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An Infopeople Online Learning Course (LSSC approved)

Start:
August 18th, 2015 12:00 PM
End:
September 14th, 2015 4:30 PM

Instructor: Cheryl Gould 

  • Is everyone talking and no one listening?
  • Are you afraid to speak up because your idea may get shot down?
  • Is stress causing people to misunderstand what's being said?

Communicating is the foundation of almost every human interaction, and it’s more than simply choosing the right words. We may have learned to deliver a speech and persuade or argue for a position, but we seldom learn how to listen and engage in constructive conflict.

Mastering the art of communication involves choosing words, understanding preferences, and learning to interpret body language, tone and gesture as well as listening without bias or judgment. Fortunately these are all skills that can be learned.

In this workshop you will learn:

  • The various forms of communication
  • What great communicators do
  • To spot communication preferences and improve your chances of being heard
  • To use non-verbal cues to create openness
  • How our brains filter what we hear
  • What to do when it’s hard to listen
  • How to stay present and listen actively
  • To avoid trigger words like “always” and "never"
  • Tools to engage in constructive conflict
  • How to effectively communicate ideas to higher ups

As a result of this course you will have a new understanding of how we communicate in every situation, an awareness of the challenges involved in communicating effectively as well as the tools to improve conversations with customers and co-workers.

Course Description: Readings, discussions, online meetings and assignments will provide learners with the tools, resources and skills to be a better communicator. Throughout the course you will also have the opportunity to communicate with the instructor one-on-one.

Course Outline: Using an Internet connection and web browser, you will log in to the Infopeople online learning site and complete the following learning modules:

  • Week 1: What Is Communication and Why We Do It
    • What is communication
    • Non-verbal communication
    • Why we communicate
  • Week 2: What Does It Take to Be a Great Communicator?
    • Self-awareness
    • Habits of great communicators
    • Communication with customers
    • Communicating accurately
  • Week 3: Avoiding and Resolving Conflict
    • Things that complicate communication
    • Causes of conflict in communication
    • Handling conflict
    • Conflict with customers
    • Conflict with co-workers
    • Resolving conflict
  • Week 4: Choosing Your Communication Path
    • Good written communication
    • Communication styles and preferences
    • Choosing appropriate modes of communication
    • Communicating with supervisors and managers

Pre-course assignment: To prepare for this course please read the article and take a short Communication Quiz (www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newCS_99.htm) to get started thinking about how well you communicate.

Time required: To complete this course, you can expect to spend 2½ hours per week, for a total of 10 course hours. Each week's module contains readings and various options for assignments, discussions, interviews, and online meetings. You can choose the options most relevant to your work and interests. Although you can work on each module at your own pace, at any hour of the day or night, it is recommended that you complete each week's work within that week to stay in sync with other learners.

Who Should Take This Course: Library staff in all types of libraries staff who would like to improve their communication skills with co-workers and customers whether in person, on the phone or in writing.

Library Support Staff Certification (LSSC): This course, in combination with Infopeople's Beyond Books: Advanced Readers' Advisory course (offered annually), is approved as covering the Adult Readers' Advisory competencies for the LSSC program. Both courses must be taken to meet the competency set. LSSC logo

Online Learning Details and System Requirements may be found at: infopeople.org/training/online_learning_details.

After the official end date for the course, the instructor will be available for limited consultation and support for two more weeks, and the course material will stay up for an additional two weeks after that. These extra weeks give those who have fallen behind time to work independently to complete the course.