Ombuds Workshop Activities
UT Ombuds workshops are hands-on, skills-focused sessions built around the real communication and conflict challenges we see across campus. All workshops are available in person or virtually, with morning, afternoon, and evening scheduling to fit your team’s needs. To ensure every participant walks away with practical, applicable skills, we keep our content and format consistent — including a minimum 90-minute session length and single-format delivery (in person or virtual, not both simultaneously).
Ombuds Workshop Topics (90 minutes)
Our 90-minute workshops are interactive, discussion-based sessions covering eight topics drawn directly from campus feedback and visitor concerns. Small group activities and individual skills practice are woven throughout, making these sessions as practical as they are engaging.
FOCUS ON SELF-IMPROVEMENT
Honoring Dignity to Reduce Interpersonal Tensions & Conflict (Part 1 of 2)
We all have an inherent value (dignity) that drives our need to matter and belong. Explore the importance of dignity in workplace relationships; discuss how to honor dignity & avoid violations; and strategize ways to uphold the dignity of yourself and others.
Psychological Safety: Self-Assessments & Strategies (Part 1 of 2)
Have you ever felt afraid to speak up or share your ideas for fear of repercussions or causing conflict? Join us to discuss the importance of psychological safety in open and honest workplace communication, take steps to self-assess your own psych safety needs, and learn strategies to engage in respectful dialogue with peers about increasing psych safety in the workplace.
Understanding Your Conflict Dynamics Profile (CDP)
This session starts with pre-work: completing a 20-minute online Conflict Dynamics Profile (CDP) assessment before the workshop date. During the workshop, you will learn about both helpful and unhelpful behaviors in conflict as well as specific “hot buttons” that tend to draw out unhelpful behaviors. Designed to enhance your personal ability to navigate conflict, we will provide an overview of conflict processes and opportunities to reflect on your CDP results.
Speaking Up: Communicating More Assertively
Struggling with how to effectively assert your needs, concerns, opinions, and boundaries? The goal of this workshop is to empower you to honestly communicate what you think, feel, and want in a way that honors dignity and contributes to psychological safety.
Receiving Feedback Well: Crafting Constructive Responses (Part 1 of 2)
If receiving feedback is unpleasant, frustrating, or simply missing in your workplace experiences, you are not alone! Join us to discuss the receiver’s role in fostering constructive feedback experiences. Topics include: fostering a growth mindset, managing emotions, setting SMART goals, and planning for regular feedback dialogue.
Harnessing Tension & Uncertainty: Reframing Conflict as an Opportunity for Growth
Normal reactions to issues causing tension & uncertainty can often lead to interpersonal conflict, increased stress and burnout, and delayed or reduced success. Join us for a 60-minute discussion on how we can reframe our approach to tension and uncertainty to foster constructive dialogue, individual growth, and team innovation. Topics include common assumptions in conflict, managing neurological threat responses and growth mindset.
FOCUS ON TAKING THE LEAD
Creating a Dignity-Conscious Work Environment (Part 2 of 2)
Based in Donna Hicks’ Leading with Dignity: How to create a culture that brings out the best in people (2018), this session will overview key concepts of dignity and ask you to share your recent efforts in developing your dignity-consciousness. We will then focus on six strategies for fostering the dignity-consciousness of others in campus settings. Topics include: fostering a growth mindset, modeling vulnerability, activating empathy, cultivating trust, & taking responsibility as a leader.
Prerequisite: Completion of DS-Dignity: A Key to Conflict or provided pre-reading on Dignity.
Creating a Psychologically Safe Working Environment (Part 2 of 2)
After an overview of key psychological safety concepts* participants will discuss their recent efforts in strengthening psychological safety at work. We will then examine key strategies for creating a more psychologically safe working environment, including: appreciative listening, clarifying shared expectations & purpose; pro-active inquiry; destigmatizing failure; and modeling inclusivity.
Pre-requisite: Completion of PSS-Working Together in Psychological Safety or provided pre-reading on psychological safety.
Giving Feedback Well: Creating Safe Dialogue (Part 2 of 2)
Framing feedback discussions as a dialogue, we will discuss your role in building trust and a sense of safety for receivers. We then will examine effective communication strategies within these dialogues, such as: making it safe, inviting dialogue, focusing on facts vs stories, and common pitfalls to avoid.
Recommended pre-requisite: Completion of Receiving Feedback Well: Crafting Constructive Responses.
Fostering a Robust Research Environment through Dynamic Mentoring Relationships
Human-centered high-quality research environments are a team effort resulting in lower stress, fewer errors, better collaboration, and increased innovation. Join us to explore concepts, strategies, and resources for building more psychologically safe environments through PI, team leader, and peer mentoring. National research practice recommendations note that open communication that includes many different perspectives builds understanding and trust that is key to practicing better science.
Recommended pre-requisite: Completion of Receiving Feedback Well: Crafting Constructive Responses.
Ombuds Intensive Multi-Session Workshops – Crucial Conversations®
For teams ready to go deeper, our intensive programs offer a multi-session experience led by Ombuds staff certified as Crucial Conversations Trainers. These sessions build lasting skills for navigating high-stakes conversations — where emotions run high, opinions differ, and clear communication matters most.
Crucial Conversations for Mastering Dialogue®
Delivery: 12 hours over 4-5 weeks, participants will complete on-demand asynchronous activities (5-6 hours) and discuss & practice strategies in four 90-minute synchronous Zoom sessions (6 hours).
Other 12-hour scheduling options available.
Cost: There is a $318 per participant online materials access fee for each participant – with 1 year access to all materials. Funding support available – contact [email protected] or make an appointment with the Ombuds Ed staff.
For more information – please see the brochure.
Crucial Conversations for Accountability®
Delivery: 8 hours over 3 weeks, participants will complete on-demand asynchronous activities (4-5 hours), then discuss & practice strategies in three 60-minute synchronous Zoom sessions (3 hours). Individual on-demand only (5 hours) and other schedule options available.
Cost: There is a $232 per participant online materials access fee for each course – with 1 year access to all materials. Funding assistance available.
For more information – please see the brochure.
Follow Up Skills Coaching
To assist in applying the new skills learned in our workshops, Ombuds staff provides individualized coaching and consultation sessions.