Professional Development School Sessions

This keynote will encourage PDS participants to chase the truly important things in life such as solid character, strong personal relationships and a sense of contentment. These “real rabbits” are compared and contrasted to more fleeting worldly successes such as excessive wealth, popularity, and prestige. PDS delegates will leave with a better sense of what it takes to develop integrity, set priorities, gain a big- picture perspective, and chase an authentic life. By the end, Corey promises that this will be one of the most powerful and motivational speeches you have ever heard. Some important questions that Corey wants you think about before, during, and after the keynote: 1. What do you chase in your life? Acceptance? Popularity? Successful career? 2. Would you consider yourself authentically happy? Do you wake up genuinely happy? 3. Do you consider yourself a virtuous person (honest, kind, courageous, loyal)? 4. How many real friends do you have? How many people would rush into your life when others rushed out? 5. Do you wonder about important things, get goosebumps, and laugh at yourself?

Let’s investigate! What do you do best at work? What strengths are showing up? The CliftonStrengths assessment identifies your 34 Talent themes and the unique contributions you bring to work and life. Why focus on strengths? Gallup research studies show that people who use their strengths are: • 3x more likely to report an excellent quality of life • 6x more likely to be engaged • 7%-23% higher engagement • 8%-18% greater performance at work In this interactive session, we will celebrate your career success through the language of strengths and the pursuit of excellence with a strengths-based foundation. Learning Objectives: • Describe your Top 10 Talent themes and what they each need to thrive. • Identify ways your talents are used to build relationships, influence others, accomplish tasks & think critically. • Develop strategies to build your talents into strengths and increase your engagement at work and in life.

Leaders are intentional and mission focused, and they first lead themselves. The second year Professional Development School attendees will spend time sleuthing out leadership concepts that will help them grow and learn as well as taking a look to the future to set goals. We will start by exploring the different characteristics of our personalities, and the personalities of those we lead, and move toward innovative thinking about leadership Participants will be discover new ways to see the world around them, and working on their own personal growth by making plans for continued leadership grow for themselves and those around them. Be prepared for small group work and projects that you will take away from the 2023 Professional Development School. Learning Objectives: 1. Participants will be able to identify their personality styles and learn how to use those styles to be better leaders. 2. Participants will be able to discuss and define the pitfalls and gold mines of the social web. 3. Participants will be able to define success for themselves. 4. Participants will be able to create personal and professional goals that will help them map where they are going.

Stress is omnipresent. It lurks in every nook and cranny of our typical day. Work (and particularly colleagues) can be stressful, home life can be stressful, and never mind our commutes to these places. The problem is that excessive stress has major negative repercussions on our bodies and behavior. It roils our immune system, long-term memory, and sleep habits. Stress causes anxiety, fatigue, restlessness, tense muscles, and, in the worst cases, heart disease. But, perhaps more important, stress removes our motivation to live an authentic life, to help others, and to chase after character – we are just trying to get through until tomorrow. There is hope. Corey’s motivating and intellectually-driven speech on stress is perfect for you and your team. Corey believes that carrying some stress is a good thing – it can motivate you to face life’s important challenges. This good kind of stress is there for a purpose and then fades away. The problem is that we carry too much of the bad kind of stress as well. Corey’s speech helps you figure out your current stress level. After determining your stress score, the group then evaluates twenty ways to decrease the minor stressors in your life. Once you lower your stress score, you can focus and, hopefully, eliminate your major stressors and more effectively chase an authentic life. Feeling stressed? This talk is for you . . . and everyone really! Learning Objectives: 1. Participants will be able to define baseline stress level and why it matters. 2. Participants will be able to list stress-reduction tools that can be used immediately. 3. Participants will be able to explain the negative physical and mental issues arising from a stress-filled life.

Let’s investigate! What do you do best at work? What strengths are showing up? The CliftonStrengths assessment identifies your 34 Talent themes and the unique contributions you bring to work and life. Why focus on strengths? Gallup research studies show that people who use their strengths are: • 3x more likely to report an excellent quality of life • 6x more likely to be engaged • 7%-23% higher engagement • 8%-18% greater performance at work In this interactive session, we will celebrate your career success through the language of strengths and the pursuit of excellence with a strengths-based foundation. Learning Objectives: 1. Participants will be able to describe their Top 10 Talent themes and what they each need to thrive. 2. Participants will be able to identify ways in which talents are used to build relationships, influence others, accomplish tasks and think critically. 3. Participants will be able to develop strategies to build talents into strengths and increase engagement at work and in life.

Leaders are intentional and mission focused, and they first lead themselves. The second year Professional Development School attendees will spend time sleuthing out leadership concepts that will help them grow and learn as well as taking a look to the future to set goals. We will start by exploring the different characteristics of our personalities, and the personalities of those we lead, and move toward innovative thinking about leadership Participants will be discover new ways to see the world around them, and working on their own personal growth by making plans for continued leadership grow for themselves and those around them. Be prepared for small group work and projects that you will take away from the 2023 Professional Development School. Learning Objectives: 1. Participants will be able to identify their personality styles and learn how to use those styles to be better leaders. 2. Participants will be able to discuss and define the pitfalls and gold mines of the social web. 3. Participants will be able to define success for themselves. 4. Participants will be able to create personal and professional goals that will help them map where they are going.

We must only look up to behold yet another pitch for leadership training. Yet, we rarely witness effective leaders plying their craft. Why? These trainings tend to focus on buzzwords and abstract theories but ignore the core aspect of leadership – values and character. A low character person can obtain a PhD in Management yet struggle to lead effectively. Few people want to be led by someone who talks eloquently about “strategic resource positioning” but who lacks courage, compassion, fairness, honesty, and loyalty. We need more “good” leaders! Contrary to popular wisdom, Corey believes values and character can be taught. For instance, where did you learn to lie or cheat? On the more virtuous end, where did you learn to be kind and thoughtful? From the influential people in your life, of course. Corey’s session on leadership begins with a critical question: Do you have the values and character to make you the type of leader that you would follow? If you would resist being led by someone like yourself, then others will surely opt out. The rest of Corey’s powerful speech is devoted to the five character traits of an effective leader. We come to find out that no one is born a leader. This means that you and your people can learn to lead more effectively, without any buzzwords or theories! All it takes is the drive to become a more virtuous person. Ethical people become the best leaders. Learning Objectives: 1. Participants will be able to explain how a philosopher would evaluate the greatest good for the greatest number of people in moral dilemmas. 2. Participants will be able to identify specific duties as members of vital communities (family, work, neighborhood). 3. Participants will be able to list virtues needed to make the best decisions under pressure.

Increasingly, recreation and parks organizations are seeking to understand, develop and cultivate an organizational culture of constant improvement. Culture can be defined as an approach to service, management and leadership which effects how residents are appreciated or viewed. This session will address how to develop a culture, the pitfalls and benefits of embracing a culture of organizational improvement and how this culture can assist in creating new opportunities that will increase the effectiveness of delivering your services. Learning Objectives: 1. Participants will be able to define culture from an individual and organizational perspective. 2. Participants will be able to identify and understand the process of implementing culture change across an organization. 3. Participants will be able to develop a continuous improvement program within their agency, division and/or unit.

Leaders are intentional and mission focused, and they first lead themselves. The second year Professional Development School attendees will spend time sleuthing out leadership concepts that will help them grow and learn as well as taking a look to the future to set goals. We will start by exploring the different characteristics of our personalities, and the personalities of those we lead, and move toward innovative thinking about leadership Participants will be discover new ways to see the world around them, and working on their own personal growth by making plans for continued leadership grow for themselves and those around them. Be prepared for small group work and projects that you will take away from the 2023 Professional Development School. Learning Objectives: 1. Participants will be able to identify their personality styles and learn how to use those styles to be better leaders. 2. Participants will be able to discuss and define the pitfalls and gold mines of the social web. 3. Participants will be able to define success for themselves. 4. Participants will be able to create personal and professional goals that will help them map where they are going.

Being intentional means setting a success framework that packs a serious punch in terms of keeping you and your team motivated and structured. The problem is, most of us fall short in that mission. In this presentation, Dan speaks to leaders looking to sharpen their talents and be more intentional. Relatable insights include how to keep distractions from taking center stage, how to recognize when the same way of doing things doesn’t cut it anymore, and how to establish the SMARTEST goals. Learning Objectives: 1. Participants will be able to create an ideal roadmap for a focused week. Stop wasting time and start planning to do more of the right things versus more things. 2. Participants will be able to identify clarity around goal planning, progress, and achievement using Dan’s SMARTEST framework. 3. Participants will be able to know, remind, write down, and live priorities in life to set daily success indicators that result in immediate success!

The term “SMART goals” is now a common language for anyone in corporate America. But 30 years have passed! Isn’t it high time to rip that BandAid off and look to an expansive and permanent version, one that meshes with our ever-changing environment? In this practical and collaborative session, Dan walks through each step of setting the S.M.A.R.T.E.S.T. goals. This session is meant to be highly interactive, and participants will come away with a goal creation plan that can be immediately implemented for success. Learning Objectives: 1. Participants will be able to list meaningful goals that give them exact steps, progress, and motivation to achieve more in their personal and professional lives! 2. Participants will be able to list the step-by-step process for any leader that allows simple modifications for better and more consistent outcomes! 3. Participants will be able to explain practical ideas and concepts that give every leader an immediate way to impact themselves and his or her team.

Leaders are intentional and mission focused, and they first lead themselves. The second year Professional Development School attendees will spend time sleuthing out leadership concepts that will help them grow and learn as well as taking a look to the future to set goals. We will start by exploring the different characteristics of our personalities, and the personalities of those we lead, and move toward innovative thinking about leadership Participants will be discover new ways to see the world around them, and working on their own personal growth by making plans for continued leadership grow for themselves and those around them. Be prepared for small group work and projects that you will take away from the 2023 Professional Development School. Learning Objectives: 1. Participants will be able to identify their personality styles and learn how to use those styles to be better leaders. 2. Participants will be able to discuss and define the pitfalls and gold mines of the social web. 3. Participants will be able to define success for themselves. 4. Participants will be able to create personal and professional goals that will help them map where they are going.

The challenges of today are multi-faceted and can range from social ills to business models. Do we attempt to solve them all or identify what problems our agency’s effectively address? What is most important is to understand how to be relevant, thus making parks and recreation agencies a critical success factor to the success of a community. Along the way identification and development of critical advocates to ensure your success is needed. This session will address how to evaluate where you are, the identification of critical advocates and implement a plan for relevance. Learning Objectives: 1. Participants will be able to define relevancy as related to their own agency and department. 2. Participants will be able to identify and understand the process of implement change in regards to relevance across an organization. 3. Participants will be able to develop a program for relevance within their agency, division and/or unit.