enhancing the quality of team communications-2
This is a PDF document titled "enhancing the quality of team communications-2.pdf" created in August 2025. It is an instructional guide adapted from Roger Schwarz's "The Skilled Facilitator," provided by the Jorgensen Learning Center. The content focuses on improving team communication skills, including concepts such as testing assumptions, sharing relevant information, developing common understanding, surfacing thinking, focusing on outcomes, combining advocacy and inquiry, collaboratively designing next steps, addressing undiscussable issues, and decision-making rules to enhance group commitment. The document is designed as a resource for facilitators or team leaders to foster effective and authentic conversations within teams.
Questions this document answers
Testing inferences is important because it validates data, helps develop shared understanding, and prevents misunderstandings in team communication.
Sharing relevant information creates a common base for decision-making and commitment. Withholding information can lead to lack of trust, withdrawal of support, and poor decision outcomes.
Teams can develop a common understanding by providing examples and non-examples of key words. Clarifying definitions prevents disagreements caused by differing interpretations.
Surface thinking involves explaining your reasoning behind decisions or actions to others. It is important because it prevents others from creating incorrect assumptions about your motives or reasoning.
Focusing on outcomes keeps the conversation goal-oriented and helps integrate different perspectives. It enables the group to collaborate effectively rather than becoming mired in personal agendas.