Sharon Sarles' Seminars and Organizational Strategies

Called to bless and build teachers and educational administrators.

Swim with human sharks and you risk being eaten by a shark or becoming a shark. Swim with the dolphins and you can frolic with a team in gentleness, creativity, productivity – and fun. All it takes is peace skills: definite techniques for reducing, managing, and resolving conflict.

Make your group much more fun to work and be with. Increase recruitment and retention. Increase productivity. Dramatically reduce the time and energy wasted in conflict. This will increase your profit or enhance your mission.

This seminar offers definite techniques that will enable your group to get along better, be more productive, and be happie. Real leadersof all kinds have encouraged inner peace and group cooperation. Here are techniques that work right where we live, work, and move in our every day. Tis seminar offers immediately applicable tips. How are the waves in your part of the ocean rolling? Storms will come. Are you prepared? Maybe one is building now. Will your group survive it? Make your group more fun to work with. Increase recruitment and retention. Increase productivity. Dramatically reduce time and energy wasted in conflict. Prepare for the growth of community. Meet your mission. All this starts with basic peace skills. Offers practical and immediately applicable advice. Philosophical or spiritual grounding available if desired.

METHOD

Sharon brings tested techniques in interactive workshop format. Role-plays, paper-and-pen self-assessment instruments, discussions, demonstrations, games, handouts, and short lectures are used.

TOPICS

How to Stay Cool When the Seas Heat Up.

Dolphin’s Communication’s Secret Key: Listening with eyes, ears and sonar.

Clicking & Chirping: Getting Heard, Getting What You Want.

Beating Sharks, Cutting Out Carp, and Swimming with Other Sea Creatures

Synchronized Swimming: Basic group and teamwork skills.

Diagnosis and Intervention on Brewing, Gusting Storms of Conflict.

Disentangling from Nets: Procedure for resolving conflict.

Fun and Flippers: Ways to playfully diffuse conflict and increase productivity.

How to Face a Necessary Conflict, Without Torture

Defensive Swimming

Why Dolphins, not Sharks, Rule

Bonus: Gandhi's Philosophy

Bonus: Biblical Perspectives on making and keeping peace

DURATION

Typically 16 hours, but could be from 6 to 30 hours. May be spread out as needed. May be combined with other leadership seminars, such as How to Have Better Meetings, Parliamentary Procedures, or custom-made programs.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND

Anyone who deals with other people. Ideal for workgroups, associations, staff of non-profit organizations, and churches.

NUMBER

Minimum 7 Optimum 30-50 Maximum – no maximum

Sharon Sarles Seminars

Organizational Strategies

OVERVIEW

An introduction to diversity for those who deal with differences in ethnic background, gender or abilities, within either their own staff or in the public. This seminar is relevant to business, non-profit or government organizations.

OBJECTIVES

• To distinguish between affirmative action as a compliance issue and diversity as a bottom-line issue;

• To gain both new information and new attitudes about people who are inherently different from you;

• To utilize differences between co-workers, not as a catalyst for conflict, but as an opportunity for improving performance;

• To increase business by better serving the increasingly diverse client base.

METHOD

In a convivial atmosphere, Sharon brings expert knowledge, taught in a multi-sensory way, toward real-world business objectives. Self-reflection, demographic data, case studies and controlled interaction may be used. Both those experienced in the topics and newcomers enjoy themselves, coming away with new ideas which are readily applicable in their specific work arena. While ethnic diversity is highlighted, (dis)abilities, personality, regional differences, and different learning styles may also be dealt with, depending upon client needs.

DURATION

Four hours

WHO SHOULD ATTEND

Employees in businesses, non-profit organizations, and government, particularly those new to or bothered by the demands and challenges of a diverse workforce

NUMBER

Sharon Sarles Seminars

Organizational Strategies

OVERVIEW

An intermediate-level seminar on how to maximize your competitive advantage offered by the diversity of your staff, presented by a consultant with both academic and experiential background in handling diversity.

OBJECTIVES

• Review the difference between affirmative action as a compliance issue and diversity as a bottom-line issue;

• Garner ideas from successful examples of well-known businesses;

• Reduce retraining costs;

• Increase sales;

• Begin plans for effective implementation.

METHODS

In a brief lecture, Sharon brings demographic data, case studies, and facilitation skills to help you meet real-world business objectives. Through interactive exercises, ethnic and gender diversity are considered. Similarly, (dis)abilities, personality, region, and learning style differences may also be discussed, depending upon organizational needs.

SEMINAR PREREQUISITE

VALUING DIVERSITY (half-day seminar) recommended

SCHEDULE

Pre-planning: data gathering on your organization’s situation.

Half-day seminar.

Post-program: coached implementation.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND

Managers and professionals in business, non-profit, government organizations that deal with public and/or diverse staff.

NUMBER

Sharon Sarles Seminars

Organizational Strategies

OVERVIEW

Teachers tell me they are “bending over backwards” to get through to their students, but not having the success they want. Sharon can unlock the secrets of how to “get through” to your minority students.

OBJECTIVES

• See the classroom through the eyes of the minority student;

• Know the secrets of not offending;

• To avoid making problems you do not know about;

• To avoid adding fuel to existing problems;

• Deal more confidently with problems that do arise;

• To be able to teach and model proper conflict management;

• To find the best sources for multicultural education.

METHOD

In a convivial atmosphere, with fast-paced, well researched, and with illustrations from personal experience, Sharon lectures and opens the floor for questions and answers. In longer seminars, time for controlled interaction, self-reflection and games may be allowed.

DURATION

Flexible, suggested time is 4 hours.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND

Anyone who teaches or deals with students from a variety of backgrounds.

NUMBER

Minimum 5, no maximum, optimum is 20-45

“What we need most in schools right now is some really good training for teachers in handling diversity.”

– Teacher, African-American male, graduate student in Education, taking a Sociology course in Diversity

Sharon Sarles Seminars

Organizational Strategies

OVERVIEW

The biggest bang for your buck in meeting management. Get the basic principles that your group is missing, whether they affect agenda-building, decision-making, or follow-through.

OBJECTIVES

• Model a short effective meeting;

• Understand essential techniques;

• Make each participant an effective moderator’s helper;

• Be sure things get decided;

• Be sure things get done.

METHODS

Sharon gathers data on the group, offers a one-hour seminar, and returns for follow-up coaching. Your meetings become short in length and long on effectiveness.

TOPICS

• Building an Agenda

• Moderation of Meetings

• Criteria for Good Decisions

• Follow-up: Being Sure Things Get Done

SCHEDULE

Presentation of one hour.

Data-gathering time depends upon group: estimate one day for each 15 employees at one site.

Follow-up coaching, with incentive pricing for returning to following meetings.

WHO SHOULD PARTICIPATE

Anyone who participates in meetings.

NUMBER

Minimum 5, maximum 30; optimum is 8 - 12

Sharon Sarles Seminars

Organizational Strategies

OVERVIEW

Training your board may be the single most important thing you do, for policy, culture and work ethic – as well as work and money; all come from the board. Sharon can work directly with your board for measurable improvement in funding, policy implementation, interpersonal interaction, and longevity.

OBJECTIVES

• Understand and commit to essential duties;

• Reduce conflict and burnout;

• Eliminate wasted time and effort;

• Make your organization more effective at meeting its goals.

• Be a better team with the pastoral staff.

• Improve funding and membership numbers.

METHODS

Sharon gathers data on the group, offers a seminar(s), and returns for follow-up coaching. As the board is oriented, empowered and challenged, your organization will become ever more effective, efficient and fun! The key to a great organization is a great board.

TOPICS MAY INCLUDE

• Who is Responsible for What

• Ways to Recruit and Train the Next Board

• Professional Interaction between Board and Staff

• Who and How to Recruit

• How to Run Effective and Efficient Board Meetings

• The Keys to Every Campaign, Whether for Funds or Membership

• Basic Parliamentary Procedure

• Other Methods for Consensus

• Methods for Facilitating Visioning

• How to Implement Self-Starting Follow-Up

• How to Reduce Conflict

• How to Deal with Diversity

• How to Have Better Meetings

SCHEDULE

Data-gathering time depends upon group: estimate one hour per board member or 2 hours if board is experiencing conflict.

Seminar duration and number to be determined as needed.

Follow-up coaching, with incentive pricing for returning to following meetings.

WHO SHOULD PARTICIPATE

Board members and staff.

Sharon Sarles Seminars

OVERVIEW

Techniques for creative problem-solving, either by individuals or by groups.

OBJECTIVES

• Jump-start creativity;

• Harness group power, avoid groupthink and grouplock;

• Learn effective techniques for evaluating new perspectives;

• Become a leading group.

METHODS

Framing the necessity for a new but sober perspective on any field, Sharon brings games, resources, group analysis and readily applicable techniques to your organization. Interactive exercises are tailored to your group’s current needs.

TOPICS MAY INCLUDE

• Basic Attack Skills

• “Kick-Starting” Creativity

• How to Harness Many Minds without Groupthink or Grouplock

• Special Games to Sharpen Minds

DURATION

1 hour to 2 days

WHO SHOULD ATTEND

Executives who are faced with continuous problem-solving challenges.

Professionals who must use creativity and judgment.

Those who work in groups toward goals.

NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS

Minimum 5, optimum 10 - 15, no maximum

“Sharon is my solution genie!”

--- Michael Morgan, Morgan Printing

“Your ideas really hit the spot!”

--- The Problem Solving Group

Sharon Sarles Seminars

Teachers New to Early Childhood

OVERVIEW

Orients workers new to early childhood and transforms them from non-workers to professionals. Save the director hours of grief and encourage employees to stay on.

TOPICS

• Basics of being an employee;

• Basics of being a teacher;

• Importance and pride in teaching;

• Being a team player;

• Working with the boss.

METHODS

Lecture with questions; but, better is

Lecture interspersed with questionnaires, games and roll plays.

DURATION

1 or 2 hours (can be followed up with content from Be a Better Employee)

AUDIENCE

New hires in ECD

NUMBER

Optimum is 3-30, no maximum

Sharon Sarles Seminars

OVERVIEW

Get the scoop, and get some ideas, and get some encouragement.

TOPICS

• Incidence Prevalence of Special Needs

• The Scoop and the Poop – What We Know for Sure and What Some Have Figured Out

• Encouragement from Success Stories

• Parents Can be Surprises – How to Approach

• Landmines to Avoid

• Ideas for the Classroom

METHODS

Discussion and brainstorming.

DURATION

1 to 2 hours

AUDIENCE

Preschool and Kindergarten Teachers

NUMBER

Optimum is 10-30

Sharon Sarles Seminars

OVERVIEW

Preschool teachers get new ideas for more and better storytelling.

TOPICS

• Importance of Pre-Reading Skills

• What to Look for in a Book or Story

• How to Catch Interest and Manage a Group

• Ideas for Bringing the Story to Life, including

  • Realia

  • Acting

  • Vivid language, and balancing with the familiar

  • Re-telling

  • Drawing

  • Puppeteering

METHODS

Lecture, demonstration, coaching.

DURATION

4 hours

AUDIENCE

Preschool and Kindergarten Teachers

NUMBER

Optimum is 5-25, maximum 30 assuming 3 groups

Sharon Sarles Seminars

OVERVIEW

Employees have their eyes open to what makes them more valuable, better paid, and even happier.

TOPICS

• Deference, What It Is and How To Use It

• What Makes You Valuable

• How to Deal with a Difficult Boss

• The Secret of Honesty

• Dressing for Success

• Navigating between Customer and Management

• Knowing What Counts

• How to Get Promoted

• How to Always Go Up the Ladder

METHODS

Lecture with questions; but, better is

Lecture interspersed with questionnaires, games and roll plays.

Baseball or Joseph in Egypt theme suggested.

DURATION

1 or 2 hours

AUDIENCE

Employees

NUMBER

Optimum is 10-30, no maximum

Sharon Sarles Seminars

OVERVIEW

An introduction to ethics in the workplace, focusing on common-sense issues that all employees and managers face, and pointing to the skills in communication and problem-solving with which the ethical challenges of the workplace can be overcome.

OBJECTIVES

• To raise awareness of the need for sensitivity to ethical issues

• To gain skills for dealing ethically with co-workers

• To gain skills with which to provide ethical support for superiors

• To develop a system for solving ethical dilemmas

• To represent your organization well and preserve relationships with customers

• Confidentiality including HIPA and/or FERPA

• How to be a team with the boss

• How to handle customers' concerns with delicacy

• What to do when you discover things have gone wrong, or very wrong.

METHODS

In workshop format, Sharon identifies ethical concerns commonly arising in business or CDCs, uses assessment instruments to raise awareness of commonality of issues; and, using case studies, facilitates the exploration of alternative resolutions.

DURATION

One full day or two half days is idea. Two hours minimum for CDCs, focussing on working with management and under HIPA & FERPA.

(Facilitated follow-up meetings are highly recommended if staff is working through change or a particular problem.)

AUDIENCE

Everyone

NUMBER

Optimum is 10-30 (or smaller if there is a current sticky problem workshop will work on) no maximum

Sharon Sarles Seminars

OVERVIEW

Using Basketball as a motif, inspire and equip Excellent Customer Service. Yeah! Lady Raiders!

BENEFITS

Good customer services means good customers, which means more profits and happier employees.

OBJECTIVES

Encourage service. Change thinking that prevents good service. Generate ideas for good service.

• The Customer Service Locker Room – the Game Plan

• Opening Play – Projecting the Right Image

• Pysching Out the Competition – Citing the Need

• Making the Shot – Providing that Need

• Winning the Game – Keeping the Sales

• Turn over – Parley Ire to Satisfaction

Lecture, after interview with manager about objectives, and ideally after research in what is happening.

DURATION

1 to 4 hours

AUDIENCE

Anyone responsible for customer service.

NUMBER

Optimum is 6-30, no maximum, one-on-one consultation available also

Sharon Sarles Seminars

TIME MANAGMENT

OVERVIEW & BENEFITS

Mission based time management workshop for managers and supervisors. How can you achieve the best, do more, with fewer resources, and with less time, when there is too much to do? This workshop will help managers and supervisors achieve more by seeing the big picture, thus prioritizing better, and implementing definite planning methods.

TOPICS

In a world of downsizing, stiff competition, and information overload, managers are increasingly pressed to get more done with fewer staff hours. This workshop will offer a myriad of ideas and get your leaders on the runway toward better time management.

• Fly straight: Prioritize based on mission

• Avoid technology traps and find technology tools for time management

• Finding and using precious minutes<

• Shoot down time wastage due to poor meeting management

• Bombs away: delegation as it was meant to be

• Reduce time wastage by understanding spatial and information organization

• Being implementing a goal and calendaring system

• Fueling up: find more energy

METHODS

:Lecture, discussion, guided practise

DURATION

1 to 4 hours

AUDIENCE

Any employee who plans their own time to any extent

Especially helpful for professionals and directors

NUMBER

Optimum is 6-30, no maximum, one-on-one consultation available also

Sharon Sarles Seminars

Organizational Strategies

OVERVIEW

Quality training tailored for you, from a former director, former organizer for small business, and experienced ECD consultant.

OBJECTIVES

*Staff Evaluation, Correction, and Dismissal

*Make Your Life Easier by better organizing your office . . . and/or taming your time schedule

*Staff Motivation

*Transform Your Staff into a Terrific Team

*Make Your Life Possible by Managing Board and Pastoral Staff Relationships

*Basic Business, HR, and Money Management

*What to AskYour Lawyer and Accountant

*Problem Solving in Business Processes

*Basic Training in Many Common Software Packages

*Basic Training in Accounting

*Increase Enrollment

*Make Funding Fun

*Coaching in Conflict

*Diagnosing and Intervening in Staff Conflict

*Advance in Adversity

*Making Sense of Today's Student's Special Needs

*Measuring How Well Your Team is Meeting Mission

*Finding Out What is Really Going On – Professional Pulse Gathering

METHOD

Informal chat, with questions and input from Director.

DURATION

Flexible, suggested time is 2 hours and return for follow-up.

WHO

Directors

NUMBER

Normaly consulting is one on one. Please have your associate director attend to. Sharon will do seminars for directors also.

“Would you like to have her back? Everyday!” – Phillip Merritt ABC Preparatory