The office of Employee and Organizational Development is here to assist with your specialized training needs for your department, unit, or division. Don’t see what you’re looking for? Make a request to meet with a training specialist to complete a formalized needs-assessment to create a highly specialized retreat or training session for your team. Please contact training@valdosta.edu with any questions.

Departmental Request Form

We currently offer departmental retreats focusing on areas such as:

These retreats are designed to assist departments who are going through significant change. A focus is placed on transition management and working through the change process. While specific outcomes may vary depending on the need of the department, elements of effective communication is included.

These retreats are designed to focus on the roles that critical and creative thinking play in the workplace, specifically in your department and its role at VSU. Participants will discover the difference between critical and creative thinking, learn various approaches to utilizing special/hidden talents at work, and ignite their creative energy. These sessions usually include multiple hands-on activities. The most popular format includes a trip to Epic Escape Rooms to apply what they’ve learned during the classroom portion of the training and includes a scheduled follow up for the facilitator to discuss a formal observation report from the event.

This session utilizes the Everything DiSC Workplace behavioral style assessment to help you understand behavior, temperament, and contentment within your department. The retreat will provide a comprehensive overview of the way that employee’s think, act, and interact while in the office. The session also teaches the participant how to understand other coworkers and how to interact with those differences. Cross-comparison reports are also available to be included to help employees learn what stressors they may impose on other employees, how to be most effective when working together, and what to avoid when working together.

*This training can only be offered by a DiSC certified trainer and is promised to be one of the most beneficial team development training's you’ll ever experience.

  • Sample workplace profile
  • Sample cross-comparison report

Employees want to feel valued for their work. Employee recognition and engagement are key to retaining good employees. Learn about your own appreciation language as well as how to effectively communicate authentic appreciation to your team members.   

Using a variety of techniques and exercises, we work with departments and divisions to assist them with goal setting, visioning and developing mission statements. Some of the strategies used include SWAT, nominal group technique, small group discussion, and brainstorming.

These retreats focus on creating group synergy and energizing (or re-energizing) teams. Retreats of this nature are perfect for newly created teams/departments on campus or for teams looking to jumpstart the new academic year or semester with a refreshed attitude and positive outlook. Team building and motivation sessions are highly engaging with a multitude of hands-on activities and dynamic discussion.

These retreats are designed to focus on effective communication from an individual and group basis. Topics covered include: Identifying your personal communication style, assertive communication, professional communication, and interpersonal communication. Participants receive a blend of presented material, along with hands-on applied training methods to enhance their overall experience. 

These retreats and sessions focus on all things related to team and group communication. Tools that can be utilized are:

  • Straight Talk Communication assessment and facilitation
  • Communication-style assessment and facilitation
  • Various interactive team games, designed specifically to target team communication and decision making

All sessions are highly customized to target how to best strengthen the communication within your team.