Many of us are profoundly insecure about our ability to communicate effectively in writing.

By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

• Identify and apply basic grammar rules of subject-verb agreement, tense, number and pronoun use.
• Recognize and use the simplest and most effective sentence structure.
• Recognize the most important principles of composition.
• Practice correcting error of composition.
• Recognize the most important principles of organization.
• Practice correcting errors of organization.
• Recognize the most common difficulties of wording.
• Practice correcting errors in wording.
• Recognize how to set an appropriate business tone.
• Practice correcting errors in tone.
• Recognize the most important principles of format.
• Apply UK style guidelines to organization writing.
• Apply effective writing principles to documents.

Designed for the professional who is occasionally (or frequently!) required to make presentations, this intense, practice-focused workshop extends over two sessions. Participants will be videotaped and required to prepare a presentation for the second session.

At the end of this workshop, the participant will be able to:

• Consider workshop issues of requirement, role, audience, setting, and timing.
• Plan the presentation.
• Draft the presentation.
• Conduct rehearsals of the presentation.
• Revise presentations after rehearsals.
• Use feedback from participants to improve presentations.
• Plan visual aids.
• Use flip charts effectively.
• Create effective PowerPoint slides.
• Manage stage fright.
• Create powerful introductions.
• Plan and use effective transitions.
• Draw inspiring conclusions.
• Use non-verbal communication techniques to advantage.
• Use presentation software and projectors.

Why bother with teamwork? After all, isn't it simpler to just do your job and not worry about what anyone else is doing? During this workshop we will explore just why working together as a team is so important to the success of the University as well as your personal success.

By the end of the session, you will be able to:

• Understand why change happens.
• Understand who is responsible for change.
• Deal with the four phases of change.
• Examine behaviors that are obstacles to change.
• Understand why teams have become so important to American companies.
• Demonstrate your understanding of the four stages of team development.
• Understand how to deal with challenges to your team's communication.
• Understand how to cope with conflicts in your team.
• Choose to take the initiative through supporting the team.
• Take responsibility and take action.

You and your co-workers encounter a range of range of problems at work. During this workshop, we will explore a quick and easy 3 stage problem solving process; identify strengths and weaknesses at each step of the process; and create action plans for improvement. By the end of the course, you will be able to:

• Identify the steps of the problem-solving model.
• Understand roles and tasks in group problem solving.
• Write a problem statement.
• Analyze the possible and probable causes of a problem.
• Use brainstorming and fishbone diagrams to generate ideas.
• Gather data using check sheets, flow charts, and interviews.
• Identify and choose the best solution using pro/con, criteria checks, and decision matrices.
• Plan actions and assign responsibilities using action plans.
• Evaluate results through systematic follow-up.

Reasoning is the process of examining data (facts, information, evidence, observations, and experiences) and drawing inferences, judgments, and conclusions from the data. Some people argue that by definition reasoning is always critical. However, the reality is that we confine much of our reasoning to the surface; we quickly identify the problem and then implement a solution that seems to solve it. Too often, we attack the symptom of the problem short-circuiting the reasoning process and any creativity.

By the end of this workshop, you will learn to:

• Understand the basic principles of critical thinking.
• Consider the implications of the problems and proposed solutions.
• Practice applying principles of critical thinking to a problem.
• Examine ways to enhance creativity.
• Understand and learn how to avoid mental bias.
• Recognize obstacles to creativity.
• Practice applying creative thinking to a problem.

In order to understand diversity, it is important to understand how individuals are different. We must explore the four major layers and all the dimensions we all have in order to identify our biases towards other individuals. In order to build and sustain trust in the workplace, we must move beyond the fear of not knowing what to expect to creating an environment that expects and encourages the greatest contribution from all employees.

This session is designed to help participants to:

• Define diversity.
• Identify personal biases.
• Identify the dimensions of diversity.
• Understand the System of Advantage.
• Examine her/his own cultural background.
• Develop personal steps to appreciate differences.

When faced by an interaction that we do not understand, people tend to interpret the others involved as "abnormal", "weird", or "wrong". This tendency can lead to prejudice. It is vital that we learn to control the human tendency to translate "different from me" into "less than me." We can learn to do this. Awareness of cultural differences doesn't have to divide us from each other. It doesn't have to paralyze us either, for fear of not saying the "right thing". In fact, becoming more aware of our cultural differences, as well as exploring our similarities, can help us communicate with each other more effectively.

• Recognize the six fundamental patterns of cultural difference.
• Respect differences and work together.
• Recognize the importance of non-verbal communication in multicultural interactions.
• Recognize and apply the ultimate gesture when communicating multi-culturally.
• Apply guidelines for multicultural collaboration.
• Identify and apply techniques to communicate across culture and language.
• Recognize and use tactics for removing cross cultural communication barriers.

Employees with bad attitudes are in total control of both their perceptions and their actions. Bad attitudes can be changed only by the beliefs being changed. Supervisors cannot change the beliefs or perceptions of others. The bad attitude will be there as long as the person wants it! However, you can change the behaviors of the bad attitude employee - this is absolutely something you can focus on. You can establish appropriate boundaries and eliminate the perceived payoffs for the negative actions. If behavior is changed successfully, it is possible that a change of attitude may follow. In this seminar, we will look at and consider productive ways of dealing with people who exhibit the worst of bad attitude behaviors: people who demonstrate hostility, anger, and out-of-control behaviors; and people who demonstrate negative non-verbal behaviors.

Meetings have a bad reputation-mostly because they are often conducted so poorly! Effective meetings build communication and enhance productivity. In this session, you will learn how to accomplish these meeting issues effectively:

• Establish your goals first and make them SMART
• Decide if a group session is necessary
• Live by the meeting code
• Decide who should attend
• Schedule meetings correctly
• Plan a powerful agenda
• Facilitate and participate
• Assign roles
• Lead the meeting