Point Positive Workshops

Everyone deserves to work in a positive, supportive, and inclusive environment, even when that amazing workplace happens to be at the bottom of Grand Canyon!  Grand Canyon River Guides is excited to sponsor FREE Point Positive workshops for our river community.  We urge you to take advantage of these outstanding learning opportunities to gain new skills and insight. 

These Point Positive workshops were originally designed and facilitated by Engage Coaching & Consulting as a response to ongoing sexual harassment in the Grand Canyon river community. These workshops have continued to evolve to include new facilitators and topics including how to center Indigenous voices and speak authentically about land acknowledgment. Point Positive workshops provide essential tools to serve our river community and move us forward along the path of culture change.  We’re all in this together!  

Point Positive Workshop 2025:

TITLE: Effective Communication & Interactions - Building Bridges

When: Friday, March 28, 2025 from 2PM to 4:30PM.

Where: Marble Canyon Lodge Gas Station Conference Room | Mile post, 538 N US-89A, Marble Canyon, AZ 86036

What: This is an optional and FREE workshop held in conjunction with the 2025 Guides Training Seminar! Note: There will be dinner available at Hatchland that evening.

Instructor: Engage Coaching and Consulting/Emily Ambrose.

REGISTRATION LINK (Please pre-register, thanks!)

Description: This FREE and optional two and a half hour workshop for guides and new leaders is intended to encourage effective conversations and interactions between fellow guides, guests, and team members. We know when trust in teams is built and conflict is handled well, trips are safer, more inclusive and respectful, and ultimately more enjoyable for everyone involved. During this particular moment in society, there can be strong divisions felt, and tricky waters to navigate. This workshop begins to identify why it can be so challenging to have effective conversations, addresses actively dealing with conflict head-on when necessary, and how to encourage trust and teamwork among crews.  We all communicate all the time and we all can stand to do it a little better; this is an opportunity to learn how!

Outcomes: By attending this workshop, participants will:

  1. Understand the components of effective interactions

  2. Gain tools to assist in having effective conversations 

  3. Learn strategies to build trust among teams and crews

  4. Apply tools through scenario work

This workshop is sponsored by Grand Canyon River Guides. There is no cost to you to attend.

Why should you sign up?  We would like to share with you some of the compelling data and feedback from the initial Point Positive Workshop in spring 2019:

  • 100% of respondents agreed/strongly agreed with the statement: “The workshop provided was worth my time.”

  • 90.1% of respondents agreed/strongly agreed with the statement: “The workshop provided was applicable to my work and provided useful information.”

  • Workshop Feedback Comments:

    • “This was so incredibly helpful and critical for our Grand Canyon community. I know you don't care for mandatory trainings, but I would love to see more outfitters include this in their pre-season orientation. I am so grateful to GCRG & WF for hosting this. I would absolutely love to see more.”

    • “Workshop was very helpful, and seems necessary as an annual or semi-annual event. Would like to see this happen again, and would like to see greater attendance! The river community has limited access / options for management and leadership training within the realm of interpersonal communications, relationship building, and people / team management. So this event was a great option and hopefully it’s only the start.”

    • “As a first year guide and someone who isn’t a "traditional raft guide" it helped me understand that this job will be tough for reasons unrelated to our boats or clients and that I shouldn’t feel alone or afraid to speak up for myself or those around me….”

    • “We spend our trips striving to help our guests feel the magic of the Grand Canyon. Imagine the magic we can cast when we all feel supported and valued within our own Grand Canyon family.” (BQR Vol 32 #2, “Point Positive: Why We Need This Workshop More Than Ever.”)