Professional and Personal Development Programs

Open to faculty and staff.

Register at http://knowledgelink.upenn.edu/

Effectively Communicating in the Workplace; 9/5; 12:30-1:30 p.m. Workplace communication is very important to the success of an organization and its staff. With successful communication organizations have an increase in morale, productivity and staff commitment. This brown bag will help participants understand the importance of workplace communication, identify proper communication channels, identify barriers to communicating effectively and how to overcome communication challenges.

TED Talk Tuesday: The Puzzle of Motivation; 9/11; 12:30-1:30 p.m. Career analyst Dan Pink examines the puzzle of motivation, starting with a fact that social scientists know but most managers don’t: Traditional rewards aren’t always as effective as we think. Watch and discuss this TED Talk for illuminating stories—and maybe, a way forward.

Leading with Emotional Intelligence; 9/20; 9 a.m.-noon; $75. Learn how emotional intelligence factors in at work and discover concrete techniques for raising your own emotional quotient (EQ). This includes perceiving yourself accurately, exercising emotional self-control, practicing resilience and developing empathy. Then turn those lessons around to build your awareness of others and learn to inspire helpful communication and manage conflict.

Develop Your Presentation Skills; 9/25; 12:30-1:30 p.m. Fear. That’s the main reason most people won’t make presentations—or make them poorly. By following some simple lessons anyone can conquer presentation phobia and go on to make his or her case successfully and professionally.

Work-life Workshops

Open to faculty and staff.

Register at www.hr.upenn.edu/registration

Introduction to 8-Session Mindfulness in the Workplace Course (Pre-Requisite); 9/5; noon-1 p.m. The University of Pennsylvania is partnering with the Penn Program for Mindfulness to offer Mindfulness in the Workplace, 9/26-11/14. This eight-week course offers an engaging and effective introduction to mindfulness-based stress management. Participation in the one-hour introduction session is a pre-requisite for enrollment in Mindfulness in the Workplace course.

Mindfulness in the Workplace provides a structured and foundational process for learning mindfulness-based tools and applying them in real-life situations to help reduce stress, increase focus and mental clarity, improve communication in relationships, lift mood and energy, and better manage difficult situations. The course consists of eight, two-hour weekly classes and a full-day mindfulness retreat on the weekend between weeks six and seven of the course. Participants who complete all eight sessions earn 60 Be In the Know Bonus Action Points.

Introduction to 8-Session Mindfulness in the Workplace Course (Pre-Requisite); 9/6; noon-1 p.m. Please refer to 9/5 listing for details.

Guided Meditation; 9/11; 12:30-1:30 p.m. Practice mindful breathing that focuses your attention on the present moment with kindness, compassion and awareness. Self-massage and gentle mindful movements that promote relaxation and reduce stress may also be included in the workshop. No experience necessary.    

Grow Where You Are Planted: Making the Best of Situations; 9/18; 12:30-1:30 p.m. There may be times when we wish things were different at work and/or in our home life. Sometimes it’s time for a change, and other times it isn’t. How do we know when to accept things as they are, or when a change in perspective is needed? Do your employees want to be promoted faster, or are they restless? This seminar explores the typical flow of human reactions and responses, and suggests practical tips for enjoying whatever stage participants are experiencing. Proven strategies such as gaining clarity, brainstorming creatively, re-framing and parallel paths are some of the useful tools participants will learn about.

Mindfulness; 9/19; 12:30-1:30 p.m. Mindfulness is “paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally,” said Jon Kabat-Zinn. Mindfulness practice develops awareness of your present thoughts and feelings to help you manage different situations. In this once-a-month experiential workshop, you’ll see how mindfulness can help you become more engaged and effective both at home and in the workplace. No prior meditation experience necessary.

Thinking About Retirement Sessions; 9/20; 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Each concurrent Thinking About Retirement’s information session focuses on one of these topics: Income in Retirement, Social Security, and Penn Benefits & Medicare. At Income in Retirement, a retirement plan counselor from Vanguard will discuss retirement plan distributions. At Social Security, a representative from the Social Security Administration will share valuable details about this program. At Penn Benefits & Medicare, representatives from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, along with Benefits Specialists from Human Resources, will explain your retirement healthcare options. For registration, visit www.hr.upenn.edu/thinkretirement

Mindfulness in the Workplace 8-Session Mindfulness Course begins; 9/26; 2:30-4:30 p.m. Please refer to 9/5 pre-requisite introduction session listing for details.

How to Nominate a Staff Member or Team for a Models of Excellence Award; 9/27; 12:30-1:30 p.m. Do you work with someone who shows special initiative or demonstrates outstanding leadership? Have you noticed that a colleague or team excels at fostering workplace collaboration or shows an especially deep commitment to service? If so, then recognize them as a Model of Excellence. The Selection Committee depends on the content of the nominations to make its decisions. Therefore, nominations submitted should be as detailed and descriptive as possible in order to convey a nominee’s exceptional performance and award worthiness. Be sure to attend this workshop and learn about how best to write your nomination and obtain some tips on doing so!

Guided Meditation; 9/28; 12:30-1:30 p.m. Please refer to 9/11 listing for details.

Penn Healthy You Workshops

Open to faculty and staff.

Register at www.hr.upenn.edu/registration

Gentle Yoga; 9/4; noon-1 p.m. Let your body reward itself with movement! Join us for this Gentle Yoga session and explore the natural movements of the spine with slow and fluid moving bends and soft twists. During this session, you will flow into modified sun salutations that loosen those tightened muscles and joints of the lower back, neck, shoulders and wrists. And as an added bonus, you’ll get a workout in the process. Mats and props will be provided.

Spinning; 9/14; 11:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Pedal your way to a fantastic workout indoors! With the use of stationary cycles, each class is led on a “virtual” outdoor road, complete with a variety of exercises. This class will give you an energizing, calorie-burning, fun workout and it is great for all fitness levels because you will always ride at a self-directed pace.

Gentle Yoga; 9/18; noon-1 p.m. Please refer to 9/4 listing for details.

Wellness Walk; 9/21; noon-1 p.m. It has been proven that spending more time outside reduces stress, increases energy levels and boosts immunity. You can start achieving these goals by meeting the Center for Public Health Initiatives staff in front of College Hall by the Ben Franklin statue. We will start with some quick and easy warm-up stretches, then get our feet moving. The walk will be approximately two miles, and we will inform you when we have reached the one-mile mark in the event that you need to exit the walk early. We hope you will be able to join us. Bring your water bottle and don’t forget your sneakers!

Zumba; 9/28; 11 a.m.-noon. Perfect for everybody and every body! Each Zumba® class is designed to bring people together to sweat it on. We take the “work” out of workout, by mixing low-intensity and high-intensity moves for an interval-style, calorie-burning dance fitness party. Once the Latin and World rhythms take over, you’ll see why Zumba® fitness classes are often called exercise in disguise.

—Division of Human Resources