Who Should Attend:

Administrative assistants, executive assistants, and employees in administrative or service-oriented roles.

Series Overview:

This is a six-part series of classes which provides utility-specific information directed toward administrative assistants and executive secretaries who want to become more effective in managing their tasks and in communicating with others. By registering for the series, you will receive a discount off the total registration fee.

Positive Assertiveness in the Workplace, December 1-2, 2020

Administrative professionals are in a position to communicate on behalf of their bosses and to communicate information to their bosses that is necessary for good decision making. This one-day course will reiterate that there is a right and a wrong way for workers to state their case. The right way is in a forthright, positively assertive manner. Attendees will gain insight into how to avoid pitfalls that get in the way of positive communication and how to operate with more confidence. A section on confidently making decisions will also be covered. The result will be employees whose communication and decision-making skills are enhanced.

Managing Time, Change, and Stress, December 3 & 8, 2020

In today’s workplace, employees are experiencing tremendous challenges that pull them in many directions all at once. There are tremendous changes underway in organizational strategies and priorities. Without strategies for better organization, dealing with constant change, and managing stressors and the resulting stress, employees cannot maintain the productivity and quality demanded of them. This course will focus on the important personal skills of flexibility, self-control, self-determination, and stress mitigation. Specific subjects covered will include analyzing how time is spent, controlling time-wasters (such as interruptions and procrastination), and identifying major changes and their response in the past and going forward.

Resolving Conflict in the Workplace, December 9-10, 2020

Collaboration among co-workers to meet the organization’s goals has never been more important. Organizations are expecting employees at all levels to work together--often across functions--to solve problems and make decisions that were once the exclusive responsibility of management. This new way of working also creates new opportunities for conflict making. Resolving conflict is a necessary skill for all workers. This two-part course provides participants with the skills to turn conflict into opportunities to achieve positive results. Attendees will explore their past experiences and habits in dealing with conflicts, learn new ways of thinking about conflict, understand choices they have in conflict, as well as analyzing their individual level of emotional intelligence. They will leave with tips and techniques to keep their emotions in check, to help others go from unreasonable to reasonable, and to have difficult but necessary conversations.

Webinar Recordings:

This webinar will be recorded. Registrants will be emailed a copy of the recording after the webinar.

Series Instructor:

Debra Ballard, The Ballard Group

Series Schedule:

The webinars will be held on December 1-3 from 2-3:30 p.m., and December 8-10 from 10-11:30 a.m. Pacific Time. Attendees will be admitted 15 minutes before the webinar begins.

How to Participate:

Instructions will be emailed to attendees 12 hours before the webinar and we recommend that you test the link to the meeting as soon as you get the instructions. The webinar is best viewed using Chrome as your browser. We recommend that you use a landline for both your phone and your internet connections.

This registration is for one person to attend. We manage our webinars on an honor-system basis; if more than one person from a utility wishes to attend, each is to register separately.

Series Fees:

Utility Member Rate: $530
Associate Member Rate: $795
Non-Member Rate: $1,590

Please visit individual course pages above for individual webinar pricing.

Cancellation Policy:

Cancellations are accepted, with full refund, if request is made at least 30 days prior to the course. Within 30 days, fees are as follows: 15-29 days, $100; 1-14 days or no show, 100% of registration fee. When possible, please send a substitute instead of canceling; NWPPA does not charge a fee for substitutions.

Continuing Hours:

This series qualifies for six continuing hours. Certificates are issued upon full completion of the course.