Introductory Level
Please Choose A Webquest
Communication Skills in the Workplace
Knowing and understanding the basic features of communication
Communication Skills in the Workplace
There are four tasks waiting for you in the WebQuest. Let's look at them.
TASK 1
Your first task is to understand the importance of communication in the workplace and the work team.
TASK 2
Your next task is to explore the 4 main communication styles you are likely to encounter in the workplace. You will also learn how to communicate more assertively.
TASK 3
Your third task is to improve the skills required for public speaking.
TASK 4
Your final task is to prepare a short public speech and record your performance on your mobile phone in the form of a short video
TASK 1
Your first task is to understand the importance of communication in the workplace and the work team.
Study the following information sources that contain all knowledge you need to fulfil this task.
Source 1 – Article: Meaning, types and characteristics of communication
https://www.everstudy.co.in/blog/meaning-of-communication
Source 2 – Article: Communication is key in the workplace
https://www.betterup.com/blog/why-communication-is-key-to-workplace-and-how-to-improve-skills
Source 3 – Article: The Power of Good Communication in the Workplace
https://leadershipchoice.com/power-good-communication-workplace/
Source 4 – Article: 14 Quick Tips For Effective Communication In The Workplace
https://www.proofhub.com/articles/effective-communication
TASK 2
Your next task is to explore the 4 main communication styles you are likely to encounter in the workplace. You will also learn how to communicate more assertively.
Conflicts in the workplace are often caused by poor communication between people. The following are some specific situations where poor communication can lead to problems and conflicts:
- Misunderstanding - When people are not clearly informed about what is being discussed, it can lead to misunderstanding and misinterpretation. This can lead to ineffective results and conflicts.
- Lack of communication - When people do not communicate enough, they may feel ignored or unwelcome, which can lead to frustration and conflicts.
- Unclear instructions - If instructions are not clear or precise, it can lead to misunderstandings and errors, which can lead to tension and conflicts.
- Wrong tone - When an inappropriate tone is used, it can lead to animosity and conflicts between people.
- Ineffective expression - When people are unable to express their thoughts or opinions effectively, it can lead to misunderstandings and conflicts.
Poor communication in the workplace can lead to an unproductive work environment, disrupted relationships between people, and ultimately lower productivity and profit for the company. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to communication and ensure that it is effective and clear.
Source 1: Article: Understanding The 4 Communication Styles In The Workplace
https://blog.vantagecircle.com/communication-styles-in-the-workplace/
Source 2: Article: 4 Types of Communication Styles and How To Improve Yours
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/communication-styles
Source 3: Video: 5 Tips to Make Assertive Communication Easier and More Effective
TASK 3
Your third task is to improve the skills required for public speaking.
Most people are forced to speak in public from time to time, or to speak to a large number of their colleagues at meetings or conferences, etc. Public speaking is a specific discipline and people often feel apprehensive about it. There are several reasons why people may experience anxiety or nervousness about public speaking:
- Fear of judgment - Many people worry that they will be judged or criticized by others when they speak in public. This fear of negative evaluation can be a major source of anxiety.
- Lack of control - When speaking in public, people often feel like they are being watched and evaluated, which can lead to a sense of vulnerability and loss of control.
- Fear of failure - People may worry that they will make mistakes or forget what they wanted to say, leading to embarrassment or failure.
- Lack of experience - Many people simply do not have a lot of experience with public speaking, and may feel uncertain about their ability to communicate effectively to a large audience.
It's important to remember that public speaking anxiety is common and normal, and many people experience it to some degree. However, with practice, preparation, and support, most people can learn to manage their anxiety and become more confident and effective public speakers.
Source 1: Video: Public Speaking For Beginners
Source 2: Video: Public Speaking Anxiety Tips
Source 3: Article: Important Public Speaking Skills for Workplace Success
https://www.thebalancemoney.com/public-speaking-skills-with-examples-2059697
TASK 4
Your final task is to prepare a short public speech and record your performance on your mobile phone in the form of a short video.
You will work in a group of 3 to 5 people. Imagine having 3 minutes on TV to tell people your opinion or idea. Your task is to prepare a three-minute public speech for television. Choose any topic you want. Prepare a well-structured text, train your speech, and then perform it. Record the performance on your mobile phone and evaluate its pros and cons together with other people in your group.
Source 1: Video about speech structure
You have successfully completed several tasks in this WebQuest. Try to answer the following questions to see how much you have learned:
- Which knowledge from this WebQuest was just a repetition for you because you already knew it?
- What knowledge was new to you?
- Why should people have the knowledge contained in this WebQuest?
- What would you say if you had to say a few words about the importance of communication in the workplace?
- How would you describe an assertive communication style and what are its advantages?
- What advice would you give to a colleague who is terrified of public speaking?
You have just successfully completed this WebQuest on communication skills in the workplace. If you have completed all the tasks, you can rightly consider yourself an expert on this topic because you now have much more knowledge about this topic than the average person in your country. You already know why communication skills are important for success in the workplace. You know the 4 communication styles that people encounter in the workplace. You have improved your ability to communicate assertively. You have learned how to prepare and do public speaking properly. And on top of that, you practically tried how to prepare and perform a short public speech.
Knowing and understanding the basic features of communication
The following tasks will guide you through this topic:
Task 1: What does communication mean?
Your first step for becoming an expert on the basic features of communication is to find out a little bit about the word “communication” and how it might work in the workplace or classroom.
Task 2: What does communication mean to you?
Your second step for becoming an expert on the basic features of communication is to think what communication means to you and the people you are working with in a small group.
Task 3: Become an expert!
Your third step for becoming an expert on the basic features of communication is to be aware what can go wrong when two people communicate with each other. The questions for the funny video invite you to analyse the content.
Task 4: Reflection.
Your fourth step for becoming an expert on the basic features of communication is to reflect own situations, where communication should have worked out differently. Discuss these situations with your colleagues in class, etc.
Have fun!
Task 1: What does communication mean?
Your first step in this WebQuest is to find out about the word “communication” and how it might work in the workplace or classroom.
The links found below provide you with some important information about “communication”, its elements and how it works:
A definition of communication: https://www.dictionary.com/browse/communication
Meaning of communication: https://www.everstudy.co.in/blog/meaning-of-communication
What is communication? https://www.marketing91.com/what-is-communication/
Benefits of effective communication in the workplace: https://www.grammarly.com/business/learn/benefits-of-effective-communication/?&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=search1gbnbstyleguidedsa&utm_targetid=aud-879636892685:dsa-1296364243343&gclid=CjwKCAjw9-KTBhBcEiwAr19igxdyjt6C-1KotmDI68QFa8wePlO6rexzHtCAHeoFyaj8p16tQ_RcoxoC49gQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
Can you come up with more information on “communication”?
Task 2: What does communication mean to you?
Again, work in groups of two to three people. Talk to each other what communication means to you and what the most important aspects (maximum four per person) of your research were. What exactly was new to you, personally? Please, take notes to summarise your thoughts in the group.
Task 3: Become an expert!
Another group task, ideally for two to three people. The following link will show you a video where it is obvious that there are some issues with communication:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBT6u0FyKnc
After watching the video try to answer the question below:
- what communication barriers are observed in the video?
- who do you think has the problem in this communication process?
- why do you think this happened?
- what strategies would you recommend solving the problem?
Task 4: Reflection.
Can you think of one or two situations where you had wished that communication would have turned into a different direction? Talk about the following questions in a bigger group/in class/in the plenum:
1.What situation was it?
2.What happened?
3.How would you solve the situation in a different way now?
You have almost completed this WebQuest. Let’s give it a try and answer the following questions to confirm how much additional knowledge you have gained:
- What aspects of communication were new to you?
- Which things have you already known before?
- Which benefits of effective communication at the workplace can you name?
- What is the difference between “encoder” and “decoder”?
- What would you personally recommend to others when it comes to the basic features of communication?
Very well done! You now know the importance of communication for a good teamwork and understand the basic features of communication. You also know why these are important for social skills. Moreover, you know how to observe different forms of communication and why they can cause misunderstanding. Finally, you have gained very good skills in managing your own communication style and review different situations.
Advanced Level
Please Choose A Webquest
Negotiation Skills and Assertive Communication
The three Models of communication
Negotiation Skills and Assertive Communication
The topic of this WebQuest is negotiation skills and assertive communication. You will get familiar with the terms of negotiation, negotiation skills and assertive communication. You will explore the 5 negotiation styles and find out which one is dominant for you. In this WebQuest, you will improve your negotiation skills and also try them practically in the form of role-playing and simulation of a real negotiation situation. Finally, we will focus on improving assertive communication.
The following 5 tasks await you in this WebQuest.
TASK 1
Your first task is to learn more about negotiation and negotiation skills.
TASK 2
The second task is to define your negotiation style.
TASK 3
The next task will be to improve your negotiation skills.
TASK 4
The fourth task is to test your negotiation skills practically in the form of role playing and simulating a real situation.
TASK 5
The final task is to explore and improve assertive communication.
TASK 1
Your first task is to learn more about negotiation and negotiation skills.
You can work in a group of 3 people. Your first task is to discuss the following questions:
- How would you define or describe negotiation?
- How strong do you think your negotiation skills are?
- Can you describe a situation in your life when you had to negotiate with someone and reach a compromise?
Study the following resources to learn more about negotiation.
Source 1 – Article about what negotiation is
https://www.investopedia.com/terms/n/negotiation.asp
Source 2 – Article about stages of negotiation
https://www.skillsyouneed.com/ips/negotiation.html
Source 3 – Video about negotiation
TASK 2
The second task is to define your negotiation style.
Negotiating style refers to the way individuals or groups of people approach the negotiation process. It is the approach that people use to secure their interests and achieve goals within a conversation with other parties.
There are different types of negotiating styles, such as:
- Compromising style - This style focuses on finding a common solution in which each party sacrifices something from their demands and reaches a compromise.
- Competitive style - This style is focused on gaining maximum advantage for one party, regardless of the needs of the other party.
- Collaborative style - This style is focused on working together with the other party to achieve a common goal.
- Accommodating style - This style focuses on satisfying the needs of the other party and sacrificing one's own interests.
- Avoiding style - This style involves avoiding conflict and a lack of willingness to solve problems with the other party.
Source 1 - Animation about negotiation styles
Source 2 – Video about 5 negotiation styles
Source 3: Video that helps you identify the negotiation style you use most often
Now please discuss the following questions in a group:
- Which negotiation style is closest to your nature?
- Which negotiation style would you like to learn to use more often?
- Which negotiation style do you think is best?
TASK 3
The next task will be to improve your negotiation skills.
Developing negotiating skills is important for many reasons. The following are some of the reasons why it is good to develop these skills:
- More effective communication - Good negotiating skills can lead to more effective communication and better understanding for both parties.
- Achieving better results - If negotiating parties can agree on a compromise, they can achieve better results and improve their relationships.
- Improving personal relationships - Good negotiating skills can help create and maintain strong relationships between individuals and groups.
- Conflict resolution - Negotiating skills allow people to negotiate and resolve conflicts in a peaceful manner and can help prevent escalation of conflicts.
- Career improvement - Negotiating skills are important in many professional fields and can help people advance their careers.
Overall, developing negotiating skills can have many benefits and can help individuals and groups achieve their goals and resolve conflicts in a more effective manner.
Source 1: Article: Negotiation Skills - Definitions, Benefits And Examples
https://in.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/negotiation-skills
Source 2: Article: 7 Negotiation Skills You Need to Succeed
ehttps://zoetalentsolutions.com/7-negotiation-skills-need-succeed/
Source 3: Video: How to Improve Negotiation Skills & Win Negotiations
Source 4: Article: How to Improve Negotiation Skills in the Workplace
https://www.getsmarter.com/blog/career-advice/how-to-improve-negotiation-skills-in-the-workplace/
TASK 4
The fourth task is to test your negotiation skills practically in the form of role playing and simulating a real situation.
Activity: Distribution of fruit among group members
You will work in a group of 3 to 5 people. The larger the group, the more difficult it is to find a compromise. Sit at the table and place a bowl of fruit on the table. A bowl can contain, for example, 5 types of fruit, while some fruit can be 1 piece and some 2 pieces. The total number of pieces of fruit should be approximately twice the number of members of the group.
Your task is to agree on how the fruit will be divided so that all members of the group agree to this division. Once you have reached some compromise, you must say this way of dividing the fruit out loud, and each member must say out loud that they agree to this way of dividing the fruit. If anyone disagrees, you must proceed. Until the solution is agreed upon by all group members. Your agreement can be anything. You can even cut up some fruit or throw it away or give it to someone outside the group.
Then you divide the fruit according to the agreement, and each member takes and eats his share of the fruit that he agreed upon.
Afterwards, you can eat the fruit and discuss how the negotiation went.
TASK 5
The final task is to explore and improve assertive communication.
Assertive communication is a communication style that allows individuals to express their opinions, wishes, and needs in a clear and direct manner while respecting and considering the other person. An assertive individual recognizes that they have the right to their own thoughts, feelings, and opinions and has the ability to express them without violating the rights of others.
Assertive communication can be beneficial for several reasons:
- Improving communication - Assertive communication can improve an individual's ability to communicate their thoughts and opinions to others in a clear and understandable way. This can lead to overall improvement in communication and relationships with others.
- Reducing stress - When an individual is assertive, they can reduce stress because they do not have to worry that their thoughts and needs are not being taken into account.
- Self-respect - An assertive individual is aware of their own needs and thoughts and can stand up for them. This can lead to increased self-confidence and a sense of self-respect.
- Respect for others - An assertive individual respects the rights and needs of others and can communicate with them in a respectful and considerate manner.
Overall, assertive communication can help improve communication and relationships with others, reduce stress, and increase self-confidence and respect for oneself and others.
Source 1 – Video: Assertiveness - What are Passive, Aggressive & Assertive Behavior?
Source 2 – Video: How to Communicate Assertively 4 Tips
Source 3 – Article: Assertive Communication - Definition, Examples, and Tips
https://www.coursera.org/articles/assertive-communication
Source 4 – Article: Learn Assertive Communication In 5 Simple Steps
https://www.verywellmind.com/learn-assertive-communication-in-five-simple-steps-3144969
You have successfully completed several tasks in this WebQuest. Try to answer the following questions to see how much you have learned:
- Which knowledge from this WebQuest was just a repetition for you because you already knew it?
- What knowledge was new to you?
- Why should people have the knowledge contained in this WebQuest?
- How would you define negotiation?
- What negotiation styles do you know and what are their characteristics?
- Which negotiation style would you like to use more often and why?
- What is assertiveness?
- What is assertive communication and why is it beneficial in everyday life?
- To what extent can you say NO to other people's various requests?
You have just successfully completed this WebQuest on negotiation skills and assertive communication. If you have completed all the tasks, you can rightly consider yourself an expert on this topic because you now have much more knowledge about this topic than the average person in your country. You can already define the terms negotiation, negotiation skills and assertive communication. You can list and explain 5 negotiation styles. You have improved your negotiation skills and know how to improve them further. You've tested your negotiation skills in the role-playing situation. You understand assertive communication and can communicate assertively to defend your interests and needs.
Congratulations, your knowledge of negotiation skills and assertive communication is excellent now!
The three Models of communication
What is a WebQuest? By conducting research activities on the internet and combining these with additional activities, you will become familiar with new things concerning a specific topic. This allows you to expand your knowledge and create new skills for you.
In the introductory WebQuest you learnt about the basic features of communication. In this advanced WebQuest you will get familiar with the three models of communication. You will understand how these models are structured and how they work. You will learn how to implement the models and the techniques and how to apply them to different settings. Also, you will complete some exercises allowing you expand your knowledge even further.
Ready?
The following tasks will guide you through this topic:
Task 1: What types of communication are there?
Your first step for becoming an expert on the three models of communication is to find out about the how the models work.
Task 2: Communication Situations:
Your second step for becoming an expert on the three models of communication is to think and discuss what daily situations can be applied to which communication model. This task is performed in a small group setting, ideally with three people per group.
Task 3: Deep Diving:
Your third step for becoming an expert on the three models of communication is an interactive online exercise. Now that you have already gained more knowledge about the different models of communication, why not dive in deeper?
Task 4: Self-Test:
Your fourth step for becoming an expert on the three models of communication is to do some self-tests and quizzes to see how much additional knowledge you have right now. This task can be performed alone or in pairs.
Task 5: Engage in Role-Plays:
Your fourth step for becoming an expert on the three models of communication is to perform a role-play. You will select two communication models and perform a one-to-two-minutes play in front of the group.
Task 6: Create your own Storyboard:
Your fourth and last step for becoming an expert on the three models of communication is to create a Storyboard comic. This offers you the opportunity to prove yourself how much you have learnt and how much you have extended your knowledge on this advanced WebQuest topic.
Have fun!
Task 1: What types of communication are there?
Your first step for becoming an expert on the three models of communication is to find out about the how the models work.
The links found below provide you with some important information about “the three models of communication” and how they work:
Three communication models: https://pressbooks.bccampus.ca/professionalcomms/chapter/3-2-the-communication-process-communication-in-the-real-world-an-introduction-to-communication-studies/#:~:text=The%20three%20models%20of%20communication,they%20contain%20some%20common%20elements.
The models of communication:
http://thecommunicationprocess.com/models-of-communication/
The models shortly and easily explained in a video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5a9AQeSFI1Y
Task 2: Communication Situations:
Get together in small groups (ideally 3 people) and get yourself some pen and paper for taking notes. Now, think and discuss about the following questions and give some examples:
- when does linear communication happen?
- when does interactive communication happen?
- when does transactional communication happen?
Task 3: Deep Diving:
Now that you have already gained more knowledge about the different models of communication, why not dive in deeper?
Go to the first chapter of “Understanding Human Communication” and read through it. You will realise that you already do know a lot of the information presented there:
https://global.oup.com/us/companion.websites/9780199747382/student/chapter1/
Now, get together in pairs and make yourself comfortable in front of the computer screen. In the following part of “Understanding Human Communication” you will be presented with some flashcards. You will have to explain the terms you see. Curious how many of them you can explain? Let’s give it a try!
https://global.oup.com/us/companion.websites/9780199747382/student/chapter1/flashcards/
Task 4: Self-Test:
Your fourth step for becoming an expert on the three models of communication is to do some self-tests and quizzes to see how much additional knowledge you have right now. This task can be performed alone or in pairs.
Click on the following links of “Understanding human Communication”; you are invited to do all the exercises below:
Completion:
https://global.oup.com/us/companion.websites/9780199747382/student/chapter1/tests/completion/
Matching:
https://global.oup.com/us/companion.websites/9780199747382/student/chapter1/tests/matching/
Multiple Choice Quiz:
https://global.oup.com/us/companion.websites/9780199747382/student/chapter1/tests/quiz/
True/False Quiz:
https://global.oup.com/us/companion.websites/9780199747382/student/chapter1/tests/true_false/
Task 5: Engage in Role-Plays:
Your fourth step for becoming an expert on the three models of communication is to perform a role-play. You will select two communication models and perform a one-to-two-minutes play in front of the group. To make it easy think about daily-life situations. After having completed the role-play, ask your colleagues what they have observed. Be prepared to answer possible open questions.
Task 6: Create your own Storyboard:
Your fourth and last step for becoming an expert on the three models of communication is to create a Storyboard comic. This offers you the opportunity to prove yourself how much you have learnt and how much you have extended your knowledge on this advanced WebQuest topic. Work in pairs, again. Be sure to include everything you know about linear, interactive and transactional communication.
Below you will find an example of a Storyboard:
https://www.storyboardthat.com/storyboards/examples/why-use-storyboard-that
This link supports you in creating your own Storyboard comic:
Tento WebQuest jste téměř dokončili. Zkusme odpovědět na následující otázky, abyste potvrdili, kolik dalších znalostí jste získali:
• Jaké aspekty komunikačních modelů pro vás byly nové?
• Které věci jste již dříve věděli?
• Jaké výhody transakční komunikace můžete vyjmenovat?
• Jaký je rozdíl mezi „lineární“ a „interaktivní“ komunikací?
• Co byste osobně řekl ostatním, pokud jde o tři modely komunikace?
Very well done! You now know the differences between the three communication models and in what situations you encounter them daily. You also know how they influence situations between people when it comes to social skills. Moreover, you have gained very good skills in managing your own communication style and adapt it to different situations.
Finally, you know how to do a Storyboard comic. Now you can call yourself a true expert on the three communication models.
The European Commission’s support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents, which reflect the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein. Project Number : 2019-1-PL01-KA204-065089
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