In this WebQuest, you will work in small groups (ideally 3 people). To begin with, you will be researching about negotiation skills, and why this is so important in a professional environment. 

After doing your research, you will research and brainstorm what negotiation is in your small groups before coming together for a full group discussion. 

Next you will do some online research on assertiveness and positive energy in the workplace. 

With your new-found knowledge in these areas, you will create a role-play to demonstrate assertiveness in the workplace within your small groups. You will carry out your role-play in front of the class. 

Keeping your knowledge about negotiation and assertiveness in mind you will create 2 lists in your group; one list of actions and behaviours that lead to positive energy and one list of actions and behaviours that lead to negative energy. 

Finally, you will put what you have learnt about negotiation, assertiveness and energy together to show how these 3 elements combined can help you engage with people in a positive way in the workplace. You will create a short storyboard to present to the group showing how somebody can use these skills to create good engagement with others.  

Step 1:  A little research about negotiation 

Your first step is to do some research! You will need to find information on why negotiation skills are so important in the workplace today, and how you can find and refine your own negotiation style. 

The below links give some basic explanations of negotiation and how to develop these skills effectively.  

A definition of negotiation: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/n/negotiation.asp  

Guide for Students – How to Define your Negotiation Style: https://www.pon.harvard.edu/daily/negotiation-skills-daily/in-learning-negotiation-styles-social-skills-should-come-first/  

10 tips for improving your negotiation skills: https://www.strayer.edu/buzz/10-tips-strengthening-negotiation-skills  

How to develop your negotiation skills: https://www.scu.edu/mobi/business-courses/business-expansion/session-5-develop-negotiating-skills/   

Step 2:  Negotiation brainstorm 

Now that you have had a think about how negotiation skills can be practiced and how you can find your own negotiation style, let’s do a bit of research on why negotiation skills are important! 

Here you will find some different links that help to highlight just how important negotiation skills are: 

10 reasons why negotiation skills are important: https://franticallyspeaking.com/10-reasons-why-negotiation-skills-are-important/  

Important negotiation skills for workplace success: https://www.thebalancecareers.com/negotiation-skills-list-2063760  

Now based on what you have just learnt in your research, work in your small groups to brainstorm what negotiation means to you. 

After your small group discussion, each group will explain what negotiation means to them. You will need to decide who in your group is going to explain what you have found. 

Step 3:  Researching assertiveness and positive energy in the workplace 

Now you have got into the swing of doing some online research, you will do a little more research – this time on assertiveness a positive energy in the workplace 

Below are some examples… 

Assertiveness 

Explanation of what assertiveness is: https://www.psychologytoday.com/ie/basics/assertiveness 

10 ways to be assertive: https://onefamily.ie/10-ways-to-be-assertive/ 

Guidance on how to be assertive: https://www.nuigalway.ie/counsellors/self-help/assertiveness/ 

Video on assertiveness: https://youtu.be/jMjF4_-8Mk0 

Video example of being assertive: https://youtu.be/mKNUC0avNgg 

Positive Energy in the Workplace 

Benefits of positive energy and tips: https://theappliedcompanies.com/2015/07/21/the-importance-of-energy-in-the-workplace/ 

How to demonstrate energy at work: https://work.chron.com/demonstrate-energy-work-3308.html 

Can you find any more information on these topics online? 

Step 4:  Role-play on assertiveness 

With the knowledge you now have on assertiveness, you will design and act out your own role-play situation where somebody is being assertive in a positive way. You will need to decide who is being assertive and how the others in the group are behaving. 

Think about a situation where you might need to be assertive to avoid being ignored or to avoid decisions you disagree with being taken for you. Remember not to be aggressive and try to create a scenario that leads to positive energy for the group in the end. 

Before you start, here are some of the important rules when presenting and being presented to: 

Remember to… 

1. Rehearse well 

1. Face your audience and make eye-contact where possible 

1. Project your voice 

When it’s your turn watch other groups, remember to listen attentively. 

How to listen attentively: https://pcreation17.medium.com/develop-the-art-of-listening-d071d495f8aa 

Step 5:  Discuss energy in the workplace 

Thinking about what you learnt earlier on positive energy in the workplace, in your groups put together scenarios for 2 different people. One should be working in a positive working environment, where people come together and are happy in their working environment. The second employee should be in a negative working environment, where people come to work “because they have to”. Think about what relationships might be like between colleagues and management in both scenarios and the contrasting types of emotions that these two employees might have. 

After your group small group discussions, each group will describe their scenarios to the class. You will need to decide who in your group is going to do this. 

Step 6:  Create a basic storyboard comic strip 

Now putting together all you have learnt today you will create a short comic strip storyboard in your groups. Be sure to include elements of negotiation, assertiveness and positive energy that lead to an engaging work place environment where people are happy and self-motivated. 

Please see below example of storyboard comic strip: 

How to engage students storyboard https://www.storyboardthat.com/storyboards/f6976bba/are-your-students-engaged- 

At the end of this WebQuest, the teacher/tutor can use these self-reflection questions to find out how the students felt about this activity:

What did you learn from this activity? Can you mention 3 things?

How does being assertive have a positive impact on your working environment?

Can you explain what engaging with other is and why it is important?

What do you think is the most important thing you learned today that you can bring with you into your working life?

Congratulations! You have worked hard to share your knowledge and inform others on how negotiation, assertiveness and positive energy lead to an engaging and positive working environment. Your Role-play will help others in the group extend their knowledge on the importance of engaging with people in a positive way. 

Your Storyboard comic strip will allow other learners outside of the group to develop an understanding of how a positive engaging atmosphere can be attained.