Communication Module 6; Lesson 3

Working with others There are going to be people in your life that when you come into contact with, may make it difficult to get along with. Working with others may not be the easiest thing for some; but communication is the key.

Responding with Empathy Empathy is being sensitive to other’s needs. Keep in mind there are usually others who have it worse than you do One of the best things you can do is to simply listen to them, give them the opportunity to speak and get their troubles off their chest.

Collaboration/ Conflict Negotiation Whenever you have a disagreement with someone, try to keep in mind what the other person is trying to get across. When trying to solve a conflict keep the following things in mind Focus on interests, not the positions Look for mutual gains Tyr to find a fair result Negotiate

Refusal Skills These are skills to use when someone wants you to do something that may harm your health Humor; can be used to lighten the situation Give Reasons; Explain why it’s a bad idea Make an excuse and stick to it; Make sure your excuse is reasonable and stick with it Plain firm “No” Leave; Just walk away Suggest and alternative Ignore; act as though you did not hear Repeat Yourself; Stick to your guns so others know you are not changing your mind Thanks, but no thanks Numbers; you and your friends join each other and say, “No”

Resources http://at-risk-youth-support.suite101.com/article.cfm/top_ten_refusal_skills_for_teens http://www.enotalone.com/article/2830.html http://money.howstuffworks.com/personal-finance/budgeting/negotiation4.htm http://www.drphil.com/articles/article/112