Advanced Communication (for ECOW Site-Based Work)

This course aims to help you prepare for, and manage effectively, any situations requiring negotiation and/or conflict resolution during construction and ecological contracting work. People have disagreements and misunderstandings for all sorts of reasons, it’s human nature. However, conflict can create an unhealthy work environment, generate tension, be hugely damaging to relationships and prove unproductive. Differences of opinion can be debilitating to all parties trying to work through a conflict. This course is for those working in an Ecological Clerk of Works (ECoW) role and recognizes that an ECoW has an almost the unique position of needing to work with a diverse range of groups or individuals and organisations. People they meet on a regular basis come from a variety of backgrounds, different levels of seniority, a mix of sectors, a wide range of age groups and experience. While no two days are the same for an ECoW, which can be both motivating and interesting, the issues around communication with such a variety of people can also at times be challenging. This course is designed to help empower those in this role by exploring the higher levels of communication skills required to: - recognise situations when conflict could occur; - use negotiating and influencing skills to minimise the effects of/or avoid conflict, and should a conflict escalate; - develop the skills to resolve it with minimal damage to all parties involved. - achieve positive influence through use of a variety of communication tools.

The training is aimed particularly at those that work in a site-based role on construction sites or on ecological contracting projects. As such it will be relevant to: in an Ecological Clerks of Work role And also, to anybody involved in this area of work such as: local authority ecologists, ecological consultants, environmental managers.

Intermediate - Advanced

Familiarity with work as an Ecological Clerk of Works is desirable but not essential. Some experience of working on construction sites and/or on ecological contracting projects is desirable.

• Define what conflict is and how to identify it and when to anticipate it in your work environment.
• Explore the lasting effects of conflict and why they can be difficult to resolve
• Identify the different stages of conflict and the methods of managing it.
• Explore the key skills required to resolve and manage conflict.
• Use negotiation skills and tactics to avoid or minimise conflict situations to help achieve a desired win/win outcome.
• Use problem solving models to support working through challenges that could occur in their work.
• Identify ways to build confidence in the workplace and when dealing with conflict or negotiation.