MODULE: Effective leadership methods SUBJECT TITLE: Empathic communication Ieva Severinaitė
Subject title
Purpose of the activity
Duration
Location and tools
Number of participants
Empathic communication
Introduce young people to the methodology of Empathic communication, provide practical tools to build harmonious relationships, resolve disagreements and seek peaceful solutions that include all needs, both in personal life and in a professional environment.
2-2.5 hours.
Projector for presentation, writing board. Chairs (or bean bags or mats). Paper, sticky notes and writing tools for participants. Copies of lists of feelings and needs for all participants. 3–4 printed sets of cards of the needs.
Unlimited, but the most effective number – 15–20 participants.
Icebreaker Game “People’s lives” The game starts with all the participants standing, requires some space for movement. The moderator reads the statements one by one and invites the participants to put his/her hand on the shoulder of a person who in his/her opinion: 1. has been exercising this morning, 2. knows how to cook delicious food, 3. likes to dance, 4. is a good listener, Acquaintance/ team building methods
5. has no stage fear, 6. would donate money to the homeless, 7. hasn’t made the bed this morning. After each statement, give time until all participants intuitively choose the person they think best fits each statement. After the task, it is explained to the participants that we often decide in advance about people, make assumptions or guess about their character, habits, abilities. Sometimes these predictions can be very accurate and help us orient ourselves in the social space, and sometimes our prejudices can interfere with seeing the inside of a person, understanding his/her experiences, and the reasons for his/her behaviour. Empathic communication teaches us to listen deeper and understand each other better, to see what lies behind the assessments. Time to complete the task: 5–7 minutes
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