Effective Communication by Choice: Steve Kay

“Steve’s framework is very clear, very practical.”

“I like the small group, intense discussion, skills application and practice.”

“I found Steve’s “Authentic Partnership” model to be a useful tool for approaching tense conversations.”

“I learned a lot of self awareness in my communication.”

 –comments from participants in the Effective Communication by Choice track

Effective Communication by Choice
Based on the Authentic Partnership™ model

Track Description
Effective Communication by Choice is an approach to communication that provides practical ways to handle both ordinary and challenging communication more effectively. Based on the Authentic PartnershipÔ model, this approach increases the chances that our efforts in communication will be effective, and that our helpful intentions will translate into good relationships that make future communication more likely to be effective. This workshop presents materials designed to equip participants for guided practice in applying the approach to authentic situations. Guided practice with individual feedback constitutes the balance of the workshop. Participants in this workshop learn ways to analyze their present interactions and develop practical options for dealing with both ordinary and challenging situations. The workshop emphasizes continuously improved performance by each participant and by the groups they compose.

Two Key Values
The Authentic Partnership™ model includes two key values: maximum understanding and maximum choice.  These two values apply in two realms, which for shorthand we will refer to as the internal realm and the external realm.  The internal realm refers to the thoughts in our own minds, including the choices we make about how we communicate with others.  The external realm refers to actions we take in the world and includes the people with whom we interact.

Internal Realm
In the internal realm, the Authentic Partnership™  model provides tools that help us gain understanding of the choices open to us in three related ways:

• understanding of the underlying motivation behind our present communication choices (what motivates us);
• understanding of a wider range of communication choices available to us than at first may be apparent (what choices we have);
• understanding of strategies for making effective communication choices among those options (what strategies can help).

External Realm
In the external realm, which includes all our communication partners, the Authentic Partnership™  model provides tools and strategies that help ensure as much understanding and choice as possible for our communication partners:

• about the way we communicate with them;
• about the substance of what we wish to communicate to them.

In sum, then, the Authentic Partnership™ model is about providing understanding and choice for ourselves as a basis for providing understanding and choice for others.  Taken together, these applications of understanding and choice combine to increase the effectiveness of our communication in a wide range of specific situations.

Five Guidelines  
Five guidelines offer concrete and specific directions for keeping our actions consistent with the two key values. The guidelines reveal the underlying notions of the key values and put those notions in practical terms.  The five guidelines are:

• Share all relevant information
• Explain your reasoning and intent
• Test assumptions and inferences
• Combine advocacy with inquiry
• Jointly design next steps

The first three guidelines are most directly related to maximum understanding. The last two are most directly related to maximum choice.

The Authentic Partnership™  model
The graphic below illustrates the parts of the model and the relationship among the parts.

Workshop
The Effective Communication by Choice workshop is typically structured as a one-day or two-day initial workshop and one or more shorter follow-up sessions that reinforce understanding of the Authentic Partnership™ model and the ability to apply the model to ongoing efforts.  Participants in the workshop learn ways to analyze their present interactions and develop practical options for dealing with both ordinary and challenging situations. The workshop emphasizes continuously improved performance by each participant and by the groups they compose.

The opening part of the workshop presents materials designed to equip participants for guided practice in applying the approach to authentic situations. Guided practice, which constitutes the balance of the workshop, allows the workshop to be tailored completely to the specific needs and practical experiences of the participants. The initial presentation of materials includes a description of the Authentic Partnership™;  model and its elements, and introduction to two related tools for developing a fuller understanding of effective communication.

For a more detailed description, visit www.robertsandkay.com

Track Limit: 10