We each have our share of many responsibilities to family, career, and community. Examine individual stressors and ways to avoid them. Identify the effects of stress on your life and on your relationship with others – including those we provide service to. Look at the process of burnout and learn techniques to control stress while still managing your responsibilities. Plenty of activities are incorporated, but it is still a relaxing experience!

Learn the reasons why employees resort to deflecting tactics when mistakes are made or something goes wrong. Identify the de-motivating effects of “passing the buck” and other office politics. Discover ways to remove finger pointing for a more productive and happier environment.

From e-mail to snail-mail to interoffice memos, we’ll distinguish the appropriate uses of various venues for business writing. Learn basic organizational patterns for all business letters. Discover how to analyze the reader’s probable reaction your message. Review common mistakes regarding grammar and punctuation that can weaken your attempt to create a good impression. See how to put even the most negative of messages in a positive light.

See why some see change as a time of excitement, opportunity and challenge while others see confusion, anxiety and loss of control. Find ways to “thrive” and not just “survive” in an environment of change. Learn to facilitate an atmosphere where employees feel comfortable and optimistic about change.

Find ways to “thrive” and not just “survive” in your career. Learn the sources of job stress and how you can handle them. Examine ways to know if you are ready for a career change. See why career development can be a time of excitement, opportunity and challenge.

People work for many reasons, but don’t find yourself stuck in job that is doing nothing for your career? Complete a personal assessment that can help you discover your attributes, interests, and values. Discover ways to determine your physical capabilities, stress tolerance levels, and other factors for choosing the type of career and working conditions. See how to investigate careers and wire your professional network. Learn the importance of setting short-term and long-term career goals. Discuss the advantages, disadvantages and risks of entrepreneurship.

Ever feel like you are “walking on eggshells” around certain folks? Unfortunately it happens even in the most professional of places. Determine your own interaction style and learn ways to “adjust” when dealing with different kinds of co-workers and clients. We’ll chat about gossipers, busybodies, and complainers. We will even discuss how to handle the “moody” ones (you know who I mean!). Plenty of hilarious examples are included in this teambuilding event.

Review your organization/department’s mission statement and goals. Evaluate job descriptions to ensure they align with standards and objectives. Integrate specific tasks that determine measurable outcomes. Discuss ways to plan and provide effective performance appraisals. Learn to administer discipline that brings about positive results.

Learn the keys to excellence in providing services to those we support inside and outside the organization. Discuss ways to put the most negative of messages in a positive tone. Learn conflict resolution techniques and assertiveness training.

Recognizing an increasingly diverse society is a top priority in successful organizations. Providing services and/or working with others who don’t share the same background, beliefs or traditions can be challenging. Assess your perceptions and behaviors toward people who are different from you. Discover the benefits of changing negative attitudes and resistance into appreciation and cooperation.

Perfect your organization/department’s mission statement and goals. Review job descriptions to ensure they align with standards and objectives. Integrate specific tasks that determine measurable outcomes.

Review the “critical checklist” for responding when an intensely disruptive event affects the organization. Find ways of providing immediate – yet temporary – emotional “first aid” to your employees and co-workers and making effective referrals. Discuss ways to integrate preventive measures wherever possible while avoiding extremes.

You know you can’t always please every customer, and sometimes the goal is to just keep an irritated person from becoming irate! Discover the keys to providing excellent “customer” service. Discuss what to do when a client becomes “unreasonable.” You will also be provided with some great assertiveness training (a.k.a. How to say “no” sometimes!).

Communication is the key to excellence! First we are going to discuss our own listening habits and the benefits of actually paying attention. Then we’ll cover ways to ensure that others really hear the message we are trying to communicate. From good news to bad news, phrasing is everything! Discover the importance of planning both written and verbal communication. We’ll even discuss ways to put negative messages in a positive tone. This session will help with supervisors, co-workers, and clients. So “tune-in” and enjoy this ear-opening session!

Discuss the various venues we utilize interviewing skills (hiring, discipline, appraisals) Discover ways to organize the interviewing processes more effectively. Learn excellent presentation pointers that will strengthen your confidence utilizing a variety of methods. Integrate your knowledge of your own interaction style to adjust your questioning to meet the needs of each unique situation (and to keep things ethical & legal).

Everybody has a customer, even if you don’t deal directly with the public! Learn the keys to excellence in customer service. Learn ways to say “no” in a positive way. Discover conflict management techniques that will keep the client satisfied.

Determine how much of your leadership style emphasizes encouraging and constructive communication behaviors. Learn ways to curb angry outbursts, intimidation methods, and other destructive responses to our employees and customers. Discover ways to put even the most negative message in a positive tone in order to maintain a pleasantly progressive atmosphere within the organization.

Learn the steps necessary for managing multiple projects effectively (whether they be ongoing or in various stages). Gain easy methods to organize paper clutter, office files, and other obstacles. Discover ways to effectively prioritize to gain more productive time each day to accomplish goals and meet deadlines.

Learn steps to systematic problem solving and ways to apply them to all aspects of business and personal life. Discover ways to effectively set group goals for you and your staff. Examine individual and group decision-making styles. Explore group dynamics and how they affect your leadership/interaction style.

Learn ways to effectively research, prepare, and organize your presentation at council meetings and other venues. Discuss ways to speak with clarity and gain confidence to stand in front of a group and speak. Discover simple tricks to calm the butterflies. Oops! You told your audience something they didn’t need to know or you said something inappropriate. Ouch! You tripped walking across the room or fell off your chair. Ewww! You burped, sneezed, or produced other awkward sounds at inopportune times. This fun section entitled “Yuck! Is that Egg on my Face” will include some pointers on how to recover from life’s embarrassing moments.

Examine standard Quality Improvement concepts. Review a recommended TQM process to improve efficiency and customer satisfaction. Discuss encouraging communication behaviors (i.e. listening and positive responses) that encourage employee and customer participation in quality improvement endeavors. Establish the guidelines that will link employee involvement, performance management, and quality improvement.

For résumés, learn what to include, what to leave out, and what key words and phrases to use. See different résumé formats and find which type works best for different situations. Discover the importance of cover letters. Learn excellent presentation pointers that will strengthen your confidence for a variety of interviewing methods. Suggestions for salary negotiations and follow-up tips are also included. The session will involve actual résumé preparation, so bring a flash drive with you.

This topic is becoming more and more important for every employee to understand. Examine the impact of stereotyping and all types of discrimination, including sexual harassment. Look at ways to avoid harassment allegations and protect you and your organization from legal and financial responsibilities.

Examine the various leadership styles of managers. Identify ways to adjust your leadership techniques to specific situations and circumstances. Ensure your leadership style motivates staff performance and growth.

Discuss basic telephone etiquette. Examine your own telephone listening habits and the importance of actually “paying attention” to your caller. Learn the importance of the tone of your voice as it relates to other methods of communication. Discover ways to “recover” from difficult calls.

Learn a dozen time management techniques to help you control stress and still meet deadlines and goals. Discover ways of prioritizing, organizing, and retaining written and electronic documentation

Review the four functions of a supervisor & the skills necessary to be successful. Distinguish between management skills and leadership skills. Discover ways to handle the challenges of interacting with clients, peers, and superiors.

Learn practical skills to prevent and respond properly to threats, abuse, and violent behavior that employees may face from other employees, customers, vendors, or strangers in their workplace. Identify the warning signs of workplace violence and when to report questionable or threatening behavior.