Learning & Developing

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The University of Rochester has a number of resources available to help you and your employees continue to learn and develop, in the true spirit of Meliora.

A critical part of your role as a manager is helping each person on your team be successful. This could mean helping them be more effective in their current role, helping them grow towards a new position, or both.

Professional development also helps you to become more successful in your current management role or to prepare for your next role.

Explore professional development opportunities, and get advice on how to empower your team, below.

Developing yourself as a manager

We offer several online and in-person courses to assist you in your management responsibilities. Leaders with direct reports in all divisions of the University of Rochester, UR Medical Center, and affiliates are welcome to attend. Some sessions include Medical Center-specific content and are indicated by “URMC” in the title.

Explore different leadership tracks and training opportunities in the drop-downs below. Check training locations, dates and times, and register for classes in MyPath unless otherwise noted.

Management Essentials

These classes are designed to help build the foundational knowledge required for newly hired and promoted leaders to be successful in leading their teams and the organization.

In addition to the courses detailed below, this list of classes for aspiring leaders can help you get started in a new leadership role.

Labor Relations Training for Leaders

This course is specifically intended for new leaders

This training curriculum is comprised of 4 different classroom sessions geared towards preparing Managers and Supervisors in their role as it relates to the larger organization and overseeing a Unionized staff. Topics in this series will include: Labor Relations terminology, the implications of past practice, interactions with Union Delegates, conducting investigation meetings, the grievance process, the impact of an arbitration and the criteria used by arbitrators in rendering decisions, the process of filling Union (SEIU) positions, and an employee’s probationary period. Led by members of the Labor Relations team. Search “Labor Relations Training for Leaders” in MyPath to enroll in this learning series.

Management Essentials: The Hiring Process

This three-part online curriculum explores the manager’s role and obligations in the hiring process. It includes the steps involved in posting a position, advertising to create a diverse candidate pool, interviewing applicants, and decision-making guidelines intended to reduce bias in the selection process. The curriculum includes three modules:

Ethical & Legal Obligations in the Hiring Process
Job Posting & Sourcing
Interviewing & Selecting

Management Essentials: The Onboarding Process

This online module provides the key steps and tools for a successful new employee onboarding.

URMC Past, Present and Future

This course is specifically intended for new leaders

Participants will explore the organizational structure of URMC and its evolution as a health care system. In this class leaders build on their skills to better execute their responsibilities by more fully understanding the priorities of the organization. These organizational priorities relate to high-quality Health Care service delivery, patient and family engagement, and our commitment to creating a high-performing workplace that is attractive in recruiting and retaining health care providers and workers. Led by SMH Executive VP & Chief Operating Officer, Kathy Parrinello.

Values Driven Leadership 101

This course is specifically intended for new leaders

Learn how to develop and maintain a work environment with clear expectations by using effective communication, role modeling, and positive reinforcement. This class is presented by members of the ICARE Commitment Office.

Leadership Coaching

Barbara Saat, retired from her previous role as Director of University Human Resources after 42-years of service, continues to support the University community in a newly created role of leadership coach. Her services are available to any leader looking to improve their professional and personal effectiveness.

Introducing Barb Saat as leadership coach

Barb has provided coaching services to our leaders since 2001 and has a passion for leadership skills coaching, performance coaching, and career and professional development. Her four decades of service provide her with unique insight into our organization and culture.

In her most recent role as Director, University Human Resources Services, she had responsibility for a team of human resources business partners, serving academic, research, and central administrative units of the University. In this capacity she provided coaching and consultation on the full range of topics in human resources, with particular emphasis on organizational, team, and individual effectiveness.

Barb has a Master’s degree from RIT in organization and career development, and is a certified graduate of Corporate Coach University’s extensive coach training program.

What is a leadership coach?

A leadership coach engages in a developmental process where a leader in need gets tailored support from a coach who will help them achieve their goals and become a more effective leader. Leadership coaching is not about improving functional or operational knowledge; the coach’s role is to guide individuals and organizations to their most effective levels. Focus areas for coaching may include topics such as improving relationships at work, leading a team, getting work done through others, and career counseling.

Who is eligible to use the coaching services?

Leaders in the University community looking to improve their current level of effectiveness. This includes leaders with high potential for growth and advancement, as well as those who may need help learning how best to handle the daily challenges that a leadership position brings. Interested leaders will require their immediate supervisor’s support in order to receive coaching services.

How does leadership coaching work?

After a review of a candidate’s goals and desired areas of improvement, Barb will work with the “coachee” to create an individualized coaching plan customized to their particular needs. Regular one-hour appointments with Barb (in-person or virtual) will be scheduled, usually on a bi-weekly basis, for a long as it takes for the individual to achieve their goals. Coaching engagements can range from just a few weeks, to several months, depending on the goals.

As part of our ongoing commitment to leadership excellence, Barb will be available on a per diem basis at the rate of $60 per hour. This modest coaching fee can be paid by the department via 312 req or by personal check. If you are interested in exploring how coaching can help you develop your leadership skills and confidence to reach your fullest professional and personal potential, contact her at barbara_saat@urmc.rochester.edu.

Performance Management Mini-Series

Part of the Management Essentials program, the Performance Management mini-series is intended specifically for new leaders.

This series of four classes will provide the skills, knowledge, and techniques for managing employee performance. Classes can be taken in any order.

Learn more about each class in the drop-downs.

Creating Accountability & Setting Expectations

Explore your role as a leader by understanding your rights and responsibilities for creating accountability within your team. Discuss performance standards and how to clearly set these expectations. To assist employees in reaching their full potential, managers will define and learn about setting these performance standards as well as analyzing and addressing performance gaps. This class is presented by members of the HR Business Partner team.

Conducting the Performance Review

This class will explore the phases of the performance management cycle including preparing, writing, and delivering employee performance reviews. Overviews of the performance review components, rating scales, properly written comments, common performance review pitfalls, and techniques to keep employees aligned throughout the year will be provided.

Creating and Managing Performance Goals

Effectively written performance goals can engage staff, foster collaboration, and improve outcomes. Performance goals that are aligned with the organizational strategy will keep your team working toward our common goals. Managers should ensure that their individual goals–as well as those of their direct reports–are in line with the overarching strategy. This session will review the key concepts behind writing SMART, aligned performance goals and keeping the focus throughout the year. Led by leaders in Learning & Development.

Giving Effective Feedback

This class focuses on how to deliver feedback effectively with tact and sensitivity. The ability to facilitate these conversations is an essential skill for leaders which in turn promotes increased trust, stronger work relationships, and better performance. Led by leaders in Learning and Development.

URMC New Leader Orientation

This course is specifically intended for new leaders

Open to newly hired and promoted URMC leaders of people (assistant manager, manager, and above with direct reports), this session will inspire, engage, and connect new leaders to the URMC mission, vision, values, key strategic initiatives, as well as provide an introduction to the leadership role and expectations within the organization.

New leaders in URMC divisions of Strong Memorial Hospital, School of Medicine and Dentistry, School of Nursing, Medical Faculty Group, Eastman Institute of Oral Health, and Health Sciences are encouraged to attend within two months of starting a new role. New leaders only need to attend once; the same presentation is repeated on each date.

Leadership Enhanced

These classes are designed to support leaders by providing practical and conceptual skills needed to align our work with the organization’s business goals and manage the phases of the employee lifecycle, from recruiting through off-boarding. Attendance in these courses is based on role; please attend if classes are related to your current position.

Developing Your Direct Reports

Developing Your Direct Reports is an online course in which participants will learn “development coaching”. So what’s the difference between performance management and development coaching? Performance management is focused on eliminating the weaknesses of the past and present. Development coaching, on the other hand, targets employee strengths as the basis for future performance and the achievement of long-term goals. And the other major difference? It requires the direct and regular involvement of the manager.

Coaching for Performance

Coaching is essential for the development, growth, and performance of your employees. This 2-part leadership coaching curriculum teaches managers and supervisors how to effectively coach employees—not just manage them—with a participative approach that can increase productivity, create an environment of trust and autonomy, and deliver better results. Learners will start by completing an online module then will sign up for a skills lab to practice the concepts under the guidance of an experienced workplace coach.

Remixing It: Generational Differences Across the Workforce

Today’s workforce is the first to include five different generations working side by side. Each generation has different expectations, communication styles, and perspectives shaped by historical events and society. Adopting a management strategy that addresses these distinctive characteristics can allow leaders to harness the respective strengths of their workforce. In this session participants will discuss this five-generation workforce and learn strategies for engaging high-performing, diverse teams.

Values Driven Leadership 201

Effective leaders establish and maintain a culture that reinforces the values of the organization and promotes employee engagement. Explore how your leadership behaviors influence the overall performance of your team and why they are necessary in developing the steps needed to ensure success. This class is presented by members of the ICARE Commitment Office.

Compliance Training

These classes provide the skills and knowledge required to comply with internal and external policies and regulations. Leaders should attend each class if related to responsibilities of their current role.

Introduction to the National Incident Management System

The National Incident Management System (NIMS) is a standardized approach to incident management developed by the United States Department of Homeland Security. NIMS describes the continual daily efforts of entities such as URMC to prepare for emergencies and disasters in a way that is consistent with our peers across the country.

Introduction to Incident Command System

introduces the Incident Command System (ICS), a standardized approach to the command, control, and coordination of emergency response providing a common hierarchy within which responders from multiple agencies can be effective. Completion of Introduction to the National Incident Management System is recommended before taking this course, but it is not a pre-requisite, per se.

Basic Incident Command System for Initial Response

This class is a continuation of the Incident Command System series of training and provides greater depth and context into how the Incident Command System is utilized during special events and emergencies representing multiple agencies. Completing Introduction to Incident Command System is a pre-requisite.

Hospital Incident Command System (HICS) Webinar

This optional class is an adaptation of the Incident Command System (ICS) for the hospital environment and provides use cases and examples of how ICS could be applied in our sector. This is a value-added webinar that is not required and does not have an exam.

Systems Training for Leaders

These classes provide the training required to use UR/URMC Systems. Leaders should attend classes if system access is required for their current role.

Using MyPath for Employee Performance Reviews

Designed for leaders who manage performance reviews in MyPath, participants will learn more about MyPath functionality and the technical administration of the employee performance review process.

eRecord: Reporting v2019 (URMC)

Leaders requiring access to the Reporting Workbench/Dashboards should enroll in this online module to learn how to search the library for reports, read radar dashboards, manipulate criteria, and save a report. An optional one-on-one, hands-on training is also available for learners who would like additional support after completing the online module.

To register for the online learning module (Step 1) or the Reporting Workshop (optional Step 2) complete the Online Enrollment Form.

For questions about Reporting v2019, please contact eRecord Scheduling at eRecordSchedulingEnrollment@urmc.rochester.edu.

HRMS Personnel Action Forms (PAF)

This online training module will familiarize administrators with hiring processes and procedures, how to use the HRMS system to create forms for these processes, and how to access data/reports in HRMS.

HRMS Time and Labor Training

Time and labor training sessions have been established for new Timekeepers who are required to attend a class and pass a competency test to be given access to the timekeeping functions in the HRMS system. This session is led by members of the Compensation Department.

For questions about HRMS Time and Labor Trainings, please contact hrd_registration@hr.rochester.edu.

UR Budget

The UR Budget Basic Navigation eLearning in MyPath will prepare all users on how to navigate the system interface for any instructor-led class.

Also available on the UR Budget website:

Introduction to UR Financials

This online module and reference guide, located in MyPath, provides an overview of the finance system at the University of Rochester. It will also prepare leaders with financial reporting responsibilities for any subsequent instructor-led training on UR Financials that may be assigned.

In addition to this module, the UR Financials website provides information on training options, instructor-led training class dates, and course outlines.

Communicating with DiSC®

Effective leaders have more motivated employees, create engaging workplaces, and foster retention through open communication. So what does it take to be more effective in your leadership role?

While there are many skills and attributes of an effective leader, understanding and applying the research-based DiSC human behavior model builds a solid foundation for development. DiSC identifies and assesses strength and improvement based on 4 critical areas: Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, and Conscientiousness. DiSC behaviors drive individual performance and workplace relationships.

Manage and lead more effectively by understanding the behavior of others. Led by DiSC-certified instructors, this class is being offered in a virtual, 2-part format or as a 3 hour in-person class. Click the link below for more information, including class cost and registration.

If you are interested in learning more about DiSC or scheduling a session for your team, please email learninganddevelopment@URMC.Rochester.edu.

Visit the the UR Medicine EAP website Employee Assistance Program Supervisor Series. Video recordings of several prior sessions are also available for viewing on the website. Open to leaders across the entire University.

See the supervisor series

Developing your employees and team

As a manager, a critical part of your role is to support your employees in their development.

In developing towards a new role, the employee sets the direction and owns the progress. As a manager, your responsibility is to take an interest in their Career Development Plan and help them achieve their goals:

Act as a sounding board and provide feedback as requested
Help them explore training opportunities and make connections
Assign them to projects where they can develop in their desired areas
Support their efforts to enhance their education in MyPath, utilizing Tuition Benefits, or through other means. There are thousands of online and live courses available in MyPath, and keyword searches based on an employee’s development goals can help them learn. Explore more opportunities on our Staff Training page.
Check in with them regularly on their progress and how you can help

You’ll find several training courses in MyPath that can help you support your employees in their development, including Developing Your Direct Reports and Coaching for Development.

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