Theme: Values

“Values are the beliefs that are important to us about the way we interact with each other, how we work together effectively towards common goals and the behaviours that we demonstrate and expect to see from our colleagues.” (Emma Rampton, Registrary)

The ourcambridge Supporting our Staff team have developed this session, to provide a follow up to the very popular ‘What do you value in life?’ workshop. In the first session, participants identified their own personal values and considered what they might mean for how they lived their life and went about their work. In this follow up session, participants will reflect further on their personal values and participate in some exercises that will help them to identify further positive actions they can take to achieve closer alignment to their values in a supportive and motivating environment.

Discussion Topic: Discussing the difficult stuff: facing up to challenging conversations

This series follows on from the very popular first series held from April-July 2021. These informal drop-in sessions are designed to provide both new and more experienced leaders and managers, across all staff groups, with a safe space to share practice and discuss some of the challenges that can arise when supporting others to develop and strengthen their performance. Each session will start an hour of Q&A and discussion with a panel of experienced managers drawn from across the University. This will be followed by half an hour of small group discussion to allow participants the opportunity to meet other managers and share practice, in a smaller, more intimate setting. Those wishing to leave after the first hour and not stay on for final half hour in break out rooms, are free to do so. The format of the sessions is designed to facilitate peer support and learning. The sessions are not training sessions, although recommendations for training and other resources will be provided.

Comments from Series 1 participants: “I am loving all of these sessions and am so happy to have discovered a platform where ‘it all makes sense’” “It’s lovely to convene a group of people interested in leadership and developing their skills in this area.” “I intend to participate in as many sessions as I can because this forum gives a focused approach on developing leadership skills that are expected within the University. I had been looking for some sort of a planned approach to this and am really glad I found this.”

Panellists

Ken Billington - HR Adviser, School of Technology

Bruce Daniels - Administration and Operations Manager, Gurdon Institute

Emma Marron - Head of HR Shared Services, Human Resources Division

Questions we will consider during the session

1. What’s the most difficult conversation that you have had to have as a manager?

2. Was it as bad as you thought it was going to be?

3. Why do you think we avoid these conversations?

4. What can be the consequences of avoiding a difficult conversation?

5. How do you prepare for a meeting like this, both practically and mentally?

6. What mistakes have you made in the past, when trying to do this?

7. What approaches have you developed that you find work well?

8. What advice would you give to another manager who was dreading a difficult conversation?

9. How do you decompress after a meeting like this and ensure that your well-being is not impacted?

Over the past year, ourcambridge has worked with professional services staff from across the University to develop a set of core values that underpin the way we work. The values that you chose together were: Trust, Respect, Integrity and Collaboration. Embedding these as part of our culture means truly living them in the way in the way we work, through our actions and behaviours.

This focus group provides the opportunity for you to share your ideas for practical ways in which we can bring these values to life in our daily work. We will discuss the types of initiatives, tools and resources that individuals, managers, and teams may find most useful for promoting and embedding these new values. The focus group will be formed of 6 colleagues using Microsoft Teams.

The sessions will be led by Fatima Baldo, Jenny Rampling and Freya Villis, Senior Programme Co-ordinators

“Values are the beliefs that are important to us about the way we interact with each other, how we work together effectively towards common goals and the behaviours that we demonstrate and expect to see from our colleagues.” (Emma Rampton, Registrary)

We are offering this ‘taster’ session to provide you with an introduction to thinking about your values. Following the introduction of the Professional Services Values of trust, respect, integrity and collaboration, we are offering this opportunity for you to consider how you can align these with your own personal values, and what this might mean in terms of how you live your life and go about your work.

This is an interactive session, so please join the call from somewhere where you feel comfortable to talk and participate fully in group activities.

"Values are the beliefs that are important to us about the way we interact with each other, how we work together effectively towards common goals and the behaviours that we demonstrate and expect to see from our colleagues.” (Emma Rampton, Registrary)

We are offering this ‘taster’ session to provide you with an introduction to thinking about your values. Following the introduction of the Professional Services Values of trust, respect, integrity and collaboration, we are offering this opportunity for you to consider how you can align these with your own personal values, and what this might mean in terms of how you live your life and go about your work.