Why Communication and Problem-Solving Skills are Essential

All PHI Training and Organizational Development programs are based on developing a core set of competencies that support positive relationships among co-workers and between caregivers and those they care for. PHI has designed and field-tested a unique approach to teaching communication and problem-solving skills.

Organizations that face challenges of communication across race, class, generations, and culture find PHI’s Communication and Problem Solving programs particularly beneficial.

PHI Communication and Problem-Solving programs can help your organization to:

• Improve the workplace environment by providing a shared framework, common skill-set, and language to help create a more inclusive and relationship-centered culture.
• Improve teamwork, by enhancing communication between peers as well as across differences of discipline race, class, and culture.
• Enhance the quality of care by equipping staff with a set of practical communication tools that strengthen their ability to listen and collaborate with those they care for to ensure independence, choice, and full engagement with others.

PHI Communication and Problem-Solving Training Programs

PHI Communication and Problem-Solving training programs are designed for staff in all positions, regardless of rank or job description. Please discuss the options, including customized programs, with a PHI consultant to determine what program is best for your organization.

Coaching Approach to Communication

PHI’s initial eight-hour training introduces participants — through interactive, skill-based training — to the core communication skills needed to strengthen teams, enhance leadership, and improve caregiving relationships. These skills include:

• Active listening. Listening fully and actively takes energy and effort. Through a series of exercises participants become aware of how easy it is to “half-listen” and to block listening and learn the benefits of real listening. Activities also focus on the challenges of clear verbal communication, particularly when giving instructions.
• Paraphrasing and Asking Clarifying Questions. Paraphrasing—i.e., stating what you heard in your own words —is particularly important to avoiding miscommunication, especially when communicating across differences. Using scenarios based on real work situations, participants practice paraphrasing, along with asking clarifying questions, in order to improve their active listening and understanding of verbal communications.
• Pulling back. Almost anyone can be emotionally “hooked” by a co-worker’s personality or communication style. ”Pull back” role plays teach participants to become more conscious of the personal assumptions and biases that get in the way of active listening, and how to step back emotionally to avoid escalating a conflict.
• Giving and receiving feedback. What you want to say and what you actually say is often different. Feedback skills help your staff learn strategies for effectively giving and receiving feedback in a range of workplace situations.

Exploring, understanding, and integrating these core communication skills provides a strong foundation for delivering quality, person-centered care. This program is designed in modular format, allowing training to be delivered in day-long workshops, two half-days, or in shorter in-service programs.

Exploring Options Approach to Problem Solving

Conflict resolution and problem solving often seem like “soft” skills that are difficult to teach. But PHI’s “options approach to problem solving” teaches a clear, step-by-step process for analyzing a problem situation and exploring various solutions. These skills are applicable to resolving individual conflicts between colleagues, collaborative team work, and working with elders to ensure that their rights to self-determination are respected within a context of ensuring their health and safety.

In this workshop, participants engage in exercises that apply critical thinking to common operational and caregiving issues. Using customized scenarios from your workplace, problems—and potential solutions—are explored from three primary perspectives: Impact on the individual receiving care, impact on the employee, and impact on the organization.

Booster Sessions

Building on the skills learned in our introductory programs, booster sessions are structured to provide ongoing support, practice, and communications skill development to your staff. Programs, including “Exploring Assumptions,” “Resolving Conflicts ,” “Personal Styles and Self-Awareness,” provide the opportunity to explore more deeply the specific communication challenges your team may face in achieving organizational goals.

All booster sessions are customized to meet your particular needs.

Train-the-Trainer

Our train-the-trainer program provides opportunities for members of your training staff to experience and deliver the 8-hour introductory communication training, as well as the exploring Options workshop, to staff within your organization.

This highly experiential program immerses staff in the PHI approach to the core communications skills that are taught as well as adult learner-centered instruction. The training strengthens the participants’ confidence in facilitating interactive activities and discussions that are critical to program delivery.

The train-the-trainer program varies from one to three days, depending on the participants prior exposure to PHI’s coaching approach.