NIH Training Center
Soft Skills September Returns…to Your Desktop
What an unpredictable year we’ve had so far. What better way to use end-of-year funds than to invest in yourself and your team? Soft skills are important for just about every job. Some examples of soft skills include critical thinking, problem-solving, and listening. Courses are excellent resources to help you and your teams remain effective, productive, and engaged. The following Soft Skills September classes are available virtually. Click on the class titles to register.
Soft Skills September Schedule
| Communication Skills (Written and Oral) | |
|---|---|
| 9/08 | Communicate with Confidence and Clarity: Small Group Virtual Presentation Skills Training |
| 9/13 | Managing Conflict and Challenging Conversations |
| 9/15 | Effective Communications and Leadership Presence |
| 9/22 | Writing Skills for NIH Employees |
| 9/23 | Effective Writing Refresher Workshop (Half Day) |
| Interpersonal Skills | |
|---|---|
| 9/07 | Managing Up, Down and Across |
| 9/09 | Emotional Intelligence |
FY22 Deadlines – Be Prepared!
Please note the upcoming deadlines for using end-of-year funds. Prepare now for your upcoming training needs before it’s too late!
| Jul 29 |
Last day to request new executive and team coaching engagements (see External Executive Coaching section). |
|---|---|
| Aug 5 | Last day to request an Internal Leadership Coaching engagement (see Internal Leadership Coaching section). |
| Aug 5 | Last day to request an Individual Development Plan (IDP) workshop or a group training to be conducted in FY22 for your IC. |
| Aug 5 | Last day to renew an expiring existing coaching engagement. Notify Keisha Berkley of your interest at Keisha.Berkley@nih.gov. |
| Sept 2 | Last day for students to register for a September 2022 NIHTC open enrollment course. |
| Sept 7 | Last day for students to drop a September 2022 NIHTC open enrollment course. |
Nominate a DDM Seminar Series Speaker
The Deputy Director for Management (DDM) invites you to submit speaker nominations for the 2022-2023 DDM Seminar Series. Let’s aim for another stellar year of timely and provocative speakers to inspire our NIH community of leaders. Nominations are open from July 1 through July 31, 2022. Please nominate a great speaker today!
As a result of your DDM Seminar Series nominations from last summer, we were fortunate to have a lineup of brilliant and engaging thought leaders this past year.
Our speakers shared their insights on the themes of resilience, engaging others in a shifting workspace, and regathering post-COVID. This past year, we’ve hosted the following speakers to provide timely and engaging lectures to NIH staff.
Nataly Kogan:
“Leading Yourself through
Change and Uncertainty”
Cathleen Swody:
“Engaging Employees as
they Transition to the
Post-Pandemic Workplace”
Lynne Lancaster:
“What a Difference a
Generation Makes”
Priya Parker:
“Regathering
During COVID”
They received wonderful reviews and started significant conversations at NIH. Please consider watching these and other past seminars if you didn’t get to catch them the first time!
Retirement Preparation – Early in your Career? It’s Never Too Early to Plan
Have you heard from colleagues how much they learned in one of the NIHTC’s pre-retirement preparedness workshops? Many participants in our pre-retirement classes express how they wished they had taken such a course earlier in their careers. Accordingly, the NIHTC offers a one-day workshop for NIH staff who are two to five years into their federal career and are seeking a much richer understanding of their Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) benefits. Take this opportunity now to speak with your supervisor and register soon for the July 20th workshop, Understanding FERS Benefits for Early-Career Employees Workshop.
Walk away understanding:
• The federal benefits package
• The 3-tiered retirement plan (FERS, Thrift Savings Plan [TSP], Social Security)
• What comprises creditable service
• Leave, healthcare, and life insurance benefits
• Components of wise financial planning
• TSP – funds, allocation, Roth TSP
Get your supervisor’s approval and register today!
NIH Leadership Development Program Updates
The NIHTC will solicit IC nominations for FY23 sessions of the Senior Leadership Program (SLP), Mid-level Leadership Program (MLP), and Management Seminar Series (MSS) this Fall. Each of these programs offers NIH scientists and administrative staff an opportunity to enhance their skills and awareness in leadership and management matters – all while building connections with other NIH employees pursuing the same goals. Please bookmark these sites, consider your development goals, and check back in the next few months for important updates. While the FY23 MSS will operate virtually, MLP and SLP will include both virtual and blended (combining in-person and virtual) options for participants.
Executive Leadership Program candidate applications are in, and final selections will occur before August. This prestigious 2022-2023 program will take place in-person.
As always, let your supervisor know if you want to be considered for a leadership development learning opportunity. Visit our Continuum of Leadership Programs site to determine which program is the best fit for you!
COMMIT TO THE CAN!
Servicing Administrative Officers (AOs) should commit to the CAN (Common Accounting Number) when approving NIHTC classes. This will eliminate errors on the billing side in NBS (NIH Business System). For details, visit: Add or Review CAN on an Order
As always, please contact the NIHTC if you have questions at NIHTrainingCenter@nih.gov.
Learning and Development in a Hybrid Workplace
As many employees at NIH transition from maximum telework to a hybrid (combination of in-person and virtual) work schedule, learning and development professionals must continue to monitor and adapt to the training needs of the workforce. We continually monitor best practices and use data to ensure we provide you with an optimal experience in all of our courses and programs.
We offer the following courses to help work and lead in a hybrid workplace:
- Building Effective Teams
- Managing Effective Meetings
- Responding to Uncertainty with Resilience & Confidence
- Virtual Engagement Techniques
We will offer new courses in the next fiscal year to help manage these challenges in FY23. Our upcoming NIH Training Collaborative Forum will connect training liaisons from across NIH to also discuss and brainstorm hybrid training strategies. Meanwhile, the NIH Training Center will offer a variety of virtual and blended learning (combining in-person and virtual) options for our customers, to meet our customers’ needs.
Leading, working, and learning in this new format is a challenge not just for us at NIH, but across all sectors globally. An article from the eLearning Industry identifies some interesting trends. Visit A Robust Workplace is Indeed a Hybrid One for details.
As always, the NIH Training Center Staff are here to support you and to ensure that employees, throughout ALL of our Institutes and Centers, have the skills and are prepared to do the important work we all do - each and every day.
Congratulations NIH Intern and Fellows Program Graduates!
We are delighted to recognize our 2022 Class of Management Interns (MI) and Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) as they prepare to graduate and convert to their new positions throughout the NIH. Over the past two years, our interns have successfully overcome the challenges of remote work. The rotations they’ve held at various offices across NIH have prepared them for the next steps in their careers. They have the skills, knowledge, and experience – they are ready! Congrats to all!
2022 Management Interns
Quinn Cassidy
Laura Cramp
Brian Leggs
Meghan Rudd
Wanda Wheeler
2022 Presidential Management Fellows
Aaron Anderson
Joseph Engels
Elise Garton
Rebecca Hardesty
Linda Ho
Shadab Hussain
Ari Joffe
Cristina Nigro
Mason Scott
Mark Sellers
Mujaahida Shakur
Mackenzie Zendt
For details and information about the MI Program, visit the MI Program Website or contact Rick Hawkins. For details and information about the PMF Program, visit the PMF Program Website or contact ShaRhaina Brown.
Editorial Team
Keisha Berkley, Editor
Barb LeClair, Managing Editor
Elena Juris, Editor in Chief
John Edmond, Designer
Highlights Contributors:
Keisha Berkley
Rick Hawkins
Bob Michon
Michele Schwartzman
Danielle Sullivan