Yoko Smith
Professional Development Chair
3630 East Campus Loop W1 (0824)
472-6512
ysmith2@unl.edu

Professional Development Programs
Wednesday, October 17, 1:00-4:00 (following the monthly meeting) at City Union at 14th & R Streets

Normal Differences: a way to look at things with Suzanne Drew, director of Staff Development and Management with Facilities Management and Planning

No matter our specific role in the workplace, we all have to work with, for, and through others. That is where things usually get complicated. Why can it be so hard sometimes? Maybe sometimes, it is because we hear and see the same things differently. The secrets to maintaining good and effective work relationships may seem pretty simple in theory. For example, everyone wants to feel respected by the people around them and to be around people they respect. The challenge however is in application, especially when different people show and perceive respect differently. Join the discussion, when we talk about how normal differences between us affect our interactions and how we can identity and use those differences to increase our personal effectiveness.

About our presenter
Suzanne just finished her eighth year at UNL. For the last three years she held the position of Director of Staff Development and Management with the Facilities Management and Planning department. Based on the underlying belief that you need great people if you want to do great work, and that you need a great work environment to keep and motivate great people, the purpose of her position is help managers and staff be more effective in their working relationships and develop better ways to serve campus customers. All of this draws heavily on Suzanne's past experiences which include five years as Director of Employee Relations with UNL's Department of Human Resources and nine years as a Director of Finance and Administration with The Nature Conservancy (Maine Chapter) and the Omaha Children's Museum. Her education includes an undergraduate degree in Psychology and a Master's in Labor and Human Resources from The Ohio State University and a year in an executive development program with Ford Motor Company.
RSVP by October 12 with your name, phone and department to Yoko Smith at 472-6512 or ysmith2@unl.edu.