January 3, 2000
Training & Development offers ongoing programs for supervisory development
By Barbara McKenna
Supervisors who are capable and effective at motivating and managing employees and
developing top performers are essential to organizational effectiveness at UCSC.
To foster these talents, Training & Development has sponsored the Supervisory
Development Program since 1991. The program is open to supervisors of both staff
and students and is customized to the campus working environment. Since its inception,
more than 360 supervisors have completed the program.
The program enables participants to understand supervisory roles and responsibilities,
plan for effective communication and problem solving, recognize and resolve conflict,
build and lead diverse teams, network with other supervisors, and use a variety of
resources available at UCSC.
"The Ombudsman's Office has long supported supervisory training and will continue
to support and recommend this type of program to campus managers and supervisors,"
said Tom Webster, the campus's associate ombudsman.
Among those who have participated in the program is Elvia Moreno-Ontiveros, human
resources coordinator at the Educational Partnership Center. "The program enlightened
my thinking about my roles as a supervisor and, most importantly, connected me with
a network of counterparts I can rely on for help in problem solving," she said.
"It was an excellent experience that will really pay off by saving a lot of
time and mistakes in the long run."
Kathleen Hughes, an administrative analyst at OPERS, also participated in the program.
"The supervisory development workshops were definitely worth the time and effort,"
she said. "I appreciated the fact that subjects covered were directly related
to responsibilities and challenges associated with being a supervisor at UCSC. In
particular, I benefited from exploring leadership styles and effective communication
models, and learning about style differences when approaching conflict."
The program is offered twice a year and is linked to additional training, such as
performance management and diversity awareness. In 2000-0l, a series titled "Advanced
Skills for Supervisors" will be offered. For more information, visit the Training & Development Website. To
enroll, send e-mail to workshop@cats.ucsc.edu.
