Leading Others

Woman talking to group of people gathered around a table
logo

Leading Others helps supervisors understand themselves as leaders, develop relationships with others, navigate complex contexts and reach for future possibilities, so that they are forces for a better future in their units and portfolios of work.

About

This training draws on current research and best practices in the field of leadership, but offers more than you could get from a book or series of videos. Leading Others moves beyond universal abstraction to context-specific application. It challenges participants to get curious about themselves, their people, their context and their desired future and then prioritizes investigation and experimentation in these areas.

In this eight-day training, you get the unique experience of:

  1. Core leadership training: five and a half days of training that covers a variety of topics, from leadership-related neuroscience to coaching to conflict resolution, and is loaded with tools and techniques that you will practice in-session and try with your team.
  2. All My Relations: a half-day session about Indigenous approaches to leadership and traditional medicine wheel teachings that help develop greater awareness of self and others.
  3. Innovation: a one day session where participants learn about systems thinking and human-centered design and consider how they can support innovation in their units.
  4. Inclusion: a full day session where participants explore opportunities for decolonization and inclusion in the University of Alberta context.
  5. Integration and showcase: the final day where the group collectively reflects on its learnings and shares them with sponsors and supporters.
  6. Individualized coaching: TWO one-hour sessions of individualized coaching. Coaching is available to help you to integrate your learning into everyday contexts. Coaching time would be in addition to homework time.

Review Program Syllabus

Eligibility

Leading Others is designed for University of Alberta employees who supervise a team.

FACILITATORS

Jess Robinson Lychak (Lead facilitator)

Jess is a thought partner for leaders who are hungry to learn. She has years of expertise coaching and training executives and teams in the skills of developing trust and accountability, resolving conflict, and enhancing performance. Jess has held leadership roles in not-for-profit arts organizations and the health care sector. She has a Master’s degree in Leadership Development from Royal Roads University and is a Professional Certified Coach. A former theatre actor, producer, and film festival programmer, Jess brings creativity and play to the design and facilitation of leadership programs.

Kerri Robinson (Lead facilitator)

Kerri has always been fascinated by the process of change and how systems can be transformed through precision and critical thinking. Kerri has studied change, as part of her Master's of Business Administration (leadership specialization), and she has led change in her previous role steering high-stakes capital projects with Alberta Health Services. Kerri currently co-facilitates leadership development sessions with her partner and is a research associate with Royal Roads University on a project related to the intersections between climate change and the health care system. She has a diploma in solution-focused coaching from Erickson International and is working towards her Associate Certified Coach designation.

Karen MacKenzie (Indigenous approaches to leadership)

Karen is a proud Cree-Métis woman. She is the Co-Founder and President of MacKintosh Canada and serves as an Elder with Edmonton Catholic Schools and Indigenous Services Canada. She is also a Mentor with the Indigenous Women in Community Leadership program at St. Francis Xavier University. Karen has a Master’s of Business Administration and held academic leadership posts at the University of Lethbridge and Grant MacEwan College. She brings her traditional knowledge into the contemporary workplace and is committed to the co-creation of a healthy and safe workplace that is inclusive, engaging, and respectful of the land, culture, and aspirations of all but particularly Indigenous peoples.

Lyall Samaroden (Innovation)

Lyall is all about helping individuals and teams build their innovation and change capability. Market leaders within government, media, insurance, automotive, energy, and the defense sectors have turned to Lyall for exceptional results during times of disruption. Lyall is a leader in the emergent field of Design Thinking. He uses human-centered tools and techniques to help his clients think differently, see new opportunities, and shape the future.

Lyall is a proud alumni of the JR Shaw School of Business at NAIT. Like other busy parents out there, he is actively pursuing his Master’s in Life Administration. Lyall is a certified ExperienceChange™, ExperienceInnovation™ and LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® facilitator. He is also Prosci® certified.

Lyall’s energy, theatrics and thought leadership puts him in constant demand as a keynote speaker and leadership trainer.

Carrie Malloy (Inclusion)

Carrie is a lifelong learner who is passionate about the many ways that people can build community - both in professional and personal spaces. She spent many years living, working and traveling overseas and has taught global issues and intercultural communication at colleges and universities in Canada and abroad. Carrie has a Master's Degree in International and Intercultural Education and is currently completing a Certificate in Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at UBC.

Schedule

This is an eight-day, cohort-based program. The program is offered annually from October to December and from April to June. Upcoming dates include:

  • May 2 (10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.) - virtual welcome/introductory session
  • May 16 & 17 (9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.)
  • May 30 & 31 (9 a.m.– 4:30 p.m.)
  • June 13 & 14 (9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.)
  • June 27 & 28 (9 a.m.– 4:30 p.m.) - participants’ supervisors and guests are invited from 2:30 – 4:30 p.m.

Participants are expected to:

  • Attend all sessions.
  • Complete pre-work prior to the first day of training (approximately 2 hours).
  • Complete homework (approximately 2-3 hours per week).

Location

The introductory session of Leading Others will be virtual. All other sessions will be held in-person and at Enterprise Square.

Cost

The training costs $750. This fee helps to cover the costs associated with:

  • Expert facilitation.
  • Reference materials.
  • Lunch on the first day of training; refreshments for the final Celebration.
  • Two, one-on-one coaching sessions during the training.

Applicants are encouraged to apply for funding through the Human Resources Development Fund (support staff) or the Professional Expense Reimbursement Program (academic staff).

If a spot in Leading Others is offered, payment is required to secure the spot. Payment can be made via credit card, indent or, where applicable, direct withdrawal from the Human Resources Development Fund. Payment options and instructions will be given at the time of offer.

Availability

There are 30 spaces available in each cohort. Successful applicants will be notified within a week of the application due date.

Selection Process

To be selected, applicants must:

  • Supervise a team.
  • Commit to attending all training days.
  • Commit to completing pre-work and 2-3 hours of homework per week.
  • Have the support of their supervisor.

We will also consider whether the applicant’s responses indicate:

  • Thoughtfulness about leadership and themselves as a leader.
  • A keen motivation to learn and grow.
  • A demonstrated ability to translate intensive learning into everyday contexts.
  • Alignment with the program outcomes.

If the program is oversubscribed, preference will be given to participants who have limited leadership training and experience, and who are early in their supervisory career.

In our selection, we also strive for diverse faculty/department representation.

If we reach capacity, we will waitlist qualified candidates and offer them priority registration in a future offering.

Application Process

  1. Fill out the online learner application form.
  2. Forward the supervisor endorsement form to your supervisor for completion. 

Both parts of the application are due by 4 p.m. on Monday, April 8, 2024. Incomplete applications will not be considered.