# Executive Survival Skills Course Canonical URL: ## Overview The course helps participants be better equipped to lead change through a deeper understanding of leadership and team building skills and practices. The curriculum covers topics such as leading in turbulent times, emotional intelligence and leadership roles, leadership presence, situational leadership, change dynamics and tools, team development and trust, and appreciative inquiry. This course will address the theoretical and practical leadership aspects essential for survival in today's changing environment. Examine how the leader's attitude, values, and beliefs influence organizational performance. Analyze your critical thinking/decision-making processes and apply strategies to improve them. Learn to be resilient, overcome setbacks, and avoid career derailment in the rapidly changing, high-pressure environment of executive leadership. ## What you'll learn - Explain the 2025 Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) and competencies. - Identify accomplishments that describe your leadership efforts in achieving goals or overcoming challenges. - Discuss leadership skills you demonstrate through accomplishments. - Outline an accomplishment and match it to an ECQ through the underlying core competencies. - Write your narrative story and in telling your story, convey how the competencies that underlie the ECQ were applied. ## Curriculum #### Module 1: Climate Setting / Course Overview - Introduce course objectives and participant expectations - Establish a collaborative learning environment - Begin discussion of key leadership concepts #### Module 2: Leading in Turbulent Times - Define "executive survival" and understand its leadership relevance - Explore the Executive Survival Framework: Self, Others, Environment - Identify key survival characteristics and political competence behaviors - Complete political skill assessments and reflection exercises #### Module 3: Emotional Intelligence - Apply Daniel Goleman’s EI framework and Rational Behavior Therapy (RBT) - Practice emotional self-regulation and social awareness through case studies - Use emotional intelligence in team conversations and performance discussions #### Module 4: Executive Presence - Define and self-assess executive and leadership presence - Explore key presence behaviors using the PRES model - Practice authentic expression and behavioral adjustments to improve presence #### Module 5: Change Dynamics - Understand the executive’s role in organizational change initiatives - Apply concepts from Bridges’ Transition Model and Kotter’s 8-Step Process - Identify leadership pitfalls and strategies for navigating transitions #### Module 6: Situational Leadership - Use Hersey and Blanchard’s situational leadership model to assess team needs - Identify personal leadership style through assessments and exercises - Practice adapting leadership approaches in group decision-making activities #### Module 7: Conflict Management - Explore personal conflict management style through self-assessments - Understand emotional and interpersonal dynamics during conflict - Apply learned techniques through structured case studies and debriefs ## Schedule - Jun 23, 2026 – Jun 25, 2026 — Live Online - Sep 15, 2026 – Sep 17, 2026 — Live Online - Nov 3, 2026 – Nov 5, 2026 — Live Online ## Instructors ### Amy Sareeram — Instructor Amy is a seasoned leadership expert with over two decades of experience guiding executives through the complexities of senior leadership. She specializes in helping leaders navigate new roles, drive enterprise initiatives, and manage high-stakes change. Drawing from her own leadership journey, Amy has worked with organizations and individuals worldwide, tailoring her approach to diverse organizational cultures. She leverages her expertise to teach leadership concepts, integrate diverse teams, and enhance emotional intelligence, fostering improved performance, communication, and accountability. Amy’s career spans both public and private sectors, giving her a unique perspective on transformational change and team building. At the Federal Bureau of Investigation, she led diverse teams addressing national security and criminal threats, implemented systemic organizational changes, and served as the first analyst in four senior leadership roles, including Deputy Assistant Director for Intelligence, where she managed a $100 million budget and a team of over 350. In the private sector, she excelled as Managing Director of Aon’s Cyber Solutions Intelligence Practice, leading a global team in cyber investigations and consistently surpassing financial goals. Amy holds two Bachelor of Arts degrees from Bradley University, a Master of Arts from George Washington University, and executive education certificates from Harvard Business School and INSEAD. Certified as a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) by the International Coaching Federation, she utilizes tools like DiSC, Gallup StrengthFinders, and Emotional Intelligence Assessments to help leaders challenge assumptions, leverage strengths, and create actionable plans for lasting success. ### Cindy Morgan-Jaffe — Instructor Cindy Morgan-Jaffe is the Founder and CEO of the Positive Money Club, a community for women 50+ that helps them get money fit so that they can live the rich life they envision. She holds a master’s degree in Education and Human Development from George Washington University and is a certified Life, Professional Recovery, and Positive Intelligence® Master Coach and XChange Facilitator. She is also the author of Positive Money – 7 Principles to Living a Rich Life. Cindy worked in the private, nonprofit, and government sectors as a facilitator, trainer, and program manager in leadership and career development before focusing on financial wellness and health. She is the proud parent of five and lives in Washington, D.C., where she enjoys art, yoga, and hiking. ### Michele Proctor — Instructor Michele is a business strategist and Human Resources pioneer – delivering over 25 years of HR Management, Organizational Development, and leadership training to a variety of industries, which include the public, private, federal government, and higher education sectors. Scope of Expertise: Michele’s core competencies lie in the areas of Organizational Assessment and Development, Performance Management, Human Resources Management, Professional Development and Leadership Training, Transition and Change Management, Workforce and Career Development, and Conflict Resolution. Michele’s core competencies focus on creating a synergistic work environment where employees thrive to be successful by not only bringing their realized and unrealized strengths to their tasks, but also are allowed to experience the joy and happiness to the outcome of efficient and effective work products. She guides individuals through a journey to find their passion for work at work. Her consulting and organizational effectiveness expertise has credited her with improving performance efficiencies within business units and operations by as much as 70%. She is the former Project Manager and Lead Consultant on Building a Great Place to Work for the DC Courts Human Resources Division, having led the initiative for the creation of the HRD Five-year Strategic Plan and Workforce Development Program, “Fulfilling Our Future.” Michele has held senior-level executive positions at the Air Line Pilots Association, Int'l; at Howard University, Washington, DC as Assistant Vice President for Human Resources Management; and at Executive Transitions International, Inc. as Senior Vice President of Marketing and Consulting Services. She has been an adjunct instructor at the George Washington University, Washington, DC and is currently adjunct faculty at Anne Arundel Community College, Anne Arundel, MD and the Graduate School, USA. She is the founder and President of RENQUEST & ASSOCIATES, INC., "Your Pathway to Excellence,” an independent consulting group in Organizational Effectiveness, Business Development, Human Resources Development, Business Operations, Change and Transition Management, Outsourcing, Facilitative Training, and Career Planning. Michele holds a BBA in Personnel Management from the George Washington University, Washington, DC. She has also held several Board of Directors’ positions in many professional associations. She is a member of the Society for Human Resource Management, The Association for Talent Development, The International Association of Career Management Professionals, and The International Society for Performance Improvement. She is certified in the DiSC profile and certified as a mediator for the District of Columbia. She has been certified as a Career Management Practitioner by the International Board of Career Management Certification. Michele is a recipient of the Graduate School USA’s Customer Excellence Award and a recipient of the Business and Professional Women’s League, Inc. Business Award. ### Natalya H. Bah — Instructor Natalya Bah has been a part-time instructor at the Graduate School USA for over fifteen years. Natalya teaches across multiple curricula, including Leadership and Management, Project Management, and Human Resources. She has created a curriculum for the school, including Change Management Workshops and project management courses. She has served as an action learning coach, instructor, and facilitator for government leadership programs in the Center for Leadership and Management. Natalya also provides self-assessments and dynamic team-building sessions on behalf of the Graduate School USA. Outside of Graduate School USA, Ms. Bah is a self-employed business owner providing executive coaching, training, and consulting services to the public and private sectors. She created the Define and Achieve Your Goals Process™ and is a certified Birkman Method© Consultant. She received her Master of Science degree in Project Management from George Washington University’s School of Business, where she served as a teaching assistant and received the Project Management Award. She is also a certified Project Management Professional (PMP). ### Heather Murphy Capps — Curriculum Program Manager Heather is an education and media professional with more than 30 years of experience in teaching, professional skills training, broadcast news, and public relations. She’s been with Graduate School USA since 2008, as the program manager for the Executive Leadership Program, as well as an instructor and course content developer for the Center for Leadership and Management. Her education career began with a teaching stint in a Western Kenya high school. After she returned to the States, she earned a Master’s degree in journalism. Heather then built a dual-track career for herself as a television and radio journalist who also taught both high school and university students, focusing on writing, politics, and journalism. In the early 2000s, Heather stepped aside from her news career to serve as press secretary to the Mayor of Jacksonville and the Special Projects Director for the Jacksonville Super Bowl Host Committee. While holding those positions, she led multiple public relations and media outreach projects to improve the city’s recognition, image, and public hospitality prior to Super Bowl 39. Heather has a bachelor’s degree in political science from Bryn Mawr College and an M.S. in journalism from Boston University. ### Doris McMillon — Instructor Doris McMillon, is one of the top media training consultants in the United States, who has served government agencies, non-profit organizations and Fortune 500 corporations with award-winning campaigns and measurable success for more than 30 years. She offers a variety of communications services from dynamic leadership training to community outreach and media placement. McMillon is noted for personalized service and attention to detail. Doris McMillon is nationally renowned for her expertise in key message development, media interview training, executive presentation coaching, image branding, and customer service training and facilitation. McMillon has decades of experience in Communications training, reaching and motivating diverse audiences, specifically in the education arena. Ms. McMillon’s personal stamp of integrity and efficiency is the guiding force behind her long-term success. A veteran journalist, newscaster, and producer, this communications strategist has decades of business experience. Her work includes posts at major market radio stations, the three major networks, and cable news networks. She is an instructor at The Graduate School USA in Washington, D.C., where she teaches all levels of government employees how to communicate effectively in their workplace. In addition, Ms. McMillon provides online instruction for the school’s communications courses. She provides media interview training for senior executive service personnel who are tasked with providing important policy-making functions. As a sought-after speaker and event host, Ms. McMillon also provides spokesperson presentation coaching. She is a co-author of _The ABCs of Media: Turning Negative News into Positive Press_. She is currently working on a publication entitled, _An Accidental Entrepreneur: My Unexpected Journey._ Ms. McMillon is the author of _Mixed Blessing_, an autobiography that tells the story of her search for her German mother and African American father. Her production of _Brown Babies: The Mischlingskinder_ is an award-winning documentary that chronicles the plight of mixed-race children born in Germany after World War II. A polished actress, Ms. McMillon plays herself as an anchorwoman in Clint Eastwood’s Movie, IN THE LINE OF FIRE, Wesley Snipes’ movie, MURDER AT 1600, and HEAD OF STATE, with Chris Rock and Bernie Mac. She also plays herself as a news anchor for the TV series The West Wing, NCIS, and The Wire. For eight years, McMillon hosted Education News Parents Can Use for the U.S. Department of Education. The program focused on schools, learning, and the implementation of federal education regulations and law, including the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. Its purpose was to offer parents information about getting involved in their children’s learning. Some of the topics addressed were Math and Science Education: Critical Skills for the 21st Century, Teacher Quality: Inspiring Excellence and Strengthening Innovation, and Transforming Higher Education: Access and Affordability for All Students. In addition, McMillon was the Education Reporter at WJLA TV, Channel 7, in Washington, D.C. She is a dual citizen of the United States and the European Union (Germany), and is conversant in French. ### Bascom Destrehan “Dit” Talley — Instructor Bascom Destrehan “Dit” Talley, III is a seasoned educator and consultant with more than four decades of experience in leadership development, executive training, and organizational consulting. Since 1993, he has been an instructor with Graduate School USA, designing and delivering courses in leadership, management, and executive development for federal and international clients. He also teaches Global Leadership in the International Teaching and Global Learning Program at Johns Hopkins University and has instructed in the Police Executive Leadership Program, supporting both undergraduate and graduate cohorts, including law enforcement professionals from the U.S. Secret Service and ICE. In addition to his teaching career, Dit founded and led Corporate and Government Consulting, a Washington, DC–based firm that specialized in leadership development, team building, strategic planning, and organizational assessments. His work has supported federal agencies, state offices, and private-sector organizations across the United States and internationally. He has coordinated national conferences, authored training manuals and guides, and published on workplace issues such as team building and preventing sexual harassment. Dit holds degrees from the University of the South, St. Paul School of Theology, and Boston University, with advanced studies in social ethics and public policy. ### Marshall Scantlin — Instructor Major General Marshall H. Scantlin retired after a distinguished career in both active duty and reserve service. He began in the 45th Infantry Division, Oklahoma National Guard, rising from enlisted roles to command assignments across the U.S., Europe, and the Middle East. His leadership included commanding the 28th Combat Support Hospital, directing medical and logistical operations during Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm, Eager Light, and Bright Star, and serving as Commander of the Texas State Guard Medical Brigade. A graduate of the U.S. Army War College, Command and General Staff College, and multiple Army schools, Scantlin also earned a B.S. in Pharmacy from the University of Oklahoma and an M.A. in Business Administration from Webster University. His decorations include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal (w/5 oak leaf clusters), Southwest Asia Service Medal, and Kuwait Liberation Medal, as well as the Expert Field Medical Badge and Master Parachutist Badge. Beyond military honors, he has been recognized as a Distinguished Alumni by the University of Oklahoma College of Pharmacy, inducted into the Oklahoma National Guard OCS Hall of Fame, and honored in the Oklahoma Tau Kappa Epsilon Hall of Fame. ## Pricing **Tuition:** $1699