Registration open for ‘Crucial Conversations for Mastering Dialogue’ course
Penn State Health and Penn State College of Medicine employees can learn skills to help them work through disagreements and achieve better results by participating in “Crucial Conversations for Mastering Dialogue,” a course introduced in 2023 by Penn State Health’s Human Resources Learning and Organizational Development team. Registration for sessions of the course is open now until Monday, Dec. 4.
Individual and organizational success is largely determined by how quickly, directly and effectively we speak up when it matters most. Throughout the course, employees will gain the confidence and ability to have effective dialogues when stakes are high, opinions vary and emotions run strong.
The course is offered in two formats ─ virtual and blended. When registering, employees should select their preferred format and register for just one session.
Review the important time commitment details below before registering:
Virtual experience
- Five consecutive 2.5-hour classes held via Teams over the course of a week – Monday through Friday – for a total commitment of 12.5 hours.
Blended experience
- Approximately 10 hours over about two weeks.
- Participants will spend much of the time learning on their own in the “Crucial Conversations for Mastering Dialogue” online course.
- They must also participate in five group discussion sessions. To ensure the training “sticks,” team members must make the following commitments:
- Attend all five group discussion sessions (60 minutes each).
- Complete the individual online assignments between each session.
To complete the “Crucial Conversations” course ─ regardless of format ─ attendance at all sessions is required.
Employees can earn Continuing Education Units upon satisfactory completion of the “Crucial Conversations for Mastering Dialogue” course, which has been accredited by several organizations:
- International Association for Continuing Education and Training
- HR Certification Institute
- California Board of Registered Nurses
- Society for Human Resource Managers
- National Association of State Boards of Accountancy
- American Association of Critical-Care Nurses
To earn Continuing Education Units, staff must do the following:
- Participate in all coursework and activities.
- Pass all course assessments if taking an on-demand course.
Watch this video about what to expect from the course.
If you're having trouble accessing this content, or would like it in another format, please email the Penn State College of Medicine web department.