Crucial Conversations
In today’s workplace, the ability to conduct difficult conversations with ease is a valuable skill. Crucial conversations include those regarding performance issues, interpersonal conflicts, and other behavioral issues that negatively impact the workplace. This five hour face-to-face training will teach participants a model of communication and conflict resolution designed to resolve differences quickly while strengthening relationships. These skills will enhance participants’ ability to communicate more effectively with colleagues, staff, supervisors and patrons. At the end of the workshop, participants will be able to define the characteristics of a crucial conversation, understand tactful language, non-verbal communication, and active listening, and distinguish between communication strategies that invite participation in crucial conversations and those that inhibit conversation.
Learning Objectives
At the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:
1. Define the characteristics of a crucial conversation
2. Understand tactful language, non-verbal communication, and active listening
3. Distinguish between communication strategies that invite participation in crucial conversations and those that inhibit conversation
Agenda
1. 9:15am-9:45am The Impact of Conflict in the Workplace (30 minutes) slides, discussion a. The impact on the individual, the team, the organization, the customer (lecture) 2. 9:45am-10:45am What is a Crucial Conversation? (60 minutes) slides, discussion, sharing/self disclosure a. Define 3 characteristics of crucial conversations, and identify crucial conversations we don’t hold, or don’t hold well b. Group discussion of crucial conversations/paired discussion of specific examples of crucial conversations which participants need/want to hold c. Silence and violence: our defenses under stress Break: 10:45am-11:00am 3. 11:00am-12:00pm Overview of the Crucial Conversations model (60 minutes) slides, discussion, sharing/self disclosure a. Defining your goal—what is the outcome you really want? b. Exploring motives—positive and negative c. Crucial conversations as tool to strengthen relationships/myth of conflict as destructive d. Identify the (often unintended) impact of silence/violence on relationships e. Paired discussion of application to real life examples Lunch 12:00pm-1:00pm 4. 1:00pm-1:30pm Setting the Stage for a Crucial Conversation (30 minutes) Slides, sharing/self-disclosure a. Creating safety: identify strategies for enhancing safety, reducing risk, and increasing openness. b. Define key concepts: mutual purpose, mutual respect, contrasting c. Paired discussion of application to real life examples 5. 1:30pm- 2:30pm: Holding the Conversation: What to Say/How to Say it ( 60 minutes) Slides, role playing a. Review the importance of tactful language, non-verbal communication, active listening b. STATE skills: define skills for presenting the issue without creating defensiveness c. Paired practice of STATE skills d. Identify strategies for calming defensiveness/reestablishing safety (apology, mutual purpose, contrasting) Break 2:30pm-2:45pm 6. 2:45pm-3:15pm How to Listen so Others Will Talk (30 minutes) Slides, discussion, brainstorming a. Discuss the importance of getting others to engage in the process b. Define active listening strategies that invite others to participate in a crucial conversation/those that inhibit the conversation 7. 3:15pm-3:45pm Putting it All Together: Turning Talk into Action (30 minutes) Slides, brainstorming a. Identify ways to use “and” thinking to develop mutually satisfying solutions b. Define process for follow-up to ensure follow-through c. Questions, Wrap-up, Evaluations
Facility Requirements
Laptop, projector, screen.
MLA CE Credits: 5