Think Forward: Self-Paced Online Professional Development
Stanford Online supports professional growth for staff at all levels across Stanford. These self-paced online courses are available for staff and managers to access via the Professional Development program offerings.
Description and STARS link to register are noted below.
Getting Buy-In for Your Ideas
You have an idea – a process improvement that will increase efficiency, an alternative meeting structure that will boost productivity, or maybe a new way to support and engage stakeholders. Here's the problem: you can’t implement your idea alone. You need approval and resources from your boss… and your boss’ boss.
In this course, you’ll learn how to promote your ideas within an organization to empower innovation and drive change. Through examples and first-hand accounts from professionals in varied industries, you’ll master methods for strategically framing your idea, gaining traction, gathering resources, and influencing decision-makers. You’ll walk away with actionable techniques you can immediately put to use to advocate for yourself and direct your organization’s attention toward new, innovative solutions.
- Assess your organization's readiness to hear and support innovation
- Identify and fine-tune your highest potential idea
- Garner feedback, input, and support as you grow your idea
- Align your idea with your organization's strategy and goals
- Create a pre and post-pitch checklist to effectively sell your idea to leadership
This course is completed through Stanford Online and your access will be provided within one week of your enrollment. Learners who complete the course will receive a digital record of completion. By completing this course and <Communicating with Confidence>, you will receive a Certificate of Completion (Confident & Strategic Communications), a Stanford professional education credential delivered digitally so you can easily share with your network.
Instructor: Riitta Katila, W. M. Keck Professor, Management Science and Engineering
Session Dates: On-demand, anytime
Course fee (STAP eligible) = $382
STARS Link to Register
Becoming a Good Leader
When you become a great leader, people will want to work for you and with you. An effective leader builds strong relationships, motivates and inspires, and gets things done effectively.
In this course, you’ll shift your mindset to that of a leader. By understanding how and when to use your power and how to lead with wisdom and empathy, you’ll craft a leadership style that’s in tune with your team and organization. As you cultivate these essential skills, you will have the building blocks to become an accomplished, trusted leader. Throughout the course, you’ll also hear from HR leader Beth Steinberg, who shares actionable leadership tips that connect course concepts with real-world application.
- Understand and avoid the pitfalls that come with the increased power and responsibilities of leadership
- Shape your leadership style by understanding what it’s like to work for you and with you
- Build and maintain a motivated team by giving timely feedback, encouraging autonomy, and managing stress
- Promote an encouraging environment with open communication and healthy disagreement
- Manage your reputation as a leader by understanding and influencing how you are perceived by colleagues and stakeholders
This course is completed through Stanford Online and your access will be provided within one week of your enrollment. Learners who complete the course will receive a digital record of completion. By completing this course and <Scaling Excellence: How to Grow and Spread Greatness>, you will receive a Certificate of Completion (Management Foundations & Impact), a Stanford professional education credential delivered digitally so you can easily share with your network.
Instructor: Robert Sutton, Professor Emeritus, Management Science and Engineering
Session Dates: On-demand, anytime
Course fee (STAP eligible) = $382
Register via STARS
Scaling Excellence: How to Grow and Spread Greatness
Think of the people you lead. Can you identify the high performers? Or the pockets of greatness? Now imagine if everyone you lead performed at that level. What could you achieve? This is the power of scaling excellence.
In this course, you will learn how to spread and sustain greatness within your team, department, or company. You'll practice techniques to fend off mediocrity as your team grows and you’ll explore strategies to help you connect with the people you lead, uniting them around a shared vision.
- Get your team or employees to perform at their highest level
- Build a mindset of accountability and psychological ownership
- Create a culture that fosters strong and resilient bonds between people
- Master tools for pre-empting organizational messes
This course is completed through Stanford Online and your access will be provided within one week of your enrollment. Learners who complete the course will receive a digital record of completion. By completing this course and <Becoming a Good Leader>, you will receive a Certificate of Completion (Management Foundations & Impact), a Stanford professional education credential delivered digitally so you can easily share with your network.
Instructor: Hayagreeva Rao, Atholl McBean Professor, Graduate School of Business
Session Dates: On-demand, anytime
Course fee (STAP eligible) = $382
STARS link to register
Communicating with Confidence
Communicating is more than talking - it is listening, understanding, and connecting. And whether you’re delivering feedback to a colleague or presenting to a department, the way you communicate shapes your presence and influence as a leader.
In this course, you’ll learn to use communication to express your ideas and become a more effective team member and leader. You’ll master communication techniques to help you motivate teams, navigate difficult conversations, and articulate the value of your work. Through hands-on exercises and evidence-based curriculum, you’ll build the skills and confidence needed to handle any scenario with finesse and confidence.
- Strengthen verbal and nonverbal communication skills essential to career development
- Lead with authenticity and conviction by aligning your communication with your core values
- Translate technical jargon into clear, accessible language for non-technical audiences
- Craft a compelling vision that resonates with stakeholders and conveys the impact of your work
- Build trust and foster collaboration within your team to drive better performance
This course is completed through Stanford Online and your access will be provided within one week of your enrollment. Learners who complete the course will receive a digital record of completion. By completing this course and <Getting Buy-in for Your Ideas>, you will receive a Certificate of Completion (Confident & Strategic Communications), a Stanford professional education credential delivered digitally so you can easily share with your network.
Instructor: Matthew Vassar, Lecturer, School of Engineering
Session Dates: On-demand, anytime
Course fee (STAP eligible) = $382
STARS Link to Register