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Module 1
- Course Introduction / Individual Introduction
- Your Role as a Manager and Leader
- Traits of successful leaders
- Differences Between Management and Leadership
- Tiers of Leadership
- Individual
- Teams
- Delegation
- Prioritization
Module 2
- Communication
- Meeting Management
- Leadership styles
- Team Motivation
Module 3
- Influencing Others
- Executive Presence
- Powerful Presentations
Module 4
- Business Skills
- Strategy
- Metrics
- Performance Management
- Employee Development
- Bringing It All Back Together
Registration Date/Time:
11/17/2025 7:30 am Central Time
Event Dates/Times:
- 11/17/2026 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Central Time
- 11/18/2026 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Central Time
Course Location
Lodging
Accommodations include: Enjoy complimentary business center, WiFi and Local/Airport Shuttle. Each room has a refrigerator, microwave, 42-inch HDTV, and executive desk. Parking available $15/night.
Room: rates start at $160
Accommodations include: Complimentary WiFi, Local/Airport Shuttle, Pool, and Fitness Center.
Room: rates start at $159
Reserve by: October 18, 2026
Accommodations include: Your stay includes free WiFi, fitness center, free hot breakfast, indoor pool, and pet-friendly rooms.
Accommodations include: Your stay includes hot breakfast buffet, fitness center, business center, convenient on-site parking. Guest rooms are complete with Keurig coffee maker, refrigerator, complimentary high-speed Internet, and 40-inch, flat screen, high-def TVs.
Active attendance is required to receive the course certificate. Seats are limited. Please enroll now if you are interested and avoid being waitlisted.
Instructors
Heather Smith
Director of Graduate Programs, Program Director, Master of Science in Engineering Management, Teaching Faculty
Heather Smith is a program director for the Office of Interdisciplinary Professional Programs at UW-Madison. She is responsible for the online Master’s degree program in Engineering Management and teaches Leadership and Project Management courses. Heather is known as a motivational leader with a focus on adaptability and risk management. She has over 18 years of experience in the test and measurement sector at National Instruments as both an engineer and a leader. Smith has a track record of leading high-risk projects for consumer electronics, RF, solar, and the oil and gas industries. Her focus on international projects brought together a diverse set of partners, suppliers and customers onto teams dedicated to the project goal. She credits her success with building a team culture of trust and respect, where candor, continuous learning, and building a listening culture is vibrant.
Susan Ottmann
Program Director, Technical Leadership and Technical Project Management
Susan Ottmann is the Director of Technical Leadership and Technical Project Management Programs and teaches courses in technical leadership and technical project management for both credit and professional development programs.
Susan has more than 25 years of industrial engineering experience in multiple engineering, marketing, manufacturing and leadership roles for a number of multinational companies. In the 10 years prior to joining UW-Madison, she led global business for Danaher and Thermo Fisher Scientific. In these roles she was responsible for teams in North America, Europe, and Asia.
Her education includes a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and an M.S. in Engineering and Public Policy from Carnegie Mellon and an M.S. in Management from North Carolina State University. She is active in the Society of Women Engineers and the Society of Manufacturing Engineers. In her free time, Susan volunteers with the Goodwill VITA Tax Program and is a board member for the Lake Waubesa Sailing Club.
Program Director
Susan Ottmann