Communications Challenge

March 17, 2021

Day 7: Developing and Protecting the CVWD Brand: How Our Daily Interaction and Messaging to the Public Impacts Our Mission In the last day of our communications challenge Tara Bravo, from CV Strategies, will guide us through an interactive discussion on what branding is and why it’s important. Don’t forget to ask questions and make the most out of our 20 minutes with a knowledgeable and well‐respected expert in public perception and branding. Click below to “go live” with Tara @ 7AM PST !

March 16, 2021

Day 6: Communication > Values > Culture…why they are inseparable Culture is the environment that surrounds us all the time at work. It is the expression or “living‐out” the values and belief systems that we share. It can be simplified into one question…assuming that you’re amenable to your job and you believe in its mission, does your work environment encourage or discourage you to come in each day? If it's the later, ask yourself these follow‐up questions: Are there any values being compromised at your workplace? What direct or indirect communication did you receive to feel this way? Is there any possibility of miscommunication or misunderstanding? From this line of questioning, it’s easy to see why Communication, Values, and Culture are inseparable. They are in fact greatly dependent on one another. Let’s explore this further! This challenge consists of 1 video and 2 tasks.

March 9, 2021

Day 5: How to Have Difficult Conversations for the Greater Good In order for organizations and the people within them to grow and improve, more often than not a difficult conversation needs to be had along the way. The conversations that result in a positive change (at the individual or organizational level) are often difficult because they usually involve someone pointing out that the other person’s behavior or the way they “conduct business” needs to change. The actual subject matter can be cut and dry, but because emotions are at their peak, these conversations are challenging for both the “giver” and the “receiver”. However, if these conversations do not occur, opportunities for improvement are not presented and have no way of coming to fruition. Furthermore, unresolved issues can be a source of resentment, affect morale, and begin to erode an organization’s culture. This challenge consists of 1 book summary, 1 article, 1 video , 1 optional (but highly recommended) video, and 1 task.

March 8, 2021

Day 4:  Communication Etiquette: Different ways to communicate and when and how to use them best We have so many ways to communicate in today’s technology‐driven world. It may go unnoticed, but several times a day we decide on what mode of communication best fits our needs when we need to deliver a message or need to receive information. Today’s challenge looks at the most common modes (or channels) of communication and provides suggestions on how and when to apply them in a professional manner. Day 4 will help get us on the same page in choosing the right channel and applying standardized etiquette when we communicate. This challenge consists of 2 articles and 1 task.

March 4, 2021

Day 3: Why Emotional Intelligence is the key to being a great communicator When we communicate to others our intention might be to express a thought, a feeling, or an idea. Being able to accurately convey what we intend to communicate can be challenging because there is always at least two people involved. Those two people may not always be “on the same page” because they bring different life experiences and emotional states to the conversation. It is easy to see why both self‐awareness (a sense of how you are feeling) and empathy (a sense of how the other person is feeling) are key to any dialogue. Self‐awareness and empathy are just two ingredients in a large cookbook that makes up a field of study called Emotional Intelligence (or simply “EI”). Our Day 3 Challenge will explore EI, its impact on communication and organizations. This challenge consists of 1 book‐summary, 1 video, and 2 tasks.

March 2, 2021

Day 2:  Communication 101. Starting with the basics: Applying the 7C's As reflected in the title, Day 2 really starts with the “basics”. The “7 C’s of Communication” was first mentioned in a book  called Effective Public Relations that was published in 1952. Because of its simplicity and ease of use, teaching the 7 C’s is a staple in communication training. In this communication challenge you will learn the 7 C’s and put the concept to use. At the end of this challenge, you will be left with a souvenir. This challenge consists of 1 article and 1 task.

March 1, 2021

Day 1: Overcoming Fear when communicating to 1 person up to 1,000 people Welcome to CVWD’s first Communication Challenge. The fear of “public speaking” is a very “real” issue for a lot of us. Everyone I know, including myself, feels some level of anxiousness when we have to speak in front of others. It is perfectly normal to feel this way. Admittingly, some of us struggle in this area (more than others) for different reasons. Fortunately, public speaking is a skill that can be learned and a “fear” that can be overcome. To kick off Day 1, we have assembled some amazing mentors on this topic; people who are well‐respected and knowledgeable on changing our mindset and providing practical steps to get us through some mental (and sometimes emotional) barriers. This challenge consists of 3 powerful articles and 1 insightful video…let our 2021 Communication Challenge Begin!