Columbia State Community College’s Office of Workforce and Continuing Education recently hosted a reception for the inaugural cohort of its Leadership for Operational Excellence program. The program benefits new and emerging leaders to help them develop necessary skills and a toolkit of resources to help them excel as they move and grow in their leadership roles.

“Upon joining Columbia State nearly five years ago, it became apparent through engagement with local businesses that a need existed for enhanced leadership and soft skills,” said Melody Murphy, Columbia State Workforce and Continuing Education director. “While we have consistently offered customized leadership training to our valued business partners, we recognized a growing demand for a more comprehensive leadership development initiative. Luckily, Dr. Deb Macfarlan Enright was available to help us make that a reality as lead facilitator of this program.”

The Leadership for Operational Excellence program nurtures success and provides participants with the skills and resources for them to excel as leaders within their organizations. Topics covered include leadership styles, generations and teams, employee engagement and productivity, communication and leading your team, business finance and budgets, presentation skills and networking as well as delivering outcomes and managing change.

“Leadership for Operational Excellence was designed to provide value above the traditional leadership programs,” said Dr. Dearl Lampley, Columbia State vice president of the Williamson Campus and external services. “Melody and Dr. Enright had a shared vision for a skills-based approach that would serve the graduates throughout their careers. As a result, the end product is comparable to a mini MBA.”

The first cohort included participants Priyadarshini Barkakati, Kiran Kanth Reddy Bollampally, Barry Choisser, Sai Sumanth Edara, Daniel Garrett, Sandeep Wajapey, Cora Hageman, Allen McNeece, Terrance Taylor and Arshell Walke.

Pariticpant Terrance Taylor spoke at the reception about his experience in the program.

“This leadership course has been transformative for me, pushing me out of my comfort zone and enabling me to grow both personally and professionally,” Taylor said. “I've learned the importance of listening, communication and taking proactive steps to address challenges. By embracing these principles, I've been able to make a positive impact in my workplace and contribute to meaningful change.”

“Leadership isn't just about titles—it's about the choices we make and the impact we have on others,” Murphy said. “Let us strive to cultivate a culture of true leadership that inspires, empowers and fosters growth for all.”

The registration for the Fall Cohort of the Leadership for Operational Excellence program is now open at www.campusce.net/columbiastate/course/course.aspx?catId=23.