Our Professional Effectiveness programs are experiential and based on adult learning principles that to provide employees with engaging and rewarding specialized learning to improve their professional knowledge, competence, skill, and effectiveness.
Select a Program(s) that addresses your current organizational needs and supports your strategies for success through employee development:
IMPROVING INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION
Since communication between individuals is affected by so many different variables (perception, mood, biology, etc.), it is amazing that effective communication occurs at all! MindSpring Metro DC has identified a unique set of variables involved in the communication process. This course extensively analyzes each of these variables involved in communication between individuals and provides seven strategies for improving overall interpersonal communication.
INDIVIDUAL STYLE AND STYLE IMPACT
This intensive course is intended for those individuals that would like to develop the highest level of persuasive interpersonal skills. The participant is guided to an in-depth understanding of their thinking/communication style, barriers, preferences, and strategies for developing better professional relationships.
Of particular importance, the course allows one to examine their style in unhealthy, healthy, and evolved stages, focusing on those characteristics and behaviors that allow one to increase their interpersonal effectiveness in a short period of time.
DANCING WITH CONFLICT AND DIFFICULT PEOPLE
This course focuses on the skill of constructive discontent, the ability to remain comfortably uncomfortable in conflict. Constructive discontent is the number one characteristic by which one’s presence in the workplace is judged and remembered. Increasing one’s ability to give and receive critical feedback in a positive and healthy manner is essential to positive, accountable relationships within the workplace.
WORKPLACE INTEGRITY
The absence of integrity penetrates the core of our social, political, professional, and family lives. The absence of trust and the failure to develop, nurture, and repair relationships disrupts workplace environments and relationships. This course is designed to look at different stages of integrity and the natural results of each stage. The participant is provided with clear descriptions and identifiable characteristics of each stage, as well as suggestions and strategies for moving up the ladder into higher levels of responsibility, performance, and organizational innovation.
WELLNESS AND HEALTHY CHOICES
Our world is facing unprecedented challenges that are altering every dimension of our culture. The political, economic, and financial climates have created unpredictability, lack of personal control, and rapid change for many individuals. This accelerated level of stress in our culture is seen by the American Medical Association as the leading cause of addictions and illness, as well as premature aging and death. It is clear that the individual must find an internal balance to skillfully negotiate the ever-changing terrain with optimism and purpose.
There is a relationship between mind and body and wellness of the body is a by-product of wellness of the mind. Wellness of the mind is the ability to identify, manage, and minimize one’s negative patterns and as a result, choose positive states of being.
Wellness and Healthy Choices teaches individuals who are inundated with daily responsibilities how to trigger natural relaxation processes in the body and to develop an effective personal response to stress and conflict. Unchecked tension, anger, frustration, and insecurity are all negative triggers for stress that can easily erode well-being. Discovering repetitive patterns that keep one stuck in these negative emotional states is highlighted. Increasing awareness of inner resources to productively handle stress is also emphasized.
PROVIDING EXCEPTIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE
Exceptional customer service is all about connecting and developing relationships with one’s customers whether it is a five-minute interaction or a twenty-year relationship. This course focuses on how to develop and nurture those connections and relationships with customers while gaining an appreciation for the customer’s perspective. The ability to remain comfortably uncomfortable with customers that are discontent and even difficult is also covered.
FACILITATION ESSENTIALS: EFFECTIVELY MANAGING MEETINGS
The ability to facilitate meetings or training sessions is vital to achieving results within an organization. This course provides individuals with an understanding of the skills necessary to ask questions that ignite an engaging and productive conversation or brainstorming session as well as build consensus for moving forward. Strategies for physical movement about the room, environment set up, and ways of guiding difficult personalities in a discussion are also covered.
ACTIVE LISTENING ESSENTIALS
Active listening is an essential component of effective professional and personal relationships. This course helps participants become more effective listeners through an in-depth exploration of the skill of active listening to include summarizing, paraphrasing, holding judgment, reflecting, and clarifying. Participants are guided through the differences between hearing and listening as well as the three levels of listening. This program is highly experiential, giving participants an opportunity to thoroughly practice their new or enhanced active listening skills.
EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE IN THE WORKPLACE
Emotional intelligence is the degree to which one can direct the flow, energy, and intention of their emotional machinery at will, regardless of the circumstances. Coming under fire, operating under pressure, dealing with conflict, confronting problematic relationships at work (or home)… all of these have the tendency to drive an individual into the worst of themselves. This hands-on course is intended to challenge one in a healthy and appropriate manner about their emotional intelligence so that, without exception, they will leave as a better person.
Through individual and group activities, the Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace course can serve as a valuable and lasting tool in helping one reach their personal and professional goals.
INFLUENCE, PERSUASION, AND PRESENCE WITHOUT DIRECT AUTHORITY
One’s presence significantly affects their impact on and ability to influence others. This course covers the importance of verbal and nonverbal communication in both gaining confidence and being perceived as a confident, competent individual. The participant will be provided with tips to boost confidence, appear more authoritative, and connect more effectively with others.
DELIVERING EXCEPTIONAL PRESENTATIONS
The ability to speak in front of groups is paramount to successfully work on teams and in organizations. This course takes both the mystery and the misery out of presenting to groups, providing systematic strategies for the entire presentation process from gathering and organizing content to presenting it with a polished presence, including visual aids, use of voice, and physical movement.
PROFESSIONAL NETWORKING ESSENTIALS
Does the thought of networking leave you feeling uncomfortable or discouraged? A key factor in advancing one’s career or business is utilizing quality communication skills to build and maintain professional relationships. This course provides participants with an overview of the different perceptions related to networking and the essential communication skills necessary for building rapport with new contacts during networking. Participants also have the opportunity to develop customized strategies to improve their professional networking skills.
TIME MANAGEMENT ESSENTIALS
In today’s fast-paced world, it is essential that one manages their time well in order to ensure maximum productivity. This course examines how the mind works in effectively managing one’s time, in conjunction with how habits impact one’s time management skills. Participants develop customized strategies for improving their time management skills based on their identified habits and thinking styles.