“By bringing up issues early on, it’s easier to focus on the problem itself and avoid the trap of making the person the problem. The communication model GROW provides a clear methodology to ensure constructive conversations. Our company uses this as our standard approach and train all of our leaders in its use.”
SpareBank1 SR–Bank
A leaders most important task?
Be direct with content, but gentle with the one you are addressing.
One of a leader’s most important tasks is to foster learning and development when employees get stuck. Leaders spend 59-80% of their time communicating (Kaufmann 2009). A leader’s ability to establish good dialog in challenging situations is critical. The ability to communicate constructively is as much about inquiring into the other party's perspective as it is about advocating one's own position This ability is measurably weakened in coflict situations, and when one feels stressed or emotionally attacked.
This course will help you become better acquainted with your talents and skills as a leader, and will introduce you to the GROW coaching model, providing practical training in its use. Swedish/Norwegian workplace studies show that 35% of long-term sick leave cases can be directly traced to poor leadership, conflicts, bullying, and change (Rønning, 2013).
Challenging market with high demands for flexibility and change increase stress, and communication skills suffer as a result. In these environments, leaders must be able to set clear expectations and goals, while at the same time supporting and encouraging each individual employee.
“Stavanger county has used Bjørnson’s ‘Constructive Conversations’ course for all of our kindergarten management personnel. The course has been extremely well received by our participants. They find the course relevant for their leadership practice, rooted in psychological science and with easy to understand visual models to enable them to better tackle difficult situations and challenges. The combination of theory and practice with relevant cases is an especially popular aspect of the course. The psychologists from Bjørnson have excellent communication skills themselves, we would recommend this course for any leader!”
Anne Abrahamsen, Advisor - Children, Youth and Education Dept., Stavanger County
Course Overview
- We’re all experts at what we do most often. It’s important to understand one’s own strengths and use them. It’s also important to know what can happen if we overuse them. The course will help you become better acquainted with your own personal strengths as a leader.
- Introduction to, and practical training with, the GROW model.
- This leadership course focuses on practical applications, and features concrete, easy-to-use tools.
Course instructors
Ane Lien Johnsen is a licensed specialist in adult clinical psychology, Head of Services and Partner at Bjørnson. She is an inspiring and engaging lecturer, with extensive experience working with conflict management, stress management, leadership development, and coaching within the private sector. With previous experience as a manager in the public healthcare system, and through her experience working with various public sector departments, she also understands the unique challenges they face.
Cecilie Byholt Endresen is a licensed specialist in organisational psychology at Bjørnson, and is especially interested in delivery and performance in high stress situations. Through her experience as an athlete and her interest in sports psychology, she has gained valuable knowledge about the impact of stress, and the ways one can keep a cool head under pressure - a learned skill that can be improved with practice.
Course details
Target audience: leaders and managers in both private and public organisations
Course length: 1-day
Participants: maximum 12
Get in touch for more information.