Online Professional Development
Supervisors may assign online professional development to employees to be completed as part of a work assignment, and then assign tasks that demonstrate or incorporate these new skills.
There are many topics in CSU Learn(opens in new window) that are relevant and meaningful to employee's job duties. This site provides examples of individual courses, as well as course bundles, that can be useful online professional development.
Supervisors and employees should discuss goals, expectations and outcomes prior to completing this coursework.
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Developing an Online Professional Development Plan
Managers and leads can work with employees to develop an online professional development plan. ( See example(opens in new window)) The plan can include, for example, the completion of online courses, course handouts and worksheets, or a self-reflection paper (from one paragraph to 2-3 double-spaced pages) and explanation of how the information can be applied to current job duties.
Assignment of professional development coursework falls within the scope of most current job duties and does not necessarily mean that a stipend, bonus, reclassification request, promotion or transfer will be provided once coursework is completed.
Courses can be found in CSU Learn and Linked-In Learning.
- Great Grammar in 60 Minutes (with Nancy Flynn)(opens in new window) (starts at 4-min mark, with downloadable resources: irregular verbs & pronouns to support diversity)
- Business Grammar: Abbreviating, Capitalizing and Using Numbers(opens in new window) (33 min.)
- Business Grammar: Sentence Construction(opens in new window) (36 min.)
- Business Grammar: Spelling Basics(opens in new window) (29 min.)
- Business Grammar: Common Usage Mistakes in Writing(opens in new window) (29 min.)
- Business Grammar: Punctuation Marks(opens in new window) (20 min.)
- Business Grammar: Parts of Speech(opens in new window) (31 min.)
- Editing and Proofreading Business Documents(opens in new window) (30 min.), includes a Job Aid (course outline)
- Professional Networking (with Dorie Clark)(opens in new window) (30 min.)
- Ensuring Successful Presentation Delivery(opens in new window) (31 min.)
- Leading with Emotional Intelligence (by Britt Andreatta)(opens in new window) (1 hr, 2 min.)
- Finding Your Time Management Style (by Dave Crenshaw)(opens in new window) (1 hr, 14 min)
- Unconscious Bias (by Stacey Gordon)(opens in new window) (24 min.) at this time, this does not replace the CSU, Chico instructor led course
- Understanding Unconscious Bias(opens in new window) (25 min.)
- Unconscious Bias in the Workplace(opens in new window) (25 min.)
- Overcoming Your Own Unconscious Biases(opens in new window) (22 min.)
- Having Difficult Conversations(opens in new window) (by Marlene Chism) (1 hr, 7 min.)
- Becoming Your Own Best Boss(opens in new window) (29 min.)
- Discovering Your Strengths(opens in new window) (57 min.)
- Administrative Support: Developing Your Essential Skills(opens in new window) (26 min.)
- Art of Staying Focused(opens in new window) (30 min.)
- Time Management Fundamentals (by Dave Crenshaw)(opens in new window) (2 hrs, 53 min.)
- Time Management: Working from Home (by Dave Crenshaw)(opens in new window) (1 hr, 25 min.)
- Administrative Support: Projecting a Positive Professional Image(opens in new window) (19 min.)
- Becoming More Professional through Business Etiquette(opens in new window) (17 min.)
- Becoming an Accountable Professional(opens in new window) (30 min.)
- Administrative Support: Working in Partnership with Your Boss(opens in new window) (18 min.)
- Building Rapport with Your Boss(opens in new window) (30 min.)
- Administrative Support: Interacting Effectively with Colleagues(opens in new window) (19 min.)
Technical Business Skills & Computer Applications
- Outlook Quick Tips (by Nick Brazzi et al)(opens in new window) (33 min.)
- Word Quick Tips (by Nick Brazzi et al)(opens in new window) (31 min.)
- Excel Quick Tips (by Nick Brazzi et al)(opens in new window) (26 min.)
- Advanced Formats and Layouts in Excel 2013(opens in new window) (1 hr.)
- Excel 2013: Advanced Learning Techniques with Dennis Taylor(opens in new window) (2 hrs, 58 min.)
Books
Now's the time to read a book or two to inspire you for work and home!
Don't read alone, create a book club! Challenge your colleagues to read a book this summer, create a reading schedule, and meet once a week to discuss highlights. It's fun, creates community, and encourages learning.
Free Online Books
Did you know you that CSU Learn offers thousands of books online for FREE?
Log into CSU Learn, click the search icon, change the category to "Books and Videos" and search for a title, subject, or author. (You will need to be online to read the books since they are not downloadable.)
Below are a few that might inspire your search:
- How to Be an Inclusive Leader: Your Role in Creating Cultures of Belonging Where Everyone can Thrive by Jennifer Brown Berrett-Koehler
- Overcoming the Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Field Guide For Leaders, Managers, and Facilitators by Patrick Lencioni
- The Truth About Employee Engagement: A Fable About Addressing the Three Root Causes of Job Misery by Patrick Lencioni
- The Advantage: Why Organizational Health Trumps Everything Else In Business by Patrick Lencioni
- Your Brain at Work: Strategies for Overcoming Distraction, Regaining Focus, and Working Smarter All Day Long by David Rock
Not Free, Good Reads
- CSU, Chico's Book in Common
- How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi - Interview of Ibram X. Kendi by Brene Brown (1 hour)(opens in new window)
- ADKAR A Model for Change in Business, Government and our Community by Jeffrey Hiatt
- Dare to Lead by Brené Brown - book overview (9 minutes)(opens in new window)
- How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action by Simon Sinek
- Leading Change by John P Kotter
- Making Work WORK, The Positivity Solution for Any Work Environment by Shola Richards - book overview (2 minutes)(opens in new window)
- Start with WHY by Simon Sinek
- SWITCH: How to Change when Change is Hard by Chip and Dan Heath - book overview on YouTube (6 minute)(opens in new window)
Websites, Podcasts and More
Websites & Blogs
- Effectiveness Institute blog: 'I control the narrative' blog contribution by Kendra Washington-Bass on navigating the 'in-between' of being an assertive African-American woman
- CSU's Change Management Toolkit (requires login to CSYOU)
- Brene Brown, Dare to Lead hub
Podcasts
- Brené Brown, Unlocking Us podcasts: Conversations that unlock the deeply human part of who we are, so that we can live, love, parent, and lead with more courage and heart.
- Manager Tools & Working During COVID-19 podcasts: Communication, work product, and continuing to build your career, as well as help staying effective working at home.
- Manager Tools & How to Manage During COVID-19 podcasts: How to manage your team, how and when to communicate with them, and what to do when your team is working from home for the first time.
Videos
- Simon Sinek: Why good leaders make you feel safe | TED Talk
- LinkedIn Learning July 2020 Challenge: Allyship In Action kicking off July 13, with under 10 minutes in videos per day
- Paul Vischer: Holy Post - Race in America
"Skills Tune-Up" Challenge
Identify professional development that can help you find more efficient or effective ways to accomplish tasks and processes for your job.
There are multitudes of free resources available to us, including podcasts, free classes, valuable webinars and online books. Write up a short reflection or bullet points on how the training will improve any one of your tasks. Meet with your supervisor and share what you’ve learned.
Review the Skills Tune-Up Worksheet(opens in new window) as a way to document your plan. Or use a different plan with your supervisor – whatever works for both of you!