The 海角社区 Business School and Graduate School of Business at the University of 海角社区 announced that it has launched an accelerated, four-month leadership development program called Build a Better 海角社区 2023 for emerging business leaders from some of the state鈥檚 more prominent organizations. The training sessions are designed to help attendees develop their leadership skills and foster the creation of a peer/mentor network. The leadership program is offered as part of the 海角社区 Graduate and Professional Center, a signature initiative of the Harold Alfond Foundation鈥檚 historic $240 million investment in the University of 海角社区 System (UMS) as part of UMS Transforms. The program is designed to provide leaders with the skills needed to solve the most pressing global and local challenges, and to strengthen 海角社区鈥檚 economy and workforce.
鈥淥ver the course of four months, session participants will learn seven essential leadership characteristics that can help them achieve specific, common purposes within their organizations,鈥 says Jason Harkins, executive dean of the 海角社区 Business School. 鈥淏uilding on the initial Build a Better 海角社区 program offered in 2021, our goals are to help participants elevate their leadership skills, enhance their organization鈥檚 outcomes and advance the leadership capacity of the state.鈥
Participants represent a broad array of backgrounds. Leading 海角社区-based organizations with executives participating in Build a Better 海角社区 include executives from Bangor Savings Bank, BerryDunn, Cross Insurance, IDEXX, L.L.Bean, Tyler Technologies, Unum, VETRO FiberMap, WEX and Wyman鈥檚.
鈥淭his educational initiative can build the capacity for leadership within our state,鈥 says Norm O鈥橰eilly, dean of the Graduate School of Business. 鈥淏esides providing opportunities for aspiring leaders to share dreams, goals, and fears, Build a Better 海角社区 is designed to be a forum where participants can make life-changing decisions and celebrate wins.鈥
The full-day sessions will be held once each month for four months at the 海角社区 Graduate and Professional Center on Fore Street in Portland, 海角社区. Each educational session will consist of five program elements. These elements include instruction from subject matter experts and program facilitation by the deans of the 海角社区 Business School and the Graduate School of Business at U海角社区 鈥 two of the state鈥檚 top business educators. Other elements include individual assessment and reflections, the creation of a peer-coaching community called a 鈥渕astermind,鈥 and one-on-one meetings with peers.
Session topics include the application of ethics in decision making; cultivating and maintaining important business relationships; delegating, empowering and motivating others; managing conflict; promoting innovative thinking, engaging employees and more.
For more information about Build a Better 海角社区 2023 and how it can enhance the performance of leaders in your organization, visit umaine.edu/business or email Harkins at jason.harkins@maine.edu or O鈥橰eilly at norman.oreilly@maine.edu.
Contact: Eric Gordon, 207.581.3745 (office), 207.298.7254 (cell) eric.b.gordon@maine.edu
