The University Ombuds Office offers educational outreach to all members of the university community on preventing, managing, and resolving conflict. Training and education are often effective tools used to address and manage current conflicts, prevent future disagreements from escalating, and improve communication overall. The following training options can be tailored and delivered to meet your team's needs.  Please contact us at ombuds@oregonstate.edu to discuss your training needs.
TRAININGS & PRESENTATIONS
Introduction to University Ombuds
This 15-minute presentation is an introduction to the staff, services, and guiding principles of the University Ombuds office.  Learn about our mission and the four core standards that drive our practice: confidentiality, neutrality, independence, and informality.  Discover common concerns and learn why we are your “Office of First Resort”.  We will also answer that burning question, “What does Ombuds mean?”.  The presentation concludes with our contact information and a brief Q and A.     

Difficult Conversations, 1: Starting a Difficult Conversation
Conflict doesn’t always have to be something to fear. We will explore how conflict can positively impact working relationships and outcomes. We’ll discuss scenarios and encourage audience participation. Let’s learn how to navigate conflicts and get relationships and projects back on track.

Difficult Conversations, 2: Moving from Conflict to Dialogue
Interpersonal conflict often feels like a power struggle, rife with feelings of defensiveness and competition.  How can we shift the conversation toward greater mutuality and shared solutions?   This workshop explores approaches to fostering dialogue in difficult conversations to build mutually satisfying solutions and understanding. 

Active Listening
Active listening goes beyond mere hearing.  We dive into the art of truly understanding speakers’ perspectives. In this session, we’ll cover basic principles of active listening and practice them through engaging exercises. Let’s enhance our communication skills together!

Giving and Receiving Feedback: Why It’s Important, Why It’s Hard, How to Make It Better
(Giving and receiving version)
Giving and receiving feedback, even when done constructively, can be inherently challenging, often raising tough emotions or making us feel insecure in work relationships.  Yet, feedback from colleagues and supervisors is essential to learning and growth, both personally and professionally. In this workshop, you’ll learn specific skills and approaches that will empower you to offer and receive to feedback to everyone’s greatest learning advantage.  
(Receiving only version)
Receiving feedback, even when offered constructively, can be inherently challenging, often making us question our abilities and ‘fit’ for graduate studies.  Yet, feedback from professors and mentors is essential to learning and growth, both academically and professionally. In this workshop, you’ll learn specific skills and approaches that will empower you to receive and respond to feedback to your greatest learning advantage.  

Five Hot Tips to Cool Things Down: Effectively Working Through Workplace Conflicts
Workplace conflicts are not uncommon, but they nearly always make us feel uncomfortable and unsure about how to engage or move forward.  In this workshop, we explore and practice five key things people can do to help productively manage conflict toward meaningful resolution and even, potentially, new understanding for the people involved.  Participants will leave with evidence-based strategies -- and a bit of low-stakes experience through practice – to guide their interactions with conflict now or in the future.  

Aligning Expectations with Your Graduate Advisor
The graduate advising relationship will be one of the most important of your career. Even though power differentials exist, you can take steps to foster clarity, mutuality and trust with your advisor.  This workshop provides techniques and approaches for creating strong communication and aligned expectations between graduate students and their advisors. While designed primarily with newer graduate students in mind, any students seeking to strengthen advising relationships will find this workshop helpful.

HAVE SOMETHING ELSE IN MIND?

Our staff are experienced at providing education on a variety of topics under the conflict management umbrella, from interpersonal to group dynamics. Contact us to discuss programming designed to meet your needs at (541) 737-4537.