Business Skills Program Options

Participants pursuing a certification in Alternative Methods of Problem Solving will build skills and learn practical methods for handling various levels of conflict in differing settings, including the workplace setting. Participants will gain insight into resolving problems in the workplace through the introduction of basic interpersonal communication and management skills, such as rapport building, empathic listening, behavior modeling, reframing, problem solving, and decision-making.
Upon successful completion of the Conflict Resolution Certificate Program, the participant will be proficient in negotiation as a means for conflict resolution. This Certificate provides the participant with the skills to analyze, diagnose, and resolve conflict. The participant will gain knowledge regarding the function and purpose of negotiation and strategies to develop communication skills to advance an effective and straightforward proposal. Additional skills gained will include the ability to evaluate and analyze solution options for a given problem and the use of collaborative resolution for meeting goals.
Upon successful completion of the Ethical Business Decision-Making Certificate Program, the participant will be proficient in identifying the conceptual framework for discussing business ethics and applying the tools needed for making ethical decisions. This Program also prepares the participant with decision-making responsibility to identify ethical issues and decision-making challenges and build critical thinking skills necessary to make informed decisions that create and maintain an ethical work environment.
Upon successful completion of the Executive Leadership Certificate Program, the participant will be proficient in leadership skills at the executive level. This Certificate provides the participant with the knowledge to effectively manage uncertainty in the workplace, frame challenges faced by the business, and maintain the attention of their audience. The participant will gain the skills to create and practice ethics in the workplace and communicate, build trust, self-awareness, and motivate others
Upon successful completion of the Facilitation for the Internal Manager Certificate Program, the participant will be proficient in utilizing facilitation in an internal business capacity. This Certificate provides the participant with techniques to assess needs, problem-solve, and provide feedback to internal departments and an understanding of how conflict situations arise in the workplace. The participant will obtain the skills to analyze and diagnose conflict, as well as how to framing challenges facing employees and manage those challenges. Additional skills gained will include utilizing a four frames approach for managing organizational change and hiring an outside consultant to assist in the facilitation of organizational change.
Upon successful completion of the Fundamentals of Delivering Training Certificate Program, the participant will be proficient in the planning and delivery of a business presentation through facilitation. This Certificate also provides the knowledge needed for and associated with the use of visual aids and handouts to supplement a presentation, approach the outline and content of a presentation with the audience in mind, and identify the elements involved in successful delivery of a presentation to a target audience.
Upon successful completion of the Fundamentals of Leadership Certificate Program, the participant will be proficient in essential leadership skills. This Certificate will prepare the participant to frame challenges facing groups and employ strategies to establish and maintain their audience's attention. The participant will gain an understanding of cultural differences that can affect their own and group members’ communication styles as well as techniques for critical thinking and improving the quality of thinking in the decision-making process. Additional topics include communication, trust building, self-awareness, and motivating others.
Upon successful completion of the Fundamentals of Meeting Facilitation Certificate Program, the participant will be proficient in the skills necessary for effective meeting facilitation in a variety of business environments. This Certificate also prepares the participant to define key roles in the meeting facilitation process, maintain order in groups, and assess participant values, needs, and goals in order to maximize the benefits of facilitative strategies in the workplace. Additional skills gained include strategies for eliciting member participation, building consensus, and achieving the goals of the meeting through collaborative resolution.
The Fundamentals of Meeting Planning and Event Development Certificate Program encompasses an examination of the variables associated with meeting preparation, an examination of the goals and objectives in conjunction with assessing the meeting approach, and an evaluation of the trends and technologies to best design, plan, and coordinate a meeting. After completing this Program, the participant will be able to assess a client's needs and expectations, create timelines and production schedules, oversee the event, and evaluate the event's ultimate success in the context of meeting goals and objectives.
Upon successful completion of the Fundamentals of Philanthropy Certificate Program, the participant will be poised to take a philanthropic role in the nonprofit sector. This Certificate provides the participant with knowledge of key roles a philanthropist can play in a nonprofit environment, board governance and relations, programming, financing, and community relations in the nonprofit environment, and nonprofit human resource issues. The participant will also gain knowledge in the areas of researching grant funding opportunities, consulting contracts and business development.
Upon successful completion of the Grant Writing Certificate Program, the participant will be proficient in the skills needed to prepare grants for nonprofit fundraising development. This Certificate prepares the participant to research grant funding opportunities and build essential technical writing, proofreading, and copyediting skills for effective grant preparation. The participant will also gain an understanding of the grant application filing process.
Upon successful completion of the Group Facilitation Certificate Program, the participant will be proficient in guiding groups through the problem-solving process to reach sustainable outcomes. This Certificate provides the participant with a deeper understanding of how conflict situations arise in the workplace, how to frame those challenges, and how to maintain order in groups. The participant will obtain skills in effective communication, trust building, and self-awareness, as well as techniques for motivating others.
Upon successful completion of the Innovation Certificate Program, the participant will be proficient in the skills necessary for integrating creativity and innovation in a variety of business environments. This Certificate also prepares the participant to define key roles of individual entrepreneurs and organizational innovation in private and public services, use design thinking as a problem-solving tool, and understand communication approaches, leadership practices, and the relationship between the marketing and sales functions in the workplace. Additional skills gained include understanding cognitive mechanisms that underlie creative thinking and group dynamics in an innovative workplace setting.
Upon successful completion of the Management and Supervision Certificate Program, the participant will be proficient in strategies for effective management and supervision. This Certificate provides the participant with techniques to problem-solve and negotiation skills to manage conflict in the workplace. The participant will gain knowledge in the benefits of facilitation for conflict resolution and the ability to identify cultural differences that affect communication styles needed for effective management and supervision.
In the Managing Cross-Functional Teams Certificate Program, management skills are developed in the areas of assessment, problem solving, and feedback. Focus is placed on recognizing diversity and appreciating varying perspectives among departmental personnel. Identification and implementation of techniques across different business disciplines are emphasized. The four frames model for reframing perspectives is utilized in a cross-functional group context.
Upon successful completion of the Skills for Managing Organizational Change Certificate Program, the participant will be proficient in implementing the skills associated with managing change in the workplace. This also encompasses the ability to recognize potentially unforeseen implications that accompany change and applying the appropriate knowledge and tools to adjust appropriate business strategies and successfully navigate the inevitable change that is so prevalent in today's competitive business environment.
Upon successful completion of the Negotiation Skills for the Event Planner Certificate Program, the participant will be proficient in meeting and event design, planning, and coordination. This Certificate provides the participant with the skills to manage the logistics and analyze the business side of meetings and events. The participant will gain an understanding of the role of negotiation in meeting and event planning and the persuasive techniques utilized to frame and adapt interests in negotiations. Additional topics include effective communication and presentation skills
Upon successful completion of the Nonprofit Fundraising and Development Certificate Program, the participant will be proficient in the basics of nonprofit development. This Certificate provides the participant with an understanding of board governance and relations and the tools needed to effectively analyze programming, financing, and community relations in the nonprofit environment. The participant will also learn techniques for utilizing persuasion in the negotiation process and becoming an effective communicator and presenter.
Upon successful completion of the Fundamentals of Nonprofit Operational Management Certificate Program, the participant will be ready to step into a managerial role in the nonprofit sector. This Certificate provides the participant with the knowledge to evaluate human resource issues and identify potential ethical issues in the nonprofit environment. The participant will also gain a deeper understanding of programming, financing, and community relations in the nonprofit environment, as well as board governance and relations. Additional topics include strategies for effective fundraising and volunteer management.
Upon successful completion of the Organizational Consulting Certificate Program, the participant will be proficient in consulting with organizations. This Certificate provides the knowledge needed to think critically and solve problems creatively for an organization based on assessment of the client’s needs. This Program emphasizes how to frame challenges facing clients and employ effective communication and presentation skills to serve the client’s needs and accomplish business goals. The key components of consulting contracts and business development will also be covered.
Upon successful completion of the Organizational Leadership Certificate Program, the participant will be proficient in the techniques utilized for successfully leading an organization. This Certificate provides the participant with a basic understanding of project management, communication skills, trust building, self-awareness, and how to motivate others. The participant will learn techniques to recognize conflict situations that arise in the workplace, frame the challenges faced, and create and maintain an ethical workplace.
Upon successful completion of the Problem Solving and Decision-Making Strategies Certificate Program, the participant will be proficient in the problem solving process, critical communication skill identification and utilization, issue resolution strategies, and identification of challenges that adversely affect the decision-making process. This Program also prepares the participant to implement tools such as cross-cultural communication and a structured approach to dealing with diversity issues that affect decision-making in the workplace.
Upon successful completion of the Project Leadership Certificate Program, the participant will be able to demonstrate proficiency in leading a successful project. This Certificate provides the participant with an understanding of the basics of project management and the strategies to establish and maintain an audience's attention. The participant will gain knowledge in the benefits of facilitation for conflict resolution in the workplace, the steps critical to the decision-making process, and the tools and strategies for effective problem solving. Additional topics covered will include achieving collaborative resolution of meeting goals.
Upon successful completion of the Strategies of Successful Negotiation Certificate Program, the participant will be proficient in negotiation skills. This Certificate also provides the knowledge needed to formulate negotiation strategy, identify acceptable terms, and prepare for potential objections and impediments in the negotiation process. This Program emphasizes how to communicate effectively in a negotiation by setting the tone for the negotiation, developing a proposal, and communicating effectively with the adverse party to reach a resolution.