Unit 4: Improving Communication Skills
Improve communication, resolve conflicts, influence emotions
A growing number of organizations are convinced that when people have an ability to understand and manage their emotions, it improves their performance, their collaboration with colleagues and their interaction with customers.
The “Improving Communication Skills” unit will teach you how building emotional awareness increases the self confidence, motivation and trust that promotes a healthy work environment. You will also examine conflict resolution and learn how to build win-win outcomes through mutual understanding. Case studies and hands-on exercises will reveal innovative listening techniques and show you how using the right body language and tone of voice can help you navigate nearly any conflict situation to common ground.
You benefit from this course by learning how to:
Strengthen your interpersonal communication skills
- Plan for effective one-on-one meetings with your employees, peers and managers
- Understand the rules for effective communication
- Develop listening skills which ensure understanding
- Open lines of communication to ensure trust and cooperation
Resolve conflicts and disagreements quickly and fairly
- Negotiate “win-win” agreements
- Cope with criticism/feedback and strong emotions
- Make conflict a growth opportunity
- Confront a real on-the-job issue
Influence workplace emotions
- Explore the impact of emotions (e.g., accountablity, empathy, optimism, respect, trust)
- Better understand yourself and others
- Identify effective strategies for managing your emotions
- Build spheres of influence, one relationship at a time
“The instructors were able to convey the material in a way that was different and it really took hold in my mind. I could relate to what they were saying and that made it real for me.”
Joyce Sweeney, Senior Analyst, TDS Telecom, Madison, WI
“I came to my first UW-Madison Basic Management course because my supervisor highly recommended it…and now I see why! ‘Improving Communication Skills’ exceeded my expectations, specifically in the way the instructors structured the class around the participants’ concerns: they listened to our individual issues and provided real, business-related solutions we could immediately use back at the office. Thanks to this course, I now better understand my communication style and emotional background, as well as how each of these affects every person I talk with every day. I feel this course improved me and helped me to grow as an individual — thank you!”
Nate Mattke, Project Engineer, Kohler Co., Kohler, WI
The University of Wisconsin-Madison, as a member of the University Continuing Education Association (UCEA), authorizes this course for 2.0 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) or 20 hours.