Leadership Training
Through several years of offering in-depth training on DEI topics, our office has developed a suite of comprehensive, effective, and compelling training sessions that will make you a better, stronger leader. We have compiled them into a focused series providing essential skills and insight into inclusive excellence and that earns participants the VCU Inclusive Leadership Certificate. Details for completing this series are detailed below.
We also offer training by request if you or your office has specialized, specific or immediate needs. We regularly provide both full-day and half-day leadership training seminars to assist managers and administrators in becoming more inclusive leaders.
Please email us at iexcel@vcu.edu to discuss the options available or complete the IExcel interest form linked to below.
VCU Inclusive Leadership Certificate
The VCU Inclusive Leadership Certificate is open exclusively to university leaders, including Program Directors, Assistant Directors, Directors, Assistant Vice Provosts, Vice Presidents, Department Deans, and Department Chairs.
This five-course program spans three months and offers a deeper dive into DEI topics in various contexts. Anchored in leadership and communication scholarship, these courses provide participants with illustrative examples and strategies to facilitate meaningful and productive interactions, especially in collaborative and team environments.
The five courses
Course 1: (D105) Fundamentals of Diversity and Inclusion
Fundamentals of Diversity and Inclusion provides an overview of the most recent and compelling developments in the field of diversity and inclusion (D&I) in the workplace. This course aims to improve leaders’ understanding of D&I by providing definitions, strategies and activities that ultimately will strengthen their confidence in addressing present and future needs of their organization.
Course 2: (D202) Implicit Bias & Microaggressions
This course contributes to diversity and inclusion education by providing participants with foundational knowledge and skills for reducing implicit biases and microaggressions. Four weekly modules provide opportunities for participants to gain awareness and knowledge, and analyze and evaluate situations involving implicit bias and microaggressions.
Course 3: (D309) Leading Diverse Teams
Effective teamwork requires that each individual in the diverse team feels valued, included, and able to contribute in a psychologically-safe way. Anticipating and solving the problems of today and tomorrow in our organizations requires that individuals work well in teams and that the experience of working in teams is life-giving rather than life-depleting to ensure high levels of well-being rather than burnout and disengagement.
Course 4: (D400) Building an Inclusive Community
Leaders are in the unique position to leverage their power to make a difference and truly build an inclusive community. Advanced concepts will be presented as the learner consolidates prior learning to further develop key leadership skills required to nurture an inclusive community in their workplace. Learners will strengthen their confidence for interrupting oppression and cycles of inequity with compassion and empathy.
Course 5: (D510) Building Inclusive Workplaces
Whether individuals go above and beyond in their work role depends on how empowered they are and whether they feel their unique strengths and experiences are being leveraged and utilized. This course will specifically focus on the ways in which leaders can create such environments through the facilitation of practices, procedures, and policies which bring about a more diverse and inclusive work environment.