Education & Training
The Center for Human Potential offers a wide variety of educational experiences.
Some of the topic areas available include:
At C4HP we are fortunate to have as part of our team two individuals who have made career development their primary professional focus. Both are part of the faculty at the University of Utah in the Counseling Psychology Department. Dr. Paul Gore has provided individual career counseling and coaching on a regular basis since 1991. He has also consulted with groups on the nature and delivery of career development services – some clients include: Northern Arizona University, North Carolina State University, Ohio University, Houghton-Mifflin Publishing, Zayed University (United Arab Emirates) and Kansai Institute for International Studies (Japan).
Dr. A.J. Metz is a visiting professor at the University of Utah. She has taught career development courses including “Human Relations for Career Development.” She has been a guest speaker in numerous, different career development and business courses at the University of Utah and Southern Illinois University.
For any service/consultation provided, C4HP staff will initially meet with a representative from the particular agency to determine what specific knowledge or products are desired in the short and long term. We will make sure we understand what is expected throughout the process and request clarification and feedback when necessary.
We review current research to keep materials up-to-date, and use empirically supported measures and strategies when appropriate. When designing a classroom presentation or workshop, we will include interactive learning activities to engage the audience in the teaching and learning process.
Change Management
Change can be hard for employees. This is particularly true for those who have been with an agency for a long time. The very prospect of change can engender fear in employees – fear they will be not be able to adjust, that their weaknesses will be exposed and even fear that their individual job will become obsolete. People manage change best when they are informed in detail about the nature and timing of the change. It is also helpful for management to acknowledge that change may be stressful for them. There are circumstances where the exact nature and timing of change may not be known, yet in these situations it is still helpful to keep those affected by the change as informed as possible. Failure to manage the effect that change has on people can lead to unnecessary turnover and lowered productivity as employees become anxious about the impending changes rather than focusing on their immediate responsibilities.
Having a paradigm to understand if employees are prepared for change can be helpful in planning organizational changes. Prochaska and DiClementes' Stages of Change Model provides a framework to assess how prepared employees are for change. C4HP staff are highly familiar with this and other models, and can inform organizations about change models.
C4HP can participate in the management of organizational change at every level. We will work with customer agencies to determine what changes could make the agency function more effectively. We will then develop a plan that minimizes the negative effects of the change on the agency’s ongoing operations. As the changes are implemented, we will educate individual employees about how to accept and adapt to the changes and even offer one-to-one support and coaching when appropriate.
Finally, we will follow up after the changes have been in place for a period of time in order to assess the effectiveness of the changes and to determine whether the desired goals were met.
Collaboration in a Competitive Model
The extensive clinical training and experience of the C4HP staff make us uniquely qualified to work on issues of collaboration and negotiation. The ability to allow all parties to be heard and respected, and the ability to clearly articulate the needs and interests of all parties is necessary for constructive negotiation and collaboration. In most situations involving negotiation, there is some compromise by all parties. Setting a respectful and constructive tone can make compromise easier. It is also optimal if all parties walk away from a negotiation feeling that they have gained something. We teach managers how to negotiate for a win-win outcome whenever possible.
Communication in the Digital Age
The ability to communicate verbally and in writing is critical to the success of any organization. At C4HP we can provide training to small and large groups and well as to individuals on written and verbal communication.
--Presentation skills
The ability to present information to a group of people is a skill that comes naturally to few people. Most of us have to work at being able to overcome our fears and to organize material in a manner that can be effectively taught to others. It is also important to be conscious of the time allotted and be aware of the needs and expectations of the group. A good presenter will also monitor the response from the group as the presentation proceeds and be prepared to adapt the presentation as needed. The use of multi-media resources can be an asset to a presentation, but it can also serve as a distraction if there are too many, they do not work as planned or if time does not support their use.
At C4HP we have extensive training and experience in preparing and delivering presentations to large and small groups and we can teach the skills necessary to do so. Like most types of intervention described here, instruction on presenting to groups can be taught in a classroom format or can be achieved through individual intervention through training or coaching.
--Telephone Skills
Many of the first interactions between State Agencies and their customers takes place on the telephone. It is crucial that when employees answer the telephone the do so in a clear and courteous manner using correct tone, volume and grammar.
--Business and Technical Writing
A number of C4HP professionals have published books and articles in peer-reviewed professional journals. In order to have works published in such a journal the writing must meet high technical standards. In addition to demonstrating skill in the area of technical writing some members of our staff have also taught technical writing courses. We are prepared to teach business and professional writing in a classroom setting and to include it as part of coaching when appropriate.
Conflict Management and Resolution
Whenever there are people interacting with one another and trying to accomplish common goals there is potential for conflict. This conflict may arise out of differences in perception about the best way to accomplish the group’s goals or from personality differences. It is important that when these conflicts arise they are addressed promptly. The staff of C4HP can be of service to customer agencies through direct intervention or by training employees of the agencies about how to manage and resolve conflict.
Direct intervention can take the form of C4HP staff intervening with parties that are in conflict at a customer agency. The intervention could be one-on-one with an employee who is seen as a source of conflict. We can also provide an intervention with two or more parties who are in conflict. In other circumstances, group facilitation may be the most effect way to resolve conflict that is occurring in an agency. In all circumstances where direct intervention is used we will first conduct an evaluation to determine as accurately and completely as possible the origin of the conflict and the people and factors that are perpetuating it. A comprehensive evaluation will increase the likelihood that any intervention can be effectively targeted in areas where it is needed.
Training in conflict management and resolution can be accomplished in a classroom format and through coaching agency managers. Classroom training on conflict styles and management techniques can be an effective way to enhance the skill level of many employees. Coaching allows for more intensive and targeted training of individual leaders within the customer agency.
A customer’s perception of an agency or organization is largely determined by the initial interaction with frontline staff. It is essential that frontline staff understand the importance of their role in informing how customers perceive the agency and that they understand how the agency wishes to be perceived.
At C4HP we are prepared to help customer agencies articulate for themselves how they wish to be perceived by their customers. We will help create a culture that reinforces the employee’s perception of the agency as it has been defined. It may also be helpful to provide classroom instruction on basic principles of good customer service. If there is a single employee who is having trouble with customer relations, one-on-one training intervention may be useful to address the problem in a targeted way.
Delegation and Accountability Skills
Some very effective people have trouble delegating any part of their work and feel they must do everything themselves. While this may ensure a quality product, it often leads to inefficiency and can result in burnout. The most effective managers are those who hold on to those things that require their specific set of skills while delegating other tasks to members of their team. Effective delegation is a skill that may require time and training to acquire, but when established it can greatly enhance success and productivity. To delegate effectively a manager must be able to identify the tasks that can be assigned to another, must be able to appraise the skills of the person being assigned tasks, be willing to establish expectations for the completion of the task(s), and be willing to follow up to ensure the tasks are completed.
The staff at C4HP can teach the principles of delegation in a classroom format and we can also train individuals to delegate. For more targeted and comprehensive intervention we can coach an individual through the delegation process.
Diversity Education and Management
Utah’s workforce is becoming more diverse as the population of the State grows. Without a good understanding of the characteristics of different groups of workers, labor problems may arise. Employees may have different responses to job requirements, expectations, feedback, discipline and change based on such factors as ethnicity, gender, religion and individual differences. Acceptance and understanding of diverse beliefs, frames of reference and needs can improve a manager’s ability to lead effectively while also improving an individual’s ability to work cooperatively with one’s coworkers.
The interventions used to assist in managing diversity will be dependent on the agency’s goals, the number of people involved, and the specific challenges being faced. For example, a mid-level manager who is receiving complaints about his/her behavior toward a group of people may respond well to individual training or a coaching intervention. On the other hand, if an agency is experiencing a sudden influx of ethnically diverse employees, then classroom presentations and group education may be a better means of preparing existing employees to respond in a competent and sensitive manner to the specific characteristics of the group.
Tremendous research on diversity and diversity education is ongoing in the academic community. The Center for Human Potential can present this research in formats that are accessible to audiences outside the university setting providing expertise and understandability in an often challenging and emotional area.
Ethics and Ethical Decision Making
The professional associations that govern the practice of many of our staff have developed exhaustive and thoughtful ethical principles and practices. The familiarity that C4HP staff have with these professional ethical codes make them a great resource for the development, maintenance and implementation of management ethics. C4HP staff can also teach ethical principles to agency staff and can help management adhere to these ethical principles in their interactions with those for whom they are responsible.
Executive and professional coaching are very effective interventions that can assist managers and other members of the workforce address problems and enhance performance. While there are different approaches to professional coaching, all effective coaching interventions require the establishment of clear goals and objective means whereby progress and success can be monitored. A successful coach will develop a trusting and constructive relationship with the person and will work with the individual to achieve his or her goals. The relationship between the coach and employee requires clear boundaries that allow the employee to feel supported while receiving clear and constructive feedback
The first step in the coaching process is an assessment of the client’s strengths and challenges. The assessment may include a 360 evaluation and interviews with the person’s peers, direct reports, and superiors; however, the assessment can be tailored to the needs and resources of the agency requesting the service. After the assessment is completed goals are established with input from all interested parties. The setting of goals will include identifying target behaviors and the measures that will delineate progress and success.
Our presenters and coaches are trained in team enhancement and facilitation. The first step to building a stronger team is assessment of the team’s overall strengths and weaknesses along with a careful assessment of individual team member strengths. As teams are guided in this self evaluation it becomes the first exercise of team building and empowers the group, encourages critical thinking and supports honest, ongoing self-appraisal—all-important skills for long-term team development and maintenance of healthy team dynamics.
Leadership development can be approached using various techniques depending on the goals. General principles can be taught in a group setting or through one-on-one techniques such as coaching or mentoring. At C4HP we have a leadership development program that involves helping leaders and managers develop the critical skills required for exceptional leadership.
Maximizing Budgetary Processes
At least two members of the C4HP team, Dr. Steven Chen and Dr. Steven Kay have experience working with public finance including the development of complex budgets. Both Dr. Chen and Dr. Kay have returned to school after completing a doctorate in psychology to pursue a Masters of Business Administration degree. Other members of the team have owned successful businesses that have required keen budgetary skill.
Two of the C4HP team make regular television appearances. Dr. Liz Hale is a regular guest on KSL channel 5 and Denise Druce has a weekly show on KJZZ channel 14. Other members of our staff have contributed to radio talk shows and have made appearances on local television. While we may not have extensive experience in media relations program development, we are prepared to use the experience we do have to provide media relations services to agencies as requested.
Mentoring Within Organizations
Motivational Interviewing for Business
Organizational Behavior and Systems
The creation and maintenance of a healthy organizational culture is critical. The first step to improving any organization is to develop a Mission Statement and Statement of Purpose. If an agency is part of a larger structure then these statements must be consistent with those of the larger structure. However, even a relatively small agency can develop statements of mission and purpose that are unique to the agency and that can help provide employees with a sense of belonging and purpose. When an agency creates an atmosphere where employees feel that what they do is important, employees will strive to do their best.
Employees will be more likely to adopt an organization’s mission when they are involved in the process of developing theses statements. If the statements already exist, review them with the employees, which encourages them to endorse the statements. Once the statements are developed and are in place, it is important to develop programs that reinforce an employee whose behaviors and attitudes are consistent with the agency’s mission and purpose. For example, if you have a statement regarding the value of courtesy in dealing with customers, the agency could implement a program that publicly acknowledges employees observed being courteous.
At C4HP we have the expertise to help agencies with the process of identifying and altering organizational behavior and dynamics. We can work with agency leaders to help define how they would like their agency to function and then articulate statements of mission and purpose that reflect these ideas. We can help design programs that reinforce the acculturation of an agency staff to the mission and purpose, and we can provide a group or individual intervention if employees are having trouble conforming with the agency’s goals.
Performance Potential Motivation
The ability to keep employees motivated and engaged in their work is one of the key factors that will help determine the success of an organization in meeting its goals. Selection of the best possible employees is the first step in this process, and with good employees in place there are other steps organizations can take to keep its employees motivated and productive. Two of the major factors that impact productivity are an employee’s perception of the importance of their job and their relationship with their immediate supervisor. Programs that support positive relationships and clear articulation of purpose are useful in increasing and maintaining motivation.
Programs that reward employees for meeting stated goals can also help increase and maintain motivation. Reward programs can be financial bonuses, but if an agency’s budget cannot accommodate financial rewards, verbal, and other non-monetary rewards, can still have a potent impact on motivation.
Employees will perform best when what is expected of them is clear and when they are involved in the development of personal goals. Progress toward goals will need to be monitored and feedback regarding the individual’s success must be provided on a regular basis. If goals are not met, the reasons are explored and feedback is given to those involved. Goals are revisited and commitment reestablished. C4HP will provide support and guidance to agency leaders to guide this process.
There are times in all organizations when it is necessary to provide corrective and disciplinary interventions. If these interventions are done thoughtfully and follow stated policies they rarely create problems. However, if done impulsively or in a way that deviates from stated procedures they can result in hard feelings and even litigation. The first step to effective disciplinary action is to establish expectations early and to delineate as thoroughly as possible the steps that will follow violations of established policies and procedures. It is necessary for employees to be made aware of the expectations and the steps that will be taken if violations occur. Employees should be asked to acknowledge this plan and state in writing that they are willing to abide by the agencies policies and procedures.
Taking these steps will reduce the likelihood that a violation will occur. If one does occur, the employee will be more likely to accept the consequences. Intervention following a violation should occur as quickly as possible and should be as objective and unemotional as possible. The feedback given to the employee should be thorough enough to make clear the needs and intentions of the agency, but not so extensive that it is perceived as abusive. We encourage managers to avoid repetition when providing feedback and to use clear and objective language with unambiguous expectations. Personalized statements are to be avoided at all costs. The accurate and complete documentation of all disciplinary actions is essential.
If the employee is being terminated, it is advisable to have more than one person present. The reasons for termination should be made clear, but without excessive detail unless it adds clarity to the situation. It is important to avoid statements that create ambiguity about the termination and to avoid apologizing for the termination. However, statements of general empathy and sorrow for the loss of the person, if authentic, may facilitate a more amiable termination.
At C4HP we are prepared to teach the rudimentary skills required to discipline and terminate staff. We can also train and/or coach managers to be effective in disciplinary actions. If there is a high risk or high conflict situation we can participate in the disciplining or termination of employees.
Process Change--That’s How We’ve Always Done It
Individuals and organizations often do not like change. Human nature tends towards stability and continuity. The discontinuity of change can be reduced by involving staff in all phases of change within an organization. By providing an inclusive and positive change process, employees will feel that their input has been considered and valued.
The ability to manage a project from beginning to end requires many skills – a project manager must be able to understand and manage the relationship between component parts, be able to motivate people to complete tasks on time, be able to provide feedback and discipline when tasks get off track and must be able to marshal resources when things do not go as planned. A good project manager must also be ready to get actively involved with all aspects of the project as needed. At C4HP, we can teach the basics of project management in a classroom format, we can train an individual to manage a specific project and we can shepherd a project through to completion.
Promoting Creativity and Innovation
Recruitment and Selection Models Training
Arguably the most important of all human resource activities is the selection of the right employee for a job. While there has yet to be established a procedure that will guarantee that the person hired for a job will perform as desired, there are many things that an employer can do to increase the chances of success.
The first step is to acknowledge that we are not as good as judging people as we would like to believe. Research suggests that the feeling we get in our gut about a person after we interview them is no more reliable than flipping a coin. However, when combined with other, more objective data, we can increase the odds of hiring a good employee. The use of structured interviews, blind rating by interviewers, and assessment can increase the quality of selection decisions.
Dr. Steven Chen has completed extensive training in the skills and strategies to increase the quality of selection decisions. As the Director of Career Transitions Research Department at ACT, Dr. Paul Gore oversaw the development of high stakes employment selection models using cognitive and non-cognitive/psychosocial, and biodata elements.
Research and Data Use--Best Practices
The C4HP team has many members with considerable experience gathering data, designing research projects and performing statistical analyses that can answer questions for customer agencies. With many doctoral level staff who have extensive training and experience, we consider research a strength of our group. We can also teach others about research design. For example, Dr. Paul Gore has taught undergraduate and graduate courses in research design and statistical analysis to groups as varied as Ph.D. nursing students, psychology undergraduate and graduate students, and business majors. C4HP professionals can teach courses from basic research methods to statistical analysis to advanced research and data interpretation.
If an organization has a clear plan and clear goals for the short and long-term then strategic planning has already begun. If the organization does not yet have a clear plan, short and long-term goal setting is the place to begin. If these goals are articulated well, they will build on each other and everyone involved will be able to see progress toward the long-term objectives.
Strategic planning also involves anticipating the need for resources and the ability to budget effectively to meet current and future needs. A good strategic plan will also anticipate the need for cooperation with others and the ability to modify the plan as unexpected events occur. At C4HP we have staff who are highly skilled strategic planners and consider this to be one of many strengths of our company.
In today’s business world, there are few ideas discussed more than that of teamwork. We believe that there is an important distinction to be made between workplace teamwork—the idea that employees work together to achieve a common goal, each doing his or her own particular job well—and the formation of small, goal-driven teams or work groups: focused groups of individuals that come together to meet a particular goal.
We are committed to working closely with agencies to teach team building and teamwork development. We believe in teaching the leaders of each agency the fundamentals of team building so that ongoing team development can continue to occur even after the presentation is over.
We are also committed to working with small groups of individuals in order to facilitate the development of a work group with a focused purpose. Because essential agency tasks are often handled by these smaller work groups, we believe that individual attention, instruction and facilitation is best suited to the development of these teams.
Organizations frequently request information about time management and C4HP staff are highly educated in this area. Stephen Covey's Time Management Matrix provides a good model for organizations and individuals to begin to understand their relationship with time. Each of us has our own unique relationship and understanding of time and how to use it.
Our facilitators can help employees develop time logs to visually see how their time is used, and then help them prioritize in which areas they should be spending time. Additionally, employees will be taught how to be mindful of each moment so they learn to maintain focus rather than being distracted by thinking about the future or the past.
Understanding the Law and Legislation
Experience working with our respective professional organizations to successfully lobby for key legislative initiatives has taught the staff of C4HP that there are skills that are essential to getting legislative initiatives considered. It is important to be able to articulate the issue(s) in a concise manner with accompanying solutions, so that when you get time with a potential sponsor of the legislation you do not waste their time. When the support of a legislative sponsor is attained it is then essential to provide information that will help the issue(s) get full and fair consideration. Sometimes it is also important to influence public opinion through an education campaign. The staff of C4HP is ready to provide its expertise in supporting the legislative needs of customer agencies.
