
Session Description One of the functions of leadership is to motivate people to accept responsibility and to be more autonomous in pursuing shared goals and in meeting their own, and others’, needs in the workplace. Participants gain insight into how to recognize and manage psychological aspects of group functioning to reduce the negative effects of deep emotions, such as fear, on group and individual behavior and workplace performance. They gain self-awareness and practice, articulating and advocating for themselves and others. In doing so, they learn how to recognize, and avoid, counterproductive behaviors (e.g. blaming, scapegoating) that can disrupt cooperative efforts to achieve shared aims. This course is intended for employees in leadership and supervisory roles – or for high potentials who already carry responsibility and seek to advance into such roles. Through experiential group learning and reflective exercises, participants acquire a deeper understanding of latent group dynamics that can inhibit, or support, group cohesion. Learning ObjectivesUnderstand how unconscious individual and group processes influence motivation and decision-making in the workplaceUnderstand the psychological defense of projection and how it plays into group dynamics such as scapegoatingIdentify aggressive and passive (e.g. fight vs. flight) approaches to handling workplace challenges and faulty group processesLearn ways to facilitate inclusiveness to gain the benefits of group synergyEnhance the ability to persuade and influence others, and to advocate to meet needsGain insight and skills to manage workplace conflict constructively Methodology LectureDiscussionSelf-assessmentExperiential simulationTarget Audience Supervisory to mid-level leadersHigh-potential individual contributors

Session Description: Now, more than ever, leaders need to develop skills to help themselves and their teams effectively cope with uncertainty. Amidst turbulent times, organizations call upon employees not just to carry on but to remain engaged and highly productive. This practical online workshop will allow you to reflect and compare notes on your biggest challenges as leaders – from maintaining morale and motivation in remote environments to managing impossible workloads. It will give a practical set of tools (particularly relevant in a virtual or hybrid set up) to apply with your direct reports to maintain trust and productivity under constantly changing organizational conditions. It will help you to model and facilitate productive behaviors despite environmental uncertainty and turbulence Learning Objectives: Remain engaged and highly productive during the turbulent timesStrategize for current or anticipated changesIdentify and manage resistanceAcquire a practical set of tools to apply with their direct reports to maintain trust and productivityMethodology: Mini-lecture with relevant examples Interactive exercisesIndividual reflectionSmall group discussionsApplication & action planningTarget Audience: Leaders of organizations, departments, units, volunteer teamsAnyone with direct report(s)

Session Description: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together” – African proverb It’s rare at work that we can achieve everything we want to on our own. Working with other people and building effective relationships at work is the key to success – ours and our team’s. In this session, we will explore what makes some relationships work better than others, how trust can be built quickly and effectively, strategies for identifying and investing in our most important relationships as well as some tips for what to do when it all goes wrong! Learning Objectives: Identifying the relationships at work that are most important to usLearning techniques to create rapport and build trustExploring how to defuse common tensions and resolve misunderstandings earlyUnderstanding what to do to make authentic investments in the relationships that really countMethodology: Highly interactiveSharing strategies, tips, and toolsFacilitated group discussionsIncludes introduction to DiSC behavioral styles modelAction planning for accountability and sustainable changeTarget Audience: Leaders at all levelsHigh-potential individual contributorsStaff at all levels