Blog Archives

Leadership in the Age of AI Certificate

AI is reshaping how organizations operate, communicate, and make decisions. Leaders who can think critically about AI, use it ethically, guide their teams through adoption, and harness it to elevate human performance will have a distinct advantage. The AI Summer Series equips professionals with the practical knowledge and applied skills to lead confidently in an AI-driven workplace.

Earn this certificate by completing all four half-day programs in the series. Each session builds upon the last, creating a cohesive learning arc that takes participants from individual AI competence to organizational leadership. Whether you are new to AI or looking to sharpen and structure what you already know, this series provides a clear, actionable path forward.

Audience

Leaders, managers, and professionals at any level navigating AI in the workplace.

Venue

Cintas Center
1624 Musketeer Drive
Cincinnati, 45207 United States + Google Map
Phone
513-745-1094

Time Management and Productivity

Days only have 24 hours but to-do lists are getting longer and longer—how does one keep up and complete all of their tasks?

Description

In today’s dynamic work environment, productivity is not simply about getting more done—it’s about doing what matters most with clarity, efficiency, and purpose. Each professional approaches work with different styles, habits, and strengths; therefore, productivity isn’t one-size-fits-all—it’s about finding the tools and strategies that work best for each individual.

This interactive program blends personal productivity principles with Lean thinking processes and tools to help participants streamline their workflow, manage their energy & focus, and reduce inefficiencies that can lead to burnout. Participants will explore how to differentiate between being busy and being productive, maintain healthy boundaries with technology and colleagues, and cultivate accountability that drives consistent follow-through and goal achievement.

By developing both the mindset and systems needed for sustainable productivity, professionals will leave equipped to focus on meaningful contributions—both individually and as part of a team.

Audience

Professionals at all levels in any industry who want to discover better methods of managing their time and learn ways to hold colleagues and themselves accountable.

Outcome

Participants will walk away with these skills:

  • Differentiating between being busy, being productive, and making meaningful contributions by focusing on the most important—not just urgent—work.
  • Managing time, energy, and attention using customizable productivity strategies and Lean thinking tools.
  • Leveraging AI and digital tools to enhance efficiency, effectiveness, communication and prioritization.
  • Maintaining healthy boundaries with technology and in workplace relationships to protect focus and well-being.
  • Building accountability practices that create momentum, ownership, and follow-through across teams and individuals.

Fostering Teamwork and Trust

In today’s fast-paced and interconnected workplace, true success thrives on collective trust and collaboration—because when people depend on one another, the team becomes stronger than any individual effort.

Description

Fostering Teamwork and Trust is designed for professionals at all levels who want to contribute to a high-performance team rooted in trust, shared purpose, and mutual respect. Beginning with a pre-program assessment, participants learn about nine distinct clusters of team-oriented behaviors—ranging from creative idea generation to practical implementation—that, when balanced, help teams work more effectively together

This program empowers individuals to become catalysts for effective collaboration, strong working relationships, and positive team dynamics. Participants will gain tools to enhance communication, navigate conflict, strengthen accountability, and build trust which is the essential thread that connects and sustains high-performing teams. Whether you’re leading a team, working within one, or building new connections across departments, this program helps you create the kind of environment where teams thrive and people want to contribute.

Audience

Professionals at all levels who work in or with teams, across functions and industries.

Outcome

Participants will walk away with these skills:

  • Understand the key attributes of high-performing teams
  • Build trust with colleagues across roles and responsibilities
  • Identify behavioral strengths and areas for development in the workplace.
  • Foster open, productive communication and feedback
  • Navigate team dynamics and strengthen collaboration
  • Apply strategies to maintain connection and accountability under pressure

Elevate Leadership Certificate Program

Effective leaders continuously enhance their skill set to make an impact on the people and organizations they lead. The journey is defined by experience, self-awareness, and personal development. As leaders rise in organizations, they must elevate their skill sets to see the organization from a higher viewpoint, entrusting their colleagues and reports to manage everyday tasks.

In this interactive learning experience, participants will explore the characteristics of great leaders from a human centered and business acumen approach. They will learn new tools to help them grow into more senior roles, lead teams through change, inspire a workplace built on collaboration, and develop actionable plans to achieve long-term success.

Description

Program Components:

The journey begins with a virtual group introductory call to meet the program facilitators and cohort members. Participants will have reflective work in between each in-person session to encourage learning, skill development, and reflection outside of the classroom.

Session 1: Engaging Strengths

  • Recognize existing leadership strengths and development opportunities
  • Identify what a good leader looks like and how to present oneself as ready for a senior role
  • Navigate difficult or critical conversations
  • Create a plan to build a board of advisors and network with other senior leaders

Session 2: Empowering People*

  • Determine ways to coach, mentor, and develop others
  • Clarify team roles
  • Implement best practices for effective delegation
  • Explore a leader’s role in decision-making

Session 3: Embracing Change

  • Develop a holistic perspective of an organization and realize the overall impact change can have
  • Become familiar with the phases of change
  • Explore strategies for leading oneself, individuals, teams, and organizations through ongoing change

Session 4: Executing Forward*

  • Articulate the organization’s strategy
  • Identify opportunities to align departmental-level strategic plans with the organization's strategy
  • Establish a framework for succession planning and apply it to direct reports’ growth plans

*Virtual Group Reflection Calls

After the second and fourth in-person sessions, the cohort will meet for a virtual group check-in session to discuss how they have incorporated their learning into their lives and how they can continue to improve and sustain their new practices.

Audience

Upper-level managers preparing for the next level or those new to senior leadership roles who are responsible for a division or the overall organization.

Outcomes

  • Shift from a task-oriented management mindset into a “big picture” perspective
  • Capitalize on prior leadership experience to develop an authentic leadership aspiration
  • Effectively interact with all levels of an organization for maximum impact
  • Develop strategic and long-term thinking
  • Guide an organization through change
  • Establish habits and behaviors for continued improvement to retain leadership skills

Venue

Cintas Center
1624 Musketeer Drive
Cincinnati, 45207 United States + Google Map
Phone
513-745-1094

Moving into Management

Moving Into Management is an interactive two-day leadership development program designed for new and emerging leaders who are transitioning from individual contributor to people leader. Participants learn a practical leadership system that helps them build self-awareness, strengthen relationships, develop people, and drive results through others.

Using real-world scenarios, leadership simulations, self-assessments, group discussions, and hands-on practice, participants gain the mindset, skills, and tools needed to confidently lead teams and create lasting impact.

Description

Program Components:

Lead Yourself Well

Great leadership begins with self-awareness. Participants learn how their behaviors, communication style, and reactions under pressure influence their effectiveness as a leader.

Participants will:

  • Understand the shift from individual contributor to leader
  • Explore the difference between management and leadership
  • Identify their natural leadership tendencies and leadership style
  • Increase self-awareness using DiSC behavioral styles
  • Recognize common leadership patterns under pressure
  • Learn how behavior drives impact, reactions, and results
  • Develop strategies for leading with greater intention and consistency

Lead Others Effectively

Strong leadership is built on trust, communication, and relationships. Participants learn how to create clarity, build credibility, and strengthen team alignment.

Participants will:

  • Build trust through consistent leadership behaviors
  • Strengthen empathy and social awareness
  • Improve communication and active listening skills
  • Adapt communication to different personality styles
  • Set and reinforce clear expectations
  • Practice the CLEAR Communication Model
  • Lead difficult conversations with greater confidence and effectiveness

Develop People and Performance

Leaders achieve results through people. Participants learn how to coach, develop, and hold others accountable while creating an environment where individuals can perform at their best.

Participants will:

  • Build strong, trust-based relationships with team members
  • Apply Situational Leadership principles to individual needs
  • Use coaching conversations to develop capability and ownership
  • Practice the A-OO-A Coaching Model
  • Ask powerful questions that encourage problem-solving and accountability
  • Deliver effective feedback that improves performance
  • Recognize and reinforce positive behaviors through meaningful recognition
  • Conduct productive one-on-one conversations that support growth and development

Deliver Results

Leadership is ultimately measured by results. Participants learn how to align priorities, focus effort, and create accountability that drives performance.

Participants will:

  • Connect leadership behaviors to organizational outcomes
  • Clarify priorities and align team efforts
  • Strengthen accountability through clear expectations and follow-through
  • Improve decision-making and execution
  • Create action plans that support sustained performance
  • Develop a personal leadership vision and commitment for continued growth

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this program, participants will be able to:

  • Lead with greater self-awareness and intentionality
  • Communicate more clearly and effectively
  • Build trust-based relationships that strengthen engagement and performance
  • Coach and develop employees with greater confidence
  • Navigate challenging leadership conversations
  • Create accountability and ownership within their teams
  • Lead in ways that positively influence performance and results

 

This highly interactive program equips leaders with practical tools they can immediately apply to increase their leadership effectiveness and accelerate the success of their teams.

Audience

New managers, those with 1-3 years of managerial experience, and identified future managers within an organization.

Venue

Cintas Center
1624 Musketeer Drive
Cincinnati, 45207 United States + Google Map
Phone
513-745-1094

Build Your Own Certificate

Business professionals need a variety of skills and tools to complement their diverse industries and achieve their unique success. Build a certificate from our large list of offerings to match your exact needs!

Description

XLC is proud to offer all working professionals the ability to build their own custom certificate programs by choosing four unique one-day programs that target their specific needs. Participants can focus on business acumen tools, communication skills, or any combination in between! No matter what the selected one-day programs are, professionals will learn and gain tools and skills that can be immediately incorporated into their professional and personal lives.

One-Day Program Options:
Participants select 4 one-day programs offered within the same semester.

Audience

Professionals at any level who want a customized solution for their challenges, obstacles, and areas of improvement.

Venue

Cintas Center
1624 Musketeer Drive
Cincinnati, 45207 United States + Google Map
Phone
513-745-1094

Time Management and Accountability

Days only have 24 hours but to-do lists are getting longer and longer—how does one keep up and complete all of their tasks?

Description

Professionals must decide how to prioritize and complete their assigned tasks to meet personal and managerial expectations. Everyone has unique working styles, habits, and needs when accomplishing their responsibilities, so time management and prioritization must be customizable skills anyone can adopt.

This program aims to provide practical tips, tools, and strategies to help individuals approach their use of time wisely and help managers lead their teams more effectively. Oftentimes, procrastination sets in because a certain task seems daunting or emotionally taxing. Participants will explore ways to manage their energy and mindsets to aid in their productivity. Finally, the program will discuss how accountability is created between managers and their teams, among colleagues, and within oneself.

Audience

Professionals at all levels in any industry who want to discover better methods of managing their time and learn ways to hold colleagues and themselves accountable.

Outcome

Participants will walk away with these skills:

  • Distinguishing between the urgent and important uses of time and prioritizing different tasks
  • Acknowledging the value of personal energy through the emotional fuel tank
  • Interpreting the hidden patterns of everyday life, both personally and professionally
  • Exposing five “time robbers”
  • Discovering organizational strategies to better budget one's use of time
  • Formulating accountability methods to keep oneself on track
  • Developing habits of mutual accountability

Venue

Cintas Center
1624 Musketeer Drive
Cincinnati, 45207 United States + Google Map
Phone
513-745-1094

Motivating Top Talent Across Generations

The most important asset to any organization is its people. Leaders must find ways to support top talent in order to achieve higher retention and performance success.

Description

Workforce trends and workplace culture has changed dramatically in recent years. Understanding what motivates employees from different generations, helping them strengthen their well-being, and developing top talent to support their performance are all critical for today's leaders.

Discovering one's purpose behind their work is a guiding theme in this one-day program. Participants will explore the new psychology of how work is seen and valued; the critical elements of well-being, self-care, and individual motivators; and how to align employees' performance with overall organizational performance. Conversations, discussions, and experiential activities are interwoven throughout the session.

Audience

Team leaders, managers, or anyone in a position to support their colleagues will benefit from this program.

Outcome

Participants will walk away with these skills:

  • Understanding the foundation of new motivational norms
  • Developing mindsets to shift from old motivations to the new motivational norms
  • Identifying best practices to support a high performance/high retention culture amidst the new psychology of work
  • Recognizing practical ways to embrace the cultural development necessary to attract and retain top talent
  • Establishing next steps to win the war for talent in this competitive labor market

Venue

Cintas Center
1624 Musketeer Drive
Cincinnati, 45207 United States + Google Map
Phone
513-745-1094

Effective Decision Making

In this fast-paced world, a person’s and their team’s effectiveness in getting things done at work depends on decision-making. How a person manages their time, what meetings they go to, and the work their team focuses on are all based on effective decision-making methods. And yet, according to a global McKinsey study from 2019, only 20% of respondents say their organizations excel at decision-making.

Description

In this one-day program, participants will explore various ways and methods to make decisions as both an individual and as a leader. Then, the program will focus on how to build a culture of effective decision-making within an organization. Real-world examples and interactive activities will guide discussions and showcase examples of great and not-so-great decision-making skills.

Audience

Professionals at all levels in any industry who want to develop their decision-making skills will benefit from this program.

Outcome

Participants will walk away with these skills:

  • Identify various methods to make decisions
  • Leading group decision-making processes by understanding how others make decisions
  • Learn strategies to make personal decisions more effectively
  • Discover how to be consistent and empowering as a decision-making leader
  • Balance autonomy and risk when creating an organizational culture

Venue

Cintas Center
1624 Musketeer Drive
Cincinnati, 45207 United States + Google Map
Phone
513-745-1094

Engaging, Coaching, and Mentoring Others

The Great Resignation has evolved the workplace in many industries. Now, it is even more important for managers, team leaders, and colleagues to create a positive work environment where people want to belong. Clear communication, strong mentoring, and accurate expectations are needed to develop effective teams both virtually and in person.

Description

This one-day program will begin by discussing worker satisfaction and how to establish transparent expectations while addressing each employee’s personal needs. Effective communication will follow, focusing on delivering feedback in healthy and positive ways. Finally, participants will explore aligning individual and team performances to create a cohesive work environment.

Experiential and interactive learning will guide the day’s activities, allowing participants to practice tools and strategies for immediate implementation.

Audience

Professionals at all levels in any industry who want to enhance their interpersonal communication will benefit from this program.

Outcome

Participants will walk away with these skills:

  • Define a positive work environment
  • Learn how to align and manage worker expectations
  • Improve feedback and real-time coaching
  • Identify the roles mentors can play in professionals’ lives
  • Utilize 3 simple steps to positively reinforce what people do well
  • Develop effective teams through virtual and in-person environments.

Venue

Cintas Center
1624 Musketeer Drive
Cincinnati, 45207 United States + Google Map
Phone
513-745-1094