Improving Communication Skills

Go to Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/wharton-communication-skills

Introduction

**Course Review: Improving Communication Skills on Coursera** In today's fast-paced, interconnected world, the ability to communicate effectively is more crucial than ever. The online course "Improving Communication Skills," taught by the esteemed Wharton professor Maurice Schweitzer, promises to transform your interpersonal skills, helping you navigate workplace dynamics and achieve your professional goals. ### Overview This course is designed for professionals looking to elevate their communication skills to succeed in team collaborations, negotiations, and personal interactions. Maurice Schweitzer, an award-winning educator and best-selling author, provides unique insights into the complexities of communication, backed by research and real-life applications. The course is structured around interactive modules, focusing on cooperation, trust, deception, and effective communication—all vital components for anyone looking to improve their workplace interactions. ### Syllabus Breakdown 1. **Cooperation, Competition, and Comparisons:** In the first module, you'll delve into the delicate balance between competition and cooperation. Schweitzer explores three essential principles—scarcity, sociability, and dynamic instability—equipping you with the skills to assess when to collaborate and when to compete. This module also emphasizes the importance of positive comparisons to motivate yourself and others, steering clear from harmful, invidious comparisons that can breed resentment. By the end, you’ll be better prepared to foster productive interactions, balancing assertiveness with teamwork. 2. **Trust:** Establishing trust is integral to successful communication and teamwork. In this module, you’ll learn how to cultivate trust through vulnerability and rapport-building. Schweitzer’s insights on expressing warmth and uncovering shared goals will enable you to create deeper, more meaningful connections with colleagues and clients alike. By mastering these elements, you’ll boost cooperation and achieve mutual satisfaction in your professional relationships. 3. **Deception:** Understanding deception, its cues, and how to respond is vital for any professional. This module equips you with the tools to detect deceit and determine the gravity of the situation. Schweitzer offers practical advice on handling deception when it arises, along with insights on crafting effective apologies when necessary. By developing these skills, you'll become more adept at navigating difficult conversations and maintaining integrity in your communications. 4. **Effective Communication:** The final module focuses on the core principles of effective communication. You’ll learn how to craft impactful messages, pose insightful questions, and engage in active listening. Moreover, the module covers the importance of selecting the right communication medium to enhance message clarity—be it face-to-face conversations, video conferences, or emails. The emphasis on goal-setting within this context will enable you to maximize your communicative effectiveness, driving both personal and professional success. ### Recommendation "Improving Communication Skills" is a highly recommended course for anyone seeking to refine their interpersonal communication in a professional setting. The real-world applications of the strategies taught, combined with Professor Schweitzer’s engaging teaching style, make this course not only informative but also enjoyable. Whether you are an aspiring leader, a seasoned professional, or someone looking to improve personal relationships, this course offers valuable insights that can help you navigate a variety of social interactions. Enroll in this course to elevate your communication skills, foster trust, and enhance your ability to convey messages effectively. After completing this course, you'll find yourself not only communicating better but also enjoying richer, more productive interactions both at work and beyond.

Syllabus

Cooperation, Competition, and Comparisons

In this module, you'll learn when to compete and when to cooperate to achieve success. You’ll explore the three key principles of cooperation and competition: scarcity, sociability and dynamic instability, and learn how to determine which approach to use based on your situation. You'll also discover how to use comparisons to provide motivation, and how to avoid "invidious" comparisons which can lead to discouragement or unethical behavior. By the end of this module, you'll be able to attain a better balance between competitive motivation and cooperative satisfaction to make your interactions more productive and successful.

In this module, you'll explore how to gain and built trust to develop cooperation, and understand why this critical step can be so challenging. You'll examine the factors that develop a trusting relationship: demonstrating vulnerability, building rapport, and expressing warmth, and learn how to increase trust by uncovering common goals, common enemies, and interdependence. You'll also learn how to communicate with team members, friends, and opponents in a way that encourages trust. By the end of this module, you’ll understand how to build trusting relationships to achieve cooperation and mutual satisfaction.

In this module, you’ll learn what deception is, how to detect it, and what to do once you know it's taken place. You'll examine the most common cues that indicate deception and explore practical steps to take when you discover deception. You'll also be able to evaluate deceptions and transgressions to determine whether they are core or non-core violations. Finally, you'll analyze the components of successful apologies, so you can create your own, if necessary. By the conclusion of this module, you'll be able to better detect deception, and devise an appropriate reaction that will help you achieve your objectives.

This module was designed to teach you both the key principles of effective communication, and how to harness the power of setting goals to improve your performance. You’ll learn how to create memorable and persuasive messages, ask thoughtful questions, engage in active listening, and choose the right medium (face-to-face conversation, video conference, phone call, or email) for your messages. You'll also learn the how to use goal setting for maximum benefit while avoiding the common pitfalls of overly ambitious targets. By the end of this module, you'll be able to communicate effectively using the right medium, and use goal-setting to increase your productivity and boost your performance.