Reference no: EM133678336

Homework: Handling Difficult Conversations-Communication Analysis

As a reminder, you will continue to act as a manager who has been co-leading an important project with a fellow manager. Your colleague held up delivery of the project and made comments expressing his displeasure to others. You scheduled an in-person conversation with your colleague to discuss the matter and conducted the conversation with your colleague using an online simulation platform. You will reflect on your simulation experience and follow up with your colleague via a draft email to document the results of your conversation.

Task

Submit Parts I and II of the Module Homework, which should address the following:

Part I: Effective Communication Skills and Approaches

Once you have completed the online, simulated one-on-one conversation with your peer, you will analyze your experience and then write up your analysis of effective communication skills and approaches that can be applied in any professional conversation-but specifically when you need to address conflict of any kind. As part of your reflection, you will consider the ways in which you can not only improve your communication skills going forward but also use these skills to be a more effective change agent. Be sure to address the following:

1. Did you reach an agreement that takes into account the needs, concerns, and perspectives of both stakeholders? Why or why not?

2. What impact (positive and negative, if possible) did your preparation have on the outcome? Provide a rationale to support your analysis.

3. What best practices/strategies (from the Learning Resources) did you incorporate into your conversation? For each best practice/strategy, be sure to include a minimum of one scholarly source for support.

4. Which of the best practices/strategies do you believe you incorporated successfully, and which do you feel you could have done a better job at incorporating into this conversation? Be specific in your answer.

5. Based on this experience-and considering what went well and what you want to improve-what are three specific things you will do in future difficult conversation scenarios?

6. Finally, in what ways do you predict your enhanced communication skills could enable you to be a more effective change agent? Provide specific details to support your answer.

Part II: Following Up

For this part of your Homework, apply your understanding of best practices related to effective communication, as well as the importance of perception in communication, to prepare a draft email to your colleague that documents what, if any, resolution the two of you reached and sets the tone for your work going forward. Be sure to utilize an appropriate professional, collegial tone; express gratitude for the opportunity to have the conversation; detail the specific commitments each of you has made (or agreed to); and state your appreciation for the specific ways in which your colleague brings value to the working relationship.