The Learning Academies @ SHSU

Sam Houston State University offers staff and managers of staff professional development opportunities through The Learning Academies. The academies are tied to the university’s strategic priority to “Embody a Culture of Excellence.” The courses in The Learning Academies are all professional development opportunities meant to offer an option for staff to meet their professional development annual requirement (8 hours for staff; 12 hours for managers of staff); to maximize their potential; and to enhance effective leadership.

Schedule

Track	Course	Date	Time	Location	Details
TRTRAIL	Presentation Skills For Leaders*	05/12/2025	10:00AM - 11:30AM	LSC 242 (The Glass Room)	Details
How to create your Leadership Presence by enhancing your presentation skills, from managing anxiety, preparing effectively, and using compelling storytelling. TRAIL DESIGNATION = *Core Course Influencer Track Professional Development Credit: 1.5 Core Competency: Effective Communication Availability: All Staff and Faculty Register
MAManagement Academy	Minimizing Legal Risks	02/27/2025	10:00AM - 12:00PM	Zoom	Details
TBD Professional Development Credit: 2.0 Core Competency: Availability: Managers Only Registration Coming Soon
TUTraining University	Falling in Love with Functions	02/13/2025	2:00PM - 3:30PM	Thomason 107	Details
Roses are red, violets are blue, I’ve fallen for functions—and I hope you do too! In honor of Valentine’s Day let’s celebrate the hidden magic in Excel’s formulas and functions. From IF to VLOOKUP, my heart skips a beat with every calculated cell. Here’s to finding true love in the logic of formulas and to solving all of life’s (data) problems together. ❤️📊 #LoveAtFirstFunction" In this ‘Falling in Love with Function’ Excel session, participants will learn how to use essential Excel functions to streamline data analysis and calculations. The session will include hands-on practice, step-by-step examples, and tips on combining functions to solve real-world problems efficiently. By the end, participants will have the confidence to leverage Excel functions to enhance productivity and accuracy in their work. Professional Development Credit: 1.5 Core Competency: Dedicated to Life-Long Learning Availability: All Staff and Faculty Register
TRTRAIL	Building a Culture of Trust	06/03/2025	10AM - 12:00PM	Zoom	Details
In today’s dynamic workplace, trust is the foundation of high-performing teams and resilient leadership. Join this interactive session to explore the essential elements of building—and sometimes rebuilding—trust within your team. Whether you’re a new leader or seasoned professional, you’ll gain practical strategies to foster trust, enhance team cohesion, and strengthen relationships in varied work environments. Through real-world scenarios and actionable insights, we’ll dive into the key behaviors and practices that create a culture where trust thrives, empowering your team to reach new levels of collaboration and success. Delivered via Zoom, this course is eligible for all SHSU faculty and staff, providing the flexibility to connect and learn from any location. Presenter: Dr. Ruth Chisum, Asst. VP for SHSU Online Operations. TRAIL DESIGNATION = Engager Track Professional Development Credit: 2.0 Core Competency: Build Trust Availability: All Staff and Faculty Register
TRTRAIL	Decision-Making Under Pressure	04/01/2025	1:00PM - 3:00PM	LSC 324	Details
When the heat is on, how do you show up? This course focuses on strategies for making the best possible decisions under difficult circumstances. Presented by Bobby Williams, Jr., Athletic Director. Bobby will bring his 40-plus years of working with athletes, leaders, fans, and followers to the table and show how building trust, relationships, and humility can help prepare you for the moment when it is up to you to make that final call. TRAIL DESIGNATION = Engager Track Professional Development Credit: 2.0 Core Competency: Provide Leadership Availability: Staff and Faculty Register
TRTRAIL	Using Visuals to Quickly Communicate Information	02/06/2025	2:00PM - 3:15PM	LSC 320	Details
How to create narratives, metaphors, visualizations from data to make the complex more simple and to give it an emotional immediacy. TRAIL DESIGNATION = Influencer Track Professional Development Credit: 1.25 Core Competency: Innovative in Thinking Availability: All Faculty and Staff Register
TRTRAIL	Written Communication for Leaders*	TBD	TBD	TBD	Details
How to craft effective written communications as a leader. TRAIL DESIGNATION = *Core Course Engager Track Professional Development Credit: TBD Core Competency: Effective Communication Availability: All Staff and Faculty Registration Coming Soon
TRTRAIL	Overcoming Workplace Challenges*	TBD	TBD	TBD	Details
Interactive, scenario-based strategies for handling common challenges that supervisors encounter with their teams that can cause friction but aren't necessarily grievance or termination issues. TRAIL DESIGNATION = *Core Course Engager or Influencer Track Professional Development Credit: TBD Core Competency: Committed to Vision & Mission Availability: All Staff and Faculty Registration Coming Soon
TRTRAIL	Constructive Conversations: Delivering Impactful Performance Feedback*	03/19/2025	10:00AM - 11:30AM	LSC 242 (The Glass Room)	Details
This training will equip supervisors with practical tools and models to deliver constructive feedback that fosters employee growth and enhances team success. Learn techniques for framing feedback to encourage employees to make meaningful adjustments, meet expectations, and reach their full potential. Participants will gain insights into effective communication strategies, methods for setting clear performance goals, and approaches for addressing challenges. TRAIL DESIGNATION = *Core Course Engager or Influencer Track Professional Development Credit: 1.5 Core Competency: Manage Performance Availability: All Staff and Faculty Register
TRTRAIL	Developing Your Leadership Philosophy*	04/07/2025	2:00PM - 4:00PM	LSC 242 (The Glass Room)	Details
Not all leaders lead the same. Discover what strengths you bring to the table, and how you can craft your leadership philosophy to reflect the values that guide you. This course uses the CliftonStrengths assessment to provide insight into your talents and how you communicate, connect, and work with others. TRAIL DESIGNATION = *Core Course Engager or Influencer Track Professional Development Credit: 2.0 Core Competency: Provide Leadership Availability: All Staff and Faculty Register
TRTRAIL	The Art of Strategic Influence: Harnessing Teamwork for Impactful Leadership	05/01/2025	10:00AM - 12:00PM	LSC 242 (The Glass Room)	Details
How leaders can motivate others through influence, persuasion, and inspiration. This session, presented by Dr. Shani Robinson, Senior Associate Dean of COBA. will provide a mix of engaging activities, academic insights, and practical strategies that leaders can apply right away, making it interactive and actionable. Key Objectives: Discuss strategic influence and its role in impactful leadership. Explore key principles of teamwork that amplify influence. Offer actionable strategies to implement these principles. TRAIL DESIGNATION = Influencer Track Professional Development Credit: 2.0 Core Competency: Empower Others Availability: All Staff and Faculty Register
TRTRAIL	Crisis Communication for Current and Aspiring Leaders	02/13/2025	10:00AM - 12:00PM	LSC 242 (Glass Room)	Details
This session on crisis communication is designed for current and aspiring leaders who want to strengthen their ability to manage communication during crises within their team, organization, or community. Through real-world examples and interactive exercises, leaders will learn to maintain transparency, mitigate rumors, and prioritize the safety and well-being of their community. Participants will develop essential skills for crisis response, including identifying key stakeholders, crafting clear and timely messages, and selecting the right communication channels. By the end of the session, attendees will be equipped to navigate high-pressure situations with confidence and clarity. TRAIL DESIGNATION = Influencer Track Professional Development Credit: 2.0 Core Competency: Effective Communication Availability: All Staff and Faculty Register
TRTRAIL	Personal Branding	03/25/2025	10:00AM - 12:00PM	LSC 324	Details
This course is designed for faculty and staff who want to build a strong personal brand within higher education. This course will provide a comprehensive understanding of personal branding in academia, drawing inspiration from the personal brands of leaders in the field. Participants will learn how to identify, refine, and communicate their unique personal brands to establish themselves as dynamic leaders in higher education. TRAIL DESIGNATION = Influencer track Professional Development Credit: 2.0 Core Competency: Effective Communication Availability: All Staff and Faculty Register

Training University | TU

Available to staff and faculty employees

This track focuses on broader development opportunities in the area of efficiency, effectiveness, communication, and life-long learning. Example topics include:

Career Planning
Time Management
Customer Service Best Practices
Effective Conflict Resolution

Training U. also includes the Come-for-Coffee sessions, which are shorter, more intimate sessions that bring a subject matter expert together with those who have a vested interested in learning more about that subject.

How the Money Flows
Changes to Mandatory Reporting (Title IX)
Reclassifications and Market Studies

Leadership at Every Level | LEL

Available to all staff and faculty employees.

This track is designed to improve leadership skills for employees of all levels. Example topics include:

Career Transitions
Verbal Aikido
Respect and Tolerance
Civility in the Workplace

Management Academy | MA

Available to supervisors of staff only

This track focuses on enhancing effective leadership and the larger implications of leadership while managing others. Example topics include:

Employment Law
Managing Performance
Building Trust in the Workplace
Verbal and Non-verbal Communication

TRAIL

The TRAIL (Texas Rising and Inspiring Leaders) leadership development certification program will boost leadership potential and build meaningful connection in the workplace. Open to all staff and faculty, whether you are a current or future leader, these engaging courses will help you to build influence and elevate your impact. Visit with presenter TJ Bittick, Sr. HR Manager for Professional Development & Communication, and learn all about this certification program intended to prepare you for the next step in your leadership journey at SHSU.

Competencies

Staff & Faculty

Committed to SHSU’s vision & mission
- Understand the mission and your place in it
- Understand SHSU’s role in the community
- Support the goals of the university
- Work effectively with people from all backgrounds
- Treat others with dignity and respect
Innovative in thinking
- Think “outside the box” when problem-solving
- Take calculated risks on new and unusual ideas
- Take an interest in new ideas and new ways of doing things
- While respecting traditions, don’t be bound by traditional approaches for their own sake
- Actively seek to improve programs or services
Effective in communications
- Speak and write clearly and effectively
- Listen constructively
- Practice appropriate telephone and email protocol
- Ask questions
- Share information with those who need it
- Understand and utilize different communication methods for different audiences
- Understand you are the face of the university and act accordingly
Accountable for ourselves and to others
- Honor commitments
- Take ownership for all assigned responsibilities
- Operate in compliance with university policy and state regulations
- Hold yourself accountable for accomplishing departmental goals and meeting standards
- Hold yourself to a higher standard of public accountability
- Actively engage in teambuilding activities
Dedicated to life-long learning
- Keep abreast of new developments in your own occupation or profession
- Actively seek to develop yourself professionally and personally
- Contribute to learning opportunities for teammates and colleagues
- Show a willingness to learn from others
- Seek feedback for continuous improvement
- Take advantage of Just-in-Time training to improve your skill set
Efficient in operations
- Deliver on time, within budget, and with the expected quality
- Set goals and prioritize your work
- Be flexible; adjust to changing circumstances
- Use time wisely and efficiently
- Develop clear goals that are consistent with agreed-upon strategies
- Maintain work/life balance
- Manage health and stress, adjusting habits to avoid foreseeable risks which may impact your ability to work

Supervisors

Support the strategic plan
- Understand the Big Picture and communicate it to your team
- Think globally
- Manage change
- Be flexible
Provide leadership
- Let people know where they stand
- Acknowledge and celebrate team accomplishments
- Lead with courage—make decisions and stand behind them
- Face up to problems quickly and directly
- Don’t be afraid to take negative action when necessary (probation, firing, etc.)
Empower others
- Hire good people and let them do their jobs
- Use delegation as a developmental tool
- Provide constructive feedback that helps people to learn from their mistakes
- Invite input; share ownership, visibility, and responsibility
- Be aware of each employee’s career goals
- Encourage people to develop their gifts/skills – even if it means they may eventually leave you or the university
Comply legally and ethically
- Keep up with the legal implications of various management practices
- Make sure your management practices are well within legal parameters
- Keep abreast of university policies and fulfill your responsibilities accordingly
- Use fair and legal hiring practices
Manage performance
- Hold yourself and your employees accountable for accomplishing departmental goals and meeting standards
- Establish clear expectations and directions
- Communicate priorities that will help people monitor their performance
- Use coaching, mentoring, and feedback to help people perform well
- Organize resources and processes to accomplish the work of the department effectively and efficiently
- Take action to improve performance deficiencies
- Recognize and reward good performance
- Utilize contributions of people from different backgrounds and different behavioral styles
- Promote team cohesiveness
- Share information
Build trust
- Use fair and legal management practices
- Don’t discriminate
- Avoid even the appearance of favoritism or impropriety
- Do what’s right
- Tell the truth and be direct
- Be approachable