Supervision Essentials Series  

Supervision provides excitement as well as challenges, and at times can feel overwhelming.  Though many of us may find ourselves in a supervisory role without sufficient education about the art and mechanics of leading others, supervision should be one of the most important and rewarding of jobs. With proper training, support, and effort, supervisors can better overcome the challenges of transitioning into their new roles. This highly interactive series focuses on discovering and fostering your own natural abilities, and learning how to use them when working with and leading others. Much time will be devoted to practical application of supervision skills: during class as well as in the real world in between class sessions.  This intimate and supportive environment provides many chances to share your results and engage in constructive feedback as well. Come prepared to share your successes, strategize to meet your challenges, and meet people who are in the same boat as you.

  Course Objectives:  

• Consider the effects of transitioning into supervisory roles
  
• Learn the general roles and responsibilities of supervisors
  
• Determine which type of leader you are and use to create a positive work and life climate for all.
  
• Discover the varying ways of communicating with staff
  
• Produce clear work objectives
  
• Learn to articulate your organization’s culture, mission, goals, and outcomes with staff and community.
  
• Increase your ability to perform administrative functions.

Instructor Info:

Dr. John Korsmo is Assistant Professor of Human Services at Western Washington University. With 20 years of experience as a human service practitioner and educator, John's principal area of interest focuses on human and family development and culture, relating to circumstances of generational poverty. John has worked extensively to support youth and family efforts to depart from cycles of poverty and violence, having served roles ranging from grade school teacher, counselor, mentor, and coach to Executive Director of a youth drug and violence organization, Founding Director of the Northwest Training Institute, and university faculty member. John has taught a number of courses on working with at-risk youth, family development, and working with youth and families in poverty. His writing has been published in such periodicals as Qualitative Inquiry; Washington State Kappan: Journal for Research, Leadership, and Practice; Relational Child and Youth Care Practice; Journal of Child and Youth Care Work;, International Child and Youth Care and; the Journal of Educational Controversy. John has presented at conferences throughout the US, in Austria, Canada, and Finland and regularly consults with human service organizations throughout northwestern Washington State.

 Kathy Washatka

Kathy has over 30 years of training and organizational development experience working with individuals, businesses and organizations throughout Washington State.

Her experience includes 22 years in a business setting where she was vice-president for operations, human resource specialist, trainer and organizational developer. For the past eight years, Kathy has worked as an independent consultant providing management training, facilitation, and professional development. Many of her clients have been non-profit organizations and she has worked with both staff and boards helping them capitalize on their strengths as they strive to turn their vision into reality. She is currently the manager of Northwest Training Institute and continues to train and consult.

Kathy has been recognized locally by the Bellingham Chamber of Commerce for her ongoing contributions to the business community. She holds a master’s degree in Applied Behavioral Science with a focus on Management and Consulting from Bastyr University’s Leadership Institute of Seattle.