Classes for Telecommunicator Leads, Supervisors & PSAP Managers

Current Classes

Comm Center Supervisor

From Hero Light:

On the frontline, wedged between dynamic calltakers/dispatchers and administration, we find the modern day Comm Center Supervisor. In one day, supervisors will emerge refreshed, re-focused, empowered and ready to lead into Next Generation 911. Meant for tenured supervisors as well as those new to the mission, attendees will learn the latest techniques available for supervising present day 911 teams. Included will be real life help on increasing positive culture, reducing bullying, and adapting to quickly changing technology. Students will be led through exercises meant to increase resilience, confidence and overall health in the position. Detroit-based empowerment expert, Grace Liang will teleconference with all participants. Books of encouragement will be provided. Ideal for supervisors to attend alone or for teams to experience together. 

 

About the Instructor:

Dispatcher Tracy C. Ertl has dedicated 26 years to public safety communications, working as a communications supervisor for the last decade at Brown County Public Safety Communications, a consolidated 911 center in Green Bay, Wisconsin.  Tracy has served thousands of public safety students as a devoted APCO Adjunct Instructor, presenting nationally and internationally. She is also Publisher at TitleTown Publishing, a mainstream publishing house specializing in survival and police titles. Tracy founded HeroLight as a training company built to bring out the hero and happy in all people.

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Creating a HiPer Agency

From Elite Public Safety Training:

Consider leadership skills which bring out the best of every member of the team and leads to the development of a High Performance Culture.

• Developing a “World Class” Organization
• What Leaders Must Do to Create a HiPer PSAP
• Successful Teams Require Successful Leaders

About the Instructor:

Dr. Gene Smith is a nationally recognized keynote, motivational speaker and educator. He is the founder and CEO of Elite Public Safety Training & Consulting. He is the former Chief of Staff for Williamson County Emergency Communications in Georgetown, Texas. gene speaks at a number of conferences and symposiums each year, as well as conducting in-service classes and workshops for various agencies across the country. He has a genuine love and respect for those dedicated to Public Safety. his dynamic and oftem humerous approach is one of encouragement, motivation, and inspiration.

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The 360 Dispatcher 9-1-1 Supervisor Leadership Academy

* Course held at the Round Rock Public Safety Training Center, Room 1203, 2801 N Mays St. Round Rock, Texas 78665

Point of contact: Leigh Carrico - lcarrico@roundrocktexas.gov (512) 671-2762

This 6-part course will be held one day a month, April - September, 2020, for a total of six 8-hour sessions. This course is not being sponsored by CAPCOG, only promoted, therefore it is not being offered free of charge. Please click here for more information.

Module 1 - April 6th, 2020 - Understanding Fear and Resistance

Fear and resistance are the most powerful influences in one’s life. They play a major role in self-awareness and self-perception, decision making, quality of relationships, performance at work, and a lot more.

This module explores fear and resistance as they impact thoughts, beliefs, actions, and consequences, among other things, and illustrates how fear is a decisive factor in shaping your supervision and leadership style. Sections include: the roots of fear; identifying and reducing fear; understanding fear and productivity; and a seven-step success plan for managing fear. And we’ll discuss how fear interferes with your communication.

Module 2 - May 11th, 2020 - Improving Emotional Intelligence

Emotional Intelligence (EI) is the ability to recognize and understand emotions in yourself and in others, and to use this awareness to manage behavior and relationships. EI plays a central role in all aspects of supervision and leadership.

A variety of topics will be discussed, including the four pillars of EI, the five components of EI, basic parts and functions of the brain and their role in determining our emotional responses; strategies for effectively controlling those emotional responses; and identifying and improving low emotional intelligence.

Module 3 - June 22nd, 2020 - Fundamentals of Communication

Communication is the most vital of leadership skills. It can determine whether work and home environments are healthy, happy, and satisfying. Unfortunately, relatively little time is spent on the job teaching effective communication skills. Employees are often promoted to supervisory/leadership positions with little instruction on how to make the transition from being a member of the group to having to manage the group.

This module concentrates on practical communication skills, including specific mindsets and language for handling any situation. A discussion of effective listening, arguably the most important skill of a supervisor and leader, will be included. The importance of planning and goal setting in communication, and strategies for giving and taking criticism will be discussed.

Module 4 - July 20th, 2020 - Successful Conflict Management

Managing conflict is a core function of supervisors. It is not an exaggeration to say that everything depends on it. Poor conflict management impacts attitudes, morale, overtime, sick leave, stress levels, and virtually every other aspect of work and home life. 

This session will help you identify your key triggers or conflict hot buttons and cooling strategies; assess an interpersonal conflict from various perspectives; recognize specific destructive behaviors that are ineffective for conflict engagement; and help you develop a 3-month action plan for strengthening your conflict management competency.

Module 5 - August 24th, 2020 - Transforming Stress into Strength and Outrageous Productivity

Stress is ever-present in the comm center. Good stress helps us perform better; bad stress blocks the path to great leadership. Over time, unremitting negative stress takes its toll on attitude, relationships, performance, physical and emotional health, outlook on life, and a lot more. This module includes discussion of the physiology and neuroscience of stress, nutrition, health, exercise, diet, and sleep. It addresses resilience and presents strategies for reducing stress in order to develop more effective supervision and leadership.

Fear, low emotional intelligence, and high stress show themselves frequently in procrastination, perfectionism, absenteeism, lateness, failure to complete paperwork in timely manner, and countless other ways. It’s easy to see how these can impact one’s ability to manage time in an effective manner. This module also helps participants create a system for managing time under any circumstances and shows how to address procrastination, uncover the myth of multitasking, how to set goals and stay on course, and how to handle interruptions

Module 6 - September 28th, 2020 - Leading into the Future

Leadership is an opportunity to grow as an individual and help improve your team. This module will identify five leadership traits. Our discussion will revolve around how you demonstrate those traits and strengthen them. You’ll hear from industry leaders about how they themselves have evolved. 

We will explore a leader’s responsibility in keeping it simple, prioritizing, delegating, empowering, and innovating. Last and most importantly is taking care of your team. In this dynamic world, it is imperative to your team’s success that you are aware of and attentive to their mental and physical well-being of your team members. At the conclusion of this module, we will share and discuss examples of how to do so while maintaining balance in your own life.

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Team Dynamics & Supervision

Teams are made up of individuals, all of whom have unique and separate talents, values, perspectives and goals.  These differences often make both team functioning and team leadership challenging.  As a precursor, this workshop will employ an individual assessment and a team assessment in order to provide data to address these differences.  

NOTE: Before the start of class, each student will be provided with a link to take a DISC assesment, and to disseminate to 6 employees to compile a personalized team assesment

Objectives

• Increase each individual’s awareness of their communication style and the impact they have on others.
• Improve team synergy including the acceptance of differences.
• From team data, give supervisors and managers the ability to effectively lead these complex 911 units.

Learning Outcomes

All participants will leave with:

• A deeper knowledge of why people do what they do.
• An understanding of how unconscious goals affect behavior, motivation, interactional style, and leadership style.
• An understanding of how to facilitate an environment that motivates everyone.
• An understanding of how to help different styles work together as team members.
• An understanding of the “challenges” of each style and how to create job fit.
• A plan for addressing personality style differences in their work environment and for communicating with people no matter their style.
• A better ability to hold others accountable.
• An improved ability to have crucial conversations.

 

Agenda

• Pre-assessment [prior to class] (10-12 minutes)
• Sociometry (in-class group exercise)
• Explanation of assessment results
• Understanding personal style
• Personality challenges in leadership
• Pressure reactions
• How to adjust style in order to improve communication
• Crucial conversations
• Practice scenarios for relationship development and communication

 

About the Instructor:

Dr. Riley Harvill is a leading expert in international training and development, with over twenty-seven years of experience working with Fortune 500 companies and municipalities in the areas of leadership, communications, executive coaching, team building, and talent management strategies. He was an associate professor of counselor education at the University of North Texas for 14 years as director of clinical studies.  He also served on the faculty at Louisiana State University and the University of Hong Kong (from 1989-1990) where he taught in residence and on outreach throughout Asia. He has published extensively, and one of his books has been translated into five languages and has been a top-selling textbook in its field for the past twenty-four years.

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Millennials in the Workplace / Creating a “World Class” Organization

This class will consist of two 4-hour workshops:

Millennials in the Workplace

• What this means for the PSAP
• How to recruit and retain Millennial employees
• Developing a collaborative climate
• What Millennials can Teach our organization

Creating a "World Class" Organization

• What does it mean to be "World Class?"
• Characteristis of all WCOs
• Being "World Class" has noting to do with size or locality
• The importance of Work-Life balance
   

About the Instructor:

Dr. Gene Smith is a nationally recognized keynote, motivational speaker and educator. He is the founder and CEO of Elite Public Safety Training & Consulting. He is the former Chief of Staff for Williamson County Emergency Communications in Georgetown, Texas. gene speaks at a number of conferences and symposiums each year, as well as conducting in-service classes and workshops for various agencies across the country. He has a genuine love and respect for those dedicated to Public Safety. his dynamic and oftem humerous approach is one of encouragement, motivation, and inspiration.