Managers & Leaders

SCU's new supervisor onboarding was developed in collaboration with the Ignatian Center, Inclusive Excellence, and Human Resources.  Supervisors are provided with guiding leadership principles grounded in Jesuit traditions and belonging and inclusion, as well as tools to navigate their roles and responsibilities as supervisors at SCU.  

The Management Excellence Series prepares and develops supervisors to lead people effectively, foster an inclusive and high-performing workplace, and uphold Santa Clara University's Jesuit values. Serving as a foundational resource for supervisor development, this program equips managers to navigate administrative responsibilities while building high-performing, human-centered team environments. This series centers on three core dimensions: Managing the Work, Leading People, and Living the Mission. 

1. Foundation of Supervision & HR Essentials - October 1, 2026
2. Effective  Communication for Supervisors - October 8, 2026
3. Giving Feedback & Coaching - October 22, 2026
4. Leading with Care, Clarity & Accountability - November 5, 2026
5. Cultivating Positive Workplace Climate & Engagement - November 12, 2026

Every workshop is designed around the BURST framework: fostering Belonging, Understanding, Respect, Safety, and Trust.

In today's world, there are countless opportunities to make a difference. And more than ever, there is a need for people of all ages, from all backgrounds, with all types of life experience to seize those opportunities that lead to greatness. More than ever there is a need for leaders to inspire others to dream, to participate, and to persevere. Exemplary leaders take the initiative to make a difference for those they lead, for the organizations they work for and the world they live in.

As an organization committed to the development of leaders of competence, conscience and compassion, Santa Clara University is likewise committed to helping their supervisors and managers to become exemplary leaders who can make a difference for the staff, faculty, and students of SCU.

The Leadership Challenge, based on the extensive writings and research of Barry Posner and Jim Kouzes, will provide the basis for The Challenge To Lead retreat. The Leadership Challenge examines how leaders mobilize others to want to get extraordinary things done. It's about the practices leaders use to transform values into actions, visions into realities, obstacles into innovations, separateness into solidarity, and risks into rewards. It's about a climate in which people turn challenging opportunities into remarkable successes.

The Challenge To Lead participants will have an opportunity to understand how others view them in regard to five important practices; model the way; inspire a shared vision; challenge the process; enable others to act; and encourage the heart. Participants will have the opportunity to learn about the five practices of exemplary leadership and how they can begin to lead others to accomplish things never thought possible. Participants will assess the degree to which they currently exercise the five practices and develop a plan for moving from the leader they are into the leader they want to become.

The Challenge To Lead retreat is by invitation. For further information, or to find out how you can be a part of the next TCTL cohort, please contact Shirley Mata at x6990 or smmata@scu.edu. 

Each month, the Lead Forward bulletin contains information to keep leaders informed, inspired, and connected, offering insights and practical tools to help you lead with clarity and confidence. Each edition highlights a brief micro-learning module with real-world strategies, a call to action, and additions resources to support your ongoing growth and development. 

Past Editions

September 2026 - Coaching Toward Goal Achievement

June 2026 - Intentional Listening and Inclusive Collaboration

May 2026 - Performance Calibration and Delivering Meaningful Feedback

April 2026 - Campus Civility - Strengthening compassion amongst staff, faculty and administrators

March 2026 - Managing Through Change

February 2026 - Elevating Your Influence

January 2026 - Cultivating a High Performance Culture

Heroic Leadership for All is a transformative development program for SCU employees offered in partnership with the Ignatian Center for Jesuit Education, Department of Human Resources, and the Leavey Executive Center. 

Inspired by Chris Lowney's bestselling book, Heroic Leadership: Best Practices from a 450-year-old companth that changed the world, this 8-week hybrid program invites participants to explore four pillars of Jesuit-inspired leadership: Self Awareness, Ingenuity, Love, and Heroism. 

The weekly sessions alternate between in-person and zoom, with 2 hours of weekly asynchronous work. Each cohort is limited to 10 participants to ensure a personalized and impactful experience. Cost is covered by tuition remission for eligible employees.  Please contact Shirley Mata at smmata@scu.edu for more information.

Human Resources Learning & Development office offers workshops and team facilitation for work groups and departments on campus. Each session is customized to meet the needs of your group and cover a wide range of topics and activities to facilitate group development, goal planning, workplace communication, norm setting, and many other topics.  We facilitate programs on campus or at retreat facilities located in the bay area. These programs give work groups an opportunity to foster personal and professional relationships and discover ways to better work together as an organization.

To request a training workshop or facilitation services, please complete the Training Request Form or contact Shirley Mata, Director of Employee Development & Wellness at smmata@scu.edu or 408.554.6990.

Personal and professional coaching is available for all benefits-eligible employees through our employee assistance program (EAP), Concern. You are eligible for four (4) 30-minute consultations at no cost. You may schedule coaching session online at concernhealth.com/scu (company code: scueap).

SCU's Office of the Ombuds is also available for confidential conversations, coaching, and facilitation regarding workplace concerns such as communication issues, conflict resolution. More information may be found on the Office of the Ombuds website.

If you are experiencing other performance or organizational concerns, please reach out to your HR Partner or to Shirley Mata, Director of Employee Development & Wellness, for further consultation and guidance.