University Human Resources

Leadership Certification Program

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Lead, Support, Guide

Expectations of managers at Brown University and suggestions for relevant development opportunities

Leadership Certification Program

The Leadership Certification Program (LCP) provides new and existing leaders with the skills necessary to effectively lead at Brown. The LCP is open to all managers who have at least 1 full-time direct report. All newly hired and promoted managers are automatically enrolled in the program and are encouraged to begin within six months.

To become certified, leaders must first attend An Orientation to Leadership at Brown. Existing leaders are also encouraged to certify to refresh their skills and provide valuable insights while participating in the program. For more information about enrollment in the program, contact talentdevelopment@brown.edu.

Please note: The program offers both virtual and onsite sessions, but you only need to complete one to fulfill the program requirement.

View upcoming sessions

Leadership Certification at a Glance

Acquire the skills needed to effectively manage and lead staff at Brown University.

  • The LCP is open to all managers who have at least 1 full-time direct report.
  • All newly hired and promoted managers are automatically enrolled in the program and are encouraged to begin within six months.
  • Existing leaders are also encouraged to certify to refresh their skills and provide valuable insights while participating in the program.
  • Modules are offered as instructor-led sessions or online learning.
  • An Orientation to Leadership at Brown (self-directed prerequisite for all modules)
  • Communication: Connect Through Conversations (prerequisite for three modules indicated with *)
  • Coaching: Move People Forward*
  • Addressing Poor Performance*
  • Resolving Workplace Conflict*
  • Developing Yourself and Others
  • Delegation: Engage and Empower People
  • Inclusive Leadership - Part 1
  • Inclusive Leadership - Part 2
  • Inclusive Leadership - Part 3
  • A Guide To Navigating Team Dynamics (self-directed, e-learning course)
  • 2 LCP Electives (two self-directed e-learning courses required)

Note: Talent Development is committed to the continuous improvement of our programs. With that in mind, program requirements and expectations are subject to change.

  1. Log into your Workday Learning dashboard. Select My Learning on the left-hand side of the screen.
  2. Under Required for You, click on Leadership Certification Program. You will be able to see the status of the required modules in the list.
  3. Select Resume Program to view program modules you’ve completed and to enroll in course offerings.
Screenshot of the program in Workday

 

Once you’ve completed the certification program, we recommend keeping your skills current by participating in at least 3 relevant learning opportunities each fiscal year. LCP graduates receive periodic communications with suggested options for doing just that.

Module Titles and Descriptions

Class descriptions, prerequisites and learning objectives for each session

This self-directed orientation is designed to ensure new leaders get off to a good start and existing leaders revisit important resources. As such, the program covers information, tools, and resources available to ensure success at the University. Details about the Leadership Certification Program, a required program for all new and newly promoted leaders, will also be discussed.

Prerequisite

  • Enrollment in the Leadership Certification Program

Objectives

By the end of this module, the leader will be able to:

  • Discuss the role of the Brown leader and leadership best practices
  • Identify the components of the Leadership Certification Program and other key resources for success

Brown University needs frontline leaders with strong interpersonal skills who can get things done by mobilizing and engaging staff. This is a prerequisite module for three of the Leadership Certification Program core modules. As such, this session will teach leaders the Interaction Essentials™ model and key principles needed to handle the variety of challenges and opportunities they will encounter in the workplace every day.

Prerequisite

  • An Orientation to Leadership at Brown

Objectives

By the end of this module, the leader will be able to:

  • Achieve results through others by building strong interpersonal relationships
  • Plan for successful interactions with team members
  • Provide meaningful, supportive feedback that motivates team members and helps individuals improve their performance
  • Impact outcomes by consistently meeting the personal and practical needs of staff

This session will help leaders handle both proactive and reactive coaching discussions. By understanding the importance of four coaching techniques, leaders will have more effective and efficient interactions. Since both proactive and reactive coaching discussions can be challenging, leaders will use their own or relevant scenarios to make the module especially meaningful to them.

Prerequisites

  • An Orientation to Leadership at Brown
  • Communication: Connect Through Conversations

Objectives

By the end of this module, the leader will be able to:

  • Increase the agility and impact of their coaching
  • Make the most of each coaching opportunity
  • Provide input to help team members gain timely insights into their work
  • Enhance the confidence and competence of their staff on an ongoing basis
  • Build an engaged team that feels challenged and valued

Today, organizations continually ramp up productivity, improve quality, shorten cycle times, and reduce costs. An unfortunate, but natural by-product is workplace conflict. One of the course’s key messages is that leaders must help employees accept accountability for owning and resolving their workplace conflicts. Leaders do this through coaching and working closely with an HR colleague.

Prerequisites

  • An Orientation to Leadership at Brown
  • Communication: Connect Through Conversations

Objectives

By the end of this module, the leader will be able to:

  • Reduce the damaging effects of workplace conflict on individuals, groups, and Brown
  • Effectively address workplace conflict and enhance productivity, efficiency, and morale
  • Help others take responsibility for resolving their own conflicts
  • Promote a culture of trust

Some leaders still struggle with staff who exhibit poor performance or work habits despite repeated coaching. Leaders will learn how to focus on operational and behavioral issues and how to overcome defensiveness. Gathering and using data to provide effective feedback and balancing seeking and telling to gain commitment for improvement will also be reviewed. Finally, participants will practice conducting performance improvement discussions.

Prerequisites

  • An Orientation to Leadership at Brown
  • Communication: Connect Through Conversations

Objectives

By the end of this module, the leader will be able to:

  • Effectively address poor performance in a firm, fair, and consistent manner
  • Minimize the impact of chronic performance problems on people, productivity, and results
  • Provide problem performers with a clear understanding of what they must do to improve and the consequences of failing to do so
  • Encourage staff to take ownership of and be accountable for improving their work performance

Research tells us employee engagement is the primary enabler of the successful execution of organizational strategy, and no one impacts the state of engagement and retention more than an employee’s immediate manager. This session provides leaders with a model for determining what drives an individual’s engagement as well as methods for proactively engaging and retaining talent. Leaders will learn how to conduct engagement and retention conversations and explore ways to recognize people, using no-cost everyday methods to create an engaging environment.

Prerequisite

  • An Orientation to Leadership at Brown

Objectives

By the end of this module, the leader will be able to:

  • Engage individuals on a daily basis
  • Uncover and address what individuals need to be more satisfied and engaged at work
  • Inspire higher levels of engagement by acknowledging the value staff bring to Brown and showing they matter
  • Increase the quality of conversations with staff about their engagement and intent to stay at Brown

Effective delegation accomplishes much more than the task at hand. It also builds trust for future delegations, helps staff develop new skills, and reduces managerial stress. In this session leaders will learn the different stages of delegation, while learning to match a person’s capabilities and motivations to an appropriate task.

Prerequisite

  • An Orientation to Leadership at Brown

Objectives

By the end of this module, the leader will be able to:

  • Discuss the benefits and challenges of delegating
  • Learn and practice a 5-step process to effectively delegate

In this three-part series, participants will have the opportunity to closely examine their own lived experiences within the context of a researched inclusive leadership model. They will explore the essential characteristics required to be an effective leader of diverse teams, engaging with concepts of power and privilege through a personal lens. The focus of the dialogue throughout the program will be on the relationships between participants' social identities, privileges, disadvantages, and how these experiences ultimately contribute to their leadership traits. This series is designed to support leaders in building confidence, skills, and an appreciation for interacting broadly across differences.

Prerequisite

  • An Orientation to Leadership at Brown

Objectives

By the end of this module, the leader will:

  • Explore the concepts of power and privilege in the context of leadership, and examine how their social identities bring both unearned privilege and unearned disadvantage.
  • Have greater insight into how to work effectively with those from different backgrounds and how to address conflict within diverse groups.
  • Examine what it means to be culturally confident and begin to apply their cultural confidence in the workplace.

What’s the number one cause of conflict at work? People. When different personalities clash, it’s bound to cause some reverberations. But understanding and embracing what makes each person unique can produce a high-performing team that excels without exception. This course will teach you how to build team dynamics that serve rather than hinder your development by discovering different roles, work styles, and generational differences. You’ll learn to improve collaboration by finding a style that resonates and learning what makes your team tick.

Prerequisite

  • An Orientation to Leadership at Brown

Objectives

By the end of this module, the leader will:

  • Identify and react to the stage of growth for your team.
  • See how team members feel and behave.
  • Define the goals and objectives of your team.
  • Identify action items you can take to help your team achieve high performance.

LCP offers 4 self-directed, elective courses that participants take to fulfill the program requirements. Participants choose 2 of the 4 elective sessions delivered by LinkedIn Learning.

  • Exemplifying Institutional Values
  • Critical Reflection and Self Awareness
  • Incorporating Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging into Leadership
  • Focus on Empathy in Customer Service

Information for Managers

Managers of program participants play a critical role in the successful transfer of skills to the workplace. Throughout the LCP, managers receive information about the program to position the participant for success.

Here are some tips to support your participant during their certification:

  • Time: Work together to plan release time to participate in the program.
  • Accountability: Hold the participant accountable for consciously applying the strategies and tools learned.
  • Guidance and Encouragement: Overcome barriers that may prevent the participant from applying the skills and measuring progress. Provide timely feedback from first-hand observations and acknowledge the impact of their success.
  • Tools: Use performance management tools, processes, and weekly meetings to review and document your participant's leadership development progress.

Lead, Support, Guide

Expectations of managers at Brown University and suggestions for relevant development opportunities