From the Stage to the Boardroom is an immersive one-day leadership workshop presented by the Ness School of Management & Economics and the School of Performing Arts at South Dakota State University, in partnership with SDSU Extension. This workshop is sponsored by the College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences. The workshop will be held on November 20 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Startup Sioux Falls in the MarketBeat Theatre (100 E 6th Street, Sioux Falls, SD 57104). Designed for business owners, managers, executives, and emerging leaders, this small-group workshop provides personalized coaching and opportunities to practice new skills in a supportive environment.
The most effective leaders know how to do more than share information. They know how to connect, influence, navigate difficult conversations, and adapt in the moment. Yet communication remains one of the most persistent and costly challenges organizations face. When conversations are avoided, feedback misses the mark, or concerns go unspoken, organizations pay the price through lost productivity, rework, and missed opportunities.
Every actor is trained to do what most leaders never practice: communicate with intention, read the room, respond under pressure, and connect with people in ways that inspire action. These skills are not talent, but are learned, practiced, and refined. That's exactly what this workshop is designed to teach.
Drawing on techniques used by actors, directors, and performers, this interactive workshop, facilitated by Jim Wood, Associate Director of the SDSU School of Performing Arts and Artistic Director of Theatre and Dance, and Melissa Hauschild-Mork, Associate Professor of Dance, SDSU School of Performing Arts, helps leaders strengthen one of the most important drivers of organizational success: communication. Participants will get on their feet, practice real-world leadership scenarios, receive coaching from experienced facilitators, and immediately apply what they learn. The result is stronger conversations, better team alignment, and greater confidence in challenging leadership moments.
Participants will learn how to:
- Communicate with greater clarity and intention
- Lead difficult conversations with confidence
- Read the room and respond effectively under pressure
- Deliver feedback that motivates action
- Build trust and encourage productive dialogue within teams
Participants will leave with more than ideas. They will leave with practical tools, greater confidence and leadership communication skills they can use the very next day.
Registration
Registration for this event is limited. Lunch and light refreshments will be provided. If you are interested in attending this workshop, contact Paul Rann, SDSU Extension Program Manager for Urban Economic Development.
