Acorn Learning and Development - Sowing the seeds of success
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2 High Knoll Drive - South Berwick, ME 03908 - 207-384-5401

UPCOMING PUBLIC WORKSHOPS

SPACE IS LIMITED, SO REGISTER EARLY!

FUNDAMENTALS OF COACHING
A certificate program in professional coaching

OTHER WORKSHOPS

Why and how to build a sustainable employee wellness program

NEW!! People Skills: Train-the-Trainer Program

Managing Key Relationships - A 3-part program

Understanding Behavior - The Key To Effective Relationships

Time Mastery -- How To Manage Your Time More Effectively


FUNDAMENTALS OF COACHING - An Overview
September 18 through October 30, 2007

A Certificate Program in Professional Coaching
This powerful, practical program is back by popular demand for the fourth semester at the University of Southern Maine September 18 through October 30, 2007.

Based on the rave reviews from participants in our inaugural presentation of this certificate program at the University of South Florida, we will be back at their St. Petersburg campus February 9 thru March 20, 2008!

The demand for professional coaches is growing as more and more businesses and organizations recognize the value of coaching as a cost-effective employee development tool. With the added support of a coach, employees can increase their effectiveness, learn to be more creative, assume greater responsibilities, and grow professionally.

At the management and executive level, coaches prove to be of great value to those individuals who have been through the standard leadership development programs and who want more personalized support to help them achieve their maximum potential.

Individuals from all walks of life are discovering the value of working with a professional coach to provide assistance in developing and implementing their personal career plans, crafting their retirement strategies, and managing other life transitions.

The Certificate Program in Professional Coaching is designed for HR professionals, supervisors, and managers, as well as anyone considering starting an independent professional coaching practice or anyone looking to strengthen an existing practice. This certificate program builds coaching skills through a series of courses, which are based on proven practices.

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THE COACHING PROCESS - FIVE ESSENTIAL SKILLS

Tuesday, September 18, 2007 8:30am - 4:30pm
University of Southern Maine, Portland

Saturday February 9, 2008 9am - 5pm
University of South Florida, St. Petersburg Campus

This course will introduce participants to the concepts and purposes of coaching and the essential skills required of the professional coach. Coaching is a process of support that enables people to identify their strengths, acknowledge their weaknesses, and pursue strategies to maximize their gifts and achieve their goals.

Within an organization, the goal of coaching is to help an individual improve performance through greater confidence and competence. Outside of the organization, a broader category called "life coaching" provides individuals with new options and strategies to identify and follow a more productive path toward achieving their personal goals.

Participants will learn that coaching is not training or counseling and how it differs from consulting and mentoring. Participants in this workshop will evaluate their own level of confidence and competence in each of the following five skill areas and will understand that coaching is a process that requires the capacity to:

  • build rapport
  • facilitate learning
  • observe and analyze
  • question and listen
  • and provide feedback

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THE COACH'S TOOL KIT

Tuesday, September 25, 2007 8:30am - 4:30pm
University of Southern Maine, Portland

Saturday, February 16, 2008 9am - 4pm
University of South Florida, St. Petersburg Campus

This course will introduce participants to a range of tools and techniques, including self-assessment profiles, books, articles, and worksheets for use with clients. Participants will walk through and practice a series of coaching strategies, such as reframing, focused listening, and effective questioning.

We will review the use of several models and frameworks and explore how to incorporate them into your coaching work. We will also review and practice some on-the-spot laser coaching activities.

This course will introduce participants to a systematic coaching process to help people name, claim, and reframe their situations; commit to a solution-focused strategy; and follow it through.

  • build rapport
  • facilitate learning
  • observe and analyze
  • question and listen
  • and provide feedback
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YOUR COACHING PRACTICE

Tuesday, October 2, 2007 8:30am - 4:30pm
University of Southern Maine, Portland

Saturday, February 23,2008 9am - 4pm
University of South Florida, St. Petersburg Campus

Participants in this course will put together the tools and techniques from the first two sessions and, in triads, will partner to role-play an initial coaching session and receive feedback on their performance.

Following the role-play, they will spend some time reflecting to define their plan for next steps with this "client." They will present an overview of their "client's" coaching goals and their next-steps plan for critique and feedback from the rest of the class.

As we review the range of coaching possibilities and prospects, participants will evaluate their own areas of competency and confidence to identify their coaching niche. We will explore how to build, promote, and manage a coaching practice-whether it is internal or independent.

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COACHING PRACTICUM

October 5 through October 30, 2007
University of Southern Maine, Portland

March 3 through March 20, 2008
University of South Florida, St. Petersburg Campus

To truly understand the coaching process, participants will go through a 1-on-1 coaching experience with master coach Barbara Wilson. Students will schedule three individual sessions followed by a 4-hour group closing session. Simultaneously during this program, participants may contract with a coaching client of their own. They will report their progress to their master coach to receive feedback and support on their coaching intervention.

Prerequisite is the completion of the 3-course core curriculum (Coaching Process, Coach's Toolkit, and Your Coaching Practice) for the Certificate in Professional Coaching.

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ALTERING ATTITUDES, INFLUENCING ACTIONS
THE COACH’S ROLE

Thursday, October 18, 2007 8:30am - 4:30pm
University of Southern Maine, Portland

Saturday March 1, 2008 9am - 4pm
University of South Florida, St. Petersburg Campus

An important priority in coaching is to help people identify counterproductive attitudes that hinder their success. In this workshop, we will explore how people's behavior styles influence their beliefs, and in turn, how beliefs drive behavior. With a step-by-step process, coaches can help people to break through the trap of limiting beliefs about themselves and the resulting behaviors that keep them from achieving their goals. Participants will learn to identify common stress reaction behaviors, to reframe defensive responses, and to provide guidance in identifying more productive behaviors in order to achieve desired results.

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WHY AND HOW TO BUILD A SUSTAINABLE EMPLOYEE WELLNESS PROGRAM

Thursday, November 1, 2007 9am - 4pm
University of New Hampshire - Portsmouth Professional Development and Training Center, Pease International Tradeport
(Note their new address)
73 Corporate Dr., Portsmouth, NH

Thursday, February 28, 2008 9 am - 4pm
St. Petersburg College Corporate Training Center

This full-day workshop is built on the understanding that employee wellness is the key driver of productivity. Drawing upon the experience and success of organizations around the country, this workshop provides the foundation from which to build a sustainable wellness initiative in your organization.

No matter what size your company may be, you will learn the seven critical components necessary for building a cost-effective, results-oriented, and sustainable workplace health promotion program. We will introduce you to a four-stage model designed to ensure your approach to employee wellness is comprehensive, compelling, relevant, and sustainable.

This one-day program will enhance your understanding of the tangible and intangible costs of an unhealthy workplace and why employee health and well-being is so critical to productivity. At the conclusion of this program, you will be armed with sufficient data, resources, and understanding to not only make a cogent business case for instituting a wellness initiative in your workplace, but also a strategy for getting it off the ground.

This program is designed for HR leaders, business owners, CEOs, CFOs, department heads, and other workplace decision-makers who are interested in improving productivity through enhancing employee wellness.

According to data presented at the International Health & Productivity Management International Conference, 74% of overall productivity loss can be directly attributed to poor employee health!

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NEW!! TRAIN THE TRAINER PROGRAM
People Skills - A Strategy for Achieving Results

Wednesday - Friday, September 26 - 28, 2007
Mahalo's - 517 U.S. Route One Kittery, ME

Most people weren't born with it. They don't teach it in most schools. It's one of the most powerful tools for success. It's People Skills.

A note from Barbara Wilson....

This material has been the foundation of my training and coaching work for the past 19 years! Now I am eager to share it with other practicing trainers and facilitators -- not only so you can add to your own successful practice, but also (selfishly!) to develop a select group of excellent subcontractors for my growing Acorn Learning and Development business. I hope you'll join me in York on September 26-28.

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MANAGING KEY RELATIONSHIPS - a 3-part program

St. Petersburg College Corporate Training Center
13805 58th Street North, Largo, FL

A three-part team-based workshop to help you

  • Strengthen communications with customers,
    colleagues, and staff
  • Build collaboration skills within and across teams
  • Handle difficult interpersonal situations

Module 1- Understanding Behavior Styles
Monday, February 4, 2008 8:30 am - 12:30 pm

In this module, you will discover your own and each other's personal styles, a critical factor in learning how to leverage your individual strengths to build a stronger team. You will also learn how to quickly assess the style characteristics of your customers, direct reports, and other stakeholders in order to improve your success with these key individuals.

Module 2- Building Rapport
Monday, February 11, 2008 8:30 am - 12:30 pm

This half-day session builds communications skills and helps you understand and develop new strategic approaches to build rapport - the critical factor in effective communications.

Module 3- Managing Critical Conversations
Monday February 18, 2008 8:30 am - 12:30 pm

Discover and practice essential strategies for tactically and tactfully handling critical conversations. Build your skill and confidence in handling customer objections, managing employee conflict, and striking win-win negotiations.

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UNDERSTANDING BEHAVIOR
THE KEY TO EFFECTIVE RELATIONSHIPS

Tuesday, April 1, 2008 8:30am - 4:30pm
St. Petersburg College Corporate Training Center
13805 58th Street North, Largo, FL

Developing the ability to work effectively with others is one of the most important skills you can learn. Successful relationships are crucial both to personal satisfaction and to effective work performance. In this workshop participants:

  • Learn their personal styles and how they impact others
  • Understand what it takes to achieve win-win results
  • Discover the foundation for creating a successful work team

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TIME MASTERY
HOW TO MANAGE YOUR TIME MORE EFFICIENTLY

Friday, March 7, 2008 8:30am - 4:30pm
St. Petersburg College Corporate Training Center
13805 58th Street North, Largo, FL

We all face a daily dilemma: too much to do and not enough time to do it. Shorter deadlines, competing priorities, endless meetings, interruptions, and ever-higher quality expectations are just some of today's time challenges. This program offers principles of time management in twelve critical areas. Action planning for improved habits, plus tried-and-true tools, tips, and techniques are all part of this personal development seminar.


For more information about any of these workshops, contact barbara@acorn-potential.com.

 

 
“ Example is not the main thing in influencing others. . .it's the only thing!”

-- Albert Schweitzer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work."

-- Thomas Edison

 
     
           
   

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