Presentations and Workshops

The goal of Appreciation at Work training is to assist individuals in the workplace (leaders, employees and volunteers) in understanding how to communicate appreciation and encouragement effectively to their colleagues, and to provide the resources and support to apply this knowledge within their current work environment.

Participants in this workshop series will be able to:

• Understand the core concepts of appreciation and encouragement, their contribution to workplace relationships, and identify the negative results that can occur when team members do not feel valued or appreciated.
• Describe each of the five languages of appreciation and what they look like in daily work life. Affirm the core components for appreciation to be communicated effectively (individualized and in the language meaningful to the recipient).
• Identify and deal with the challenges of an individuals’ blind spots, the “weirdness factor”, and the need to use the specific dialects of each language.
• Apply the principles of the languages of appreciation in everyday work relationships by utilizing the tools and resources provided.

Audience: This four-session (60-90 minutes each) workshop series is designed for co-workers and leaders who seek to move beyond recognizing their colleagues to truly showing appreciation for them in a way that fosters positive workplace culture.

We all develop certain biases from an early age, depending on multiple factors.  These biases tend to insulate themselves and can become more well-rooted over time. Inclusion in the workplace is a significant goal for many organizations but can also be difficult to achieve. At times, unconscious biases impact our ability to be truly inclusive.

Participants in this workshop will be able to:

• Define bias and describe how it is formed at an early age.
• Describe the environment in which biases arise and flourish.
• Explain the types of bias and acknowledge both holding and experience the biases of others.
• Recognize how bias is maintained as well as ways it can impact work with clients and families.
• Determine steps to take to minimize the impact of bias on their work and interactions.

Audience: This workshop is for anyone who needs or is interested in more effectively interacting with or working alongside others who differ from themselves. Hint: We ALL differ from each other in many ways!

In this workshop, participants will:

• Examine the many roadblocks that may prevent effective communication.
• Receive a better understanding of “noise” or interference and its effects on communication.
• Learn skills for productive dialogue.
• Gain tools to improve communication with others.

Audience: This workshop is for anyone who wants to communicate more effectively within professional and personal environments.

It has been said that if two people always agree, one of them is not necessary.  This rings true whether the individuals are spouses, friends, coworkers, etc. Differences in perspectives, backgrounds, problem-solving approaches can lead to greater understanding and better outcomes in any setting.

Participants in this workshop will be able to:

• Identify types and causes of conflict in the workplace.
• Consider ways to resolve conflicts.
• Learn about some hindrances to resolution.
• Develop skills to prevent future conflicts.

Audience: This workshop is for anyone who wants to manage conflict more effectively.

Addiction can be costly financially and economically for companies. Safety concerns, decreased morale, and lost productivity all impact the bottom line. Thankfully, there are steps companies can take to decrease these costs, identify individuals in need and promote a culture of overall health. Treatment is available, and this workshop will help employers implement a plan.

This workshop will help participants learn:

• A basic knowledge of drug categories and the effects of their use.
• Overview of a Drug Free Workplace Policy.
• Understand probable cause/reasonable suspicion.
• Review of Behavioral Observation Checklist and Incident/ Performance Report.
• Effective skills to approach an employee displaying warning signs of substance use.
• How to create a safe work environment, maintain productivity, reduce accidents and injuries, and reduce insurance and worker’s compensation rates.
• Action steps to promote a culture of health in your company.

Audience: Any company interested in providing a safe environment for all team members with the goal of being proactive in policymaking, identifying substance use concerns and encouraging treatment.

Employee morale is the employees’ overall outlook, optimism, self-concept and assured belief in themselves and their organization. The organization’s mission and goals defined a path, impact daily decisions and deliver employee appreciation. Environment, leader behaviors, and many other factors contribute to workplace morale.

Participants in this workshop will:

• Examine the benefits of having happy employees and leaders.
• Be able to identify factors that contribute or detract from high morale.
• Consider steps to be be taken to improve employee morale.

Audience: This workshop is for formal and informal leaders who want to build employee morale in the workplace.

Each day parents are faced with the challenging task called PARENTING. Parenting is an active, positive process that involves safe discipline. This workshop offers information, discussion, strategies and techniques to enhance their parenting skills. Having a parenting strategy and technique can add increased confidence in dealing with child, preteen and adolescent issues and behavior. It can also take some of the stress and struggle out of the task of discipline. The practice of positive parenting techniques provide a sense of order and stability for the child, preteen and adolescent as he or she moves toward increased levels of independence.

This workshop will review the following:

• The various stages of infancy, childhood, preteen and adolescent development.
• Identification of signs of potential problem behaviors.
• Examples of methods and techniques to reduce negative behavior and increase positive behavior.
• Tips on effective communication between parents, children and teens.

Audience: Parents of children, preteens and adolescents who want information to enhance their parenting skills.

Many have been touched by the tragedy of suicide at one time or another. Often those remaining are left with questions about what they could have done.  While there is no 100% effective means to prevent all suicides, value has been demonstrated in helping people become more comfortable with talking about suicide. The effects and questions are no different when suicide touches the workplace.

Question, Persuade and Refer (QPR) Gatekeeper Training for Suicide Prevention is a one- to two-hour educational program designed to teach lay and professional gatekeepers the warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to respond.

The process follows three steps:

1. Question the individual’s desire or intent regarding suicide.
2. Persuade the person to seek and accept help.
3. Refer the person to appropriate resources.

Trainees receive a QPR booklet and wallet card as a review and resource tool that includes local resources.

Audience: “Gatekeepers” can include anyone who is strategically positioned to recognize and refer someone at risk of suicide (e.g., parents, friends, neighbors, teachers, coaches, supervisors, police officers).

How can one relate to, care for, or lead others without leaving themselves behind? The drive to maximize productivity, assume responsibility to solve every problem or meet every need can result in burnout, resentment and the fracture of relationships, disappointment or failure at work or home. Taking care of ourselves and learning to set boundaries is a challenging yet crucial skill for our own personal well-being and becoming a valuable presence in the lives of others.

This workshop will review the following:

• The evidence that self-care needs our attention.
• The elements of holistic self-care.
• Importance of adequate sleep as part of self-care.
• Mindfulness and work-home transition practices for good self-care.
• Introduction to healthy boundaries and their benefits.
• Tips for establishing boundaries.

Audience: This workshop is for anyone who wants to improve self-care and set better boundaries.

Change has been called “the only constant”. Despite its regularity in our work and personal lives, potential exists for mismanaging those changes. This opens us all up to the likelihood of a stress response. We can choose to embrace rather than fear or avoid change and its related stress.

Participants in this workshop will be able to:

• Understand the factors that contribute to difficult change.
• Be able to recognize the negative effects of poorly managed change.
• Identify adaptive ways to view and manage work-related stress.
• Utilize damage control strategies to minimize the negative and maximize the positive impact of change.

Audience: This workshop is for anyone who wants to manage change and stress more effectively.

Having a good credit score is important now more than ever. Participants in this workshop will learn:

• How credit scores are calculated and how it can affect your finances.
• The 5 factors that influence your credit score.
• How to build, establish, and maintain strong credit.

Audience: Anyone looking to improve their credit score or anyone in the market to make a major purchase - such as buying a new automobile or home – this information is especially important to you.

Managing your money can be overwhelming but building a budget and gaining control of your finances can be liberating. In this workshop, participants will learn:

• An understanding of basic money management skills.
• Ways to organize your financials.
• How to track spending, save money, and build a budget.

Audience: Anyone who is ready to face their debt situation and begin to work on steps to get out of the financial hole.

Knowing how credit cards work provides useful insight on managing your debt more responsibly. In this workshop, participants will learn:

• A basic understanding of credit cards and how the industry operates.
• An understanding of rates, fees, and changes in terms.
• How to read credit card statements and payment information.
• How credit cards can affect your credit score.

Audience: Anyone who would like to gain a better understanding of credit cards and how they impact your financial well-being.

Financial goals change as you go through various stages of life. It is important to have a financial plan in place as you work through each stage. In this workshop, participants will learn:

• The different life stages and how to financially prepare for each one.

Audience: Anyone who would like to gain a better understanding of their savings, investment, and banking options during different life stages.

Identity thieves are constantly tweaking the methods they use to steal people’s personal and financial information. Protecting yourself requires you to stay abreast of tactics thieves may be using. In this workshop, participants will learn:

• How to safely protect your identity.
• Ways other people will attempt to steal your identity.
• What to do if your identity has been compromised.

Audience: Anyone who would like to gain a better understanding of identity theft and ways to prevent it.

Successful car buying comes down to knowledge, preparation, and knowing when to walk away from a bad deal. In this workshop, participants will learn:

• The proper way to go about buying a vehicle.
• Insider information on how things work at car dealerships and what you need to do before visiting a car lot.

Audience: Anyone interested in buying a car now or in the future.

All it takes is one unexpected event - a broken furnace, a property tax hike or, worse yet, a job loss - to underscore the importance of a personal cash reserve. Maintaining healthy savings can provide a cushion in case of an emergency and put you on track for long-term fiscal stability. In this workshop, participants will learn:

• The importance of saving money.
• The process of automatically setting aside a specific amount of your income on a regular basis.

Audience: Anyone who wants to learn how to pay yourself first and make building savings a priority.

Paying off a large amount of debt can seem overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. With some simple steps, you can begin to pay off the debt and move toward a more solid financial future. In this workshop, participants will learn:

• The 8 strategies to paying off debt.

Audience: Anyone who is ready to face their debt situation and begin to work on steps to get out of the financial hole.

Tax filing can be daunting. In this workshop, participants will learn:

• How to properly prepare for tax season and the documents you will need to provide.
• An understanding of the deductions that may help you get a larger return.

Audience: Anyone who wants to make sure they are filing their taxes correctly and not paying more than they have to.

Buying a home can be exciting, stressful, and overwhelming. Having an understanding of the home buying process and associated financials can help. In this workshop, participants will learn:

• The home buying process
• Valuable information that will help make the home buying process more rewarding

Audience: First time home buyers and anyone looking to buy or sell their home.