Tim Switalski, director of leadership development, will present "Building Better Teams," a daylong workshop on leadership development and the principles of team building, on Friday, May 20, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in Butler Library 181B. Breakfast and lunch will be provided.

In today’s world, teams are more important than ever. Successful organizations depend on teams to get things done. Leaders are no longer able to realize their goals or overcome complex challenges without relying on teams to achieve their objectives.

But teams don’t come together by accident. They must be carefully organized and supported as they develop. They must learn to work together before they can be expected to perform at a high level. Unfortunately, many organizations forget to focus on team development and are surprised when teams struggle and fail to achieve their potential.

This program will focus on the principles and practices that lead to the development of healthy, productive, and cohesive teams, including building trust, resolving conflict, keeping commitments, being accountable, and achieving shared results. Participants will focus on developing the necessary skills to build and maintain strong, healthy relationships and align their contributions to achieve higher levels of performance, creativity, and collective results. We will explore the leadership behaviors that can promote high performance and leverage the diversity of background, experience, and thinking preferences among team members to achieve collective success. Participants will learn to

• identify the key elements that contribute to the formation and maintenance of healthy, cohesive teams;
• use the FourSight self-assessment to understand the impact of individual thinking style preferences on team relationships;
• examine the role of leadership in facilitating team growth and development; and 
• explore ways that leaders can influence positive climate and leverage it to boost performance and promote creative thinking and action. 

Please register through the CyberQuad Workshop Registration website.

The Professional Development Center will present Crucial Conversations: Communicating in the Workplace, on Thursday May 19, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in Butler Library 181B.

Effective communication is the power to speak the truth and get what you want while communicating a credible and self-assured professional image. From negotiating workload to giving honest feedback, this workshop will provide you will the tools you need to take on many types of difficult conversations. Let Rita Zientek, associate dean of the School of the Professions, and Ottilie Woodruff, director of professional staff development, show you how to stop being invisible at work and learn the communication skills you need to speak up. Bring a scenario you'd like to resolve.

Lunch will be provided. Please register through the Workshop Registration System.

Readers see your writing as a reflection of how you think. The academic style of writing requires clarity and conciseness. Knowing the guidelines to write more clearly and concisely will help keep your writing direct and logical. Increase your writing power and communicate effectively with these tips for polished annual report writing during this workshop on Wednesday, May 11, from noon to 2:00 p.m. in Butler Library 181B.

Lunch will be provided. Please register online through the Registration System.

Please contact Lauren Turner, professional development assistant, with questions.

All full- and part-time faculty members are invited to join an international study on student learning. The aim of the project is to explore faculty and student awareness of the student learning process and how students develop their ability to adapt what they learn in one context to new learning environments, contexts, and situations. Buffalo State is partnering with faculty and students from the University of Queensland (Australia), the University of Melbourne (Australia), the University of Lige (Belgium), Leeds Beckett University (UK), and Newcastle University (UK). If you have any questions about the project, please contact John Draeger, associate professor of philosophy and director of SoTL.

Please join us for the next Tuesday Talks, "Leaders of Learning," on May 10 at 12:15 p.m. in Butler Library 181B.

All of us carry explicit or implicit theories of learning, which manifest in the ways we learn, the ways we teach, and the ways we think about leadership and learning. "Leaders of Learning" will help you identify and develop your personal theory of learning, and explore how it fits into the shifting landscape of learning. This isn't just about schools; it's about the broader and bigger world of learning.

Light refreshments will be provided. Please register through the online Workshop Registration System.

The Professional Development Center will sponsor the workshop "PEPDS Appraisals" on Monday, April 25, at 2:00 p.m. in Butler Library 181B. Delivering feedback is critical to PEPDS. This workshop will cover how to address performance issues within contract agreement regulations and guidelines. Union representation will be on site. (Part 4 of a four-part series.)

Light snacks will be provided. Please register through the Workshop Registration System.

The Professional Development Center will present "Inclusive Leadership Training: Leading with Effective Communication" during the next Tuesday Talks, on April 19 at 12:15 p.m. in Butler Library 181B.

What does it take to inspire others, promote a novel idea, or even have a difficult conversation? How do you know that the message you are intending to send is what is being received? How can you position yourself as a leader through inclusive communication? Join Catalyst experts to explore these questions and the important role communication plays in inclusive leadership.

Light refreshments will be provided. Please register through the CyberQuad Workshop Registration website.

The Professional Development Center will sponsor the webinar "Conquering Your Leadership Challenge with Political Savvy" on Wednesday, April 13, at noon in Butler Library 181B.

Leaders must overcome numerous challenges in the workplace, from building acceptance for challenging revenue or performance objectives to addressing a teamwork issue or conflict, leading an initiative, or increasing employee motivation during difficult times. Organizational politics can be an obstacle to overcoming these challenges. Developing and enhancing your political savvy will not only allow you to effectively perform in your organization but also give you insights into how to overcome and conquer your challenges at work. Learn what political savvy means, why it's important, and how to develop it, as well as the different aspects of political savvy and how these aspects can help with your leadership challenge.

Lunch will be provided. Please register through the CyberQuad Workshop Registration website.

Highlighting the impact of scholarly and creative works is an important part of the renewal, tenure, and promotion process. Join fellow faculty members in a discussion of the various metrics available to demonstrate the importance of publications, presentations, and creative endeavors on Thursday, April 7, at 12:15 p.m. in Butler Library 181B.

Please register through the CyberQuad Workshop Registration System.

The Professional Development Center will sponsor the workshop "Focus on Outcomes in Goal Writing" on Tuesday, April 5, from 10:00 a.m. to noon in Butler Library 181B.

If performance programs are done correctly, they should serve as a guidepost, confirming that the job is being done well and is part of a collaborative process. Effective goal setting establishes standards and targets for performance. SMART goals will be discussed. (This is Part 3 of a four-part series. Part 4: PEPDS Appraisals.)

Light snacks will be provided. Please register through the CyberQuad Workshop Registration website.