MODULE 4. COMMUNICATION AND TEAMWORKING · The present module aims ... Communication skills have been traditionally clasified into verbal and non-verbal ... Being confident in all

TRAIN THE GAP COURSE MODULE 4. COMMUNICATION AND TEAMWORKING

PROYECTO TRAIN THE GAP 2015-1-ES01-KA204-016117

Train the Gap Course (for rural women entrepreneurs) 3

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION TO THE MODULE ................................................................................................................................ 5

CONTENTS OF COMPETENCE ...................................................................................................................................... 7

INTRODUCING YOUR COMPANY QUICKLY AND COMPELLINGLY ................................................................................ 9 TEAMWORK IN ACTION ........................................................................................................................................... 12

TRAIN STORY ........................................................................................................................................................... 14

ASSERTIVENESS IN WRITING .................................................................................................................................... 15

ASSERTIVENESS IN WRITING .................................................................................................................................... 17

HOW GOOD IS YOUR TEAM ................................................................................................................................... 20


Introduction to the module

The present module aims at developing and improving the communication and

teamworking skills, directed to female women enterpreneurs and wanna be

enterpreneurs.

Communication skills are probably some of the most important skills that you need to

succeed in any workplace. Poor communication skills may have a direct impact on your

networking, sales and teamwork. In addition, the way you communicate with clients

and employees says a lot about you and so, it a critical skill for any entrepreneur. This

module is intented to provide with a solid theoretical background on how to comunicate

effectively, addressing all the points in the communication process, inlcluding

intercultural communication. As a result, learner will be able to use the language

correctly and appropriately to accomplish communication goals. At the same time,

improved team working skills will allow to work more confidently within a group,

contributing with ideas effectively, taking a share of the responsability, being more

assertive, accepting and learning from constructive criticism and giving positive,

constructing feedback to others. Learner is expected to learn to develop professional

activity or performance in a certain group within the organization; depending

significantly on the behaviour of individuals that form part of a team/group.

As defined by G.G. Brown, „communication is transfer of information from one

person to another,whether or not it elicits confidence. But the information

transferred must be understandable to the receiver“. As follows, we can

distinguish the basic steps of communication: 1. The forming of communicative

intent, 2. Message composition, 3. Message encoding and decoding, 4.

Transmission of the encoded message as a sequence of signals using a specific

channel or medium, 5. Reception of signals, 6. Reconstruction of the original

6 Train the Gap Course (for rural women entrepreneurs)

message, 7. Interpretation and making sense of the reconstructed message. To

put in the nutshell, the whole communication process can be summarized as

follows:

Communication process. Source: www.mindtools.com

Communication skills have been traditionally clasified into verbal and non-verbal

behavior. Communication skills can be also defined as tools that we use to remove the

barriers to effective communcation.

Teamwork is about working together to achieve shared goals. To put it in the words of

Henry Ford: „coming together is a beggining; keeping together is progress; working

together is success“. Teamwork can be also defined as "the sum of efforts undertaken

by individual team members for the achievement of the group's overall objectives".

According to this definition, every member of the team has to perform or contribute to

the best of their ability if the pre defined goal is to be achieved. What counts at the end

of the day is not individual performances but it is the collective performance of the team

members.

Duration of the module: 20 hours


Contents of competence

COMMUNICATION

KNOWLEDGE

Applying methodologies and tools of interactively conveying and co-constructing insights, assessments, expierences, or skills through verbal and no-verbal means.

SKILLS

! Picking the right communication medium according to the conversation topic and target group;

! Active listening paying close attention to waht the other person is saying, asking claryfying questions and rephrasing waht teh person says to ensure understanding.

! Trying to convey your message in a few words as possible, avoiding talking excessively and/or confusing your audience;

! Encouraging others to engage in open and honest communication through a friendly tone;

! Being confident in all interactions with others; ! Being empathetic, understand and repect other other points of view and

demonstrate that you have listing to other persons and respect their opinions; ! Being able to appropiately give and receive feedback.

VALUES AND ATTITUDES

Learner will be able to use the language correctly and appropiately to accomplish communication goals. The desired outcome of the language learning process is the ability to communicate competently, not the ability to use the language exactly as a native


speaker does.

TEAMWORKING

KNOWLEDGE

Applying methodologies to ensure effective team working activity

SKILLS

! Working with and through others; ! Working confidently within a group, contributing your own ideas effectively and

taking a share of the responsibility; ! Being assertive - rather than passive or aggressive; ! Accepting and learning from constructive criticism; ! Giving positive, constructive feedback to others; ! Taking a positive attitute to & learnig from setbacks; ! Creating enthusiam and initaitive to make things happen.

VALUES AND ATTITUDES

Learner will be able to develop professional activity or performance in a certain group within the organization, depending significantly on the behaviour of individuals that form part of a team/group.


Introducing your company quickly and compellingly

Situation:

Maria is looking for funding for her startp up idea and next week got arranged a

meeting with potential investors. She has been asked to prepare a presentation and a

pitch of her business idea.

Problem:

Her pitch is entirely too theoretical, vague and abstract and only someone with a deep

knowledge in her field would have been able to understand her bussiness UPS (unique

selling proposition) and what problem she was solving. Just like other entrepreneurs,

she just cannot get to the point and her body language neither transmit confidence.

An elevator pitch is a brief, persuasive speech that you use to spark interest in what

your organization does. You can also use them to create interest in a project, idea, or

product – or in yourself. A good elevator pitch should last no longer than a short

elevator ride of 20 to 30 seconds, hence the name. They should be interesting,

memorable, and succinct. They also need to explain what makes you – or your

organization, product, or idea – unique.

Communication skills in practice and results:

Elevator pitch can be useful no only for salespeople who need to pitch their products

and services, but you can also can be useful in other situations. For example, it can be

used to introduce the organization to potential clients or customers or to tell people

about the change initiative that you're leading, etc.

To prepare an effective elevator pitch, www.mindtools.com recommends to follow

these steps:


1. Identify your goal. 2. Explain what you do. 3. Communicate your USP. 4. Engage with a question. 5. Put it all together. 6. Practice.

Another technique or recommendation would be to build a story around the product and

applying storytelling techniques, so that investors wouldn’t just listen to the pitch and

forget it. By telling a story you can put in all technical details and features of your

services/product without boring your audience and you’ll be memorable.

Last but not the least, to communicate an assertive message and so, an effective pitch,

your verbal communication should go in line with non-verbal communication and body

language.

Non-verbal communication includes facial expressions, the tone and pitch of the voice,

gestures displayed through body language (kinesics) and the physical distance

between the communicators (proxemics). These non-verbal signals can give clues and

additional information and meaning over and above spoken (verbal) communication.

Non-verbal communication is any information that is communicated without using

words, with the following important characteristics:

• Culturally determined: Non-verbal communication is learnt in childhood,

passed on to you by your parents and others with whom you associate.

Through this process of growing up in a particular society, you adopt the taints

and mannerisms of your cultural group.

• Different meaning: Non-verbal symbols can many meanings. Cross-culture

aspects give various meanings to same expression in respect of non-verbal

communication.

• Vague and imprecise: Non-verbal communication is quite vague and

imprecise. Since in this communication there is no use of words or language

which expresses clear meaning to the receiver.


• May conflict with verbal message: Non-verbal communication is so deeply

rooted, so unconscious, that you can express a verbal message and then

directly contradict it with a nonverbal message.

• Largely unconscious: Non-verbal communication is unconscious in the sense

that it is usually not planned nor rehearsed. It comes almost instantaneously.

• Shows feelings and attitudes: Facial expressions, gestures, body

movements, the way you use your eyes – all communicate your feelings and

emotions to others.

• Informality: Non verbal communication does not follow any rules, formality or

structure like other communication. Most of the cases people unconsciously

and habitually engaged in non-verbal communication by moving the various

parts of the body.


Teamwork in action

Situation:

Ana manages a rural hostel and counts on 10 staff members, receptionists, house

keeping and marketing assistant among others.

Problem:

A hostel has been fully booked for a week, with full bed and breakfast service and the

organization of welcome and farewell parties included. Ana doesn‘t have much

experience about the organization of such events and is getting anxious about the

situation as the event is approaching soon, while her staff has been getting nervous as

well with no clear indications received.

Teamworking in action and solution:

Ana is expected to establish and assign clear roles, who does what and when and

review the progress regularly. At the same time, identifying the competences and each

staff member in the field and assigning the tasks accordingly would help to maintain the

staff more motivated and engaged.

Research has provided a number of attributes required for successful teamwork. Many

of these attributes have been consistently identified in the literature. As follows, we can

identify a list of successful attributes needed for effective teamwork:

• Commitment to team success and shared goals - team members are committed to

the success of the team and their shared goals for the project. Successful teams are

motivated, engaged and aim to achieve at the highest level;


• Interdependence - team members need to create an environment where together they

can contribute far more than as individuals. A positive interdependent team

environment brings out the best in each person enabling the team to achieve their

goals at a far superior level (Johnson & Johnson, 1995, 1999). Individuals promote and

encourage their fellow team members to achieve, contribute, and learn;

• Interpersonal Skills includes the ability to discuss issues openly with team members,

be honest, trustworthy, supportive and show respect and commitment to the team and

to its individuals. Fostering a caring work environment is important including the ability

to work effectively with other team members;

• Open Communication and positive feedback - actively listening to the concerns and

needs of team members and valuing their contribution and expressing this helps to

create an effective work environment. Team members should be willing to give and

receive constructive criticism and provide authentic feedback;

• Appropriate team composition is essential in the creation of a successful team. Team

members need to be fully aware of their specific team role and understand what is

expected of them in terms of their contribution to the team and the project; and

• Commitment to team processes, leadership & accountability - team members need to

be accountable for their contribution to the team and the project. They need to be

aware of team processes, best practice and new ideas. Effective leadership is essential

for team success including shared decision-making and problem solving

Extracted from: http://tarjomefa.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/3118-engilish.pdf


Train story

The aim of task:

To emphasize that what we are asked to do isn’t always what is expected

General description of the task:

Read quickly once the following story

A train leaves the station with 3 passengers and stops at London and 5 more get on. It

next stops and Albany and 2 passengers get off. Next stop is Pleasantville and 23 new

passengers get on board. The train makes its next stop in Dallas where 21 get off and

no one gets on. The train chugs along until it reaches Hollywood where 3 more

passengers get on. The next stops are Buffalo where 6 get on and 4 get off,

Moosehead where no one gets on or off, and Clarksburg where 24 passengers get on

board. The train reaches the end of the route in Los Angeles where everyone gets off.

Material resources needed for the accomplishment of task:

! A sheet of paper and a pen

Questions:

How many stops did the train make?

Solution: The train made 9 stops, including the final destination.

Often our assumptions cause us to focus on the wrong things when we communicate

with others and that we need to keep an open mind about what may be most important

and critical communications. Read the story again and focus on the right criteria.


Assertiveness in writing

The aim of task:

To practice assertiveness and writing communication skills


Due to sudden change of a supplier, your client services has been affected with big

delays and increasing complaints. To communicate the decision of the company that

turned to be mistaken, you have urgently to prepare a communication note to share

with your clients, explaining the decision made and the strategy behind it.

Questions for self-assessment:

Do you consider yourself to be assertive? And what does being assertive mean to you?

You have to master the expectations of your clients. Be clear about deliverables,

timeframes and results. If issues arise, communicate clearly and frequently. It’s always

better to commit to less than raise people’s expectations and fail to follow through.



Information resources needed for the accomplishment of task:

You have to be assertive in your business writing. Make sure that the reader knows

what you feel, and knows and understands your message clearly.

• Use strong and forceful verbs. • Use short sentences. • Use short paragraphs.


• Write in active voice (where the subject performs the action.) • State clearly how your reader can benefit. • Be succinct in your writing.

More on assertiveness and 4 styles of communication:

https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/Assertiveness.htm

7 communication skills each enterpreneur should master:

https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/239446


Assertiveness in writing

The aim of task:

To introduce with the structure of a story and main storytelling techniques — how to

generate interest to hook the listener, then how to generate tension to hold them.


Write a story of how you got something you have that required extra thought to buy —

an article of clothing, an accessory, a mobil phome, etc — using the CCSG structure.

No matter how you’ve told the story before, start by describing the characters. You will

generally be the protagonist. The antagonist could be an empty bank account, an

unhelpful store employee, etc. Make clear the conflict between your interest for what

you wanted and the antagonist’s interest. If you can’t think of a possession whose

attainment involved conflict, retell any story you’ve told recently with the CCSG

structure.

Questions for self-assessment:

Don’t worry if you can’t think of the perfect story to tell. You’ll be surprised how even

boring stories can take on new life with new structure.




Most people consider the core of a story the plot, which they consider a chronological

account of what happened. The principles of storytelling suggest otherwise.


The core of storytelling are four elements, with the first one by far the most important.

From the books I’ve read and my experience, when I think of telling a story, I think of

CCSG:

C – Characters

C – Conflict

S – Struggle

G – Goal

The characters of a story draw people in more than anything. You almost never go

wrong starting by describing the main characters of the story.

Usually the main character is the protagonist — the person driving the action — often

yourself. Usually the protagonist encounters and antagonist — someone or something

that forces the protagonist to overcome a challenge. Often the antagonist is the more

interesting character even if the antagonist is the one acting more.

Do you think because you’re describing a story about yourself to a friend who knows

you you can skimp describing yourself? Don’t. Tell the relevant parts — the details

about yourself that are relevant to the story.

Whoever the characters are, make sure to include details — elements unique to that

person: their background, physical characteristics, dreams, etc. Details make a story

vivid to the listener.

Describing the characters often reveals the conflict. It’s often a dream or goal of the

protagonist thwarted by the antagonist. The protagonist wants to climb the mountain

and the mountain or nature makes it difficult. The protagonist lost their cell phone in the

taxi the night before and the challenges of finding the phone make it challenging.


When you have believable, detailed characters with a conflict, people want to hear how

the protagonist resolves the conflict — that is, the struggle and the goal. If you have

vivid characters and a believable conflict, even a poor job recounting the struggle and

of attaining the goal will keep people hooked.

Besides the structure and detail, a few other key elements make stories compelling.

One of the best qualities a story can have is humor. Two of the best places to get

humor are in characters’ speech and in their reactions (extracted from:

http://joshuaspodek.com/js_blogseries/communication-skills-exercises )

More on storytelling: https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/225547


How good is your team

The aim of task:

An effective team can help an organization achieve incredible results. A team that is

not working can cause unnecessary disruption, failed delivery and strategic failure.


This self-assessment helps you uncover common teamworking problems that you

might be experiencing. Adapted from:

https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTMM_84.htm

For each statement, click the button in the column that best describes you: not at all,

rarely, sometimes, often, very often.

1 My team is knowledgeable about the stages of development teams can be expected

to go through (team development)

2 Team members are provided with a great deal of feedback regarding their

performance (Feedback).

3 Team members are encouraged to work for the common good of the organization

(Participation and Articulating Vision).

4 There are many complaints, and morale is low on my team (Managing Conflict)

5 Team members don't understand the decisions that are made, or don't agree with

them (Understanding and Collaboration).


6 People are encouraged to be good team members, and build good relationships

(Group Roles and Structure).

7 Team members are provided with development opportunities (Team Member

Development).

8 Meetings are inefficient and there is a lot of role overlap (Group Roles and Structure).

9 Team members are encouraged to commit to the team vision, and leaders help them

understand how their role fits into the big picture (Participation and Articulating Vision)

10 Team members are often given a chance to work on interesting tasks and stretch

their knowledge and capabilities (Participation and Articulating Vision).

11 The team understands what it needs to accomplish and has the resources needed

to be successful (team development)

12 Conflict and hostility between members is a pervasive issue that doesn't seem to

get better (Managing Conflict).

13 People feel that good work is not rewarded and they are not sure what is expected

of them (Feedback).

14 Team members balance their individual needs for autonomy with the benefits of

mutual interdependence (Managing Conflict).

15 Working relationships across units or functions is poor, and there is a lack of

coordination (Group Roles and Structure).

Questions for self-assessment: How good are you and your team at teamwork

and team building?

Questions that you asnwered „not at all“ or „rarely“, needs further reflection to get

improved. Note down the areas and take notes how those areas could get improved.



! A sheet of paper and a pen (for taking notes)


8 More information about teamworking: https://www.kent.ac.uk/careers/sk/teamwork.

Documents

MODULE 4. COMMUNICATION AND TEAMWORKING · The present module aims ... Communication skills have been traditionally clasified into verbal and non-verbal ... Being confident in all