Faculty and Staff Can Sharpen Their Communication Skills With the Crucial Conversations Workshop Series

Another installment of the popular Crucial Conversations program will be offered to faculty and staff following Commencement weekend.

The seven-week, in-person series, which is particularly well-suited for managers and supervisors, will begin on May 17 and wrap up on June 28. Sessions will be held each Tuesday from 9 to 11 a.m. at a North Campus location yet to be determined. Participants must plan to attend all seven sessions and can sign up via a Qualtrics form.

Pam Gavenda, associate director of organizational development and training and Crucial Conversations Certified Trainer, facilitates a prior session, offered in partnership with the Women in Leadership Initiative.

Crucial Conversations teaches skills for creating alignment and agreement by fostering open dialogue around high-stakes, emotional or risky topics at all levels of an organization. These conversations can include topics focused on work quality, time management, productivity, performance, sensitive issues, conflict or a strained relationship, for example.

By learning how to speak and be heard (and encouraging others to do the same), you will begin to surface the best ideas, make the highest-quality decisions and act on those decisions with unity and commitment in a respectful way.

Throughout the program, participants will have the opportunity to engage in experiential learning through exercises, practice with real issues and group discussions.

Because there is a cost of $350 per person to cover program materials, departmental approval is necessary. The fee will be charged to participants’ budget centers and approval from your supervisor and budget manager is required.

Past participants speak highly of the program, anonymously sharing the following feedback during post-program evaluations:

• “I cannot overstate the value of this program and the content that was covered. What we learned is applicable to most situations and conversations. Relationship stress is so real across all of our lives and learning how to compassionately and directly communicate is making me a better person, better wife, better supervisor and better employee.”
• “The steps, resources in the book and facilitator all complement each other every step of the way.”
• “The entire book/subject matter is so critical—the learning environment was very well-constructed and made for a safe and fun learning experience.”
• “I thought that the Crucial Conversations series was a great program! It gave very helpful and realistic strategies to promote getting through tough conversations.”

Space is limited to 24 participants; sign up today!