Categories:
Skill Builder: Ombuds introduce skills, techniques, and strategies to navigate conflict, improve communication, and sustain relationships.
Resource Share: Ombuds share and discuss a resource or spotlight a particular topic of interest.
Fireside Chat: Ombuds conduct an informal interview with campus stakeholders.
Repair after Rupture
Microaggressions are a type of biased behavior that stem from stereotypes, and they can very quickly diminish rapport between colleagues. If you have mistakenly made a microaggression, you are not alone. Stability and trust may be fostered from an authentic dedication to making amends. Join OIEC's Prevention Education Coordinator Brenna Merrill for a skill-builder session about how to start the repair process with a colleague when you've inadvertently caused harm.
Lunch and Learn
The Power of Micro-Affirmations
Making employees feel valued is one of leadership’s many challenges. And what exactly does it mean to value an individual? Micro-affirmations can be a great place to start. Join the ombuds office and Bina Patel to learn more and walk away with some terrific tips to start effectively valuing employees today.
Fireside Chat
August 22, 2023
Catch up on this Lunch and Learn to meet Dr. Peter Huang and learn more about his book, Disrupting Racism, in an informal fireside chat.
Can racism's devastating impact on individuals, communities, and societies be prevented? In Disrupting Racism, Dr. Peter Henry Huang offers a uniquely holistic approach to anti-racism efforts that draws from his personal experiences as an Asian American, and from his extensive scholarly work in mathematical economics, law, and education.
Fireside Chat with Dahlia Smith
May 16, 2023
The Staff Career Development Program is here for you! Join the Ombuds Office in conversation with Dahlia Smith, Career Advisor and Program Manager of the SCDP, for an informal, fireside chat. Learn about the SCDP, a resource for all CU Boulder staff and glean some professional career development skills.
Beyond Defensiveness: Preparing for Emotionally Intelligent Conflict
March 7, 2023
Understanding and disrupting our own defensiveness is a preliminary step in emotionally intelligent conflict. Part II of our dive into defensiveness revisits the importance of the time-out as well as how the broader neuroscience and conflict psychology principles of emotional intelligence, psychological safety, proactive vulnerability, and defensiveness intertwine. Come away with a better understanding of how to prepare for, enter into, and remain in effective and productive conflict. Catch up on Part I of this series here. Check out the associated defensiveness checklist developed by Jenn Mahony here.
Fireside Chat with Dr. Noelle Seybert
January 24, 2023
The Ombuds Office invites you to join this informal and interactive discussion with Dr. Noelle Seybert, CU Boulder’s Director of Social Media. Meet the woman behind the university’s social media strategy as well as gain tips to improve your social media presence.
The Gossip Train: How to Mitigate Harmful Gossip and What to do When it’s About You!
December 6, 2022
“Small bites. Big impact.” is wrapping up its Fall series: The Gossip Train. Join Liz Hill, Ombuds at University of Colorado Boulder and Teresa Ralicki, Ombuds Analyst at Pinterest, and explore strategies to address harmful gossip as well as learn what you can do when it’s about you.
Previous lunch and learn recordings are available at https://www.colorado.edu/ombuds/lunch-and-learn-presentations-small-bite...
Check out #Ombuzz and The Gossip Train blog series at https://ombuzz.blog
The Gossip Train: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
November 15, 2022
Pssst! Have you heard? The Gossip Train is back on November 15th! Liz Hill, Associate Director, University of Colorado Boulder Ombuds Office will continue the discussion discerning between bad gossip and good gossip. Come explore gossip's dark side as well as it's hidden virtues.
Don't forget to check out #Ombuzz and The Gossip Train blog series at https://ombuzz.blog
The Gossip Train: What is gossip and why do we do it?
September 20, 2022
“Pssst….! Did you hear?” The University of Colorado Ombuds’ started a gossip series called ‘The Gossip Train’. It’s all about gossip! We will explore the origins of gossip, why we gossip, the joys and dangers of gossip, and what you can do when gossip is not helpful!
“You didn’t hear this from me, but according to anthropologists and evolutionary psychologists, we all gossip! It’s a natural part of being human.” Gossip ranges from juicy, delicious, fun chatter; to informative and truthful insights; to hurtful, malicious, harmful smear. Join Liz Hill, Associate Director at the University of Colorado Boulder Ombuds Office and Lisa Neale, Associate Director at the University of Colorado Denver | Anschutz for the first of a four part series, to chat about what gossip is and why we do it.
You might also be interested in the Ombuzz blog gossip series.
Resource Share
April 1, 2022
First Serve Yourself: A Proven Way to Win on Your Own Terms
Join us as we dive into the practice of coaching yourself. We will explore why self-coaching is a competitive advantage in life and how you can leverage it right away. Most Fortune 500 CEOs have a coach, and many of the world’s greatest leaders coach themselves. Come learn how you can make the most of technology, the gig economy, and cutting-edge research to set clearer goals, bounce back from setbacks, and design the life you want.
Skill Builder
March 22, 2022
Keeping Conflict Productive: The Art of Self-Regulation and Disrupting Defensiveness
Healthy, productive conflict requires courage and confidence. Confidence comes from understanding and regulating ourselves, which allows us better listen to the other person and courageously engage in collaborative problem-solving. An essential skill to building conflict confidence is knowing our own defensive triggers and how to disrupt them. For this Lunch and Learn, learn where defensiveness comes from, explore what the likely triggers are, and discover a plan for how to disrupt it in the moment. Check out the associated defensiveness checklist developed by Jenn Mahony here.
Skill Builder
Non-Defensive Communication (Part 3): The Prediction
Liz will discuss the third and final component of this series: The Prediction. The purpose of a prediction is to provide clear information about how we will respond to various choices the other person can make. Predictions should not be manipulative or attempt to coerce others to comply with what we want. They must be secure, predictable, and stable. When we offer a neutral and clearly defined prediction, we meet our needs and keep ourselves out of the power struggle.
Come and learn how speaking truthfully and openly, without fear and without hiding, can strengthen communication and elicit a positive response. When we are guarded and hide information, our ability to resolve problems and work creatively with each other is impeded. Consequently, being vulnerable and direct at the same time, increases our effectiveness.

Skill Builder
November 30, 2021:
HeartMath® Techniques Workshop #4: Energetics of Communication
Learn about the power of the heart and how our emotional states influence and are influenced by our relationships and communities. Learn practical techniques to support Coherent Communication™ while demonstrating care for ourselves and those around us.
HeartMath® is a registered trademark of Quantum Intech, Inc. For all HeartMath trademarks go to www.heartmath.com/trademarks

Skill Builder
November 16, 2021:
HeartMath® Techniques Workshop #3: Practical Intuition
Learn to access your own heart intelligence for creative problem solving and building coherence where the emotions, body and mind synchronize for optimal performance. Learn to apply practical techniques such as Freeze Frame® to both build and sustain resilience capacity.
HeartMath® is a registered trademark of Quantum Intech, Inc. For all HeartMath trademarks go to www.heartmath.com/trademarks
College of Arts & Sciences Let's CU Well

Skill Builder
November 9, 2021:
HeartMath® Techniques Workshop #2: Depletion to Renewal™
Bring awareness to our emotional states and how they influence our mental and physical well-being with the Depletion to Renewal Grid. Learn an evidenced based technique to quickly shift from a state of depletion to one of renewal in just moments by practicing Inner-Ease™ Technique.
HeartMath® is a registered trademark of Quantum Intech, Inc. For all HeartMath trademarks go to www.heartmath.com/trademarks
College of Arts & Sciences Let's CU Well

Skill Builder
November 2, 2021:
HeartMath® Techniques Workshop #1: Foundations to Achieve Resilience
Bring resilinece to life by learning how to recognize when self-care and care for our communities is needed. Explore teh latest research on the role emotions play in performance and health and how to utilize the heart/brain connection to regulate your heart rhythms to immediately address your emotional state in challenging situtaions.
HeartMath® is a registered trademark of Quantum Intech, Inc. For all HeartMath trademarks go to www.heartmath.com/trademarks