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Programs and Workshops

Following is a list of workshops Professional Development Programs has developed or purchased. Workshops are open to all employees of the university and are offered on a rotating basis and/or demand. 

Workshops are announced through CMU Today and are listed on CentralLink under My Account/My Workday/Employee Training/Current Campus Trainings. You may also register for these workshops at that location a few months in advance of the event. 

If, however, you are interested in the Professional Development unit presenting any of these programs for your department, unit, or off campus organization, give us a call to discuss the possibilities, including the specifics of desired outcomes you may have for the training and scheduling options.

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Core programs

Performance Management

Performance Planning is a partnership. Learn how to develop SMART goals, deliver effective feedback, focus on career development for yourself and your staff and utilize the CMU Performance Management process.

Service Excellence

Care, Knowledge, Availability, Follow-Through. These service standards and CMU's long tradition of service excellence are reinforced at this workshop. Also learn how to deal with difficult people and difficult situations.

5 Choices of Extraordinary Productivity

The difference between extraordinary and average is a choice… actually 5 choices to be precise!  Welcome to Franklin Covey's time management workshop for the 21st Century!  Drawing from up to date brain science research and their foundational principles of personal and organizational effectiveness, this one day workshop focuses in on the skills of decision, attention, and energy management to weather the dramatic storm of 21st century distractions and demands.  The cost of $95 includes lunch, and high quality materials to help keep you on track.  

Creativity and Innovation

In an age of constant change, it is critical that your team develops the ability to generate new ideas and drive them through to implementation.  How?  It involves the very culture of your organization, as well as an understanding of the dynamics of creativity and the context in which you live and work.  This workshop will explore these concepts, and provide you with some hands on practice with some tools for generating great ideas and then focus in on the ones worth implementing. 

 

Leadership ​

Leadership Standards Initiative (LSI) Training  

The Leadership Standards Initiative establishes clear expectations for how we work together at Central Michigan University. Mandated for supervisors, and strongly encouraged for all others, this training clarifies the definitions of the six leadership standards, identifies how the standards are built into CMU processes, and explores the skills of providing and receiving feedback. We will also discuss 360’s and other tools for assessing leadership and relational skills. 

7 Habits of Highly Effective People

This intensive, two-day workshop provides participants with a robust and tactical implementation plan to fully integrate the 7 Habits into their lives. It is designed for anyone looking to become a more effective person - regardless of your occupation, position, or stage in life. You'll learn how to improve communication, and balance for yourself and your organization; how to develop professional relationships for productive collaboration; the importance of responsibility, accountability, and commitment; and skills for increasing productivity by staying focused on the right things. There is a cost of $150 to cover the Franklin Covey materials and lunches. 

360 Degree Assessments

In 360-degree feedback, employees' behaviors and skills are evaluated not only by subordinates, but also by peers, customers, supervisors, and themselves.  Professional Development Programs will assist you with the development, online distribution, and review of the 360-degree tool. As a result of a one-on-one coaching session that follows, employees will understand their strengths and challenges, leave with development goals, and be able to identify a clear process for achieving them.

Change and Transitions

Change happens!  Whether at home or work, chosen or not, we all face change of various kinds and intensities.  How can I work through change to obtain the best possible results, while helping those around me who may be experiencing some of the same things?  Based on 3 different models of change, this interactive workshop will explore the dynamics involved, so participants can better navigate through both the change and their personal reactions to it.

End of Year Performance Conversations

Painful process or meaningful dialogue? This workshop explores techniques for creating effective two-way conversations which strengthen relationships and improve employee engagement rather than damaging both. This training covers the four basic needs of every employee and what you can do to best meet those needs

Leadership Excellence

This is a fun-filled, fast-paced program that covers supervision theory, management practices, and leadership skills in an interactive and engaging setting.  Visit the Leadership Excellence web page for more information.

Interpersonal Relationships / Conflict Management

5 Dysfunctions of a Team ​

Based on the bestselling book by Patrick Lencioni. In his book, Lencioni reviews the five dysfunctions that prevent most organizations from optimally performing: absence of trust, fear of conflict, inability to commit, lack of accountability, and inattention to results. Participants will explore how to apply strategies to overcome the challenges teams encounter.

Conflict Resolution

Resolving conflict is first nature for some, and feared by the rest.  Learn the five different conflict styles: Competing, Collaborating, Compromising, Avoiding, Accommodating.  This workshop will help participants to understand how and when to use each of these styles in conflict resolution, as well as when to avoid them.

Difficult Conversations

We've all been there. We need to talk, but we would rather not! Whether it's about performance, discipline, emotions, or the neighbor's dog, the struggle of what to say and how to say it weighs heavy. Utilizing principles and ideas from a variety of resources, we will look at the dynamics of what is involved in this kind of conversation, and explore practical ways to make them less stressful and more productive.

MBTI Personality Assessment 

Take the MBTI personality inventory and discover your natural preferences and style. Learn to develop an understanding of personal style so that you are able to interact more effectively with others. This workshop explores the impact of personal style on relationships, teams, and work units. Communication, decision-making, and problem-solving will all be addressed.

Teambuilding

Join Professional Development Programs for an experiential teambuilding workshop. Adventure learning techniques will be used to deliver powerful and effective problem solving experiences. In this workshop, teamwork, cooperation, communication, and trust become much more than just words; they become actions. Hands on activities will be followed by a processing session where participants analyze performance and think critically about lessons learned from the experience. Challenge yourself, build relationships, have fun, and learn teambuilding techniques that will be applicable to your particular work unit as well.

Planning, Organization, and Time Management

Running Effective Meetings

Spend too much time in meetings? Many of us do. Learn techniques to increase buy-in, participation, and commitment. Be a meeting leader who uses meetings to get things done, make decisions, build morale, and communicate pertinent information. Participants will review how to bring more structure and direction to their meetings, while keeping them interactive and positive.

Time and Life Management

Picture a life that's more organized, more peaceful, and more productive. Imagine balancing your roles more successfully and achieving your highest priorities. This workshop will focus on time tested time management principles and tools that you will be able to immediately apply to all aspects of your life, both at home and at work.

Project Management I

This workshop will provide an overview of the major stages involved in taking a project from inception to completion. Some basic tools for managing the project will be shared and hands-on practice provided. It will lay the groundwork necessary for such scheduling tools as Gantt charts and Microsoft Project to be used effectively.

Project Management II

The focus of this workshop is on scheduling the project, using the tools of work breakdown structures, network diagrams and Gantt charts. Hands-on practice is provided in manually producing these tools. The Project Management I workshop is not a prerequisite to this workshop, but it is highly recommended if one doesn't have much official background in project management.

Working From Home (WFH) Best Practices Webinar

How do you maintain focus, communication, and productivity when physically separated from  coworkers and often given a new set of "coworkers" (from preschool on up!)? Join a small panel of CMU colleagues in a lively discussion of what makes WFH work!  Panel: Harley Blake (HR), Darcie Wilson (OIT), Jim Rademaker (Broadcasting) and Brian Roberts (OIT). To view a recording of this webinar and review additional WFH resources, please visit the following link: