Upcoming Virtual Programs

Virtual Lunch & Learn

To be vested means to have a full right to something; typically thought of in terms of a retirement benefit. But, what does it mean to be vested with each other? If we are working alongside or for someone, are we holding back a percentage of our relationship? If so, are we getting back that same effort? The answer to the question is probably yes.

We will explore being fully vested with others whether its co-workers, bosses, teammates, and the like. This means being vulnerable with each other by sharing, caring, and yes – leading.

Learning Objectives

About Our Facilitator

Michelle Vore is currently serving as the Learning & Development Manager for Muncie Power Products. In that role since October 2017, she develops content and delivers training for a variety of topics ranging from customer service to managing change. Her credo is that learning never ends and she is always happy to share information and ideas with others to help them grow professionally and personally.

Professional experiences of Michelle’s include working in learning and development, academic advising and mentoring, teaching as an adjunct faculty member, and designing web sites.

Michelle graduated from Ball State University in 2003 with a Master’s in Adult and Community Education and earned a second master’s in Business Administration in 2014 from Western Governor’s University. Beyond academic degrees, Michelle has continued learning and most recently in 2018 she completed the Emergence program at Shafer Leadership Academy and graduated from the Academy for Community Leadership.

Donating time is also important to Michelle. She serves on the Home Savers and National Alliance on Mental Illness Delaware County boards and has given time to other non-profit efforts in the Delaware County and Muncie communities.

Virtual Workshop 2-Part Series

Session #1:
Wednesday May 26
2:00 PM – 3:30 PM

Session #2:
Thursday May 27
2:00 PM – 3:30 PM

This session leverages the PI behavioral assessment instrument to delve into the movers of where I get my self confidence as a leader, how to contend with fear that can erode that confidence, and ultimately leveraging these insights to improve decision making in times of fear, change and crisis. This session is appropriate for any leader seeking to improve self-awareness and self-management in their life and career.

Be prepared to learn, think, practice and share in an animated and highly interactive facilitated session.

Learning Objectives

1. Gain insight into where I get self-confidence, how fear works on my unique needs and drives and how to leverage that data to improve my decision making
2. Practical strategies and tools to help me self-manage while under stress and while processing fear
3. Realistic action planning to ensure the learnings of the session can be integrated into my daily routine, no matter how overwhelmed and hectic it may be

This program is ideal for: All levels of leadership from frontline emerging leaders to seasoned senior executives. By leveraging the PI behavioral assessment instrument, each individual will have a unique experience with the content, questions, sharing and practice. If a group is more peer-based at any level, that can deepen the trust and accelerate interaction during facilitated exercises during the session. This is a ‘nice to have’ but not essential.

About Our Facilitator

BJ McKay has made a career out of studying why humans ‘do what we do.’ With authentic energy, experience and presence he guides clients, using data, in creating practical goals to help them achieve their vision of success in their business and life. BJ’s clients, from 5 employees to over 90,000, can be found operating in the United States and internationally, in a wide variety of business sectors. His sincere focus is to help clients solve complex issues with simple, practical solutions, channeling their own unique ideas and experiences rather than ‘preaching’ what ‘best’ looks like.

Before joining ADVISA 11 years ago, BJ sharpened his management skills in the SaaS world, and earned a Master of Arts in public relations and a BA in telecommunications from Ball State University. Outside of ADVISA, he spends time with his wife, his two sons and his three daughters. BJ also owns The Arsenal & Muncie CrossFit, a 7 year old local fitness business in Muncie focused on general physical preparedness, personal training, weight lifting and youth sports performance.

Virtual coffee talk

Stories connect and inspire us. Through words, pictures, graphics, and sounds, stories expose and challenge us to understand worlds, lifestyles, and experiences we might never know otherwise. They provide meaning and connection, transmit cultural values and uphold traditions. As children, they teach us societal norms and lull us to sleep; as adults, they empower us to act, pull us away from to-do lists, and share universal truths that link us, regardless of age, race, gender, ability, and religion, and economic status.

As we continue to build and live in echo chambers, narratives spark empathy, self-discovery, and action. This session will create a safe, empowering space for participants to consider the power of their own stories and encourage them to consider how storytelling — a timeless tradition — can help us better understand ourselves, break down barriers, build community, and inspire others to act.

Learning Objectives

1. The basic elements of a compelling story and how to use compelling stories to reach your goals (inspire empathy, understanding, action, entertainment, etc.)
2. The importance of integrating story more intentionally into workplaces and classrooms. And how to do it!
3. How to conduct a meaningful interview.
4. To use story to build community.
5. Engage storytelling as a way to successfully navigate difficult conversations.
6. To consider the power of their own story in the direction and meaning of their lives.

This program is ideal for: 

• Coaches and educators seeking to integrate story more intentionally into their practices and classrooms.
• Organizational leaders, managers, and marketers responsible for capturing stories and transforming them into strategic communications that educate and encourage action. Students, faculty, and community members interested in better understanding the timeless tradition of storytelling.
• Those interested in learning how to interview others and share compelling stories in meaningful ways.
• Civic and educational leaders looking to encourage greater mutual understanding throughout our community.
• Activists seeking to foster greater compassion and engage others in difficult conversations.

About Our Facilitator

Kate H. Elliott coordinates Ball State University’s Department of Journalism’s Magazine Media concentration and chairs the College of Communication, Information, and Media (CCIM) Engagement Task Force. Since 2018, Elliott has supported Ball State’s historic partnership with Muncie Community Schools as faculty fellow to the MCS-Ball State Academic Innovation Council. Alongside teachers, administrators, and community partners, Elliott is working to realize a holistic educational system that nurtures student success and community wellbeing.
In the classroom, Elliott is driven to outfit the next generation of storytellers and strategists with the confidence, expertise, and connections to lead competitive, in-demand fields. Facilitation of several immersive experiences reflects Elliott’s commitment to community-focused storytelling. In fall 2017, she guided a team of student journalists to profile farmers, nonprofit leaders, residents in food deserts, and more as part of a storytelling movement to share the challenges and opportunities within Muncie’s food system. In spring 2016, she worked with students to advance the reach and reputation of Muncie nonprofit, ecoREHAB.

Prior to teaching, Elliott served as a communications manager and alumni magazine editor for Ball State and Valdosta State universities. She has received numerous national and regional journalism and community service awards.

Virtual Workshop
2-Part Series

Session #1:
Tuesday, June 8
2:00 PM – 3:30 PM

Session #2:
Wednesday, June 9
2:00 PM – 3:30 PM

Toxic habits and behaviors can be found in many workplaces, these can eat away at morale and create mistrust, dissatisfaction, and disengagement at all levels of the organization. How do we fight back against toxic workplace roles without creating more toxicity and friction in the workplace? This workshop will focus on real-life strategies for addressing toxic behaviors in a way that builds relationships encourages structural and cultural change and addresses the root causes of the behavior.

Learning Objectives

1. What is a workplace ally, and how can you become one?
2. What are three practical toxicity disruption strategies? (amplification, identification, and individualization)
3. What are some of the negative workplace roles we sometimes fall into, and how can we identify, avoid, and disrupt these roles? (the interrupters. the credit hogs, the after-meeting quarterbacks, the anti-change advocate, the work martyr / work horse, the meeting dominator, the dismisser)

About Our Co-FacilitatorS

Rebecca Parker is a Managed Services Consultant at Ontario Systems in Muncie. Previously, she held positions as the Director of Upward Bound at Ivy Tech Community College and as the Technology Coordinator of Muncie Public Library. Rebecca’s core belief is that everyone deserves equitable access to education and opportunity, and this belief informs her professional choices as well as her community service. Her workshops and educational programs have won national recognition from the American Library Association and she was recognized locally as a 20 Under 40 recipient in 2017. She holds a Masters degree in Executive Development for Public Service from Ball State University. Rebecca served as a board member of the Whitely Community Council for 2 years and chaired their Public Relations and Marketing Goal Committee, and currently serves on Minnetrista’s Visitor Experience Committee.

Amy Logan is the Student Employment Training and Development Coordinator in the Career Center at Ball State University. She is a lifelong Muncie resident committed to connecting individuals to the resources they need in order to create the life they want to live. In her role at Ball State, Amy designs workshops that focus on understanding and using transferable skills and assists with onboarding new student employees. Amy also offers freelance consultations to community and business leaders to develop interactive and engaging presentations in place of the standard PowerPoint. Prior to her role at Ball State, Amy worked in the hospitality industry for over 15 years. She served on the Muncie Young Professional Board for four years as their VP for Professional Development and currently writes press releases for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Muncie.

Virtual Lunch & Learn

IMAGINE, you could have a skill wherein any given conversation with colleagues, clients, or subordinates–you could be keenly aware of, and even experience, their feelings and thoughts.

Sounds like some X-Men-like psychic superpower, right? Well, what if I told you that anyone could have this uncanny ability and use its strength in the workplace!
Emotional intelligence is the capacity to recognize the impact our feelings have on ourselves, tune into the feelings of those around us, manage our emotions and actions, and interact skillfully with the people around us. Studies have shown that those who lead with Emotional Intelligence are better equipped to inspire and mobilize others towards making a positive impact in the world! In this EI session, discuss how emotional intelligence impacts workplace interactions. Explore all 15 competencies and create an action plan to reach your very own EI goals.

Learning Objectives

1. Define and discuss Emotional Intelligence (EI) and its impact
2. Describe the brain science that drives our emotional behavior
3. Identify the triggers that cause us to react
4. Employ techniques/strategies to manage our emotions skillfully
5. Create an action plan to reach our EI goals…YEAH!

This program is ideal for: staff, supervisors, high potentials, managers, and executives

About Our Facilitator

Kayla Coates, Project Coordinator at the Ball State Fishers center, is responsible for meeting external clients and educating them about the university’s programs. These include personal community interest and professional development programs, along with academic programs. In addition to maintaining relationships, she is a certified trainer in BarOn EQ-i Emotional Intelligence assessment, training curriculum, and the Emotional Intelligence Appraisal.

Virtual Workshop 2-Part Series

Session #1:
Wednesday June 23
2:00 PM – 3:30 PM

Session #2:
Thursday June 24
2:00 PM – 3:30 PM

My negotiation training begins with an individualized assessment of conflict preferences. A variety of hands-on exercises help participants develop a personal negotiation style.

Learning Objectives

1. How personal preferences for conflict management align with a preferred negotiation style
2. Ways to analyze a negotiation situation and determine goals and desired outcomes
3. Multiple strategies to plan for negotiations
4. Tactics to manage each stage of the negotiation process

This program is ideal for: This session is appropriate for leaders at all experience levels.

About Our Facilitator

Dr. Carolyn Goerner is passionate about creating confident leaders. Now in her 21st year as a professor at Indiana University-Bloomington’s Kelley School of Business, she’s coached and mentored graduate and undergraduate students in a variety of management and negotiation courses. She has multiple classes published on LinkedIn Learning and her book “The Confident Millennial: 52 Tips for Leadership Success” was published in September 2020. Carolyn’s company, Practical Paradigms, provides in-person and virtual training programs as well as personal and small group coaching. She received her PhD in Management and Human Resources at The Ohio State University. Carolyn lives in Greenwood, Indiana with her husband Peter and their dogs Charlotte and Etta.

Special VIRTUAL program

How do you become a great leader? Practice. Join Mayor Dan Ridenour as he gives you a sneak peek into his daily routine. Mayor Ridenour explains why he feels having a daily routine helps him be a good leader in the community. Participants will have a chance to reflect on how they can build discipline and routine into their daily lives to grow as a leader.

COST: Special Programs are free for SLA Members, $25 non-members, $15 non-profits.  *scholarships are available

About Our Facilitator

Dan Ridenour
Mayor, City of Muncie

Dan Ridenour was elected Mayor after serving four years on the Muncie City Council. Professionally, he comes from 30 years in the banking/finance field. He served as a Regional Manager with three different banks over his career. Dan has also been a very active community volunteer, serving organizations ranging from helping low income seniors with home repairs to preparing five-year-olds for kindergarten at Muncie Community Schools.

Dan Ridenour grew up with a mother who is a retired teacher and his father was a pastor. Dan is the author of three books on credit scoring. He enjoys distance running (completing 17 full and 33 half-marathons), basketball, reading and spending time with his family. Dan and his wife, Sherry, have four children and four grandchildren.