WGS Effective behaviour in your professional surroundings (1.3 ECTS)

Course description

This course aims to help PhD candidates develop professional skills that are important during their PhD project.  Such skills include communication, self-insight, building professional relations and maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

The training consists of 4 days, with 2 weeks in between the training days. You get the time between the training days to put into practice what you have learnt in the classroom.

During the training days, you will receive short introductions on the theory, exercises, role plays with concrete links to your daily work and feedback from the trainer and fellow participants.

Theoretical models provide you with a framework that helps to analyse your actions and their effects. This analysis helps you to function more consciously, effectively and professionally. The trainer has a person-oriented and practice-oriented approach and makes you aware of your behaviour and coaches you to further develop your professional behaviour.

Expected results

At the end of the training, you will describe in your Personal Development Plan how you will implement what you have learnt in this training.

Programme

Day 1 Communication and Assertiveness

We work on effective communication skills, using the model ‘Leary’s Rose’ and by exploring the difference between a direct and an indirect mode of communication. We also practice assertiveness.

Day 2 Collaboration skills

We work on your collaboration skills and practice the skills that help you build good professional relations. We use techniques and exercises from Applied Improvisation. 

You also learn where you are on the Introversion- Extraversion scale and what that implies for your communication and cooperation.

Day 3 Communication and negotiating

We deepen your communication and collaboration skills by exploring non-verbal communication. We also strengthen your negotiation skills to help you stand up for your professional needs.

Day 4 Work-life balance

You gain insight into your sources of stress and energy. You learn to relax, for example, through short mindfulness exercises. You learn to recognize a disturbed balance (your alarm bells), and what measures to take in case they go off.

And you describe in your personal development plan how you will further implement the learnings of this training during your PhD.