Introductory Level
Please Choose A Webquest
How to engage with people?
Communication Skills in the Workplace
Assertiveness
An engaging workplace environment
Knowing and understanding the basic features of communication
How to engage with people?
You are employed in a new job. You are very happy about it! 🙂 However, you don't quite know how to cooperate with others. You've heard that you can work on your social skills, and that's what you'd like to do. You know that in a new environment, you need to take care of proper communication with others and that it will be useful for you to be able to speak effectively in public. You would like to learn how to do that. So. get to work! 🙂
Step 1 – Social skills
Social skills are the abilities that allow us to communicate and interact effectively with other people in various social situations.
Please read the text below and list examples of social skills and answet the question.
Text: https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/social-skills
- 1.
- 2.
- 3.
- 4.
- 5.
- 6.
Which of the listed social skills do you consider most important? Why?
If you would like to learn more about the topic, please visit: https://hiring.monster.com/resources/workforce-management/company-culture/what-are-social-skills-5-examples-in-the-workplace/
Step 2 - My social skills
Great! Let's now focus on our social skills.
Please think about the following questions, then write your answers.
- Which of the listed social skills are your strengths?
- 2. Do you think you should work on some social skills more? If so, which ones?
- In what spheres of life do you think social skills can be helpful to you?
Great! Well done.
The following links may be helpful to you:
https://socialself.com/blog/social-skills-definition/
Step 3 – The role of communication in good teamwork
Let's move on to the next step! We already know that social skills are extremely important.
I would like to emphasize how important communication is when we work in a team.
Listed below are examples of 3 reasons telling why communication is important in a team. Please write below each reason why you think it is important and how it can affect good cooperation.
You can use the help of the Internet or use your ideas 🙂
- Improves employee engagement
- Why is this essential for good team communication
- Builds healthy work relationships
- Why is this essential for good team communication?
- Impacts employee wellbeing
- Why is this essential for good team communication?
Excellent! 🙂
These websites can help you better understand the topic:
https://www.rocket.chat/blog/workplace-team-communication
https://cmoe.com/blog/team-leadership-why-effective-team-communication-is-so-important/
https://www.crystalknows.com/blog/team-communication
Step 4 – Effective public speaking
Effective public speaking and engaging with others are closely related. A great public speaker can connect with their audience, hold their attention and convey their message in a way that is engaging and impactful. This requires not only excellent verbal communication skills but also the ability to read and respond to the nonverbal cues of the audience, such as facial expressions and body language. Similarly, being able to engage with others in a one-on-one or group setting requires effective communication skills and the ability to build a connection with the other person. Ultimately, whether in public speaking or interpersonal communication, the key to success lies in being able to effectively convey your message and connect with your audience.
Please watch the video below and write 2 chosen tips on how we can improve our public speaking.
YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=962eYqe--Yc
How can we improve our public speaking?
- Tip 1:
- Tip 2:
Awesome! Thank you for that. 🙂
|
|
|
Congratulations on completing the tasks!
Now you know that engaging with others can be an essential aspect of building relationships, whether it's in personal or professional settings. Your hard work, dedication, and persistence have paid off, and you should be proud of your accomplishment. Your commitment to success is admirable, and I am sure that you will continue to achieve great things in the future. Keep up the excellent work!
The topic of tolerance, diverse workplace, and intolerance concerns creating an inclusive and accepting environment where people from diverse backgrounds can work together without fear of discrimination or prejudice.
It involves promoting respect, understanding, and appreciation for differences in race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, and other personal characteristics. Intolerance, on the other hand, refers to a lack of acceptance or respect for others' differences and can lead to discrimination, harassment, and exclusion. Creating a culture of tolerance and inclusion is essential for building a positive and productive workplace where everyone can thrive.
Thank you for your work! 🙂
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.
Assertiveness
Assertiveness is an essential skill that determines our level of well-being and effectiveness. Being assertive in the workplace becomes even more relevant as it allows us to better manage conflicts, stand up for our rights and even get promoted at work.
We will start by watching a video that defines assertiveness and then we will work on how we communicate with the group.
We will end by discussing and agreeing on communication mechanisms to be applied in order to create a safe space within the group where people can express themselves.
Step 1: What is assertiveness?
First of all we will throw some questions in the air: What is assertiveness? Are we assertive in our workplace?
After listening to some reflections on the questions we will play the following video that talks about assertiveness and defines it:
The Beauty of Assertiveness | Dr. Abby Hamilton | TEDxWestshoreWomen - YouTube
After watching the video we will re-run the above questions to see if the answers change after defining assertiveness and giving some examples.
Step 2: Self-analysis
To see if we really are an assertive person, we will carry out the following test individually (this test is not 100% indicative):
- I don't usually stay in the background, without giving my opinion. If I think I have a right to something, I express it.
- a) Always
- b) Sometimes
- c) Never
- I have the ability to convince others to do things the way I want them to do, or things that I like or please me.
- a) Almost always
- b) Sometimes
- c) Rarely
- People get what they want from me
- a) Never, if I don't agree with them
- b) Sometimes
- c) Always
- I express my feelings or ideas clearly
- a) Most of the time
- b) Depends on the situation
- c) I never express what I feel
- assertiveness, knowing how to say noI find it hard to say NO
- a) Never
- b) Depends on the situation
- c) I always find it difficult
- If someone does something wrong, I keep quiet and don't say anything.
- a) Never, I always say that what happened is not right, if I think so.
- b) Depends on the circumstances and the person
- c) I always keep quiet
- I block myself when others flatter me
- a) No, in fact I like it
- b) Sometimes I do
- c) I don't like to be complimented because I don't know how to react
- People are more outspoken and honest than I am in their ideas.
- a) I don't think so, I usually stand out because of it
- b) Sometimes, yes
- c) Always
- If at work you are asked to do a task, but you don't have time to do it
- a) I give the necessary reasons so that they understand why I won't do it
- b) Sometimes I do it, sometimes I don't
- c) I always end up doing it
- If I have to contradict someone
- a) I do it without any problem, always with respect and good manners.
- b) I do it, although I recognise that it is very difficult for me
- c) I don't usually contradict anyone, I don't feel comfortable with it.
ANSWERS
Majority "a": You stand up for what you think and what you perceive as unfair without thinking about the consequences, because it is more important to you to respect yourself than anything else. You act with sincerity and honesty and feel confident in what you say and do.
Majority "b": It seems that depending on the circumstances you have assertive or non-assertive behaviours. It is true that it is not always easy to defend our ideas, but it is also true that as we are able to be assertive in most situations we feel better with ourselves and with others. It would be interesting for you to evaluate why you decide to act sometimes with a more submissive style and sometimes with a more assertive profile, so that you can discover the factors that limit you and try to overcome them.
Majority "c": From your answers you seem to have a less assertive profile. Rather, your style tends to be submissive or passive, i.e., you have little or no ability to express your ideas or desires and you always put the interests of others above your own. Assertive behaviour can be trained, which is why we encourage you to do so, as the benefits you will obtain will be great. You have the right to protect yourself and to express yourself in unfair situations. Failure to do so never leads to feelings of dejection and hostility.
After self-analysing and comparing the results we will share them with the group to see if people agree with the results. This part will be completely voluntary and the results will only be shared if the person wants to.
Step 3: Role-playing
Divide the group into small teams of 3-4 people maximum.
Give each group a conflict situation to act out. While one group acts out the situation, the other group should think of ways to deal with the situation in an assertive way and tell the others how they should act.
They will have to act out two situations outside the workplace and then they will have to think of two other situations that have occurred or may occur in the workplace.
Stories or situations:
- You are a group of friends in the park thinking about where you can spend the rest of the afternoon. One of you wants to go to the cinema and the rest of you want to support each other, but there is one person who doesn't want to go. This person doesn't want to go because they don't have enough money for the ticket, but they are ashamed to admit it. By not giving reasons why they don't want to go, an argument ensues.
- You have to generate a group project and the boss asks you to decide who among you will be the coordinator. This role involves taking control of the whole project development and distributing tasks. Two people in the group want to be coordinators and do not give in, a discussion ensues.
After representing the two previous situations and after the group has found an assertive solution to the conflict, the other groups that have generated the work situation will come out and we will do the same dynamic.
Step 4: We put into practice
Finally, we will give each participant a list of tips on how to be more assertive:
- Recognise your value and accept differences
Assertive people are people who have good self-esteem and are aware of their worth, otherwise it is not possible to express what you think and, at the same time, recognise that the other actors in the relationship also have their needs and opinions. Self-confidence must be high in order to be able to open up to others.
- Know your limits and respect them
Knowing one's limits and respecting them is a very important step in becoming an assertive person. Assertiveness is about knowing how to say "no" when someone does not want to do something, but always respecting others. For this reason, it is worth making an effort to recognise the extent of our abilities so as not to take on unrealistic tasks. It is not only essential to know one's limits, but also one's rights. For example, to be treated with respect and dignity, to make one's own decisions, to rest, and so on.
- Learn that you don't always win
Assertiveness is expressing one's opinions, but it is not about imposing them; in other words, it is not about winning every battle. To be assertive it is good to know what you want, but also what the other person wants.
- Active listening
Sometimes we think we are listening to someone when we are actually hearing. In this sense, and especially in the case of assertiveness, we must listen actively. Active listening refers to not only taking into account the speaker's spoken message, but also his or her non-verbal language and emotional communication. For this reason, we should let the other person express themselves, we should not interrupt them with our opinions, nor should we think about the answer before they have expressed themselves fully.
- Be aware of the difference between assertive and aggressive communication.
Many people think that verbalising their own opinions may be imposing their own judgement on others. However, assertiveness refers to how things are said, because although it is necessary to state one's point of view, it is also necessary to give objective reasons and not to belittle the other interlocutor. Assertive communication is not about being aggressive, nor is it about imposing one's own law.
- Watch your body language.
Body language can represent up to 90% of communication, so it is not only important to watch your words but also your gestures. Saying one thing and expressing another with gestures often leads to passive-aggressive communication that destroys any chance of understanding.
- Improves emotional intelligence
Assertive people are aware of their emotions and know how to regulate them, which is why they are good at relating to others.
In this sense, being emotionally intelligent is key, since empathy is one of its basic components, which is decisive when it comes to understanding and adequately managing how another person feels.
We will end the session on an individual basis, each of us will have to set short-term goals to become more assertive in the workplace.
Learning outcomes (for the trainer/teacher)
Topics | Knowledge | Skills | Attitudes
|
Collaboration (empathy, trust, cooperation) |
|
|
|
At the end of this WebQuest, the facilitator can use these self-reflection questions to find out how the participants felt about this activity:
- What did you learn from this activity, can you name 3 things?
- How does assertive communication have a positive impact on your work environment?
- Can you name one tip for being more assertive that you think will be easier for you to apply? Why?
- What do you think is the most important thing you have learned today that you can take back to your work life?
An engaging workplace environment
In this WebQuest, you will work in small groups (ideally 3 people). To begin with, you will be researching about sociability online.
After doing your research, you will brainstorm and discuss what sociability is in your small groups before coming together for a full group discussion.
Next you will do some online research on communication and teamwork.
Finally, with your new-found knowledge in these areas, you will create a role-play to demonstrate how good communication is important in a teamwork environment in the workplace. You will carry out your role-play in front of the group.
Step 1: A little research about sociability
Your first step is to do some research! You will need to find information on what sociability is and what it might mean in the classroom or workplace.
The below links give some basic explanations of sociability and elements within sociability:
A definition of sociability: https://www.dictionary.com/browse/sociability
7 important social skills for kids: https://www.verywellfamily.com/seven-social-skills-for-kids-4589865
Social skills to help students succeed: https://news.vanderbilt.edu/2007/09/27/top-10-social-skills-students-need-to-succeed-58465/
Examples of social skills for the workplace: https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-communication-1689877
Can you find any more definitions or examples of sociability?
Step 2: Sociability brainstorm
Now based on what you have just learnt in your research, work in your small groups to brainstorm what sociability means to you.
Good teamwork will be important in your group in order to complete this task and the following ones successfully.
After your small group discussion, each group will explain what sociability means to them. You will need to decide who in your group is going to explain what you have found.
Step 3: Researching communication and teamwork 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 communication and teamwork
Below are some examples…
Communication
Definition of communication: https://www.skillsyouneed.com/ips/what-is-communication.html
Effective workplace communication skills: https://www.tuw.edu/program-resources/good-communication/
Effective communication skills: https://www.helpguide.org/articles/relationships-communication/effective-communication.htm
Teamwork
Definition of teamwork: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/teamwork
Elements of successful teamwork: https://www.deakinco.com/resource/the-five-elements-of-successful-teamwork/
Belbin’s Team Dynamics roles video: https://youtu.be/hMesDq_rNOw
The Tuckman tool (group formation): https://mspguide.org/2022/03/18/tuckman-forming-norming-storming-performing/
Can you find any more information on these topics online?
Step 4: Role-play on good communication in a team environment
With the knowledge you now have on communication and teamwork, you will design and act out your own role-play situation where effective communication leads to a strong teamwork outcome. The task or goal of the group can be anything you like.
Think about a situation where different people in the group have different opinions on the path the team needs to take. Think about how you can use effective communication to overcome conflicting viewpoints and deliver a good end-result where everyone in the team has contributed well to the task.
Before you start, here are some of the important rules when presenting and being presented to:
Remember to…
- Rehearse well
- Face your audience and make eye-contact where possible
- 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
Learning outcomes
Topics | Knowledge | Skills | Attitudes
|
Engaging with others |
|
|
|
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 effective communication have a positive impact on teamwork in a group working environment?
- Can you explain some of the necessary skills to have a teamwork environment where everybody in the group plays an active role?
- 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 sociability, effective communication and good teamwork 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.
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?
Topics | Knowledge | Skills | Attitudes
|
Engaging with others |
|
|
|
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
Developing Assertiveness Skills
Negotiation Skills and Assertive Communication
A little negotiation goes a long way…
The three Models of communication
Collaborative negotiation
Developing Assertiveness Skills
Welcome to the Assertiveness Webquest! In this webquest, you will learn about the importance of assertiveness and how it can help you communicate effectively with others. You will explore different communication styles, develop your own assertiveness skills, and practice applying those skills in real-life situations.
In this webquest, you will explore the concept of assertiveness and develop skills for communicating assertively. Through a series of tasks, you will learn about different communication styles, practice assertive communication in various scenarios, and reflect on your experiences to build your confidence and effectiveness as a communicator.
Step 1: Introduction
In this first step, you are going to be introduced to the concept of assertiveness, what it means to be assertive, and why it is an important skill to develop. You will also learn about different types of communication styles and how assertiveness differs from passivity and aggressiveness.
In order to do so, please watch the following videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xsqx4EsrWgU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAxCpAnV3-E
Also, please check out this website for more information:
https://pediaa.com/what-is-the-difference-between-assertive-and-aggressive/
Step 2: Understanding Assertiveness
In this step, your task is to explore what assertiveness is and how it differs from other communication styles. For this purpose, please get into groups of 2 and use online research.
After a while of online research, try to answer the following questions with your partner:
What are the key characteristics of assertive behavior?
What communication styles did you learn about?
How does assertiveness differ from other communication styles?
Step 3: Developing Assertiveness Skills
In this step, you will learn about different strategies and techniques for developing assertiveness skills.
In the same groups, using online research explore the use of "I" statements, active listening, and other communication tools that can help you express yourself in a clear, direct, and respectful manner.
You can also use these resources for help:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/10-effective-ways-speak-assertiveness-dr-evgenia-galinskaya/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BW82k7lwI_U
Step 4: Applying Assertiveness Skills
In this step, your task is to practice applying their assertiveness skills in a variety of real-life situations.
Please choose one of the scenarios that require you to communicate assertively. The idea behind it is to respond in a way that demonstrates their understanding of assertive behavior.
Scenario 1: Group Project
You are working on a group project for your history class, and one of your group members keeps dominating the conversation and ignoring your ideas. You have tried to speak up, but they keep talking over you. In this scenario, you will need to communicate assertively with your group member in order to ensure that your ideas are heard and valued.
Scenario 2: Dealing with a Difficult Customer
You work at a retail store, and a customer has come in complaining about a product they purchased. They are being rude and aggressive, and you are finding it difficult to maintain your composure. In this scenario, you will need to communicate assertively with the customer in order to address their concerns while also setting boundaries and maintaining a professional demeanor.
Scenario 3: Asking for a Raise
You have been working at your job for over a year and have taken on additional responsibilities. You feel that you deserve a raise but are nervous about asking for one. In this scenario, you will need to communicate assertively with your boss in order to make your case for a raise while also being respectful of their perspective and position.
Please work in groups of 2. You can choose a different scenario than your partner, but you have to describe him your chosen scenario and how you dealt with it.
If you need any help, please check out these resources:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlwmfiCb-vc
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/assertive/art-20044644
Step 5: Assessing Assertiveness Skills
In this step, your task is to reflect in group one by one on your experiences in practicing assertive behavior and assess your progress in developing these skills.
Please try to identify areas of strength and weakness and develop a plan for further improvement.
Step 6: Conclusion
In this final step, your task is to summarize what you have learned about assertiveness and the importance of this skill in your personal and professional live.
Please take your time and write down your conclusions below:
|
|
|
Congratulations on completing the Assertiveness Webquest! Through this webquest, you have learned about the importance of assertiveness and have developed your own assertiveness skills. By communicating assertively, you can express your own needs and feelings while also respecting the needs and feelings of others. We hope that you will continue to practice and develop your assertiveness skills, and that you will use these skills to become more effective communicators and achieve your goals.
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!
A little negotiation goes a long way…
In the workplace of today, there are many soft skills which employees young and older need to have mastered to ensure that they can contribute to a positive and engaging working environment. Teamwork and communication is key to working as part of a successful team, but in order to develop good working relationships with co-workers, skills like negotiating fairly and knowing when to be assertive are key to ensuring that equal and balanced professional relationships can be fostered in your team. While you may not have much professional experience, or much exposure to these workplace realities, through this WebQuest and through simple activities, you can learn to master these skills before you enter the workplace!
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 and 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…
- Rehearse well
- Face your audience and make eye-contact where possible
- 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-
| Topics | Knowledge | Skills | Attitudes
|
| Engaging with others |
|
|
|
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.
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:
Topics | Level | Knowledge | Skills | Attitudes
|
| Advanced:
Sub-topics:
|
|
|
|
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.
Collaborative negotiation
Collaborative negotiation is a process in which two or more parties work together to reach a win-win agreement. Unlike competitive negotiation, where the parties see each other as adversaries and seek to maximise their own benefit at the expense of others, in collaborative negotiation the parties seek to solve a problem or achieve a common goal through dialogue and cooperation.
Collaborative negotiation also focuses on maintaining a good relationship between the parties, as it is recognised that building a positive relationship can improve the likelihood of reaching long-term agreements and facing future challenges together. In short, collaborative negotiation is a win-win approach that focuses on finding mutually beneficial solutions and maintaining a positive relationship between the parties involved even more relevant as it allows us to better manage conflicts, stand up for our rights and even get promoted at work.
We will start the session by providing participants with the theoretical background on conflict resolution, on the importance of this technique in the workplace and how it can help to create a better working environment.
Afterwards, we will put into practice through a role-play the steps to follow in order to apply the technique of collective negotiation.
Collaborative negotiation is one of the techniques we can use for conflict resolution in groups. We are going to focus on working on this technique, but we will start the session by laying the groundwork for what conflict resolution is.
To begin with, we will show a video that talks about conflict resolution and possible conflicts that we may encounter.
We will spend a few minutes reflecting on the content presented in the video:
- Conflict resolution: is a term that encompasses different tools, knowledge and procedures applicable to the understanding, prevention and peaceful resolution of confrontations and disagreements between two or more persons or groups of persons.
- Types of conflicts:
- - Relationship conflicts. These are conflicts arising from relationships between people, and are especially linked to essential differences in perceptions, biases and vital positions, or to deficient communication.
- - Information conflicts. These are conflicts arising from a lack of information or the handling of unreliable information, which lends itself to misinterpretation or misrepresentation.
- - Conflicts of interest. These are those arising from the impossibility of satisfying the expectations of both sides, which forces a struggle to defend one's own convenience or needs, in a "him or me" scenario.
- - Structural conflicts. These conflicts are due to the characteristics of the prevailing system, so their resolution also requires deep, structural actions.
- - Conflicts of values. These are conflicts arising from the incompatibility of the moral, religious or transcendental precepts of individuals, which makes their discussion and resolution much more arduous, as these types of values are usually non-negotiable and tend to have a metaphysical character, i.e. they are based on basic beliefs and not on logical arguments.
The best way to work on the technique of collaborative negotiation is through role play, so we will divide the group into smaller groups of maximum 4 people. Two of the people in the group will defend one position on the conflict and the other two the opposite position. The conflicts that are going to be represented will be generated by adapting to the group, so we should know beforehand the characteristics of the group that is going to participate in the workshop.
Some possible conflicts may be related to:
- Differences in decision-making.
- Communication problems
- Disagreements about roles and responsibilities
- Cultural differences
- Performance problems
- Resource problems
- Different personalities and work styles
- Harassment and discrimination
They should act according to their role/positioning in the conflict. Before starting the role, we will explain the phases of collective negotiation:
- Establish a common goal: it is important that all team members understand the objective of the negotiation and work together to achieve it.
- Encourage communication: an atmosphere of trust and openness should be established where all parties can express their needs and interests. It is important to actively listen to others and try to understand their point of view.
- Identify interests and needs: It is essential to understand the interests and needs of all parties involved in the negotiation. It is important that all parties feel that their needs and concerns are taken into account in the process.
- Generate options: parties should be encouraged to think outside the box and generate creative options that meet the interests and needs of all parties. It is important not to dismiss any ideas without careful consideration.
- Evaluate options and build an agreement: Once several options have been generated, the most viable options should be evaluated and selected. Work together to build an agreement that meets the needs and interests of all parties involved.
- Implement the agreement and follow up: Finally, implement the agreement and follow up to ensure that it is being implemented and that all parties are satisfied with the outcome.
We will explain these phases and resolve any doubts that may arise. Afterwards, the role-play will be carried out simultaneously, and the facilitator will have to approach the groups during the process to check that they are acting according to the steps we have explained above. At the end of the session, each group will explain to the others how the experience has been and which parts have been the most complicated or easiest to complete.
Conflict resolution is essential in the workplace and in any area of life because it can have a significant impact on productivity, morale, motivation and the well-being of the people involved.
English
Czech
Polish
German
Spanish
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
