How can large international audiences grappling with a variety of professional and personal opportunities and challenges gain the leadership skills they need to succeed in the chaotic and complex environments in which they live and work?

SC&I Teaching Professor and Director of the Master of Communication and Media Program Richard Dool, an expert in organizational renewal and leadership communication, offers solutions through specialized workshops he creates and leads that meet the needs of those eager to learn critical leadership and communications skills.

During the last six months, Dool has worked on a series of workshops via Zoom or in person at various locations in the U.S. For young African leaders, as part of the Mandela Washington Fellowship Program sponsored by the U.S. State Department, Dool participated in the “StrengthsFinders” and “EffectiveTeaming” workshops.

"My aim is to share information that the participants find of value and can be used for their personal and professional growth."

For the leadership team of the Summit NJ Public School District, he led “A Primer on the State of Leadership and the Competences Needed to Succeed as well as a session on Emotional Intelligence and Leadership.

For the nearly 100 Teacher’s Assistants working in the U.S. this fall as part of Fulbright Foreign Language Program sponsored by the U.S. State Department, Dool contributed to the “Developing & Maintaining Professional Relationships” workshop.

 At Rutgers-New Brunswick he recently led several workshops: “Leaders and Emotional Intelligence” for the Rutgers Summer Leadership Academy Program; “The Communications Skillset” for the Rutgers School of Public Health for their Staff Mentoring Program; and “StrengthsFinders” workshops for the Rutgers Division of Enrollment Management, The Eagleton Institute for Politics and the Rutgers Communications and Marketing Team.

Dool created and led each of these workshops with the exception of the Mandela Washington Fellowship Program sponsored by the U.S. State Department and the Fulbright Foreign Language Program sponsored by the U.S. State Department. These, Dool said, were both sponsored by Rutgers Global who asked him to participate in the workshops and contribute original content to the presentations.  

Describing the content of the workshops he’s developed, Dool said they all focus “on the six leadership communication skills needed to be an effective communicator (e.g. the power of listening and the use of questions). I dive deep into the competencies such as Leader as Change Agent, Talent Scout, Inclusionist, Team Leader, Ambassador and Exemplar. I also offer other focus areas such as the ‘Dark Side of Leadership’ (Leadership Mistakes) and ‘The Sad State of Leadership Communication and How to Turn it Around.’”

Explaining the overarching goals of the workshops, Dool said, “They are all different, but essentially my aim is to share information that the participants find of value and can be used for their personal and professional growth. I create interactive sessions where the participants and I can learn from our collective experiences. They really sing when the participants share experiences, insights, and examples.”

Dool said while he has been engaged in leadership consulting and has offered workshops for the last eight years while he has been a faculty member at SC&I, he does not promote the workshops. He said all the requests he has received to present the workshops have stemmed from referrals, word of mouth, or from past clients who ask for repeat workshops.

Dool's workshops focus on "the six leadership communication skills needed to be an effective communicator (e.g. the power of listening and the use of questions). I dive deep into the competencies such as Leader as Change Agent, Talent Scout, Inclusionist, Team Leader, Ambassador and Exemplar. I also offer other focus areas such as the ‘Dark Side of Leadership’ (Leadership Mistakes) and ‘The Sad State of Leadership Communication and How to Turn it Around."

“I have done 40+ of these since 2016,” Dool said. “Early on and still today I have done a series of work for the Rutgers Foundation. Also, since I am a StrengthFinders Certified Coach, I have done a lot of related workshops, team sessions, and individual coaching, and I receive StrengthsFinders referrals from the Rutgers Leadership Academy.”

Dool has also presented at many conferences on these subjects, and he has also published four related books. He said these appearances and publications have also led to many of the requests and referrals he’s received.

Dool is a former CEO and Global Executive Leader whose research interests are in the areas of organizational renewal and transformations as well as leadership communication. He has been teaching and publishing in these areas since 2003. 

Before Dool decided to pivot to academia full time, he had an extensive and diverse corporate executive career. His executive experience includes leading an $800M division of AT&T, global leadership roles at GE, and serving for 12 years as CEO of both public and private companies.

Discover more about Dool and the Master of Communication and Media degree on the Rutgers School of Communication and Information website.