Mastering HR and Managerial Coaching: Tips and Tools for Difficult Conversations & Airtight Documentation with Bonus Session: From Inclusivity to Inclusion
Santa Clara, CA 95054
Event Time: 9:30 AM –5:00 PM PT
Mastering HR and Managerial Coaching: Tips & Tools for Difficult Conversations & Airtight Documentation with Bonus Session: From Incivility to Inclusion
Attendance Options
Choose between attending in-person or virtually via Zoom. Please indicate your preference during registration.
UCSC Extension students & staff: Free (limited in-person seats for up to 10 students). Students and staff, please email Anne.Gamino@shrm.org if you would like to register for the event.
Event Time
9:30 AM – 3:00 PM PT
Sponsored by UCSC Silicon Valley Extension
Program Schedule
| 9:30-10:00 a.m. | Registration |
| 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. | The HR and Manager Trifecta: Tips and Tools for Effectively Coaching Employees, Having Difficult Conversations, and Creating Airtight Documentation Speaker: Allison West |
| 12:00 – 12:30 p.m. | Networking Lunch |
| 12:30-1:30 p.m. | Allison West (continued) |
| 1:30 – 1:45 p.m. | Break |
| 1:45 – 3:00 p.m. | From Incivility to Inclusion: Uncovering the Root Causes Speaker: Sejal Thakkar |
| 3:00-5:00 p.m. | Meet and Mingle with Speaker(s) |
Program Overview
Mastering HR and Managerial Coaching: Tips for Difficult Conversations, Civility in the Workplace & Airtight Documentation (followed by a bonus Meet and Mingle)
Speaker: Allison West
Ask any manager what they dislike about managing employees and they typically say: performance management, creating documentation, and the ever-popular task of having a difficult conversation. Sounds familiar?
Often, managers struggle with these three areas because they simply don’t know how to effectively coach their employees for success or have a difficult conversation, and then ultimately document the conversation.
This session will cover how managers need to have a “coaching mentality” and what it takes to have effective one-on-one coaching conversations with employees by providing clear and concise feedback. Also covered will be ways to help managers (and HR) adapt a coaching style for different types of personalities and teaching employees how to take ownership of their performance.
Sometimes, no matter how much support the manager provides and the effort the employee puts into succeeding in their job, things are just not working out. Or, an employee has an “attitude” problem, may have trouble communicating, or simply has bad breath. These are times managers need to understand how to have difficult conversations. This session will cover these and other key questions: How do you prepare for this kind of discussion? How can the manager help the employee still feel positive after the conversation? What are the best ways to start a difficult conversation?
And now the manager must document the various conversations. Proper documentation is meant to memorialize performance/disciplinary conversations that shows efforts to help the employee be successful and supports employment decisions. And, importantly, documentation can provide a solid defense if prepared correctly. Learn the seven steps to creating "airtight” documentation along with ways to tighten your documentation, words, and phrases to avoid, and potential red flags for discrimination.
From Incivility to Inclusion: Uncovering the Root Causes
Speaker: Sejal Thakkar
Address the rising prevalence of workplace incivility and learn actionable strategies to counteract it. From addressing insensitive comments to combating discrimination and harassment, Sejal guides you along the spectrum of incivility while unraveling the root causes, empowering organizations to cultivate a culture of respect and inclusivity.
About our Speakers
Allison West
Allison West is an employment attorney by background and for over 20 years has assisted employers in creating and maintaining safe and respectful work environments.
She focuses her practice on delivering customized workplace training, conducting workplace investigations, coaching executives/managers concerning performance or disciplinary issues as well as leadership topics, and serves as an expert witness. Allison also specializes in using her mediation skills to help individuals and groups to work through conflicts and create more collaborative work environments.
Allison is a top-rated speaker at the SHRM Annual Conference as well as other HR/diversity conferences, and is a national expert on harassment, discrimination, and investigations. She has appeared on PBS, CBS This Morning and in O Magazine discussing workplace harassment issues.
She is a member of the State Bar of California and holds her SHRM-SCP certification and AWI-CH (investigation) certificate.
Sejal Thakkar
Sejal Thakkar carries with her a profound personal journey of resilience and determination. Growing up as the daughter of Indian immigrants, Sejal faced discrimination from an early age, despite being a native-born American who spoke unaccented English. Once her classmates discovered her parents’ store across the street, owned by hard working immigrant entrepreneurs with accents, Sejal faced a barrage of bullying and ridicule throughout her adolescence. She found herself cast as “the marginal other” in the very country she was born into.
These profound childhood experiences left an indelible mark on Sejal’s spirit, fueling her unwavering commitment to affect positive change. Harnessing the power of her own transformation, she has turned a negative ordeal into a resounding call to action.
Sejal went on to graduate with honors from the University of Illinois at Chicago and Cum Laude from Northern Illinois College of Law. After moving to Northern California’s San Francisco Bay Area in 2000, she gained extensive experience in employment law.
Through TrainXtra, Sejal combines her extensive legal background with personal insights to empower individuals through education on a wide range of topics. With a deep understanding of the legal landscape, she delivers engaging talks and workshops that shed light on civility, discrimination, bullying, harassment, and beyond. Additionally, her expertise extends to fostering a sense of belonging, creating an inclusive environment for all. Experience a unique perspective shaped by her legal prowess and personal journey, as she equips audiences with the knowledge and tools needed to navigate the complexities of today’s diverse world.