Communication & Working Relationships

Hybrid teams are becoming the new norm. With team members working both on-campus and off-site at the same time, supervisors may feel overwhelmed. Fortunately, while there are some specific realities associated with hybrid teams, most of the traditional management practices still apply.

In this crash course, we’ll cover best practices for meetings, communication, scheduling, equitable decision making, and fostering team dynamics and connections for hybrid teams. Using these best practices, you will work with other participants to apply what you’ve learned to a real-world scenario and provide space for you to engage in planning for your own hybrid team.

Plain Language skills can help you get your message across quickly and clearly. These skills are useful to UW employees in a wide range of positions that involve communicating with others. Training is available at no cost, and all UW–Madison faculty and staff are welcome to attend.

Participants can take an introductory class on Plain Language as a stand-alone training, or attend three sequential workshops to gain a deeper understanding of core plain language strategies. Those who complete all three workshops can earn a Plain Language certificate.

• Introduction to Plain Language
• Write with Plain Language
• Design for Plain Language

Instructors will focus on word choice, grammar, organization of content, and format to improve the readability of documents.

This module presents concepts, skills, and techniques for helping leaders communicate more effectively in one-on-one situations. As a result of this module, you will:

• Identify and overcome the barriers to effective communication, especially in virtual situations
• Reflect on your personal communication strengths and areas for growth
• Practice specific communication skills such as paraphrasing, responding to emotions, and identifying behaviors instead of attributes

Understanding the perspectives of others, building meaning, and creating human connections all stem from listening. Without strategies for active listening, how do you know if you are hearing your supervisor or coworker’s intended message? What information are you missing out on? In this course, dive deep into your patterns of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors to identify internal roadblocks to communication. Learn strategies to connect with others and stay in dialogue. This is a virtual course. You will receive a link 24 hours before the course in your email.

Why should you attend?

• Reflect on: The communication process and what gets in the way

• Practice: Listening strategies to support greater understanding

Learn best practices in writing emails that effectively share the information you want to convey and receive the responses you need. Covering subject lines, tone, organization and formatting, put these tips into practice right away. FP2L Certificate of Leadership Competency participants, please forward me your practice emails, or send me an email sharing your takeaways to receive credit for the course.

We each have our own. And there is great value in pausing, checking assumptions, and looking through the lens of others. What happens when you share your story and I share mine?

Learn the value of perspective-giving and perspective-taking as strategies that drive inclusive relationships, leadership, and teams.