Since 2000,
the Professional Effectiveness Program (PEP) has been available to City
of Sunnyvale employees seeking to enhance their communicating, team-building
and problem-solving skills. The City has shown its support of employees'
professional development by setting aside funds for this type of skills-improvement
training.
Over 300 City
employees have benefited from PEP training. They've gained valuable
insight into their strengths and identified important new skills to
integrate. Satisfaction with the program is very high.
Many City staff
come to PEP because they know that building on their workplace skills
is essential for their success and adds to their job satisfaction. Accuvision,
the PEP assessment tool, provides them with information about their
key strengths and areas to develop.
City employee
Pat Martin recently completed the assessment and reports "Accuvision
gives form and substance to something that is in some ways intangible.
By making these aspects of myself concrete, I can now see where I am
strong and use these aspects to the benefit of both my colleagues and
myself. I am also able to identify and resolve any weaknesses that are
negatively impacting my performance."
The PEP classes
have been designed for seasoned, experienced employees who want to actively
develop specific interpersonal skills, because they understand that
these skills are becoming more valuable in the workplace. These skills
include working on a team, reducing conflict respectfully, and developing
additional problem-solving skills.
City employee
Frank Tripiano says he often needs to talk to contractors and residents
who may take an adversarial position. His job is to resolve these conflicts
diplomatically. Since taking the PEP classes, he is more conscious about
using skills he was already comfortable with, as well as new ones to
keep people talking and working toward agreements both out in the field
and in the office. He says these skills make him more efficient, which
is a great benefit in these times of cutbacks and needing to do more
with less.
City employee
Jane Dimpel has taken both Problem Solving and Communicating and found
them to help at work and at home. She says, "We have used the Problem
Solving skills in staff meetings in an effort to identify the root causes
of some situations we have recently dealt with. We have actually made
a great deal of progress in clarifying issues and moving forward with
solutions."
City participants
value that the classes feature lots of interaction, discussion and practice,
which promotes learning and also helps them apply the skills to "real
life." The atmosphere is friendly and safe; the instructors are
knowledgeable, enthusiastic and skilled.
On the application
of the skills in the workplace, City employee Patter Hatfield says,
"It feels good to use the tools to work out a problem in communication,
such as being understood instead of misunderstood. We all know that
it is good practice to have some sharp tools."
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