Effective Communication and Teambuilding
Objectives: This course will cover (1) Basic communication skills; (2) Conflict management, (3) Crucial Conversations and accountability; (4) Holding Effective Meetings (including virtual meetings); (4) Collaboration, negotiation, and facilitation skills); (6) Team Development; and personal and team assessments using the Core Strengths (SDI 2.0) program.
Who Should Attend: Hosts to date: Planning Associates, Regulatory Strong Leaders, and District Regulatory Teams
What You Will Learn: By the end of this course the student will be able to identify basic skills to improve communication between applicants, public and coworkers; identify varying conflict management styles, effectively diffuse an angry public and resolve conflict as it arises during permit application review; form effective working teams and partnerships; effectively plan and facilitate a public meeting; effectively deal with the media and present the regulatory program to varying groups to educate the public on the program.
Length: 2-3 days
Facilitation
Objectives: This course trains participants on meeting facilitation. It is customizable from a basic introduction to facilitation to a multi-day hands-on training where participants learn and practice facilitating various types of meetings.
Who Should Attend: Those interested in acquiring the skills necessary to facilitate both internal and multi-party meetings, especially Public Affairs officers and Project Managers.
What You Will Learn: Participants will learn a variety of facilitation techniques and have multiple chances to practice. Specific topics covered include the role of the facilitator; agenda building; logistics and ground rules; and group process, consensus-building, and conflict management techniques.
Length: Half day - 2 days
Shared Vision Planning
Objectives: Shared Vision Planning (SVP) is a water resources planning process centered on developing a collaboratively built decision support model with a diverse array of stakeholders. At the end of the training, participants will be able to determine if SVP is an appropriate tool for their situation, and what a SVP process entails. Graduates of the full-length course will be ready to work with others to lead a SVP process.
Who Should Attend: Those who are interested in learning the fundamental principles of Shared Vision Planning, either as someone who may convene a collaborative decision-making process, or as a conflict management/mediation practitioner who would like to incorporate modeling as a problem-solving tool, or a modeler who would like to apply their skills in the decision-making setting.
What You Will Learn: Fundamental principles of planning, participation, and modeling as the three elements of SVP; the decision making process and how a collaborative model can support this process; modeling tools that support SVP; and an example of how to construct a model.
Length: Varies by request - self-paced; 1-1/2 hour interactive presentation; or 4-day session
Serious Games (Applied Learning Environments, Mult-Hazard Tournaments)
What are Serious Games? Serious Games and Applied Learning Environments include scenario-based experiences that promote learning, collaborating, complex problem-solving, and empathy-building. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has, for more than two decades, been using this innovative approach to facilitate tough decisions with multiple resources. For example, decision support models are most effective when collaboratively built, in order to represent all interests and values, and Serious Games can help technical and non-technical people discuss the purpose and intent of a model to answer a question. With a diverse array of stakeholders and a varying level of expertise at modeling, this approach has proven effective in creating a space for respectful dialogue and a safe-to-fail environment.
Objectives: Participants will be able to evaluate if Serious Games is an appropriate tool for their situation, and what the approaches entail. Graduates of the full-length course will be ready to work with others to lead a Serious Games effort.
Who Should Attend: Anyone interested in Serious Games and ALEs as a methodology and approach to engagement. Conveners of a collaborative decision-making process including facilitation, conflict management, and mediation practitioners, and modelers who would like to apply their technical skills in the decision-making setting and engage with non-technical stakeholders. An ideal class may include a variety of functional areas, all focused on a single topic, region, or problem to solve. The learning can then be applied in real time – hence, a true Applied Learning Environment!
What You Will Learn: Fundamental principles of Serious Games and game design; how a Serious Game can support traditional USACE planning and decision making processes, and how these strategies can result in better outcomes; collaborative modeling and the differences – and similarities – between games and models; adult learning principles; and how to develop and facilitate a game (5 minutes to 5 hours) in any length agenda for improved group decisions and problem-solving efforts.
Length: From a ½ day assessment of applicability to a full week-long course.
Skills for Managing Challenging Public Meetings
Objectives: To increase employee competency and confidence in facilitating public meetings by reviewing and practicing how to respond to a range of comments. To support USACE staff in responding clearly to technical questions using key messages the team has developed. To prepare USACE staff to respond effectively to emotional and difficult questions and comments from participants through role play and practice.
Who Should Attend: Anyone who is or will be supporting public meetings as a facilitator or subject matter expert. This is particularly helpful for new staff or for projects planning a surge of meetings and/or outreach and require more staff to support with confidence and using consistent messaging.
What You Will Learn: Topics will be tailored to district needs but may include: Designing Meetings for Successful Interactions; Key Message Development and Delivery; Media Training; Responding to Difficult Questions; Facilitation Fundamentals.
Length: 1 ½ to 2 days