The best time to grow your professional knowledge is today! Take advantage of upcoming classes from UCOP Learning and Development — all offered live and at no charge to you.

Listings reflect Pacific Time; unless stated otherwise, classes are virtual.

Communication

For people managers: People Leader Forum: Difficult Conversations
Aug. 1, 1 – 2 p.m.
People Leader Forums are monthly opportunities for people managers to connect to develop leadership skills, build community, share best practices, swap strategies for navigating current challenges and learn to better support themselves and their teams. Join us for upcoming sessions:

• Aug. 1: Difficult Conversations
• Sept. 5: Steady Leadership in Turbulent Times: Psychological Tools for Navigating Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity (VUCA)
• Oct. 3: Building Effective Teams

Get to the Point
Aug. 6 & Aug. 8, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
In this two-part writing workshop, you’ll learn how to get your point across clearly and concisely through practical tips and tools you can use immediately. We’ll cover meeting the needs of today’s busy readers; using clear and professional language; editing for brevity, clarity and correctness; writing powerful openings and closings; and formatting material for easy reading. The result: increased clarity, response and action from your readers.

Leadership Development

Information Session: Leadership Fundamentals for Emerging Leaders
Aug. 7, 9:30 – 10 a.m.
Designed for aspiring people managers, the Leadership Fundamentals for Emerging Leaders Program (LFP) is ideal for UCOP staff who are not currently holding a leadership title and are interested in pursuing a leadership role. If you’re eager to learn about yourself and leadership, are motivated to learn and reflect and enjoy highly interactive learning, LFP might be what you’re looking for! Created and facilitated by longtime UCOP vendor Pierre Khawand, the LFP curriculum combines key leadership skills and strategies with lessons from Pierre’s highly rated courses, such as Accomplishing More with Less (time management and prioritization) and  21 Practices for Happiness at Work (wellness). Learn more about LFP.

Project management

Project Management 1
Aug. 28, Sept. 4 & Sept. 11, 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Facilitated by popular training Raj Kapur, this engaging three-part course offers a practical and scalable approach to managing projects from initiation through completion. You’ll learn how to apply the Project Process Architecture (PPA)™ — a proven and adaptable project management methodology toolkit that serves as both a learning guide and an on-the-job resource. Sessions focus on real-world application, hands-on exercises and collaborative learning. We’ll cover tools and strategies to plan, execute and lead projects with clarity and confidence; navigate each phase of the project lifecycle; and build strong teams, manage upward and enhance professional presence.

STEP Performance Appraisal Process

UCOP STEP: Successful Check Ins
Aug. 5, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
In this new course for individual contributors, explore how to get the most out of your STEP Check-ins. We’ll review best practices for tracking progress on STEP goals, managing emotions when receiving feedback, and delivering upward feedback utilizing the CARE model. The framework breaks down the conversation into parts: Context, Action, Results, Explore and Envision.

For people managers: GROWing your Check In Conversations for Managers
Aug. 12, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
GROW is a popular coaching framework used worldwide for problem solving, goal setting and performance improvement. This interactive session allows managers to discuss and practice using the GROW framework as a strategy and tool to support engaging STEP checkpoint conversations. Note: The e-course “GROWing your Checkpoint Conversations” must be taken before this class.

UCOP STEP: Setting Goals and Competencies
Aug. 20, 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.
In this workshop for new employees and those who want to elevate their STEP goals, we’ll go into detail on the first STEP stage, Define Criteria. You will practice writing goals and review how to align them to the UCOP Core Competencies.

Technology and software

Box Advanced

Aug. 12, 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.
In this advanced Box class, we’ll cover a variety of topics, including securely storing sensitive data in Box; sending data to Box via email or URL; setting up alerts to monitor folders; and using Box groups to manage department collaborations.

Intro to Data Analysis
Aug. 19 & Aug. 26, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Making sense of your data is essential in making key organizational decisions. This course will teach you how to use built-in Excel tools to find answers hidden in your data records and analyze them. We’ll cover analyzing data in lists and tables, summary-based IF functions, chart tools and building and working with Pivot Tables and Pivot Charts

UCOP Creating Accessible Documents 1: MS Office
Aug. 27, 1 – 2:30 p.m.
Digital accessibility is about ensuring all users can easily access and engage with any digital content. In this course, you will learn the principles of digital accessibility, how to generate accessible Microsoft Office Documents and how to export these to PDF. This is the first course in the series and a prerequisite for UCOP Creating Accessible Documents 2: PDFs.

Well-being

For people managers: Psychological Safety
Aug. 13, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Research shows that a culture of psychological safety is the top determinant of team success. But what is psychological safety and what power do we have to influence the working conditions of our teams? Join us in this workshop designed for managers as we explore psychological safety and the benefits of incorporating it into your team culture.

Mindfulness at UCOP
Aug. 15, 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Less stress. Enhanced awareness and focus. Improved health. These are some of the benefits shown in research studies on mindfulness. In this one-hour workshop, you will learn how to reduce your stress and increase your effectiveness at work through simple mindfulness techniques.

Connections in a Hybrid World
Aug. 19, 10 – 11:30 a.m.
Today, more than ever, it is important to be strategic about connecting with others, building relationships and expanding your network. Join us for this interactive workshop to explore the current realities of working in a hybrid environment and discuss tangible actions you can take to build authentic relationships in the workplace. The session will highlight the importance of emotional intelligence in building your social capital to leverage connections and accomplish more at work.

UCOP Well-being: Locus of Control – The Happy Secret to Better Work
Aug. 22, 12:10 – 12:55 p.m.
Take a mindful pause in your day and join us for this virtual monthly series for individual and collective well-being. There will be space for reflection, discussion and real-life application. Bring your lunch, curiosity and a willingness to connect. All are welcome!

Our Aug. 22 session is “The Happy Secret to Better Work.” Many people believe that they need to work hard to be happy, but perhaps this is backwards: Being happy fuels greater productivity, creativity, resilience and overall performance. In this session, we’ll explore how you can nurture optimism and foster happiness through simple habits and how positivity can be a competitive edge. Upcoming topics:

• Sept. 26: Vulnerability and Resilience – The Story We Tell
• Oct. 24: Strategies and Practices to Manage Stress
• Nov. 21: Thriving in a VUCA World – Embracing Positive Perspectives
• Dec. 12: The Basics of Practicing Gratitude

For questions, contact ucopld@ucop.edu

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