Management Development Lab (MDL)
​Program Learning Objectives and Structure

Program Learning Objectives 

MDL focuses on core topics to help you experience greater fulfillment in your current role while developing your capabilities for the profession of the future. Upon completing MDL, you can expect to:

1. Lead with Authenticity
  • Articulate and express your values and authentic self to lead with integrity and confidence
  • Reconnect with the mission and vision of  higher education and your institution
  • Identify the mindset shift that differentiates an individual contributor from manager and leader
  • Embrace the discomfort that occurs when developing new skills and capabilities

​2. Manage Energy and Boundaries
  • Value the interrelationship between self care and effectiveness as a manager and leader
  • Manage boundaries, both physical and emotional, to maximize your energy and contributions
  • Prioritize your work to focus on what matters most
  • Strengthen and diversify your network of support​
"The most impactful thing for me was the content of the work we covered. So many of the items we read and discussed were not only thought provoking, but also practical and useful immediately.  A close second would be the one-on-one coaching followed by the small group peer coaching. The one-on-one was helpful for me to understand my leadership style, identify my goals as a leader, and determine the path to achieving them."
Susan Leighton, Director Academic Programs Villanova University
“The peer coaching has changed the way I ask questions and frame language in meetings and with my team in a way that is more open ended.  I allow others to come to their own conclusions  and include them in a collaborative process.” 
Anonymous, Director of Advancement Systems and Technology
3. Build Relationships
  • Establish or reestablish trust at the center of your relationships with others
  • Use inquiry and curiosity to forge connections and discover the talents of others
  • Foster a climate of psychological safety where others express themselves with courage and confidence

4. Lead Inclusively
  • Be in tune with one’s own biases and manage emotional reactions and behaviors towards others
  • Recognize the impact of bias on everyday behaviors and decisions in the workplace
  • Create a welcoming, inclusive environment that allows the creative potential of diversity to be realized

5. Bring Out the Best in Others
  • Coach others to solve problems and address challenges with increasing independence
  • Give and receive feedback with candor and compassion
  • Hold yourself and others accountable for actions and commitments

6. Navigating Difficult Conversations and Conflict
  • Recognize one’s own triggers and manage responses to stressful situations
  • Raise difficult issues with others with respect and confidence
  • Work towards resolution in conflict situations

​7. Lead for the Future
  • Make everyday strategic choices that are aligned with enterprise-wide goals
  • ​Approach uncertainty and complexity with adaptability and both/and thinking
  • Collaborate across functional boundaries to serve broader organizational priorities

Program Structure 

Throughout the duration of MDL, you will engage in a variety of ways:

  • Introductory 1:1 meeting with the program facilitator
    In this orientation to the program, you will have the opportunity to get to know the facilitator, ask questions as well as discuss goals and expectations for the program.​
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  • Participate in one full-day kickoff virtual session 
    ​In     this kick-off event, you will explore the unique traditions and culture of academia, your institution's mission, vision, and values, and its goals related to diversity, equity and inclusion. You will identify the connections between your daily work and the specific challenges facing your institution within a broader context. You will share and learn with your peers about the rewards and challenges of being a manager and leader within academia. You will also develop an individual learning plan and experience a practical introduction to peer coaching.
 
  •  Have one 1:1 coaching meeting with the program facilitator 
    ​A one-on-one professional coaching session at the beginning of the program helps you establish your learning goals during the program. The coaching is provided by the CCC program facilitator and scheduled in coordination with each participant.
 
  • Participate in six 2-hour virtual sessions 
    ​During monthly virtual sessions, you will share management and leadership experiences, learn new tools and content, and practice using them in activities and discussion with your peers.​
 
  • Complete self-study work in between virtual sessions
    In between sessions, you will read articles, watch targeted videos, practice using tools, and complete activities to apply what you learn to your role at work. These assignments provide the foundation on which the virtual sessions and Peer Coaching are built.
 
  • Meet with Peer Learning Group
    You will meet monthly in a small, self-directed peer learning group. These conversations help you to integrate program content by reflecting on current experience, gathering perspective, and preparing for more practice. Engaging with your learning group throughout the program provides a powerful support for sustainable change and growth. These meetings are scheduled by you and your group and take place between each of the monthly sessions.
 
  • Participate in a capstone session
    In this final event, you will reflect on learning related to your individual development goals, review key takeaways and insights and look ahead to your future development. 

Optional Developmental Coaching: (3) one-hour coaching sessions with the program facilitator
Integrating new behaviors and practices takes time, reflection and feedback. Individual coaching provides support for that process by creating a space for debriefing experiences, testing out new behaviors, receiving feedback and being challenged. Further the learning experience by engaging a CCC Coach for three additional sessions within the three month period immediately following your MDL experience.