Southeast Community College - Nebraska

Rod Rhodes, Southeast Community College’s Career Academy director and associate director of SCC’s Beatrice Campus, graduated from the Academy for Leadership and Development on June 18.

The Academy for Leadership and Development is a program developed by the Chair Academy, a division of the Maricopa Community College District in Mesa, Ariz., for the purpose of advancing organizational leadership. It also provides succession planning for leaders in post-secondary institutions.

Rhodes participated in the Midwest Leadership Academy hosted by Johnson County Community College and Garden City Community College, both in Kansas. Rhodes spent a week in June 2009 and a week in June 2010 at JCCC in Overland Park, Kan.

“With my new position at SCC, I thought this was something I should do,” Rhodes said.

The Academy is a year-long program that includes an initial week of on-site training; a practicum experience involving implementation of an individualized professional development plan focusing on the application of skills learned during training; a mentor and coaching program; and a final week of on-site training consisting of additional leadership issues.

Rhodes said participants received a new manual last month, and the focus shifted to Gallup’s StrengthsFinder, an online assessment that helps people apply their strengths.

“Part of the process was to develop our own individual professional development goals,” Rhodes said. “We worked on those this year and wrote a year-end summary report.”

Topics covered include complex role of the organizational leader; work behavioral styles; building effective work teams; strategic planning and scenario thinking; managing conflict productively; facilitating, integrating and celebrating strengths; dimensions of leadership; leading and managing change; leader as manager; valuing diversity and cultural competence; hiring and orienting for excellence; coaching, developing and talent management; and leading part-time staff.

Each participant was asked to find a mentor to help them walk through the process. Rhodes’ mentor was Dr. Robert Smallfoot, former administrative director of Nebraska Career Connections.

“He was a great source of perspective and knowledge,” Rhodes said.

Rhodes said it was a positive experience and helped equip him with tips and tools to better lead his department.

“I’d highly recommend it for new or experienced people in leadership positions,” he said. “I’m very grateful to SCC for providing the opportunity.”

The Academy for Leadership and Development, a program of the Chair Academy, has worked with more than 6,000 leaders from colleges and universities worldwide during the past 16 years.

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