Using This Information Packet: This packet includes (1) an overview of the training, (2) a short biography for Sharon Strand Ellison, the creator of the Powerful Non-Defensive Communication process, (3) a partial client list, and (4) comments from educators in community college and university settings.

The overview starts with the introduction from the landing page and then continues with more information. You can start with "More . . ." if you've already read the introduction. You can also return to the landing page to access additional information about workshops, training topics, conferences, and coaching.

Training & Context Overview
Biographical Information
Partial Client List
Comments From Educators: Community College and University

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Training Context & Overview

Introduction from Landing Page: Community colleges offer a range of exceedingly valuable educational programs that address community needs. Along with offering higher education courses tailored to various professions, most also offer training programs for professionals in various fields within the community. They also offer opportunity for students who want to transfer to a four-year college or university. In addition, community colleges provide many specialized programs, such as those for people who are re-entering the workforce. This kind of creative approach to higher education is a hallmark of community colleges. At the same time, issues such as competition for funding in lean economic times, working with and meeting the needs of diverse populations on campus and in the community, and fostering civil classroom and campus environments can cause undue stress.

More . . . In Sharon’s keynotes, breakout sessions, and workshops, people in community colleges will learn how we have used the “rules of war” as the basis for how we talk to each other. This creates needless conflict for instructors, staff, administrators, and students because in this model of communication people use defensiveness as their instant “self-protective” mechanism, which leads to power struggles where there is no real winner.

Participants will gain knowledge about the physiology of defensiveness and then learn how to use non-defensive communication skills that diffuse power struggle and facilitate genuine dialogue. Participants will learn how to (a) ask questions that get at the heart of an issues quickly, and/or open the conversation to deeper, underlying issues, (b) give honest feedback so that the other person(s) feels respected and is more likely to listen, (c) state opinions with integrity, even passion as a way to challenge students while building greater depth of understanding, and (d) set boundaries that prompt others to take accountability, as well as to become more competent.  

These skills are essential tools in creating a learning environment that is built on openness, curiosity, and respect, enhancing the ability of educators and students alike in the effort to honor diversity and maximize potential.

Biographical Information

Sharon Strand Ellison Sharon Strand Ellison has her Master’s Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies in Juvenile Corrections from the University of Oregon and was a Scholar in Residence at Saint John's University. She is the author of Taking the War Out of Our Word. She and her daughter, Ami Atkinson, produced the audiobook, Taking Power Struggle Out of Parenting, which won a Benjamin Franklin Award.Sharon was a nominee for the Leadership in a Changing World Award, sponsored by the Ford Foundation and the Advocacy Institute.
Sharon is an internationally recognized pioneer in the field of eliminating  defensiveness and an award-winning speaker.

Partial Client List

Sharon has been a keynote speaker for the Association of Women in Community Colleges (AAWCC); Oregon Community College Presidents’ and Board’s Secretaries, annual conference; Oregon Community College Adult Education Conferences; Lane Community College, Eugene, OR, Martin Luther King Day “I Have a Dream” Conference; the Child Development Careers Conference involving 51 California community colleges working with CalWorks to provide training in early childhood education for people on public assistance. She was also a speaker at a Statewide Community College Student Leadership Conference.

Sharon has been working with community college instructors, administrators, and boards for more than 30 years. She has provided training at the following institutions: Oregon: Portland Community College, Lane Community College, Mount Hood Community College, Central Oregon Community College, Southwest Oregon Community College, Clackamas Community College, Oregon Coast Community College, and Linn Benton Community College. California: Evergreen Valley College, Contra Costa Community College, Merced Community College, and San Francisco City College. She has also provided training for North Seattle Community College, WA; and Metropolitan Community College, Kansas City, MO. Sharon has also done training for local and statewide Community College offices, such as Peralta Colleges District Office, Oakland, CA; and the State Office of Community College Services, Salem, OR.

In addition, Sharon provides training for educators and administrators in universities, such as Stanford University, UC Berkeley, UCSF Medical School, Wake Forest University, Clemson University, and Miami University. Outside the field of education, Sharon’s clients includ: Hewlett Packard; Nordstrom; Wells Fargo; the Smithsonian Institute; the United States Department of Justice; and the Centre for Dispute Resolution in London, England. She has been an invited guest speaker at the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco, the oldest social commentary club in the United States.

In the area of cultural competence, Sharon has been a keynote speaker for the Multnomah County/City of Portland 9th Annual Diversity Conference: "Diversity: Tools, Action and Accountability;" Diversity Pipeline, a conference for women of color in the University of California healthcare sciences; and the Women’s Global Health Imperative, Global Health Scholar's Program, leadership development for selected women scientists working with women’s health issues in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe. In addition, she has provided training for Nordstrom Regional Diversity Managers annual meeting; Hewlett Packard’s, Harassment, Discrimination and Diversity program; the UC Berkeley Staff Diversity Facilitator Network, and the Multicultural Education Association. Sharon co-authored the questions for white people for the workbooks that accompanied the diversity films produced by World Trust, Light in the Darkness, and Making Whiteness Visible. In conjunction with Native American women leaders she created a national training program for indigenous women. Sharon is dedicated to creating leadership with integrity and building strength of community in every environment.

Comments From Educators: Community College and University

Ms. Ellison has conducted workshops at San Francisco City College for administrators, faculty, counselors, clerical and custodial workers, and security staff. Each person became an active participant letting down his/her defenses, asking questions, doing role-plays. I have never seen such a positive response from such a diverse group of people.

I witnessed an administrator, known for being incredibly defensive and "on the attack," open up in a safe environment and learn the skills very quickly. My secretary felt free to raise numerous situations that she faces with angry or frustrated students and role-play them, learning alternatives to withdrawing or counterattacking. A security guard role-played a dangerous situation with street gangs on school property, learning to transform power struggles into effective dialogues. A faculty member described how a group of students were manipulating the classroom. Sharon role-played the situation showing how to clarify the issues and set clear limits. And perhaps, most importantly, everyone learned how to communicate with each other, whether we were colleague, supervisor or subordinate. It built a sense of community throughout the college.

—Jennifer Biehn, Dean of Student Services, City College of San Francisco, CA

Miami University was thrilled with Sharon Ellison's work with us. I have been sponsoring faculty development workshops for the last 15 years and have not seen a similar longevity of response for any prior speaker. I found Sharon Ellison's presentation to be qualitatively different in the depth of impact it had on our faculty. Also, I often find that the impact is greatest immediately after a workshop and, as people's memory fades, the impact also fades. In this case, faculty have continued to ask for additional copies of her material and to discuss and practice the skills she taught.

Sharon was originally invited to speak at the Middletown Campus for a small group of faculty last year. As word spread, it was opened up at the last minute and about half of our faculty came and were so intrigued, we invited her back to keynote our August faculty conference for two of Miami University's campuses. The program took place a week before classes started and was not mandatory. The faculty from one campus had to drive 25 miles to attend and we had a 90% turnout of the entire faculty from both campuses. It is unheard of to have such attendance. I have to say it was magical. What she presented was exactly what we needed.

People are tired of the war metaphor and are searching for something better. Sharon provided something that has given people a new way to think about how they communicate with each other and students. I think in the aftermath of the 9/ll attack, the need for these skills and the depth of their importance is even more profound.

—Gary Wheeler, Associate Executive Director, Miami University, Middletown

Sharon Ellison clearly, systematically, and effectively presented her "Powerful, Non-Defensive Communication" model to the 35 students in my evening Peace and Conflict Studies class. Using a well-paced method of lecturing, questioning, discussing, incorporating student comments, role-playing, and using humor and personal anecdote, she held the interest of the students and gained their support. One young man, in fact, about 2/3 of the way through the class spontaneously volunteered that he had learned more about effective communication in 60 minutes than he had previously in his lifetime. Sharon's presentation was thought-provoking, useful, and inspirational.

—Gerome Garger, Director of the Peace Studies Program, English and Social Science Departments, Lane Community College

Sharon Ellison presented a series of workshops on 'Powerful Non-Defensive Communication" skills for professional women through the Women's Studies Program at Wake Forest University. Her workshops took the campus and community by storm. My colleagues in the Association of Faculty and Administrators were excited by the content and methodology of Sharon's presentations. One faculty member told me that learning these skills has revolutionized her interactions with her department head. Other professors found the skills Sharon teaches to be applicable to both their pedagogical practices and their dynamics with students outside the classroom. I have found that using these skills helps me to work effectively with resistant students in particular, as a means of breaking down defensiveness on both sides. Her presentations continue to be discussed and her skills actively practiced, a year later.

As Coordinator of Women's Studies at Wake Forest, I can easily say that in my five years in this position no speaker we have had, including others with international reputations, has galvanized our community as effectively as Sharon Ellison did. I feel fortunate to have worked closely with Sharon Ellison, whose professional expertise and personal insight I find quite remarkable. She is truly a woman of courage and vision, and I recommend her to you wholeheartedly.

—Dr. Mary De Shazer, Coordinator of Women's Studies, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC

Thank you for providing one of the most gratifying experiences that I have had in my teaching career. The information you provided was spectacular; your sensitivity was beautiful to witness.

—Rose Salk, Associate Professor, Sociology Department, St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud, MN

The non-defensive communication techniques that Sharon Ellison teaches are truly an innovative contribution to the world. Lecturing in an Independent Living Program, an educational program for foster parents, foster youth, and social workers, she opened up the possibility for accurate and non-defensive communication to take place. She related exceptionally well to all participants: gay foster parents, traditional foster parents, family care providers, grandparents, single parents, social workers, foster youth and probation youth. In turn, they responded exceptionally well to her as an individual and to the supportive environment she established. By directing participants through intrinsic challenges, scenarios and questions, the groundbreaking workshops left those that attended with a wealth of experience in communication.

—Jean Barry, Director, Foster Care Program, Merced College, Merced, CA

Sharon Ellison's presentation in our Career Development class on Powerful Non-Defensive Communication was overwhelmingly received by all of our SAGE Scholars! Not only was I engrossed, but I saw every student sitting on the edge of his/her seat. The student participation was astounding and it was the only time I saw students stay up to an hour after class to have a chance to have a few words with a speaker! Sharon is a powerful speaker with a lot to say. She gets her message across with grace, humor and dedication. If the people in Washington read Sharon's book and worked with her a while, our country would be a much better place to live.

—Marjorie Weingrow, Director, SAGE Scholars Program, UC Berkeley

I think Sharon has developed a program that is nothing short of revolutionary. I see that many of the outcomes of critical thinking will be met if students are taught "Powerful, Non-Defensive Communication." Sharon's model is built on a peace paradigm for communication that stresses respect, clarity and honesty. The surprise is that the peace model is much more powerful and effective than the war model. Energy is spent on developing openness and clarity rather than defending, attacking, and persuading. 

—Kostas Bagakis, Philosophy and Peace Studies, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA

Sharon Ellison not only teaches non-defensive communication, she lives it. In the two presentations she has done for us, Sharon masterfully explains and models the art of non-defensive communication for her audiences. Attendees are energized by this new perspective recognizing an immediate application to their interpersonal relations at work and at home. They also crave more. At the request of faculty and staff, we have invited Sharon back and plan future workshops for more intensive work on the specific elements of the non-defensive communication process.

Sharon strives to adapt her message to the specific needs of each audience and facilitates her workshops in an open and thought-provoking manner, encouraging participants to question the process and its potential effectiveness. It is particularly impressive to watch Sharon use this revolutionary communication approach to engage with audience members for the purpose of truly understanding and addressing their questions. Sharon's workshops exemplify instructional integrity. The consistency and integration of the content, her presentation style, and her personal commitment to what she teaches, illustrate and reinforce for participants the power of the non-defensive communication process.

—Martha Stevens, Coordinator, Humanities and Fine Arts, Miami University

The Institute for Powerful Non-Defensive Communication
Phone: 800-714-7334 or 510-655-8086 • Email: info@pndc.com
Powerful Non-Defensive Communication is a trademarked name. © 1994-2009 Sharon Strand Ellison