Event Calendar

Date(s): October 7, 2026

Time: 9:00 AM  CST - 4:00 PM  CST

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Registration:  8:30 a.m.
Program:  9 a.m.–4 p.m.

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ROOM BLOCK
Holiday Inn South
4751 Owen Ayres Court
Eau Claire, WI 54701
(715) 830-9889
Room Block Name: Wisconsin Electric Cooperative Association or WECA
Room Block Rate: $TBD (double queen)
Room Block Expires: 
Room Block Link:  October Room Block

Rooms may be available under the room block after the cut-off date only if the hotel has rooms available. Contact the hotel directly to book rooms after the deadline.

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Culture & Communication
1-1/2 Skill Builder Credits

WHO SHOULD ATTEND
This program is ideal for:

• Line employees and frontline staff
• Mid-level supervisors and operations leaders
• Senior management and executive teams

In an electric cooperative, strong communication and a thriving workplace culture don’t just happen—they are intentionally created and actively maintained. This full-day interactive workshop explores the powerful relationship between communication and culture, the shared responsibility of shaping both, and how they influence the co-op’s ability to serve members, adapt to change, and support one another as a team.

Participants will reflect on how communication patterns reflect values, how culture affects behavior and productivity, and how both can be improved—not just by leadership, but by everyone in the organization. Together, we’ll identify practical strategies to foster a learning culture, improve trust and transparency, and strengthen the co-op as a place where people want to contribute and grow.
 
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Session 1: Understanding the Link Between Communication and Culture

• Define organizational culture and identify how communication shapes (and is shaped by) workplace culture.
• Explore the feedback loop between behaviors, norms, and the spoken/unspoken messages they reinforce.
• Recognize how culture and communication directly impact employee satisfaction, member service, safety, and change readiness.

Session 2: Ownership and Accountability—Who Shapes Culture and Communication?

• Understand the role of leadership, supervisors, and every team member in cultivating culture and setting communication tone.
• Identify common communication breakdowns and cultural blind spots within cooperative environments.
• Discuss real-world cooperative examples where employee engagement and leadership alignment improved the work environment.

Session 3: Culture That Learns—Growing from Within

• Discover the hallmarks of a learning culture: curiosity, safety, reflection, and responsiveness to feedback.
• Learn how to encourage new ideas, speak up about concerns, and model accountability — regardless of role or level.
• Understand how cultural inertia can be challenged with purpose, clarity, and consistent action. 

Session 4: Practical Strategies for Change—Moving Forward Together

• Develop cooperative-specific strategies to improve transparency, trust, and collaboration across departments and levels.
• Build a communication action plan that supports evolving values, generational shifts, and future work trends.
• Identify small wins that lead to big change in culture and communication — and how to measure progress.

Session 5: Personal and Team Commitments

• Reflect on individual and team behaviors that either support or hinder a healthy culture.
• Write team-based and personal commitments to improving communication and reinforcing a culture of respect, purpose, and pride.
• Create shared goals to make your cooperative not just a good place to work—but a great one.

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This program is an ECLIPSE-approved CORE course. Anyone can take this course and is not limited to ECLIPSE participants.

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