Course Overview

The global pandemic has exposed tremendous shortcomings in the workplace while creating new opportunities for positive transformation. New ways to interact and communicate with internal and external constituencies had to be invented. And as the possibility of returning to a pre-pandemic workplace approached, it became obvious that some of the changes we were forced to institute may have had the unintended consequence of enhancing our organizational cultures.  This workshop will provide an understanding of the foundations for a positive organizational culture. Drawing extensively on the award-winning book The Culture Code by Daniel Coyle, the workshop will focus on “building ownership, providing support, and aligning group energy toward the arduous, error-filled, ultimately fulfilling journey of making something new.”

Who Should Take This Course

Individuals at all levels play a vital role in either creating, sustaining or changing the culture of an organization. If you want to learn more about healthy and vibrant organizational cultures, as well as strategies and best practices to achieve them, this workshop is for you.

What You’ll Get

During this workshop, you will understand:

• The importance of having a healthy organizational culture.
• Definitions and assessments about organizational culture.
• The dimensions of workplace ”safety.”
• Trust-building and its importance in workplace relationships
• Procedures to ensure the continuity and long-term success of an organization's culture.

What You’ll Do

Drawing on Daniel Coyle’s award-winning book, The Culture Code, the workshop identifies the key elements of successful organizational cultures:

• Build safety; people feel they belong and are valued
• Share vulnerability: shared risk builds trust and drives collaboration
• Establish purpose: embrace shared goals and values

Through interactive and experiential group activities and conversations, self and organizational assessments, participants will expand their understanding of how to influence positive change within their organizations.

Sarah Croucher, Ph.D., has a career spanning higher education and public policy. She spent several years as the executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice Connecticut, a reproductive rights political advocacy group centered on state-level policy. She is currently Director of Academic Policy and Faculty Affairs at UConn and holds a Masters in Public Administration (MPA) from the Department of Public Policy (DPP).

This hands-on workshop aims to provide a brief introduction to effective public testimony. We will cover the basic building blocks of testimony and discuss how different frames of communication can create impact. After the workshop, participants will be able to utilize a variety of approaches to craft powerful three-minute public hearing presentations.

Dr. Andrea M. Headley, Assistant Professor at the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University and a Visiting Scholar of Race, Policing and Crime at the National Police Foundation

Timothy Fisher, Professor of Law at the University of Connecticut School of Law