Education & Training

Interpersonal Dynamics – Teaming Courses

Available Courses

Creating Shared Values / Norms / Code of Conduct

Creating Team Norms / Code of Conduct through Shared Values
All groups go through the same stages: forming-storming-norming-performing. They become a successful, cohesive work “team” when they have been thoughtful in each of these stages. “Norming” seems to be the most tested component—too much “lip service” and a lack of strength to really dig into the true issues. Then, when the Team is faced with a difficult situation in the workplace, how to fix it is elusive and uncomfortable but not doing so can result in disaster. Successfully “norming” allows the “group” to share in a non-threatening environment (not under the pressure to resolve an issue) how they will deal with potential challenges when back in the workplace. This provides a great opportunity for groups, as well as individuals, to identify key strengths and weaknesses that will help them to develop into a more successful Team (member) by:

Recognizing the impact of key values on our ability to Team.
Making EVERY person an integral Team member.
Enhancing communication capabilities.
Advancing the role of planning in Team success.
Valuing each member’s differences and contributions.
Making a personal commitment to the Team.

Communication

Sharing the Right Information—the Right Way, the Right Time, the Right Audience
This essential communication skills workshop strengthens interpersonal relationships and overall organizational effectiveness by helping attendees grow beyond simply understanding communication theories to incorporating the techniques. The ultimate basis of all business interactions and all personal relationships is clear, effective communication. Success in today’s interdependent workplace depends on the ability to communicate. This C4PD course is especially applicable for individuals who have struggled with their ability to communicate effectively:

Gain the lifelong advantages of a deeper understanding of effective communication and its four functions.
Enhance communications with clients / customers, supervisors, and peers based on the results of a Communication Assessment.
Improve speed, accuracy, and impact by recognizing and addressing adopted communication patterns.
Build relationships by removing barriers to effective communication.
Effectively employ non-verbal communication methods.
Understand the need to be appropriately assertive—avoiding a passive or aggressive communication style.
Become “active listeners” with a new understanding of typical listening problems.
Bridge gender communication differences.
Overcome habits that block effective communication.
Glean the full value of email and other electronic communication in the workplace.
Benefit from “hands-on experience” through in-class exercises in communicating effectively.

Conflict Management

Successful Conflict Resolution Strategies
At the heart of conflict management resides the ability to communicate effectively with everyone—employees, supervisors, colleagues and customers. Most of us have an intuitive understanding of the basics of conflict management concepts—we know what we should do, and sometimes we even know what we aren’t doing. However, practically applying effective conflict management techniques - comfortably and consistently—requires security in our own communication strategies and the patience to be aware of our dialogue partner—where they are coming from—and why. In this program, participants will:

Discover the common sources and types of workplace conflict.
Identify what drives our behavior—good and not so good—and causes dissatisfaction.
Understand why conflict occurs and—the common sources and types of negative workplace behavior.
Discover why people behave in a negative manner—the cause(s) might surprise you.
Learn why we use “avoidance” strategies and how that empowers continued negative behaviors.
Understand why we must resolve differences with others – individual and organizational costs.
Discover how maintaining your “locus of control” is essential to proactively reducing conflict.
Learn how to work with individuals who do not want to clear issues.
Learn the simple 7-Step approach for effectively managing conflict and building stronger relationships.

Teaming

Working Together for Organizational Effectiveness
Teaming is virtually a “flagship” product of C4PD. Our years and years of research and practical application have allowed us to develop a teaming approach for any and all groups of all sizes. Whether it is disadvantaged youth in need of creating personal confidence or highly seasoned business leaders wanting to strengthen their team bond, C4PD has the approach and skills to get the job done effectively. C4PD’s teaming ranges from the classroom to the great outdoors and often are a combination of both. We have fixed facilities in Central Illinois and can also bring both classroom and outdoor teaming to your location. We customize the teaming approach that is right for you. Our facilitators are seasoned veterans who will ensure your group a teaming experience to remember. Our teaming series includes—but is not limited to the following programs:

Excellence in Teaming

(Classroom)

Understand why people want and need to work on teams.
Learn the process of team development and how to smooth the transitions.
Review attributes of positive and negative team members and how it impacts all team members.
Share our similarities and differences - and why it is important to value these differences.
Learn what drives team member behaviors and what that means for our own behaviors.
Learn how we create “team glue”—the stuff that causes us to “want” to support one another.
Learn successful “evergreen” teaming strategies for long-term teaming success.
Grow individually and collectively.

Experiential Teaming

(Low Ropes Outdoor Program)

Recognize the impact of key values on the ability to team.
Learn how to make every participant an integral team member.
Enhance the team’s ability to communicate.
Understand the role of planning in team success.
Value member differences and contributions.
Make a personal commitment to the team.

Strengthening and Sustaining the Team Bond

(Indoors or Combination Indoors / Outdoors)

Identify the foundation of winning/successful teams.
Recognize the stages of team development—forming, storming, norming and performing.
Gain insights into our personal values and how they relate to our ability to team effectively.
Achieve consensus on the team’s guiding principles.
Create a process for maintaining compliance with the team’s behavioral standards.
Develop strategies to continually strengthen and sustain the team bond.
Make a verbal commitment to the team.

Cross–Functional Teaming

(Indoors or Combination Indoors / Outdoors)

Identify the foundation of winning/successful teams.
Recognize the stages of team development—forming, storming, norming and performing.
Gain insights into our personal values and how they relate to our ability to team effectively.
Achieve consensus on the team’s guiding principles.
Create a process for maintaining compliance with the team’s behavioral standards.
Develop strategies to continually strengthen and sustain the team bond.
Make a verbal commitment to the team.

Team Survival

(Combination Indoor / Outdoors)

This program is our most challenging course in the teaming series. It begins with classroom discussion and exercises focused on the eight critical components of an effective team. Participants are then broken into sub-groups for a two-hour “survivor challenge”. The challenge is a combination of elements that require the highest level of effective “interdependence” in order to be successful. Participants must use their collective skills to “win” this challenge. Particular elements are selected based upon the group’s collective abilities and needs. The final debriefing exercise allows participants to examine and identify their results relative to the eight teaming effectiveness criteria. This program will separate the “groups” from the “teams”.

Diversity

Valuing our Differences
Promoting and accomplishing a diverse workplace goes beyond simply communicating between groups. Enhancing diversity awareness enables us to work successfully in a cross-categorical-based culture to improve our business as well as personal success. For legal, ethical and moral reasons, we must become more “diverse” in our attitudes and practices. But this course takes us beyond those requirements to embracing a gratifying understanding of diversity and why we must capitalize on it. In this program, participants will:

Recognize the true nature of diversity in today’s workforce.
Discover how we are alike and different and yet are a necessary “fit” for each other.
Understand how diversity brings real value to the organization—individually and collectively.
Learn “who we are. . .” is “where we were when. . .” to understand our current paradigms on diversity.
Discuss the real consequences / impact of when we feel avoided or tolerated vs. when we feel truly appreciated and accepted.
Understand positive steps we can take to “update” or change our paradigms relative to how we view those that are different than us.
Discover how to be a positive “change agent” for ourselves and others around us.

Generational Differences

Working with a Multi-Generational Workforce
For the first time in history, the U.S. workforce is made up solidly of four generations and in some venues, up to five. People are staying in the workforce longer out of financial need as well as personal desire. The nature of work itself continues to evolve and members of the different generations have subtle and not-so-subtle differences in how they go about accomplishing their work-related tasks. By exploring workforce generational diversity, learning how to appreciate one another, capitalizing on what each naturally and comfortably brings to the table, we greatly enhance the likelihood we will enjoy our work life personally and be more productive. In this program participants will:

Recognize the true nature of diversity in today’s workforce.
Identify and understand the four (and in some venues, five) generations or “work cohorts” in the modern workplace.
Appreciate that “who you are, is where you were when”—understand the impact of major events on a given generation’s development.
Review the characteristics of generational members to better appreciate differences.
Understand the workplace contributions and challenges for each work cohort.
Identify techniques and strategies for working successfully with a multi-generational workgroup.