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Henry - Don’t Forget to hit record!

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CyberAmbassadors�Professional Skills for Interdisciplinary Work

Let’s Talk: Communicating a problem

Facilitated by: Dr. Jason Simms

2023 Virtual Residency, June 28th

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Acknowledgements

The CyberAmbassadors program was developed by Katy Luchini-Colbry and Dirk Colbry, evaluated by Julie Rojewski and Astri Briliyanti, and appreciates the efforts of our many volunteer facilitators. Program materials are protected under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 International License. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 1730137. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

The CyberAmbassadors program was developed with contributions and feedback from many sources, including:

Teaming Up includes substantial contributions from David Cribbs and Mark Luchini.
Speaking Up is adapted and expanded from Effective Presentation Skills by Tau Beta Pi Engineering Futures.
Leading the Change and Leading with Principles are informed by materials developed for the Entering Mentoring program and provided by cimerproject.org.

Additional sources are noted throughout the materials. Graphics and images are original creations, part of Google apps, or free for commercial use without attribution from pixabay.com. For more information, please contact colbryka@msu.edu.

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Chatter

Type your response into the chat window, but WAIT to hit enter
Listen for the countdown�(three, two, one, CHAT!)
Hit enter and watch the responses �scroll through the chat window!

ONLINE ADAPTATION - Chatter Instructions�

Chatter Setup

If you choose to use the Chatter tool for online trainings, be sure to go through all of the slides, decide where you want to include Chatters, and add Chatter slides as appropriate

Chatter Instructions

Tell participants that you’ll be doing Chatter exercises throughout the training, and explain how this works:

You’ll ask a question
Participants will type their responses into the chat window, but WAIT to hit enter (which posts their answer into the chat)
You’ll give a few moments for participants to type their responses, then do a countdown (three, two, one, CHAT!)
When the countdown ends, everyone hits enter at the same time and all of the responses scroll through the chat window

Notes:

Chatter is a great way to get quick feedback and encourage lively participation in online trainings, particularly when there are large numbers of participants
Often, people feel awkward being the “first” to respond to a question asked during an online training

By asking everyone to type their response but wait before submitting, you are encouraging individual reflection and participation while removing the stress of “going first”

Asking for responses in chat, rather than having participants unmute and respond aloud, gives you more control over the timing of the exercise

You can simply call out a few responses and move on to the next slide
Or, you can use the Chatter response as the basis for more detailed discussion (either in chat or by having participants unmute and speak)

Encouraging participants to engage through chat is an inclusive approach for online trainings, where not everyone may be able to participate by speaking or with video due to a lack of bandwidth, equipment, or a sufficiently private space from which to join the training

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Chatter

Where in the world �are you zooming from?

ONLINE ADAPTATION - Chatter Example

Chatter Setup

Demonstrate how Chatter works with a straightforward question that is easy for participants to answer, but that will provide for a variety of responses
“Where in the world are you zooming from” is often a good demonstration question, as it gives you a sense of who is participating in the training.
You may want to ask a different question depending on your audience and what type of information you’d like to know; for example:

Where do you work or attend school?
What is your major or area of expertise?
What is your current professional status? (undergraduate, graduate student, working professional, retiree)
What is one thing you’re hoping to learn during this training?

Chatter Activity

Display the slide with the Chatter question
Remind participants to type their response into chat but WAIT to hit enter
Give participants a little time to find their chat window and type a response
Give a brief countdown (3, 2, 1, Chat!)
As the responses scroll through the chat window, call out a few examples

Image available free for commercial use without attribution from: https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2017/01/31/23/06/communicate-2028004_960_720.png

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Learning Goals

By the end of this session, participants will have the knowledge and skills to:

Define effective problem solving and effective communication
Identify the characteristics of three common types of problems
Describe the impact of communication style and list factors that can influence individual styles
Illustrate the use of expectations and observations to invite conversation and avoid arguments
Reflect on the training and identify areas where they can apply what they’ve learned

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Agenda

Defining Effective Problem Solving
Types of Problems and Solutions
Impact of Communication Style
Communication Practice

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How do we define a Problem?

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Chatter

How do we define a Problem?

ONLINE ADAPTATION - Chatter

Chatter Setup

Demonstrate how Chatter works with a straightforward question that is easy for participants to answer, but that will provide for a variety of responses
“Where in the world are you zooming from” is often a good demonstration question, as it gives you a sense of who is participating in the training.
You may want to ask a different question depending on your audience and what type of information you’d like to know; for example:

Where do you work or attend school?
What is your major or area of expertise?
What is your current professional status? (undergraduate, graduate student, working professional, retiree)
What is one thing you’re hoping to learn during this training?

Chatter Activity

Display the slide with the Chatter question
Remind participants to type their response into chat but WAIT to hit enter
Give participants a little time to find their chat window and type a response
Give a brief countdown (3, 2, 1, Chat!)
As the responses scroll through the chat window, call out a few examples

Image available free for commercial use without attribution from: https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2017/01/31/23/06/communicate-2028004_960_720.png

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Definition of a Problem

From Google Dictionary

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How do we define a problem?�https://www.skillsyouneed.com/ips/problem-solving

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How do we define a solution?�https://www.skillsyouneed.com/ips/problem-solving

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How do we define an effective solution?�https://hbr.org/2020/02/how-to-mend-a-work-relationship

&

Solve the Problem

Remove barriers
Find a solution
Implement the plan

Maintain the Relationship

Build teamwork
Strengthen connections
Foundation for future success

NOTE: this is an animated slide.

Effective Solutions

For the purposes of this training, we define an effective solution as one that both solves the current problem and maintains the relationships with others involved in the problem-solving process
Solving the problem means removing barriers, finding a solution, and implementing it
Maintaining the relationship means working together, preserving and building connections, and building a strong foundation for success when new problems arise in the future
It’s important to balance both of these goals in order to identify a successful solution

Focusing only on the problem and ignoring the needs of the people trying to solve it may lead to unhappiness, less productivity, and in the worst case people leaving to work elsewhere (e.g., bosses who yell or who require unreasonable work hours don’t inspire their employees to do their best or to stay at the job long-term)
Focusing only on the relationships and ignoring the problem-solving process means you’re not actually getting the work done! (e.g., groups that prioritize social activities over work, or that prioritize the personal relationship dynamics, rather than the professional relationships, may not be able to solve problems efficiently)

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Agenda

Defining Effective Problem Solving
Types of Problems and Solutions
Impact of Communication Style
Communication Practice

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Whose problem is it?

Other people come to us with a technical problem.
We have a problem with with someone else.

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Example problem solving

Question: I started my Matlab interaction session and it went crashed every time I start my code. Could you help me find out where the problem is?

Response: The failure may due to the out-of-memory. Please increase the memory size and try again.

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Example problem solving

Question: May I ask if the password for the sudo command is the same one as my log-in password? I tried to use the "sudo python setup.py install" under python directory, but it seems that my sudo password does not match my hpc log-in password. – Pat

Response: Hi Pat, sudo is not allowed for users. If you want to use pip, please install Anaconda. Instructions can be found HERE - Best, Chris

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We Have �a Problem

Example Problem Scenario

As an example scenario, let’s consider a production line in a factory that makes widgets
Assume that I am the line manager, and ask the members of the night shift to increase production speed so we can make more widgets, faster
What types of problems might prevent them from doing this?

FACILITATION NOTE: invite participants to brainstorm different sources/types of problems; the notes below are included as suggestions if you need ideas.

Don’t know how
Not enough materials
Assembly line won’t run faster
Equipment is old
Parts are broken
Broke their leg
Can’t read
Don’t have transportation
Scheduled to do something else at the same time
Don’t want to work faster
They think it is difficult
They want to be on day shift, because they’re too tired at night to work effectively
They’re bored by the production process
They’d rather chat during their shift breaks

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Chatter

What are some possible causes of our problem?

ONLINE ADAPTATION - Chatter

Chatter Setup

Demonstrate how Chatter works with a straightforward question that is easy for participants to answer, but that will provide for a variety of responses
“Where in the world are you zooming from” is often a good demonstration question, as it gives you a sense of who is participating in the training.
You may want to ask a different question depending on your audience and what type of information you’d like to know; for example:

Where do you work or attend school?
What is your major or area of expertise?
What is your current professional status? (undergraduate, graduate student, working professional, retiree)
What is one thing you’re hoping to learn during this training?

Chatter Activity

Display the slide with the Chatter question
Remind participants to type their response into chat but WAIT to hit enter
Give participants a little time to find their chat window and type a response
Give a brief countdown (3, 2, 1, Chat!)
As the responses scroll through the chat window, call out a few examples

Image available free for commercial use without attribution from: https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2017/01/31/23/06/communicate-2028004_960_720.png

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Categories of problems

Ability Problems�
Motivational Problems�
Interpersonal Problems

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Ability Problems�“I can’t do this”

Lack of resources�
Lack of knowledge�
Lack of skills�
Lack of experience

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Solving Ability Problems

Ask questions: what is going on?
Listen carefully: is this really an ability problem?
Avoid assumptions: don’t jump to conclusions or solutions until you understand
Work collaboratively to identify a solution: what needs to change?

NOTE: this is an animated slide.

Solving Ability Problems

To solve an ability problem, it’s important to work together to understand the situation and identify what needs to be done
Ask questions to understand what’s really going on
Listen carefully to the answers, with the intent to understand rather than to problem solve
Avoid making assumptions -- often we jump right into problem-solving mode without truly understanding the situation first
Work with the other person to figure out the best solution; what is needed in order to solve the problem?

Widget Factory Example

Returning to the example of the widget factory, if we identify an ability problem we can work with our shift workers to resolve it
Perhaps they need additional workers or new materials or equipment upgrades, which could be provided to resolve the problem

Image available free for commercial use without attribution from: https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2020/10/11/17/20/icon-5646465__340.jpg

Image available free for commercial use without attribution from: https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2017/04/03/17/24/teamwork-2198961__340.png

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Motivational Problems�“I don’t want to do this”

Inconvenient�
Undesirable�
Difficult�
Boring

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Solving Motivational Problems

Ask questions: what is going on?

Listen carefully: is this really a motivational problem?
Avoid assumptions: don’t jump to conclusions or solutions until you understand

Motivate by communicating consequences

Natural consequences: what is the impact on the task?
Imposed consequences: what is the impact on the person?

Follow up to ensure an effective solution (solve problem + maintain relationship)

NOTE: this is an animated slide.

Solving Motivational Problems

To solve a motivational problem, we again want to understand the situation and identify what needs to be done
Ask questions to understand what’s really going on
Listen carefully to the answers, with the intent to understand rather than to problem solve
Avoid making assumptions -- often we jump right into problem-solving mode without truly understanding the situation first
Unlike ability problems, when there’s a motivational problem you can’t assume that the other person is interested in collaborating with you to solve it -- you need to MOTIVATE them!
Motivate them to do the work by communicating the consequences of not doing it

Communicating Consequences

Natural consequences are those that happen automatically if the problem is not solved
Imposed consequences are those that you create in an effort to provide external motivation

Follow Up

It’s important to follow up after resolving a motivational problem, to make sure that you’ve actually found an effective solution (one that solves the problem and maintains the relationship)

If you’ve motivated the person based on natural consequences, by convincing them of the importance of the task, they’re more likely to stay motivated to do the work in the future
If you’ve motivated with imposed consequences, then you may have to continue to impose consequences in the future to get the person to do the task again
If you fail to follow up, you’re less likely to find an effective solution

Widget Factory Example

Returning to the example of widget factory, how can we motivate our team to increase production?
We can communicate a natural consequence, like if we don’t increase production numbers we can’t fulfill suppliers’ requests
Or we can impose a consequence, like losing a bonus for not meeting production quotas

Image available free for commercial use without attribution from: https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2020/10/11/17/20/icon-5646465__340.jpg

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Interpersonal Problems �“You can’t make me do this”

Personality conflicts�
Negative experiences�
Lack of mutual respect�
Misunderstandings

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Solving Interpersonal Problems

Ask questions and listen carefully: what is going on?

Acknowledge emotion without judgement (“that seems really challenging”)
Avoid assumptions: don’t jump to conclusions or solutions until you understand
Consider both sides: where might you be wrong?
Pay attention to communication style differences, and adjust accordingly

Work collaboratively to repair the relationship first, then consider problem solving

NOTE: this is an animated slide.

Solving Interpersonal Problems

To solve an interpersonal problem, we again want to understand the situation and identify what needs to be done
Ask questions to understand what’s really going on
Listen carefully to the answers, with the intent to understand rather than to problem solve
Acknowledge emotion without judgement; say “that seems really challenging” instead of “you’re obviously upset”
Avoid making assumptions -- often we jump right into problem-solving mode without truly understanding the situation first
Consider both sides of the situation, and what your role and responsibility might be in creating the problem
Work collaboratively to repair the relationship first, then you can consider ways to solve the problem

Widget Factory Example

Returning to the example of widget factory, imagine that one of the line workers bursts into tears (or starts yelling and stomping) when we ask them to increase production
These are signs that there might be an interpersonal problem; for example, the worker might be resistant to increasing production because we’ve hurt their feelings or they feel like we aren’t really seeing or paying attention to their needs
To solve this interpersonal problem, we need to spend time communicating and connecting with them to understand their concerns

Most people are naturally conflict-avoidant, and we may want to ignore interpersonal problems in the hope that they will go away on their own
Ignoring others’ feelings and concerns actually deepens interpersonal problems

We cannot effectively solve ability or motivational problems without addressing interpersonal issues first

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The Challenge of Strong Emotions�Patterson et al. (2012) Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High

Strong feelings can lead to a Fool’s Choice

A false dilemma between two (bad) options -- “cheat on a test or lose a scholarship”
In reality, there are alternative solutions

Reschedule the test, complete extra credit, ask for help, get a job,�take a semester off, find a tutor, apply for other financial aid ….

Strong feelings can get in the way of logical thinking

Miscommunications and misunderstandings are common
Facts can be lost or confused
We want to win the argument, even if we are not on the “right” side

NOTE: this is an animated slide.

Why are interpersonal problems hard to resolve?

They usually involve strong, negative feelings -- and many people are often uncomfortable having or demonstrating feelings, particularly in professional contexts

Strong feelings can overwhelm

When we experience strong feelings, our logical minds can be overwhelmed
We may not be able to communicate effectively, and we may not fully understand what others are saying
We might overlook or confuse facts in the heat of an argument
Our natural desire to “win” can overwhelm our ability to determine what is the correct or best outcome

Strong feelings can lead to a “Fool’s Choice”

A Fool’s Choice is a false problem, where we are presented with two bad options; for example:

Tell a lie or lose a friend
Cheat on a test or lose a scholarship
Steal food or go hungry

In reality, there are alternatives available -- some of which may be good options, and some of which may be difficult to implement

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Addressing Strong Emotions�https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/the-smart-way-to-respond-to-negative-emotions-at-work/

Manage your own emotions

Stay calm and model effective coping behaviors (pauses, deep breathing, etc.)

Focus on the individual and their emotional needs

Problem solving can happen later

Acknowledge emotion without judgement

Ask neutral questions (“how are you doing?” “is everything OK?”)
Listen carefully and try to understand what is going on

NOTE: this is an animated slide.

How do we effectively address strong emotions?

It can be challenging and uncomfortable to address strong emotions at the time they are experienced
As a result, many people instinctively ignore strong emotions and/or avoid having conversations about them
Ignoring strong emotions can create interpersonal problems: the other person is having a hard time, and if we don’t acknowledge that it may seem like we don’t care
There are some simple steps we can take to make it easier to address strong emotions; remember this becomes easier with practice!

Manage your own emotions

It’s natural to feel heightened emotions in response to another person’s distress
In order to effectively address strong emotions, it is important to remain calm
Practice and model coping behaviors like pausing to take a few deep breaths and acknowledge the other person’s feelings

Acknowledge emotion without judgement

Ask open-ended, neutral questions
This acknowledges that the other person seems to be in distress, and lets them know that you notice and care
This gives the other person the opportunity to share, if they want
Don’t force a conversation - remember that the underlying challenge may not be a story the other person is able or ready to share
If the other person does share, focus on listening and trying to understand the situation
Provide encouraging feedback (“that sounds hard”) but allow them to do most of the talking

Focus on the individual and their emotional needs

The focus should be on making a connection (part of maintaining the relationship)
Don’t try to solve the problem, unless the other person asks for your help or advice

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Agenda

Defining Effective Problem Solving
Types of Problems and Solutions
Problem Solving Practice
Impact of Communication Style
Communication Practice

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Rehearsal Activity:�Problem Solving Process

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Your team has a report due in two days, right before the start of a 2-week holiday. Everyone is anxious to take a break and has been working overtime to compile the information. But when you reviewed the draft this morning, you realized there are significant inconsistencies.

What is the problem? How will you solve it?

FACILITATION NOTE: this example is is appropriate for mixed audiences (different ages, different experiences or backgrounds) as describes a generic “report due” scenario that is understandable to most adults

Activity Instructions

Review the different types of problems: ability (“I can’t do this”), motivational (“I don’t want to do this”), and interpersonal (“You can’t make me do this”) problems
Remind participants that real problems are often caused by a mixture of issues (ability, motivational, interpersonal)
Guide participants through the problem solving process (note that since we don’t know in advance which types of problems we will encounter, we are going to cover all of the possible steps)

Step 1: Understand the Problem and its Causes

The first step is trying to understand the problem and its underlying causes
In real-life, this would be done through questions and careful listening
For this exercise, encourage participants to brainstorm possible problems. Some ideas include:

Ability issues: the team members lack necessary skills or knowledge; the project is not well defined; the inconsistencies may be the result of problems with the analysis process or the underlying dataset
Motivational issues: the team is tired; the team is overworked; the team is ready for a break, and not interested in continuing to work at this pace to solve the problem
Interpersonal issues: not everyone on the team contributes the same level of effort, and some try to sabotage others’ work out of resentment; one of the team members is an outsider and doesn’t get along well with everyone else, so didn’t run their results past anyone else and that generated inconsistencies

Step 2: Identify Potential Solutions

Select one potential problem for the participants to focus on for the next step, which is identifying potential solutions

Make sure participants understand that you would NOT just “pick” a goal when solving a problem; however, since they can’t actually talk to the people in the scenario it’s okay to just pick a goal for this exercise

As an example, here are some possible solutions if you choose “the team is tired” as the key source of the problem:

Extend the project deadline
Add additional personnel to the project team
Bring in coffee and food to sustain a last-minute push to the deadline
Start the shut-down break early, and finish the project afterwards
Send everyone home for the day and resume work tomorrow morning once the team members have had some rest

Step 3: Identify Potential Consequences

Consequences should only be communicated to motivate, if needed
For this exercise, it can be helpful to identify potential consequences (natural and imposed) to help participants understand the process
As an example, here are some potential consequences if you choose “the team is tired” as the key source of the problem

Natural consequences: if the team is pushed to work past capacity, they won’t be as effective and may not achieve optimal results
Imposed consequences: if the team is pushed to work past capacity, they might quit

Step 4: Identify Implementation and Follow Up Plans

Select one potential solution and help participants think through the implementation and follow up processes

What needs to be done? By whom? By what deadline?
How will you know if the solution worked?
What type of follow up is required to ensure that the solution was successful? To avoid similar problems in the future?

Activity Debrief

Debrief the participants after this exercise: how did it go? Did it seem easy or difficult? Did it seem realistic? Is this harder in real life?
Remind participants that in this example we covered all of the possible steps of the problem solving process (e.g., identifying consequences, following up); however, that may not be helpful in real life situations

Sometimes we are so anxious to fix a situation that we try to think of potential causes, solutions, consequences, etc., in advance
If we go into a problem-diagnosis situation with a preconceived idea of what is happening, then we aren’t really trying to diagnosis the current problem
Communicating consequences or implementing follow-up plans isn’t always necessary (especially for simple ability problems), and if they are used inappropriately they can actually create interpersonal conflicts

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Your team has a reporting deadline in two days, right before the start of a 2-week shutdown. Everyone is anxious to take a break and has been pushing hard to get the release finished on time. But this morning’s results show new inconsistencies in the data analysis.

What is the problem? How will you solve it?

FACILITATION NOTE: this example is most appropriate for technically-savvy audiences, and tends to spark interesting conversations about the various interpretations of jargon like “shutdown” and “release”

Activity Instructions

Review the different types of problems: ability (“I can’t do this”), motivational (“I don’t want to do this”), and interpersonal (“You can’t make me do this”) problems
Remind participants that real problems are often caused by a mixture of issues (ability, motivational, interpersonal)
Guide participants through the problem solving process

Step 1: Understand the Problem and its Causes

The first step is trying to understand the problem and its underlying causes
In real-life, this would be done through questions and careful listening
For this exercise, encourage participants to brainstorm possible problems. Some ideas include:

Ability issues: the team members lack necessary skills or knowledge; the project is not well defined; the inconsistencies may be the result of problems with the analysis process or the underlying dataset
Motivational issues: the team is tired; the team is overworked; the team is ready for a break, and not interested in continuing to work at this pace to solve the problem

Step 2: Identify Potential Solutions

Select one potential problem for the participants to focus on for the next step, which is identifying potential solutions

Make sure participants understand that you would NOT just “pick” a goal when solving a problem; however, since they can’t actually talk to the people in the scenario it’s okay to just pick a goal for this exercise

As an example, here are some possible solutions if you choose “the team is tired” as the key source of the problem:

Extend the project deadline
Add additional personnel to the project team
Bring in coffee and food to sustain a last-minute push to the deadline
Start the shut-down break early, and finish the project afterwards
Send everyone home for the day and resume work tomorrow morning once the team members have had some rest

Step 3: Identify Potential Consequences

Consequences should only be communicated to motivate, if needed
For this exercise, it can be helpful to identify potential consequences (natural and imposed) to help participants understand the process
As an example, here are some potential consequences if you choose “the team is tired” as the key source of the problem

Natural consequences: if the team is pushed to work past capacity, they won’t be as effective and may not achieve optimal results
Imposed consequences: if the team is pushed to work past capacity, they might quit

Step 4: Identify Implementation and Follow Up Plans

Select one potential solution and help participants think through the implementation and follow up processes

What needs to be done? By whom? By what deadline?
How will you know if the solution worked?
What type of follow up is required to ensure that the solution was successful? To avoid similar problems in the future?

Activity Debrief

Debrief the participants after this exercise: how did it go? Did it seem easy or difficult? Did it seem realistic? Is this harder in real life?
Remind participants that in this example we covered all of the possible steps of the problem solving process (e.g., identifying consequences, following up); however, that may not be helpful in real life situations

Sometimes we are so anxious to fix a situation that we try to think of potential causes, solutions, consequences, etc., in advance
If we go into a problem-diagnosis situation with a preconceived idea of what is happening, then we aren’t really trying to diagnosis the current problem
Communicating consequences or implementing follow-up plans isn’t always necessary (especially for simple ability problems), and if they are used inappropriately they can actually create interpersonal conflicts

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Problem Solving Instructions:�Virtual Breakout Rooms

Add an underscore “ZZ_” to your zoom username if you will not be able to participate in the breakout rooms.
Accept the breakout room invitation, 4-5 people per room

Write down the room number, in case you need to rejoin later

The person whose first name comes FIRST alphabetically will be the timekeeper
Briefly introduce yourselves (name, company/organization, role)
Discuss the problem diagnosis example
Have someone take a few notes, so that your group can “report out” afterwards
At the end of the activity, everyone should go back to the large group for a debrief

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Notes for Nextime

Give better instructions

More details about what they should output

Tell the rooms how long they will be in there.

Calculate the number of rooms as (Total participants - ZZ_participants)/5

Don’t use the automatic calculator

Add a co-host so they can help with the rooms.

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ONLINE ADAPTATION: Problem Solving�Please see the slide notes for suggestions on how to adapt this activity for online delivery.

ONLINE ADAPTATION - Problem Solving

There are several ways to facilitate this exercise successfully in an online training, with pros/cons depending on the size and type of training.

Option 1: Breakout Groups

Assign participants to small breakout groups (4-6 individuals)
Give participants very specific instructions in advance of the breakout rooms; for example:

Accept the breakout room invitation, 4-6 people per room

Write down the room number, in case you need to rejoin later

The person whose first name comes FIRST alphabetically will be the timekeeper
Briefly introduce yourselves (name, company/organization, role)
Discuss the problem diagnosis example
Have someone take a few notes, so that your group can “report out” afterwards
At the end of the activity, everyone should go back to the large group for a debrief

Debrief participants as a large group after the rehearsal activity.

What were participants’ experiences during this rehearsal? Was it easier or more difficult than they expected?
What types of problems (or problem sources) did they identify?
What types of solutions did they come up with?

For this approach, the facilitator will need to:

Understand how to set up breakout sessions/rooms/groups within the videoconferencing software; support from a co-facilitator who can monitor technical issues is highly desirable
Establish a naming convention for participants to indicate if they cannot speak during a breakout session (e.g., they’re in a shared or noisy environment). For example, asking participants to put an underscore or asterisk in front of their name will help sort the list of participants and allow the facilitator to determine whether to group “typers” into a single breakout room or distribute them across rooms.
Provide participants with an external link to the instructions for the breakout session, which they can click on to view the instructions on a website or in a shared document while they are in the breakout rooms (most videoconference software doesn’t allow the presenter’s screen to remain shared during breakout rooms, so participants cannot refer back to the instructions they were given in the large session).

Option 2: Live Chat

Invite participants to respond in chat (or by unmuting and speaking)
Facilitate a discussion about the potential problems (or problem sources) that might exist in this example scenario
Facilitate a discussion about potential solutions for the problem(s) you identify
Reinforce the difference between ability (“I can’t do this”) and motivation (“I don’t want to do this”) problems, and remind participants that real problems are often caused by a mixture of ability and motivational issues
For this approach, the facilitator will need to:

Understand how the chat functionality works in the videoconference software

Option 3: Shared Notetaking Document

Invite participants to brainstorm potential problems and/or problem sources for this scenario in a shared document; the facilitator can call out notable responses in real time

This is a great way to engage participants in an activity - but can get chaotic when they are large numbers of participants (30 or less works okay for this)
This is a good option in situations where participants may not be able to speak out loud
This is NOT a good option in situations where participants do not have easy access to a keyboard, and may require participants to navigate away from the videoconference screen to use another browser

Select one or more problems from the list of suggestions, and Invite participants to brainstorm potential solutions in a shared document; the facilitator can call out notable responses in real time
For this approach, the facilitator will need to:

Create the document in advance, adding the title “Problem Diagnosis Rehearsal” to the top of the document (and the file name, to help ensure you share the right file!)
Decide how/where you want to brainstorm problems and solutions in the document: different pages? different columns of a table?
Set the file permissions so that anyone with the link can edit the document
Be prepared to copy/paste the document URL into the chat; remember that participants cannot click on or copy/paste a link that is displayed via shared screens

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Agenda

Defining Effective Problem Solving
Types of Problems and Solutions
Impact of Communication Style
Communication Practice

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So why is effective problem solving so hard?!

&

Solve �the �Problem

Maintain�the �Relationship

Trust, Respect, Effort

Relationships

Effective Communication

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Communication Style Matters�Deborah Tannen (2011) “That’s Not what I Meant: How Conversational Styles Make or Break Relationships”

We form unconscious opinions about people based on their communication styles

Accent
Culture
Pitch of voice
Speed and pacing
Pausing to allow others to speak

We tend to like people with communication �styles similar to our own

NOTE: this is an animated slide.

Communication style matters

The way that we communicate -- our style -- is an important factor in whether we are able to communicate effectively
We all form unconscious biases and opinions about other people based on the ways they communicate
We are naturally drawn to people with communication styles that are similar to our own, as these types of interactions can be more comfortable and less (cognitive) work, as we already understand the “rules” when our communication styles are well-aligned

Common elements of individual communication styles

Accents and dialects can make it more difficult to understand each other -- and we may have unconscious opinions about people with certain accents (e.g., we might assume that someone with a British accent is highly educated, while someone with an American Southern accent might be less educated)
Culture influences how we communicate; for example, in some cultures it is rude to speak to someone of the opposite gender or a different social caste, or to point with one finger for emphasis
The pitch, speed and pacing of someone’s communication can influence how it is perceived or received; someone who talks quickly with a high-pitched voice might be perceived as over-excited, while someone who speaks slowly or hesitantly might be perceived as less-informed or ill-prepared
We each have different tolerance levels for silence in a conversation, and we may use different social cues to indicate that we’d like to speak or that we’d like the speaker to stop talking; examples of these social cues range from the subtle (inhaling or opening your mouth as if to speak) to the more obvious (raising a hand, moving closer to or away from a conversation, or simply interrupting the speaker)

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Quote from Deborah Tannen

“Many of our motives, so obvious to us, �are never perceived by the people we talk to. �Many instances of rudeness, stubbornness, inconsiderateness, or refusal to cooperate are really caused by differences in conversational style.”

~ Deborah Tannen

PREPARATION: identify and curate a story from your own experience to share with participants.

Communication Style Matters

Effective communication can have a significant, positive impact on our lives
When we are able to communicate easily with another person, we are more likely to identify common interests or ways that we might be able to help one another (e.g., recommending someone for a job, connecting someone with a resource, sharing expertise)
Ineffective communication can have significant, negative consequences: when we cannot communicate effectively, we are less likely to solve problems and build relationships

Share Your Story

Share a story from your own experience about a time when you faced a communication challenge due to a lack of shared context, a lack of shared motivation, and/or a conflict in communication styles.
What happened? What did you do? How did it turn out?
Invite participants to share their own experiences, time permitting

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Guess Culture�(Don’t make me say no)

Ask Culture�“Feel free to say no…”

It’s rude to ask for what you want, �unless you’re sure the answer is ‘yes.’

It’s polite to ask for what you want, since you’ll accept ‘no’ as an answer.

https://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2010/05/askers-vs-guessers/340891/

NOTE: this is an animated slide.

FACILITATION NOTE: this slides about “Ask” and “Guess” culture is included as an optional example of the impact of communication styles on understanding and relationships between people. If you choose to include this information, you should carefully read the background information and consider adding an example from your own experience.

Communication style is heavily influenced by our experience

The family, community, and culture in which we were raised shapes our expectations about communication
When two people have different expectations about communication, it can cause conflict
An interesting example of this is the discussion of “Ask” versus “Guess” cultures

Ask Culture

In “Ask” culture, the basic premise is that it’s always okay to ask for what you want
The asker believes that the other person is free to say no
The asker is willing to accept “no” as a complete answer and make other plans, without trying to cajole or badger the other person into changing their mind

Guess Culture

In “Guess” culture, the basic premise is that you should never make another person feel like they want or need to say “no”
The guesser tries to gather information indirectly to figure out - without asking - whether the other person is likely to want to grant the guesser’s request
The guesser believes that it is rude to ask for what you want directly, because it might make the other person uncomfortable to say “no”
The guesser is hoping that the other person will offer without the guesser ever having to ask
If there’s no offer but the guesser is able to figure out (guess!) that the other person is very likely to say yes, then they may ask for what they want
If the guesser thinks the answer might be no or isn’t able to guess what the response will be, then they never make the request at all

An example

As an example, imagine that you’re going to visit Chicago in a few weeks
You know someone who lives there, and usually exchange messages with them a couple of times a year
You’d like to save some money by staying in their guest room instead of having to pay for a hotel
An “Asker” might say something like: “I’m going to be in Chicago in a few weeks and would love to stay with you if that’s alright. Feel free to say no, of course!”
The Asker expects that the other person will actually feel free to say no - because *they* would be comfortable saying no in the same situation
A “Guesser” might say something like: “I’m going to be in Chicago in a few weeks and am trying to figure out how to stay within my budget. Do you have any ideas for safe-but-cheap places I could stay?”
The Guesser hopes that the other person will just offer their guest room, but if they get a list of suggested hotels instead they will assume that the other person doesn’t want to host them and would say no if they asked directly - so they don’t ask!

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When Styles Collide...�https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/vs3kzjLhbdKsndnBy/ask-and-guess

“Will you make dinner tonight? I have a late meeting.”

“Can’t you remember I have a class tonight?�Why did you assume I can do it? You’re so insensitive!”

“But I just asked. You could have said no if you were too busy.�You don’t have to get upset.”

“But you should pay enough attention to know when you shouldn’t ask!”

NOTE: this is an animated slide.

FACILITATION NOTE: this slide offers an example of how “Ask” and “Guess” cultures can collide; if you include this material, you may want to offer an example from your own experience instead.

Different expectations can cause problems

Differences in communication styles can lead to misunderstandings and disagreements - even if the people involved don’t consciously understand what has happened

An example (two roommates)

The “Asker” wants the other person to make dinner
The “Guesser” is upset that they have to say no because they have class, and ends up blaming the other person for making them feel bad by asking
The “Asker” doesn’t understand why there’s a problem, since they would have accepted “no” as an answer
The “Guesser” doesn’t like having to say no and thinks the other person is insensitive for putting them in that position

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Rehearsal Activity:�Communication Styles

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Mirroring

An effort to match communication styles with your partner

Psychological, mirroring is “unconscious agreement”

Mirroring behavior builds trust, makes others feel at ease

PREPARATION: find out what type of facilities you will have available for this session, as this activity works best in person when there is space to move freely. If the room in which you’re holding the session is not appropriate, consider whether moving to another space (hallway, room, atrium, etc.) or even outdoors might work.

Activity Instructions

Invite participants to engage in a mirroring activity.

Explain that this is a common exercise for increasing awareness of interpersonal communication styles, particularly body language
This activity originated in theater studies, and has been adopted by experts to teach scientists and engineers to communicate more effectively

Encourage participants to move/stand as they are able for this activity

This is an excellent opportunity to physically engage participants in the training, and standing adds a new energy to the rehearsal activity
Remember that some participants may have invisible (or visible) physical limitations; this activity can be done by participants who are sitting in chairs facing each other

Have participants stand/sit face to face with a partner (preferably someone they do not know)
Ask the pairs to spread out so that they have room to move their arms
Ask one person in each pair to go first; the partners should maintain eye contact and the selected partner should begin to move their hands/arms VERY SLOWLY, with the goal of allowing their partner to mirror the movements in real time
Encourage participants to continue moving slowly and fluidly, one body part at a time, and avoid movements that require sustained balance or effort (e.g., keep both feet on the floor and remain facing each other)
Let participants know that they might feel like smiling or get “nervous giggles” and that’s okay – but they should let it out then continue the exercise
After a couple of minutes, ask the other partner to take the lead.

If the exercise is going well and you want to add an additional layer of challenge, pause the exercise and have participants “shake it out”
Then resume the exercise with NO ONE in the lead
Ask participants to really pay attention to their partner, and try to mirror each other's’ movements without anyone consciously “leading” the activity

Activity Debrief

Engage participants in a discussion about this activity
How did this activity go? What did they learn? What did they notice about effective communications?

FACILITATION NOTE: facilitators may find the following resources helpful for exploring mirroring activities in more depth or variation

Image available free for commercial use without attribution from: https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2020/03/30/05/37/head-4983119__340.jpg

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ONLINE ADAPTATION: Mirroring�Please see the slide notes for suggestions on how to adapt this activity for online delivery.

ONLINE ADAPTATION - Mirroring

The underlying goal of the mirroring activity is to raise awareness of non-verbal communications and build trust between participants. These goals can be met in several ways during an online training, with pros/cons depending on the size and type of training. If you’d like to use a different activity, you may find this list of improv games that have worked well in virtual environments to be of help: https://jonathonleiner.medium.com/improv-games-for-virtual-space-66cbf4b77c97

Option 1: Large Group Mirroring Activity

Ask participants to turn on their cameras, if possible, but stay muted
Invite a volunteer to go first in leading the activity
The leader should begin to move their hands/arms/head VERY SLOWLY, with the goal of allowing the other participants to mirror the movements in real time
Encourage the leader to continue moving slowly and fluidly, one body part at a time, and avoid movements that are out of the video frame (e.g., stick with hands, arms, shoulders, head, instead of feet and legs)
Let participants know that they might feel like smiling or get “nervous giggles” and that’s okay – but they should let it out then continue the exercise
After a minute or so, ask someone else to be the leader and continue the exercise

You may want to assist participants in finding the new leader’s video on their screen by either having everyone *except* the new leader pause their motions for a few seconds

This approach works well if there is a relatively small number of participants who can all be visible on screen simultaneously in the video conference software

Option 2: Small Group Mirroring Activity

Explain how the mirroring activity works
Assign participants to small breakout groups (4-6 individuals)
Give participants very specific instructions in advance of the breakout rooms; for example:

Accept the breakout room invitation, 4-6 people per room

Write down the room number, in case you need to rejoin later

Briefly introduce yourselves (name, company/organization, role)
Pick a group member to be the facilitator for this activity
The small group facilitator should pick the leader and keep track of time, switching leaders every 1-2 minutes until everyone has had a chance to lead (including the facilitator)
At the end of the activity, everyone should go back to the large group for a debrief

Debrief participants as a large group after the activity.

What were participants’ experiences during this activity? Was it easier or more difficult than they expected?
What did they notice about (non-verbal) communication?

This approach works well if there are too many participants to reasonably conduct a large-group mirroring activity
For this approach, the facilitator will need to:

Understand how to set up breakout sessions/rooms/groups within the videoconferencing software; support from a co-facilitator who can monitor technical issues is highly desirable
Establish a naming convention for participants to indicate if they cannot turn on their video during a breakout session. For example, asking participants to put an underscore or asterisk in front of their name will help sort the list of participants and allow the facilitator to determine whether to group non-video participants into a single breakout room or distribute them across rooms.
Provide participants with an external link to the instructions for the breakout session, which they can click on to view the instructions on a website or in a shared document while they are in the breakout rooms (most videoconference software doesn’t allow the presenter’s screen to remain shared during breakout rooms, so participants cannot refer back to the instructions they were given in the large session).

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Agenda

Defining Effective Problem Solving
Types of Problems and Solutions
Problem Solving Practice
Impact of Communication Style
Communication Practice
Wrap Up and Evaluations

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How to Start Conversations, Not Arguments�https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/what-resonated-week-expectations-vs-observations-amy-blaschka

The goal is conversation, not argument

It’s easy to argue about expectations
We’re more inclined to have discussions about facts

Invite conversation by sharing expectations and observations

Expectations are what we think, wish or assume to be the truth
Observations are facts: what do we know, based on actual experience or data?

It’s important to communicate expectations first and then observations

When we feel defensive, we may not be listening carefully
We are more likely to remember the last thing we heard

NOTE: this is an animated slide.

Communicating expectations and observations

Expectations are what we think, wish or assume to be the truth
Observations are facts: what do we know, based on actual experience or data?
By communicating expectations, we are telling the other person about our assumptions, goals or wishes

“I expected that you would pick up the groceries when I gave you the list this morning, so I could cook dinner tonight”

By communicating observations, we are sharing actual facts or experiences

“I didn’t see the groceries in the refrigerator and pantry when I got home tonight”

Communicating our expectations and observations provides a relatively neutral foundation for conversation and invites the other person to talk about the problem

Share expectations first, then observations

It’s important to communicate expectations first and then observations
Our expectations might be wrong, or we might have different expectations than the other person

“I didn’t understand that you needed the groceries before 5pm today so you could cook dinner; I was planning to go shopping after doing my homework”

Our observations are true to the best of our knowledge, but we might not have all of the information

“I haven’t had a chance to unpack the car yet, but I did the shopping”

Humans naturally have a tendency to remember and respond to the last thing they heard, especially when stress levels are high

When we are feeling defensive, our natural instinct is to “fight back”
When we are feeling defensive, we may not be listening carefully and are more likely to remember the last thing that we hear

Start conversations, not arguments

Sharing expectations and observations can be a more neutral way to start a conversation

It’s important to remain non-judgemental in our communications
If we use the “expectations then observations” formula but have already determined that the other person is “guilty” that judgement can come across in our communications
If the other person feels judged or criticized, they are more likely to argue in an effort to defend themselves

It’s pretty easy to argue about expectations

If the last thing that we hear is subjective (expectations), we may very well start to argue
We might have different expectations or different understandings of the situation, and can easily argue about whether the other person’s expectations were accurate
For example, “you didn’t specifically tell me to be done shopping by 5pm, so I thought it was fine to go after dinner”

It’s harder to argue about observations

If the last thing that we hear is factual (observations), we are less likely to argue (e.g., the groceries actually aren’t in the fridge or pantry)

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But What if you Still Disagree?�Patterson et al. (2012) Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High

Can you “agree to disagree”?

Yes, if the idea is not central to the solution
No, if the disagreement is about factual information or is critical to the success of the solution

Our expectations and opinions may be different, but we can still work together

Communicating effectively about diverse ideas can lead to new solutions

When you disagree, remember your ABCs

Agree. Start by finding the points where you agree.
Build. Use these points of agreement as a foundation to build the relationship.
Compare. Work together to examine the areas of disagreement and �compare both perspectives. You may not always find solutions, but �you will gain understanding and build relationships.

NOTE: this is an animated slide.

Disagreements are normal

It’s normal for individuals to disagree, even when they are communicating effectively

Our ideas, values, goals, and expectations may conflict
Our opinions about the best approach or the ideal solution may differ

Individuals who disagree can still work together effectively

They need to respect and trust each other; often this foundation is established based on areas where they do agree with each other
Considering a variety of ideas, perspectives and opinions can lead to better solutions -- sometimes, disagreements can actually highlight problems or areas for improvement

Agree to disagree?

Sometimes, it’s possible to “agree to disagree”

When the area of disagreement is not central to solving the problem
If there is a way to “work around” the area of disagreement and focus instead on other options
Agreeing to disagree can let you move past the difference and make progress towards the larger goal
This only works if you actually stop trying to convince the other person that you’re right!

Sometimes, disagreements are serious problems

When the area of disagreement is essential to the success of the problem solving process, then you cannot ignore it and just “agree to disagree.”
Some resolution is necessary, whether that is selecting one person’s solution and the other person agreeing not to object (even if they disagree with the choice), or bringing in other people or resources to broaden the conversation and identify other options

“ABC” method of working through disagreement

Remember the “ABCs” of working through disagreements:
A: agree. Start by finding the area where you both agree.
B: build. Build the relationship based on this mutual agreement, building or enhancing the foundation for future discussions
C: compare. Respectfully consider both perspectives, and try to understand why you disagree and where are the fundamental differences in your points of view. The goal is not to “win” the argument or get your way, but instead to figure out together what options are available and whether there is a solution that both of you can accept (even if it’s not your first choice).

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Rehearsal Activity:�Effective Communication

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Let’s Practice: Email Communications

Use expectations and observations to communicate about problems

Email offers the opportunity to draft, review and revise
Don’t fill in the “to” field until you’re actually ready to send the final version!

Clearly state your expectations

What did you expect to happen?

Clearly describe your observations

What did you see / hear / read / experience?
When did you observe this?
Who was involved?

Avoid assumptions

You may not understand the true source of the problem

PREPARATION: choose one or more examples to use for this activity (or develop your own) and update the slides throughout the presentation as appropriate.

FACILITATION NOTE: you may want to let participants know in advance that the “before” and “after” examples you’re going to review are brief by necessity, as the information has to fit on a slide and communicate the situation quickly. Remind participants that communication styles vary, and some of them may feel that these examples are rude because they are brief and get to the point immediately. In real emails, some people prefer to start or end with more conversational information; adding in these social niceties is okay, as long as that does not obscure the expectations and observations that you are trying to communicate.

of emails that have been shortened

Effective Emails

Email can be a great way to practice using expectations and observations to communicate about problems

Email is asynchronous, which means you have time to draft, review, and revise your message
This time can be particularly helpful if you’re experiencing strong emotions and need to reflect before communicating about the problem
Be sure to not fill in the “to” field of the email before you’re ready to send the final version, to avoid accidentally sending an upset or unfinished message

State your expectations clearly, using simple language and straightforward phrasing

Describe what you expected, including the timelines, responsible individuals, and outcomes as appropriate

State your observations clearly, using simple language and straightforward phrasing

Describe what you experienced, when, and who was involved, as appropriate

Avoid making assumptions about the source of the problem; remember that the goal is to communicate effectively!

Activity Instructions

Have a volunteer read aloud the example “before” email
Guide participants in a discussion to identify the expectations and observations (which are not clearly stated in the “before” example)
Invite participants to share ideas for how to improve this email
Share the “after” example email, highlighting the expectations, observations, natural consequences, and follow up
Note that natural consequences are included because sharing them can be a way of helping the recipient understand the impact of the situation, and perhaps motivating cooperation
Note that follow up actions are included to identify how this interaction will move forward; since email is an asynchronous “conversation” it is generally more effective to specifically identify what you expect to happen next

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Email Example - Misusing HPC

Dear Jazz,

Your jobs are going over resource limits and causing the nodes to go down. You need to stop running them immediately or we will disable your account.

HPC Team

Dear Jazz,

The HPC system limits jobs in order to make the resources available to everyone. We noticed that your jobs are consistently going over these limits, which causes the nodes to go down.

Would you please set up an appointment so that we can talk about your resource needs and try to identify a solution?

HPC Team

Expectations

Observations

Natural Consequences

Follow Up

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Email Example - IT Problems

Dear Dr. Xio,

The IT department has a ticketing system for our users to submit requests and let us know when there are problems. I understand that you came into the office three times last week asking our staff to resolve a problem impacting your work.

I rely on the ticketing system to track problems and assign staff to address them. Please make sure to submit a ticket when you have an IT concern; if you do not receive a response within 48 hours, feel free to email me directly.

Rory

Dear Dr. Xio,

From now on please come to me with all questions and comments instead of the IT staff. I realize that there is a problem on the system that is impacting your work, but my staff is trying their best to fix the problem and your constant interruptions are distracting them and makes fixing the problem take longer.

Rory

Expectations

Observations

Natural Consequences

Follow Up

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Email Example - Interruptions

Dear Ali,

The ground rules for our weekly meetings include making sure that everyone has a chance to contribute to the conversation. I noticed that you interrupted me twice at the meeting this morning, which meant I wasn’t able to fully explain my idea for the project.

I’d like to present my idea at our next meeting; would you please include 10 minutes for me in the agenda?

Kris

Dear Ali,

I am sick and tired of you interrupting me during meetings. My opinion is just as important as yours. Please stop.

Kris

Expectations

Observations

Natural Consequences

Follow Up

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Email Example - Sandwiching

Dear Alexis,

Each member of our team is expected to submit weekly progress reports. I haven’t received your updates for the last two weeks, which means that I don’t know the current status of your project.

Please schedule an appointment within the next three days so that we can talk about your progress.

Sage

Dear Alexis,

I really like the energy you are bringing to the team. However, I have noticed that you have stopped writing weekly reports. We really need them. You have also created a wonderful workspace. Keep up the good work.

Sage

Expectations

Observations

Natural Consequences

Follow Up

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Email Example - Help with Class

Dear Dr. Horton,

I know that lectures are an important part of your class, and I have been attending regularly. However, I’m having trouble understanding you during class, which means that I am falling behind.

Could I come to your office hours on Friday to talk about this?

Thank you,

Reese

Dear Dr. Horton,

I really like your class, however, I am having trouble understanding your accent. Would it be possible to go to Dr. Aderal’s section instead?

Thank you,

Reese

Expectations

Observations

Natural Consequences

Follow Up

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Email Example - Student Intern

Dear Harley,

As part of orientation, we explained that interns are expected to be in the office from 8am to 5pm, with a one hour lunch break. I’ve noticed that you haven’t been at your desk until after 9:30 this week, and that you were gone by 3pm on Tuesday and Wednesday. Since you weren’t at your desk, I wasn’t able to talk to you about the draft report you submitted.

Please come to my office at 8am tomorrow so that we can talk about what’s going on.

Quinn

Expectations

Observations

Natural Consequences

Follow Up

Dear Harley,

You are not spending enough time in the office and therefore not getting enough work done. I need you to either put in the time that is needed or you need to let me know so I can hire a different student to take your place.

Quinn

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ONLINE ADAPTATION: Email Communications�Please see the slide notes for suggestions on how to adapt this activity for online delivery.

ONLINE ADAPTATION - Email Communications

There are several ways to facilitate this exercise successfully in an online training, with pros/cons depending on the size and type of training.

Option 1: Live Chat

Invite participants to respond in chat (or by unmuting and speaking)
Facilitate a discussion about the “before” examples, inviting participants to identify expectations and observations
Facilitate a discussion about the “after” examples, reminding participants that this is just one example of how to communicate more effectively by email
This approach tends to work well in virtual trainings, although with larger numbers of participants it is more difficult to actively engage everyone
For this approach, the facilitator will need to:

Understand how the chat functionality works in the video conference software

Option 2: Breakout Groups

Assign participants to small breakout groups (4-6 individuals)
Give participants very specific instructions in advance of the breakout rooms; for example:

Accept the breakout room invitation, 4-6 people per room

Write down the room number, in case you need to rejoin later

The person whose first name comes FIRST alphabetically will be the timekeeper
Briefly introduce yourselves (name, company/organization, role)
Discuss the email communications examples
Have someone take a few notes, so that your group can “report out” afterwards
At the end of the activity, everyone should go back to the large group for a debrief

Debrief participants as a large group after the rehearsal activity.

What were participants’ experiences during this activity? Was it easier or more difficult than they expected?
What types of expectations and observations did they identify?

For this approach, the facilitator will need to:

Understand how to set up breakout sessions/rooms/groups within the videoconferencing software; support from a co-facilitator who can monitor technical issues is highly desirable
Establish a naming convention for participants to indicate if they cannot speak during a breakout session (e.g., they’re in a shared or noisy environment). For example, asking participants to put an underscore or asterisk in front of their name will help sort the list of participants and allow the facilitator to determine whether to group “typers” into a single breakout room or distribute them across rooms.
Provide participants with an external link to the instructions for the breakout session, which they can click on to view the instructions on a website or in a shared document while they are in the breakout rooms (most videoconference software doesn’t allow the presenter’s screen to remain shared during breakout rooms, so participants cannot refer back to the instructions they were given in the large session).
Decide in advance whether to provide just the “before” examples, or also the “after” examples

Providing both at the same time is simplest and allows participants to discuss the structure and contents, but does not provide as much practice identifying expectations and observations
Providing just the “before” examples can encourage participants to talk about expectations and observations, but can also cause frustration or uncertainty about what is the “right” answer; in this case, you may want to review one or two examples as a large group before sending participants to breakout rooms
Structuring the materials so that the “after” examples are not immediately available can encourage participants to identify expectations and observations first and then allow them to “check” their ideas against the after examples; however, this requires more effort to set up the participant materials in advance

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Email Communications Instructions:�Virtual Breakout Rooms

Accept the breakout room invitation, 4-5 people per room

Write down the room number, in case you need to rejoin later

The person whose first name comes FIRST alphabetically will be the timekeeper
Briefly introduce yourselves (name, company/organization, role)
Discuss the email communications examples
Have someone take a few notes, so that your group can “report out” afterwards
At the end of the activity, everyone should go back to the large group for a debrief

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Agenda

Defining Effective Problem Solving
Types of Problems and Solutions
Problem Solving Practice
Impact of Communication Style
Communication Practice
Wrap Up and Evaluations

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Learning Goals

By the end of this session, participants will have the knowledge and skills to:

Define effective problem solving and effective communication
Identify the characteristics of three common types of problems
Practice different processes for diagnosing and solving problems
Describe the impact of communication style and list factors that can influence individual styles
Illustrate the use of expectations and observations to invite conversation and avoid arguments
Reflect on the training and identify areas where they can apply what they’ve learned

PREPARATION: edit this slide to match the content you are covering

Learning Goals

The CyberAmbassadors curriculum was developed using best practices in STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) education, which includes clearly articulating learning goals and mapping content and activities to those goals

By the end of this session, participants will have the knowledge and skills to:

Define effective problem solving and effective communication
Identify the characteristics of three common types of problems
Practice different processes for diagnosing and solving problems
Describe the impact of communication style and list factors that can influence individual styles
Illustrate the use of expectations and observations to invite conversation and avoid arguments
Reflect on the training and identify areas where they can apply what they’ve learned