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Case Study 1: Statewide Financial Institution

The Situation: This institution had recently acquired another similar entity, with each organization "used to doing it their own way." The issues created by these mergers included potential morale problems, as well as creating a group of managers who had different ways of doing things.

The Challenge: Fashioned to address their expressed needs, a training program of team building and Mastering Leadership Competencies was developed and taught to the management team.

The Response: The students were laudatory in evaluating the training. Corporate management realized they needed to provide additional training in other related areas, and scheduled this for their key leaders.

The Result: After the successful conclusion of our customized program, the executive leadership of the organization felt they now had a more cohesive organization, better working relationship between staff, and strong communication channels to get things done.

Case Study 2: International Engineering Firm

The Situation: Many highly technical organizations promote talented individuals to be team leaders and into middle managerial roles based on their technical competence, even though many of these people have never been taught the management and supervision skills required for successful management.

Professional Education arranged for a group of 70+ comprised of individuals with high technical expertise to attain the skills to enable them to be highly productive supervisors and good managers.

The Challenge: At first, there was a credibility issue - the students felt they were doing their jobs as engineers, and didn't appreciate the challenges they faced as managers and leaders. The students were split into three cohorts of about 25, and in these small group exercises were conducted to demonstrate not only the "what" but the "how" to help define, communicate, supervise and control projects. Additional training in Project Management was also provided at the firm's request.

The Response: Student recommendations and suggestions for improving overall organization performance were submitted to the Vice president for Human Resources. Senior level management was so satisfied with the training; they brought The University of Utah back for another round of training.

The Result: The people who took this series of courses were more prepared, personally, to do their jobs. In the evaluations, the students made very positive comments about the value of their training.

Case Study 3: Statewide Human Services Agency

The Situation: Two years after being named to head a statewide policymaking and service organization, the leader discovered employees' need for career development through a satisfaction survey.

The Challenge: Employees wanted to learn ways to influence colleagues over whom they have no supervisory authority. The division director wanted better "buy-in" to the project planning and management model he had mandated as a discipline for building individual and organizational productivity.

The Response: The group requested leadership training, a day's class on effective communication and presentation skills, and help understanding and using project management. The University customized learning expectations for the agency by using examples from actual projects.

The Results: Individuals in the agency conveyed to their boss their challenges in managing multiple projects simultaneously. Management committed to measuring and monitoring workloads and rewarding quality performance. The division director uncovered new ways to develop resources to support managers. Leaders now place more value on their employees as key customers and have developed and use training tools created with employee input. Employees and their supervisors are implementing accountability for better communication and project management skill. The division director reports receiving "favorable feedback far and wide" for providing career development training to the staff as part of his commitment to organizational excellence.

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