Workshops

Working Psychology offers two workshops and two "workstorms," all of which require customization. (WP doesn't offer any "off-the-shelf" workshops.) Both workshops and workstorms elicit greater audience effort and interaction than presentations. Workshops educate broadly, presenting information that applies to a wide range of present and future issues. "Workstorms" combine elements of the traditional workshop with brainstorming sessions, in order to solve specific, current influence problems your team may be experiencing. Workstorms follow a "learn now, apply now" model. If you're interested in hosting an influence workshop or workstorm, please contact Working Psychology.

Hostile Audiences Workshop 1 & 2

Going beyond the Hostile Audiences presentation, this workshop is designed for those who must work with, persuade, or control unfriendly groups. This workshop is for motivated teams only, because it delivers a tremendous amount of information in a condensed time frame. It includes readings, exercises, and quizzes. Taught at the request of your organization. Requires organizational input for customized exercises. NEW! This workshop now comes in two versions: one addressing short-term verbal conflict and immediate compliance; one addressing long-term persuasion & relationship building.

For:	Corporations & Public Relations (long term) Nonprofits (long term) Political Entities (long term) Government & Defense (short term or long term) Defense Contractors (short term or long term) Law Enforcement & Security (short term)
Issues:	Working among a hostile populace Managing political or activist opposition Diffusing hostility, gaining compliance Negotiating with unhappy customers or population segments
Length:	2 half-days (afternoons on the East Coast) for the long-term workshop, 1 half-day for the short-term workshop.
Size:	Maximum 24 participants.

Upward Influence Workshop

People of higher rank and status must often be persuaded to change their ways—options that go beyond persuasion simply aren’t available. Lobbyists must persuade legislators, managers must persuade VPs, departments must persuade other departments that have equivalent power and hegemony. Such influence attempts are often constrained by short lead times, meagre access, and scant leverage. This presentation looks at the range of influence tactics that are available for upward influence, while keeping these vital relationships friendly and in tact. Also included are tactics that the social sciences have shown must be used for minority opinions to change majority thinking. Requires organizational input for customized exercises.

For:	Corporate Managers Lobbyists Groups holding opinions or positions that are in the minority
Issues:	Influencing "up the ladder" in the absence of power Development and maintenance of friendly relations Minority positions that must change majority thinking
Length:	1 half-day (afternoon on the East Coast).
Size:	Maximum 24 participants.

Influence Framing Workstorm

This 4-5 hour workstorm is built around Rhoads' Framing presentation. Participants are introduced to an 8-step framing process and are asked to create frames for their own issues, which are reviewed in the workstorm. Since the ability of framing to values is vital to success, a values inventory is administered to help practitioners identify their own values, and to locate important value differences between themselves and their audiences. At the end of the workstorm, participants will have clarified their influence goals and will have generated on-target talking-points that will help them stay on course and win influence battles against well-funded and motivated opponents.

For:	Corporations Nonprofits Public Relations Political Entities Government & Defense
Issues:	Appropriate when planning an influence campaign... ...or an ongoing campaign is running into trouble Vital if the issue will become politicized Vital when opponents are strong and vocal.
Length:	1 half-day (afternoon on the East Coast).
Size:	Maximum 24 participants.

Influential Narratives Workstorm

A 4-5 hour workshop that includes Rhoads' Narrative presentation, but requires significant audience input. Participants are asked to create a compelling narrative for their current position or advocacy, and are given both psychological and literary guidance to that end. Writing and stylistic advice may be included. Specific story sequences and elements are offered, and stories are "tested" for their ability to transport. At the conclusion of the workstorm, participants will know how to develop persuasive stories that are both compelling and unlikely to arouse reactance in their intended audiences.

For:	Corporations Nonprofits Lobbyists & Political Entities Government & Defense
Issues:	Vital when influence must be subtle but powerful Important when the audience is likely to argue against your position Useful in persuading while maintaining positive relations.
Length:	1 half-day (afternoon on the East Coast).
Size:	Maximum 24 participants.

Clients may request a Quicktime video clip sampler on CD-ROM for previewing...

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