Laurie Taylor Column

University of Poppleton
Staff Development Workshops

As you will know, this university is committed to encouraging academic staff to realise their full human potential. In order to achieve this end, staff members are required to take advantage of the large range of ongoing personal development workshops available from week one of next term. All workshops are held in the Staff Development Complex on Wednesdays from 6.30pm to 9.30pm.

Week 1. Choose from:

• Overcoming negative feelings. Part 4: Murderous aggression
• Separating the wood from the trees (includes field trip)

Week 2. Choose from:

• "I get the feeling that nobody really likes me" (already oversubscribed)
• "Do I look like a leader?" Part 7: Unsightly facial hair

Week 3. Choose from:

• Three steps to heaven (voluntary redundancy and after)
• Managing interpersonal relationships. Part 2: Heavy petting

Week 4. Choose from:

• Advanced role-play. Part 9: Leaders and followers
• Advanced role-play. Part 10: Vicars and tarts

Week 5. Choose from:

• Something or other about decision-making (exact title to be confirmed)
• Understanding other people's emotional needs. Part 3: Sickness unto death

Week 6. Choose from:

• Building co-operation: taking the "u" out of "group" and the "me" out of team
• Developing emotional maturity. Part 4: Controlling hysteria

Week 7. Choose from:

• Searching for the inner "me" (includes on-site brain scan)
• An introduction to alternative approaches to alternative approaches

Week 8. Choose from:

• Nine steps to successful leadership
• Four last things ever to be remembered.