Individual Training Project, The Office Conflict

The Office Conflict.  Shown in conjunction with discussion on patterned role relationships in individual training, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2013.

Individual Training Project

Teamwork Dynamics

Communication in a two-person relationship

I had the opportunity to be a guest teacher/facilitator in a Teamwork Dynamics class at Treasure Valley Community College on Thursday, December 5, 2013.  I presented communication concepts based on the two-person relationship. Concepts discussed included reciprocity, trust, blind spots (Johari Window), negotiations and self-sealing reciprocal loops within pattered role relationships.

Prior to the beginning of class, the instructor gave me a five minute technology tutorial which included the computer, lights, overhead projector and the remotes that managed each element.  Although it was a bit nerve wracking, I was able to move from one medium to the next without any major hiccups. 

My one hour teaching experience began with the class instructor introducing me to the class.  After taking a couple minutes to informally engage with the class, I began my presentation with an overview of the communication principles I would be addressing in that class session.

Reciprocity --  I found a great video about reciprocity which was particularly relevant for business students as it illustrated the importance of reciprocity in the workplace. The video was followed by a discussion about the relevance of reciprocity in the workplace, in social settings and in our personal relationships. 
 


Trust -- I shared a narrative (business scenario involving broken trust) which we dissected and discussed as a group.  It was fun to see the group take ownership of the scenario as we explored the what ifs of possible outcomes.

Blind spots -- The discussion on trust led to a presentation about the Johari Window.  I used the Johari window concept and talked about blind spots and accepting feedback. We were able to pick up and integrate the prior two subjects of reciprocity and trust as we talked about blind spots.  We discussed the merits and liabilities of 360 degree assessments and the need to be self aware.

The class took an awareness quiz to assess how others including business colleagues, friends and family would rate them in various areas and then discussed the results.

Negotiations -- We had a discussion on negotiations and looking for the win/win vs win/lose scenario.

Patterned Role Relationships -- We ended the workshop with a discussion about pattern role relationships and self-sealing loops.  As a fun element,  I shared The Office Conflict video below.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=5SnSzo4AbRI

(left click with mouse on link and then left click above on URL to see video) OR go to the next blog entry to access.

WHAT I LEARNED:

1. I learned that an hour goes by really fast!
2. I love teaching interpersonal communication!
3. Non traditional students tend to engage more in discussion than traditional students.
4. Bringing candy is a good thing!
5. Technology is a great tool for engaging students.
6. I am really excited about being a teacher!

The Ultimate Training Workhop Handbook, Chap 13

WORKING WITH QUESTIONS

For a successful workshop, it is imperative that we motivate participants and keep them engaged in the learning process.  Questions are key to for helping students delve deeper into content being presented.

Questions are used to get participant attention, give information, start participant thinking, bring content to a conclusion, and to get information.

As we use questions in our workshops, we must consider the structure and orientation of our questions, options for directing questions, how to ask questions, and how to challenge with questions.

Using effective questioning skills in our workshops will greatly affect how material is received and synthesized by participants.  As we are more comfortable with material being presented and well versed in the content, we can spent more time working on the types of questions we ask participants.

With each presentation, we can do a self assessment of our questioning skills. We should take notes of our strengths and weaknesses.

1.  How adept are we at using questions in a group?
2. Are we able to get discussion going in a productive way?
3. What are our strengths
4. How could we improve our questioning skills?

WHAT I HAVE LEARNED?

In my individual teaching experience yesterday, I found that I was much better at fielding questions as I got more comfortable with the group.  At first, after asking a few initial questions, I got a lot of blank stares.  Because I worried about the silence, I then started answering my own questions. 

As I began to relax, I was able to slow down and be more methodical about my questions.  After presenting a business related scenario involving personnel, I asked the class how they would have dealt with the difficulty of the situation.  We had a hearty discussion and were able to dissect the issues one at a time.  I tried to steer the conversation with additional questions and found that the group began to take ownership of the scenario and were able to engage as if they were the senior level executives having to make the difficult decision about whether a particular employee would be kept or dismissed.  A very fun and stimulating experience!