Ariel Avgar is an Associate Professor at the ILR School at Cornell University and Associate Director for Research and Student Engagement with the Scheinman Institute on Conflict Resolution. His research focuses on two primary areas within employment relations. First, he explores the role that employment relations factors play in the healthcare industry. As such, he examines the effects of a variety of workplace innovations, including new technology, delivery of care models, and innovative work practices, on patients, frontline employees, and organizational performance. Second, he studies conflict and its management in organizations with a focus on the strategic choices made by firms. He seeks to better understand the consequences of conflict for employees and employers. In addition, his research investigates the adoption and implementation of organizational level conflict management practices and systems. His research has been published in a number of journals including: Industrial and Labor Relations Review, Industrial Relations, British Journal of Industrial Relations, Ohio State Journal on Dispute Resolution, International Journal of Conflict Management, International Journal of Human Resource Management, Negotiation and Conflict Management Review, Advances in Industrial and Labor Relations, Health Services Research and Medical Care. He received the 2008 Best Dissertation Award and the 2013 John T. Dunlop Scholar Award, both from the Labor and Employment Relations Association and serves as the Editor-in-Chief for the association. His paper (with Eric J. Neuman) titled “Blind spots and mirages: A dyadic approach to the study of team conflict” received the 2012 Best Paper: New Directions Award from the Academy of Management Conflict Management Division. He received a Ph.D. in Industrial Relations from the ILR School at Cornell University and a B.A. in Sociology and an LL.B in Law from Hebrew University. He served as Law Clerk for the President of the Israeli National Labor Court before being admitted into the Israeli Bar. Prior to joining ILR, he was an associate professor (2014-2016) and assistant professor (2008-2014) at the School of Labor and Employment Relations at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Overview and Courses
In today's fast-paced work environment, effective communication and strong relationships are crucial for success. As a frontline worker, you need practical strategies to navigate workplace challenges and foster positive interactions. This certificate program equips you with essential tools to enhance your communication skills, manage emotions, and resolve conflicts effectively.
Through four targeted courses, you will master techniques for providing and receiving feedback that builds trust, confidently advocating for yourself, and staying composed in difficult situations. You’ll discover how to transform conflicts into positive outcomes and build meaningful connections within your organization. You’ll also enhance your role as an individual contributor by developing skills such as crafting clear, persuasive messages and understanding an organization's dynamics.
Upon completing this program, you will be empowered to tackle workplace challenges with confidence, leading to better outcomes for yourself, your team, and your organization. You'll be prepared to build trust, maintain composure under pressure, and effectively advocate for meaningful change.
Course list
Success in today's workplace depends on the ability to communicate effectively and build meaningful relationships. This course focuses on two essential skills: mastering feedback and developing your professional network, both of which are critical for personal and career growth.
In this course, you will explore why feedback often feels difficult and discover actionable strategies, such as the SBIA model (Situation, Behavior, Impact, Ally Action), to turn it into a tool for success. You will also discover practical networking techniques to expand your connections, find mentors, and introduce yourself with confidence in various settings. The course features expert insights, collaborative activities, and innovative concepts.
Upon completion of this course, you will be equipped to handle feedback constructively, foster strong workplace communication, and leverage networking opportunities to advance your career. These skills will help you build relationships that support professional growth and create a positive impact in any work environment.
- Aug 13, 2025
- Oct 8, 2025
- Dec 3, 2025
- Jan 28, 2026
- Mar 25, 2026
- May 20, 2026
In this course, you will develop practical skills to effectively manage workplace conflicts by understanding their complexity, timing, and various dimensions. You'll distinguish between beneficial conflicts that drive innovation and damaging conflicts that harm organizational relationships, enabling you to make analytical assessments of conflict situations as they arise.
Through self-assessment tools and case studies, you will identify your default conflict management styles and understand how others approach conflict differently, allowing you to adapt your approach when working with peers, supervisors, and clients. You'll utilize interest-based conflict resolution techniques that move beyond determining who is right or wrong to focus on understanding and addressing the underlying needs of all parties involved.
This approach will enable you to transform potentially damaging conflicts into opportunities for organizational learning and growth while developing practical strategies to prevent unnecessary conflict escalation in your workplace.
- Aug 27, 2025
- Oct 22, 2025
- Dec 17, 2025
- Feb 11, 2026
- Apr 8, 2026
- Jun 3, 2026
Emotional intelligence is the foundation of effective communication, teamwork, and leadership. In this course, you will discover how to understand, manage, and apply emotions to navigate workplace challenges, strengthen relationships, and foster a positive environment. By focusing on key components such as self-awareness, self-regulation, empathy, social skills, and motivation, you will discover how emotional intelligence shapes success both professionally and personally.
You will assess your emotional intelligence and practice techniques like mindfulness, active listening, and stress management to build stronger connections and thrive under pressure. Through real-world scenarios and evidence-based strategies, you'll gain actionable tools to stay calm, adapt to change, and handle tough conversations with composure.
Upon completion of this course, you will be equipped with the skills to navigate stress, communicate effectively, and foster a collaborative workplace culture. You'll leave with tools to not only grow as an employee but as a leader and individual who thrives in any environment.
- Sep 10, 2025
- Nov 5, 2025
- Dec 31, 2025
- Feb 25, 2026
- Apr 22, 2026
- Jun 17, 2026
In this course, you will develop essential skills for advocating effectively in the workplace, focusing on how to raise concerns and present ideas in ways that benefit both you and your organization. You'll progress through a structured learning journey that begins with understanding advocacy fundamentals and workplace dynamics then moves to framing techniques and timing strategies, culminating in practical application through real-world scenarios and exercises.
Through hands-on projects, you will align concerns with organizational priorities, select appropriate communication channels, use precise professional language, and build confidence in navigating hierarchical workplace relationships.
The course emphasizes practical skill-building through tools like the Conversation Planner and Advocacy Tracker while incorporating real examples from successful workplace advocates. By completing this course, you will be equipped with concrete strategies for speaking up effectively, understanding organizational dynamics, and handling potential setbacks — skills that are increasingly valued in today's workplace.
- Sep 24, 2025
- Nov 19, 2025
- Jan 14, 2026
- Mar 11, 2026
- May 6, 2026
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How It Works
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Faculty Authors
Nick Fabrizio’s expertise spans both the public and private sectors. He advises companies, government agencies, and prominent healthcare institutions on a variety of issues, including strategic decisions, public policy, mergers and acquisitions, turnaround/crisis management, and integrating technology.
Professor Fabrizio is a frequent presenter at state and national conferences and has published over 25 journal articles on corporate governance, strategy, and organizational change. He has also published book chapters and two books, and he is a regular contributor to news and media outlets on healthcare trends and current events.
Professor Fabrizio is the Capstone Director for both the MHA and EMHA programs. In addition to teaching in the Sloan Program, he developed the Healthcare Change Management Certificate Program for eCornell and designs custom programs for eCornell.
Professor Fabrizio received his undergraduate degree from the State University of New York at Cortland, his M.A. from Binghamton University, and his Ph.D. from Walden University.
Andrew Quagliata is a senior lecturer in management communication at the Cornell Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration in the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business. He teaches courses in business writing, persuasive communication, entrepreneurial communication, and real estate communication. He also teaches in Cornell’s Executive Education Program and is the author of the eCornell course Building Compelling Slide Decks and Reports. Quagliata engages with industry by speaking and delivering workshops on topics related to interpersonal communication, presentation skills, workplace writing, relationship building, storytelling, and influence.
Quagliata holds a PhD in organizational communication from the University at Buffalo. He has published research on communication pedagogy and career success. Prior to his arrival at Cornell, he held professional positions in finance and higher education.
Deirdre Gobeille Snyder is a Lecturer in Management Communication at Cornell University’s SC Johnson College of Business. She teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in business writing, persuasive communications, interpersonal influence, and management presentations.
Prior to joining Cornell, Dr. Snyder was an Associate Professor at Providence College, where she taught undergraduate and graduate courses in organizational behavior, negotiations, leading and managing, decision making, and human resources. She has spent more than 10 years teaching negotiations and leadership courses in the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill’s top-rated online MBA program, MBA@UNC. Dr. Snyder has developed and delivered executive education workshops on power and politics, negotiations, giving and receiving feedback, change management, decision making and biases, interpersonal influence, and conflict management.
Dr. Snyder studies the impact of loneliness and belonging at work, team accountability, and employee retention. Her work has been published in the Journal of Applied Psychology, Human Resources Management, and the Journal of Business Ethics, and featured at the Academy of Management annual meetings.
Dr. Snyder holds a Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and a Master’s of International Business from the University of South Carolina, where she focused on marketing and Spanish. Before obtaining her Ph.D., she spent 15 years working in corporate communications for a variety of organizations, including Cengage Publishing and CNN Latin America. Dr. Snyder has lived and worked in Spain, Mexico, and Argentina, and speaks conversational Spanish.

Ariel Avgar is an Associate Professor at the ILR School at Cornell University and Associate Director for Research and Student Engagement with the Scheinman Institute on Conflict Resolution. His research focuses on two primary areas within employment relations. First, he explores the role that employment relations factors play in the healthcare industry. As such, he examines the effects of a variety of workplace innovations, including new technology, delivery of care models, and innovative work practices, on patients, frontline employees, and organizational performance. Second, he studies conflict and its management in organizations with a focus on the strategic choices made by firms. He seeks to better understand the consequences of conflict for employees and employers. In addition, his research investigates the adoption and implementation of organizational level conflict management practices and systems. His research has been published in a number of journals including: Industrial and Labor Relations Review, Industrial Relations, British Journal of Industrial Relations, Ohio State Journal on Dispute Resolution, International Journal of Conflict Management, International Journal of Human Resource Management, Negotiation and Conflict Management Review, Advances in Industrial and Labor Relations, Health Services Research and Medical Care. He received the 2008 Best Dissertation Award and the 2013 John T. Dunlop Scholar Award, both from the Labor and Employment Relations Association and serves as the Editor-in-Chief for the association. His paper (with Eric J. Neuman) titled “Blind spots and mirages: A dyadic approach to the study of team conflict” received the 2012 Best Paper: New Directions Award from the Academy of Management Conflict Management Division. He received a Ph.D. in Industrial Relations from the ILR School at Cornell University and a B.A. in Sociology and an LL.B in Law from Hebrew University. He served as Law Clerk for the President of the Israeli National Labor Court before being admitted into the Israeli Bar. Prior to joining ILR, he was an associate professor (2014-2016) and assistant professor (2008-2014) at the School of Labor and Employment Relations at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Nick Fabrizio’s expertise spans both the public and private sectors. He advises companies, government agencies, and prominent healthcare institutions on a variety of issues, including strategic decisions, public policy, mergers and acquisitions, turnaround/crisis management, and integrating technology.
Professor Fabrizio is a frequent presenter at state and national conferences and has published over 25 journal articles on corporate governance, strategy, and organizational change. He has also published book chapters and two books, and he is a regular contributor to news and media outlets on healthcare trends and current events.
Professor Fabrizio is the Capstone Director for both the MHA and EMHA programs. In addition to teaching in the Sloan Program, he developed the Healthcare Change Management Certificate Program for eCornell and designs custom programs for eCornell.
Professor Fabrizio received his undergraduate degree from the State University of New York at Cortland, his M.A. from Binghamton University, and his Ph.D. from Walden University.

Andrew Quagliata is a senior lecturer in management communication at the Cornell Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration in the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business. He teaches courses in business writing, persuasive communication, entrepreneurial communication, and real estate communication. He also teaches in Cornell’s Executive Education Program and is the author of the eCornell course Building Compelling Slide Decks and Reports. Quagliata engages with industry by speaking and delivering workshops on topics related to interpersonal communication, presentation skills, workplace writing, relationship building, storytelling, and influence.
Quagliata holds a PhD in organizational communication from the University at Buffalo. He has published research on communication pedagogy and career success. Prior to his arrival at Cornell, he held professional positions in finance and higher education.

Deirdre Gobeille Snyder is a Lecturer in Management Communication at Cornell University’s SC Johnson College of Business. She teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in business writing, persuasive communications, interpersonal influence, and management presentations.
Prior to joining Cornell, Dr. Snyder was an Associate Professor at Providence College, where she taught undergraduate and graduate courses in organizational behavior, negotiations, leading and managing, decision making, and human resources. She has spent more than 10 years teaching negotiations and leadership courses in the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill’s top-rated online MBA program, MBA@UNC. Dr. Snyder has developed and delivered executive education workshops on power and politics, negotiations, giving and receiving feedback, change management, decision making and biases, interpersonal influence, and conflict management.
Dr. Snyder studies the impact of loneliness and belonging at work, team accountability, and employee retention. Her work has been published in the Journal of Applied Psychology, Human Resources Management, and the Journal of Business Ethics, and featured at the Academy of Management annual meetings.
Dr. Snyder holds a Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and a Master’s of International Business from the University of South Carolina, where she focused on marketing and Spanish. Before obtaining her Ph.D., she spent 15 years working in corporate communications for a variety of organizations, including Cengage Publishing and CNN Latin America. Dr. Snyder has lived and worked in Spain, Mexico, and Argentina, and speaks conversational Spanish.
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Key Course Takeaways
- Practice giving and receiving feedback to build trust and improve teamwork
- Develop communication strategies to speak up confidently and create positive results
- Apply emotional intelligence to stay calm and address workplace challenges
- Resolve conflicts effectively by recognizing harmful vs. productive disagreements


What You'll Earn
- Frontline Skills Certificate from Cornell SC Johnson College of Business
- 40 Professional Development Hours (4.0 CEUs)
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Who Should Enroll
- Frontline employees
- Customer service representatives
- Food servers
- Individuals working in a non-manager role

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Frontline Skills
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