Five Life Skills for Graduates

Aims and Summary

This module aims to support the student in their move from Coventry University to the “outside world” of employee or self–employment, Certain key skills are required in order to make the transition successful. By now you will have gained such skills as Time Management, Project Management and Team Building , as part of the process of successfully passing through your stages at University.

Amongst the most important skills that the successful graduate needs are:

· Managing and taking part in Meetings
· Communicating complex and difficult information
· Conflict resolution
· Negotiation
· Decision Making

This module will replicate a “tough day at the office” – how will you come through it? This is a hands-on course – you will be expected to utilise the skills gained with immediate effect, and to be able to reflect upon their impact upon your working day. Whether or not you have already taken part in a Five Life Skills module in the past years, this module offers you new insights into yourself and your potential colleagues.

1



Module Induction and Managing Meetings

• State the basic components of effective meetings

• Explain best practice for managing meetings

• Identify the different problem people and situations that may be encountered in meetings

• Develop a range of approaches to deal with meeting difficulties

2



Managing Meetings – Simulated Activity/Exercise

3



Influencing Decision Making

• To examine different decision making models

• To maximise creativity and logic in decision making

• To acquire decision making tips and techniques that accelerate and improve results
•To provide a variety of perspectives for the decision making process

4

Influencing Decision Making – Simulated Activity/Exercise

5

Negotiation and Persuasion

• Define negotiation and persuausion

• State the different types of negotiation

• Explain the basic components of negotiation

• State the approach for successful influencing

6

Negotiation and Persuasion– Simulated Activity/Exercise


7

Conflict Resolution

• Explain the different views on conflict

• State the indicators to conflict

• Understand the different strategies for dealing with conflict
•Reflect on skills required for resolving conflict

8

Conflict Resolution – Simulated Activity/Exercise

9

Communicating Complex Information

• Explain the preparation required to deliver a professional presentation

• Demonstrate effective verbal and non verbal communication

• Apply a range of strategies to control nerves

• Deliver an excellent presentation

10

Practical Assessment – Presentation