2009-2010

News Release

REF NO.: 0

SUBJECT: Grenfell: Supervisory Skills Development Program prepares current and future leaders

DATE: August 12, 2010

          Albert Einstein once said the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.
         Participants in this year’s Supervisory Skills Development Program at Grenfell College learned how to initiate change and improve results at their respective institutions.
          Offered in partnership with Memorial University’s Department of Human Resources, Gardiner Centre, and the Division of Lifelong Learning, the program saw 20 individuals discover how to be better leaders in their organizations.
            Carolyn Parsons, Grenfell’s manager of student recruitment, said the interesting mix of backgrounds meant that participants got perspectives from several different industries.
          “We had participants from the university, the mill, the city and WHSCC and we all learned from each other,” she said. “The sessions were great and were lead by experts; I think this is a fantastic program and I am so glad that I had an opportunity to participate.”
          The Supervisory Skills Development Program consists of 14 modules (13 days of training) which were offered over an eight-month period from October 2009 to May 2010.            Areas of focus included planning and goal-setting skills; problem solving and decision making; listening and meeting management; effective presentation skills; business writing; project management; performance coaching; personality and work; effective interview skills; customer service; conflict resolution; work-life balance; and leadership roles. Twenty people completed the program and received their certificates during a special ceremony.
          “In today’s highly competitive and rapidly changing business environment, it is important to maintain a workplace culture in which employees feel valued and able to contribute their personal best to the achievement of the company,” says Marilyn Forward, program developer with Community Education. “The Supervisory Skills Development Program is designed for new supervisory staff with the purpose of developing their skills and broadening their expertise.”

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