Communication

Poor communication lies at the root of many problems. It can lead to mistakes, quality problems, conflicts, missed deadlines, and lost opportunities. In spite of the increasing importance placed on communication skills, many individuals and institutions continue to struggle with this, unable to communicate their thoughts and ideas effectively – whether in verbal or written format. This inability makes it nearly impossible for them to compete effectively in the workplace, and stands in the way of growth.

When individuals and groups manage to communicate effectively, incorporate diversity and at the same time manage conflicts constructively, they will be able to achieve creative and sustainable outcomes. The challenge is therefore to highlight the importance of communication and gain a positive approach towards conflicts and learn how to deal with them and benefit from them. One way of doing this is to use appropriate team building activities. Not only can these boost people’s communication skills like active listening and empathy, but they can also help them to build good relationships with one another and strengthen team members’ problem solving, creative thinking and leadership skills.

This workshop is highly experiential and participative. It consists of short theoretical inputs, concrete exercises, outdoor activities, role playing games, case studies and group discussions.

Core ingredients of the course are:

• Active listening to participants’ needs, assertiveness, appreciative communication, solution-focused approach, narrative approach, as well as training of mediators focusing on gaining competences to transform conflicts into live-giving stories and visions for future cooperation.
• Awareness on participants’ personal qualities, personal resources in terms of strengths that can be used to reach the desired goal.
• All the exercises aiming at helping the participants to move closer to the desired pathway of change and personal development
• Broadening participants perspective by using their strengths and practicing mindfulness which helps them generate new ideas and facilitate reinterpretation of bitter memories

• Setting individual learning goals in relation to own personal and professional environment;
• Define conflict and conflict management, communication process, values of an effective team;
• Enhancing skills as paying attention to words and actions, asking the right questions and interpreting body language, which will all help to ensure that we say what we mean, and we hear what is intended;
• Developing an empathic approach is perhaps the most significant effort toward improving people skills. When we understand ourselves and others, they’ll probably want to understand you – and this is how you can start to build cooperation, collaboration, and teamwork.

All team building activities encourage creativity and develop leadership, while others strengthen problem-solving abilities and build your team’s planning and strategy skills.

Day 1:

• Expectations & personal learning goals
• Input on communication process and team building values

Day 2:

• Creating and sustaining high-quality connections at work
• Developing skills to understand other People – Active Listening & Empathy

Day 3:

• Position-based Conflict Management
• Emotional Intelligence at work
• Debriefing & Evaluation