Practical Project: Communication Skills for Effective Teamwork

obligatory courses

Communication and relationship building training aiming at developing teamwork skills. The workshop requires participants to be active and engaged, showing respect for diversity, and being open to share and receive feedback. As part of the class, students prepare and conduct a panel discussion with practitioners-representing the business community.

Classroom

The workshop prepares students to consciously communicate in a business environment, build relationships and collaborate. The aim of the class is to develop communication and emotional (personal and social) competences, so important in teamwork, as well as to shape self-reflection and attentiveness to oneself and others. As part of the course, students prepare and conduct a discussion with experts/practitioners on the role of communication in the work environment.

Interactive workshop with pair & group work and in-depth individual exercises. Te focus of the workshop is to develop communication skills (e.g. active listening, direct communication, non-verbal communication, communicating directly and clearly, giving and receiving feedback etc.) and organizational competences (creating a strategy and implementation plan for a project(discussion), project evaluation).

I INTRODUCTORY SESSION: COMMUNICATION & ME

– VUCA times, competences of the future and the role of soft skills in a changing reality.

– The role of stereotypes and cultural patterns in interpersonal communication.

Interpersonal communication training: active listening, paraphrasing, summarizing.

– Analysis of individual communication style and its benefits and areas for development.

– Brainstorming and selection of topic areas for discussion.

II. STRATEGY SESSION: COOPERATION & ME

– What is cooperation and what do we need to collaborate?

– The role of psychological safety in the context of building commitment and effectiveness,

– SCARF model-D. Rock

– Stress - how does it affect our communication?

– The role of emotional regulation in enhancing communication

– Emotions - what they are and how to use the information they bring?

– Selecting the topic, experts + topic areas for the discussion, group collaboration and division of responsibilities (who?what?when?).

III. PRACTICAL SESSION: ASSERTIVENESS & ME

– Assertiveness

– Assertive rights.

– Separating facts from interpretations.

– How to identify your needs/interests.

– How to express requests and expectations in an assertive way?

IV. PRACTICAL SESSION: PANEL DISCUSSION

– Conducting a project (discussion with experts/practitioners on the role of communication in the work environment).

V. CONCLUDING SESSION: EVALUATION

– Communication skills training cont. (direct communication, clarity and self-expression).

– Evaluation of the project (team and individual context).

– The art of giving (and receiving) feedback.

– Creating an individual development plan. (STOP-START-CONTINUE)

Rock, D. „Your Brain at Work: Strategies for Overcoming Distraction, Regaining Focus, and Working Smarter All Day Long”, Harper Business

Brown, B., (2018), "Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts.", London: Vermilion.

Huston, T. (2021), „Let’s Talk: Make Effective Feedback Your Superpower”, Penguin Books.

KNOWLEDGE:

The student:

- knows what are: verbal and non-verbal communication & active listening,

- has basic knowledge on the use of communication styles in teamwork,

- has analyzed their own communication style and its influence on team effectiveness,

- is familiar with the SCARF model and knows what psychological safety is in the context of effective teamwork,

- is able to define conflict, distinguish between internal and interpersonal conflict, knows at least two models of giving feedback.

SKILLS:

The student:

- is able to interact and work in a project team,

- is able to communicate effectively in a team,

- took an active part in organizing a panel discussion, - developed the ability to think strategically, took part in strategy-making, priority-setting, action planning and project evaluation,

- practiced selected elements of communication affecting trust and confidence building, i.e. active listening, paraphrasing, asking open-ended questions to expand and clarify, summarizing, sharing observations, giving feedback,

- planned individual activities to support the development of soft competencies (i.e. teamwork, communication skills, giving feedback).

SOCIAL COMPETENCES:

The student:

- has broadened and deepened their awareness of own communication style and its influence on team effectiveness,

- developed communication skills in listening, direct communication, and giving feedback,

- has learnt about selected good practices used in working with teams in organizations and has broadened their knowledge of business culture,

- is aware of the role of stress and emotions in teamwork,

- has developed the ability to interact with others in a team framework, taking into account the diversity and individual potential of other people in a team.

attendance* (60%), 15 min oral presentation (15%) and carrying out the project (25%)

* up to 2 absences possible (up to 4h)