Tuesday, February 27, 2024 | 12:30-2:00pm | In-person and Virtual.

Evolving from Individual Contributor to Outstanding Leader

Becoming a leader is a dynamic and continuous journey that involves cultivating a combination of skills, qualities, and attitudes. In the realm of leadership, every person is at a different juncture. This workshop will help you consider fundamental principles as your compass, directing you on your path to becoming an effective leader:

• Everyone is a leader one way or another. What is the current stage of your leadership journey? 
• Leadership styles: Where do you fit and leveraging your strengths. 
• The psychological traps that keep you from embracing leadership.
• Ten principles to help you grow your leadership abilities.

Presenter: Ivonne Zucco, MBA, PCC

Tuesday, March 26, 2024 | 12:30 – 2:00 | Virtual only

What Is Coaching and How to Use It to Empower Your Team

Coaching is a leadership and management approach that involves guiding and developing individuals or teams to achieve goals and maximize potential. It's a process that focuses on facilitating learning, promoting self-discovery, and fostering personal and professional growth. In this workshop you will learn:

• Empowering your team through coaching strategies. 
• Fundamentals of coaching.
• Establishing a habit of coaching over offering advice.
• Everyday simple questions to develop your own coaching style.

Presenter: Ivonne Zucco, MBA, PCC

Tuesday, April 23, 2024 | 12:30 – 2:00 | In-person and Virtual

Keeping Your Team Accountable 102

This year, we will delve deeper into the concept of empowering your team while holding them accountable. We will work on creating a system that is not only practical but also builds upon the tools you've acquired thus far. This will significantly contribute towards achieving the team goals you've set for the year. In this workshop you will learn:

• Expectations vs reality. How to find the middle ground to draw success.
• Keeping track of goals vs performance.
• Check-in meetings, how to make them effective and productive.
• What to do when your team performance improvement efforts are not working. 

If you are new to this series, we recommend you watching our first training here.

Presenter: Ivonne Zucco, MBA, PCC

Tuesday, May 21, 2024 | 12:30 – 2:00 | In-person and Virtual

Conflict Management 102

Effectively managing conflict is crucial to a harmonious and productive work environment. It involves navigating disagreements and differing perspectives while fostering favorable resolutions. By addressing conflicts promptly and constructively, one can transform challenges into opportunities for growth, improve collaboration, and strengthen relationships within a team or organization, ultimately contributing to a more resilient and cohesive work environment. In this workshop you will learn:

• The importance of open communication, active listening, and empathy in resolving disputes. 
• Promoting a culture that values the diversity of thought, dialogue, and mutually beneficial solutions.
• The power of purposeful constructive debate in facilitating honest conversations.
• How to practice the art of managing conflict every day. 

If you are new to this series, we recommend you watching our first training here.

Presenter: Ivonne Zucco, MBA, PCC

Tuesday, June 25, 2024 | 12:30 – 2:00 | In-person and Virtual

Fostering Strong Interagency Collaborations

Building and nurturing robust collaborations between nonprofit agencies is essential to cultivating a better support system for those we serve. In theory, collaboration leads to more comprehensive and impactful solutions to complex challenges. However, establishing and effectively managing partnerships between agencies can pose a different set of challenges. It requires a commitment to open communication, mutual respect, and a shared understanding of common objectives, ultimately creating a synergistic environment that benefits all involved agencies. In this workshop you will learn:

• When and when not to partner. 
• How to ensure alignment and balance of responsibilities.
• How to use partnerships to obtain funding.
• How to partner with other businesses to reach even greater impact.

Presenter: Jennifer D. Barahona, LCSW

Jennifer D. Barahona, LCSW, joined Norwalk ACTS as Chief Executive Officer in April 2019. Before taking the helm at Norwalk ACTS, Jennifer served as Executive Director & Chief Financial Officer for the Newtown-Sandy Hook Community Foundation. Founded after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, the Foundation was critical in developing short- and long-term funding support for the community and those most impacted by the tragedy.

Jennifer's nearly 30-year career in the social sector in Fairfield County includes serving for 13 years as the Director of Youth Services at Family & Children’s Agency in Norwalk. Jennifer developed a passion for social justice during her early career as an advocate working with women and children exposed to domestic violence and educating young people about healthy relationships through community education. She credits Columbia Professor Richard Cloward and her work as a policy researcher and community organizer for the Bridgeport Child Advocacy Coalition for her lifelong passion for social justice and the engagement of disenfranchised communities. Eager to help grow the macro-level perspective in social work and develop new talent, Jennifer has also served as an adjunct professor in the Social Work Department at Sacred Heart University.

Tuesday, July 23, 2024 | 12:30 – 2:00 | In-person and Virtual

Effective Marketing Strategies for Community Outreach

It can be disheartening to realize that individuals who could benefit from your services may be unaware of them, representing a missed opportunity both for your program and those in need of support. Achieving success in your programs hinges on attracting participants who actively engage with your services. However, during the initial stages of program implementation, the effort required to secure participants might not be your immediate priority but it can be. In this workshop we will explore effective strategies for enhancing program outreach:

• Identify the most suitable outreach channels for your target audience.
• Leverage networking to broaden your reach and connect with more individuals.
• Implement measures to quantify and assess the impact of your outreach efforts.

Presenter: Ivonne Zucco, MBA, PCC

Tuesday, September 24, 2024 | 12:30 – 2:00 | In-person and Virtual

Donor Engagement

Learn how to find, attract, and retain donors effectively. This workshop connects the different elements of development, fundraising fundamentals, and the pivotal skill of making impactful requests. We will explore donor engagement and how to make it a versatile and well-rounded strategy to grow your organization.

• The importance of data and storytelling to attract donors.
• Deliver what you promised and how to pivot when circumstances have changed.
• The art of making the ask.
• How to pick a development software that will help you attain your fundraising goals.

Presenter: Ivonne Zucco, MBA, PCC and invited guest speaker

Tuesday, November 19, 2024 | 12:30 – 2:00 | In-person and Virtual

Strategizing and Executing Effectively

The significance of strategy lies in its capacity to provide a roadmap for achieving long-term goals and objectives. A well-defined strategy not only guides decision-making but also aligns efforts, resources, and actions. For those accustomed to hands-on tasks, delving into strategy may seem intimidating. Similarly, for individuals specializing in strategy, translating plans into action can pose challenges. This workshop aims to equip you with the skills to navigate both seamlessly, enabling you to enjoy the process of strategizing and executing effectively. In this workshop you will learn:

• How a well thought-out and skillfully executed strategy forms the bedrock for sustainable growth and achievement.
• Unleashing the thrill of brainstorming, reaching the pinnacle of creativity.
• Guiding efficiency with strategy as a compass.
• Mastering flexibility, deciding when to alter strategy and how to navigate uncertainties.

Presenter: Ivonne Zucco, MBA, PCC

About  Ivonne Zucco, MBA, PCC.

Ivonne's mission is to support individuals and organizations in their development efforts and help unlock the potential everyone has within. As People and Culture Consultant, she works with individuals searching for fulfillment and balance in their careers and with companies working towards intentional culture change by using a pragmatic approach to help them advance from where they are to where they want to be with clarity and purpose.