Nursing Conference:
Communication and Management

“Managing Teams – Foundational Necessities” – Lois Vallerga

Module Description: Considered the “nuts and bolts” of team development, this module will address the key components that most often get missed resulting in ongoing team dysfunction. Key foundational components of success for developing high performance teams will be addressed with a special emphasis on the foundation of accountability. This module will introduce basic principles of personal accountability as it relates to individual and team leadership. The focus is on the leader’s own development of personal accountability through awareness, ownership and action and then using the knowledge and skill gained to support development of accountability within their teams. Assessment and diagnostic tools are used that tie to normal stages of team development so that participants have a solid foundation on which to build initial development and/or intervention for longer term teams. Organizational mission, values, vision and existing standards are woven into all content and participants learn how to use all of these to support high performance within their teams. Key basics of decision-making and behaviors for successful meeting management are also addressed as key issues in successful team management. As change is a fundamental given in healthcare, the impact of change can often lead individuals to feel they are victims of the change. This module will also address key specifics of how to support others during times of change to support personal accountability and accomplish change in a more successful manner.

Learning Objectives:
After completion of this module, participants will be able to:
• Identify the components necessary to build strong high performing teams
• Describe and apply principles of personal accountability in their own actions
• Describe and apply principles of accountability to teams and team performance
• Describe normal stages of team development and appropriate foundational actions and interventions for each
• Diagnose the nature of problems or conflicts within a team
• Describe and appropriately use the four key kinds of decision-making to support accountability and engagement in teams
• Describe behaviors for successful meetings and apply principles of meeting management
• Identify stages of change and apply appropriate responses to support others during times of change

“Communication and Conflict” – Janey Evans

Module Description: The purpose of this CE activity is to explore the costs of unresolved conflict in the workplace. Leaders will learn about their own personal communication styles, and identify barriers to dealing with conflict within a team. Topics include common reasons for misunderstandings and breakdowns, how to effectively communicate “tough information”, and how to coach others through conflict situations.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this CE activity, participants will be able to:
Determine the benefit of conflict in the workplace when resolved effectively and contrast to the damage that can occur when conflict is left unresolved.
Identify their Myers-Briggs type and compare individual differences in communication styles and decision-making approaches.
Describe a perceptual filter and illustrate the impact it can have on communication and the ability to discern fact from interpretation.
Demonstrate the ability to communicate their personal experience through the use of the Awareness Model.
Distinguish between position and interest in conflict resolution and explain the benefit of interest-based resolution.
Demonstrate the ability to mediate a conflict through the use of an effective structure including four specific techniques.