Workshops and Trainings

My Clients

Program managers and decision-makers for academic groups such as

    • Large, often interdisciplinary, projects
    • Early-career scholars (predocs and postdocs)
    • New and newly hired professors
    • Search committee members
    • Academic leaders
    • Principal Investigators (PIs)

I offer

  • Substantive: research-based
  • Useful: concrete applications
  • Prepared: confidential questions in advance to tailor the content
  • Reflected: feedback post-event
  • Resilient: responding as the group learning evolves
  • Skilled: facilitation skills honed from coaching training and decades of interactive, international university instruction

Recent Workshop Themes

  • Leadership training, team leadership, team management
  • Women in leadership
  • Identifying leadership role models
  • Designing careers aligned to core values
  • Negotiating academic careers
  • Managing difficult conversations
  • Reducing implicit bias in selection processes
  • Working in an intergenerational team
  • Handling changes in personal and professional life dimensions required due to COVID

Workshop Testimonials

From the leader of a team-building event:

„The team event was well received and even exceeded the expectation of the most skeptical colleagues. The workshop helped to break up some ‘formalities’ within my team. Team members got closer to each other and especially lab personnel and lab heads are working together in a more relaxed and less formal way. We have introduced a “lunch & learn” session once a quarter, fully organized by others. I am “just a guest.” All in all I think my team and I are on a good path. I hope to meet you soon again, I had lots of fun and insights working with you. Well-done and many thanks!“
Raul Pires, Vice President head of Global R&D Isocyanates, Covestro

From a workshop on Reducing Bias in selection committees:

“I especially appreciated the way we all worked together in the course. Prof. Hofmeister is very competent and respectful, and I would recommend the workshop to anyone because I found the format excellent.”
“I especially appreciated the communicative interaction, the many examples, and the facts offered. The workshop leader was very engaged. I’d recommend this workshop to anyone.”
“I especially appreciated the very comfortable working climate and excellent workshop leadership from Prof. Hofmeister!”
“The workshop leader Prof. Hofmeister is very congenial and she knows a lot!”
“The workshop offered an abundant set of new recommendations and ways to change going forward.”
“Good discussion culture with many exciting thoughts and ideas and new tools to use going forward.”
“Very good and clear workshop leadership – heart-felt thanks!”
 “The workshop was good – a very engaged workshop leader!”
“Going out of the workshop, I am more strongly motivated to actively engage around this theme.”
“I am always happy for useful tools!”
“Wonderful, thank you!”

From a full-day workshop on managing difficult conversations:

“I especially appreciated that the workshop leader adapted to participants’ needs and fulfilled requests.”
“I liked especially the way the workshop leader interacted with us participants. One got the feeling that one was heard and taken seriously.”
“It is useful to prepare for possible conflict situations in which I and the other expect or need different things. It was perfect!”
“I especially appreciated the respectful and positive interaction and approach!”

From a half-day workshop on career planning:

“I learned that other people struggle with the same issues and I am not alone with my worries and wishes for the future. I appreciated the possibility to discuss with my colleagues but not to have to share details if not wanted. At a practical level, I will first make a list of what I want from a job and what my identities and strengths are and look for jobs that fit this, not the other way around. It was very good and useful, taking time to self-reflect, what I would otherwise not have done. I recommend it highly! The workshop ‘forces’ you to think about yourself and takes away the feeling of being alone with problems.” 
“I especially learned to visualize the life that I want to live and the values that are important to me. It becomes clearer what really matters. I want to change things if they don’t feel right and be open for opportunities. The workshop was helpful and inspiring. I learned a lot about myself!”
“The questions provided after the guided meditation helped to analyze the answers. After the workshop, I will focus on looking for alternative pathways more often. The workshop was very open, ideas were presented in a very safe and comfortable way. I recommend it because it gives you a lot of tools for further evaluation in a very short time.”
““I learned to find myself again and the reasons why I came into science. This stage does not have to define my future. I appreciated to try and think about what I want in my future. I am glad to understand what the inner me wants for our future and analyze if this can be possible. I will try to apply priorities in my life because they fit my values. The workshop is a nice way to get to know or admit stuff to yourself that perhaps you think about but don’t give so much attention to it.”
“I appreciated the openness and conversation and the small group and partner work. I’ll use the learning of being happier and doing what makes me happy as well as using my support system. I enjoyed the workshop and found it helpful and I’d recommend it to others because it can show you that you aren’t alone in your feelings.”
“I learned more about myself, I appreciated the visualization exercises. It was very useful and well-structured. I’d recommend it because it gave hints on how to approach my next job search.”
“Going out of the workshop, at a practical level, I will combine my goals and priorities with my work life.”
“I’d recommend the workshop to others because reflecting on the own dreams, life, and priorities is rarely done but it’s so critically important.”
“I especially appreciated the environment of the workshop, the open-mindedness, without pressure, and with great guidance.  Heather was a great guide.”
 “The workshop had a really enjoyable, unconstrained atmosphere. I’d recommend it because we too seldom exchange about these kinds of topics. At a practical level, I learned that I am satisfied with my path so far and I want to use my free time to enjoy myself and switch off.” 
“I especially appreciated the visualization about the perfect day in 10 years. Through that, I now know how I want to live in the future and what will and won’t be part of that life. The workshop was GREAT! We were encouraged to self-reflect. We too rarely experience ourselves in this way. This experience was really helpful!”
“I especially appreciated that I could discover myself and I could see myself in the future. The workshop was really positive. I got a lot of input. I’d recommend it to people who don’t know what to do in the future.”
“I especially appreciated that we learned to identify and life with and for our values. It was a really good workshop. I’d recommend it to others!”
“I learned about myself, my priorities, and that an organized working day is important for my future. I appreciated that it wasn’t a typical workshop. There was much more focus on meaning than options. It was very good, not shallow.”
“The workshop helps everyone to self-reflect their life and path.”
“I especially learned what my perfect day would look like.”
“I’d recommend this workshop because it makes you realize what you expect of your life.”
 “I’d recommend this workshop for people who do not know yet what they want in the future.”
“I will use this learning at a practical level: I will be open for opportunities. The workshop was productive.”
“I especially learned that a change can be better than keeping on the status-quo.”
“I learned to ask more critical questions at future job interviews.”
“I learned that I like my job as it is today and that my skills and interest match pretty good to the job profile. I have to dare to change things that are not good to be happy in the future. I appreciated the open and nice atmosphere and the qualified coach.”
“I appreciated the meditation to imagine future life, past joyful moments. I will use meditation to rethink the meaning of my life. The workshop was great! It helped me to rethink my life. I’d recommend this because it makes yourself know yourself better.”
“I’ll use thinking about that perfect day and trying to get to that point. It was an enjoyable experience, thinking about the future without being overwhelmed. I’d recommend it! I think everyone got something out of the exercises.” 
“Heather, you were really thoughtful and open and I really liked the “meditations” (perfect day, peak moment). I will reconsider from time to time what is important to me and how I can integrate it in my life. The workshop gave new thoughts how to find out what I really want. I’d recommend it!”
“I especially appreciated the “perfect day” exercise, topic on meaningfulness (never thought about it before). I will use the perfect day exercise on a regular basis to reevaluate my priorities.”