Being able to communicate effectively with your co-workers is key to a successful and engaged workplace. When you can share your ideas openly and understand your co-workers’ views in return, you’re more likely to feel happier at work. Yet, oftentimes there are certain barriers that can make communication difficult, like personality or work style differences. If you have a better understanding of your own work and personality styles – and can identify different styles in others – you can start to bridge any gaps of misunderstanding and ultimately communicate more effectively.

We have a variety of courses available in February for MSU employees related to improving communication:

Everything DiSC: Behavior Styles at Work
Have you ever had a co-worker or boss who you could not even begin to understand? Even when you ask them questions, you’re still unsure what they need or want. Most of us have felt this way at one time or another. The course EverythingDiSC: Behavior Styles at Work is designed to help you understand yourself and other people better by giving you an understanding of different behavioral work styles.

Before the course, you will take a simple online assessment to learn your DiSC style, which is your unique work behavior style. During the class, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of how your style relates to others and tools to help you connect better with co-workers whose priorities and preferences differ from yours.

Honing Your Emotional Intelligence
The essence of emotional intelligence (also known as EQ or EI) is our ability to identify and manage our own emotions and to identify emotions in others. In today’s high-stress, multi-tasking workplace, having a high EQ can lead to better stress management, stronger relationships with better communication and increased job satisfaction. The Honing Your Emotional Intelligence course will show you tools to master the principles found within EQ. Specifically, this course will focus on:

• Why EQ is an essential competency in today’s work world.
• How to fully engage the four fundamental areas of EQ: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness and relationship management.
• How to increase your EQ.
• Why EQ has a direct impact on job satisfaction and performance excellence.

Thriving Through Change
Change is inevitable and being able to communicate effectively through change will help ease the transition process. This course will define what change is and help you understand the stages and reactions to change. Learn techniques and strategies to help you cope with stress and manage the process successfully.

Ready to Register?
To register, login to the EBS Portal and click on the My Career and Training tab, then the Courses for Employees at MSU tile. Find a complete list of available OPD courses on the HR website.