/continuing-education/lifelong-learning/news/Recent posts from Newsen-usSun, 26 Jul 2026 17:04:30 -04:00http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rssOmniUpdate (OU Publish)/continuing-education/lifelong-learning/news/2019/how-to-leverage-social-media-for-better-career-opportunities.aspxHere’s the deal: If you want to advance your career, you need to be on social media.Emily YoungFri, 27 Dec 2019 13:10:15 How to Leverage Social Media for Better Career OpportunitiesHere’s the deal: If you want to advance your career, you need to be on social media.A woman looking at graphics of different social media outlets/continuing-education/lifelong-learning/news/2019/how-to-leverage-social-media-for-better-career-opportunities.aspxProfessional Development/continuing-education/lifelong-learning/news/2019/a-game-changing-tip-for-dealing-with-difficult-customers.aspxSomewhere between “buyer beware” and “the customer is never wrong” is the sweet spot of customer service where you concede that the people you serve are never wrong but gently allow that they are not always right.Joe EmersonFri, 13 Dec 2019 10:26:06 A Game-Changing Tip for Dealing with Difficult CustomersSomewhere between “buyer beware” and “the customer is never wrong” is the sweet spot of customer service where you concede that the people you serve are never wrong but gently allow that they are not always right.A group of three people sitting at a desk wearing headsets, with one man touching his face/continuing-education/lifelong-learning/news/2019/a-game-changing-tip-for-dealing-with-difficult-customers.aspxLeadership and Management,Professional Development/continuing-education/lifelong-learning/news/2019/benefits-of-becoming-a-paralegal.aspxIf you’re contemplating a career change or you’re seeking a promotion within the legal field, now is a good time to weigh the many personal and professional benefits of becoming a paralegal.Leigh PerkinsWed, 11 Dec 2019 11:56:05 Benefits of Becoming a ParalegalIf you’re contemplating a career change or you’re seeking a promotion within the legal field, now is a good time to weigh the many personal and professional benefits of becoming a paralegal.A woman in professional clothing standing in front of a bookshelf holding a notebook/continuing-education/lifelong-learning/news/2019/benefits-of-becoming-a-paralegal.aspxParalegal/continuing-education/lifelong-learning/news/2019/5-proven-employee-motivation-strategies.aspxA motivated employee is more engaged, and an engaged employee is more productive. Gallup calculations on the U.S. workplace indicate 34 percent of workers are engaged (a survey high), 13 percent are “actively disengaged” (a new low – in a good way), and that engagement is a key driver of positive business outcomes.Joe EmersonWed, 04 Dec 2019 09:39:55 5 Proven Employee Motivation StrategiesA motivated employee is more engaged, and an engaged employee is more productive. Gallup calculations on the U.S. workplace indicate 34 percent of workers are engaged (a survey high), 13 percent are “actively disengaged” (a new low – in a good way), and that engagement is a key driver of positive business outcomes.A group of people sitting around a table smiling with their fists raised in the air/continuing-education/lifelong-learning/news/2019/5-proven-employee-motivation-strategies.aspxHuman Resources,Leadership and Management/continuing-education/lifelong-learning/news/2019/2019-retrospective-learning-to-be-grateful.aspxWith Thanksgiving approaching, I’d like to share how grateful I am for the 2019 journey of USF Corporate Training and Professional Education. If you’ve previously read this blog, you know I sometimes draw from the well of sports for inspiration. (Spoiler alert: I’m about to do it again!)Mark KoulianosWed, 27 Nov 2019 00:00:00 2019 Retrospective: Learning to Be GratefulWith Thanksgiving approaching, I’d like to share how grateful I am for the 2019 journey of USF Corporate Training and Professional Education. If you’ve previously read this blog, you know I sometimes draw from the well of sports for inspiration. (Spoiler alert: I’m about to do it again!)Two women in an office looking over a sheet of paper/continuing-education/lifelong-learning/news/2019/2019-retrospective-learning-to-be-grateful.aspxDirector's Corner/continuing-education/lifelong-learning/news/2019/evaluating-and-diminishing-risks-in-hr.aspxAll organizations, no matter how different they seem, have one thing in common: risk. And if you’re a human resources professional, risk management is part of your job.Emily YoungTue, 26 Nov 2019 10:56:26 Evaluating (and Diminishing) Risks in HRAll organizations, no matter how different they seem, have one thing in common: risk. And if you’re a human resources professional, risk management is part of your job.Two men sitting across from each other at a desk in an office/continuing-education/lifelong-learning/news/2019/evaluating-and-diminishing-risks-in-hr.aspxHuman Resources/continuing-education/lifelong-learning/news/2019/6-tips-for-delegating-effectively-in-project-management.aspxIf letting go feels like giving in, think through these 6 essential tips for delegating effectively in project management and you’ll be on your way to helping your team take the reins and get more projects across the finish line.Leigh PerkinsFri, 15 Nov 2019 10:29:32 6 Tips for Delegating Effectively in Project ManagementIf letting go feels like giving in, think through these 6 essential tips for delegating effectively in project management and you’ll be on your way to helping your team take the reins and get more projects across the finish line.A woman passing out papers to a group of people sitting around a table/continuing-education/lifelong-learning/news/2019/6-tips-for-delegating-effectively-in-project-management.aspxProject Management/continuing-education/lifelong-learning/news/2019/5-reasons-strong-legal-writing-is-important-for-paralegals.aspxAlmost all legal work depends upon the written word, so paralegals must know how to draft flawless and persuasive submissions to the court, emails to clients, internal memorandums, wills, resolutions, contracts, and other legal filings.Leigh PerkinsThu, 07 Nov 2019 09:57:35 5 Reasons Strong Legal Writing Is Important for ParalegalsAlmost all legal work depends upon the written word, so paralegals must know how to draft flawless and persuasive submissions to the court, emails to clients, internal memorandums, wills, resolutions, contracts, and other legal filings.A person holding a pen above a piece of paper on a clipboard/continuing-education/lifelong-learning/news/2019/5-reasons-strong-legal-writing-is-important-for-paralegals.aspxParalegal/continuing-education/lifelong-learning/news/2019/how-to-improve-your-work-productivity.aspxA day of picking pundits’ brains for ways to make your workdays/hours/minutes count led to the realization that capacity, efficiency, and organization are at the heart of the top tips on how to improve your work productivity.Joe EmersonMon, 04 Nov 2019 10:47:15 How to Improve Your Work ProductivityA day of picking pundits’ brains for ways to make your workdays/hours/minutes count led to the realization that capacity, efficiency, and organization are at the heart of the top tips on how to improve your work productivity.A person sitting at a desk writing in a notebook/continuing-education/lifelong-learning/news/2019/how-to-improve-your-work-productivity.aspxProcess Improvement/continuing-education/lifelong-learning/news/2019/creating-a-culture-of-excellence-part-2.aspxLast month I began an installment of the Essentials of Modern Leadership series by speaking about the importance of culture in the workplace. I’ll now elaborate further with three concluding strategies that, as I’ve found from experience, play key roles in creating a culture of excellence.Mark KoulianosThu, 31 Oct 2019 00:00:00 Creating a Culture of Excellence (Part 2)Last month I began an installment of the Essentials of Modern Leadership series by speaking about the importance of culture in the workplace. I’ll now elaborate further with three concluding strategies that, as I’ve found from experience, play key roles in creating a culture of excellence.A woman giving a presentation to a group of people sitting at a table/continuing-education/lifelong-learning/news/2019/creating-a-culture-of-excellence-part-2.aspxDirector's Corner,Leadership and Management/continuing-education/lifelong-learning/news/2019/core-principles-of-business-process-improvement.aspxThe core principles of business process improvement (BPI) are not numbered, etched in stone, and universally accepted as the top 20 or 10 or five BPI commandments. There are, though, countless lists of rules or guidelines deemed most important. Using a sampling of those lists and a Venn diagram concept, we found six core principles of business process improvement.Joe EmersonTue, 22 Oct 2019 09:03:11 Core Principles of Business Process ImprovementThe core principles of business process improvement (BPI) are not numbered, etched in stone, and universally accepted as the top 20 or 10 or five BPI commandments. There are, though, countless lists of rules or guidelines deemed most important. Using a sampling of those lists and a Venn diagram concept, we found six core principles of business process improvement.A group of people looking at paperwork on a table/continuing-education/lifelong-learning/news/2019/core-principles-of-business-process-improvement.aspxProcess Improvement/continuing-education/lifelong-learning/news/2019/what-does-a-leader-look-like.aspxIf you’re reading this post about leadership qualities, you already possess one of the key traits of a leader, which is introspection. Your curiosity about the topic indicates a self-awareness to reflect on your personality, choices, and motivations, and compare them to the ideal.Leigh PerkinsThu, 17 Oct 2019 09:42:12 What Does a Leader Look Like? Identifying Real Leadership QualitiesIf you’re reading this post about leadership qualities, you already possess one of the key traits of a leader, which is introspection. Your curiosity about the topic indicates a self-awareness to reflect on your personality, choices, and motivations, and compare them to the ideal.A man smiling with his arms crossed with a group of people working behind him/continuing-education/lifelong-learning/news/2019/what-does-a-leader-look-like.aspxLeadership and Management,Professional Development/continuing-education/lifelong-learning/news/2019/how-to-communicate-better-a-guide-for-hr-professionals.aspxSpeaking at a conference, SHRM-Senior Certified Professional Jennifer Currence defined what she called the three components of communication: self-awareness, listening, and speaking. Her thoughts and a synopsis of a SHRM toolkit/treatise titled “Managing Organizational Communication” are the essence of our guide for HR professionals on how to communicate better.Joe EmersonTue, 08 Oct 2019 11:06:09 How to Communicate Better: A Guide for HR ProfessionalsSpeaking at a conference, SHRM-Senior Certified Professional Jennifer Currence defined what she called the three components of communication: self-awareness, listening, and speaking. Her thoughts and a synopsis of a SHRM toolkit/treatise titled “Managing Organizational Communication” are the essence of our guide for HR professionals on how to communicate better.A man and woman sitting at a desk shaking hands/continuing-education/lifelong-learning/news/2019/how-to-communicate-better-a-guide-for-hr-professionals.aspxHuman Resources/continuing-education/lifelong-learning/news/2019/how-to-choose-the-right-business-process-improvement-methodology.aspxImproving your competitive advantage is always your top business priority. One of the most effective ways to accomplish this is to focus on the quality of your organization’s processes.Leigh PerkinsMon, 30 Sep 2019 10:17:31 How to Choose the Right Business Process Improvement MethodologyImproving your competitive advantage is always your top business priority. One of the most effective ways to accomplish this is to focus on the quality of your organization’s processes.A hand holding a pen on top of paperwork/continuing-education/lifelong-learning/news/2019/how-to-choose-the-right-business-process-improvement-methodology.aspxProcess Improvement/continuing-education/lifelong-learning/news/2019/creating-a-culture-of-excellence-part-1.aspxA successful leader must possess a guiding set of principles. Your essential values, consistently applied, will create a culture of excellence. Excellence, by anyone’s standards, is equal to success.Mark KoulianosMon, 30 Sep 2019 00:00:00 Creating a Culture of Excellence (Part 1)A successful leader must possess a guiding set of principles. Your essential values, consistently applied, will create a culture of excellence. Excellence, by anyone’s standards, is equal to success.A man wearing a suit, glasses, and a watch standing with his arms crossed/continuing-education/lifelong-learning/news/2019/creating-a-culture-of-excellence-part-1.aspxDirector's Corner,Leadership and Management/continuing-education/lifelong-learning/news/2019/what-you-can-expect-as-a-paralegal.aspxYou’d like to advance your career, and you think becoming a paralegal might be the way to do it. It’s a fast-growing field that offers challenging legal work for go-getters and problem-solvers like you — and the certification process is much faster than for a law degree.Emily YoungWed, 11 Sep 2019 11:08:23 What You Can Expect as a ParalegalYou’d like to advance your career, and you think becoming a paralegal might be the way to do it. It’s a fast-growing field that offers challenging legal work for go-getters and problem-solvers like you — and the certification process is much faster than for a law degree.A Lady Justice statue next to a stack of books/continuing-education/lifelong-learning/news/2019/what-you-can-expect-as-a-paralegal.aspxParalegal/continuing-education/lifelong-learning/news/2019/top-5-reasons-you-should-earn-a-shrm-certification.aspxTraining for and achieving a professional certification from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) is an invaluable tool as you build or expand your human resources career.Leigh PerkinsTue, 10 Sep 2019 10:39:24 Top 5 Reasons You Should Earn a SHRM CertificationTraining for and achieving a professional certification from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) is an invaluable tool as you build or expand your human resources career.A group of people sitting at a table with one woman raising her hand/continuing-education/lifelong-learning/news/2019/top-5-reasons-you-should-earn-a-shrm-certification.aspxHuman Resources/continuing-education/lifelong-learning/news/2019/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-new-pmp-exam.aspxProject management is as old as business, but its recognition as a discrete profession roughly coincides with the founding of PMI in 1969. PMI has spent half a century helping the business world define project management.Joe EmersonThu, 29 Aug 2019 10:04:10 What You Need to Know About the New PMP ExamProject management is as old as business, but its recognition as a discrete profession roughly coincides with the founding of PMI in 1969. PMI has spent half a century helping the business world define project management.A group of people sitting around a table in an office having a discussion/continuing-education/lifelong-learning/news/2019/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-new-pmp-exam.aspxProject Management/continuing-education/lifelong-learning/news/2019/5-reasons-to-become-a-project-manager.aspxYour first informal role as a project manager can often happen organically on the job, when your boss notices your technical and organizational skills and asks you to run a project. Maybe you’ve been successful coordinating a one-off assignment to manage a product launch or a sales conference.Leigh PerkinsTue, 27 Aug 2019 09:33:40 5 Reasons to Become a Project ManagerYour first informal role as a project manager can often happen organically on the job, when your boss notices your technical and organizational skills and asks you to run a project. Maybe you’ve been successful coordinating a one-off assignment to manage a product launch or a sales conference.A group of people around a table in an office celebrating/continuing-education/lifelong-learning/news/2019/5-reasons-to-become-a-project-manager.aspxProject Management/continuing-education/lifelong-learning/news/2019/keeping-good-employees-takes-thought-and-effort.aspxThink of the excitement you felt when you made that perfect hire. There was the outstanding résumé, the impressive interview. You felt, almost immediately, that this individual is a perfect fit for the position, and you were right.Mark KoulianosFri, 23 Aug 2019 00:00:00 Keeping Good Employees Takes Thought and EffortThink of the excitement you felt when you made that perfect hire. There was the outstanding résumé, the impressive interview. You felt, almost immediately, that this individual is a perfect fit for the position, and you were right.A man with a beard and glasses standing in front of a whiteboard talking to a group of people/continuing-education/lifelong-learning/news/2019/keeping-good-employees-takes-thought-and-effort.aspxDirector's Corner,Human Resources,Leadership and Management/continuing-education/lifelong-learning/news/2019/the-best-negotiators-dont-trade-integrity-for-a-good-deal.aspxIt really doesn’t matter who you are or what you do for a living, there will be times that call for negotiation. Embrace the challenge and try for a win, but never forget that the best negotiators don’t trade integrity for a good deal.Mark KoulianosFri, 16 Aug 2019 00:00:00 The Best Negotiators Don't Trade Integrity for a Good DealIt really doesn’t matter who you are or what you do for a living, there will be times that call for negotiation. Embrace the challenge and try for a win, but never forget that the best negotiators don’t trade integrity for a good deal.A group of three people in blue button down shirts sitting and talking to each other/continuing-education/lifelong-learning/news/2019/the-best-negotiators-dont-trade-integrity-for-a-good-deal.aspxDirector's Corner,Leadership and Management,Professional Development/continuing-education/lifelong-learning/news/2019/job-security-in-an-automated-age.aspxWe all want a fulfilling career, but we also want security, so positioning yourself to fulfill both of those needs is a must. Seismic shifts have occurred in workforce dynamics as automation advances at an exponential rate.Mark KoulianosFri, 09 Aug 2019 00:00:00 Job Security in an Automated AgeWe all want a fulfilling career, but we also want security, so positioning yourself to fulfill both of those needs is a must. Seismic shifts have occurred in workforce dynamics as automation advances at an exponential rate.A group of people wearing business attire sitting at a table together /continuing-education/lifelong-learning/news/2019/job-security-in-an-automated-age.aspxLeadership and Management,Professional Development/continuing-education/lifelong-learning/news/2019/building-the-perfect-team.aspxLet’s now envision a situation where you’re assembling a staff from scratch. You “hold all the cards” and can recruit employees who will best fulfill your workplace objectives. How do you go about building the perfect team?Mark KoulianosFri, 02 Aug 2019 00:00:00 Building the Perfect TeamLet’s now envision a situation where you’re assembling a staff from scratch. You “hold all the cards” and can recruit employees who will best fulfill your workplace objectives. How do you go about building the perfect team?A group of three people giving each other a high five/continuing-education/lifelong-learning/news/2019/building-the-perfect-team.aspxDirector's Corner,Human Resources,Leadership and Management/continuing-education/lifelong-learning/news/2019/playing-the-cards-youre-dealt.aspxI’m not the world’s most avid card player, but I enjoy a few games every now and then. Because of the limitless variability, card games give my noggin a good workout, and I like that. Though luck plays a role, winning consistently requires an aptitude for assessing randomly distributed sets of cards and strategizing accordingly.Mark KoulianosFri, 26 Jul 2019 00:00:00 Playing the Cards You're DealtI’m not the world’s most avid card player, but I enjoy a few games every now and then. Because of the limitless variability, card games give my noggin a good workout, and I like that. Though luck plays a role, winning consistently requires an aptitude for assessing randomly distributed sets of cards and strategizing accordingly.A group of people sitting at a table watching two people give a presentation/continuing-education/lifelong-learning/news/2019/playing-the-cards-youre-dealt.aspxDirector's Corner,Leadership and Management/continuing-education/lifelong-learning/news/2019/trust-is-the-foundation-of-leadership.aspxThe late motivational speaker Stephen Covey once said, “When the trust account is high, communication is easy, instant, and effective.” For those of us in positions of leadership, gaining the trust of our people is a fundamental component of a healthy workplace environment.Mark KoulianosFri, 19 Jul 2019 00:00:00 Trust Is the Foundation of LeadershipThe late motivational speaker Stephen Covey once said, “When the trust account is high, communication is easy, instant, and effective.” For those of us in positions of leadership, gaining the trust of our people is a fundamental component of a healthy workplace environment.Two people in professional clothing shaking hands/continuing-education/lifelong-learning/news/2019/trust-is-the-foundation-of-leadership.aspxDirector's Corner,Leadership and Management,Professional Development/continuing-education/lifelong-learning/news/2019/knowing-your-people-enables-leadership.aspxShortly after his New York Giants defeated the heavily favored Buffalo Bills in Super Bowl XXV, NFL coaching legend Bill Parcells was asked, “How did you do that?” Indeed, not many people had given the Giants a chance. “I have to be a master motivator,” he responded. “I treat everyone fairly; I don’t treat them the same.”Mark KoulianosFri, 12 Jul 2019 00:00:00 Knowing Your People Enables LeadershipShortly after his New York Giants defeated the heavily favored Buffalo Bills in Super Bowl XXV, NFL coaching legend Bill Parcells was asked, “How did you do that?” Indeed, not many people had given the Giants a chance. “I have to be a master motivator,” he responded. “I treat everyone fairly; I don’t treat them the same.”A group of four people sitting around a table in chairs/continuing-education/lifelong-learning/news/2019/knowing-your-people-enables-leadership.aspxDirector's Corner,Leadership and Management/continuing-education/lifelong-learning/news/2019/self-awareness-drives-good-leadership.aspxI like to think self-awareness means honest, frequent assessment of the traits that define our character. I do know that more than 250 years after Franklin weighed in on knowing one’s self, it remains true that self-awareness is essential to good leadership.Mark KoulianosFri, 05 Jul 2019 00:00:00 Self-Awareness Drives Good LeadershipI like to think self-awareness means honest, frequent assessment of the traits that define our character. I do know that more than 250 years after Franklin weighed in on knowing one’s self, it remains true that self-awareness is essential to good leadership.A woman looking out of a window at the city skyline/continuing-education/lifelong-learning/news/2019/self-awareness-drives-good-leadership.aspxDirector's Corner,Leadership and Management