Wanted: A few good leaders

Nina Polok is looking for leaders in the ranks of UCCS staff and faculty.

Polok, director, Bachelor of Innovation program, leads a new UCCS leadership development curriculum called Leadership Academy. The program is open to all staff and faculty, regardless of title, length of service, or number of employees supervised. Leadership Academy is sponsored by Chancellor Pam Shockley-Zalabak and campus vice chancellors.

The first program in Leadership Academy is a 1 1/2 day workshop, Understanding Yourself as a Leader.

“Everyone is a leader,” Polok said recently. “My goal is to provide you with insight into what leadership is, and how you can be a leader in any circumstance.”

During the day-and-a-half of on-campus training, Polok shared experiences gained as a member of the UCCS staff and faculty and from leadership roles in a global technology company. Those experiences generated a practical, hands-on training that is focused on self-reflection and understanding, communication and achieving personal and professional goals.

“Leadership is a lot about communication,” Polok said recently. “Leadership is an exercise in language.”

While rooted in scientific theory, Understanding Yourself as a Leader is practical in its focus. For example, Polok coaches appropriately reacting to workplace differences and understanding what can trigger conflict. Other exercises explore the importance of listening, how to effectively give assignments to colleagues and subordinates, or the personal effect of complaining.

“I’ve been doing this for 11 years,” Polok said. “I live this and, yet, I find myself slipping occasionally. None of us is perfect and we all need reminders. Understanding Yourself as a Leader is about reminding us that we determine our own futures and happiness. I give everyone the techniques they need to be successful.”

The first two offerings of Understanding Yourself as a Leader took place this summer. More than 50 staff and faculty participated.

Two sessions are scheduled for the fall semester. They are:

• Oct. 1-2. The program is from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 1 and 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Oct. 2.
• Nov. 19-20. The program is scheduled from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 19 and 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Nov. 20.

The program is without cost, though enrollment is limited. Participants must be able to commit 1½ days to the course and have supervisor approval.

For more information, or to register, contact Polok, 255-3832, or [email protected]

— Photos by Jeffrey M Foster