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INTRODUCTION
Communication skills are critical to the success of any construction project. Without it, even the best-designed project risks failure and inefficiency. Regardless of your position on a project team, communicating clearly and precisely as well as actively listening is essential. This communication skills program will help both the design and construction team members communicate effectively and with more practice they will become master communicators. The outcome is obvious, a collaborative relationship and a synergetic team’s performance, resulting in successful projects. The program will provide participants with the right tools to communicate, influence, persuade, and negotiate with all project stakeholders.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
This comprehensive two-day communication skills program presents an in-depth communication tools and techniques. It is designed by a senior project manager for the training and development of project managers. It is based on many years of communicating in a project environment with difficult team members and challenging situations. Participants will learn how to deal with clients, contractors, suppliers, and other key project stakeholders.
PROGRAM OBJECTIVES
This interactive two-day communication skills development program has three objectives.
 To identify and explain many of the critical issues related to communication on construction projects;
Secondly, to provide participants with solid communication tools and techniques;
Thirdly, to enhance participants’ performance on the job and enable them to become master communicators.
PROGRAM FORMAT AND METHODOLOGY
The participants will be given opportunities to practice what they learned via in class exercises as well as on the job assignments. The facilitator uses video demos, practice sessions, role playing, and case studies to achieve the course objectives. Participants are expected to practice what they learned outside the class on their job sites and report on the tools’ effectiveness in improving communication with their team members.
PROGRAM DELIVERY TIME FRAME/SCHEDULE
The Program is designed to be delivered in two one-day modules delivered over a two months time period to allow participants to practice what they learn. The first two days focus on basic communication skills; the second two days address advanced communication skills. The last two days focus on the applications of the tools learned in the first four days to real life situation. Each day starts with a review of the previous day through participants reporting on the effectiveness of what was learned in the previous module. Each module ends with a homework assignment to assist participants in their applications.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
The program is designed to address the communication needs of project management team members and other project stakeholders. It will benefit Project Managers, Project Officers, Contract Officers, or anyone who is involved in managing any construction project.
SPECIFIC LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Upon completion of this two-day program, participants will be able to:
Produce results through effective communications;
Use communication skills rather than position power to achieve a project goal;
Enhance trust and communication within a project team;
Deal effectively with difficult and challenging situations in any projects;
Use listening skills for maximum effectiveness;
Understand and appreciate the importance of body language;
Check assumptions and confirm perceptions;
Reduce and manage project conflicts;
Make adequate project decisions;
Conduct win-win negotiations with contractors and consultants; and,
Run project meetings effectively and efficiently.
COMMUNICATION SKILLS SURVIVAL TOOLKIT
Participants will take home a communication tool box. This is a collection of checklists and tools that will enable the participants to become a master communicators.
FACILITATOR:
Dr. Sami Fahmy is a Global Registered Educational Provider (R.E.P) with the Project Management Institute (PMI). Dr. Fahmy has more ten years of project management teaching experience. He has extensive experience as a teacher and instructor of project management programs and has taught them at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT), the University of Calgary, and the PMI (Edmonton PMI Chapter). He is presently teaching four project management courses at the University of Alberta. He also teaches construction management course with the University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Dr. Fahmy is a professional engineer and Project Management Professional (PMP) with more than 30 years of hands-on experience covering a wide range of project management technical areas. He has managed hundreds of successful projects
of varying size and complexity. Dr. Fahmy’s expertise covers a wide range of topics including: project management, risk management, alternative project delivery, quality management, problem solving, decision making, contract administration, and communication skills.
DAY ONE
Basic communication tools
Morning Session: Understanding Communication and Speaking Skills
In a project environment, team members relay on one another to keep the lines of communication open at all times. This is only possible if team members are skilled communicators and are able to convey their messages effectively. Open and honest communications enhance the productivity and trust among team members. The following topics will be covered in detail in this session:
Project environment and its impact on communication and relationships;
The Communication Process;
Characteristics of good communication;
Communication blockers and how to eliminate them;
Delivery of positive and negative feedback;
Creating trust through proper communication;
Questioning and clarifying techniques, when and how to use them;
Getting good answers by asking good questions;
Expressing yourself tactfully and assertively;
Five speaking tools and techniques; and,
Individual and team exercises to enforce the learning.
Afternoon Session: Improving Listening Skills
Listening is much harder than what most people think. Listening requires focused attention and an open mind. In this session participants will learn how to listen rather than just hearing. The following topics will be covered in detail:
Definitions and difference between listening and hearing;
Barriers to effective listening;
Ten reasons why we should listen actively;
Three stages of listening: hearing, understanding, and comprehending;
Active listening does not come naturally;
Guidelines for active listening;
Ten ways to improve your listening skills;
Basic listening skills, such as: encourage, summarize, clarify, question, probe, and paraphrase;
Advanced listening skills such as: reflect, empathize, validate, disarm, and reframing; and,
Individual and team exercises to enforce the learning.
Day Two
Basic Communication Skills
Morning Session: Understanding Non-verbal Clues
Non-verbal feedback between team participants can take many forms. It can enhance or hinder understanding and relationships among team members. Eye contact, paying attention to speakers, and letting them know that you understand their feelings and concerns will contribute greatly to removing barriers among project team members. Simply put, it is not what you say; it is how you say it. The following topics will be covered in detail in this session:
What, who, how, and when of nonverbal communication
Why non-verbal communications is critically important
Understanding of non-verbal clues
Solving the mysteries of eye language;
Interpreting facial expressions;
Comprehending hand and arm gestures;
Reading body gestures and use of space;
Decoding clothing and grooming issues;
Matching your body language to your message; and,
Individual and team exercises to enforce the learning.
Afternoon Session: Assumptions and perceptions
How do project managers make decisions? Most of them use assumptions and perception to guide them in arriving at decisions. In communicating with each other, our perception of reality is far more important than reality. We also form impressions of other team members in the first few minutes of our meeting, and then support these decisions by making predictions about their behaviors. The following topics will be covered in detail in this session:
Definitions;
Your perception may be based on wrong assumptions;
Perception can be faulty, ways to check it;
Common perceptual errors in communication;
Influence of cultural filters and emotions on perception;
Factors that influence our perception of reality;
Impact of perception on communication and decision making;
The process of perception;
Five ways to improve perception;
Assumptions can be risky, very risky;
Keys to testing assumptions; and,
Individual and team exercises to enforce the learning.
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