Welcome!

Thank you for your Power Learning Series registration.  We are so excited you have looked to PSHRA® to help you grow in your career.

The Power Learning Series offers you a new way to grow your skills without the time commitment of a full course. 

In this course, learners will explore the full investigation process from intake to reporting, with a focus on balancing legal, ethical, and organizational considerations. Participants will gain tools to plan, conduct, and document investigations with fairness, consistency, and clarity. The content will be delivered through a realistic and engaging case study.

Learners will gain the skills to conduct fair and effective workplace investigations. The course will be delivered over three-weeks with one-hour weekly online meetings.

Recertification Points:  PSHRA-5 and HRCI-Coming Soon!

Don’t hesitate to contact us - PSHRA – Debbie Tankersely-Snook, Associate Director, Member Programs, Membership - meetings@pshra.org.

Making public sector work better®.

Course Syllabus

Learners will explore the complexities and challenges of leading HR functions in the public sector, particularly through solid ethical principles and decision-making methods.

Overview

This comprehensive learning program is designed for Human Resource (HR) professionals in the United States public sector. It prepares learners for the complexities and challenges of leading HR functions in the public sector, particularly through solid ethical principles and decision-making methods.

Learning Objectives

• Clarify personal, professional, and organizational values and understand their role in public HR leadership.
• Apply a values-based decision-making framework to navigate ambiguity, conflict, and complex situations.
• Strengthen trust, credibility, and transparency by modeling and communicating values-aligned decisions.
• Embed shared values into HR processes and practices to promote a consistent and ethical workplace culture.
• Lead with integrity and confidence, even when facing political, operational, or ethical pressures.

Program Components

Workshop 1

• What are Values and Why They Matter: Define “values” and discuss how the consistent application of values to practice builds credibility and trust in leadership, and supports collective mental health.
• Your Own Values-Based Foundation: Develop learners’ ability to articulate values as a foundation to address complex challenges and dilemmas in their professional activities.
  • Debrief Life Values Inventory results. Note the importance of defining values and becoming aware of the hierarchy of values for different people and groups.
  • Identify own, team, and organizational long-lasting values.
• The HR Leader as a Values Guiding Light: How the HR leader can become the organization’s consistent, long-term ethical beacon through articulating, practicing, and promoting shared values.

Workshop 2

• A Congruent Decision-Making Process: Step-by-step values-based decision-making process.
• Walking the Talk: Practice values-based decision making in realistic scenarios.
• Learning from Experience: Learn from peers through a peer coaching activity based on real ethical dilemmas participants are facing.

Workshop 3

• Values and Culture: Anchoring values into the organization’s culture: steps to embed values into policies, processes, and internal communication.
• High Stakes Decisions: Practice making organizational-level values-based decisions.
  • Debrief: What happens when values are breached?

The course will be delivered over three-weeks with 3 one-hour weekly online meetings.

Please let us know if you run into any problems or have questions as soon as possible.  We want to make sure you are to have the best possible learning experience.  

All your course materials will be found on your course dashboard.

Meetings:

• Course Meetings take place in Zoom Events – You will receive your Individual Zoom Link before the course starts.

Course Design:

The course will be delivered over three-weeks with three one-hour sessions per week.  You will receive details about the dates, times, and the URL for your course meetings

Time Commitment:

Plan for 1 hour for each online lesson to read, complete activities, and prepare for course meetings. Individuals have varying learning paces, so it might take more or less time for each person. We recommend completing lessons a day or two before the course meeting to allow time for reflection on what you've learned and the development of your plans. All course materials are included on your course dashboard (no textbook is required).

Course Meeting Session Schedule (subject to change):

• Start Date: 8/12//2025
• Completion Date: 8/26/2025
• Meeting 1:  8/12/2025 - 1:00 - 2:00 pm ET
• Meeting 2:  8/19/2025 - 1:00 - 2:00 pm ET
• Meeting 3:  8/26/2025 - 1:00 - 2:00 pm ET

Certificate of Attendance:  You will earn a Certificate of Completion upon completion of the course.

Cancellation Policy:  Professional Development Cancelation Policy

Recertification Points:  PSHRA-5 and HRCI-5

Making public sector work better®.

Beatriz Coningham, Ed.D.

Dr. Coningham is a global consultant in organizational leadership, learning, change, and human resource management. She is also part of the adjunct faculty of the George Washington University, in Washington DC, where she lives. Her experience includes public sector, non-profit and for profit organizations in the United States and abroad. As part of her career in leadership roles in human resources she has personally conducted multiple workplace investigations and trained human resources teams on the investigation process.