ULead

This session takes on a human-centric approach to change management, focusing on the key role that leaders play in guiding their teams through transitions. Leaders will gain an understanding of the fundamentals of change, the psychology behind what makes it so difficult, and how to navigate through change effectively.

Intended Audience: UCalgary Leaders

Delivery Mode: In-Person Synchronous

Time Commitment: 3 hours

This course provides information and resources to help managers in their role at the University of Calgary. After completing this course, you will be able to: describe your role and accountabilities as a people manager at the University of Calgary and access additional resources to further assist you in your learning and support you in your role.

Intended Audience: UCalgary Leaders

Delivery Mode: Online Asynchronous 

Time Commitment: 30 minutes

As a leader, giving feedback can be both productive and challenging. Sometimes, those conversations don't always go as we anticipated. This course is designed specifically for leaders seeking to enhance their feedback effectiveness and delivery. Facilitated by the Organizational Development Team, this course will provide practical tools and approaches to delivering feedback with psychological safety, team dynamics and emotional regulation in mind. The purpose is to increase your comfort and competency in giving and delivering feedback so you can leverage feedback opportunities to strengthen relationships and optimize your team's performance.

Intended audience: UCalgary Leaders

Delivery Mode: In-person or Virtual Synchronous 

Time Commitment: 3 hours

Respectful conduct is a critical component of developing a healthy, energetic and productive campus community. This workshop is tailored for people leaders striving to foster a culture of respect within their teams.

Intended Audience: UCalgary Leaders

Delivery Mode: In-Person Synchronous

Time Commitment: 3 hours

As the University of Calgary continues to focus on a healthy campus and workplace, this workshop aims to increase awareness of mental health, reduce the stigma of mental illness and offer resources to maintain positive mental health. In this course, we will explore mental health, the stigmas associated with it and create strategies to reduce its impact. We will gain an understanding of the manager's role and accountabilities in dealing with workplace mental issues, how and when to accommodate, and how to balance the needs of the employee with those of the organization.

Intended Audience: UCalgary Leaders

Delivery Mode: In-person or Virtual Synchronous 

Time Commitment: 2 sessions (3 hours and 4 hours)

More details on this course will be available shortly.

This workshops provides academic selection committees with an overview of equitable and inclusive hiring, how to apply an EDI lens through the recruitment and selection process, implicit bias, and tools to mitigate bias. All members of academic selection committees shall be required to participate in this session at least once every two years.

Intended audience: All UCalgary Employees

Delivery Mode: Virtual Synchronous 

Time Commitment: 1.5 hours

Equitable and Inclusive Hiring Practices for Managers is a workshop that introduces equity and inclusion as a measure to integrate equity consideration into the processes and practice of hiring non-academic administrative and professional staff. The workshop presents concepts and principles of equity and inclusion and examines the application of an equity lens in the hiring process and practices. This workshop is an opportunity for managers for non-academic administrative and professional staff in faculties, units, departments, and anyone interested in learning more about equitable and inclusive hiring practices to gain some foundational ideas about what it means when we talk about equity and inclusion in hiring processes for administrative and professional staff at the University and learn how to incorporate them into existing practices and processes. This interactive workshop will challenge and engage participants in thinking critically about barriers to equitable and inclusive hiring while examining and applying managers' and hiring committees' role in creating an inclusive environment. 

Intended audience: All UCalgary Employees

Delivery Mode: Virtual Synchronous 

Time Commitment: 1.5 hours

This online micro-learning module introduces employees to the importance of timely terminations and processing voluntary departures at the University of Calgary.

Intended audience: UCalgary Leaders and designated administrators

Delivery Mode: Asynchronous 

Time Commitment: 20 minutes

More details on this resource will be available shortly.

This e-learning module is designed to help Managers to:

• Build a general understanding of the University of Calgary's labour relations framework
• Work within the collective agreements
• Effectively address issues in the workplace through problem-solving and the corrective action process

Intended audience: UCalgary leaders with AUPE reports

Delivery Mode: Asynchronous 

Time Commitment: 1.5 hours

Leadership begins with self-awareness. The first person you must inspire as a leader is yourself. This session introduces mindsets and practices that accelerate your leadership growth through the lens of wholeistic leadership. You will begin building meaningful relationships with your cohort while clarifying your core values and leadership purpose—laying the foundation for discovering your unique leadership presence.

Learning Outcomes:

• Establish a foundation of trust and connection with your cohort members.
• Clarify your core values and articulate your unique leadership purpose.
• Explore and practise strategies to enhance self-awareness and emotional regulation.
• Identify your personal learning goal and share it with your peer coaching group.

Coaching conversations are a powerful tool for developing team members, building trust, fostering accountability, and driving meaningful results. This session will introduce the mindsets, skills, and frameworks that strengthen your coaching capacity and enhance your leadership effectiveness.

Learning Outcomes:

• Review foundational coaching mindsets and skills, including curiosity, deep listening, and asking powerful questions.
• Explore the GROW coaching model: Goals, Reality, Options, and Will.
• Practise using the GROW model and support fellow participants through peer coaching exercises.

Clear expectations are the foundation of accountability and engagement. Yet, in today’s fast-paced and interconnected environment, providing clarity can be challenging. This session explores how leaders can meet their teams’ need for direction in ways that empower, support, and inspire.

Learning Outcomes:

• Examine the impact of each stage in the performance cycle: setting expectations, providing direction and support, and delivering feedback.
• Explore leadership mindsets, skills, and practices that foster a culture of accountability, innovation, and continuous growth.
• Identify strategies to clearly define individual and team expectations, enabling you to lead effectively through ambiguity, challenge, and change.

Learning and professional development are key drivers of employee engagement—and the most impactful learning happens through experience. In this session, you will explore the Situational Leadership model and discover how effective leaders foster growth and engagement through their everyday actions.

Learning Outcomes:

• Review directive and supportive leadership behaviours that inspire individuals and help them achieve their goals.
• Apply Situational Leadership principles to align your leadership approach with the evolving needs of your team members.
• Discuss strategies and practices that support leadership development and career progression within your team.

Leadership often calls for honest, respectful conversations about difficult or sensitive topics. In this session, you will explore the mindsets, skills, and frameworks needed to approach these conversations with both confidence and compassion—helping you maintain trust and transform conflict into collaboration.

Learning Outcomes:

• Explore and assess your current conflict capacity, including your conflict style and common triggers.
• Learn a practical framework to guide courageous conversations.
• Develop a personal conflict strategy to strengthen your conversational capacity and support you in navigating challenging discussions.

Leading through change is rarely straightforward—especially when you are processing the change alongside your team. This session explores how wholeistic leaders can support both themselves and their teams through uncertainty, challenge, and transition.

Learning Outcomes:

• Discuss the impact of change on individual and team resilience, psychological safety, and engagement.
• Review key mindsets, skills, and strategies for navigating the natural resistance that often arises during times of change.
• Explore facilitation techniques that foster productive dialogue and help mobilize your team’s energy, innovation, and strengths during periods of transition.

What kind of culture are you shaping through your leadership—and what culture is needed to realize the vision of Ahead of Tomorrow? In this final session, you will reflect on your leadership journey, celebrate your progress, and chart a path forward to continue growing and leading with intention.

Learning Outcomes:

• Reflect on your leadership development journey and share key insights and accomplishments.
• Clarify your vision for the culture you are building and identify strategies to advance that vision beyond the program.
• Celebrate your growth, commitment, and the collective achievements of your cohort.

Approximately 35-40 hours over 6 months, which includes participation in 1 full day session and 6 day half sessions, peer coaching, pre-work and post-session activities. How much extra work and practice will vary from participant to participant based on their needs.

We strive for a diverse cohort of leaders from various units across campus, and with various levels of leadership experience first and foremost. We believe this diversity will enhance the overall learning experience for all participants. An openness to learning from each other (regardless of leadership experience), and cross-mentoring, is highly encouraged. 

Selection does not take place on a first come, first serve basis. Instead, cohort formation is curated to promote a diversity of learners within the program. 

Maximum 24 participants per cohort.

It is possible that there is more interest than there are spots. We will keep your registration and details so we can let you know about upcoming cohorts. In addition to participation in future cohorts, we have other leadership development opportunities offered through ULead, such as the Leadership in Focus sessions. Please check this webpage again for updates.

When dates are confirmed for future cohorts, this webpage will be updated. Please check back periodically. 

Yes, you can still apply via the survey. Please note that priority will be given to participants who are able to attend all 7 sessions.

Yes. This program is newly designed and the content included in this program, and its execution, is completely different from the ULead program in the past. If there are many leaders from the same unit/faculty applying, we will prioritize the leader who has not yet participated in ULead.

Although it is not required as part of our application process, we would encourage you to connect with your leader to inform them of your interest and time commitment to the program.

The target audience for this program are all Management and Professional Staff (MaPS) with direct reports who are willing to invest the time and effort to develop their own leadership practice. It is also most suitable for MaPS leaders who have a minimum of 1 year UCalgary experience. It is not advisable for new leaders learning their roles and getting familiar with the UCalgary context to participate in ULead. 

There is usually a period of time (approximately one month) that applications are open to apply for the next available cohort. We encourage you to apply as soon as you are able, but please know that applications are not considered on a first-come, first-serve basis.

An important component of this program is supporting leaders with their daily practice. For this reason, application is limited to those with current direct reports. This program focuses on skills that can be implemented right away with their teams.

At this time, there are no virtual cohort offerings. 

This cohort program is tailored for people leaders with direct reports. While we recognize that you may have some leadership responsibilities, or are interested in growing into a formal leadership role, this program calls for immediate application and practice within teams. We are currently developing new workshops that will be more geared towards emerging leaders, and those who also have the desire to move into management in the future. Please visit our UGrow program offerings, which is open to all employees to participate in, by clicking here.