Workshops
Effective workshops start with understanding participant needs. Kathy works with clients to develop and deliver customized workshops, starting with learning objectives and then developing engaging and interactive activities tied to these objectives. When possible, Kathy uses art based activities to enhance learning.
Webinar Recordings
During 2016, Kathy assisted the College of William and Mary Alumni Career Management and Professional Networks with a series of workshops on Finding Your Passion, Designing Your Plan and Building and Leveraging Your Network. Recordings are available through the following links.
Kathy Durdin helped me launch a new professional webinar series for the William & Mary alumni community. I felt very fortunate to have Kathy’s leadership and presentation experience as my first webinar presenter. It was an absolute pleasure working with Kathy on this project. Her breadth of expertise and commitment to producing quality work are top-notch. Kathy is a true renaissance woman with an arts and business background that is made evident by her ability to balance the right amount of visual and interactive components to her webinars to help the audience stay engaged throughout. I look forward to working with Kathy on future projects, and I highly recommend her for presentations and individuals career consulting needs. -- Michael Steelman, College of William and Mary, Director, Alumni Career Management and Professional Networks
Available Workshops
Finding Your Passion or Create the Life and Career You Want
Effective professional development starts with a vision connected with a purpose unique to each one of us based on our passions. From this vision, one creates a strategy to implement this passion, developing and enhancing connections, experimenting and refining the plan, enhancing visibility, and gathering the needed skills and experience. This workshop will provide participants with the tools and approach needed to examine their current career strategy and develop a going forward plan.
Leadership Development
Effective leaders understand their environment, create a vision using focus and framing, develop a strategy and then effectively communicate that vision and strategy, effectively engaging their team. This workshop draws on the approach an artist takes to creating a work of art to make these skills more tangible for the participants, and provides practical and actionable tools participants can immediately apply.
Creativity and Innovation
Everyone can be creative – however, years of education and work environments have not developed that creativity. Now, to stay competitive in the marketplace, creativity is prized. Participants will learn how to rediscover the creativity that may be dormant, and connect that creativity to the business environment. The workshop draws on artistic approaches to ignite the spark of creativity and tie it to the needs of the business and the marketplace.
The Diversity & Inclusion Imperative
To succeed in today’s global business environment and attract and retain talent, the organization must create an environment where all feel supported and feel that they can achieve their personal and professional objectives. A commitment to diversity and inclusion starts with a business case tied to the specific organizational circumstances and needs, and then the development and implementation of a strategy tied to that business case. Workshops related to diversity and inclusion are customized to meet an organization’s specific needs and circumstances.
Inclusive Leadership
Employees feel valued when they are heard, when all appropriate individuals re included in the conversation. This workshop is designed to help all, particularly middle management, develop more inclusive leadership skills and implement these skills with their teams.
Communication Across Generations
There are three and sometimes four generations are now working side by side – each with different approaches to work, communication and connection. Generational differences have the potential to create misunderstanding and ultimately conflict, frustrating all and inhibiting organizational effectiveness. The successful business harnesses the diversity of perspectives and approach, facilitating effective communication and innovative sharing across generations. This workshop not only outlines generational differences but helps participates develop strategies for more effective communication.
Networking and Relationship Development
Our friends and colleagues provide us important information and connections. We rely upon our relationships in everything we do -- help getting things done now, broadening our groups and learning about new opportunities to finding our careers and starting out in new locations. In addition to providing skills on networking basics, the workshop will focus how women build relationship differently than men, and the differences of how extroverts and introverts network. The workshop will also focus on how social media has impacted how we build relationships, the importance of building relationships face to face, and how both face to face and social media can be incorporated into an effective networking and relationship development strategy
Gender Dynamics and Communication
Men and women approach developing and maintaining professional relationships differently and have different communication styles. By understanding these dynamics, both men and women can be more effective in their communication (and less frustrated). This workshop helps all, particularly women, analyze their communication styles and approaches, and identify strategies to make their communication more effective.