LCA customizes training and workshops to meet client needs. The programs can be designed for groups of any size with a duration of one-half day and up to 3 days, depending on desired objectives. A number of programs have received excellent reviews from many federal clients and provide usable tools and skills including:

We are certified to give and debrief the following assessments:

• Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (Step I, Step II, and for Teams)
• Change Style Indicator
• Discovery Learning 360° Feedback
• Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument
• FourSight Thinking Profile (Innovation)
• Strong Interest Inventory Assessment

Soft Skills for Technical and Scientific Leadership

This workshop focuses on understanding what it takes to lead a high performing organization and offers best practices of leaders who are most effective. The workshop provides skill-building and tools for developing emotional intelligence skills real world practice scenarios with effective communications, providing constructive feedback, and managing conflict and differences in the workplace.

Effective Communications

How often do the members of your team take the time to make sure what they’ve said has been clearly transmitted and is properly understood? This session explores the way individual thinking processes shape our day-to-day interactions with others at work. Participants learn ways to practice active listening and effective speaking techniques. This session also provides tools for giving and receiving constructive feedback.

Conflict Management

Because of diversity of views and experiences, conflict emerges as part of our everyday lives. LCA, Inc. uses the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument® to assess your preferred conflict modes and teaches you to recognize different modes and apply appropriate strategies for effectively managing conflict. This session gives you and your team the opportunity to try different approaches (accommodating, avoiding, collaborating, competing, and compromising) through role play situations. Participants learn how to choose and use the appropriate strategies for conflict resolution, and walk away more comfortable and confident in managing differences in the workplace or at home.

Accountability

Wouldn’t it be great if everyone in your organization did what they said they were going to do? How efficient would your team be if each member met their commitments and delivered their portion of the organization’s mission? This workshop provides a simple, personal and meaningful framework for individuals to assume and demonstrate accountability. A video and practice modules offer participants a practical application for learning. An additional component may be added for managers to include strategies for promoting accountability within the organization.

Leadership Coaching Skills

This program teaches coaching skills as a valuable leadership and management tool. It provides managers with tools and methods for helping team members find effective solutions and strategies to address everyday issues and challenges. It promotes increased buy-in and a sense of control by employees, and reduces the pressure on managers to have all of the answers while coaching others to effectively problem-solve on their own.

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Tool for Teambuilding

Do you understand your work preferences and position yourself to best perform in the workplace? Do your team members recognize and understand each other’s “types” and work together effectively? We administer the MBTI® prior to the workshop and use the results to teach your team how to best understand and appreciate differences among the workforce. Members participate in real world scenarios to apply learnings and techniques during the session.

Leadership Can be Learned

Best practices, qualities, and attributes of effective leaders are offered. Participants explore their own experiences and gain an understanding of leadership and one’s potential. Best practices are linked to an assessment of personal development needs and an action plan to support leadership effectiveness. If your organization is experiencing a major leadership transition phase, this will give you ways to have a right start with the position change and set mutually defined expectations in order to build leaders at all levels in the organization in spite of the change.

Change Management

Reorganization, budget cuts, mergers, acquisitions, and more – meeting organization-wide goals and taking care of your personal needs and the concerns of your direct reports can be extremely challenging. This workshop outlines strategic ways to promote energetic organizational culture and manage internal communications/day-to-day interactions in your working environment. It explores ways to manage oneself in a state of uncertainty with tools and tips for remaining effective and health in constantly changing organizational environments.

Effective Meetings

Many managers/supervisors are buried in back-to-back meetings scheduled all throughout the day. How do we make sure that every minute you spend at meetings is meaningful and productive? Given the group dynamic and operational environment you have, what is the best way to exchange ideas and gather necessary information for the discussions that we need to have? What kinds of interactions need to happen in meetings that lead to substantial execution? Useful checklists and templates are provided to ensure that you achieve your desired results every time.

Diversity, Inclusion and Equity Workshops

PROMOTING RACIAL EQUITY AT WORK

In this workshop, the ubiquitous and influential nature of racism within the workplace will be unveiled and explored. We will begin by exploring how and why it is so difficult to have conversations about race. We will identify and discuss some of the “invisible” social forces that shape our perceptions and everyday lives and offer guidance on how to navigate conversations around racial issues. Participants will learn about the impact of racism individually and institutionally through racial bias, microaggressions and structural issues. Additionally, we will discuss how to have a workplace that is more racially equitable. By the end of the workshop, participants will leave with a better understanding of the tools required to effectively address and challenge racism. (1-3 hours)

UNDERSTANDING AND ADDRESSING UNCONSCIOUS BIAS

In this interactive workshop, we will examine how unconscious bias limits effective decision- making, efficiency, productivity and collaboration in the workplace. To build a more equitable work environment, it is important to identify unconscious bias in ourselves and others. Through engaging exercises, participants will be equipped with action-oriented strategies and build practical skills for reducing unconscious bias. (1-3 hours)

COMMUNICATING IN A DIVERSE WORKFORCE

This workshop is designed for supervisors and managers of diverse workforces. We will discuss ways to enhance skills to improve communication and recognize the value of communication in creating a productive and motivated workforce. Leaders should leave the workshop equipped with the tools to have difficult conversations and to understand the value of remaining open and engage to diverse ideas, challenging feedback and conflicting opinions. (1- 3 hours)

THE POWER OF GENDER

This workshop will explore how gender shapes our everyday interactions, both in and out of the workplace. Together, we will challenge assumptions about gender and examine the far- reaching influence of gender in the media, family and workplace. In the first part of the seminar- style workshop, we will discuss variations in men’s and women’s experiences and how gender influences nearly every aspect of our daily lives. The second portion of the workshop will be spent discussing the salience of gender in the workplace, specifically. Participants will gain a better understanding of the influence of gender in the workplace and how to foster an equitable environment for all. (1-3 hours)

MYTHS AND REALITIES OF GENERATIONAL DIVERSITY

Appreciating generational diversity is necessary for organizations to foster effective growth and development of their employees, yet our understanding of generational differences is often limited by common misconceptions about each group. We will begin by defining and explaining generational/cohort differences with a focus on Millennials, Generation X and Baby Boomers. We will clarify the generational distinctions that are supported by empirical research. Finally, participants will recognize the myths and realities of generational differences to better work together within the organization. (1 hour)

Leading Teams

This 3-day program is customized to provide leaders of teams, even those without supervisory authority to successfully lead teams. The program content includes modules on:

• Communications skills
• Coaching and feedback
• Motivating for performance
• Leading change
• Leading productive meetings

Matrix Management

NOAA, like many other federal organizations, relies on matrix management to achieve its missions. Organizations do not have the resources to have staffing for every function and therefore must work across lines to fulfill specific roles or functions. The LCA training program in matrix management is tailored to the organization and teaches the key features of an effective matrix organization and the tools and methods for achieving it. Teams are formed to define shared goals and objectives; clarify roles and expectations and build day-to-day operating agreements to ensure alignment with shared needs and expectations. The program is not academic. It is based on real day to day challenges and results in true “contracts” among members of peer organizations who operate in the matrix model.

Performance Management

Training in performance management for leaders entails providing leaders with basic tools and methods for communicating expectations and ensuring role clarity by respective employees; gaining skills and practicing giving and receiving performance feedback; formulating a performance improvement plan and process for managing it; and gaining methods and tools for offering rewards and recognition. Approaches and tangible ideas for team performance and peer ratings for teamwork are also explored. Addressing poor performance and providing coaching for mentoring employees are offered.

Strategic Leadership Series

What is strategic leadership? According to the Center for Creative leadership, individuals and teams enact strategic leadership when they think, act, and influence in ways that promote the sustainable competitive advantage of the organization. In other words, they use strategies, approaches and tools that will drive and move the organization so that it will thrive in the long term.

Module 1: Foundations of Strategic Leadership

The Strategic Leadership Series is a set of 4 workshops based on the Center for Creative Leadership’s book called Becoming a Strategic Leader. The series is designed to build awareness about the concept of strategic leadership, and enable managers to begin to build strategic leadership capabilities that they can leverage on a daily basis. The first module, Foundations of Strategic Leadership, is a pre-requisite to attending the additional 3 modules. However, once module 1 has been completed, modules 2 through 4 can be taken in any order.

Module 2: Tools for Strategic Thinking

Dynamic and innovative organizations require leaders at all levels who can think strategically. This means having the capabilities to anticipate issues, solve problems, and make decisions based on new and emerging information, while keeping the long-term vision in mind. It means engaging others in the process to increase the quality and buy-in for decisions made.

The 3-hour program introduces you to a set of 3 tools you can use with your teams to enable them think more strategically. In this workshop, managers will have the opportunity apply the tools to important challenges or opportunities in their own area.

Module 3: Strategic Acting; Transforming Thinking into Doing

All the good strategic thinking in the world isn’t worth much if leaders don’t act on it. In most organizations, translating strategic thinking into priorities for acting is one of the most challenging aspects of strategic leadership. Tactical efforts need to be aligned with and supportive of the long-term strategy. Managers who have and use tools to balance these complimentary priorities will be positioned to help their organizations create a sustainable competitive advantage.

This 3-hour program provides participants with an opportunity to discuss the concept of Strategic Acting and try out a set of 4 tools to engage their teams to act strategically with them.

Module 4: Strategic Influence; Gain Commitment and Get Results

Although strategic leaders must take action based on their strategic thinking to enable the organization to achieve its long-term objectives, it is not enough for them to act alone. They also need to influence others in the organization to work toward the strategic goals. The results of successful strategic influencing are powerful: people receive consistent messages about the importance of innovation, speed, and quality, and are influenced to behave in ways that support the long-term strategy.

This 3-hour program introduces participants to the concept of strategic influence, and provides them with the opportunity to practice a set of 3 tools and apply them to real business situations.

Leadership & Management Competencies & Practices