Coaching

One-on-one coaching is available upon request.  We offer career counseling, professional development and executive coaching services.

Consulting

Our services include Organizational Development consulting that will look at your department or organization to strengthen systems and improve processes.

Facilitation

We are available to offer a third-party perspective to your meeting, retreat or a program of your choice.

Programs

Leadership Development

• The Performance Appraisal: An Obligation
• The 'Art' of Coaching
• Performance Issues / Improvement
• Setting Performance Expectations: Providing Direction and Influence
• Providing Effective - and Constructive - Feedback

Professional Development

• Understanding Ourselves / Understanding Each Other
• Effective Communication: Essential to Success
• Resolving Conflict: Dealing With Difficult Behavior

 

Leadership Development

Performance Appraisal: An Obligation

This course is the first in a series of programs under the WSU Leadership Academy banner.  The program is tailored for anyone in a supervisory/leadership role with staff reporting to them.  The program will look at:

• Defining Performance Management (PM)
• Performance Management as an on-going process
• The importance of documentation
• The 'benefits' of a performance appraisal
• How you're being perceived
• Key 'ingredients' in the process
• Why focusing on core competencies is vital
• The importance of effective communication
• The 'seven solutions' to a successful performance appraisal

 

The 'Art' of Coaching

This course within the WSU Leadership Academy banner focuses on:

• Coaching being seen as an essential skill within your leadership 'toolbox'
• Proven coaching techniques
• A coaching 'process'
• Tips to hone the finesse that is necessary to be an effective coach
• 'Testing' your coaching skills
• Receiving immediate feedback

 

Performance Issues / Improvement

This is a new course that has been developed by the Employee Relations / Labor Relations team in Human Resources. The interactive program will look at:

• How to identify and best define behavior / performance issues
• Coaching and documenting performance
• A fully understanding of the processes in place
• Identifying the tools and resources available
• Guarding against common errors
• Effective use of the steps to correct performance issues
• 'Not-for-cause' terminations
• What's meant by 'just cause'
• The avenues of appeal that are available (discussion, exercises and case studies)

Evaluation Comments:

". . .gives me more information and supporting documentation. Great material! Needs to be mandatory for ALL supervisors!"

"It will definitely help me to address employee performance problems in a more effective, positive manner. . . has provided me with tools and processes to use everyday in my supervisory duties. Please continue to build on these programs/skills we have learned by offering programs in the future. Thank you!"

"I learned of many resources that will be helpful for me and my staff. I feel more empowered as a supervisor to better assist my staff in improvement. I thought the case studies, verbal examples were excellent; in addition, the manual is such that I can easily pick it up as needed months from now and truly understand and remember what was said. I learned so much I didn't know, including resources to pass onto staff. This was a FANTASTIC training!"

". . . has given me a "starting point" to deal with a problem employee. Has also given me a plan. . .how to proceed. The instructors were very knowledgable and presented the information clearly. Should be required of all supervisors."

"The training enhanced my knowledge of how to deal with difficult situations/staff in the workplace. It will help me in becoming more effective as a manager. Great job!"

"Good overall presentation for better day-to-day management. Good for multiple supervisors in the same department to attend. Would like all other supervisors in our office to attend and hope it will be offered again soon!"

". . . will assist me in the overall understanding of the PIP and other performance related issues. I wish this was available before I became a supervisor! Very thorough and detailed -- keep the series going!"

". . .helps reinforce the training I had and increases my confidence."

". . . knowledge of proper procedures in dealing with situations of an employee. Material is excellent; very good explanations. All supervisors should be requred to take these classes."

"I'm better prepared to take action when confronted with unsatisfactory behavior."

 

Setting Performance Expectations: Providing Direction and Influence

This interactive program will look at ...

• The major outcomes you expect
• The specific criteria that needs to be met
• How each person's responsibilities tie to major outcomes
• The importance of explaining 'why' instead of just telling
• The link between seeking input and gaining commitment
• The impact of communicating clearly and honestly
• Establishing Priorities
• Clarifying job responsibilities
• Correcting misunderstandings about what's expected
• Why staying on 'message' - with consistency - is essential
• Listing your expectations
• Effective delegation

If you're a supervisor/leader at WSU, this program should be considered another 'essential' to place in your leadership 'toolbox.'

Evaluation Comments:

". . . very detailed in building an effective performance plan and going through it with the employee."

". . . helps to structure a necessary task, turn it into a powerful tool for increasing performance."

". . .will help me communicate with my team/staff members on what is expected of each of them."

"This is one of the best sessions. . ."

"Extremely well prepared, very engaging and provided great tools to set expectations. Wonderful initiative; very needed."

"Phenominal - very effective. Keep the Leadership programs coming!"

"Workbook will be helpful tool to guide myself to influence staff outcomes. Excellent presentation; good resource. I look forward to additional workshops."

"Will help me in setting expectations for my staff that report to me. Would recommend to others to attend."

"It will allow me to be better prepared to set expectations with my employees and team. It also allows me to better motivate my employees as we set expectations. Finally, it reminded me to clearly express/communicate those expectations. . . very effective; answered questions, provided examples; the video was very effective in exemplifying the content. I would recommend to other supervisors. Thank you for offering this program!"

"Gave me a deeper understanding of successful leadership and practical examples of how I can apply it with co-workers and employees. I learned a great deal and can readily apply this information to my personal and professional life."

 

Providing Effective - and Constructive - Feedback

This course is the fifth in a series of programs within the Performance Management suite of programs offered under the Cornerstones of Effective Leadership series. This interactive program will look at:

• Why feedback is important
• The importance of assessing yourself
• Ensuring the feedback is constructive
• How to use effective communication techniques
• How to provide oral and written feedback
• The importance of developing a personal action plan
• Characteristics of quality feedback
• The process of making observations and giving feelback

If you're a supervisor/leader at WSU, this program should be considered another 'essential' to place in your leadership 'toolbox.'

 

 

Professional Development

Understanding Ourselves / Understanding Each Other

This course is the first in a series of upcoming programs under the WSU Professional Development Alliance banner within the Unlocking Your Potential series. The program is a non-supervisory/leadership program focused on the link between introspection and effective teamwork.

Evaluation Comments:

". . . help me with my interpersonal relationship skills. Excellent material; instructor facilitated the class very well; kept us on track nicely. Great program; great instructor."

"It will help me communicate with and understand my team members better. I realize I must let others know and understand me . . . it made me think and gave me many ideas to improve."

"I know that people are different; today's program will help me realize, as an extrovert, that I shouldn't always think that introverts are uncomfortable with silence."

"The program helped me analyze some of my preferences, and I realized that people with different preferences are necessary . . . a nice presentation."

"It gave me a perspective of how to work with other people and how other people might think and act. This will help me get to know more about myself and how to work with others. Really great facilitation skills - guided the group very well."

"It will help me keep in mind that a good team consists of diversity and difference in thought. It will also help me keep in mind which situations best suit my preferences. I thought it was a very good presentation with some helpful material. The presenter was engaging and the exercises were helpful."

"To find other methods of communicating and working with people different from you. To empathize with others and find more effective ways to work together to identify strengths and weaknesses in others. Very effective and interactive; interesting."

"Allow me to be more open and reflective concerning others I will work with especially in a team. Very interesting; very professional and skillfully presented."

"Helps me to understand how I am perceived to better manage my talents. Great program; I look forward to future programs."

 

Effective Communication: Essential to Success

This program - open to all staff/faculty - is a non-supervisory/leadership program focused on the importance of interpersonal communication:

• Practicing positive intent
• Understanding assumptions
• How to actively listen
• How to build rapport
• Being direct without being rude
• Positive phrasing, etc.

The program is being offered within the Unlocking Your Potential series and is facilitated by Sue Polanka (from the Dunbar Library) and J. 'Alex' Alexander (from the Department of Communications).

Evaluation Comments:

". . . will make me more aware of my communications with co-workers and attempt to be more effective."

"I speak with students regarding difficult concepts and processes daily. This will help me to streamline my conveyance."

"It was very good. Lots of information."

"It will be very helpful as communication is a barrier for me; English is not my first language."

". . .valuable for nurturing healthy team building!"

"The program was very good. I look forward to putting my new skills and awareness to work."

"Excellent material; well researched and well conducted."

"It will help me to make sure I am really being understood the way I want to. . . will help me to communicate better without making people defensive."

"I was reintroduced to good personal habits and introduced to the necessity of polish."

" Great! Appropriately paced."

"Great material often overlooked in other presentations."

 

Resolving Conflict: Dealing with Difficult Behavior

This program - open to all staff/faculty - is a non-supervisory/leadership program, focused on:

• Keys for improving relationships at work
• Understanding styles of behavior
• Analyzing your relationships
• Dealing with difficult team members
• Following through with consistency

The program is being offered within the Unlocking Your Potential series and will be facilitated by George Frey (from the Division of Professional Development).

Evaluation Comments: