Leading @Tech – Professional Development for Leaders
With a mission to make Georgia Tech a leading employer of choice where our people thrive, and feel included, supported, and valued – Tech’s learning and development professionals are creating programs to help people leaders skillfully manage their teams, and improve the overall workplace culture of the Institute.
Leading @Tech is a new offering grounded in our Leader Competency Model and input from people leaders across the Institute.
“This is much-needed professional development and training for people leaders,” said Dana Foster, administrative manager I, during a recent HR Topics for People Leaders town hall. “It’s setting us up for success at Tech. I love it!”
Launching Oct. 30, Leading @Tech will offer courses for faculty and staff who are new in supervisory roles. These leaders will receive email messages inviting them to take the recommended courses. Beginning in early 2025, the content will be available to all supervisors.
“Leading @Tech will help make leadership principles consistent across campus and set new leaders up for success,” said Diamond Ford, senior director of employee experience and development, Georgia Tech Human Resources (GTHR).
“We gathered input through focus groups, and surveys to find out what leaders feel they need to be the best they can be,” said Ford. “What we have developed is coming from a variety of voices.”
Ford’s team researched the needs and responded to them by creating tools, resources and four learning tracks that will teach and promote best practices for leadership.
- Management Practices: essential administrative and managerial competencies
- Effective Leadership: interpersonal and critical competencies for effective leadership
- Engagement and Well-Being: techniques for fostering a positive work environment
- Applied Leadership Cohort and Retreat: designed as a collaborative, problem-solving learning experience.
With the learners’ experience in mind, people leaders can choose when and how to engage in the sessions. This includes mandatory and voluntary training, synchronous and asynchronous courses, and — for those looking to take their learning practice to the next level — a competitive applied leadership cohort, which allows participants to leverage what they’ve learned to address challenges through simulations and real-life projects.
“We want to help leaders become well-rounded, develop their leadership style, and effectively demonstrate competencies that are needed to execute their responsibilities,” said Skye Duckett, vice president and chief human resources officer.
Duckett explained that people leader roles are critical to translating Institute priorities into action, driving day-to-day operations, delivering goals, and fostering collaboration. They serve as a critical bridge, connecting frontline employees with executive leadership. Supervisors play a pivotal role in fostering communication, alignment, and engagement, as they are responsible for leading and developing one of our greatest assets — our people.
“I am excited about this program because it has the potential to transform the Georgia Tech community by equipping new and experienced people leaders with essential management and leadership skills needed to achieve both personal and organizational excellence,“ said Tonya Peoples, chief of staff, College of Computing.
“This is crucial to not only improve operational efficiency but also empower leaders at all levels to bridge the gap between strategy and execution, making a real impact,” said Peoples.
To learn more, visit the new Leading @Tech – Training People Leaders website and join GTHR at the following info sessions:
October 23 | 1 p.m. (Webex – GTRI People Leaders only)
October 25 | 10 a.m. (Teams)
November 7 | 3 p.m. (Teams)