Special Issues
alleviating burnout
...how supervisors can recognize and prevent the stress and burnout in their employees that costs billions to American business each year...
Objective To enable participants to recognize stress, burnout, and their causes; to provide personal and organizational ways to prevent stress and burnout.
Who Should Attend This course is designed for supervisors and policy-makers, but all employees faced with increased workload and decreased resources will benefit from becoming aware of stress, burnout, and their prevention.
Course Content
Stress and Burnout
- signs and symptoms
- cost
- effects on employees and organizations
- cultural and organizational factors
- components of burnout
Preventing Burnout
- staff development intervention
- changing the job and role structure
- changing client responsibility
- providing career ladders
- providing management training
- improving employee benefits and employee assistance programs
Competencies addressed in this session:
- Organizational understanding
- Creativity and problem solving
- Interpersonal understanding
- Relationship building
- Teamwork
approaching supervision
...information to help you plan or make the transition into a supervisory position...
Objective To identify the overall role and scope of supervision; to identify the skills, abilities, and personal principles needed to perform the job well.
Who Should Attend Promotions to supervisory positions generally come on the heels of technical proficiency in the work of the unit. But supervision entails an entirely different set of skills, a new type of job. This course addresses the needs of new supervisors with less than six months experience and potential supervisors who wish to understand the position, its problems, and its rewards. Most seasoned supervisors look back at their first half-year in the position as a period of stress and confusion. This course helps to put the job, the role, the responsibilities, and the relationships in a rational perspective.
Course Content
The Position
- supervision and the information age
- changes and challenges
- what makes a good supervisor?
- seven deadly sins of supervision
The Job
- "everything you ever wanted to know about supervision"
- responsibilities
- limits of responsibilities
- resources and rights
The Transition
- professional: from doer to delegator
- personal: from cohort to controller
- making the change
The Authority
- power
- types of power
Leadership
- leadership vs. management
- leadership style
- developing others' potential
Competencies addressed in this session:
- Leadership
- Self-knowledge and personal awareness
- Commitment to the organization
- Independence and responsibility
charting your career with MBTI
...to know where you're going...
Objective To better understand yourself and the career opportunities that match your type preference.
Who Should Attend People who want to create a career plan for the future. This workshop will also help trainers assess their current work environment for areas that need improvement accepting individual personality type preferences.
Course Content
Introduction to MBTI
The Career Satisfaction "Formula"
- temperaments
- strengths and weaknesses
- public and private strengths
- type development
Creating a Personal Career Plan
- ten steps
Competencies addressed in this session:
- Self-knowledge and personal awareness
- Flexibility and adaptability
- Professionalism
- Creativity and problem solving
excellent assistant series
...for administrative support and their supervisors...
Objective To provide professional growth for administrative assistants.
Who Should Attend Designed for administrative support personnel, this series offers practical tips and tools for persons whose main job is helping others. Seven sessions are especially designed for the administrative assistants. One session is especially designed for the supervisors of those assistants. It will overview the series and provide special training on supervising.
Course Content
Managing Priorities
- putting first things first
- setting priorities
- working for multiple bosses
- introduction to behavioral contracting
Getting Organized
- overcoming the paper blizzard
- filing
- phone
- handling interruptions
Communicating Clearly
- listening
- assertive communication
- diversity and communication
Supervisor Session
- overview of series
- contracts
- coaching
- change cycle
- inclusion, control, respect
Working as a Team (1)
- teamwork
- stages of team development
- decision making
Working as a Team (2)
- team and interrelationships
- team conflict resolution
- conflict cycle
Writing Effectively
- importance of good writing
- be clear
- be concise
- tone up your tone
- meaningful minutes
Complete Customer Service
- steps in developing quality customer service
- handling complaints
- handling angry people
Competencies addressed in this session:
- Independence and responsibility
- Professionalism
- Speaking effectively
- Writing effectively
- Customer orientation
- Teamwork
- Relationship building
- Efficiency and focus
exploring emotional intelligence
...why do we react the way we do...
Objective To better understand emotional intelligence and its impact of our wellbeing. To better handle situations involving others.
Who Should Attend "Emotional Intelligence" is for anyone who believes that IQ is the leading determinant of success - and for those of you who have thought differently. While factual knowledge and how-to skills continue to be important, emotional intelligence skills (such as flexibility, teamwork, handling emotions, communications, and enthusiasm) have become even more crucial and valuable. This class provides insights that expand beyond the commonly held views of human intelligence. The information explores how people who possess high emotional intelligence are the people who truly succeed in work as well as play.
Course Content
What is Emotional Intelligence and Why is it Important
The Four EQ Skills
Building EQ Skills
EQ and Job Performance
Competencies addressed in this session
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Self-knowledge and personal awareness
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Flexibility and adaptability
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Interpersonal understanding
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Relationship building
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Teamwork
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Maturity and emotional discipline
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Creativity and problem-solving
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Customer orientation
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Leadership
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Networking
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Efficiency and focus
generations @ work
...inclusion, control, and respect...
Objective To explore and discuss how the four generations at work communicate, prioritize, problem-solve and learn differently.
Who Should Attend This course is for anyone who works with people of different generations. For the first time there are four generations currently in the workplace. Multiple generations have worked together before, but usually in a rather rigid heirarchy. Now there is less separation by job description. This challenges us to understand our own preferences, goal and values, and to understand the preferences, goals and values of our colleagues. This workshop explores the influencing events and trends of each generation. We will discuss the characteristics of each generation, how they affect the workplace, and how we can better communicate.
Course Content
Dimensions of Diversity
The Four Generations
The Influences and Trends of Each Generation
Characteristics of Each Generation and How They Affect Work
Inclusion, Control and Respect
Bridging the Differences
Competencies addressed in this session
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Interpersonal understanding
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Relationship building
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Self-knowledge and personal awareness
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Flexibility and adaptability
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Communications
introduction to Meyers-Briggs Type Indicator
...why do you do what you do?...
Objective To better understand yourself and those with whom you work.
Who Should Attend Anyone who seeks a better understanding of themselves and others should attend this half-day workshop. Using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, participants will develop a thorough psychological self-portrait and a deeper understanding of themselves and others. With the constant changes in our environment, this knowledge is more valuable than every before.
Course Content
Introduction to Type Theory
- extraversion & introversion
- sensing & intuition
- thinking & feeling
- perceiving & judging
Exploration of your Individual Type Preferences
- administration of MBTI instrument
- self-assessment
Type Development
- are we born with preferences?
Experiencing the Dichotomies
- clarifying the preferences
- exercises
Understanding the People Around You
- setting goals for application
Competencies addressed in this session:
- Self-knowledge and personal awareness
- Flexibility and adaptability
- Interpersonal understanding
- Relationship building
issues of diversity and harassment
...inclusion, control, and respect...
Objective To explore and discuss some of the ways we are different and how those differences can affect our behavior and communication. To discuss ways of honoring diversity and preventing harassment.
Who Should Attend Our world is growing more diverse. The people we work with, the people we serve have different views of the world than we do. This interactive class will focus on how people are diverse, how we are the same, and how we can better communicate with everyone.
Course Content
Dimensions of Diversity
- Organizational dimensions
- External dimensions
- Internal dimensions
- Personality
Benefits of Diversity
- To ourselves
- To our organization
Dangers of Intolerance
- Roots of intolerance
- Illegal discrimination
- Policy requirements
- Problem conduct
Bridging Differences
- Inclusion
- Control
- Respect
Competencies addressed in this session:
- Interpersonal understanding
- Decision making
- Persuasion
- Relationship building
laughing matters: humor in the workplace
...a look at how humor affects us - and how we can effect it...
Objective To explore the nature and nurture of humor; to practice and develop humor skills that can be constructively applied to work and personal life.
Who Should Attend Humor is vital to good health, both physical and mental, but it's easy to lose sight of that fact. Workers in the U.S. consume 15 tons of aspirin every day. Bureaucratic life seems to put a premium on seriousness, and the result is often stressful. It's possible to be professional without being ponderous. Work can (and should) be fun. This half-day seminar will take a light-hearted look at the lighter side - what humor is, its benefits, and how to make it work at work. The class will benefit employees at all levels who want to find out how humor can help relieve stress, resolve conflict, unleash creativity, and generally make life a little more enjoyable.
Course Content
- The value of humor
- Taking your job seriously and yourself lightly
- Self-confidence and the ability to laugh at yourself
- "He who laughs, lasts" humor and stress
- The communication edge: balancing substance with style
- Making humor work for change
- Using humor to build bridges and teamwork
- Promoting creativity through humor
Competencies addressed in this session:
- Creativity and problem solving
- Interpersonal understanding
- Relationship building
- Professionalism
managing multiple priorities
...when everybody wants something NOW...
Objective To enable the participant to better prioritize demands on their time.
Who Should Attend One big effect of the technological workplace seems to be this: Whatever the task, everyone wants it now. The public, your coworkers, your boss - they all think that the work you're doing for them is most important. And it is. That's why you need to manage multiple priorities. This half-day workshop will give you insight into your mode of dealing with priorities. It will also give you tools to reduce the stress and do your best.
Course Content
Organizing
- left brain/right brain
- preferences
- effect on how you manage priorities
First Things First
- urgent and important
- balancing
Setting Priorities
- write them
- rank them
- schedule them
Working for Multiple Bosses
- communicating
- dealing with conflict
Your Energy Profile
- characteristics
- stresses
- increasing your lesser energies
Competencies addressed in this session:
- Efficiency and focus
- Self-knowledge and personal awareness
- Analytical thinking
- Reliable and dependable
managing stress
...don't let stress make you a mess...
Objective To enable participants to recognize stress and its causes; to provide practical exercises and suggestions that can alleviate stress.
Who Should Attend What you don't know about stress can hurt you. By paying attention to your body's warning signs and dealing effectively with stress, you can be a healthier, happier, and calmer person - and a more productive worker. You may even save your life!
Several versions on this course are offered to meet your particular needs. These versions can benefit employees at all levels and in any job. If you want to find out about stress, how it affects you, and what you can do about it, plan to attend.
Course Content
Managing Stress I
What is stress?
Strategies for coping with stress
Managing Stress II
Evaluating your stress level
Stress Management
Managing Workplace Stress
What are energy types?
Transforming Stress into Power
Competencies addressed in these sessions:
- Self-knowledge and personal awareness
- Relationship building
- Persuasion
- Professionalism
- Efficiency and focus
- Flexibility and adaptability
- Creativity and problem solving
managing your time
...organize yourself and your work by organizing your time...
Objective To improve your use of time through better management and organization.
Who Should Attend We never seem to have enough hours in a day, yet we all suspect that, if we were better organized, we could get more done. This course is appropriate for all employees; it offers time-tested and timely tips on time.
Course Content
First Things First
Urgent and Important
Balance
Mission Statements
- organizational
- work unit
- personal
Roles and Goals
Controlling Time Wasters
- paper blizzard
- telephone
- visitors
- meetings
Competencies addressed in this session:
- Interpersonal understanding
- Decision making
- Organizational understanding
- Efficiency and focus
new employee orientation
...a comprehensive introduction to employment with the State of Montana...
Objective To provide an overview of state government and matters pertaining to employment with the state.
Who Should Attend All new employees who have not previously worked for Montana state government should attend this orientation to acquire a working knowledge of the structure, benefits, and policies affecting them. This full-day class features presentations by specialists on the topics listed below.
Course Content
- EEO/Affirmative Action
- Organization
- Deferred Compensation
- Training
- Incentive Awards
- Classification
- Personnel Policies
- Safety
- Public Employees Retirement
- Insurance Coverage
- Benefits
- Pay
Competencies addressed in this session:
- Interpersonal understanding
- Organizational understanding
- Customer orientation
pre-retirement planning
...retirement doesn't mean you simply stop going to work...
Objective To provide important information for planning retirement and making the transition to retirement.
Who Should Attend Retirement is the biggest career move in our lives. It brings on a wealth of changes that, unless anticipated and planned for, can cause damaging personal and financial problems that can ruin the dreams of our autumn years. This two-day course will provide valuable information on effecting a healthy, secure, and positive change for your retirement years.
Any government employee who is planning on retiring from public service within the next five to ten years will benefit from this seminar. Five years is an ideal planning period, yet five months may not be too late. In addition, retirement is not a solo journey; we urge participants to invite their spouse or a close loved one to attend with them, free of charge. Please inform us so we can arrange proper facilities.
Course Content
Personal Planning for the Future
- "I am" to "I was" social
- adjustment to retirement
- physical aspects of retirement:
- personal and psychological
- adjustment
Financial Planning for the Future
- estate planning
- social security
- public employee
- retirement system
- other options
Competencies addressed in this session:
- Self-knowledge and personal awareness
- Decision making
- Creativity and problem solving
- Analytical thinking
protecting patient and employee privacy
...a seminar for medical managers...
Objective To increase awareness of the laws protecting patient privacy and how they apply; to increase awareness of employee privacy rights and how to protect them.
Who Should Attend Many people fear that loss of privacy is the price we pay for technological progress. However, the laws and the courts do not uphold this viewpoint. Medical personnel face special demands for protecting the privacy of patients. And medical managers face the same demands as all other employers to protect the privacy of employees.
This five-hour seminar focuses on the issues of patient and employee privacy. The course features case studies and other methods to facilitate a lively discussion. It will benefit all managers and supervisors in a hospital setting. In addition, it is important to office managers, supervisors, and practitioners in clinics and medical offices.
Course Content
Case Studies
Issues of Patient Privacy
- laws and policies
- handling requests for verbal information
- handling requests for telephone information
- handling requests for medical records
- handling patients' requests for information
- controlling patient privacy among personnel
Employee Privacy
- affected issues
- potential pitfalls
Legal Considerations
- defamation
- invasions of privacy
- absolute privilege
- qualified privilege
Conclusions
- laws and policies
- the hiring process
- maintaining confidentiality
- documentation
- protecting employee records
- off-duty activities
- giving references
- employee searches
Competencies addressed in this session:
- Professionalism
- Commitment to the profession
- Ethics
type, teaching and tots: Myers-Briggs for teachers
...what's the most effective environment for your students...
Objective To increase knowledge and skills in teaching methods to improve your students' performance.
Who Should Attend This class is for all teachers who seek to better understand themselves and their students. Using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, participants will develop a thorough psychological self-portrait. This portrait will help you know your teaching strengths and tendencies, overcome your weaknesses, and help you better understand the students who depend on you.
Course Content
Introduction to Type Theory
Exploration of your Individual Type
Understanding the Children You Teach
- how your type can affect your students
- type and test questions
- type and classroom rules
- type and judging children's performance
- type and student behaviors
- type and the creative process
- type and group discussions
- student and teacher relationships
Creating Environments that Encourage all Children
Competencies addressed in this session:
- Interpersonal understanding
- Self-knowledge and personal awareness
- Analytical thinking
working with difficult people
...you can improve your human relations with people who sometimes don't seem human...
Objective To identify characteristics of several types of difficult people and the methods of dealing with them effectively.
Who Should Attend You can't handpick the people you must work with. It would be naive to expect a friendly, helpful, accommodating person every time. Very often, you come across someone who seems - to you, at least - difficult to deal with. It's just as naive not to recognize that you may be difficult yourself. Your partner in communication has to deal with your character quirks and may be hard pressed to find a productive way to interact with you.
This course will benefit anyone who must deal routinely with others who seem difficult. It focuses on several types of difficult people, as well as providing tips on recognizing and coping with them.
Course Content
Identifying Difficult Behavior
Difficult People Behaviors & Tactics for Managing Them
- The Know-It-All
- The Super-Agreeable
- The Indecisive Staller
- The Sniper
- The Complainer
- The Tank
Behavioral Styles Inventory
- identifying your own style
- identifying others' styles
- using knowledge of styles to guide you
Communication Skills
- listening
- focusing on behavior
- questioning
Competencies addressed in this session:
- Persuasion
- Relationship building
- Self-knowledge and personal awareness
- Decision making
