A Closer Look at…the LEAD Program

Veteran supervisors know the Leadership Enhancement and Development (LEAD) program is the required training that newly hired or promoted supervisors need to complete within their first 12 months on the job. They may remember they set aside four full days on consecutive Thursdays to devote to this training. It was offered only three times a year, in February, June and October.

But as of the beginning of the calendar year, LEAD has changed. Now, the content is broken into mini-modules available online and face-to-face. With this flexible format, participants can enroll in the sessions that work best for their schedule and work at their own pace to fulfill the requirements within one year of appointment.

All of the content for the LEAD program, including the syllabus, list of workshops, the LEAD training and links to eLearning requirements, is located in the online LEADers’ Resource Center in Canvas, the University’s online learning platform. Participants are automatically enrolled once invited to begin the certification process.

After completing the LEAD training and earning their digital badge, managers can refer back to the resource center throughout their service as a manager at UNC Charlotte. There is also a new section of the Learning and Organizational Development Catalog specifically for the LEAD program as well as a newly created LEAD category in Skillport under the Learning Library.

A public university is a unique environment. Being a front-line leader requires a thorough understanding of the University’s environment and protocols. LEAD is structured to introduce managers to subject-matter experts from each stage of the employee life cycle, according to Krista Collins, learning and organizational specialist in the Human Resources Department.

“The redesigned LEAD program takes the guesswork out of what and when items need to be completed,” said Collins. “The blended format and addition of online resources were all created in order to make it easier for participants to fulfill the LEAD requirements and focus on being great managers.”

For more information on the LEAD program and other Learning and Organizational Development offerings, please email hrtraining@uncc.edu.

Story: Caitlin Mauk