Essential Communication: Tools for Talk in Construction – Level 1 | Live, Online

This half-day introductory level course is tailored for everyone in the construction industry, from management to tradespeople, providing you with the tools to enhance collaboration, resolve conflicts, and improve overall team performance.

• Discover the power of Human Needs Psychology to understand the motivations and behaviors that drive people.
• Learn to recognize challenging individuals and understand their true needs, paving the way for more effective and harmonious interactions.
• Gain practical techniques for engaging with colleagues, management, and other trades, and leverage these skills to create win/win situations and build lasting relationships.
• Improve your decision-making, boost your personal success, and become a more influential and effective communicator.

Through this course, you'll develop the insights and strategies necessary to foster a more communicative and cohesive work environment such as:  

• A foundational understanding of people’s motivation, patterns of behavior, and language.
• Insights into why we do everything we do.
• The ability to recognize challenging people and understand their needs.
• Tools to identify behavior patterns in themselves and others.
• Enhanced communication skills through Human Needs Psychology.
• Strategies for creating leverage and building influence for win/win communication.
• Skills to activate the Law of Reciprocity in building relationships.
• Improved team collaboration by recognizing people’s driving forces.
• Practical tools for interacting more effectively with management, coworkers, and other trades.
• Personal tools to feel more successful at work by understanding their driving force.
• Decision-making tools for better outcomes.

Why You Should Take This Course:

• Improve Communication Skills: Learn to communicate more effectively with colleagues, management, and clients, leading to clearer and more efficient interactions.
• Understand Human Behavior: Gain insights into Human Needs Psychology to understand the motivations and behaviors driving yourself and others.
• Resolve Conflicts: Acquire practical tools for managing and resolving conflicts, making your workplace more harmonious and productive.
• Enhance Team Collaboration: Foster a more collaborative and cohesive team environment by recognizing and leveraging individual driving forces.
• Build Influence: Develop strategies to create leverage in conversations and build influence, leading to win/win situations and stronger relationships.
• Boost Personal Success: Learn techniques to feel more successful at work by understanding your personal driving force and making better decisions.
• Strengthen Relationships: Activate the Law of Reciprocity to build positive, lasting relationships with coworkers, management, and other trades.
• Increase Workplace Satisfaction: Improve your overall job satisfaction by enhancing your communication skills and understanding of human needs.

Taking this course will equip you with the foundational knowledge and practical tools to excel in your role within the construction industry, leading to a more productive, positive, and successful work environment.

Module 1: The Mindset of Change
Objective: Recognizing our own mindset towards effective communication in the
construction industry
o Growth vs Fixed Mindset
o Recognizing Resistance (Yours and theirs)
o Implicit Bias & Confirmation Bias
o Personal Perception vs Realty

Module 2: Understanding Motivation and Behavior
Objective: Recognize the motivations and behaviors that drive people.
o Recognizing common patterns of behavior.
o Red Car theory (RAS)
o Your Area of control
o 7 Levels of motivation

Module 3: Activating the Law of Reciprocity
Objective: Utilize the Law of Reciprocity to strengthen relationships.
o Understanding the principles of reciprocity.
o Playing the long game
o 10 easy ways to activate the Law of Reciprocity

Module 4: Recognizing and Dealing with Challenging People
Objective: Learn strategies to effectively manage and communicate with challenging
individuals.
o Identifying the needs behind challenging behaviors.
o S.L.O Thinking
o Listening for what Is not being said
Techniques for constructive engagement and conflict resolution

Module 5: Building Influence and Leverage
Objective: Learn how to build influence and create win/win situations.
o Strategies for creating leverage in conversations.
 - Mirroring & Matching
 - Pacing & Leading
 - Labeling
o Rules of Rapport
o Strategies to meet their needs
o Resiliency & Adaptability
• Building rapport and trust through effective communication

Module 6: Introduction to Human Needs Psychology
Objective: Understand the fundamental principles of Human Needs Psychology and its
relevance in the construction industry.
o Overview of Human Needs Psychology.
o Why we do everything we do
o Recognizing why others do what they do
o Importance of understanding human motivation and behavior in the workplace.

Module7: Enhancing Communication Skills
Objective: Develop advanced communication skills using Human Needs Psychology.
o Effective listening and speaking techniques.
o Tailoring communication styles to different individuals.

Module 8: Improving Team Collaboration
Objective: Enhance team collaboration by understanding team members' driving forces.
o Tools for recognizing and harnessing individual motivations.
o Strategies for fostering a collaborative team environment.
o Recognizing innate strengths

Module 9: Putting Human Needs to work to create more personal success
Objective: Equip participants with practical tools for better interaction.
o Techniques for effective communication with management, coworkers, and other
trades.

Module 10: Bonus Tools (Workbook)
• Human Needs Checklist for helping you recognize peoples driving force
• Introvert vs Extrovert checklist
• Love Language checklist
• Meta program
• Body language checklist
• EQ Checklist
• 7 level Deep exercise
• Life Wheel – to create you career blueprint
• Decision Matrix

This course is ideal for:

• Construction Managers: Enhance your leadership and team management skills by
understanding the motivations and behaviors of your team members.

• Site Supervisors: Improve your ability to resolve conflicts and communicate effectively
with various trades and crew members.

• Tradespeople: Learn practical communication tools to better interact with colleagues,
supervisors, and clients, leading to a more harmonious work environment.

• Project Coordinators: Develop strategies for more effective collaboration and
coordination across different teams and departments.

• Human Resources Professionals: Gain insights into employee motivations and
behaviors to better support staff and foster a positive workplace culture.

• Anyone in the Construction Industry: Whether you’re new to the industry or a
seasoned professional, this course provides valuable communication skills that can
enhance your personal and professional success

Students will be required to complete the online Human Needs Assessment prior to the start of class.

1. Computer or laptop

• This course will involve on-screen interaction with your instructor and classmates, reading/viewing on-screen content (slides or videos), and interacting via typing with questions or responses. For this reason, cellphones may not be adequate. 
• Windows 10 or Mac iOS. 

2. Webcam (Mandatory)– in order to engage and collaborate, participants will be expected to have their webcams on for the duration of the class

3. Microphone (Mandatory)

4. Internet connection- For best results, you will want to ensure you have an internet connection with an upload/download speed of 3-5 Mbps. You can test your internet speed here. The minimum recommended speed is 1.5 Mbps, but anything below 3 Mbps may result in loss of quality or buffering. Ideally hardwired connection versus wireless for stability - connect your computer directly to your router using an ethernet cable, rather than using your home wi-fi.

5. A quiet space with minimal distractions –The microphone will be engaged for interactive sessions. Please plan to be fully engaged in the class and clear your work schedule just as you would for the in-class program.

6. Comfortable chair