4; 9:00 am – 10:15 am

Engaged employees fully invest their best selves in the work they do. But what is employee engagement and how is it created? Employees and leaders intuitively know that when we find a place where we can throw our hearts, spirits, minds, and hands into our work, we are happier, healthier, and produce better results. Yet, most of us struggle to understand exactly why we engage in some environments and don’t in others.

• Understand what employee engagement is and isn’t.
• Learn the 3 types of employees and how to locate yourself among them.
• Develop strategies to remain committed to workplace mission and vision while maintaining and enhancing your own well-being.
• Explore the pillars of intrinsic motivation and how to work with your organization to ask for what you need.
• Develop strategies for cultivating a collaborative and empowering environment that fosters pride, creativity, and commitment amongst our employees.

Facilitated by Ari Mack, Senior Management Consultant, ODE

De-Mystifying Burnout 

Today’s workplace presents a multitude of challenges for us to overcome! It’s hard to be at our best when we feel bogged down by the weight of burnout. We will explore how to build awareness of what your burnout activators might be and how to effectively navigate through them while building resilience when stress and burnout set in. 

Facilitated by Ari Mack, Senior Management Consultant, ODE

Developing and Implementing an Outward Mindset 

Registration Fee: $300

This 2-day, in-person workshop will enable participants learn the difference between inward and outward mindsets.

They discover where they have been inward and how to turn more outward. They learn how to turn their mindsets and behaviors outward by applying the following tool sets:

• Self-awareness tools—Four tools to overcome a self-focused inward mindset and more consistently work with an others-inclusive outward mindset.
• Mindset change tools—Two tools to implement and sustain an outward mindset.
• Accountability tools—Three accountability tools to help individuals clarify their roles and hold themselves accountable for their impact on others
• Collaboration tools—Eight collaboration tools to help individuals and teams plan, work, and resolve differences more collaboratively and effectively.

Facilitated by Jennifer Fonseca, Senior Management Consultant, ODE

Navigating Negative Self-Talk

You know the voice, now explore how to tend and befriend your negative self-talk! Join us as we create awareness and gain skills that help us turn our negative self-talk/thoughts into strengths and confidence! 

Facilitated by Ari Mack, Senior Management Consultant, ODE

Journeying with Generations

The workforce today includes representation from as many as 5 generations. Have you ever spent time thinking about how this impacts your workplace culture? Your day-to-day activities? Have you ever wondered about how to better understand the perspective of someone from outside of your own generation and how you might communicate more effectively with this person? Please join us for a forum to discuss the ways in which we can improve our understanding of and communication with colleagues in a multi-generational workforce. You will also learn about additional resources available to you here at Cornell to support you in this endeavor.

By the end of this session, we hope that participants will:

• Feel comfortable having conversations within their own units about their generations and their perspectives through their generational lens.
• Become more comfortable engaging with colleagues of other generations while exploring how to tap into the cumulative experience of all.
• Explore how the intersectionality of generational cohorts, life experiences, and identities come together and create unique dynamics.
• Challenge assumptions and apply strategies for making the workplace more welcoming and inclusive for all generations.

Facilitated by Ari Mack, Senior Management Consultant, ODE

Project Management for the Casual Project Manager

Join us for a two half-day exploration of the fundamental elements of Project Management and the project lifecycle facilitated by certified project management professionals! With a focus on project management best practices, you will learn to apply the skills, tools, and knowledge necessary to understand the most effective path forward for your project. From initiation to closing, you’ll develop foundational knowledge that will enhance your project management skills. Whether you’re just starting your project management journey or have led a few projects, this course is for you!

Facilitated by Chris O'Brien, Assistant Director HR Project Management, HR Administration and Technology, Carrie Susskind, IT Project Manager, Research Administration Information Services and Ari Mack, Senior Management Consultant, ODE

Engaging in the Strength of Connection 

Engage the strength of connection as we provide participants with practical insights and actionable strategies to enhance connectivity within your workplace. Inspired by the book “Connectable” by Ryan Jenkins, we draw from the core principles outlined in the research to engage in dynamic discussions and foster authentic connections. This class is a golden opportunity for those interested in boosting their interpersonal skills, adapting to changing work landscapes, strengthening collaboration, and increasing business success.

• Explore key principles of connection
• Build practical skills for authentic connection
• Understand how connection boosts individual and team productivity
• Understand how to cultivate a culture of collaboration and belonging

Facilitated by Ari Mack, Senior Management Consultant, ODE