Introduction to Mediation [NEW]

DATE & TIME: Tuesday 27 November 2012, 13.30–16.30
VENUE: LaRC2, Floor 02, Library
REPEATED: Thursday 28 February 2013, 09.30–12.30 *CANCELLED*
VENUE: Room 0.24, Chancellor’s Drive Annexe
SESSION LEADER: Karyn Prentice

DETAILS: Mediation is a form of dispute resolution that is purely facilitative. It is used to help two or more parties to find a way forward. The mediator is wholly impartial and acts as a third party assisting the parties concerned to negotiate their own settlement.

• The different styles of mediation
• The role of the mediator
• What mediation can offer
• The skills of a mediator

At the end of this session participants will:

• Understand the role mediation plays in resolving workplace conflicts
• Know some of the options that help the parties reach a mutually satisfactory resolution
• Have a sense of the role and skills of a mediator

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The PA and the Manager: Maximising Good Team Work [NEW]

DATE & TIME: Thursday 31 January 2013, 09.15–16.00 (PLEASE NOTE - amended format/time)
(see explanation in panel below)
VENUE: Room 0.24, Chancellor’s Drive Annexe
SESSION LEADER: Karyn Prentice

DETAILS: The programme is interactive, practical and relevant to real everyday working scenarios. There is opportunity for the PAs and Managers to each have time as a separate group to discuss their ideas as well as time as a full group.

• To explore the ways in which a team of two can raise the bar on their own practice post integration
• To understand each other’s working style preferences to increase effectiveness
• To identify actions that can support and enhance working together 

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Understanding Teams  [CHANGE OF DATE]

DATE & TIME: Tuesday 11 June 2013, 09.30–16.30
VENUE: Room 0.24, Chancellor’s Drive Annexe
SESSION LEADER: Ian Hewes

TARGET GROUP: Anyone who works in a team

• To understand what makes an effective team
• To explore team roles, and see colleagues in a new light
• To investigate participants’ preferred roles, strengths and possible range of contributions
• To explore the stages of team development
• To consider good communication – including feedback – and other group processes
• To plan possible improvements for participant’s teams

Many people have experience of teams that work well, but probably more of teams that could be improved. This session offers a chance to reflect on the factors that make good teams – the ingredients and the process. It should enable participants to appreciate and maximise their strengths, to recognise and use the strengths of others and to help the teams they are in to run better. At one time or another anyone in a team can exercise leadership, with or without fanfares. This course will show how. There will be plenty of opportunity for discussion, reflection on participants’ experience before and during the session, group exercises, a questionnaire, and some individual and collective planning. The session should be informal, thought-provoking, useful and fun.

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Dealing with Difficult People

DATE & TIME: Thursday 14 February 2013, 09.30-16.30
VENUE: Room 0.24, Chancellor’s Drive Annexe
SESSION LEADER: Ian Hewes

AIMS:

The workshop will help participants to:

• understand what makes people (most people at some time) difficult
• assess how they cope already
• explore a range of methods for dealing with difficult people
• practise directing their feelings in difficult circumstances

The workshop will be tailored to the questions that participants bring with them but may well include:

• What makes people difficult
• Giving and getting constructive feedback
• Planning problem-solving interviews to get people to do what you want
• Identifying types of difficult behaviour, and getting around them
• Keeping cool to avoid getting drawn in

We may all be difficult sometimes. When we are at our worst, we don’t want someone telling us our problems, but we should not want to cause problems for others either. This workshop helps participants to deal with the difficult behaviours of others in constructive ways that enable mutual respect.

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Negotiation Skills [NEW FORMAT]

DATE & TIME: Tuesday 5 March 2013, 09.15–16.30
VENUE: Council Chamber, Council House
SESSION LEADER: Robert Marshall

DETAILS: Many people find themselves involved in negotiation as an essential part of their role. This session will identify and examine different styles of negotiation, and recognise those principled approaches most likely to prove successful. This highly interactive course uses presentation, discussion, ‘real-world’ scenarios and group activity to examine and practice negotiation in an engaging, friendly and supportive atmosphere.

• To examine and understand the three basic approaches to negotiation
• To consider the merits and problems that different approaches bring
• To better understand your own attitude and behaviour in negotiations – especially when there is conflict or resistance
• To examine techniques for negotiating with difficult or unyielding people

WHO SHOULD ATTEND: The session is intended to be helpful to:

• Those with responsibility for projects, purchasing, personnel, securing funding, contractual work, team management or any other role where the ability to reach a negotiated agreement or settlement is important
• Anyone seeking to refresh and update their negotiation skills.

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Exploring Issues in the Workplace:
Support Sessions for those in a Managerial/Leadership Role

DATES & TIMES: Thursdays 31 January, 7, 14 & 28 February, 7 & 14 March 2013, 13.00-14.00
VENUE: Committee Room 1, Council House
SESSION LEADER: Eamonn O’Mahony

DETAILS: A facilitated confidential group for managers/those in a managerial or leadership role to reflect on their work, with others, with a view to managing work more effectively. The group will meet weekly over six weeks. Each session lasts an hour.

AIMS OF THE GROUP: To create a confidential, safe and supportive environment to enable reflection on and exploration of any work issues you may choose to bring, eg:

• Workload
• Managing people within a team
• Dealing with change
• Managing conflict
• Managing and working with the organisation

The role of the facilitator is to encourage each person to reflect on whatever they bring to the group with the support of the other group members. The group is limited to 6 members so that each will have sufficient space to contribute. To gain maximum benefit from the group, and for the sake of continuity, it is essential that people commit to all sessions.

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