Cooperative Communication Specialist
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Personal Safety at the Workplace
Many workers have job descriptions and duties that put them in direct contact with people who are emotionally charged. Human services case managers working with clients, customer service representatives working with consumers, and property managers dealing with tenants is a partial list of workers who are confronted by people who may challenge or even threaten them.
There are things that can be done preemptively to reduce the likelihood of challenging behaviors escalating or resolve issues more quickly and effectively when they do.
Options for this training include:
Safety Awareness & Self-Protection
This comprehensive training is 12 hours long and taught over two days. It covers a broad scope of topics and has a good deal of hands on training and transfer of learning activities.This option is often the choice of agencies for new employees as part of their orientation training.
Personal Safety for Professionals
This 6 hour training covers many of the areas of the 12 hour training, but less hands on. Still very interactive, just less practice.
Working with Angry & Irate People
This training is 3 hours long and focuses on the basics of reading challenging or threatening behavior, defusing and deescalation.
Listening Skills and Congruent Communication
When it comes to communication, there’s a significant difference between hearing and listening. Hearing is a biological function; listening is a mental process and learned skill.
Beyond just hearing what people are saying, it is more productive to listen to others so we may connect with and understand them. We spend most of our time hearing what people are saying instead of listening to what they want or need at a deeper level.
Conscious Listening (1.5 to 3 hours)
Conscious Listening is intentional listening. It entails hearing the words and sounds and seeing the body language of someone sharing a story as a method of understanding what they mean when they express themselves. It takes into account listening for what people aren’t directly saying, what they might be too reluctant to say, or don’t realize they’re saying.
Conscious Listening also involves asking insightful questions designed to induce the story teller to share more and to think more deeply about what they’re saying.
Congruent Communication (1.5 to 3 hours)
There are times at work such as between a case manager and client, property manager and tenant and representative and consumer that communication doesn’t go well. Poor communication can lead to stress and anger for all parties involved.
Congruent ommunication is straight and direct interaction at both verbal and nonverbal levels. Messages are sent and received in an honest and clear way. Non-congruent communication is distorted and ambiguous. It involves assumptions or mixed messages. Congruent communication is clear, direct and specific which leads to greater understanding and better outcomes.
Overview of Training
Cooperative Communication training employs a variety of techniques, strategies, and perspectives that are conducive to cooperation and good communication. It includes understanding human behavior and why people act the way they do.
How do people get this gift of a conflict-manageable life? Thankfully, it’s not a genetic condition. It's a learned skill.
Cooperative Communication is attained through highly interactive trainings that incorporate lecturettes, discussions, and participative activities. Trainings can vary in length based upon an organization’s desired goals and outcomes.
Not only is it a valuable tool for one's professional life, it can be applied to promote better communication and understanding in one's personal life.
Listed below are the standard programs. They can be adapted to meet and agencies or organizations specific needs.
Trainings can be delivered virtually or in person.