Troy University is offering a free course in leadership to anyone in the country.

Troy University, a public university whose main campus is in Troy, Alabama, announced today that it will be making its classLeadership 101available online for free to anyone.

The course content will equip students to thrive in a post-pandemic world, regardless of where they are now in their lives and careers. It will explore personal development, leadership style and action, cultural diversity and current events, all through the lens of effective leadership. The course will be taught by some of Troy Universitys most well-known faculty, including Dr. Jack Hawkins Jr., Chancellor; Dr. Dionne Rosser-Mims, Dean of the College of Education; Dr. Kerry Palmer, Associate Dean of the College of Education and Dr. John Kline, Executive Director of the Institute for Leadership Development.

Thomas Jefferson said The preservation of our democracy will require leaders of ability, integrity and vision. That has never been truer than in todays world, and we believe that universities must lead that charge, Dr. Hawkins said. We are responsible for building the leaders of tomorrow and that is something we do not take lightly. Troy University is nationally recognized for its online education. This is a wonderful, free introduction to all that TROY has to offer.

The online class will be offered free of charge in two identical four-week sessions, starting on June 1 and July 1.Students can pick the session that works best with their schedules and study at home at their own pace, which is increasingly relevant during the COVID-19 crisis.

U.S. News and World Report ranked Troy University among the nations best for its online bachelors programs and recognized many of the Universitys online programs in its national rankings. The publication also recognized TROY as being among the top 30 public universities in the South and ranked the University in the top 15 of its Most Innovative Schools list. Additionally, TROY has been ranked among the Best Universities in the Southeast by The Princeton Review for 15 consecutive years.

The course is free and open to anyone, and does not require enrollment in TROY to participate. For students who enroll in Fall 2020 or Term 1 2020 at TROY, this course can lead to three credit hours as a general elective or minor course. To count for academic credit, students must pass a challenge exam at the end of the course. Current TROY students who participate must have less than 15 hours of Troy University credit to receive academic credit for this free class.

Enrollment in the course opens today.Students interested in the course can enroll at troy.edu/leadership. There is no enrollment cap and the course, exam and all course materials are free.There is no textbook required for the course, eliminating another potential financial hurdle for students.

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'Leadership 101' is offered free-of-charge to anyone | Troy Today - Trojan News Center

It can be hard to think about career progression when youre working from home and worrying about job security due to, you know, a global pandemic.

And even though its understandable that you might want to focus on short term goals, theres absolutely no harm in thinking further ahead and trying to figure out what your next career move could or should be.

The biggest challenges about working remotely are obviously reduced contact time with managers and perhaps even less visibility over an your work but not all is lost.

[Read:Heres why if you build it, they will come is shitty advice]

While 1:1s and check-ins should still be happening, the water-cooler chats and body language signals that might usually help you stay close to your manager will be missing. Its essential that managers double down on regular scheduled catch-ups with their teams to find out how theyre doing, Jonny Burch, the founder of Progression, a service that helps makers grow at work, tells Growth Quarters.

Additionally, Burch says that work that doesnt have a clear tangible output such as admin, for example is much harder to see.

If your job, or natural style, involves less visible communication of decisions or work, it may be that your work just isnt noticed so much, whereas others who over-communicate visually may experience the opposite effect, he notes.

Given the current circumstances, Burch has the following advice for employees thinking about their next career moves:

Burch also shared his top tips for managers and team leads:

Times may be tough right now but its important not to lose sight of what opportunities lie ahead. So, start thinking about what you want and what you have to do to get it.

Published May 21, 2020 08:22 UTC

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7 tips on lockdown career advancement for employees and managers - The Next Web

May 20, 2020 19:46 ET | Source: Archway Publishing

photo-release

LAKE WORTH, FL, May 20, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- From the time she was a young girl sitting in a small schoolhouse in Jamaica to becoming the Assistant Superintendent of one the Americas largest school districts, Dr. Janice Scott Cover never doubted her love for children, their well-being or education. Teachers are Burdened: Proven Tips to Lighten the Load and Win by Cover is an insightful tool for teachers, intended to facilitate lessons in classroom management and instruction, work-life balance, confidence in the classroom, and more. By inserting her life experiences into the narrative, Cover is able to highlight important lessons she learned in times of uncertainty and struggle throughout her 40-year career in education.

Like most young children in rural Jamaica, Cover loved to play house with dolls and delighted in preparing make-belief meals just like her mother. For Janice, the dolls had a dual role; her offspring during playtime but more significantly her compliant students when she transitioned into a no-nonsense teacher. Today, her love for teaching remains, but along with it comes a lifetime of lessons and insight on how to be a strong educator.

I wrote this book to teach what I have been learning and to assure my fellow educators that they too can achieve personal and professional success for themselves and students in their charge that will inevitably leave an eternal impact, Cover said.

This is an inspiring book for anyone, whether you are a schoolteacher or a teacher of life. A must read from a phenomenal woman, a reviewer wrote about the book.

Readers will enjoy Teachers are Burdened as it provides a unique approach to the teacher-community relationship that has the potential to move schools in a positive direction and benefits students, teachers, families and entire communities along the way. Covers book can also be used as a resource for personal development and guidance on navigating life outside of the classroom. Topics like financial guidance, including tips on continuing ones own education and keeping their family afloat financially on a teachers salary, as well as creating clear boundaries with their partner about their schedule are also highlighted in the novel.

Teachers are Burdened: Proven Tips to Lighten the Load and Win

By Janice Scott Cover, EdD

ISBN: 9781480884632 (softcover); 9781480884625 (hardcover); 9781480884649 (electronic)

Available at the Archway Publishing Online Bookstore, Amazon and Barnes & Noble

About the author

Since receiving a bachelors of education at Louisiana State University, a masters in educational leadership, and a doctorate of education from Nova Southeastern University, she has worked with each grade level, taught at the university level, served as an assistant principal, principal, director of elementary education, assistant and area Assistant Superintendent. To learn more, please visit http://www.drjanicecover.com.

Simon & Schuster, a company with nearly ninety years of publishing experience, has teamed up with Author Solutions, LLC, the worldwide leader in self-publishing, to create Archway Publishing. With unique resources to support books of all kinds, Archway Publishing offers a specialized approach to help every author reach his or her desired audience. For more information, visit http://www.archwaypublishing.com or call 888-242-5904.

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Author Guides Teachers to Confidence in the Classroom - GlobeNewswire

with Heather Gilmore, MSW, LLMSW, BCBA

ABA-based parent training can be provided in a variety of formats. The different ways that parent training can be provided include:

In addition to the above formats for parent training, parent training can occur in a variety of settings. The settings in which parent training can occur include:

To decide what type of format or which location to provide parent training, consider the needs of the parent, clinical recommendations, the needs of the parents child, treatment goals, resources available to the parent and the parent trainer, health and safety concerns, and local, state, any potential ethical dilemmas, and federal laws and guidelines.

Heather is a freelance writer, Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), and social worker. Heather takes interest in topics related to parenting, children, families, personal development, health and wellness, applied behavior analysis, as well as Autism, ADHD, Depression and Anxiety. Contact Heather if you would like to inquire about obtaining her freelance writing services. You can view more articles and resources from Heather at http://www.abaparenttraining.com and email her at [emailprotected] You can also advertise your autism services at one of Heather's websites: http://www.LocalAutismServices.com. Heather is the developer of the "One-Year ABA Parent Training Curriculum."

APA Reference Gilmore, H. (2020). Possible Formats and Locations for Parent Training. Psych Central. Retrieved on May 21, 2020, from https://pro.psychcentral.com/child-therapist/2020/05/possible-formats-and-locations-for-parent-training/

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Possible Formats and Locations for Parent Training - PsychCentral.com

Being too hands-on or too laissez-faire with your employees learning and development can be a major obstacle in the success of your companys learning and business goals. As an L&D professional, its a crucial part of your job to find the right balance. But, how?

Get rid of false assumptions

Adopt an extremely prescriptive approach, and not only will you find that engagement drops, but youll also create a mountain of work for yourself in developing, administering and assessing learning. Some people call this guided learning. Its not.

Give learners too much freedom, and either their personal development will get buried under their day-to-day work, or theyll put in the hours but often pursuing knowledge unrelated to their role. Some people call this self-directed learning. Its not.

Find the sweet spot between guidance and empowerment

Giving your employees independence and space to learn will make them happier, and a happy learner is more likely to engage in learning what they need to do their job better, but also to prepare for the future by exploring and developing new skills and interests.

You want to be in a situation where employees are independently motivated to seek out and learn things. The more they learn, the happier they are; the happier they are, the more engaged they are and the more engaged they are, the more they want to excel in their job. To be frank, that sounds like a win-win situation to us.

Your role then is to identify, with the help of managers, what your employees need to learn to do their job better, what they need to progress in their career and grow in your organisation; and then provide the necessary tools, resources and programs to enable their professional development. Thats guided learning.

But your role doesnt stop there. Employees are probably the ones who have the best understanding of what they need and they want to learn for now and for the future. Its part of your role to provide them with the right environment, tools, resources and content so that they can take more control over their learning. Thats self-directed learning.

The two are complementary. You can give your team guidance and mentorship to align learning to the business needs as well as trusting them and giving freedom for their curiosity and thirst for knowledge.

When this balancing act is done well, the potential outcomes are invaluable. Higher retention, more engaged and productive staff, increased innovation and greater organisational agility positively impact the business as a whole, and this is reflected in the bottom line.

Leverage technology to make learning personal

We wont tell you that to achieve this balance and see your employees flourish, you need to upload compliance courses to your LMS, scheduling some mandatory time for attending MOOCs or publishing a few useful links to your intranet. Of course not.

Theres no one-size-fits-all solution here, precisely because one thing is clear: Learning has to be centred around your employees and social interactions. Mentoring, guiding, empathising, debating, assessing, praising all these key ingredients require personal interventions.

However, using technology to support learning needs and social interactions, and to provide a framework within which they can occur is fundamental to making learning and development more accessible, more engaging and more efficient. A properly designed and implemented LMS can go a long way in supporting your teams learning and development. Here are a few examples:

Experiment, experiment and keep experimenting

Rather than looking at guided vs self-directed learning as two distinct strategies, it is important to combine them. However, dont try to make it perfect right away, you and your managers also need to learn what works and what doesnt.

Our suggestion? Just get an online learning environment that gives you the flexibility to evolve and progress with your employees. And if you dont feel confident enough to go by a staged approach, you can get support from organisations that have the right expertise to accompany you on the journey.

Conclusion

With these new features, Moodle Workplace builds upon core Moodle to provide a powerful flexible solution to meet the training needs of the workplace.

The platform is available through Premium Certified Moodle Partners, such as Titus Learning, who have been carefully vetted and approved by Moodle headquarters to support the product.

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Self-Directed or Guided Learning? That is the question - Moodle

As I was watching the investor showShark Tankon TV the other night, I was struck by how quickly and how extensively the Sharks focused on the background andcharacterof the entrepreneurs, compared withthe time spent evaluating their products.

I realized it was consistent with my own view as a formerangel investor, that investors invest in you, more than your solution.

For example, if you as an entrepreneur come across as shifty and arrogant, most of the people you need to deal with in business, including investors, suppliers, and customers, will run the other way.

The attributes you need to demonstrate in every meeting, and live on a daily basis, are ones illustrating your strength of character.These can be honed over time, and can't be easily faked.

Based on my own years of experience in big business, startups, and the investor community, here are the key habits and traits that each of us needs to continually improve to be perceived by peers and others as leaders and innovators in business here and around the world:

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10 personality traits that investors look for before deciding to work with an entrepreneur - Business Insider - Business Insider

Morgan continued: Its going to be about whos going to adapt the best. We always say: You want to have been there, done that, so many times before you ever are in the situation. So that you have thrown that winning touchdown in the Super Bowl thousands of times in your life before you ever try to do it. This is another opportunity to prepare [in that way] Then when they get to the moment when they actually have to perform, its going to give them a much better shot to perform successfully. That would be a really weird thing, to walk into [a ghost game] with no preparation. I mean, I cant imagine how empty it might feel.

Sports leagues making plans to return are using the Bundesliga, the Korea Baseball Organization, and the Chinese Professional Baseball League as models for best practices. Mugford told me hes been in contact with the KBO and other leagues to get a sense of how the logistics of hygiene and safety have been accounted for. Not very sexy stuff at all, he admitted. But the research helps to prepare the Blue Jays to act in accordance with the protocols that would allow games to resume, as outlined by the MLBwhich have reportedly been documented in a detailed, 67-page (and counting) proposal. However, as the granular provisions and safeguards are hammered out to bring the games back, the reality of ghost games on the other side of that bureaucracy persists. In that relative silencethe game performed without in-person spectatorslies sports existential reckoning, and perhaps an answer to LeBrons question. Can sports ever feel the way it used to without live crowds? Can athletes actually bring a stadium to life with their imagination?

In theory, yes, Michael Stuart said. While the sensory input from an empty gym will never reflect that of a raucous arena, a vivid, hyper-phantastic imagination can conjure fans and project a comforting image of support with at least some of the emotional resonance of the real thing. There is a very well-known connection between imagination and emotion, Stuart said. And emotions are one of, if not the most important, motivator in the human psyche. On Saturday, after their victory against Schalke, Dortmund players assembled in a row, staring at Westfalenstadions vacant south terracewhich, in another time, would have housed 25,000 screaming supportersand, as theyve always done, they applauded the efforts of what the soccer world has dubbed the Yellow Wall. It was a show of acknowledgment and appreciation for some of the biggest fans in sports, a ritual upheld even in a time of uncertainty. It was imagination at work.

That connection between imagination and emotion is a muscle that fans build their entire lives. And it reveals itself in different ways: as petty as engaging in greatest-of-all-time debates on Twitter, as sentimental as passing sports allegiances down to a loved one. Fandom is a sense of community held together by the power of collective imaginationthe feeling of belonging to a greater whole, even if the individuals have no physical or spatial relation. Now, as ghost games temporarily unravel the live stakes of athletic performance, athletes will have to develop that muscle themselves, to bring sports back to the shared, ruminative landscape it has always been.

We want to hear what you think about this article. Submit a letter to the editor or write to letters@theatlantic.com.

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Athletes During the Pandemic Are Learning What Fans Have Always Known - The Atlantic

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BPM, one of the 50 largest public accounting and advisory firms in the country, announced Jill Pappenheimer, HR Consulting partner, has been recognized as one of the Most Influential Women in Bay Area Business by the San Francisco Business Times. Jill reinforces and encourages BPMs dedication to diversity within the Firm and the community.

This year, the Most Influential Women in Bay Area Business celebrates 102 women who demonstrate leadership, achievement and influence in their industry and community.

With 30 years of Human Resources experience, Jill brings an extensive business management background to BPMs HR Consulting practices, which gives her a unique perspective of the people function. Before BPM, Jill co-founded Options4Growth, a boutique-consulting firm that combined Human Resources consulting with cloud-based technology. Jills passion is to change the way organizations engage their people and the way people engage in their work.

A diverse workplace is a stronger workplace and one that elevates opportunities for women. I feel honored to be recognized as an influential woman in 2020 alongside some amazing leaders who exemplify the value of giving women seats at the table and voices in the day-to-day decisions, said Pappenheimer. We are proof that women are invaluable assets, and we reinforce the importance of supporting and mentoring the next generation of women leaders.

BPM underscores the value of recruiting and retaining women in the workforce through its Inclusion Now! (IN!) initiative, which is designed to enhance the personal development of minorities at the Firm. BPM expanded its diversity and inclusion initiative this year from womens initiative now! (win!) to Inclusion Now! (IN!) to emphasize its support of all groups, including LGBTQIA+ and non-binary team members.

At BPM, we cultivate a culture that celebrates diverse opinions and ideas, because we know it makes our Firm stronger for our community and our clients, said Michelle Ausburn, BPMs IN! partner chair. Jill is an inspiring leader who shows how hard work paired with opportunity leads to success.

Jill and the other 2020 Most Influential Women in Bay Area Business winners will be recognized in the San Francisco Business Times on May 29, and at an awards gala on October 9 in the Hilton San Francisco Union Square.

About BPM

BPM LLP is one of the 50 largest public accounting and advisory firms in the country. With more than 500 professionals along the West Coast as well as offices in India and the Cayman Islands we help clients succeed around the world. We offer a cross-functional team approach that gives clients direct access to the best and most qualified resources. To learn more, visit us at http://bpmcpa.com.

About Most Influential Women in Bay Area Business

The San Francisco Business Timess annual Most Influential Women in Business publication celebrates women business leaders in real estate, law, tech, finance, healthcare and many other industries. The recognized women work in diverse fields, but all share a passion for what they do. They are leaders in their organizations and their communities.

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BPM's Jill Pappenheimer Named Influential Woman in Bay Area Business - Business Wire

Whats a classic Italian dish like lasagna doing on a Mexican restaurants menu?

Helping to pay the bills, says Bob Byers, owner of Carmels Restaurant on Shroyer Road just inside Daytons border with Kettering.

Byers is a seasoned veteran of the local restaurant scene, having owned and operated Cold Beer & Cheeseburgers for two decades and currently owning Carmels and The Somewhere Lounge in Dayton. His restaurant career in Dayton began 36 years ago, when he came to town to work for what was then Dayton-based Ponderosa Steakhouse.

>>PHOTOS: Illuminated Dayton Arcade puts on a dazzling show

Like restaurant owners throughout the Miami Valley, Byers has found creative ways to keep his businesses afloat during a coronavirus pandemic that forced his Carmels dining room and bar to shut down more than two months ago. The restaurant which will resume its dine-in service and reopen its popular and newly renovated patio next week, on Wednesday, May 27 developed a strong carryout game during the shutdown, in part because it expanded its menu beyond its Mexican theme with dishes such as lasagna and roast chicken.

>>Allison Janney wins $10,000 for Dayton charity as part of Ellen episode partly recorded at moms house here

Im too old to be reinventing myself like this all the time, but what choice do I have? Byers said.

Byers is our Dayton.com Daytonian of the Week, so lets hear more about this restaurateur in his own words.

Summarize your experience in the restaurant industry and what impact it has had on your life.

I began work in Dayton in 1984 with the former Ponderosa Steakhouse chain that was headquartered near the Dayton International Airport. I came from a company steakhouse in the Pittsburgh area. I came to work in the product-development department. It was perhaps the most important job of my life, and I enjoyed it. As a manager of new product development, you had to supervise an idea of a new entree from its discussion around a table of marketing managers to the start-up day in the restaurants. No other job could have prepared me better to own my restaurants.

>>New restaurant to open this week in Dayton

From this position I learned food product knowledge, buying, testing, writing of manuals to implement and train about the new item, and observing the production of television commercials. Most importantly I learned patience and teamwork. Bringing a new product, and additional work, to 600 steakhouse managers required learning diplomacy and motivation skills.

From there, I helped other entrepreneurs open some restaurants. Then I was ready. I bought the recently opened restaurant Cold Beer and Cheeseburgers downtown on Jefferson Street. For 20 years, we served hundreds on daily basis a great lunch in a fun atmosphere. We later had a few other locations serving the Dayton area.

>>Here's how you can support the 2nd Street Market's vendors who haven't been able to set up shop at the market

Today, you will find me working at Carmels or at my little bar, The Somewhere Lounge. Moving toward the retirement zone, I sold the last Cold Beer and Cheeseburgers (now CBCB Bar & Grill) last fall. To the many thousands of employees I have had over the last 25 years, I give thanks for the dedication, hard work and good fun we had.

Whats a typical work day for you now?

Since we are now coming out the lockdown, my work day mostly consists of planning for our reopening for full service dining. After two months of carryout only, all of us workers have settled into new routines that will require some tweaking back to our former selves.

Frankly, it is as though we are opening a new restaurant. After the reopening to the public for dine in, I hope my day will resume the course of reviewing staffing, looking at product coming in the back door, coaching staff on service tips, and the most important part of work: greeting our guests for a few hours each day.

My work day is a complete non starter if I dont get to spend time out front in the dining room, patio, bar or the host stand.

Whats been your most recent professional challenge, and how did you push through the challenge?

The restaurant industry has truly been a great partner in my professional and personal development. I have a strong need to be around people, to enjoy those I am working with and learn about my customers. The restaurant constantly requires new learning, always developing new social skills as well as management skills for each new generation of staff. The restaurant industry demands that you learn new skills every day.

Case in point, this virus has turned our restaurant into a carryout facility. During regular business our kitchen was not big enough to handle carryout business, so we did not promote it. Within two weeks of the lockdown, we learned quickly about appropriate packaging, phone manners, directing people for safety, how to market effectively on social media and how to manage efficiently with less.

We are proud of maintaining a large portion of our sales. The restaurant industry teaches you over and over to be proud and appreciative of your team. Without their flexibility and resourcefulness, we would not have accomplished this.

Tell us why you decided to stay in and settle in the Dayton area, and what inspires you about the Dayton area?

After moving to Dayton, I never imagined leaving. I first lived in South Park Historic District, where I found myself among a group of diverse folks dedicated to historic preservation. Our camaraderie was fulfilling. For 30 years, I have lived in St Annes Historic District, and again, the diversepopulation keeps life interesting. I have as neighbors blue collar factory workers, charity administrators, university leaders, hospitality workers, lawyers, doctors and many small business owners like myself. It truly does inspire. Come live in a city neighborhood.

What are your favorite places to eat and/or drink in the Dayton area?

As a restaurant owner, getting out to eat is a challenge. I enjoy eating the foods I do not serve. I am a regular at Linhs Bistro, I like a quick nosh and beer at Blind Bobs, and I like Sky Asian Bistro and Francos. And when it has to be a perfect evening with family and friends, The Oakwood Club. When not working or nursing my tomato plants, I can be found in my reading chair with a glass of port and a historical novel.

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Restaurant owner Bob Byers adapts to survive, as he has for 36 years in Dayton - dayton.com

An initiative has been launched to help Shropshire businesses look beyond lockdown.

Bridgnorth-based consultancy Good2Great is behind the new Shropshire Growth Club, which is already proving successful, having just held its first online seminar and now on target to reach its initial goal of 50 members.

Good2Great director Johnny Themans explained that the Growth Club has been developed for county businesses that needed to re-evaluate their entire operations in light of the current crisis.

Theres no doubt that many firms are facing their most challenging time at the moment and we are here to help, he said.

Despite the economic and social disruption, this may be an opportunity for owners to put in place strategies, direction and accountability so that they can look forward beyond lockdown.

It may be that they have lots of ideas but dont know where to start they are running flat out in all directions and need a sustainable plan to make the most ofthis time and plan for the next three years.

The Growth Club is affordable and perfect for small business owners who feel the need for guidance and support whilst navigating through these challenging times. The initiative is already proving to be a success we helping a range of firms throughout Shropshire to not only survive, but also thrive.

By becoming part of the Good2Great Growth Club, members have a dedicated coach focussed on success and will join a group of likeminded owners with similar ambitions.

We share challenges and work collectively to support each other.The club follows a structured monthly programme toaddress key issues, unpack growth opportunities, set practical goals and answer questions about how todrive growth and improve efficiency. This way nothing is missed and everyone stays on track.

The club includes an initial one-to-one business analysis meeting and a goals planning session, followed by virtual round-table meetings to solve problems and skills development workshops both of which take place twice a month.

In addition we have guest experts who host additional workshops and discounted personal development tools. All in all, the club is proving invaluable at this time and we are looking forward to welcoming many new members, said Johnny.

Nicole Gunter of Nicole Gunter Wealth Management of Telford, who joined the Growth Club recently, commented: As a business owner for many years I think it is always important to stay fresh and up to date with strategies for the business. I find connecting with likeminded individuals incredibly helpful and having the fantastic team from Good2Great behind this is exciting and I believe it will be a huge success.

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Growth club aiming to help firms through lockdown - Shropshire Live