Firstline Supervision

MMUA's FirstLine Supervision program will be coming to an end as our instructor will be fully retiring. Because of this, we will not be taking any new students in this program. We are working on a new program to take its place and hope to announce it sometime in 2021.

A new approach

FirstLine Supervision is a performance-proven program designed around a solid core of interpersonal skills to provide the first line supervisor with leadership skills needed in today’s competitive market. Modules, unique to municipal utilities, have been developed and blended with selected modules from AchieveForum leadership programs to present a supervision program for MMUA members.

Today’s first-line supervisors and managers experience increasing demands for higher performance. At the same time, they must master complex new rules that require collaboration, innovation, and quick solutions to sudden changes. Firstline Supervision gives managers, supervisors, team leaders, and individual contributors the basic understanding and skills they need to interact with others in organizations where employee involvement is increasing.

This program includes the basics, yet goes beyond the traditional supervisory-management program. The format uses behavior modeling, which stresses realistic examples, discussion, practice, feedback and planning, with emphasis on the practice. It stresses working with people.

Management support important

Management support for program participants is critical. Staff from Central Lakes College is available upon request to meet or consult with the participant’s supervisor to coordinate skills developed by training with the on-the-job skill opportunities. Cooperation between the employer, the employee and the training institution ensures maximum results. Supervisors receive a description of the expected skill development plus a ready reference to the skills learned after the training session.

Everyone wins

The payoffs are enormous for a supervisor who masters the skills in Firstline Supervision.

For the supervisor, it includes the satisfaction of being involved in building stronger people, stronger teams, and stronger systems, all of which are needed in these challenging times. There is also the knowledge that they are making a major contribution to the organization while also growing both personally and professionally.

For employees who work for such a supervisor, the payoffs include being associated with a leader who is a builder. It means having greater opportunity to make a worthwhile contribution and to have pride in their work. It means developing in skills and confidence as a part of a winning team.

For the organization, the chance to build increasing strength in its people, its services and its systems has great payback over the long term. It means meeting strategic objectives that can help ensure economic survival.

Who should attend?

• A lead person, whether they are a lineworker dealing with several people, or an administrative secretary, managing office procedures and policies.

• This program is ideal for the newly promoted manager or supervisor. Supervising people that were once your friend and counterpart on the job will require a whole new set of skills and solid leadership training!

• The experienced manager or supervisor. They need training just as much as the new manager or supervisor! Often times people in this position have never had any previous training and can use new insights and perspectives on the essentials of leadership skills.

The instructor

Eloise Thorson is a graduate of the University of Minnesota with a B.S. in Foods and Business and an MA in Organizational Leadership from the University of St. Catherine. She has more than 30 years of experience training in industry for the Central Lakes College. Her training experience has been with personnel in government agencies, healthcare facilities, manufacturing and service organizations.

Next sessions

Session 2
October 7-9, 2020 in Plymouth
October 21-23, 2020 in Brainerd
November 18-20, 2020 in Plymouth

Session 3
February 3-5, 2021 in Brainerd
March 10-12, 2021 in Plymouth

Session 4
October 6-8, 2021 in Plymouth
​October 20-22, 2021 in Brainerd

Due to the number of students in the program, the session is repeated. Attendees will select one date from the session options. To register, select the date that works for your schedule.

New students are no longer being accepted in this program. Watch for the announcement of a new program.