Chaco Canyon Consulting

Person-to-Person Communications
For Project Managers


Misunderstandings and unintended offenses are just some of the ways person-to-person communication can go wrong. When we communicate with each other, we run great risks. Analyzing information flow using the Satir Interaction Model, we gain insight into the elements of the communications process, and we come to a new understanding of how it can go wrong. In this fun and interactive program, we explore how our communication system works — and how it doesn't. We'll emphasize communication under stress, where the most expensive failures occur. And we might just change how some of us send and receive interpersonal communications.

Core message:

This presentation is based on an interactive talk presented to BOSCON 2001, the regional conference on quality sponsored by the Boston Section of ASQ. It was honored as Best of BOSCON, on the basis of participant feedback. Here is some of what participants wrote on their evaluations:

Workshop structure
and content


Credit cards we accept

Brief outline:

Introductions
Whichever format you elect — presentation, seminar or workshop — we'll be doing some actual communication. So we begin with introductions. We'll introduce ourselves to each other, and we'll introduce the ideas that we'll be talking about.
Examples of problem communications
A system as powerful as the human communication system can fail in a rich variety of different ways. We'll look at some of them — from a humorous and provocative perspective.
What do we mean by communications?
One problem that can arise in person-to-person communication is the failure to align the meanings of words. So let's agree on what we mean by communications.
A model of interpersonal communications
Analyzing information flow using the Satir Interaction Model, we gain insight into the elements of the communications process, and we come to a new understanding of how it can go wrong.
Sources of defects
We'll use the Satir Interaction Model to explore how communications failures can so easily arise. This is a fun and interactive illustration that never fails to amaze.
Interventions
Once we understand how communications failures arise, we can easily see how we can limit their occurrence and impact. These interventions are simple and straightforward.

In this fun and interactive presentation, we'll explore how our person-to-person communication system works, with special emphasis on its failure modes. We'll emphasize communication under stress, where the most expensive failures occur. And we might just change how some of us send and receive interpersonal communications.

Learning model

Understanding how we communicate is not enough. We must have access to what we know in the moment, when we are deeply involved in problematic communication. That's why we use an experiential approach in which participants actually get out of their chairs and do things. The doing itself becomes practice and heightens understanding and retention.

Our approach is unusual. Far from the dry, laptop-driven format of most corporate presentations these days, the workshop is highly interactive and experiential. Not only is the method effective as a training tool, it's lively and fun.

Target audience

This is one workshop that brings benefits to everyone. There's no need to segregate participants by profession, by specialty or by "org chart level" — in fact, this workshop gives your organization a way to bring together people from diverse parts of the organization.

Workshop duration

Formats are available in lengths from one hour to one day. In the longer formats, we can go deeper, and the learning experience can be much more significant. But even in the shorter formats, participants regularly report that they had fun and learned a lot.

Currently scheduled public events

Here is a currently scheduled public event for this program:

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Columbus, Ohio: July 10, Dinner Meeting, Central Ohio Chapter of the Project Management Institute.
 

If you would like to observe this event to help you evaluate the suitability of this program for your organization, please contact me to arrange for VIP admission.


Contact Information
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Richard Brenner
Chaco Canyon Consulting
700 Huron Avenue, Suite 11J
Cambridge MA, 02138

Phone: (617) 491-6289
Toll-free: (866) 378-5470 in the continental US
Fax: (617) 395-2628
Email: rbrenner@ChacoCanyon.com
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