BUS3078 - Communication Skills for Success (formerly known as Global Communication Series)

Course Description

Communication Skills for Success
Effective communication skills continue to be in demand in today’s global work environment. Modules in this program are designed to build upon each other. Enhance your foundational communication skills, then progress toward working collaboratively with others. New modules include Critical Thinking Skills and Tips for Creative Presentations.

Modules include:
Communication Starts with Me
Learning how the key communication components can influence the outcome is important to understanding our own personal communication. Our word choices and body language play crucial roles in communicating our ideas, thoughts and feelings. Cultural differences can also impact the perception and interpretation of nonverbal communication. Learn how to best communicate in a manner that positively impacts the success of your message. Topics include:

• Communication and Perception
• Words Matter
• The Power of Body Language 

Hello, Can Anyone Hear Me?

In today’s fast-paced, multi-media world, how well do you really listen and understand what is going on around you? Learning to be an effective listener can improve communication between individuals. Assess your current listening skills and learn to change behaviors that hamper your communication.

Tips for Creative Presentations
Does public speaking make you nervous? You’re not alone! Planning, preparing and presenting “mini-packages” will hold your audience’s attention and entice them to want to hear more from you. Learn different techniques that also target specific audiences based on Hawaii’s rich and uniquely cultural diverse population.

Communicating with Your Customers
The use of technology is vital to our daily communication. Whether we communicate through emails or hold conversations on the phone, etiquette is important. Cultural factors can also create diverse communication challenges and situations. When you develop an understanding of differences and experiences, it helps to promote acceptance and respect for other ideas and viewpoints. Topics include:

• Email and Phone Communication
• Inter- and Cross-cultural Communication

Teambuilding
Successful organizations rely on teamwork. Teamwork is a key component of employee engagement. Everyone has an agenda when participating in groups, but success starts with identifying each person’s strengths and what they bring to the table. Whether you’re a leader or a follower, both make valuable contributions to the overall success of the team and the organization. Topics include:

• Working in Teams
• Communicating in Groups
• Do You Lead or Follow?

Collaborative Solutions
In the work environment, you may have to inform, persuade, negotiate, critique, inspire and motivate others. Learning to treat others with respect and courtesy, in spite of differences, can help you to improve relationships and strengthen teamwork within a diverse cultural group. Topics include:

• Think Teams
• Critical Thinking Skills
• Resolving Conflict Through Negotiation

Course Outline

Learner Outcomes

Communication Starts with Me
By the end of the program, participants will be able to:

• Identify their level of communication apprehension in personal, public and group situations.
• Communicate with words that effectively help to convey their thoughts and feelings.
• Communicate using appropriate non-verbal skills in different situations.

Hello, Can Anyone Hear Me?
By the end of the program, participants will be able to:

• Practice the differences between hearing and listening.
• Identify personal listening strengths and areas to improve on.
• Identify appropriate questions to ask to improve understanding.
• Practice effective listening skills.

Tips for Creative Presentations
By the end of the program, participants will be able to:

• Prepare an audience analysis to determine specific needs.
• Organize and prepare talking points for a presentation.
• Select information to support and clarify ideas for a presentation.
• Prepare visual aids that will help your audience better understand concepts or ideas.
• Deliver a presentation using effective verbal and non-verbal skills.

Communicating with Customers
By the end of the program, participants will be able to:

• Use appropriate etiquette when communicating in emails.
• Use appropriate etiquette when communicating on the phone.
• Practice skills to improve intercultural and cross-cultural communication skills.
• Identify generational and regional differences and adapt communication styles to respective individuals.
• Use verbal and nonverbal skills that are appropriate for culturally diverse groups.

Teambuilding
By the end of the program, participants will be able to:

• Identify the roles they prefer to take on in groups.
• Choose an appropriate decision-making method as a team.
• Differentiate between individualistic and collectivistic cultures.
• Choose the appropriate leadership style for various scenarios.
• Practice effective leadership roles.

Collaborative Solutions
By the end of the program, participants will be able to:

• Make decisions that benefit the majority of the group and future outcomes.
• Learn about topics as a team that will lead to a better assessment of relevant issues and problems.
• Establish criteria to measure solution effectiveness.
• Analyze data sets and provide recommendations for solutions.
• Select the appropriate conflict management style to resolve differences.
• Negotiate desirable outcomes in an ethical and fair manner.
• Promote values and civility in the work environment.

Communication Skills for Success
By the end of the entire program, participants will be able to:

• Communicate with words that effectively help to convey thoughts and feelings.
• Communicate using appropriate non-verbal skills in different situations.
• Identify relevant questions to ask to improve understanding.
• Deliver a presentation using effective verbal and non-verbal skills.
• Use proper communication skills for culturally diverse groups.
• Work with team members to choose a suitable decision-making method.
• Make decisions that benefit the majority of the group and future outcomes.

Notes

If you are a student with a documented disability and have not voluntarily disclosed the nature of your disability so that we may coordinate the accommodations you need, you are invited to contact the Disability Support Services Office (DSSO) in ‘Ilima 107, ph.734-9552, or email kapdss@hawaii.edu for assistance. For students whose primary disability is Deaf or hard of hearing, contact the KCC Deaf Center at ph. 734-9210 (V), 447-1379 (videophone), or email kapdeaf1@hawaii.edu.

Please note: you will need to contact Kapi’olani CC’s DSSO or Deaf Center to request accommodations in a Kapi’olani CC course even if you’ve already registered or are receiving services at another UH campus’s disability support program.

Kapi‘olani Community College Refund/Drop Policy:

100% refund: Notification to Non-Credit Registration made 10 business days or more prior to start date of course.

50% refund: Notification to Non-Credit Registration made 5-9 business days prior to start date of course.

0% refund: Notification to Non-Credit Registration made less than 5 business days prior to start date of
course.

Recommendations

• Knowledge of global geography, politics and economies.
• Effective verbal, non-verbal, and written communication skills with respect to similarities and differences within cultures and languages.
• Knowledge and application of global business etiquette and protocol.
• Awareness of educational practices.
• Awareness of gender and generational roles.
• Awareness of social and business trends.