Training Options:
Professional

Administration

Training Applications
Client List
Client Comments

Training Applications

We are experienced in working with administrative staff, including support staff and management, in corporate, government, educational, financial, legal, social service, and small business environments. The following are examples of how we can apply the training options outlined in the General Categories and Special Focus Topics to common administrative issues:

• Asking questions which gather accurate information quickly, to avoid misunderstandings that affect populations you serve
  
  
• Effectively communicating workload priorities to other staff. management, co-workers, and/or your client population
  
  
• Enhancing co-operation during high stress periods when major financial reports/projects are due and helping others to support your role
  
  
• Setting effective limits without being harsh when other employees and/or managers resist following procedures
  
  
• Using non-defensive communication to avoid being stereotyped as a rule-bound administrator while speaking to people at all levels in the organization with confidence, enhancing others' respect for you
  
  
• Being a creative problem solver, rather than an administrative "nay-sayer," while taking care not to burn out
  
  
• Dealing with one-on-one personality conflicts effectively, to diffuse power struggles and create productive, long-term working relationships
  
  
• Developing management techniques that empower administrative personnel while maintaining high performance expectations
  
  
• Dealing with intentional and unintentional biases expressed by administrative staff toward client populations or other staff, based on factors such as age, gender, race, religion, and sexual orientation
  
  
• Strengthening the bond among administrative staff in various units of the organization that may serve diverse, but interdependent functions
  
  
• Using the telephone/email as effective public relations tools

Back to Top

Partial Client list

• Association of Legal Administrators
• California Association of Students Financial Aid Administrators
• Community College Job Placement Personnel Statewide Conference, OR
• International Association of Administrative Personnel (IAAP)
• Mount Hood Community College, Gresham, OR, Administrative Personnel
• Office of Community College Services, Salem, OR
• Oregon Community College Presidents' and Board's Secretaries
• Oregon School Business Officials
• Oregon State Office of Human Resources
• Oregon State Personnel Management Association
• Oregon State University, Administrative Staff
• San Francisco City College, Administrative Staff
• State Farm Insurance Co., Administrative Personnel
• University of California, Berkeley, Housing Department, Administrators
• University of California, San Francisco, Medical School, Administrative Staff
• Wake Forest University, Administrative Staff

Complete Client List

Back to Top

Client Comments

Sharon Ellison's workshops took the campus and community by storm. I can easily say that in my five years here no speaker we have had, even those with international reputations, has galvanized our community as effectively as she did. My colleagues in the Association of Faculty and Administrators were excited by the presentations. One faculty member told me that learning these skills has revolutionized her interactions with her rather authoritarian department head.

Members of the Women's Network, an organization for secretaries and support staff, appreciated her suggestions for empowerment in their dealings with supervisors. Women faculty and administrators at the Babcock School of Business and Management were so impressed with Sharon's knowledge that they have asked their dean to invite her back to conduct a workshop for administrators, faculty and students. A year after her visit, people are still actively discussing and practicing these non-defensive communication skills. I find Sharon Ellison's professional expertise and personal insight to be quite remarkable. She is truly a woman of courage and vision. —Dr. Mary De Shazer, Coordinator of Women's Studies, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC

Your presentation was wonderful, one of the best we've ever had! It touched a nerve for everyone. It was well received by the more knowledgeable group members and by those who usually criticize and challenge speakers. —J. Wilkens, Forum of Executive Women, St. Cloud, MN

Our staff frequently deals with clients in difficult and stressful situations. The concepts and principles for non-defensive communication you presented to us have already proven very beneficial in our everyday work. I had some skepticism about the idea of communication skills training. However, once I began to hear your ideas and visualized how they could be applied to many of my most difficult work situations, I became a believer. Your very thoughtful and non-threatening style of presentation put us all at ease and made for a relaxing learning atmosphere. —Matt Spangler, Director, Lincoln County Department of Planning and Development, Newport, OR

Ms. Ellison conducted workshops for administrators, faculty, counselors, clerical staff, custodial workers, and security officers. Each person became an active participant letting down his/her defenses. I witnessed an administrator, known for being incredibly defensive and "on the attack", open up and learn the skills quickly. My secretary felt free to raise numerous situations that she faces. Everyone learned how to communicate with each other, whether we were colleague, supervisor or subordinate. —Jennifer Biehn, Dean of Student Services, City College of San Francisco

The workshop which our administration, supervisors, and some ancillary staff participated in has been immensely beneficial to our inter-staff communication. In the past, frustrations were dealt with indirectly or by making complaints to a third party. Staff members felt there was too much risk involved to talk directly with others when there were miscommunications or frustrations regarding coordinating job functions.

Now people here have the tools to deal directly with each other and are able to resolve many issues that would have been left unresolved in the past. As a result, the staff feels more empowered and effective. I have been to many, many workshops on communication. However, I have never been to one where I had the experience of changing the whole way I communicate rather than learning a few techniques. This workshop stimulated me to change at a core level. —Barbara Davis, R.N., Director of Nursing Services, Corvallis Manor Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Corvallis, OR

Back to Top