LCCC PUBLIC SERVICES INSTITUTE AND UNIVERSITY OF AKRON OFFER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT COURSES FOR APRIL AND MAY

The Public Services Institute at Lorain County Community College and the University of Akron through the Innovation Alliance offer these classes for professional development for public officials during late April and May. To register for any of these courses, call (440) 366-7928 or visit www.lorainccc.edu/psi.

Late April

• Tools and Resources for Entrepreneurs and Small Businesses
  6-8 p.m., Wed., April 23
  LCCC’s Spitzer Conference Center
  Eighty percent of small businesses fail in the first three years of operation. Take this critical course and find out how you can succeed in business. This presentation will lay out the pitfalls and successes of the ‘American Dream’ with very practical and usable tools to be a success and make your dreams a reality. The instructor is David Boulay, Business and Economic Development Specialist with The Ohio State University Extension. Cost of this session is $45. 
   
• Motivating High-Performing Employees
  5:30-8:30 p.m., Thur., April 24
  LCCC’s Spitzer Conference Center
  The purpose of this session is to outline one approach and several models related to motivating employees to reach their potential. The basic conceptual contest for this session is grounded in the Gallup research and book “First Break All the Rules” along with research related to appreciative inquiry. Also, the session will allow time and opportunities for discussion among the attendees to learn from each other’s experiences. The instructor is Robert Calloway, Ph.D., dean of the Social Sciences and Human Services division at LCCC and former director of Institutional Effectiveness and Planning at LCCC. Cost of this session is $45

May

• Embracing the Formerly Feared Audit and Using it to Your Advantage
  6-8 p.m., Thur., May 1 
  LCCC and also at the University of Akron Medina County Center
  Learn how to handle an audit and helpful tips from professionals who can help you to prepare every day for public audits. Found out what auditors are looking for and how you can survive and thrive after an audit. The instructor is Michelle J. Stys and Robert Wilhelm from the Ohio State Auditor’s office. Cost of this session is $45.
   
• Capitalizing on Employee Talent to Improve and Sustain Workforce Performance
  6-8 p.m., Wed., May 14
  LCCC
  What do the world’s greatest managers do differently to increase workforce performance? Based on Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman’s book “First, Break All The Rules,” examine how the world’s greatest managers find, focus, and keep talented employees. Built on the Gallop Organization’s research, see how “the four keys: select for talent, define the right outcomes, focus on strengths, and find the right fit,” can turn each of your employee’s talent into increased performance for your organization. The instructor is Annette McIver, development specialist, for the Entrepreneurship Innovation Center at LCCC. The cost of this session is $45.
   
• Keeping Your Cool: Dealing with Conflict and Confrontation
  6-8 p.m., Thur., May 15
  LCCC’s Spitzer Conference Center
  Develop strategies for working cooperatively with others. Learn how to identify potential sources of conflict and effective techniques for preventing discord. The instructor is Judy Neal, president of J.B. Neal and Associates. Cost of this session is $45.
   
• Business Retention and Expansion
  6- 8 p.m., Thur., May 22
  LCCC’s Spitzer Conference Center
  Business Retention and Expansion (BR&E) includes all those ongoing local economic development programs that focus on keeping and growing the existing businesses in a community. A formal BR&E program is a structured effort involving a broad cross-section of community interests, engaged in ongoing dialogue with the business community to help existing businesses remain profitable, competitive, and efficient. The results of a formal BR&E program may include a sense of social connectedness as a result of enhanced dialogue, local data that inform policy and provide a sense of community self-awareness, and a coherent strategic plan of action for local economic development efforts. This session will outline how to go about conducting a formal BR&E program and discuss the conditions necessary for success. The instructor is Greg Davis from the Center for Education and Training at The Ohio State University Extension. The cost for this session is $45.

To register for any of these courses, call (440) 366-7928 or visit www.lorainccc.edu/psi.

April 16, 2008