Advance your skills through the University of Nebraska–Lincoln Power Lunch Series offered through the Center for Executive and Professional Development. Led by Nebraska faculty, the four in-person lunches facilitate thoughtful discussion around today’s important topics and help build skills needed in the rapidly changing business world.

“We are excited to offer these power lunches because they help anyone lead, negotiate, communicate and manage better,” said Emre Unlu, Paul C. Burmeister College Professor of Investments, professor of finance and executive director of the Center for Executive and Professional Development. “These face-to-face sessions allow facilitators to lead discussions and offer solutions as we challenge how we think and manage our teams to lead the future of business.”

The 90-minute lunches run from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Howard L. Hawks Hall on the university's city campus and cost $49, including lunch and parking ($44 for UNL faculty and staff). To register for one or all four lunches, visit https://business.unl.edu/powerlunch.

The Fall Power Lunch Series include:

• Tuesday, Sept. 19: It’s the Manager: Coaching and Leading Employees Through the Employee Experience with Tim Hodges — Research finds that the quality of managers and team leaders is the single biggest factor in an organization’s long-term success. Great managers maximize human potential and are aware of employees' specific needs at each of the seven stages of the employee experience. In this session, Timothy Hodges, executive director of the Clifton Strengths Institute and assistant professor of practice in management, will review the research, facilitate a conversation and offer ideas you can put into action to help improve the engagement of your teams.
• Tuesday, Sept. 26: Navigating Negotiations: A Primer on Negotiation Styles, Strategies and Tactics with Jake Messersmith —  Jake Messersmith, department chair and associate professor of management, will discuss essential techniques to set clear goals, communicate effectively and uncover mutual interests. The session covers the basics of negotiations and helps participants better understand the skills needed to address tension, adapt approaches for collaboration, think through problem-solving strategies to overcome impasses and maintain ethical behavior throughout the process.
• Tuesday, Oct. 3: Organizational Culture: Why It Matters with Rik Barrera — This power lunch, facilitated by Rik Barrera, associate dean of operations, inclusion and chief of staff, will address what organizational culture is, why it’s important and what are the key drivers of culture. When leaders and managers live out a clear, consistent, aligned culture, employees begin to believe in and live out the company's purpose in their daily work. As a result, employees deliver on their organization's brand promise in a genuine and powerful way.
• Friday, Oct. 13: Body Language and Communication with Kathy Castle and Aaron Duncan — Good communication skills are essential to success in our personal, professional and public lives. As a result, when we seek to improve our communication skills, our focus is often on our verbal communication, even though most of our communication happens without saying a word. This power lunch features tips and tactics for better understanding and leveraging the power of your body language to help you strengthen your skills and maximize your effectiveness as a communicator. It is led by Kathy Castle, associate professor of practice in interpersonal and family communication, and Aaron Duncan, associate professor of practice in communication studies.

To learn more about Center for Executive and Professional Development customized programs and upcoming certificate programs, visit https://business.unl.edu/ExecEd.