Unfortunately, those of us who struggle with complex problems for a living don't have time to keep up with the enormous amount of cognitive science research that could help us become better thinkers, better problem solvers, and better decision makers. Having devoted more than ten years to researching the fast-moving fields that almost daily reveal new information, Linda shares what she has uncovered—some of it surprising, some even counterintuitive. She summarizes the research and provides concrete tips for improving your individual, team, and organizational abilities. Most of us sit all day, believing that concentrating without moving, in a room with no natural light, drinking too much caffeine, after our usual night of less than six hours of sleep is the way to get work done. Linda offers ways to incorporate movement, take a break, change focus, brighten our environments, think better, and be happier. Learn the latest tips for boosting your problem-solving power.
People in the software industry are trained in programming, testing, design, documentation, and requirement management.
That makes our work very much based on blacks and whites: Does it compile? Will the test pass? Does it fulfill the requirements?
Bits and bytes, 0s and 1s, verified or not, yes or no, right or wrong.
Communication, on the other hand, is a spectrum. We are not trained to be effective in our communication and yet much of our work requires collaboration with others.
In this workshop we want to give you a space where you can learn effective communication techniques and have time to practice. You will learn to listen, not to respond, but to hear what is actually being said. We will provide you with tools to give and receive feedback. We will help you express what you want and what you need.
We want to inspire you to have the courage to be yourself as you communicate in an effective manner.
Structure:
The morning is focused on listening. The afternoon is focused on stating what you want and feedback.
The day is a series of the following: a bit of information, practice in pairs or triads, de-brief and discussion with the group.
Linda Rising is an independent consultant based in Nashville, Tennessee. Linda has a Ph.D. from Arizona State University in the field of object-based design metrics and a background that includes university teaching and industry work in telecommunications, avionics, and tactical weapons systems. An internationally known presenter on topics related to patterns, retrospectives, the change process, and how your brain works, Linda is the author of a number of publications and five books: Design Patterns in Communications; The Pattern Almanac 2000, A Patterns Handbook; and, co-authored with Mary Lynn Manns, Fearless Change: Patterns for Introducing New Ideas and More Fearless Change, released last year. Find more information about Linda at www.lindarising.org.
