Powering Strong Communities
Webinar

Communication Skills of a Leader

Part of the Leadership Skills three-part series designed for new and rising leaders. The series focuses on building and continually developing a suite of skills to manage the personal and team dynamics that are essential for creating a motivated workforce and cohesive work environment.
August 13 - 14, 2024
12:00pm - 4:00pm Eastern

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Webinar Description

Effective communication is gained through honing six primary skills, from verbal communication to active listening and conflict management. Learn what comprises each of these skill areas and how you can improve your communication through active and continuous practice. Also explore how communication is critical in every aspect of influencing behavior, developing individuals, and leading high-performing teams. Learn to recognize and apply these skills to promote a calm demeanor, an adaptable approach to evolving situations, a higher degree of emotional intelligence, steadiness and consistency in your work, and a focus on being ‘in the here and now.’ 

Topics

  • Verbal communication skills: finding a shared language and what makes for effective face-to-face communication
  • Nonverbal communication skills: How facial expressions, body language, movement, posture, proxemics, and touch can affect your message
  • Active listening skills: The characteristics of a ‘poor listener’ and how to become an effective listener 
  • Asking productive questions (Socratic questioning skills)
  • Positivity and social awareness 
  • Five rules for conflict management

Questions?

Series Overview

​​Limited to 35 people

Becoming a leader isn’t just about delegating tasks – it’s about understanding yourself and others to communicate effectively and inspire people. Learn how to hone the individual leadership skills and competencies necessary to maintaining high-performing teams, from transforming personal values into motivation, communicating effectively, and applying emotional intelligence. Designed for new and rising leaders, this 3-part virtual series focuses on building and continually developing a suite of skills to manage the personal and team dynamics that are essential for creating a motivated workforce and cohesive work environment. 

Through a mix of lecture, small group discussions, activities, and case studies, these courses provide practical techniques and tips for enhancing your personal and professional growth and team effectiveness.

The series is priced at a discounted, bundled rate, since courses build on each other. All sessions take place from Noon - 4 pm Eastern.

All events will be held on Zoom and recorded. Attendees will automatically receive access to the recordings (accessible for 90 days).

Who Should Attend

This series is designed for new managers and supervisors and employees who will soon be taking on leadership roles, though the insights and tips can be used by anyone in your organization. 

To maintain a high level of engagement, enrollment is limited to 35 people.

Series Level

Basic: No prerequisites; some advance preparation (DiSC assessment prior to Part 1).

About the Instructor 

David Ritz headhshotDavid Ritz, Senior Instructor, LDR Leadership

David specializes in leadership, strategic planning, organizational transformation, and governance training. He brings a unique perspective to his classes, having served both as a CEO of a cooperative utility in Florida for 27 years and as a utility board member for 23 years. David was also a city and community manager and helped start one of Florida’s first stormwater drainage utilities. He has served on numerous civic, cultural, medical, and community boards. He started many innovative environmental programs and has been an advocate of continuous training his entire career. David received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a Master of Arts in Public Administration, both from the University of Florida. He later completed the Harvard University Kennedy School of Government’s Senior Executives Program.

Questions?

Registration

Registration Fees

Registration is for individual access. If you have multiple people interested in attending, group discounts are available.

Registration is limited to 35 participants, to maintain a high level of engagement.

Registration Fee (three-part series)

Members

$1,595

Non-members*

$3,190

*Nonmember fees are double the member rate.

Group Discounts

Save money when your organization registers five or more people for the virtual series. The larger your group, the more you save! 

Registrations must be submitted on the same order (at the same time) to qualify for the group discount; discounts cannot be retroactively applied to previous orders.

If you need assistance, contact [email protected].

Number of registrants

Discount
(per person)

1-4

n/a

5-9

$50

10-14

$100

15-24

$150

25+

$200

Registration Help

Check out our Registration FAQs for answers to the most common questions and help with all your registration-related issues. 

Cancellations /No-Show/ Refunds/ Substitutions

All courses will be recorded and attendees will automatically receive a copy of the recordings, in case you can’t attend live.

Registrants who cancel in writing at least 7 days in advance of the first course in the series (by July 23) are entitled to a refund of their registration fee, minus a $100 cancellation fee. Registrants who cancel after that will not receive a refund, but attendee substitutions will be allowed for this event only. Registrants and no-shows who do not cancel at least 7 days before the course start date are responsible for the full registration fee and are not entitled to a refund. 

Cancellations must be received on/before July 23

Cancellation requests should be made through your My.PublicPower portal, or addressed to [email protected].

Questions?

Accreditation

The following continuing education credits will be provided, after successfully completing 90% of each live course. These sessions will be recorded, though certificates can only be awarded to those who meet the attendance requirements for attending each live session.

  • Part 1 – Values in Leadership + DiSC Assessment: July 30
    • CEUs .4/PDHs 3.75/CPEs 4.5
    • Field of Study: Personal Development
  • Part 2 – Communication Skills of a Leader: August 13 & 14
    • CEUs .8/PDHs 7.5/CPEs 9
    • Field of Study: Personal Development
  • Part 3 – Emotional Intelligence Skills of a Leader: September 17 & 18
    • CEUs .8/PDHs 7.5/CPEs 9
    • Field of Study: Personal Development

Earn While You Learn!

Participate in virtual programs to earn Continuing Education Units (CEUs), Professional Development Hours (PDHs) and Continuing Professional Education credits (CPEs).

What educational credits are available?

You can earn the following kinds of continuing education credits for attending live sessions—provided the following requirements are met:

Requirements for Successful Completion

  • Registration is for individual access, so each person participating must register. If you have multiple people interested in attending, group discounts are available.
  • Individuals are required to attend and actively participate in 90% of each live session and complete an online evaluation after the last session in a course. 
    • Attendance: Individuals must attend at least 90% of each live session (based on electronic timestamps in Zoom).
    • Participation: Active participation in class will include engagement activities such as: polling/check-in questions, Kahoot quizzes, group discussions, breakout sessions, and in-class exercises.
    • Activities vary by class: Information on participation will be provided the day before (and during) class. Participation is tracked electronically.
    • Online evaluation: Each person must complete an online evaluation after the course concludes.
  • Partial credit cannot be given for partial attendance.
  • Attendance is monitored by an APPA staff member during the event, through an online report log, and upon review of the post-event evaluation data.
  • Completion certificates will be available within two weeks of the last session in a live event (for those who meet the requirements) through your APPA member portal (access instructions will be provided).
  • Virtual sessions are recorded (attendees automatically receive access to recordings within a week of the last session), though continuing education credits can only be given for attending live events. Recordings will be accessible for 90 days after the last session.

Guidelines for group participation in virtual events

  • If a group is participating in a conference room together, we recommend each person still logs in individually from a laptop to ensure attendance and participation requirements are met (as noted above).
  • If individual log in is not possible, the organization must designate one person as the main point of contact. Email [email protected] in advance of the virtual event noting this information
    • This person will record attendance in the room in the room (we can provide a sample attendance tracker) and ensure attendance and participation from the group throughout.
    • Submit the attendance record to APPA within 2 business days of the conclusion of a virtual event.
    • Ensure each person fills out the required online evaluation.

IACET logoContinuing Education Units (CEUs): The American Public Power Association is accredited by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) and is authorized to issue the IACET CEU. For information regarding certification status, attendance requirements and obtaining attendee transcripts, contact [email protected] or 202-467-2965. Verify our IACET Accreditation.

CPE logoContinuing Professional Education (CPE) CreditsThe American Public Power Association is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its website: www.NASBAregistry.com. Unless noted, there are no prerequisites for the courses offered and no advance preparation is required. Courses are group-internet based offerings at the basic program level (unless otherwise noted). Credit hours and areas of study for the courses are listed on the individual course pages. For more information regarding administrative policies, such as clarification of requirements, complaints, and refunds, please contact [email protected].

Professional Development Hours (PDHs): The American Public Power Association’s educational practices are consistent with the criteria for awarding Professional Development Hours (PDHs) as established by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES). Course eligibility and number of PDHs may vary by state.

Questions?

Additional Information

Format and Log-In Information

These virtual courses will be offered on the Zoom meeting platform. 

Communication

  • 24 hours after registering: You’ll receive a confirmation email within 24 hours of registering, which contains some preliminary information.
  • 24 hours before
    • You’ll receive your Zoom login link the day before the first session in a class (sent from the APPA Academy’s Zoom account <[email protected]>)
    • You’ll also receive a final logistics email 24 hours in advance of the first class. 
  • If you don’t receive this, email [email protected].

Course Access and Materials

  • Zoom Links: Zoom log in credentials will be sent out 24 hours before the start of the first session in a class.
  • Course Materials: Attendees will receive access to course materials the day before each session through the "Documents" section of their My.PublicPower.org user portal.  
  • Recordings: All sessions will be recorded and can be accessed through your user portal as well (within a week of the last class in the program), in case you can’t attend the live versions. Recordings will be accessible for 90 days after the last session. Note: Continuing education credits can only be issued for attending live sessions.

Technology Requirements

  • Zoom Meeting Application: Attendees are required to have strong Internet access, in order to run the Zoom meeting platform. Please see below for more information on downloading the Zoom Web Client.
  • Audio/Webcam: You will need to enable computer audio to listen and speak (alternatively a call-in number will be provided) and you will also need a webcam, so you can fully engage in the small group breakout sessions and group discussions.  

New to Zoom?

If you haven't participated in a Zoom meeting before, please download the Zoom web client from the Zoom Download Center. This will enable you to access all of the Zoom tools and functionality vs. using the web version. Then, visit Zoom.us/test to ensure you are able to join a meeting. 

If you are not able to download the Zoom web client, you can still participate via your Internet browser. We recommend using Chrome for the best results.

Privacy and Security

The American Public Power Association takes your privacy and security very seriously. For this reason, we have put the following security measures in place for this course:

  • A random Meeting ID
  • Password-protected
  • Enabled waiting room to screen meeting participants
  • Restricted screen sharing to hosts only

Questions?