WWU’s SBDC to Host Leadership-Development Sessions Nov. 8 and 15

Western Washington University’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC) is bringing a series of Leadership Development Workshops to Bellingham on Nov. 8 and 15; these training programs will give attendees insights on what it takes to become a better supervisor and a great boss.

There will be two sessions, each from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Dorothy Haggen Conference Room, 2211 Rimland Dr. #106, in Bellingham. Attendance is free but space is limited and registration is required. You may register for either or both events, and please bring your own lunch and beverage.

Thursday, Nov. 8: The Magic Combination of Support and Accountability

If all you do is encourage your staff, they may be under-performing. If all you do is hold them accountable, they may be dispirited or unhappy! Great bosses understand that’s it the magic combination of both support AND accountability that keeps teams healthy. This session will give you practical skills for embodying and implementing that winning combination.

Thursday, Nov. 15: The Tricky Team: Supervising Friends or Family

In a smaller marketplace like Whatcom County and with so many family businesses, it’s very common that you’re supervising someone you have a personal relationship with—an acquaintance, friend, or family member. This can be wonderful, and it can also be very tricky. This session will focus on how you can design your relationships with those folks to maximize both parts of your relationship—your friendship/family connection AND your professional roles.

The sessions will be led by Laura Todd and Sarah Murphy-Kangas. Laura Todd has over 25 years of experience in leadership development, coaching and training in large companies, non-profit organizations, and entrepreneurial organizations. Sarah Murphy-Kangas is an organizational development practitioner, providing coaching, mediation, and group facilitation services to clients. She specializes in helping caregiving organizations find resilience and wholeness in the midst of difficult work.

For more information on how to register, please call the SBDC office at (360) 778-1762 or email sbdc@wwu.edu.

Since 1983, the Small Business Development Center has enabled Western Washington University to give back to the business community and has helped to shape the economic future of Whatcom County. The SBDC provides free, confidential advising, technical assistance, and research to business owners and managers in an effort to help businesses thrive throughout Whatcom County. For more information, please visit http://sbdc.wwu.edu.