Professional Skills: Communicating to Build Relationships

Overview

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Strengthen workplace culture through meaningful connection. This self-paced course equips leaders and professionals with communication strategies that foster trust, compassion, and effective collaboration. In today’s workplace, leaders must do more than manage tasks — they must build genuine connections. Building Relationships with Communication, led by Dr. Elissa Adame of ASU’s Hugh Downs School of Human Communication, helps professionals balance task effectiveness with relational appropriateness. Through interactive lessons, reflection exercises, and real-world scenarios, you’ll learn how to improve team morale, deepen trust, and promote openness — ultimately driving better performance through stronger relationships.

Syllabus

Assessing your balance

This module will guide you through understanding and evaluating your current balance between workplace tasks and relationships. You will explore the causes and resources related to maintaining this balance, learn how to prioritize effectively, and reflect on your leadership approach. By the end of this module, you will have a clearer picture of your current state and actionable insights to improve your work-life integration and professional interactions.

Sharing your struggle

In this module, you will learn the importance of openly communicating your challenges and struggles in the workplace. We will explore how changing expectations around sharing can foster a more supportive environment. You will gain practical strategies for sharing your struggles constructively, understand how this can encourage others, and reflect on the positive impact of vulnerability in building stronger professional relationships.

Implementing the double hey

This module introduces the 'double hey' technique as a powerful tool for practicing compassion in your professional interactions. You will learn the origins and resources related to this approach, understand how to integrate compassion into your communication, and engage in practical exercises to hone your skills. By mastering the 'double hey,' you will be able to build deeper connections and foster a more empathetic and understanding work environment.

Course conclusion

This final module provides an opportunity to complete a course survey to provide valuable feedback and officially mark your completion of the program. This module ensures you have a clear sense of accomplishment and an opportunity to contribute to the continuous improvement of the course content.