LAWS6106 Course Outline PDF

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Summary

LAWS6106 Course Outline...

Description

AND Faculty of Business & Law

Newcastle Law School LAWS6106: Advanced Communication Skills Newcastle City Precinct Trimester 3 - 2018

OVERVIEW Course Description

This course aims to equip students with a mastery of communication skills to ensure they are excellent communicators and effective professionals, by focusing on high-conflict situations with skills that can be used anywhere. Law is a discipline that involves conflict. Indeed, most business or professional settings involve some degree of conflict. Students will focus on highconflict personality types, exploring the common features of these personalities, and practice strategies about how to effectively communicate and handle people with high-conflict personalities. The dynamics of high-conflict situations faced in professional practice will be analysed, equipping students with the ability to identify high-conflict situations and determine the necessary approach required. Students will gain knowledge and skills through role plays, including client interviewing and coaching, mediation in high-conflict situations, managing high-conflict legal and workplace disputes, and implementing strategies to reduce conflict in organisational systems. This course will ensure our students have an advantage over other professionals and allow them to succeed and thrive in adverse legal and business situations.

Contact Hours

Newcastle Seminar Live Online teaching by Zoom (18 hours, 4.5 hours each day) This approach provides the opportunity for the instructor to explain a large amount of information on this new subject and for students to ask questions and discuss the relevance of this information to their own professional and life experience. Pre-recorded Videos (6 hours, 1.5 hours each) In four distinct pre-recorded videos the Course lecturer will cover further content and examples. Watching these videos prior to the lecture or tutorials will maximise the student’s participation in the live teaching elements. Live online tutorials with role play exercises in Zoom breakout rooms (4 hours) This approach provides students with interactive learning, to implement new skills with potentially high-conflict clients, and useful with any clients, which can only be learned by practice. Each tutorial will also provide an opportunity for students to reflect upon learning from each day.

Unit Weighting Workload

10

CRICOS Provider 00109J

LAWS6106: Advanced Communication Skills Newcastle City Precinct Trimester 3 - 2018

CONTACTS Course Coordinator

Mr Bill Eddy and Professor Tania Sourdin

Teaching Staff

Mr Bill Eddy, assisted by Ms. Shiv Martin

School Office

Newcastle Law School 5th Floor NeW Space 409 Hunter Street Newcastle [email protected] +61 2 4921 8666

SYLLABUS Course Content

The content in this course includes the following topics: 1. Identifying high-conflict personalities 2. Analysing and managing high-conflict situations 3. Effective client interviewing and coaching 4. High-conflict role plays 5. Reducing conflict in organisational systems

Course Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this course, students will be able to: 1. Apply knowledge and understanding of high-conflict personality disorders and their common conflict dynamics, the preoccupation for those with high conflict personalities with blaming, as well as brain research theory and methods for creative handling of high-conflict personalities in legal and workplace disputes and applying these initiatives to new situations in professional practice. 2. Investigate, analyse and synthesise complex information, problems, concepts and theories in relation to the management of collaborative relationships among professionals in highconflict cases. 3. Conduct research into high conflict dispute resolution based on knowledge of appropriate research principles and methods. 4. Use cognitive, technical and creative skills to generate and evaluate at an abstract level, complex ideas relevant to high conflict dispute resolution. 5. Use and understand methods for coaching individual clients to deal with high conflict situations or any situation. 6. Analyse high conflict behaviour in court and other types of hearings and processes.

Course Materials

The course textbook will be High Conflict People in Legal Disputes, 2nd Ed. By Bill Eddy, available on campus prior to the class or as an eBook. Ideally, students will read the first eight chapters by the first day of class, and the second six chapters by the second day of class. Recommended optional text: It’s All Your Fault at Work, by Bill Eddy & L. Georgi DiStefano. Both books can be purchased from: https://www.highconflictinstitute.com/store The books are available for purchase as an E-Book or in hard copy. If ordering a hardcopy, please ensure that you order a copy at least three weeks before the course commencement. There are several free articles which will be available online with the course information, referenced in the Unit Schedule as to which day each will be relevant. Class exercises will be available online with the course information.

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LAWS6106: Advanced Communication Skills Newcastle City Precinct Trimester 3 - 2018

UNIT SCHEDULE Day 1:

Activities

Notes

Asynchronous

View video titled: Is Divorce Mediation

Students view on their own time before Day 1.

Activity

for You?

Think of questions about this mediation method.

8:30-10:30

The Role of Personality and Personality

High Conflict Text

Disorders in Dispute Resolution

Chapters 1 and 2

The Cycle of High-Conflict Thinking;

High Conflict Text

The Role of Negative Advocates

Chapters 3 – 8

10:30-11:00

Break

11:00-1:00

4 Key Skills for Managing High Conflict

Article:

People:

Calming Upset People with EAR

#1: Connecting with Empathy, Attention and Respect

Exercise #1: The Angry Employee

Calming Upset People in a Conflict Situation and debrief #2: Analysing Options and Making

Article: Making Proposals

Proposals #3: Responding to Misinformation: Coaching Clients to Write Responses that are Brief, Informative, Friendly and Firm #4: Setting Limits on High Conflict Behaviour 1:00-2:00

Break

2:00-3:00

Shiv Martin leads discussion and exercise

Exercise: At end of Making Proposals article

Asynchronous

View video titled: Managing High Conflict

Students view on their own time before Day 2.

Activity

Situations with the CARS Method®

Think of how you would do the CARS steps.

Day 2:

Activities

Notes

8:30-10:30

Recent Brain Research Impacting on

High Conflict Text

Managing High Conflict Personalities and Chapter 8 their Negative Advocates 5 High-Conflict Personalities and Specific

High Conflict Text

Methods of Managing Each

Review Chapters 3-6

10:30-11:00

Break

11:00-1:00

Bonding with High Conflict Personalities

High Conflict Text

Providing Structure Individually

Chapters 9 - 12

Analysing Realistic Options Setting Limits

Article: Fire or Keep High Conflict Employees?

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LAWS6106: Advanced Communication Skills Newcastle City Precinct Trimester 3 - 2018 1:00-2:00

Break

2:00-3:00

Shiv Martin leads discussion and exercise

Exercise #3: The Threatening Employee

Asynchronous

View video titled: Coaching for a BIFF

Students view on their own time before Day 3.

Activity

Response®

Think of an email to practice responding to.

Day 3:

Activities

8:30-10:30

Notes

Mediating Conflicts with High Conflict

Articles: New Ways for Mediation

Personalities: Structuring the Process

When Storytelling Hurts Conflict Resolution

Setting and Maintaining the Agenda in

Optional Article: Setting the Agenda

Meetings and Mediation;

Article: Should Mediators Make Proposals?

Facilitating Making Proposals in High Conflict Mediation 10:30-11:00

Break

11:00-1:00

Practicing a mediation using New Ways for Exercise #4: Mediating Dawn and Skip Mediation® method

1:00-2:00

Lunch

2:00-3:00

Shiv Martin leads discussion and exercise Exercise #5: Coaching for a BIFF Response®

Asynchronous

View video titled: New Ways for Families® Students view on their own time before Day 4.

Material

Think of questions about how to use coaching to impact high conflict behaviour in a larger system

Day 4:

Activities

Notes

8:30-10:30

Identifying Potentially High Conflict

Article: How to Spot a Narcissist in 3 Steps:

People using the WEB Method®

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/5-types-people-whocan-ruin-your-life/201808/how-spot-narcissist-in-3-steps

High Conflict Leaders in Organizations, Business and Politics

Article: How to Spot a Sociopath in 3 Steps: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/5-types-people-whocan-ruin-your-life/201803/how-spot-sociopath-in-3-steps

Article: Walls, Wars and Parades https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/5-types-people-whocan-ruin-your-life/201806/walls-wars-and-parades-understandingnarcissistic

Managing High Conflict Leaders with the

Optional Book: It’s All Your Fault at Work

CARS Method® 10:30-11:00

Break

11:00-1:00

Managing High Conflict People in Court

Articles: What is New Ways for Families®

Systems: Family Law Cases

Building a Team

Managing High Conflict People in

A Respectful Meeting Policy

Business: Running Meetings

New Ways for Work™: A New Coaching Method

Handling Employment Disputes 1:00-2:00

Break

2:00-3:00

Shiv Martin leads discussion and exercise Exercise #6: Coaching an employee with new skills Page 4 of 6

LAWS6106: Advanced Communication Skills Newcastle City Precinct Trimester 3 - 2018

ASSESSMENT 1 2

Assessment Name

Due Date

Involvement

Weighting

Reflective Journal Research Assignment

3 weeks after course completion 7 weeks after course completion

Individual Individual

50% 50%

Late Submissions

Learning Outcomes Marking matrix with learning outcomes to be made available on Blackboard

The mark for an assessment item submitted after the designated time on the due date, without an approved extension of time, will be reduced by 10% of the possible maximum mark for that assessment item for each day or part day that the assessment item is late. Note: this applies equally to week and weekend days.

Assessment 1 – Reflective Journal Assessment Type Description Weighting Due Date Submission Method Assessment Criteria Return Method Feedback Provided

3,750 words; Journal that incorporates research, set tasks and daily reflection. 50%

Assessment 2 – Research Assignment Assessment Type Description Weighting Due Date Submission Method Assessment Criteria Return Method Feedback Provided

3,750 words 50%

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Grading Scheme This course is graded as follows: Range of Grade Description Marks 85-100 High Outstanding standard indicating comprehensive knowledge Distinction and understanding of the relevant materials; demonstration of an outstanding level of academic achievement; mastery of (HD) skills*; and achievement of all assessment objectives. 75-84 Distinction Excellent standard indicating a very high level of knowledge (D) and understanding of the relevant materials; demonstration of a very high level of academic ability; sound development of skills*; and achievement of all assessment objectives. 65-74 Credit Good standard indicating a high level of knowledge and (C) understanding of the relevant materials; demonstration of a high level of academic achievement; reasonable development of skills*; and achievement of all learning outcomes. 50-64 Pass Satisfactory standard indicating an adequate knowledge and (P) understanding of the relevant materials; demonstration of an adequate level of academic achievement; satisfactory development of skills*; and achievement of all learning Page 5 of 6

LAWS6106: Advanced Communication Skills Newcastle City Precinct Trimester 3 - 2018

0-49

Fail (FF)

outcomes. Failure to satisfactorily achieve learning outcomes. If all compulsory course components are not completed the mark will be zero. A fail grade may also be awarded following disciplinary action.

*Skills are those identified for the purposes of assessment task(s). Communication Methods

Communication methods used in this course include: Email,Zoom and phone appointments.

Course Evaluation

Each year feedback is sought from students and other stakeholders about the courses offered in the University for the purposes of identifying areas of excellence and potential improvement.

Academic Misconduct

All students are required to meet the academic integrity standards of the University. These standards reinforce the importance of integrity and honesty in an academic environment. Academic Integrity policies apply to all students of the University in all modes of study and in all locations. For the Student Academic Integrity Policy, refer to https://policies.newcastle.edu.au/document/view-current.php?id=35.

Adverse Circumstances

You are entitled to apply for special consideration because adverse circumstances have had an impact on your performance in an assessment item. This includes applying for an extension of time to complete an assessment item. Prior to applying you must refer to the Adverse Circumstances Affecting Assessment Items Procedure, available at https://policies.newcastle.edu.au/document/view-current.php?id=236. All applications for Adverse Circumstances must be lodged via the online Adverse Circumstances system, along with supporting documentation.

Important Policy Information

The 'HELP for Students' tab in UoNline contains important information that all students should be familiar with, including various systems, policies and procedures.

This course outline was approved by the Head of School. No alteration of this course outline is permitted without Head of School approval. If a change is approved, students will be notified and an amended course outline will be provided in the same manner as the original. © 2020 The University of Newcastle, Australia

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