MissionU
Preparing the underserved
for the future of work
ROLE
Program Manager
SCOPE
Learning Design
TIMEFRAME
2017-2018
CHALLENGE
University Of The Future
As the Emotional Intelligence Program Manager (Employee #5), I was tasked with creating a year’s worth of curriculum and collateral for a new hybrid online/in-person college for underserved adults.
IMPACT
Educating adults neglected by formal education
5,000
Student applications at <1% acceptance rate
2,400
Pages of content created from scratch
40+
Adult learners (18-39) trained in soft skills
17
Different states
2
Twelve-week programs developed
"Norman is not just an incredibly talented curriculum developer, facilitator and instructor on all things emotional intelligence but he is also one of the most emotionally intelligent people I’ve ever worked with.
We searched high and low for someone with Norman’s rare skill set of creating truly transformative “soft-skill” and EQ education experiences that our employer partners demanded and we could not have been more lucky to have found Norman.
His impact on the students in the MissionU program and our staff simply cannot be quantified but the EQ transformation that occurred in those impacted by his work will have a lifetime of value.
Mike Adams
Co-Founder & Chief Product Officer, MissionU
COURSE 1 / 2
Success by Design (SBD)
A class to bridge who we are, and where we want to go
SUCCESS BY DESIGN
An examined life, by design
1. HABITS, CHANGE, LEARNING
What can we learn from the science of habits, change, and learning to maximize our daily performance?
2. ENERGY & ATTENTION
How do Olympic athletes, world-class performers, and leaders of global organizations operate at their best?
3. HAPPINESS
Why is it easier for some people to be happier than others and how do we obtain this elusive thing called “happiness”?
4. strengths & weaknesses
Society trains us to be well-rounded and to focus on improving our weaknesses, but what if top performers do the opposite?
5. values
Why do some people seem so clear on what they value in life? How do we discover what’s important to us?
6. purpose
Is there meaning to life? If so, how do we find it and live in accordance with what’s important to us?
7. RESILIENCE
Why do some people seem unfazed by life’s challenges while others crumble? How do we combat adversity healthily?
8. THE JOURNEY MAP
When I’m talking about myself, what should I share from my life to earn others’ trust and achieve my goals?
9. STORYTELLING
How do I create different versions of my story that are both authentic and strategic in highlighting my uniqueness?
10. voyage blueprint
How do I figure out what I want to do with my career? How do I broaden my options and get them all out on the table?
11. prototyping your path
I have some ideas about what to do with my career but how do I efficiently test them out to see if I really want to do that?
12. adding value & followup
How do I build a long-term relationship with the professionals I talked to? How do I make use of my prototypes?
SELECT CURRICULUM SLIDES
Learning made beautiful
TESTIMONIALS
The road ahead, clarified
COURSE 2 / 2
Interpersonal Lab (iLab)
A class that transforms how we relate and influence
interpersonal laboratory
How do you AI-proof
yourself? Social skills
LEARNING TOOLS
Who says EQ has to be hard to learn?
TESTIMONIALS
Lives forever changed
A Transformative Experience
“I got to learn about and develop skills that I've never had the ability to ever in any class. I believe that those are the skills that will differentiate me in my life after MissionU and beyond […] iLab was unforgettable. That class alone is worth moving across the country for.”
Accurate Self-Perception
“Being more conscious of and learning more about how you're perceived and how your actions come off to other people is information that will always be useful in my daily interactions”
Self-Awareness
“I have learned so much about myself in iLab, and how to be a better communicator with others. What I've learned in iLab will help me throughout the rest of my life.”
Building Deep Relationships
“iLAB is about shaping interpersonal skills in a controlled and safe environment that will lead to building successful relationships for the rest of our lives. After 3 months, I know the people in this group better than I know a lot of my best friends.”
Adaptability
“I learned how to communicate more clearly and respectfully, and learned about so many factors that influence people in any given context that will serve me in so many different environments beyond the workshop”
Group Dynamics
"I became cognizant of different group roles and feel more equipped to intentionally change roles based on what is needed in a specific team setting"
Empathy & Influence
“This class made me realize how my words land on other people and helps me to really strategize my word choice and times to come into a conversation. This class ultimately allowed me to gain stronger leadership skills.”
Interpersonal Conflict
“iLab taught me how to communicate with others and deal with interpersonal conflict - skills I have already started using in my everyday life.”
Credits
Mike Adams - Chief Product Officer
Lauren Pizer - Senior Student Experience Manager
Angela Prakash - Learning Experience Designer
Tianyi Dong - Curriculum Intern
Skylar Bantley - Curriculum Intern
Will Shan - Special Projecs Intern
UP NEXT
Tradecraft
Helping smart people design their next career move
LEARNING DESIGN | FACILITATION | PROGRAM MGMT
As Head of Design, I was tasked with updating and managing recurring three-month in-person intensives that help professionals break into product design. Responsibilities included curriculum design for technical and soft skills, as well as managing an agency that placed participants in high-growth startup roles for real-world experience.
