May 16, 2025 at 9:00 am to 12:00 pm PDT - Virtual Event
This SOAR Design Workshop is an engaging and collaborative session where we will explore a variety of SOAR designs from team to division, department, organization, and industry level. During this workshop, participants will learn how to design SOAR engagements to their client or organization’s wishes. There will also be a case scenario on how to help an executive leader learn how to use SOAR.
SOAR DESIGN WORKSHOP DATES & TIMES:
There are two workshops available for you to maximize your SOAR learning, planning, and application: Introduction to SOAR and SOAR Design. Below are the dates and times for both workshops. Please note: Introduction to SOAR is a pre-requisite for the SOAR Design workshop.
INTRODUCTION TO SOAR April 24-25, 2025 9am-12pm Pacific / 12pm-3pm Eastern | SOAR DESIGN May 16, 2025 9am-12pm Pacific / 12pm-3pm Eastern |
Pre-requisite: None | Pre-requisite: Introduction to SOAR |
SOAR DESIGN WORKSHOP CONTENT:
By utilizing the SOAR framework, attendees gain a holistic perspective, fostering a positive and proactive approach to strategy and strategic planning. This interactive session guides participants on how their SOAR designs connect to mission with purpose, encourage teamwork, align those around a shared vision, and ultimately leads to the development of actionable strategies and plans that maximize a team or an organization’s potential for success.
Participants will come to this session with at least one draft of a SOAR strategic engagement. Time will be allotted for asking about SOAR designs and engagements.
PURPOSE:
Identify opportunities to apply and design SOAR engagements.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
- Recognize and target opportunities for applying SOAR at multiple levels of your organization.
- Review a variety of SOAR-based templates.
- Case Scenario: What Would You Do?
- Draft a SOAR Strategy or Strategic Planning Design.
This workshop highlights the true power of SOAR. I left with a deeper understanding of the framework and how it can be used to improve organizational planning, strengthen teams and guide our own individual development.
– Sara Bozeman, Consultant,
Office of Patient-Centered Care & Cultural Transformation, Department of Veterans Affairs
This is a very practical workshop that focuses on helping you better understand the variety of ways SOAR can be used from a single person to a large organization. The instructor is focused on ensuring content is relevant to how you want to use SOAR. She provides many practical examples, article, and other learning materials to continue to explore and grow after the program is over.
– Andrew Whitis, Interim Executive Director, OhioNet
The ‘Introduction to SOAR Creating Strategy and Strategic Plans that Inspire’ training event was very good from start to finish as evidenced by comprehensive pre-training preparation, positive, energizing content that contributed to skills enhancement, glitch free Zoom technology, highly experienced trainers whose interactive training style provided ongoing opportunities for participation including trainee feedback and posing of questions. Post training reading materials were an indicator of going the extra-mile to enhance trainee’s competence and capabilities.
– Dennis Whitford, Owner/Operator, 2Thunder Consulting
As an Organization Development Consultant, I was thrilled to see a public offering for a SOAR workshop presented by Jackie Stavros, the creator of the framework. Having Melissa Robaina bring her expertise with Appreciative Inquiry was a real bonus! The workshop was content rich and the resources exceptional. I am glad I invested in this work and came away with more than I could have hoped for.
– Michele Hansen, Principal, Prismatic Business Solutions
Insightful and impactful — the SOAR sessions re-engaged and energized my thinking about how to apply appreciative inquiry in strategic situations to help individuals, teams, and organizations reach new heights.
– Pam Cash, Co-Founder and Chief of Positive Change, Next Ascent, LLC.
I really appreciate The Center for AI offering such a phenomenal program on SOAR with Jackie and Melissa – WOW! Talk about time well spent — it was an absolute pleasure and privilege and will say that this offering is by far one of the ‘high points’ in my learning journey. Jackie is incredible and her generosity is unparalleled! From the SOAR Design workshop (from part II of the series), I delivered a ‘micro-SOAR’ and council members walked away from the session feeling seen, heard, and inspired. Huge kudos to Jackie for developing dynamic and profound SOAR framework, and her willingness to share her insights!!
– L. Barbour, Resilience Director, Optum Workplace Well-Being
ADDITIONAL WORKSHOP INFORMATION:
REQUIRED BOOK
The SOAR workshops utilize the book, Learning to SOAR: Creating Strategy that Inspires Innovation and Engagement by Jacqueline Stavros and Gina Hinrichs.
You will need to purchase this book prior to the start of this course. This short, easy-to-read book is available in electronic, paperback, or audio – please choose the format that best suits your learning style.
METHOD OF DELIVERY:
This workshop will be delivered via Zoom and will use various Zoom features, including the annotation tool. To maximize your learning experience, please participate using a desktop or laptop computer. You will receive a Zoom meeting link in a separate email two weeks prior to the event.
LETTER OF COMPLETION
To obtain a letter of completion from The Center for Appreciative Inquiry, each participant must actively participate and complete the workshop. Letters of completion include your name, date of your training, and number of classroom hours earned and will be presented to participants after the training.
WORKSHOP OFFERED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH:
WANT TO TRAIN A TEAM OR GROUP?
This workshop can be delivered for groups and organizations who wish to train a large number of individuals on the SOAR framework to support their strategy and strategic planning efforts. Please complete the CONTACT US form to receive more information about hosting a private course for your group.
AI Practitioners
JACKIE STAVROS, DM, passion is working with others to create purpose and meaningful results for positive change. She is recognized for her creation of SOAR, a positive approach to strategic thinking, planning, conversations, and leading. She is co-founder of Conversations Worth Having Institute. She is professor and management consultant in the College of Business and Information Technology at Lawrence Technological University. She is a Faculty Athletic Representative at LTU, where she enjoys working with student athletes to empower them to navigate and advocate for themselves. She inspires them with lifework. She teaches both undergraduate and graduate courses in management, organization development, leadership, and strategic management. Learn more about Jackie >>
MELISSA ROBAINA, MBA, founder of Appreciative Inquiries, LLC and COO of The Center for Appreciative Inquiry, has over 15 years of experience empowering individuals and communities through Appreciative Inquiry to foster engagement, innovative dialogue, and sustainable change. In March 2023, she developed and launched the Introduction to Appreciative Inquiry, a self-directed program exploring foundational theories, principles, and the 5-D process through immersive exercises. Melissa’s expertise in designing strengths-based engagements, her passion for empowering individuals, and her ability to create transformative solutions make her a sought-after leader in the field. Learn more about Melissa >>