Spalding University School of Social Work
Steven Wirth, MA & Stacy Deck, PhD
June 8, 8:30 a.m.- 12:15 p.m.– Real Time Client Engagement Skills
3 CEUs The primary tool of the social worker is the self. The subtle skills that help you effectively engage moments of misunderstanding, challenge or difference can make a difference in supporting successful outcomes.
We all struggle with these kinds of moments at times. This engaging and practical session will refresh and support you in enhancing and sharpening your quality of presence. It draws on the work of Chris Argyris and others who identified practical skills to overcome moments of impasse nd miscommunication. This session will work with a noticing tool, the Ladder of Inference, to support you in:
– Better appreciating your own assumptions and influences
– Practicing a simple way to ‘work down’ to the concrete where problems are better solved
– Assist you in communicating in a way that creates greater trust
– Support you in helping others articulate their experience, assumptions and hopes.
When used consistently, this approach resolves misunderstanding more quickly, creates trust, and helps overcome differences.
Register via Spalding University here: Spalding University CEU Link.
June 8, 1:00 p.m.-4:30 p.m. – Bridging Polarized Differences
3 CEUs In our highly polarized US context, we can immediately think of values where opposing viewpoints defend seemingly insurmountable differences. Yet these value differences aren’t merely in the political or cultural arena. They exist with and for our clients and agencies.
This practical and engaging session draws on the work of Barry Johnson and Polarity Management to:
– introduce ways to more effectively articulate these polar values
– use that understanding to initiate a trustworthy dialogue with those who may hold different values than your own
– teach a quick and effective way to engage conflict and create a space for working together.
It will provide you practical approaches to use with clients, in the workplace and in other settings where differences emerges.
Register via Spalding University here: Spalding University CEU Link.