Leadership Skills for Supervisors

Explore the value of "situational leadership" to your effectiveness and learn how to develop a coaching relationship with frontline employees. You will also learn how to establish great performance expectations for your team, delegate work to others, and create an environment where employees are motivated. Upon completion of this course, you will be ready to take on a larger role in your organization.

• Public works supervisors who wish to sharpen their skills 
• Supervisors and managers new to the field of public works 
• Public works employees who wish to prepare for advancement 
• Public works engineers who are new to management 
• Public works professionals engaged in the APWA Donald C. Stone Center leadership and management career path

Course topics to be discussed include:

• What is leadership?
• Qualities that enable someone to lead
• How is leadership different from management and supervision?
• Transitioning into your supervisory or leadership role: issues and challenges
• Situational leadership
• Develop a coaching relationship with the frontline
• Defining "Great Performance" expectations for your team and the SMART goals to achieve these expectations
• SMART expectations and goals
• Effective delegation
• Expectancy theory of motivation

Jeff Russell

Jeffrey Russell, co-owner of Russell Consulting, Inc., specializes in helping organizations successfully respond to the challenges of continuous change. With a focus on leadership, strategic thinking, leading change, performance management, and creative problem solving, Jeff has worked with organizations as diverse as Fortune 500 firms, social and public sector organizations, and small family businesses. Jeff received his Master of Science Degree in Industrial Relations from the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he serves as an adjunct faculty member at University of Wisconsin-Madison and UW-Milwaukee. He also teaches for the UW-Madison and UW-LaCrosse Small Business Development Centers.

Benjamin Jordan

Benjamin J. Jordan, PE is a program director with Interdisciplinary Professional Programs in the transportation sector. He has over 35 years of experience in civil engineering and public works. He earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign and a Master of Public Affairs degree with a Certificate in Public Management from the University of Missouri-Columbia. He is a Licensed Professional Engineer in the State of Illinois.