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Workshops & Coaching

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Awareness & Outreach | Workshops & Coaching | Certificate Programs

Ombuds Workshops

Designed to enhance communication skills & practices, all workshop topics are drawn from analysis of visitor & participant feedback as well as themes from visitor concerns. Educational support to our campus community is provided via:  90-minute workshops, intensive multi-session workshops, and follow-up coaching.

Register for a Workshop | View Workshop Calendar |  Request a Workshop

90-Minute Workshops

Ombuds are happy to schedule 90-minute workshops via in-person, virtual, or hybrid formats in morning, afternoon, and evening time slots.

Highly trained Ombuds facilitators will provide interactive and engaging in-person, virtual, or hybrid training for 90-120 minutes on the following eight topics.

FOCUS ON UNDERSTANDING SELF – 5 workshops available

  • Dignity: A Key to Effective Conflict Management -DS
    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.
  • Receiving Feedback Well: Crafting Constructive Responses -RFW
    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.
  • Speaking Up: Communicating More Assertively – EW
    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.
  • Understanding Your Individual Conflict Dynamics Profile – CDPI
    This session starts with pre-work: completing a 20-minute online Conflict Dynamics survey by 1 week before the workshop. 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 as well as group debriefing of CDP survey results.
  • Working Together in Psychological Safety: Discussions on Belonging –PSS
    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.

Request an Ombuds Workshop
or contact ombudsed@utk.edu with questions about our 90-minute workshops.


FOCUS ON TAKING THE LEAD – 3 workshops available

  • Creating a Dignity-Conscious Work Environment – DL
    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 provides dignity pre-reading.
  • Creating a Psychologically Safe Working Environment – PSL
    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 provides dignity pre-reading.
  • Giving Feedback Well: Creating Safe Dialogue – GFW
    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.

Request an Ombuds Workshop
or contact ombudsed@utk.edu with questions about our 90-minute workshops.

 

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Intensive Multi-session Workshops – Crucial Conversations®

Ombuds staff certified as Crucial Conversations Trainers will support participants understanding and practicing strategies for effective interactions when stakes are high, opinions differ, and emotions are strong.

  • Crucial Conversations for Mastering Dialogue® – view brochure

    Delivery: 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 schedule options available.

    Cost: There is a $300 per participant online materials access fee for each course – with 1 year access to all materials. Funding assistance & scholarships available.

  • Crucial Conversations for Accountability® – view brochure – Feb 2024

Delivery: Over 3 weeks, participants will complete on-demand asynchronous activities (4-5 hours) and  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 $215 per participant online materials access fee for each course – with 1 year access to all materials. Funding assistance available.

Groups should use the Request Form to schedule a private workshop offering
or contact ombudsed@utk.edu with any questions.

 

Top | Register for a Workshop | View Workshop Calendar |  Request a Workshop

Follow-Up Coaching & Consultation (FC&C)

To assist in applying new skills, Ombuds staff provides individualized coaching or consultation sessions to individuals, groups, or leaders within 6 months of any workshop completion. This services is available for:

  • Crucial Conversations for Mastering Dialogue – 2 sessions included for leaders, groups or individuals who complete the training – provided by CC Certified staff.
  • Conflict Dynamics Profile – provided by CPI Certified staff
  • All other 90-minute workshops – provided by certified coaching staff.

Request a Follow-up Coaching or Consultation session
or contact ombudsed@utk.edu with any questions