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Communication & the RA PositionConstance Carmona
Janice FolkJonathan LadinoKatina Velentzas
Purpose1. To deliver specific information to RAs about effective
interpersonal communication0Residents0Administration0 Parents
2. Allow RAs to interact with each other to foster a greater working relationship.
3. To prepare RAs to deal with different constituent groups in the course of their residency
4. To gain a greater understanding of communication competencies:0Active Listening0 Conflict Resolution0Multicultural Self-Awareness0 Communication Skills
Rationale of Training Activities
Experiential learning: the process of making meaning from hands-on learning.
Social Learning Theory: emphasizes the importance of observing and recreating the behaviors and attitudes of others.
Agenda
9:00am to 9:30am Welcome (Intro, Pre-test, Icebreaker)9:30am to 10:30am Lost at Sea 10:30am to 10:45am Break with Snacks!10:45am to 11:30am Active Listening 11:30am to 12:15pm Confrontation Activity12:15pm to 1:00pm Lunch1:00pm to 1:45pm How Comfortable Am I? Activity1:45pm to 2:30pm Communication Skills2:30pm to 3:30pm Motivational Interviewing3:30pm to 4:30pm Supervisors & Parents4:30pm to 5:00pm Wrap Up/Questions/Post Test
Lost at Sea!
Lost at Sea
Instructions
You are adrift on a private yacht in the South Pacific. As a consequence of a fire of unknown origin, much of the yacht and its contents have been destroyed. The yacht is slowly sinking. You location is unclear because of the destruction of critical navigational equipment and because you and the crew were distracted trying to bring the fire under control. You best estimate is that you are approximately one thousand miles south-southwest of the nearest land.
Lost at SeaBelow is a list of fifteen items that are intact and undamaged after the fire. In addition to these articles, you have a serviceable rubber raft (with oars) large enough to carry yourself, the crew, and all the items listed below. The total contents of all survivors’ pockets are a package of cigarettes, several books of matches, and five one-dollar bills.
Your task is to rank the fifteen items below in terms of their importance to your survival. Place the number 1 by the most important item, the number 2 by second most important, and so on through number 15, the least important.
__ Sextant __ Shaving Mirror __ Five-gallon can of water __ Mosquito netting __ One case of U.S. Army C- rations __ Maps of the Pacific Ocean __ Seat Cushion (flotation device approved by the Coast Guard) __ Two-gallon can of oil-gas mixture __ Small transistor radio __ Shark repellent __ Twenty square feet of opaque plastic __ One quart of 160-proof Puerto Rican rum __ Fifteen feet of nylon rope __ Two boxes of chocolate bars __ Fishing kit
Lost at SeaUsing the answer sheet, the score is the difference between the actual answer and the individual/group ranking.
Example: Sextant Actual answer: 12
Individual/Group Ranking: 7 Score: 5
The lower the score the better. Calculate the score for each item and add them to find the total score.
(These are the official answers as given by the U.S. Merchant Marines in their recruit training)
Lost at Sea_12_ Sextant (No good without the chronometer)1 _ Shaving Mirror (Perfect for signaling passing aircraft)_3 _ Five-gallon can of water (Can only survive app. 3 days without water)_14_ Mosquito netting (There are no mosquitoes that far out at sea and
mosquito netting does not make a great fish net)_4 _ One case of U.S. Army “C” rations (Better than nothing – you have to eat)_13 _ Maps of the Pacific Ocean ( You likely don’t know where you are so a
map will only tell you where you aren’t)_8 _ Seat Cushion (flotation device approved by the Coast Guard) (Useful for saving people if they fall overboard)_2 _ Two-gallon can of oil-gas mixture (Mixture will float on the water and burn, good for signaling planes at night)_15 _ Small transistor radio (Not a two-way radio, will not be able to get a
station that far out to sea)_11 _ Shark repellent (Self explanatory)_6 _ Twenty square feet of opaque plastic (Good for covering up and keeping warm, also good for collecting water – condensation)_10_ One quart of 160-proof Puerto Rican rum (Alcohol makes you dehydrated – DO NOT DRINK – use for cleaning wounds, etc.)_9 _ Fifteen feet of nylon rope (Rope is always good)_5 _ Two boxes of chocolate bars (Good energy source if desperate)_7 _ Fishing kit (The fish are likely quite deep but the contents are very
handy)
Active Listening 101
Active Listening
0An important part of communication is actively listening
0 It allows others to feel more comfortable about opening up a revealing information
0Five essential steps to actively listening
From: http://www.mindtools.com/CommSkll/ActiveListening.htm
Active Listening
1. Pay Attention2. Show that you are listening
3. Provide feedback4. Defer judgment
5. Respond appropriately
From: http://www.mindtools.com/CommSkll/ActiveListening.htm
Active Listening
In partners act out the following scenario
Pretend that you are a RA and a concerned resident. The resident has come to the RA requesting a room change because they do not get along with their roommate. The roommate does not treat the resident with respect by trashing the room and using their belongings without asking. As a resident you are adamant that you are in need of a room change.
Try it once, then switch roles and try it again.
Active ListeningDebrief Questions0 What did you like about the exercise?0 How did it feel to be the RA in this exercise?0 How did it feel to be the concerned resident in this exercise?0 As the resident, did you feel comfortable opening up to the RA
about what was happening in the room? Why or why not?0 As the resident what were some positive things you noticed about
your RA partner? What were some things they could improve on?0 What are some things that you felt came easy to you in terms of
active listening?0 What are some areas of active listening that you feel are still a
challenge?0 Do you think that you will utilize active listening in your daily life as
a RA? How?
Confrontation Styles
“The Drama Cycle”
0Hot tempers0Harassment 0Miscommunication0Lack of Information0 Insults0Rumors
0Physical Abuse0Verbal Abuse0Cyber Abuse…CONFLICT!
Source: The University of California Santa Cruz Peer Mentor Program
Conflict Resolution
Three Basic Styles0 Avoidance0 Confrontation0 Problem-Solving
Guess which one is best!
Conflict Resolution
1. Choose an appropriate time and place2. Identify the problem3. Brainstorm solutions4. Agree on a solution5. Avoid compromise or win/lose situations6. Always try for win/win situations7. Respect the rights and values of others8. Check back later to ensure the solution is working
Source: The University of California Santa Cruz Peer Mentor Program
What is Your Conflict Management Style?
0Questionnaire will be handed out0Students answer the questions and calculate their
score. 0They will discover their Conflict Management Style:
0 The Competing Shark0 The Avoiding Turtle0 The Accommodating Teddy Bear0 The Compromising Fox0 The Collaborating Owl
Debrief Questions
Each student will go to the sign that corresponds to their animal. 1. What are the strengths of this animal style?2. What are the weaknesses of this animal style?3. What make this animal different from others?4. How will you take the traits of this animal and work
towards win-win problem solving and resolution?
How Comfortable Am I?
How Comfortable am I?
Why:• It is important to understand who you are communicating with.• How your attitude towards that person affects your
communication.
The Exercise:• Four point Likert scale gauging interpersonal biases• Objectives: To create awareness about interpersonal biases and to
engage students in meaningful conversation about how to identify and ameliorate biases
• Activity: Class discussion about individual results; student-guided conversation on salient statements
Communication 101
Communication Skills
0Communication is an essential part of being a resident assistant.
0This test from mindtools.com will allow the resident assistants to:0 Explore communication style0 Capability as a communicator0 Understand areas of improvement for communication
Communication SkillsCommunication SurveyScore Interpretation
56-75Excellent! You understand your role as a communicator, both when you send messages, and when you receive them. You anticipate problems, and you choose the right ways of communicating. People respect you for your ability to communicate clearly, and they appreciate your listening skills. (Read below for more.)
36-55You're a capable communicator, but you sometimes experience communication problems. Take the time to think about your approach to communication, and focus on receiving messages effectively, as much as sending them. This will help you improve. (Read below to start.)
15-35You need to keep working on your communication skills. You are not expressing yourself clearly, and you may not be receiving messages correctly either. The good news is that, by paying attention to communication, you can be much more effective at work, and enjoy much better working relationships! The rest of this article will direct you to some great tools for improving your communication skills. (Read below to start.)
From: http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newCS_99.htm
Communication Skills
From: http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newCS_99.htm
Communication SkillsEach question from the quiz is connected to a segment of The Communication Process Model.
0 Source- Planning your message (understanding message, audience, objective, how you will send the message)0 Questions 1,2,11
0 Encoding- Creating the message (understand what message to convey, anticipate questions/reactions from audience, and choose language)0 Questions 1,5,8,10,15
0 Channel- What channel to send it in (understand time constraints, best way of conveying message email, phone, etc.)0 Questions 7, 11, 13
0 Decoding- Understanding the message (avoid internal and external distractions, allow source to convey the entire message before responding)0 Questions 3, 6, 12, 14
0 Feedback- Receiving understanding from your message (agreement/disagreement, interest, engagement)0 Questions 3, 4, 9
Communication SkillsPossible Debrief Questions0 Do you agree with the results of the assessment? Why or why
not?0 Were you surprised by the results of your quiz?0 Are you comfortable with all channels of communication?0 Are you comfortable in all aspects of the communication
process? Are there one or multiple parts of the process that you are more comfortable with?
0 Is there a best way to communicate?0 Do you think you will have to change your communication style
based on your receiver? Why or why not?0 What are some steps you can take to improve your
communication style?
Communicating with Residents
Communicating with Students
0Room Set-Up0Non-Verbals:
0 Eye Contact0 Body Language0 Listening
0Verbals:0 Asking Questions0 Summarizing0 Confronting
Setting the Scene: Room Configuration
Objective: To motivate and educate RAs on constructing a room conducive to developing positive working relationships
0How will an RA set up his/her room?0What do other students see/feel when they walk into
the room?0What does the room say about the RA?
Non-Verbals Say a Lot
0http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQHGsUdG68U
0 (I’m going to download the youtube video and embed it within the Powerpoint before the presentation—the video needs to be stored locally)
Non-Verbals: Eye Contact
Effective Maybe-Not-So-Effective
0 Look at the resident while they are talking
0 Maintain appropriate eye contact
0 Watch for non-verbal cues
0 Watching TV0 Responding to texts or
browsing Facebook0 Not maintaining eye
contact
Objective: To educate RAs on the importance of eye contact when speaking with residents
Non-Verbals: Body Language
Effective Maybe-Not-So-Effective
0 Sit or stand facing the resident
0 Open body position towards the resident
0 Unfolded legs and arms0 Don’t fiddle with things0 Appropriate facial
expressions
0 Turning your back on the resident
0 Slouching, leaning back0 Crossed arms and legs
Objective: To create awareness about the messages that body language convey
Non-Verbals: Listening
Effective Maybe-Not-So-Effective
0Listening for tone of voice and speech rate
0Listening to understand
0Listening for silence
0Missing affect, attitude, and emotions behind the words
0Having the TV or music on in the background
Objective: To provide RAs with a set of active listening tools
Verbals: Asking Questions
EffectiveMaybe-Not-So-
Effective
0 Asking open-ended questions for explanations
0 Asking closed-ended questions for specific details
0 Asking one question at a time
0 Why questions may be off-putting or accusatory
Objective: To condition RAs to pursue effective, supportive lines of questioning
Verbals: SummarizingEffective Maybe-Not-So-
Effective0 When the resident finishes
speaking, summarize their words:0 Indicates active
listening0 Allows them to hear
their story from an external source
0 Student reflects on their words and corrects missed details
0 Caustic or sarcastic tone
0 Raised voice0 Inserting emotion
Objective: To furnish RAs with an opportunity to practice summarizing and paraphrasing the words of others
Verbals: Confronting
Effective Maybe-Not-So-Effective
0 Addressing the resident when their words and actions are incongruous:0 “So you say you’ve
had a good day, but your hands are shaking. What’s going on?”
0 “Hey, um, so you wanna talk?”
0 “You told me yesterday things were fine and now they’re not. What’s the deal?”
Objective: To challenge RAs to establish an effective and supportive toolkit for confronting student crises
Communicating with…OthersSupervisors, RDs, and Parents…
Oh, My!
Communicating with your Supervisor
Can you think of an example of something you might have disclosed to a fellow staff member but not an RD?
Should that have been told to the RD?
What do you typically disclose with a supervisor versus what you may not choose to disclose?
Do I Tell my Supervisor?
0A fellow staff member has a new girlfriend
0An RA on another staff is constantly complaining about their supervisor
0 A fellow RA tweets “ResLife is never helpful. #boo”
0You saw a picture on Facebook of a resident playing drinking game at home
0A resident who is a friend of yours discloses that they are depressed but asks you not to talk about it
Communicating with Your Supervisor
0Don’t let there be any surprises0Be honest and trustworthy0Understand your boss’ perspective and agenda0Understand your supervisor’s preferences0Understand yourself and express needs to supervisor0Try not to go over your boss’ head when unnecessary
Parents.0Be polite and friendly0Smile!
If there is an issue or question you don’t know the answer to…0Redirect them to your supervisor or another
professional staff member0Never make any promises0Never lose your temper0Never try to handle problems yourself
Case StudyYou are a new RA in a first year residence hall. It has been two weeks since the beginning of the semester when you receive a phone call from an unknown number. You shared your number with your residents so you anticipate that it may belong to one of them so you answer it. On the other end of the phone is an upset parent who was given your phone number by their student. The parent is demanding that their student be moved into a new room because their current roommate is Catholic and has demonstrated their faith in the room with crucifixes. the parent informs you that they are a very strong Jewish family and do not believe in exposing their children to Catholicism. They are very hostile and demand a room switch immediately.
…what do you do?
The EndWrap Up
Post-assessmentQuestions
