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Search for a workshop or enrichment opportunity by selecting your desired campus, quarter, category, or intended audience in the lefthand column. A list of relevant courses will display below. Click on the course title to view general information about the course.

Please note that not all courses are offered year-round. To find the next session for your desired course, click on the "Find Upcoming Sessions" link at the end of the description. You can also view a schedule of upcoming classes in the current workshop catalog PDF Icon or our online calendar in PlanIt Purple.

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HRD700- Introduction to University Business Processes (Online)

Introduction to University Business Processes is an online module that explores NU’s business environment and framework for compliance, while identifying key NU business terms, systems, departments and policies. It is a pre-requisite for many other Business Processes workshops, and helps staff members determine a personalized curriculum for business process learning.

To request enrollment, please email your NetID to workplace-learning@northwestern.edu. You will then receive confirmation of your enrollment by the end of the next business day. Once you receive confirmation, log into Blackboard at http://courses.northwestern.edu/ to view the presentation.

Before you begin, ensure that:

  1. your computer has audio capabilities;
  2. your email program, such as Outlook, is open and functional;
  3. you have about 60 minutes set aside to complete the online course.

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HRD705- Effective Business Operations: A Guide to Internal Controls

Effective Business Operations: A Guide to Internal Controls helps University employees to effectively and efficiently administer operations; keep reliable financial records; produce accurate reports; comply with University policies, procedures, laws and regulations; and safeguard University assets. Prerequisite: Introduction to University Business Processes.

Key Points

  • Find out what can happen if adequate controls are not in place
  • Learn the key control elements and how they relate to one’s job
  • Obtain a self-assessment tool to evaluate internal operations
  • Identify whom to contact with questions or concerns about business operations

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HRD715- Purchasing and Payments

NOTE: This workshop is currently being re-designed to be accessible online. Details will be posted as they become available. In the interim, please review the Process Maps below for further guidance.

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This workshop builds from Introduction to University Business Processes and Effective Business Operations by exploring purchasing processes in depth. Learn NU’s purchasing philosophy and how to make best value purchases when dealing with a variety of suppliers. Prerequisites: Introduction to University Business Processes (HRD700) and Effective Business Operations (HRD705).

Process Maps

See the Project Café website for information on Project Café training.

Key Points

  • Locate the relevant online resources, policies, procedures and additional training for acquiring goods and services at NU.
  • Determine the control practices you can implement to strengthen your internal purchasing operations.
  • State when to partner with, and what resources and support are provided by: Accounts Payable, ASRSP, Auditing, Depository Services, OSR, Payroll, Purchasing Resource Services, and Project Café.
  • Make purchasing decisions using a method that results in “best value” to your unit and NU.
  • Describe the core purchasing processes to follow and how, depending on the type of supplier (internal, external – preferred and non-preferred) and the type of good or service needed.
  • Determine how and when it is appropriate to use the ProCard and Direct Payment Request (DPR) alternative purchasing methods.
  • Determine which payment process and forms (Contracted Services Form, Additional Pay, Special Pay) to use and the criteria to meet when engaging the services of individuals.
  • Describe how to reimburse individuals for purchases and expenses.
  • Describe how employees may obtain cash or check advance of University funds for travel and non-travel expenses.

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HRD780- FERPA Training (Online)

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (“FERPA”) defines student educational records, outlines students’ rights to access the records and review their contents, and governs who, in addition to students, may access the information and under what circumstances. FERPA also governs how Northwestern University must maintain student records.

Visit FERPA Online Training to get started. Please note that you'll need to enter your NetID and NetID password for added security.

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Managing Your Career Part 1: Introduction

In the first session, participants learn about the basic principles of career planning, its challenges, and the different methods we use for making career decisions. Participants receive a career workbook, If You Knew Who You Were, You Could Be Who You Are, which provides the foundational tools to help assess values, interests, work styles, work environment, knowledge, skills and accomplishments. Post-workshop assignment: Participants complete the workbook before the next session.

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Managing Your Career Part 2: Assessment

Assessment: Where Are You in Your Career?

In the second session, participants discuss their assessment work and obtain guidance on interpreting and solidifying the results. Post-workshop assignment: Participants read a Harvard Business Review article, "What's Your Story," by Herminia Ibarra and Kent Lineback and start building their own career story. Prerequisite: Introduction.

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Managing Your Career Part 3: Exploring Options

Exploring Options: Where Do You Want to Go?

The third session explores how to leverage your strengths in your current position and more fully employ your talents. Participants learn how to use networking and information interviewing to broaden their career options. Post-workshop assignment: Participants conduct an informational interview and further develop their career story. Prerequisite: Assessment.

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Managing Your Career Part 4: Creating Your Plan

Creating Your Plan: How Are You Going to Get There?

The fourth session focuses on narrowing options, targeting career goals, and creating an individual career development plan to meet your goals. Participants will get practice sharing their career stories. We'll also start preparing for the next session by evaluating the effectiveness of some good and some not so good resumes and cover letters and discuss how a recruiter/hiring manager screens resumes and of how to avoid red flags. Post-workshop assignment: Participants complete their individual career development plan and prepare their resume. Prerequisite: Exploring Options.

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Managing Your Career Part 5: Marketing Yourself - Applying for the Job

Marketing Yourself: Applying for the Job

In this fifth session, participants bring a copy of their resumes and get feedback from a staffing specialist. Participants learn about the University's transfer process, and best practices for preparing for an interview are discussed. Post-workshop assignment: Participants prepare for interviews. Prerequisite: Creating Your Plan.

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Managing Your Career Part 6: Marketing Yourself - Interviewing

Marketing Yourself: Interviewing

In the final session, a panel of staffing experts is available to give guidance on how to handle those tough interviewing questions. Then participants have an opportunity to rehearse a mock interview. Prerequisite: Marketing Yourself: Applying for the Job.

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HRD106- Access 2010: Enter/View/Find Data

This workshop is designed for those who need to use an existing database to enter and find data. Please note that this course does not cover how to create a database.

Key Points

  • Quick overview of tables, queries, forms, and reports in the Office 2010 suite environment
  • Using existing tables and forms for data entry and to view data
  • Open and use existing queries and reports
  • Using the Find and Instant Search feature
  • Creating Select Queries from scratch and Reports using the Wizard

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HRD116- Access 2010: Building a Database

This two-day workshop is designed for both those who wish to create a database from scratch and to make design changes to an existing database.

Day 1 Objectives

2010 Environment

Become comfortable in the new Access 2010 environment of Tabs & Ribbons

Database Design & Relationships

  • Define a structured purpose, scope, and objectives for the database
  • Learn data-gathering techniques that enable quicker starts, clarify the types if information needed from the database, and help in naming fields, grouping them into tables, and relating tables to each other
  • Consolidate data into user friendly critical content areas
  • Understand and implement three types of table relationships (one-to-one, one-to-many, and many-to-many) and eliminate weak relationships with a junction table
  • Apply normalization tests to evaluate the integrity of the database design

Tables

  • Create relationships between tables
  • Enforce referential integrity between tables to keep records in related fields valid and accurate; view sub-datasheets to related tables
  • Create lookup lists and set different properties of a field in the
  • Design view of a table
  • Create an input mask for data entry
  • Set validation rules and text for a field

Day 2 Objectives

Queries

  • Understand the purpose of various queries
  • Create a query from scratch and specify criteria
  • Create queries that are based on more than one table and create a calculated field
  • Use queries to summarized data from tables

Forms and Reports

  • Create forms & reports using the wizards and modify those forms with styles
  • Reorganize the form layout by moving fields to change the order in which they appear on the form
  • Modify properties to define an object's appearance, behavior, and characteristics
  • Customize headers and footers to prepare for printing

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HRD126- Access 2010: Advanced

This workshop is designed for those who have a strong, functioning database and wish to add some advanced features. Prerequisite: Access 2010: Building a Database.

Key Points

  • Create advanced forms and reports
  • Add a calculated field to a report or form
  • Modify data with Action queries
  • Create a Make Table Query
  • Import/Export Data from/to Excel
  • Create single and multi-field parameter queries
  • Use Database Documenter
  • Time allowed for discussion of issues you may have with current database and how to resolve

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HRD156- Excel 2010: Beyond the Basics

This full-day workshop is ideal for self-taught users of Microsoft Excel who would like to fill in the gaps in their know-how as well as learn time-saving tips and tricks. Techniques to produce reliable Excel workbooks are covered, including how to display, format, edit existing worksheets and develop new ones plus how to make the most of Excel by creating formulas to analyze data quickly. Prerequisite: Office 2010: Fundamentals or equivalent experience.

Key Points

  • Quick tour of the Excel 2010 environment
  • Enter and edit labels, values, and formulas in a worksheet
  • Use Autofil to quickly fill in predefined labels and to copy text, numbers and formulas
  • Move and copy data, insert and delete ranges, and work with relative and absolute references when creating and copying formulas
  • Understand function syntax and use functions such as SUM, AVERAGE, MIN, MAX, and COUNT to perform calculations in a worksheet
  • Format text, numbers, rows, and columns in a worksheet to make them more prominent and easier to read
  • Preview, control Page Setup options for, and print worksheets and set and clear a print area
  • Try the new SmartArt

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HRD157- Excel 2011 for Mac: Beyond the Basics

This full-day workshop is ideal for self-taught users of Microsoft Excel who would like to fill in the gaps in their know-how as well as learn time-saving tips and tricks. Techniques to produce reliable Excel workbooks are covered, including how to display, format, edit existing worksheets and develop new ones plus how to make the most of Excel by creating formulas to analyze data quickly.

Key Points

  • Quick tour of the Excel 2011 environment
  • Enter and edit labels, values, and formulas in a worksheet
  • Use Auto Fill to quickly fill in predefined labels and to copy text, numbers and formulas
  • Move and copy data, insert and delete ranges, and work with relative and absolute references when creating and copying formulas
  • Understand function syntax and use functions such as SUM, AVERAGE, MIN, MAX, and COUNT to perform calculations in a worksheet
  • Format text, numbers, rows, and columns in a worksheet to make them more prominent and easier to read
  • Preview, control Page Setup options for, and print worksheets and set and clear a print area

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HRD158- Excel 2011 for Mac: Advanced Functions

Participants learn to use Excel's built-in computational and analytical tools to make complex calculations quickly and easily. Learn tips and tricks from the expert to make your spreadsheets efficient in this new 2010 environment.

Key Points

  • Use additional Statistical functions not previously covered
  • Use Logical functions
  • Nest multiple functions
  • Lookup function and naming ranges for pulling in data
  • How and when to use Error functions
  • Format and calculate date and time functions
  • Calculate investments using financial functions
  • Concatenate, left, right, middle and other text functions
  • Plenty of time to answer your specific questions - bring your files if desired
  • Loads of tips and tricks

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HRD166- Excel 2010: Advanced Functions

Participants learn to use Excel's built-in computational and analytical tools to make complex calculations quickly and easily. Learn tips and tricks from the expert to make your spreadsheets efficient in this new 2010 environment.

Key Points

  • Use additional Statistical functions not previously covered
  • Use Logical functions
  • Nest multiple functions
  • Lookup function and naming ranges for pulling in data
  • How and when to use Error functions
  • Format and calculate date and time functions
  • Calculate investments using financial functions
  • Concatenate, left, right, middle and other text functions
  • Plenty of time to answer your specific questions - bring your files if desired
  • Loads of tips and tricks

Find Upcoming Sessions

HRD176- Excel 2010: Charts and Dashboards

This workshop provides the techniques needed for mastering Excel's charting capabilities and working with multiple workbooks to illustrate data, relationships, and trends. Participants learn to quickly transform hard-to-read numbers from a table or spreadsheet into professional-looking charts, to update several worksheets at once using 3-D formulas, and to effectively manage large workbooks with multiple worksheets.

Key Points

  • Create different types of charts
  • Format charts with themes and styles
  • Add titles, gridlines, annotations, and a data table to a chart
  • Work with a 3-D chart
  • Change viewing options, hide and display data, and print large worksheets
  • Insert, delete, rename, move, and copy multiple worksheets
  • Summarize data from different worksheets using the Consolidate command
  • Use 3-D formulas and external links to perform calculations on data from multiple worksheets and workbooks

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HRD177- Excel 2011 for Mac: Charts and Dashboards

This workshop provides the techniques needed for mastering Excel's charting capabilities and working with multiple workbooks to illustrate data, relationships, and trends. Participants learn to quickly transform hard-to-read numbers from a table or spreadsheet into professional-looking charts, to update several worksheets at once using 3-D formulas, and to effectively manage large workbooks with multiple worksheets. Prerequisite: Excel 2010 - Beyond the Basics or equivalent skills.

Key Points

  • Create different types of charts
  • Format charts with themes and styles
  • Add titles, gridlines, annotations, and a data table to a chart
  • Work with a 3-D chart
  • Change viewing options, hide and display data, and print large worksheets
  • Insert, delete, rename, move, and copy multiple worksheets
  • Summarize data from different worksheets using the Consolidate command
  • Use 3-D formulas and external links to perform calculations on data from multiple worksheets and workbooks

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HRD186- Excel 2010: Sorting, Filtering, Subtotals, Pivot Tables

This workshop provides the techniques for mastering some of Microsoft Excel's data-management and analysis features. Participants learn to create a list in Excel to keep track of related data. After a list is created, it is easy to find, organize, and analyze its information with Excel's rich set of list-management features. Feel free to bring your own files to practice with.

Key Points

  • Create a structured list to maximize current and future data productivity
  • Format as a Table - new list capabilities
  • Sort a list using several techniques
  • Add subtotals to worksheets without writing any formulas
  • Use the AutoFilter to display only the records that meet one's criteria
  • Examine the new filtering options for Dates and Numbers
  • Create a powerful and flexible custom filter
  • Create Pivot tables and Pivot Charts to summarize a data list
  • Protect a workbook by enabling a password and locking cells to prevent unauthorized changes

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HRD187- Excel 2011 for Mac: Sorting, Filtering, Subtotals, Pivot Tables

This workshop provides the techniques for mastering some of Microsoft Excel's data-management and analysis features in the Mac envirment. Participants learn to create a list in Excel to keep track of related data. After a list is created, it is easy to find, organize, and analyze its information with Excel's rich set of list-management features. Feel free to bring your own files to practice with.

Key Points

  • Create a structured list to maximize current and future data productivity
  • Format as a table - new list capabilities
  • Sort a list using several techniques
  • Add subtotals to worksheets without writing any formulas
  • Use the AutoFilter to display only the records that meet one's criteria
  • Examine the new filtering options for Dates and Numbers
  • Create a powerful and flexible custom filter
  • Create Pivot tables and Pivot Charts to summarize a data list
  • Protect a workbook by enabling a password and locking cells to prevent unauthorized changes

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HRD205- Acrobat

This workshop provides the knowledge and skills needed to use Adobe Acrobat effectively.  Participants learn how to create, modify, and distribute PDF (Portable Document Format) files and fill-in forms. Feel free to bring a project to work on.

Key Points

  • Become familiar in the Acrobat environment by using tools and palettes
  • Page through a PDF document using Acrobat's built-in navigational controls
  • Create and edit links to different areas within a document
  • Create a form for distribution and learn how to collect the results in an Excel file
  • Convert different types of files to PDF
  • Create a new PDF portfolio

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HRD208- InDesign

This course will explore the core features and functions of InDesign CS5. You will learn how to create and edit different types of publications, arrange text and graphics, work with master pages. You will also learn how to flow text across text boxes, create a facing-pages layout, and prepare publications for printing. Feel free to bring a project to work on in class.

Key Points

  • Explore the InDesign environment
  • Create a Flyer and understand object positioning
  • Create a multipage booklet
  • Explore and use templates that come with InDesign
  • Work with text boxes and text box linking
  • Insert graphics then resize, rotate, align and wrap text options
  • Stack and group objects
  • Master pages and guides
  • Save & print setting for your publication

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HRD209- InDesign: Advanced

This course will explore advanced features and functions of InDesign CS5 and pick up where the basic InDesign workshop ended. You will learn how to work with large publications, involving multiple masters, page numbering, and table of contents. We will work with a 4-page newsletter project and a book project during class. Feel free to bring a project or text files to work with in class. Prerequisite: InDesign basic workshop or equivalent skills.

Key Points

  • Create a large document
  • Work with multiple masters
  • Character and paragraph styles
  • Explore text frame options
  • Thread text frames with “continued” from and to page numbers
  • Working with tables
  • Page numbering and page number options
  • Generate a table of contents
  • Assemble a book

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HRD210- Photoshop

This workshop explains how to use Photoshop to optimize images. Participants work with digital or scanned images and save them as PSDs, JPGs and GIFs - formats that are widely used in printing and web-based environments. Prerequisite: Intermediate computer skills. Feel free to bring your own files to practice with.

Key Points

  • Get to know the Photoshop environment by using tools and palettes
  • Resize and crop images
  • Optimize and adjust the resolution of images based on the output medium, such as Web or print
  • Use selection techniques to change specific parts of an image
  • Darken, lighten, and clean-up photos
  • Work with layers and flatten images
  • Create a composite image for image maps or flyers
  • Explore the many filter options to give an artistic look to you image
  • Create buttons images for rollovers for website design

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HRD215- Illustrator

This course explores the core features and functions of Illustrator CS5. You will learn how to create and edit different types of graphics elements to print or export for use in other applications. Feel free to bring a project idea to work towards in class. Proficient level of computer skills required.

Key Points

  • Explore the Illustrator environment and customize your workspace
  • Use the pencil and shape tools with formatting options
  • Use the pen tool and path options
  • Add, format and edit text
  • Explore stroke and fill options
  • Create a logo
  • Learn about layers and grouping objects
  • Save and exportoptions to use in other types of applications
  • Create an ad
  • Get your ad ready for printing

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HRD218- OneNote

Microsoft OneNote 2010 gives you the ideal place to store and share your information in a single, easy-to-access location. Learn how to organize all your notes about a project in one easy to search notebook.

Key Points

•  Creating, navigating, and saving in OneNote
•  Adding a section and pages
•  Creating text notes & tables
•  Sending to OneNote
•  Searching in OneNote
•  Turning synchronization on/manual synchronization
•  Docking OneNote

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HRD219- Lync

Learn to use the Microsoft Lync program to communicate with co-workers via instant message, voice or video conferencing. In this workshop, you will learn how to create a contact list, set your presence indicator, and see how Lync interacts with Microsoft Outlook. Plus learn how to share your desktop or program with others or set-up an online meeting. Prerequisite: Outlook Calendars or comparable knowledge

Key Points

  • Start an instant message and presence settings
  • Build your contact list
  • Use voice and video for communication
  • Set up, start and join an online meeting
  • Share your desktop or a program with others

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HRD221- Publisher 2010

In this course you will learn the core features and functions of Publisher 2010. You will learn how to create and edit publications, arrange text and graphics, work with master pages, and create and format tables. You will also learn how to flow text across text boxes, create a facing-pages layout, and prepare publications for printing. Feel free to bring a project to work on in class.

Key Points

  • Explore the publication templates available
  • Navigate in a Publisher publication document and explore the Publisher environment
  • Create a flyer and understand object positioning
  • Create a multipage booklet
  • Working with text boxes and text box linking
  • Inserting graphics then resize, rotate, align and wrap text options
  • Create and format basic tables
  • Stacking and grouping objects
  • Master pages and guides
  • Saving and printing your publication

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HRD231- Visio 2010

In this course you will learn the fundamentals of working with the most common applications of Visio 2010. You will create five types of diagrams: a direction map, workflow chart, cross-functional flowchart, an organization chart and a floor plan. By using multitudes of templates and stencils, you will get a broad understand of creating graphics or drawing in this powerful, yet user-friendly application. Feel free to bring a project to work on in class.

Key Points

  • Explore the various templates available for creating a Visio document
  • Navigate in a Visio document and explore the Visio environment
  • Drag shapes from Visio stencils, then resize, rotate, align and transform them
  • Create a direction map
  • Create a flowchart and cross-functions flowchart
  • Create an organization chart
  • Create an office floor plan to scale
  • Saving and printing your drawings

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HRD251- Dreamweaver: Fundamentals

This workshop introduces the fundamentals of creating and maintaining a web page with Macromedia Dreamweaver, a tool requiring no programming knowledge. Participants examine the three main steps in the web publishing process: plan content and design; create a web site; and transfer files to the web.

Special Note: All Dreamweaver classes are held in a Windows lab. However, the concepts are platform independent. Mac users are encouraged to sign up as long as they are comfortable working in a Windows environment or would like to bring their own Mac laptop.

Key Points

  • Become familiar with basic HTML and Internet concepts
  • Plan and define a site
  • Create, save, edit, and set properties for documents
  • Build a table structure for text and image placement
  • Add, delete, format, and import text and images
  • Create basic CSS styles
  • Add hyperlinks, named anchors, and e-mail links to text and graphics
  • Discuss maintaining a site with updates, deletions, and other modifications

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HRD261- Dreamweaver: Advanced

This workshop explores Dreamweaver features that are easy to incorporate into new and existing web pages. Participants learn to create effective meta tags; use styles to consistently format web pages; create forms with text fields, lists, radio buttons, and check boxes; plus create rollovers to enhance web pages. Prerequisite: Dreamweaver: Fundamentals or consent of instructor.

Key Points

  • CSS – Cascading Style sheets and understand all 3 types of styles
  • Create Library items
  • Create, use, and edit a page Template
  • Create a rollover images and navigational bars
  • Work with Flash text and Flash button objects
  • Build an HTML form that gathers data from a site visitor (binding to a database is discussed only)
  • Insert multimedia content
  • Insert meta tags to describe the content of a site, making it easier for search engines to find

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HRD271- Dreamweaver: Newsletters

This workshop will teach you how to use Dreamweaver to write the HTML needed to create email newsletters. Learn how to incorporate links and images and how it differs from creating a web page. Prerequisite: Dreamweaver: Fundamentals.

Key Points

  • Create pages with tables with layouts
  • Insert images with an absolute reference
  • Insert links
  • Preview in browser

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HRD316- Word 2010: Mail Merge

This workshop provides the techniques to master one of Microsoft Office's greatest features for automating routine and time-consuming tasks. Participants learn step by step to use Word's Mail Merge feature in conjunction with data sources such as Microsoft Excel and Access files to create letters, envelopes, and labels for mass mailings. Feel free to bring your own files to practice with.

Key Points

  • Create form letters, labels, envelopes and lists
  • Discuss broadcast emails using Outlook contacts as your data source
  • Attach different data sources, such as Excel, Access and Word tables
  • Understand how different data sources required a different method of inserting the field placeholders
  • Edit a data source
  • Preview and merge documents

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HRD326- Windows Outlook 2010: Email, Calendar, Tasks & OWA

Learn how calendaring works in Outlook! This class covers ALL aspects of Outlook 2010 for Windows - mail, contacts, calendar, and tasks. It is ideal for those who are new to the Outlook environment or wish to use Outlook more effectively. Learn best practices for organizing your time commitments, scheduling meetings with others, and blocking time to accomplish your work thereby reducing stress and work overload. Loads of tips and tricks to help manage your email & calendar more effectively.

Key Points

  • Overview of Outlook 2010 environment and preferences
  • Manage your e-mail and communications with an efficient system
  • Create personal folders and rules to store and organize your mail
  • Organize your commitments & activities in your calendar
  • Schedule meetings
  • Manage contacts with categories
  • Use tasks to plan your projects/to-do list
  • Learn how to turn on your “Out of Office” message
  • Access your email, calendar, tasks and contact lists on the web using OWA (Outlook Web App)

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HRD327- Outlook 2011 for Mac: Email, Calendar, Tasks & OWA

Learn how calendaring works in Outlook! This class covers ALL aspects of Outlook 2011 for Mac - mail, contacts, calendar, and tasks. It is ideal for those who are new to the Outlook environment or wish to use Outlook more effectively. Learn best practices for organizing your time commitments, scheduling meetings with others, and blocking time to accomplish your work thereby reducing stress and work overload. Loads of tips and tricks to help manage your email and calendar more effectively.

Key Points

  • Overview of Outlook 2011 environment and preferences
  • Manage your e-mail and communications with an efficient system
  • Create personal folders and rules to store and organize your mail
  • Organize your commitments & activities in your calendar
  • Schedule meetings
  • Manage contacts with categories
  • Use tasks to plan your projects/to-do list
  • Learn how to turn on your “Out of Office” message
  • Access your email, calendar, tasks and contact lists on the web using OWA (Outlook Web App)

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HRD328- Connecting with Northwestern Collaboration Services: Calendars, Outlook Web App, Lync, and Unified Messaging

Get to know your suite of collaboration tools that come with your Northwestern Collaboration Services account. Get loads of tips and tricks to help manage the Outlook Web App, calendaring, Lync and unified messaging.

Key Points

  • Organize your commitments and activities in your calendar
  • Schedule meetings and rooms
  • Access your email, calendar, tasks and contact lists on the web using OWA (Outlook Web App)
  • Send instant messages via Lync
  • Get to know the new unified messaging (integrated voicemail) system

Find Upcoming Sessions

HRD329- Connecting with Northwestern Collaboration Services for Mac: Calendars, Outlook Web App, Lync, and Unified Messaging

Get to know the suite of collaboration tools that come with your Northwestern Collaboration Services account. Get loads of tips and tricks to help manage the Outlook Web App, calendaring, Lync and unified messaging. This course is tailored for Mac users.

Key Points

  • Organize your commitments and activities in your calendar
  • Schedule meetings and rooms
  • Access your email, calendar, tasks and contact lists on the web using OWA (Outlook Web App)
  • Send instant messages via Lync
  • Get to know the new unified messaging (integrated voicemail) system

Find Upcoming Sessions

HRD336- Project 2010

This workshop is designed to help project managers coordinate a variety of tasks that need to be completed within a time frame and a set amount of resources. It can help keep track of all of the project details, resources, and costs so that project goals are met. Prerequisite: Project Management Essentials or Foundations of Project Management (SCS).

Key Points

  • Create project schedule, calendar and custom reports
  • Create and assign resources
  • Outline tasks and link dependencies between tasks
  • Update project plan data with others

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HRD341- Transitioning to Microsoft Office 2010

Learn what's new in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 2010. This class is for experienced Office users wanting to know the difference. Need more basic training or learning at a slower pace? Sign up for Office 2010 Fundamentals. Need to focus on just one program? Try the Beyond the Basic level of that application.

Key Points

  • Tour of the Office Suite 2010 environment
  • Learn to navigate and customize the new Tabs and Ribbons
  • Add your favorite commands to the Quick Access Toolbar
  • Learn what will and will not work in "Compatibility Mode"
  • Learn what’s been added, changed and removed from these new versions
  • Plenty of time to answer your specific questions - bring your files if desired

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HRD356- PowerPoint 2010: Introduction

This full-day workshop provides the techniques to turn ideas into professional presentations. Learn the foundations and technical aspects of Microsoft PowerPoint to create electronic slideshows.  Feel free to bring your own ideas and images to incorporate in the final class project.

Key Points

  • Explore the PowerPoint 2010 environment
  • Learn elements of a good presentation
  • Create, edit and save a new presentation
  • Manipulate slides- layout, add, move, and delete
  • Work in various views: Normal, Slide Sorter, Outline, Notes, and Slide Show
  • Format text and backgrounds with the new Slide Designs
  • Insert images, create charts, diagrams, SmartArt and tables
  • Learn about Slide Masters

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HRD357- PowerPoint 2011 for Mac: Introduction

This full-day workshop provides the techniques to turn ideas into professional presentations. Learn the foundations and technical aspects of Microsoft PowerPoint to create electronic slideshows.  Feel free to bring your own ideas and images to incorporate in the final class project.

Key Points

  • Explore the PowerPoint 2011 environment
  • Learn elements of a good presentation
  • Create, edit and save a new presentation
  • Manipulate slides- layout, add, move, and delete
  • Work in various views: Normal, Slide Sorter, Outline, Notes, and Slide Show
  • Format text and backgrounds with the new Slide Designs
  • Insert images, create charts, diagrams, SmartArt and tables
  • Learn about Slide Masters

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HRD358- PowerPoint 2011 for Mac: Advanced

PowerPoint can be used for much more than just to replace “transparencies” for stand-up presentations. This full-day workshop builds upon the lessons learned in the Fundamentals class.  Examples on how best to convey your messages depending on the audience and location, focusing on streamlining information for impact without losing anything important. Plus, learn how to take that presentation/course and create handouts for students and a manual for the presenter/instructor. Feel free to bring your own ideas and images to incorporate in the final class project.

Key Points

  • What makes a GREAT stand-up presentation
  • Build a presentation in wide-screen format with Hi-Resolution
  • Custom animation with motion paths
  • Edit existing and create new slide masters
  • Using PowerPoint on a stand-alone kiosk or to create a course for the classroom
  • Use multiple masters for a long presentation or course
  • Create custom layouts and templates to use in the future with your customs theme
  • Create different handout types and instructor's coordinating manual
  • Insert multimedia and learn the pitfalls when transferring to another computer
  • Compact your presentation to take on the road or give to others
  • Loads of tips and tricks

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HRD406- Word 2010: Beyond the Basics

A complete guided tour of Microsoft Word's best features, this workshop is ideal for self-taught Word users who would like to hone their skills and improve their efficiency. It covers how to display, format, and edit existing documents and create new ones. Participants learn all the techniques necessary to produce professional-looking word processing documents. Prerequisite: Office 2010: Fundamentals or equivalent experience.

Key Points

  • Tour of the Word 2010 environment
  • Lots of tips and tricks to make working in Word fast and efficient
  • Add, delete, and format text in documents
  • Use the Undo, Redo, and Repeat commands
  • Change font type, color, and size; copy formats with the Format Painter
  • Create bulleted and numbered lists
  • Create and format Word tables
  • Adjust margins and tabs and control where a page breaks
  • Add page numbering to documents
  • Add borders to tables, paragraphs and pages
  • Align and indent text in paragraphs and adjust paragraph spacing
  • Use Word styles and built-in templates

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HRD407- Word 2011 for Mac: Beyond the Basics

A complete guided tour of Microsoft Word's best features, this workshop is ideal for self-taught Word users who would like to hone their skills and improve their efficiency. It covers how to display, format, and edit existing documents and create new ones. Participants learn all the techniques necessary to produce professional-looking word processing documents.

Key Points

  • Tour of the Word 2011 environment
  • Lots of tips and tricks to make working in Word fast and efficient
  • Add, delete, and format text in documents
  • Use the Undo, Redo, and Repeat commands
  • Change font type, color, and size; copy formats with the Format Painter
  • Create bulleted and numbered lists
  • Create and format Word tables
  • Adjust margins and tabs and control where a page breaks
  • Add page numbering to documents
  • Add borders to tables, paragraphs and pages
  • Align and indent text in paragraphs and adjust paragraph spacing
  • Use Word styles and built-in templates

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HRD408- Word 2011 for Mac: Advanced

This advanced-level workshop is for those who work with long reports, lengthy research papers, and documents requiring multiple revisions. Feel free to bring your own files to practice with.

Key Points

  • Learn Quick Styles and Themes for quick and consistent formatting
  • Learn to use the Outline Mode in Word
  • Mark words for a Table of Contents and Index, then generate both
  • Add Footnotes and Endnotes that automatically renumber with changes
  • Add Bookmarks and Hyperlinks to be able to jump to locations quickly
  • Insert sections breaks, change document settings such as orientation and different odd/even page numbering
  • Track changes with Word's built-in reviewing tools
  • Insert, edit, print, and delete reviewer comments and use the highlight tool to mark text
  • Plenty of time to answer your specific questions - bring your files if desired

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HRD416- Word 2010: Advanced

This advanced-level workshop is for those who work with long reports, lengthy research papers, and documents requiring multiple revisions. Feel free to bring your own files to practice with.

Key Points

  • Learn Quick Styles and Themes for quick and consistent formatting
  • Learn to use the Outline Mode in Word
  • Mark words for a Table of Contents and Index, then generate both
  • Add Footnotes and Endnotes that automatically renumber with changes
  • Add Bookmarks and Hyperlinks to be able to jump to locations quickly
  • Insert sections breaks, change document settings such as orientation and different odd/even page numbering
  • Track changes with Word's built-in reviewing tools
  • Insert, edit, print, and delete reviewer comments and use the highlight tool to mark text
  • Plenty of time to answer your specific questions - bring your files if desired

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HRD426- Integrating Word, Excel & PowerPoint

This workshop is designed for Office power users that need to harness the power of using the Office applications together -- whether it is to link an Excel Chart in PowerPoint or Word; bring a PowerPoint Presentation in Word and format for an instructor/speaker manual; or bring in items built in any other applications. Prerequisites: Word/Excel and PowerPoint 2010 Beyond the Basics or equivalent skills.

Key Points

  • Link between Office applications
  • Publish a presentation to Word and format for an instructor/speaker or student manual
  • Hyperlink to files associated with other applications
  • Hyperlink to websites or start an email message
  • Bring Visio and Photoshop objects into PowerPoint or Word
  • Bring all of the pieces together for a master document

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HRD446- PowerPoint 2010: Advanced

PowerPoint can be used for much more than just to replace “transparencies” for stand-up presentations. This full-day workshop builds upon the lessons learned in the Fundamentals class.  Examples on how best to convey your messages depending on the audience and location, focusing on streamlining information for impact without losing anything important. Plus, learn how to take that presentation/course and create handouts for students and a manual for the presenter/instructor. Feel free to bring your own ideas and images to incorporate in the final class project. Prerequisite: PowerPoint 2010 Fundamentals or equivalent skills.

Key Points

  • What makes a GREAT stand-up presentation
  • Build a presentation in Wide-Screen format with Hi-Resolution
  • Custom Animation with Motion paths
  • Edit existing and create new Slide Masters
  • Using PowerPoint on a stand-alone kiosk or to create a course for the classroom
  • Use Multiple Masters for a long presentation or course
  • Create custom layouts and templates to use in the future with your customs theme
  • Create different handout types and instructor's coordinating manual
  • Insert multimedia and learn the pitfalls when transferring to another computer
  • Compact your presentation to take on the road or give to others
  • Loads of tips and tricks

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HRP003: E-Verify/Electronic I-9 Training

Form I-9 Section 2 Processor's Training is available for anyone who currently signs off on I-9s for a department or center. This includes department administrators, program assistants, hiring managers, or anyone else that assists in the hiring process.  Existing Section 2 Processors are required to attend a refresher training annually and will be notified when they are available.

Access: The I-9 Security Request Form PDF Document must be completed and signed before attending this class.

Questions: Please direct questions about FASIS training to Chris Tondini, Senior Training Specialist, at tondini@northwestern.edu.

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HRS101: FASIS Lookup Training

HRS101 introduces users to the administration side of the Faculty and Staff Information System (FASIS), a web-based software application that records and tracks all HR-related data across the University.  This course will provide hands-on access to the most commonly used FASIS pages, supplemented with details about particular data that can be retrieved from within the system. 

This course is required for any user of the FASIS Administration system and is a prerequisite to taking HRS102, HRS103, HRS104, and HRS201.

Access: Although any employee may take this course, a complete and authorized FASIS Security Authorization Form is required to receive access to the system and data.

Questions: Please direct questions about FASIS training to Chris Tondini, Senior Training Specialist, at tondini@northwestern.edu.

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HRS102: Deployed Funding

HRS102 teaches administrators how to submit and approve position funding changes (the University account or grant from which a position is paid) and payroll journals (correcting previous charges) through an online approval process rather than through the traditional paper Position Data Form.

Pre-Requisite: HRS101

Access: An additional Deployment Security Form is required to receive access to the Deployed Funding functions; note that this in addition to the general security form required for HRS101.

Questions: Please direct questions about FASIS training to Chris Tondini, Senior Training Specialist, at tondini@northwestern.edu.

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HRS103: Temp Administration

At Northwestern, authorized supervisors and department heads have the ability to modify a temporary employee's record directly in FASIS without utilizing paper forms or approval processes.  HRS103 introduces users to the functions specifically related to maintaining temporary employees, including work-study students, non-work-study students, temporary non-students, and employees garnered through the NU Temp Center.

Pre-Requisite: HRS101

Questions: Please direct questions about FASIS training to Chris Tondini, Senior Training Specialist, at tondini@northwestern.edu.

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HRS104: Query Development

The FASIS Query module allows authorized users direct access to the data stored in the FASIS database, providing for the creation of custom on-demand reports.  FASIS Query Development will train users on the language and logic required to conceive and build their own reports within the system, providing a much more robust way to use the data normally confined to the individual pages within FASIS.

Pre-Requisite: HRS101

Questions: Please direct questions about FASIS training to Chris Tondini, Senior Training Specialist, at tondini@northwestern.edu.

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HRS105: Advanced Query Development

FASIS Advanced Query Development is intended for existing FASIS Query users already comfortable with creating basic multi-table queries who are looking to take their query use to the next level.  Note that this course will not include a review of basic query procedures; it assumes you're comfortable with the material covered in the FASIS Query Development(HRS104) course.

Pre-Requisites: HRS101, HRS104, and 3 weeks or more working with developing FASIS queries

Questions: Please direct questions about FASIS training to Chris Tondini, Senior Training Specialist, at tondini@northwestern.edu.

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HRS121: Staff eRecruit

FASIS Staff eRecruit enables users to create, modify, and administer staff job openings and applicants for those openings.  Data Enterers will learn how to complete and submit a job for publication, while Hiring Managers will learn details about reviewing and responding to applicants using the eRecruit system.

Note: If you will be managing job openings and applicants for faculty, you must contact the Office of the Provost to arrange for training the Faculty eRecruit system.

Access: No security form is required for access to Staff eRecruit.  After attending this class, your access to job openings and applicants will be approved by the Human Resources Staffing Consultant for your department before access is provided.

Questions: Please direct questions about FASIS training to Chris Tondini, Senior Training Specialist, at tondini@northwestern.edu.

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HRS122: eDevelopment

The FASIS eDevelopment module provides users a means to administer University training and development programs.  Courses set up through eDevelopment are displayed in the FASIS Self-Service "Learning and Development" site, through which employees across the University can enroll.  eDevelopment provides course scheduling, enrollment tracking, and waitlist management accessible to course administrators and instuctors.

Access: Prior to receiving access to eDevelopment, the eDevelopment Security Form must be completed in full.

Questions: Please direct questions about FASIS training to Chris Tondini, Senior Training Specialist, at tondini@northwestern.edu.

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HRS202 / HRS203: Salary Planning

HRS202 and HRS203 are annual demonstrations that review the functionality of the FASIS Salary Planning pages that administrators use to complete the annual Salary Planning process.  Access to Salary Planning is provided only to those administrators responsible for entering end-of-year merit increases and budgeted salary information.

HRS202 is a demonstration of faculty salary planning only; HRS203 includes information for both faculty and staff planning.

Pre-Requisite: HRS101

Access: Access to the salary planning pages will only be granted to individuals at the request of a school administrator.

Questions: Please direct questions about FASIS training to Chris Tondini, Senior Training Specialist, at tondini@northwestern.edu.

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HRS251: Faculty/Librarian eRecruit

HRS251 provides instruction for administrators who will be requesting faculty job postings (Pre-Search), entering data for faculty offer letters (eOffer), and/or administering email requests for candidate demographics (Self-Identification Emails).

Access: This course is provided on an as-needed basis; any employee requiring access must first consult with the Office of the Provost.

Questions: Please direct questions about FASIS training to Chris Tondini, Senior Training Specialist, at tondini@northwestern.edu.

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HRS301: Kronos Time System

Northwestern utilizes the Kronos time system across campus for reporting the hours and leave time of biweekly employees and recording the leave time for monthly employees.  This demonstration will cover all facets of the Kronos time system for both employee entry and supervisor approval.

Questions: Please direct questions about FASIS training to Chris Tondini, Senior Training Specialist, at tondini@northwestern.edu.

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HRS401: Position Data/Appointment Form

This course will cover the two major forms used by HR and Payroll to process HR records and payments: the Position Data and Appointment Form and the Additional Pay/Special Pay Form.  The former is a staple form required when any change to a University position or employment record is requested; the latter is used to provide extra pay to faculty and staff for additional duties performed at the University.

Access: This course is required for anyone who will be completing or approving a Position Data/Appointment Form.  There is no security form required to learn the procedures; however, the general FASIS Security Form must be completed if you will need to print forms from the FASIS system.

Questions: Please direct questions about FASIS training to Chris Tondini, Senior Training Specialist, at tondini@northwestern.edu.

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HRS402: Summer/Research Quarter Salary Form

This demonstration provides an overview for administrators who complete and process Summer/Research Quarter Salary forms.  Instructions, best practices, and the approval process will be discussed, and a number of varying examples will be provided.

New users of the form are encouraged to attend, as well as those who would like a refresher.  Numerous payroll staff will be on hand to provide personal assistance and answer specific questions.

Registration is encouraged but is not required.

Questions: Please direct questions about FASIS training to Chris Tondini, Senior Training Specialist, at tondini@northwestern.edu.

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HRD690- Manager's HR Toolkit: ADA Accommodations: Step by Step Guidance for Supervisors and Managers

This interactive workshop instructs supervisors and managers on the basic requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and its impact on the workplace.

This workshop is for supervisors and managers with direct reports, and people who are responsible for the administration of HR policies in their units.

Key Points

  • Understand the definition of a disability
  • Identify employees who are protected
  • Learn about employer requirements, University policy and procedures
  • Determine appropriate responses to performance deficiences that may be linked to a disability
  • Determine appropriate responses to requests for accommodations

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HRD755- Manager's HR Toolkit: How Compensation Works

This workshop provides an understanding of Northwestern University 's compensation philosophy and how the Office of Human Resources Compensation Division partners with schools and departments to manage and administer a fair, equitable and competitive pay program for staff employees.

This workshop is for supervisors and managers with direct reports, and people who are responsible for the administration of HR policies in their units.

Key Points

  • Structuring a job description
  • How jobs are evaluated and the use of salary surveys
  • How performance relates to merit increases
  • Salary ranges: how they're developed and how to use them for salary administration
  • When to ask for additional pay

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HRD820- Manager's HR Toolkit: Work/Life Strategies for Enhancing Workplace Performance

In order to attract and retain the best employees, NU offers a variety of policies and programs that help staff members integrate the competing demands of work and personal life.  Whether or not your employees are able to use these programs depends largely on your knowledge, awareness and willingness to support them. Work/life strategies aren’t a nice-to-have perk; they play a pivotal role in the engagement, motivation and performance of your staff. Come learn how to inspire high performance by implementing strategies at the department/team level that enhance work/life integration.

This workshop is for supervisors and managers with direct reports, and people who are responsible for the administration of HR policies in their units.

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HRD821- Manager's HR Toolkit: Navigating Difficult Employee-Relations Issues

An employee who is having performance issues shares with you that he has trouble concentrating because he has Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). How do you respond?  

  1. Become his confidant?
  2. Refer him to Perspectives (NU’s Employee Assistance Program)?
  3. Share with your HR Consultant and/or your manager (in confidence) that he has ADD?
  4. Tell him he needs to figure it out and improve his performance?
  5. None of the above

The answer is E) none of the above. ADD is an issue that is protected under the law as a disability. Once we are aware of some employee issues, we are legally placed on notice and must respond appropriately. Does that mean employee performance can’t be managed in these situations? Come learn how to respond to difficult employee issues like these and take the guess work out of knowing the right thing to do, when the right thing isn’t so obvious. You’ll leave this session with the skills and tools needed to face difficult situations without fear or reservation and respond appropriately every time.

This workshop is for supervisors and managers with direct reports, and people who are responsible for the administration of HR policies in their units.

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HRD962- Crucial ConversationsĀ® for Managers

Audience: Northwestern supervisors and managers with at least one direct report.

Crucial conversations take place every day in our work. You know the type -- conversations where there are high stakes, differences of opinion, and strong emotion. The difference between mediocre and top performance lies not in strategies, hardware, or even in processes, but in how people handle those difficult conversations. At the heart of all problems in a team or organization are conversations that are either not being handled, or not being handled well.

Key Points

  • Identify the conversations that are keeping you from your desired results
  • Speak persuasively not abrasively, no matter the topic
  • Make it safe for others to share their honest opinions
  • Deal with people who either clam up or blow up
  • Gain control of your own emotional responses
  • Disagree without being disagreeable
  • Influence without exerting force
  • Improve teamwork, productivity and effectiveness

This practical and powerful two-day workshop is based upon a top-ten best-selling business book, Crucial Conversations.

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Leadership & Management Part 1: Leadership and the Role of Management

This workshop carefully considers the transformation to a manager’s role and the responsibilities of effective management. Participants assess their leadership strengths and development opportunities. The advantages of a flexible and situation-based management style are discussed. The foundation for the entire series will be set through a leadership model.

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Leadership & Management Part 2: Recruiting and Hiring Great Staff

Organized around Northwestern's seven-step recruitment process, this workshop provides great tools and resources for expediting the hiring process and making good hiring decisions.

Key Points

  • Navigating Northwestern's recruitment and hiring process
  • Opening and posting a position
  • Advertising and networking
  • Screening candidate resumes
  • Preparing for and conducting interviews and phone screening
  • Hiring and onboarding new employees

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Leadership & Management Part 3: Performance Excellence for Managers I & II

Participants are provided a slightly condensed version of the Performance Excellence for Managers I and Performance Excellence II workshops. In Part 1 of this highly interactive workshop, managers learn how to initiate the University's Performance Excellence Process and receive valuable guidelines and tools. Participants are asked to bring copies of the formal descriptions of their jobs and of those of the employees they directly supervise. In Part II, managers learn how to complete the Performance Excellence yearly cycle. Discussions and exercises focus on five key leadership responsibilities.

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Leadership & Management Part 4: Delegation and Coaching

Build the skills of others on your team through smart delegation and coaching, and watch your own effectiveness as a manager increase remarkably. Taking full advantage of delegation means preparing direct reports for new assignments and following up with useful coaching, both of which require managers to handle their own time effectively. In this way, time management paves the way for successful delegation and follow-up coaching. In this session, participants will systematically review their use of time, identify a delegation opportunity, plan the delegation, and think through the follow-up coaching to ensure success. Each part of the module will features skills and working knowledge to help the participants approach these aspects of management in a practical manner. 

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Leadership & Management Part 5: Managing Up/Interacting With Change

Workshop description for new Part 5 of the Leadership & Management series coming soon.

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Leadership & Management Part 6: Building Strong Teams

A leader has many jobs; among them is included the responsibility to help team members build strong working relationships with one another. Because a leader sets the tone for a cooperative and positive work environment, this session will answer the following questions: How do I get my team moving together in one direction? How can I foster trust and collaboration? How can my team make decisions in an effective and efficient way?  How can I help the team surface and resolve conflicts? How can I promote the values of diversity and inclusion?  This highly interactive session will help you to: navigate the phases of team development; resolve team conflicts; set your team up for success; model and embrace diversity; and practice inclusion.

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Leadership & Management Part 7: Dealing with Performance Problems & Taking Leadership to the Next Level

The successful management of people who haven’t been getting the job done is often the biggest challenge for leaders. Personal problems, emotional difficulties, and poor attitudes can affect performance. The Dealing with Performance Problems half-day workshop helps managers to effectively diagnose the cause of a problem and take constructive action. Special attention is given to employee discipline and coaching in turn-around situations. University policy and resources are also considered.

In the Taking Leadership to the Next Level final session of the series, participants get an opportunity to come back together and discuss what insights they’ve had and skills they’ve acquired throughout the series. It’s a time to ask questions and get assistance about how to take those skills to the next level and transfer learning back on the job. It’s a celebration! This workshop is held in the afternoon following Dealing with Performance Problems.

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HRD550- Performance Excellence for Employees: What, Why and How

In this informal workshop, employees learn how to get the most from participating in the Performance Excellence Process. Discussions and exercises focus on two key responsibilities:

Key Points

  • Working with your manager to set goals for your work and your professional development
  • Discussing progress with your manager during the year

*Performance Excellence for Employees is offered as part of New Employee Orientation Part 2. If you are registered for or are planning to register for NEO Part 2, you do not need to attend this session.

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HRD560- Performance Excellence for Managers I: Initiating the Process

In this highly interactive workshop, managers learn how to initiate the University's Performance Excellence Process and receive valuable guidelines and tools. Participants are asked to bring copies of the formal descriptions of their jobs and of those of the employees they directly supervise. Discussions and exercises focus on the first four of five key leadership responsibilities:

Key Points

  • Setting individual performance objectives
  • Recognizing Northwestern behaviors
  • Setting development objectives
  • Giving feedback

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HRD570- Performance Excellence for Managers II: Completing the Process

In Part II, managers learn how to complete the Performance Excellence yearly cycle. Discussions and exercises focus on the fifth key leadership responsibility:

Key Point

  • Conducting year-end performance reviews

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HRD500- Better Business Grammar and Usage

Their tone and content may be serious, but letters, memos, e-mail messages, proposals, and reports with grammatical or punctuation errors won't be taken seriously. In this two-part workshop, participants learn how to avoid embarrassing mistakes in everyday business correspondence by getting a comprehensive, confidence-building review of the basic rules of grammar, capitalization, word usage, sentence structure, and punctuation.

Key Points

  • Identify and use the eight parts of speech correctly
  • Write clear, complete sentences, fix sentence fragments and run-on sentences
  • Spot and correct errors of agreement, consistency problems and pronoun mistakes, and misplaced or dangling modifiers
  • Change passive voice to active voice
  • Use that/which, who/whom appropriately
  • Spot and correct missing or misplaced periods, question marks, exclamation points, quotation marks, apostrophes, hyphens, dashes
  • Use colons, semicolons, parentheses, and ellipses correctly
This two-part workshop meets once a week over two consecutive weeks; please plan to attend both dates.

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HRD520- Writing Difficult Messages

Rejecting an applicant, denying a request, issuing an apology, or responding to a complaint can be delicate. A masterfully written letter or memo can build goodwill or, at the very least, minimize negative feelings. This workshop will teach successful ways to approach difficult correspondence and communicate bad news tactfully.

Key Points

  • Decide what and how much to say
  • Choose the appropriate tone and style
  • Soften a negative message but get the point across
  • Say no and still maintain goodwill
  • Choose when and how to deliver the message
  • Write five different types of difficult messages

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HRD530- Writing for Results: Effective Letters, Memos & E-mail Messages

At the least, poorly written letters, memos, and e-mail message waste time and cause miscommunication. At worst, they are not read at all. This workshop will teach participants to organize and write strong, action-oriented business correspondence to get the reader's attention and the desired results.

Key Points

  • Analyze your audience and define your purpose
  • Effectively organize your ideas and information
  • Choose the appropriate tone and style
  • Write strong opening and closing paragraphs
  • Reduce rambling and get to the point right away
  • Use format and type to emphasize your main ideas
  • Revise and edit for overall organization and coherence

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HRD540- Proofread Like a Pro

Proofreading is more than just rereading what has been written. Good proofreaders can identify mistakes and improve the quality of writing even under tight deadlines. By using numerous in-class exercises, this workshop will teach you proven tips and techniques to perfect your documents. You will learn how to:

  • Use several successful proofreading strategies
  • Proofread for overall coherence and organization
  • Spot and correct the most common mechanical errors

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HRD545- Writing Compelling Employee of the Year Nominations

Is there someone in your department who goes above and beyond his or her normal duties, is dedicated and effective, and deserves to be recognized? Has he or she worked full time at Northwestern for three or more continuous years? If you've answered yes to both those questions, then this class is for you. In one lunch-time session, you will learn how to write an Employee of the Year Nomination that is both specific and meaningful.

By the end of the class, you will be able to:

  • Make sure your candidate is qualified
  • Identify what makes a successful submission
  • Use concrete examples to make your case
  • Write a clear, concise, and compelling submission

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HRD555- Writing for the Web: Introduction

Writing for the web isn't as simple as putting your handbook, brochure or lesson plan online. This hands-on workshop teaches the specific strategies needed to get your message across online.

Key Points

  • Write for typical web users who scan instead of read
  • Use the right tone for this immediate and informal medium
  • Repackage institutional language and marketing speak
  • Prune your site of unnecessary content
  • Write for higher search engine rankings
  • Make key information prominent and links visible
  • Keep user needs at the forefront of your mind as you write

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HRD565- Writing for the Web: Intermediate

If you know the basics of web writing but need some assistance on a particularly thorny page or section from your site, this workshop is for you!

In a small-group setting, you will receive suggestions and work through problems facing your online content. You will also hone your editorial skills by assessing and providing suggestions for the online content examples submitted by fellow workshop participants.

Prior to the workshop, participants will submit up to three webpages for instructor and group review. The submissions must be from a University-related site. If you submit more than one web page for review, please note that additional pages will be assessed as time allows.

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HRD600- Building Relationships: Emotional Intelligence

This workshop teaches methods to gain cooperation and understanding from coworkers, supervisors, instructors, students, and others. It also provides coping strategies for interpersonal conflicts and stressful situations. Participants have the opportunity to analyze their own communication and preferred work styles using the DiSC Profile, and they acquire strategies to adapt their styles to the four primary styles encountered at work.

Key Points

  • Use body language and tone of voice to defuse the intensity of an interaction
  • Respond to ultimatums and emotional situations
  • Deal with unfair criticism
  • Use techniques that promote cooperation
  • Avoid defensiveness in daily interactions
  • Negotiate reasonable expectations

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HRD615- Managing Up: A Partnership Involving Expectations, Success and Continuous Improvement for You and Your Boss

A harmonious, productive workplace relationship with your manager is one of the most important factors in your job satisfaction and success. If you work well and communicate effectively with your boss, you’re more likely to remain at your organization and sustain your success there. This highly interactive workshop can help you learn how and why.

Key Points

  • Get expert tips on the best ways to approach your manager
  • Quickly determine and clarify your manager’s expectations
  • Learn to “give your boss feedback” about things that are sensitive
  • Bring your best to your workplace relationship with your supervisor (and get his/hers in return)

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HRD620- Effective Meetings

How to manage meetings to make them more effective, more productive and more timely.

Key Points

  • Building effective agendas
  • Handling challenging participants
  • Dealing with conflict
  • Alternatives to meetings

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HRD630- Effective Presentation Skills

This comprehensive day-long workshop is interactive and realistic. It builds the skills you need to manage all aspects of the presentation process with confidence.

Throughout the class, you will work on your own real-life presentation. This workshop uses video-recorded exercises and private video review to help you identify and develop skills you need to succeed.

You'll learn how to:

  • Manage nervousness and control racing thoughts
  • Engage listeners in a comfortable, flexible, conversational process
  • Be clear and concise
  • Use visual aids effectively whether seated or standing, projected or hardcopy
  • Think on your feet

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HRD645- Getting Things DoneĀ®

Are you experiencing a constant deluge of email and phone calls? Do your daunting projects seem impossible to complete? Is the avalanche of incoming information and outstanding action items keeping you awake at night? This full-day Getting Things Done® Essentials workshop will provide tools and tips for implementing an improved work-life management system that can transform uncertainty into stress-free productivity.

Workshop participants will receive a copy of David Allen’s bestseller Getting Things Done and several practical resources for future success using the GTD methodology. Participants will also gain access to a year-long subscription to GTD Connect®, a members-only online educational community with unlimited access to a wealth of GTD resources, valued at $480.

Key Points

This engaging and interactive workshop will teach you how to:

  • get your email inbox to empty
  • make responsible commitments to new ideas and projects
  • maximize return on your time — to do more with less
  • gain clarity of what is more and less important
  • improve the balance of proactive versus reactive behaviors
  • get projects unstuck

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HRD650- Project Management Essentials

This workshop will help both new and experienced project managers review ways to produce a realistic and manageable project timeline. Participants learn the concepts and processes which can be applied to setting project goals, identifying project deliverables, and effectively estimating and measuring progress.

Key Points

  • Identify the project management processes
  • Create a scope document
  • Schedule project activities
  • Estimate and allocate resources
  • Control project progress
  • Conduct a post-project review

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HRD660- Grace Under Pressure

*The cost of Grace Under Pressure is funded by the Office of Human Resources Work/Life Division. A cancellation no-show fee of $225 applies to all registrations.*

It's that sort of day.

The phone is ringing off the hook. You're put on the spot in a meeting. All the problems are getting dumped in your lap.

You can feel yourself becoming reactive. You know you're not thinking clearly, that you're not being effective, but you don't know what to do. How can you turn a bad situation around?

“Grace Under Pressure” offers new tools for remaining calm, focused and open-minded during difficult encounters – real physical techniques that counteract what our bodies do during stress.

Many of these new approaches come from recent brain research.

In this lively, memorable half-day workshop, you'll go far beyond theory. You'll practice these techniques and make them your own, ready to put to use the next morning – or even on the way home that night.

Key Points

  • Maintain composure in difficult situations
  • Reduce stress on the spot
  • Reverse the “fight or flight” reaction
  • Think more clearly under pressure
  • Be more present in difficult situations

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HRD670- Customer Service Techniques

This workshop teaches techniques for creating and maintaining positive work relationships with students, faculty and staff.

Key Points

  • Recognize and respond to unspoken customer expectations
  • Develop processes that foster positive customer interactions
  • Prepare form letters and customized documents that anticipate objections and prevent resentment
  • Deal with irate clients in person and over the phone
  • Improve questioning, listening and nonverbal communication skills

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HRD680- Recruiting & Hiring Great Staff for Northwestern

Organized around Northwestern's seven-step recruitment process, this workshop provides great tools and resources for expediting the hiring process and making good hiring decisions.

Key Points

  • Navigating Northwestern's recruitment and hiring process
  • Opening and posting a position
  • Advertising and networking
  • Screening candidate resumes
  • Preparing for and conducting interviews and phone screening
  • Hiring and onboarding new employees

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HRD960- Crucial ConversationsĀ®

Crucial conversations take place every day in our work. You know the type -- conversations where there are high stakes, differences of opinion, and strong emotion. The difference between mediocre and top performance lies not in strategies, hardware, or even in processes, but in how people handle those difficult conversations. At the heart of all problems in a team or organization are conversations that are either not being handled, or not being handled well.

Key Points

  • Identify the conversations that are keeping you from your desired results
  • Speak persuasively not abrasively, no matter the topic
  • Make it safe for others to share their honest opinions
  • Deal with people who either clam up or blow up
  • Gain control of your own emotional responses
  • Disagree without being disagreeable
  • Influence without exerting force
  • Improve teamwork, productivity and effectiveness

This practical and powerful two-day workshop is based upon a top-ten best-selling business book, Crucial Conversations.

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HRD965- Transitioning From Peer to Manager

One of the most difficult career transitions can occur when one assumes management responsibility over a set of former peers. Overnight, the ground rules change and a variety of conflicts and challenges can emerge. This half-day workshop is designed to help address the boundary issues that crop up, and the competition that sometimes lingers long after one is promoted. We will discuss the best way to prepare for some of these potential problems, and will help participants deal with any unique situations they may have encountered as they try to establish the right tone for their leadership.

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HRD975- Positioning Yourself for a Leadership Role

This highly engaging and interactive half-day workshop is designed for Northwestern employees contemplating their first supervisory position. The path to management is not for everyone and this program will help participants evaluate both their interest and aptitude for taking on leadership responsibilities. Further, we will discuss a set of career strategies that build visibility, gain support and establish credibility. Participants will engage in a set of exercises designed to simulate some of the challenges of supervising others, and will draw on this to design a personal development plan.  

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