Optivation offers IMPACT 20/20 training program on workplace coaching

BEMIDJI, Minn. (Oct. 3, 2011) — Starting Oct. 11, Bemidji State University’s Optivation venture is offering a four-part course on workplace coaching under a grant provided by IMPACT 20/20.

IMPACT 20/20 is a collaborative effort between Bemidji State University, Northland Community and Technical College, Northwest Technical College, the University of North Dakota and the University of Minnesota Crookston to bring world-class training offerings to northwest Minnesota.

The program is broken into four three-hour sessions, on Oct. 11, Oct. 18, Oct. 25, and Nov. 1. Each of the four sessions will be held from 9 a.m. until noon in Bridgeman Hall 204 on the Bemidji State campus.

Session one on Oct. 11 will cover creating an office culture, establishing expectations, using an adult learning approach to coaching, coaching on the fly and the effect of generational diversity on coaching.

The second and third sessons on Oct. 18-25 will cover feedback; the Oct. 18 session will focus on positive feedback and the Oct. 25 session will focus on constructive feedback, including the difference between constructive feedback and negative feedback. The Nov. 1 finale extends on the Oct. 25 constructive feedback session, adding in the importance of followups and asking whether all employees can improve.

Supported by grant funding available through the IMPACT 20/20 initiative, the complete four-part course is being offered for $100. Space is limited, so early registration is encouraged. The course is offered only as an entire unit; individual enrollment for the four sessions is not available.

For more information about Optivation, call (218) 755-4900. A complete list of upcoming courses at Optivation is available on its website.

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About Optivation
Optivation is designed to increase collaboration between Bemidji’s higher education providers and the business and technology sectors of the northwest Minnesota region. Staffed by veteran business and entrepreneurial professionals, Optivation delivers targeted training and education systems to help organizations succeed in a changing world. Through its affiliations with Bemidji State University and Northwest Technical College, Optivation is able to tap into an unparalleled network of people and technology across the state of Minnesota. Optivation is part of Bemidji State University’s Institute of Technology, Entrepreneurship and Innovation and is operated jointly by BSU and NTC. For more information, visit optivation.org.

About IMPACT 20/20
IMPACT 20/20 is a group of senior executives and elected officials who came together in the fall of 2008 to explore the possibility of developing a collective action plan for the economy of Northwest Minnesota. Participants included seven business people from the region, three higher education leaders, two tribal chairs, two utility cooperative officers, two healthcare institution presidents, two directors of economic development commissions, two directors of workforce development organizations, one school superintendent, one director of a K-12 service cooperative, one president of a foundation and one state commissioner.