Supervisors lead people and manage processes.
Departments and units with skilled and knowledgeable supervisors strengthen the university as a whole. Good supervisors help faculty and staff better fulfill the mission of UGA and meet the grand challenges of our time.
The Supervision at UGA program provides education and experiences to support your success and growth in a supervisory role at the University of Georgia.
By participating in the Supervision at UGA program, faculty and staff in supervisory roles will:
- Grow their professional network of peer supervisors, allowing them to have a rich pool of experience at their fingertips
- Identify their leadership and supervisory strengths, along with areas for growth
- Outline the values of their unit, leading them to develop strategies to increase morale and engagement among their team
- Navigate and manage change in a way that fosters team growth and development
The Supervision at UGA program consists of a Supervisor Seminar Series, the Supervisory Fundamentals program, which lays the groundwork necessary to be a supervisor, and the UGA Supervisors' Academy, which builds upon that foundation.
Supervisor Consultations
While many UGA employees are working remotely and responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, supervisors are being called to manage differently. No matter how different it feels, we’re here to help you.
Schedule a one-on-one or small group consultation on supervising strategies with a Learning & Development professional by filling out this Qualtrics intake form. A member of our team will contact you shortly.
Supervisory Fundamentals
As of Fall 2020, Supervisory Fundamentals has moved to an online format. Each session of Supervisory Fundamentals will begin with a live Zoom meeting, and the majority of the content will be delivered through online, self-paced modules. A live Zoom wrap-up meeting and Q&A will conclude the program.
Supervisory Fundamentals is a foundational program designed to deliver the most essential knowledge and tools for supervising at UGA. Our online modules will allow participants the ability to learn the ins and outs of employment guidelines and policies and managing a staff. Once you have completed this program, you will have a variety of tools that you can immediately put into practice.
Fundamentals is:
- Open to current supervisors, new and veteran
- Strongly encouraged for all employees who hold a supervisory role at UGA
- Offered on the T&D schedule 1-2 times/semester
- Required under the new guidelines for participating in the UGA Supervisors’ Academy
Fall 2021 dates:
Session 1:
- Tuesday, August 10th, 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. | Supervisory Fundamentals Zoom Kick-off Meeting
- Tuesday, September 14th, 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. | Supervisory Fundamentals Zoom Wrap-up Meeting
Session 2:
- Monday, November 15th, 10:30 a.m. -11:30 a.m. | Supervisory Fundamentals Zoom Kick-off Meeting
- Tuesday, December 14th, 10:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. | Supervisory Fundamentals Zoom Wrap-up Meeting
Supervisor Seminars
The Supervisor Seminars are a collection of programs designed with current and aspiring supervisors in mind. Seminars may be panel discussions, lectures from experts, or activity-based workshops and are open to aspiring supervisors, experienced supervisors, and anyone in between looking to sharpen their supervising skills. Register for all Supervisor Seminars via the UGA Professional Education Portal (PEP).
Join us for our fall seminars:
Using Professional Development as a Tool- In Person| Wednesday, August 25th, 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Learn about strategies for incorporating professional development into your unit’s culture and some of the tools available to you as a supervisor. Not only can professional development enrich what your team is able to do collectively, it will also help each individual staff member work toward their professional goals. Whether you’re an aspiring, new, or experienced supervisor, this seminar is for you!
Leading Meaningful Staff Meetings- In Person | Wednesday, September 8th, 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Staff meetings can have a bad rap, but you can be the supervisor that turns them around! In this workshop, we’ll reflect on the purpose of staff meetings and how you can leverage them as one of best tools in your supervisor toolkit. We’ll discuss various strategies for leading meaningful staff meetings and how they can be the cornerstone for building healthy, innovative, and successful teams. You will have the opportunity to brainstorm meeting ideas and agendas with other UGA supervisors and leave with a plan for your next staff meeting.
Interviewing Skills- It’s More than a Feeling- Zoom | Monday, September 13th, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Hiring the best takes more than just assessing skills and more than just a ‘gut feeling.’ Are you a hiring supervisor, or search committee member, looking for high performers? This seminar will provide tools and a guide to reveal skill, attitude, and motivation to succeed in your open position. You’ll never interview the same way again.
Leading Meaningful Staff Meetings- Zoom | Thursday, September 23rd, 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Staff meetings can have a bad rap, but you can be the supervisor that turns them around! In this workshop, we’ll reflect on the purpose of staff meetings and how you can leverage them as one of best tools in your supervisor toolkit. We’ll discuss various strategies for leading meaningful staff meetings and how they can be the cornerstone for building healthy, innovative, and successful teams. You will have the opportunity to brainstorm meeting ideas and agendas with other UGA supervisors and leave with a plan for your next staff meeting.
Employee Burnout- Zoom | Thursday, October 28th, 2021, 9:00 a.m. -11:00 a.m.
Burnout is a word that we’ve all heard, but what does it really mean? The Mayo Clinic defines it as “a special type of work-related stress — a state of physical or emotional exhaustion that also involves a sense of reduced accomplishment and loss of personal identity.” The World Health Organization (WHO) says that it is a “workplace phenomenon.” Learn more from James Crawford, Development Lead in Student Affairs, and Maggie Denna, senior manager of training and development, about what burnout is, ways to recognize it, and ideas for counteracting it. Whether you’re an aspiring supervisor, a new one, or a manager with many years of experience, this Supervisors’ Seminar is for you!
Exploring the Staff Competency Model- Zoom | Thursday, November 18th, 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Staff meetings can have a bad rap, but you can be the supervisor that turns them around! In this workshop, we’ll reflect on the purpose of staff meetings and how you can leverage them as one of best tools in your supervisor toolkit. We’ll discuss various strategies for leading meaningful staff meetings and how they can be the cornerstone for building healthy, innovative, and successful teams. You will have the opportunity to brainstorm meeting ideas and agendas with other UGA supervisors and leave with a plan for your next staff meeting.
Psychological Safety + Intentionally Creating the Conditions for Team Success- Zoom | Monday, December 6th, 9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.
When people feel safe to contribute their ideas, teams thrive and innovation flourishes. Researchers have named this phenomenon “psychological safety” and claim it is the single most important predictor of team success. It is the necessary underpinning for learning, strategic decisions, and growth. In this session, participants will learn what psychological safety is (and what it is not), why it is crucial for teams and organizations in today’s higher education context, and how we can foster it to do more than we ever imagined. Those who choose to attend this session will take an assessment to measure the level of psychological safety they currently experience in their individual workplaces. They will also be able to begin brainstorming ways to actively build psychological safety on their teams regardless of their title or position. Whether you an aspiring supervisor, new supervisor, or very experienced, this seminar is for you!
UGA Supervisors’ Academy
In-person cohorts will resume for Fall 2021
Sharpen the tools you gained in Supervisory Fundamentals and take your team from good to great! The UGA Supervisors’ Academy is a cohort-based program that provides a professional network of other supervisors navigating similar situations whose advice is rooted in knowledge of UGA’s policies, guidelines, and procedures.
The cohort will meet over seven sessions to discuss and learn crucial aspects of supervising: managing self, managing culture, managing teams, and managing change. Program fee is $100/participant to cover materials and assessment cost.
Participants must:
- Be a current UGA supervisor, and
- Have completed the Supervisory Fundamentals program or the previous Certificate in Supervisory Excellence
Looking for skills to become a supervisor?
- Take a look at the L&D online career development materials
- Make an appointment with a career consultant to discuss opportunities to gain specific supervisory skills
- Attend future supervisor seminars to learn with other supervisors at UGA
- Review LinkedIn Learning courses in UGA's Professional Education Portal to gain a general understanding of management skills
Additional questions?
Please contact Learning and Development at training@uga.edu or 706-542-7062.
Updated 8.3.2021