COMMUNICATION AND CONFLICT: NAVIGATING DIFFICULT PEOPLE AND DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS
with Dr. Jarrod Atchison
July 09, 2019, 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
$475 (US) per person
3 West Club
3 West 51st Street, New York, NY 10019
212-582-5454

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COMMUNICATION AND CONFLICT: NAVIGATING DIFFICULT PEOPLE AND DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS

 
Do you struggle with problem employees that challenge you at every turn? Does it seem like these people enjoy "debating" you more than contributing to the goals of your organization? Have you ever had a proposal flounder simply because the room was resistant to change? Many communication experts focus on interpersonal communication techniques to help resolve these difficult situations. Dr. Jarrod Atchison, known for his Great Courses series on The Art of Debate, takes a different approach that focuses on preventing and resolving conflict through learning the theory and practice of argumentation. After decades of experience, he believes that the best way to avoid a "debate" is to change the argumentative terrain available to your audience. The best managers use argumentation techniques without being seen as "argumentative". The best proposals already account for objections which enables you to be brilliant rather than defensive. Participants will learn argumentation theory and practice as they move between "argumentation as inquiry" where participants will learn how to use argumentation techniques to improve decision-making and "argumentation as advocacy" where participants will learn how to defend and advance positions in their organizations. Come learn how to advance in your organization and deal with your "problem" employees by avoiding "debate" by learning the theory and practice of argumentation. Dr. Atchison's combination of theory and practice stems from his work as a scholar, director of one of the premier intercollegiate debate programs in the country, and as a consultant.
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Jarrod was brilliant and imparted a great perspective and new ideas for advancing careers in an area many of us struggle with.
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DR. JARROD ATCHISON

 
Dr. Jarrod Atchison is the director of debate and an associate professor in the Communication Department at Wake Forest University. The Wake Forest University debate team dates back to 1835 and has won multiple national championships. As an undergraduate debater, Dr. Atchison was Presidential Scholar in Debate who was ranked the second overall team in the nation and the third overall individual speaker at the 2001 National Debate Tournament. He completed his Ph.D. at the University of Georgia where he helped coach the 2007 Rex Copeland Award winners which is awarded to the top ranked debate team in the nation headed into the National Debate Tournament. Participants may have seen Dr. Atchison's teaching in action through his course, The Art of Debate, which was produced and is distributed through the Great Courses. Dr. Atchison has published extensively on the study of argumentation and rhetoric. He is the 2015 recipient of the George Ziegelmueller Award, which is a lifetime achievement award from the Board of Trustees of the National Debate Tournament. Dr. Atchison has also been nominated twice for the Reid-Doyle Prize for Excellence in Teaching at Wake Forest University. Beyond the classroom, Dr. Atchison is a consultant for Speech Labs specializing in executive communication and organizational decision-making.

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN

 
  • HOW CAN WE USE DEBATE TO IMPROVE DECISION-MAKING
  • EVALUATING THE STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF AN ARGUMENT
  • USE DEBATE TO IMPROVE DECISION-MAKING
  • THE KEY TECHNIQUES FOR WINNING AN ARGUMENT


TOPICS COVERED

 

What is Debate and How can we Use it?

  • When should managers consider utilizing debate?

Argumentation as Inquiry

  • What is the structure of an argument?
  • How do we evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of an argument?
  • How can we use debate to improve decision-making?

Argumentation as Advocacy

  • What are the key techniques for winning an argument?
  • What are the pitfalls associated with poor debating?
  • How do we prepare for Spontaneous Argument Environments (SPE)?

How do we "win" the debate without "losing" the war?

  • What is the role of "saving face" in management settings?

GUIDE TO PARTICIPANT SELECTION

 
Senior Leaders
APPLICABLE IF IT MATCHES A DEVELOPMENT NEED
Mid-Level-Leaders
PRIMARY TARGET AUDIENCE
Emerging Leaders and Functional Experts
PRIMARY TARGET AUDIENCE


Program Level: Beginner/Intermediate
Delivery Method: Group Internet Based (Zoom platform)
Prerequisites: None
Advanced Preparation: None
Participants will earn 3 CPE credits or 3 PDC credits
Field of Study: Personal Development
 
PLEASE NOTE: All virtual programs are held using the Zoom web application. If you do not have Zoom, or if it is not approved for use in your organization, you can log in using your personal device (tablet or phone). If you would like to test Zoom to be sure it is working on your computer or portable device, you can do so by going to: https://zoom.us/test.
If your organization needs information for whitelisting Zoom you can find it by clicking here.
For more information regarding refund, complaint and program cancellation policies click here, or contact our corporate office at 775.322.8222. You may also view our NASBA Statement here.