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Communication Training & Development Final Project (M. Murray) Training Plan (v 1.0) Page 2 of 30 Melissa Murray, Graduate Student, Department of Communication, Fairfield University Table of Contents 1.0 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 3 1.1 TRAINER QUALIFICATIONS ................................................................................. 3 1.2 AUDIENCE ANALYSIS ........................................................................................ 5 1.3 RESEARCH ABSTRACTS ..................................................................................... 6 1.4 TRAINING OBJECTIVES .................................................................................... 17 1.5 TASK ANALYSIS ............................................................................................... 18 2.0 Training Design & Needs Assessment ................................................................ 22 2.1 METHODOLOGY ............................................................................................... 22 2.2 ASSESSMENT .................................................................................................. 23 2.3 SURVEY ......................................................................................................... 24 3.0 Training Plan.......................................................................................................... 25 3.1 TIMELINE AND CONTENT .................................................................................. 25 4.0 Reflection ............................................................................................................... 63 5.0 Notes ...................................................................................................................... 69 APPENDIX A: TRAINING MATERIALS & RESOURCE LIST ..................................... 70 APPENDIX B: GRADED DRAFTS ............................................................................... 71

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Communication Training & Development Final Project (M. Murray) Training Plan (v 1.0) Page 3 of 30 Melissa Murray, Graduate Student, Department of Communication, Fairfield University 1.0 Introduction 1.1 Trainer Qualifications Melissa Murray is currently a Graduate student engaged in Training & Development and Leadership course-work at Fairfield University. Based on her Training & Development education, Melissa strongly believes training should be an interactive and engaging experience, allowing trainees to participate and practice their skills in an encouraging environment that allows for self-directed inquiry. Her training programs are evidence-based, backed by academic research, and translated to individualized working groups through pre-program evaluations and thorough learning-needs assessments. This ensures that training participants and clients receive the most significant impact for their training investment and time. Before enrolling in her graduate studies, Melissa spent twenty years in Marketing Communications, Training, Mentoring and Sales positions. Melissa’s career began interning for the Deputy Director of The Arizona Governor’s Office, managing constituent relations. There, she had the opportunity to shadow CNN’s Candy Crowley during candidates’ primary stops throughout Southern Arizona, as well as, participating in advance work at the 1996 San Diego Convention with Congressman Kolbe. After completing her internship, she managed donor relations and volunteer coordination for The American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life event as well as, managed Teenager Smoking Cessation programming, which required writing and developing training programs for volunteers, program clients, and major donors. At Morgan Stanley, Melissa excelled in women’s mentorship programs and assisted in training and developing financial advisor recruits in her region. She was invited to speak at Morgan Stanley’s National Sales Training Office in the World Trade Center and won numerous awards for her work including designation to the National Sales Director role in 2000 and 2001. In her final year at Morgan Stanley, she managed 300+ accounts and 33 million in assets in addition to her recruiting, training and mentoring duties. In 2002, Melissa was hired by Starwood Hotels & Resorts to manage digital advertising partnerships with Southern Arizona’s Convention and Visitor’s Bureau. Her accounts included the PGA, LPGA, Arizona Diamondbacks, Chicago White Sox, and NCAA Sports Teams. In her role, she trained teams on communication protocols with on-property guests and press pools during their Spring Training residencies. At Starwood, Melissa was promoted twice and responsible for two million in annual revenue. Continuing her work in travel and hospitality, Melissa relocated to New York City, working in Supplier Relations for The Affinion Group, where she partnered with Travelport to launch a new corporate travel portal. In this role, she authored and delivered global training to travel portal users and suppliers in Mexico City, Kuala Lumpur and London.

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Communication Training & Development Final Project (M. Murray) Training Plan (v 1.0) Page 4 of 30 Melissa Murray, Graduate Student, Department of Communication, Fairfield University In 2003, Melissa began her consulting career focusing on marketing communications, partnership marketing development, and training and staffing digital creatives. She has worked for brands such as Intagio Media, Time Inc., Aquent, Holsted Marketing and Citibank N.A. Accounts managed during her career include United, Delta, Virgin, Continental, Jet Blue, Frontier Airlines, Bank of America, Citibank, CVS, Macy’s, Starbucks, GE Capital, Legg Mason, UM, Cheetah Digital, Havas, Euro, and The Waldorf Astoria Hotel. Melissa lives in Norwalk, CT with her husband David and a very demanding cocker spaniel named Finnegan. Academic Education: • Masters of Arts, Communication (expected, 2020) Fairfield University • Bachelor of Arts, Liberal Studies Fairfield University Professional Education: • Certificate, Social Impact Storytelling, Georgetown University • Certificate, Public Relations and Marketing, New York University • NASD Securities Training & Licenses: Series 7, 31, 63, 65 (inactive) Morgan Stanley Global Sales Training Office, World Trade Center • Consultant Skills Training, Huthwaite International Awards: • Best Overall Public Relations Strategy Award, New York University Project: Global communication strategy to train job-seeking executives on the Association of Executive Search Consultant’s newly launched website, bluesteps.com. • National Sales Director & 3 Outstanding Service Awards (1999-2001), Morgan Stanley • State of Arizona Service Award, Governor Symington’s Office

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Communication Training & Development Final Project (M. Murray) Training Plan (v 1.0) Page 5 of 30 Melissa Murray, Graduate Student, Department of Communication, Fairfield University 1.2 Audience Analysis This training is designed for mid-level to senior-level executive professionals working within a large Advertising agency in the Greater New York City metropolitan area. The focus of this training, “Maintaining Workplace Friendships in Creative Professions” was chosen because of the cultural shifts occurring throughout the advertising industry and in response to media and employee feedback that flat-organizational cultures, while providing many benefits to work-group cohesion, can be tricky to navigate in more nuanced scenarios like maintaining personal friendships within professional settings. Also, as a proactive response to the recent media stories concerning negative workplace occurrences in Silicon Valley’s Tech Center, our client’s management team has specifically asked for this training to ensure such behavior does not occur within their organizational culture. Recognizing flat cultures in advertising and tech industries provide leeway for extensive employee feedback and communication yet, notating the risk for inappropriate boundary maintenance, the executives of this company are looking to institute cultural norms that protect their open and friendly workplace while encouraging boundary-setting when necessary. Because open communication and brainstorming sessions are essential to advertising culture, the focus of this training is not to formalize the culture of friendships. Instead, the goal is to simply provide skills for boundary setting that will maintain relationships at an optimum level for employee comfort and maximized productivity to occur. This training is designed for mid-level executives for two reasons. First, advertising culture primarily exists within open-floor plan settings. Only top-executives, legal teams, and financial investors inhabit physically closed-off spaces in these environments. Therefore, this training is customized to advertising industry culture where friendship boundaries are more essential in daily norms than they would be in highly siloed organizational cultures in which employees struggle to find the opportunity to interact. In contrast, advertising culture is highly interactive, lacking in privacy and extremely open. Mid-level executives in advertising cultures generally sit together, in the middle of their team’s work areas. Therefore, mid-level managers set the tone for appropriate behavior. Additionally, many of the mid-level managers of this company have reported socializing scenarios that resulted in awkward moments within the workplace and felt they were unsure of how to proceed or coach their subordinates. Therefore, training mid-level managers on friendship maintenance will allow them to coach subordinates on appropriate behaviors while protecting the open culture and enhancing it with boundary acceptance. Second, mid-level managers have experienced the culture long enough to be able to bring case studies and self-directed inquiry to the training session. As the Trainor will conduct pre and post assessments, mid-level management feedback will be an essential tool in addressing all the needs imperative to this training topic.

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Communication Training & Development Final Project (M. Murray) Training Plan (v 1.0) Page 6 of 30 Melissa Murray, Graduate Student, Department of Communication, Fairfield University 1.3 Research Abstracts Abstract 1: Dialectical Tensions in Work-Friendships Bridge, K., & Baxter, L. A. (1992). Blended relationships: Friends as work associates. Western Journal of Communication, 56, 200-225. doi:10.1080/10570319209374414 Bridge and Baxter stated that it is widely accepted that many people form relationships at work and manage the dual-role nature of these relationships both in their work-sphere and personal-sphere (Bridge & Baxter, 1992). That said, little research has been done to analyze the operational function of these relationships (Bridge & Baxter, 1992). Relationship dialectic studies have focused on personal relationships or role-based relationships as separate entities in past academic literature (Bridge & Baxter, 1992). This study sought to review the overlap in these two roles that function concurrently to form a “blended relationship” (Bridge & Baxter, 1992, p. 201). Specifically, Bridge and Baxter sought to review dialectical tensions surrounding blended, dual-role work-friendships (Bridge & Baxter, 1992). One hundred sixty-two adult students and non-academic employees of a university were given an 11-page questionnaire that first defined the relationships of co-worker or work-friends (Bridge & Baxter, 1992). The researchers divided the survey into three parts. The first part asked the respondent to choose the best answer that most closely matched their scenario (i.e., the nature of the work friendship, the closeness of the friendship, whether the friendship was current or past); (Bridge & Baxter, 1992). The second part asked four open-ended questions asking the respondents to remember vivid incidents relating to work-scenarios such as the benefit of the friendship or moments of challenge (Bridge & Baxter, 1992). The third part employed a 5-point Likert questionnaire that measured three known communication tactics used to manage such dialectical tensions: selection, separation, and integration (Bridge & Baxter, 1992). The results identified six work tensions that strained friendships and conversely, five friendship tensions that strained their work-life (Bridge & Baxter, 1992). Work-factors identified that contributed to friendship formation are accessibility, commonality, and bonding opportunity (Bridge & Baxter, 1992). Information access, work-related assistance, psychological support, and improved working relationship were the friendship benefits identified (Bridge & Baxter, 1992). Five dialectical tensions emerged from the study: autonomy-connection, openness-closedness, equality-inequality, judgment-acceptance, and impartiality-favoritism (Bridge & Baxter, 1992). Further, there was an indication that status-equal and status-unequal friendships perceived the same amount of tension in their blended relationships which was contrary to researchers’ speculation (Bridge & Baxter, 1992). Close friends did not report much tension in their relationship, and the researchers speculated that their empathy reduced such tensions (Bridge & Baxter, 1992), Integration, separation, and selection strategies could not be confirmed as communication strategies in this study among these friendships (Bridge & Baxter, 1992). Finally, work-cohesion is positively correlated with integration strategies (Bridge & Baxter, 1992). Translation: Trainees should identify and define the five dialetic tensions and apply them to appropriate scenarios. For example, Impartiality – Favoritism is essential to identify because work friendships need supportive behaviors but not at the risk of favoritism over others which increases tensions within work teams. Knowing how open to be with work friends is another important skill because closeness is necessary to cement relationships but, over-sharing causes people to seek distance, while also negatively affecting one’s work reputation. Status-unequal friends employ selection more often than status-equal friends, meaning it is crucial for one to know how to choose peers that can become blended-friendships, rather than crossing boundaries of their manager.

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Communication Training & Development Final Project (M. Murray) Training Plan (v 1.0) Page 7 of 30 Melissa Murray, Graduate Student, Department of Communication, Fairfield University Abstract 2: Politeness guides escalating and de-escalating tactic choice Sias, P. M., Gallagher, E. B., Kopaneva, I., & Pedersen, H. (2012). Maintaining workplace friendships: perceived politeness and predictors of maintenance tactic choice. Communication Research, 39, 239–268. doi: 10.1177/0093650210396869 Sias stated that most work-friendship research has focused on the importance of friendships and the benefits they provide to both the employee and the employer in life-satisfaction and worker productivity (Sias, Gallagher, Kopaneva, & Pedersen, 2012). However, practical strategies to build and maintain such work friendships had largely been ignored as a research topic (Sias et al., 2012). Therefore, this study attempted to ascertain tactics employees can use to maintain work friendships overtime and the challenges present in doing so (Sias et al., 2012). This research is essential because friendships often ebb-and-flow with situational factors such as office-environment politics and employee status changes yet, maintaining working relationships from degrading over time is highly beneficial to one’s career success (Sias et al., 2012). Three studies were conducted to identify strategies that regulate relationships in escalating and deteriorating friendship situations (Sias et al., 2012). The first reviewed prior research to identify a measurement of 40 relational maintenance task items, 20 for escalating friendships, and 20 for deteriorating friendships that could be further tested in the next portion of the study (Sias et al., 2012). The second study tested the effects of The Politeness Theory (Brown & Levinson, 1987)1. One hundred sixty-five college students were asked to read escalating and deteriorating scenarios that featured the characters Chris and Sam (Sias et al., 2012). The participants were then surveyed on a 7-point Likert-Scale to determine the range Chris had been treated either fairly or poorly by Sam. The testing included reviews of 8 politeness scale items along with the 20 tactics developed from the first study’s focus group (Sias et al., 2012). The third and final study assessed the likelihood employees would use the identified strategies based on three variables identified in prior research: (1) politeness, (2) task interdependence and (3) workers’ attachment styles (Sias et al., 2012). One hundred ninety-two web-based surveys evaluating an escalating friendship scenario were completed by full-time working adults and 206 web-based surveys evaluating deteriorating friendship scenarios were also completed by full-time participants (Sias et al., 2012). The results of the three combined studies indicated there were four main strategies used to manage escalating friendships that were becoming too close (avoidance, direct and indirect conversation refocus, and openness), deteriorating friendships employed five strategies to salvage the relationship (openness, deception, creating closeness, self-promotion and circumspectiveness); (Sias et al., 2012). Politeness was identified as the most impactful factor in managing friendships and choosing maintenance tasks. Translation: Politeness1 at work is a skill that can be taught, along with norms for behavior based on the 40 tasks identified in the task assessment that Sias et al. developed. Students should be able to recall various relational maintenance tasks, determine appropriate situations to employ each task, as well as, identify intended outcomes and relationship strategies to attain their peer-support goals in work settings.

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Communication Training & Development Final Project (M. Murray) Training Plan (v 1.0) Page 8 of 30 Melissa Murray, Graduate Student, Department of Communication, Fairfield University Abstract 3: Creating closeness is essential in highly email-centric teams Sias, P. M., Pedersen, H., Gallagher, E. B., & Kopaneva, I. (2012). Workplace friendship in the electronically connected organization. Human Communication Research, 38, 253–279. doi: 10.1111/j.1468-2958.2012.01428.x This study examined how distance and electronic communications effect friendships and friendship formation at work (Sias, Pedersen, Gallagher, & Kopaneva, 2012). As organizations began using video conferences, emails, and remote employees, it became imperative to understand how this affected organizational culture and relationship development (Sias et al., 2012). Two hundred seventy-four full-time employees in a wide range of occupations participated in online surveys with 145 fully completed. The surveys asked participants to track the frequency of their connections to coworkers and workplace friends and to identify the means used to create this connection (i.e., phone, fax, teleconferencing, in-person); (Sias et al., 2012). The study concluded that face-to-face interactions still provided the most opportunity to form workplace friendships (Sias et al., 2012). Video-conference provided some in-person connection and could assist in task completion and friendships formation (Sias et al., 2012). Younger workers were more likely to use technology to maintain their friends with instant messaging, email and phone (Sias et al., 2012). Task-completion provided an opportunity for friendship formation and created bonds more effectively in-person (Sias et al., 2012). Finally, the researchers concluded that shared-tasks remain highly crucial to forming workplace relationships (Sias et al., 2012). Personality similarity is most important in face-to-face initiation but, as telecommuting and remote work increases, shared tasks are becoming the binder to these relationships (Sias et al., 2012) Translation: Those who manage workgroups should form managerial skills that increase worker task dependence. Assigning tasks together when there are several remote employees is extremely important to team cohesion and relationship initiation. Face-to-Face interactions on occasion are essential to cement these relationships. Workers that do not manage a team should still proactively strategize creating these relationships and fostering opportunity for joint work while maximizing in-person networking events within the organization when available.

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Communication Training & Development Final Project (M. Murray) Training Plan (v 1.0) Page 9 of 30 Melissa Murray, Graduate Student, Department of Communication, Fairfield University Abstract 4: Managing face threats is essential in delivering criticism Cupach, W. R., & Carson, C. L. (2002). Characteristics and consequences of interpersonal Complaints associated with perceived face threat. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 19, 443–462. doi: 10.1177/0265407502019004047 The study examined how complaints threatened relationships and were perceived as face-threating to the receiver. The complaints could be verbal or nonverbal as long as they were perceived as a complaining communication by the receiver (Cupach & Carson, 2002). The researchers stated that the study was important because the nature of complaints has been studied, as well as the nature of those who complain (i.e., complainers) but, the effect of complaints on the receiver had not been studied before this work (Cupach & Carson, 2002). Additionally, the authors state that the reaction of the receiver to the complaint is necessary to understand and it holds great importance to the outcome of relationships (Cupach & Carson, 2002). Those with maladaptive relationships are likely to be nonresponsive to partner complaints compared with healthy relationships where complaints are communicated reasonably and responded to by the receiver (Cupach & Carson, 2002). College students at a Midwestern University were asked if they had received a complaint from a friend or romantic partner in recent weeks, and 199 filled out questionnaires indicating they had received a complaint and how they responded. The mean timeframe for the complaint was 7.36 weeks ago. Participants filled out a 19-item scale which assessed the perceived face threat, as well as a scale that assessed the degree they experienced an adverse reaction to the complaint. (Cupach & Carson, 2002). The study concluded that more face threatening events indicated relational deterioration (Cupach & Carso, 2002). Dispositional complaints (complaints that attack the receiver’s nature) were more face threatening (Cupach & Carson, 2002). Non-dispositional complaints that focused on behavior were less harmful (Cupach & Carson, 2002). Receivers responded to dispositional complaints with hostility and defensive (Cupach & Carson, 2002). Negative threats are associated with several negative emotions such as anxiety and embarrassment (Cupach & Carson, 2002). Friends are more likely to deliver a dispositional complaint than intimate relationships (Cupach & Carson, 2002). Translation: Learning communication skills is necessary for maintaining relationships. Harsh criticism that attack’s one nature will damage the relationship. Public criticism is also damaging to the relationship. In work settings, feedback and criticism are essential to task improvement. Authenticity in friendships requires honest feedback and responsiveness from the receiver. Therefore, a cornerstone of relationship maintenance is learning to provide candid feedback and complaints in a way that protects the integrity of the receiver’s face. Skill: Fair Feedback, focusing on behavior and not personal complaints, in private and measured against situational factors considering the feelings of the receiver.

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Communication Training & Development Final Project (M. Murray) Training Plan (v 1.0) Page 10 of 30 Melissa Murray, Graduate Student, Department of Communication, Fairfield University Abstract 5: Supportive behaviors aid in relational maintenance Cranmer, G. A., Goldman, Z. W., & Booth-Butterfield, M. (2017). The mediated relationship between received support and job satisfaction: An initial application of socialization resources theory. Western Journal of Communication, 81, 64–86. doi:10.1080/10570314.2016.1231931 The study examined how workers assimilate in their roles and form friendships. The study is important because it identifies necessary elements that should be present in organizational settings for workers to form friendships and become more accustomed to the organization's culture quickly (Cranmer, Goldman, & Booth-Butterfield, 2017). Prior studies have focused on already formed friends or on the emotional aspects of friendship formation without regard to other forms of support organizations can provide that set the tone for assimilation and future friendship formation (Cranmer et al., 2017). The authors determined The socialization resource theory (SRT2) provides a robust model for assimilation and friendship formation (Saks & Gruman, 2012). The theory states that emotional, informational, and instrumental support behaviors provide the basis for socialization within an organization to make learning one’s new job role less complicated (Cranmer et al., 2017). Researchers in this study believed the SRT has broader application and could increase employee satisfaction and relational quality for both assimilating and seasoned employees. (Cranmer et al., 2017). Two hundred and seven working adults were identified through networks of undergraduate students. The adults participated in questionnaires that confirmed they participated in blended work relationships (Cranmer et al., 2017). Additionally, the questionnaires surveyed respondents for their perceptions of the importance of factors such as job satisfaction, assimilation, and emotional, informational, and instrumental support (Cranmer et al., 2017). The researchers concluded that the level of importance between emotional, informational, and instrumental support could not be ascertained but supportive behaviors did contribute to workplace satisfaction (Cranmer et al., 2017). Also, the researchers found that assimilation occurred over the life cycle of a career and even seasoned employees benefitted from supportive behaviors as mapped out by the SRT (Cranmer et al., 2017). Finally, the researchers determined there is a link between assimilation and work-friendship maintenance outcomes such that employees should proactively engage friends and networks to foster these friendships on their own, even if the organization does not offer such support (Cranmer et al., 2017). Translation: Assimilating new and seasoned employees in a workgroup or organization is an essential step to building and maintaining friends. Therefore, one should be prepared to offer emotional support to colleagues via empathy, informational support via knowledge sharing, and instrumental support which refers to sharing our goods, services, and resources with one another. Skills: Empathy, resources, and information sharing for employees new or old. Assessment of colleagues’ acculturation in the work-group or organization to identify areas of need that can be addressed through SRT2 behaviors.

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Communication Training & Development Final Project (M. Murray) Training Plan (v 1.0) Page 11 of 30 Melissa Murray, Graduate Student, Department of Communication, Fairfield University Abstract 6: Assertively delivered advice that acknowleges risks is deemed supportive Feng, B., & Burleson, B. R. (2008). The effects of argument explicitness on responses to advice in supportive interactions. Communication Research, 35, 849-874. doi:10.1177/0093650208324274 The study examined methods of giving advice and how the advice receiver perceived these methods. The study is important because the specific features of persuasive advice messaging that potentially lead to greater positive outcomes had not been measured before (Feng & Burleson, 2008). Also, this research has practical implications in Training and Development to determine the best methods of delivering advice that can alter behavior, as well as, in management scenarios so that advice can be given while protecting the face of peers and employees receiving such advice (Fend & Burleson, 2008). A group of 248 college students was surveyed after reading hypothetical advice scenarios that altered the delivery of the advice provided (Feng & Burleson, 2008). The students were asked to rate the efficacy of the advice given in each hypothetical example. Researchers concluded that advice that was well-rounded and information-laden was the best received (Fend & Burleson, 2008). In other words, when the advice championed one opinion but offered acknowledgment of the protentional down-side of the advice, provided explicit details of how the advice might work (i.e., feasibility), used politeness strategies such as supportive language and empathy, and specifically acknowledged the details of the advice receiver’s situation, the advice was deemed more credible and was more likely to be adopted by the receiver (Feng & Burleson, 2008). These results provide a means of effective coaching in work environments, as well as, face-saving strategies that help maintain friendships even when the receiver chooses not to accept the advice. Translation: People prefer to receive advice from those they deem as credible and review the issues of their scenario carefully. Those who are polite and layout strong arguments for their advice and conclusions are more likely to be viewed as supportive friends and managers, rather than interlopers over-stepping their boundaries. Giving advice is an important part of relationships and delivered carefully in a well-intentioned manner, is a supportive behavior that is part of the benefit of maintaining working friendships. Good advice can strengthen work and personal relationships, while bad advice has the opposite effect and can damage the credibility of the advice giver. Advice should be well-laid out, credible, polite, and acknowledge other opinions that may be more feasible. Skill: Formulate advice messages that contain credible and clear arguments, show empathy, acknowledge hazards and provide evidence of feasibility.

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Communication Training & Development Final Project (M. Murray) Training Plan (v 1.0) Page 12 of 30 Melissa Murray, Graduate Student, Department of Communication, Fairfield University Abstract 7: Pro-social behaviors decrease in high anxiety individuals Guerrero, L. K. & Bachman, G. F. (2006) Associations among relational maintenance behaviors, attachment-style categories, and attachment dimensions. Communication Studies, 57:3, 341-361. doi: 10.1080/10510970600845982 The study examined attachment theory3 and how prosocial behaviors were impacted by anxiety and dismissive-avoidants in romantic relationships, though task completion and social networking were also analyzed (Bowlby, 1969; Guerrero & Bachman, 2006). The study contributes to attachment theory literature by focusing on how emotional and psychological factors impact prosocial behavior choices (Bowlby, 1969; Guerrero& Bachman, 2006). Pro-social behavior identified by the researchers are assurances, romantic affection, positivity, openness, social networking, task sharing, comfort, and support (Guerrero & Bachman, 2006). The researchers also specifically examined how anxiety and avoidance impact the degree to which pro-social behaviors are enacted (Guerrero & Bachman). The authors stated this is important because anxiety and avoidance are foundational characteristics of each attachment dimensions (Guerrero & Bachman, 2006). The researchers surveyed 189 couples with the average age of 26. The sample was representative of all four attachment styles: anxious-preoccupied, secure, avoidant-dismissive, and fearful (Guerrero & Bachman, 2006). The second part of the survey included a scale to confirm the participant’s attachment style (Guerrero & Bachman, 2006). The survey also asked participants to rate the degree to which they used specified maintenance behaviors within the past month (Guerrero & Bachman, 2006). Secure individuals used more supportive, prosocial behaviors than anxious or pre-occupied individuals did (Guerrero & Bachman, 2006). Additionally, secures were more positive in their interactions. Anxious-pre-occupied men were particularly negative rather than positive, but this did not correlate to women’s outcomes (Guerrero & Bachman, 2006). High anxiety individuals did not share tasks, were less reactive and supportive to the needs of others and are less emotionally responsive in general (Guerrero & Bachman, 2006). Translation: Identifying and analyzing attachment styles3 can help diagnose the dynamics of any given scenario. For example, it is easy to become frustrated with an emotionally unresponsive employee but one might choose to recognize their anxiety and provide feedback in a supportive way to boost their confidence to make sure their message communicated effectively. Trainees should be able to define and recognize the four attachment styles in those around them and also themselves. Communication can be strategized around the emotional profiles of work-groups and those who do not participate in pro-social behaviors should be coached to take part in task-sharing activities.

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Communication Training & Development Final Project (M. Murray) Training Plan (v 1.0) Page 13 of 30 Melissa Murray, Graduate Student, Department of Communication, Fairfield University Abstract 8: Inequity results in relational deterioration in work settings Kingsley Westerman, C. Y., Park H. S., & Lee H. E. (2007). Cultural differences in the effects of inequity on coworker friendships. Human Communication, 10, 82–102. Retrieved from, http://libdb.fairfield.edu/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ufh&AN=24839869&site=ehost-live&scope=site The study reviewed the effects of inequity at work and college settings to understand better how those from different cultures may react in such scenarios. The study is essential to understanding the weight workers place on justice in their professional spheres, as well as, offering behavioral predictions that may occur as a result of perceived inequity (Kingsley Westerman, Park, & Lee, 2007). Questionnaires were created in both English and Korean and distributed to 341 American and 281 Korean participants. The questionnaires confirmed each participants involvement in blended relationships (i.e., work friendships). The study provided vignettes that described scenarios a fictional character, Chris, was encountering at work. The character received more credit than deserved in some of the vignettes, less credit than deserved in a third of the vignettes, and a fair amount of credit in the remaining third of the vignettes (Kingsley Westerman et al., 2007). The questionnaires polled for participants’ reactions to each of these scenarios. The authors concluded that in both American and Korean cultures, none of the participants thought terminating relationships in unfair scenarios was warranted (Kingsley Westerman et al., 2007). Koreans were less likely to complain or take action to correct the inequity and were most uncomfortable with receiving too much credit undeservedly (Kingsley Westerman et al., 2007). Americans were more likely to plan action to correct inequity and were more concerned with inequity that deprived them of fair credit (Kingsley Westerman et al., 2007). The results indicate that different cultures have different reactions in cases of workplace inequity and that both cultures reported less work satisfaction as a result (Kingsley Westerman et al., 2007). However, the results also indicate that workers may not act to create a balance of equity based on their cultural expectations even when feeling dissatisfaction (Kingsley Westerman et al., 2007). Also, terminating the blended relationship was not a priority, but distancing strategies were likely. Therefore, this study indicates behaviors managers and co-workers should be aware of to avoid inequitable scenarios that may not be obvious and will affect the perceived quality of worker relationships. Translation: Because Americans are more likely to speak up in inequitable situations, we may not notice when people from other cultures are uncomfortable. Heightened sensitivity is necessary, and a willingness to act to correct injustices should fall on workers who see it so that workers with less assertive styles are not experiencing adverse outcomes covertly. Friendship maintenance strategies may sometimes call for heaping praise on friends without them fully deserving it to create closeness but, in some cultures, this could backfire and create more negativity. Cultural sensitivity is necessary for relationship maintenance as justice, and equity in work scenarios are essential to relationships and worker satisfaction. Skill: Identifying cultural needs, proactive resolution to inequitable situations, and adopting an attitude of fairness.

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Communication Training & Development Final Project (M. Murray) Training Plan (v 1.0) Page 14 of 30 Melissa Murray, Graduate Student, Department of Communication, Fairfield University Abstract 9: Friendship deterioration affects work satisfaction and productivity Sias, P. M., Heath, R. G., Perry, T., Silva, D., & Fix, B. (2004). Narratives of workplace friendship deterioration. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 21, 321–340. doi: 10.1177/0265407504042835 The study examined the specific reasons workplace friendships deteriorate over time. It is the first study to examine relationship deterioration instead of relationship formation and closeness (Sias, Heath, Perry, Silva, & Fix, 2004). It is clear that workplace friendships provide not only emotional support but operational efficiency to the organization (Sias et al., 2004). Therefore, this study provided valuable insight into how to continue long-term work friendships through the inevitable forces that often lead to deterioration, or even, termination (Sias et al., 2004). Twenty-five full-time working adults participated in in-depth interviews that provided narratives of common workplace scenarios. Eleven of the interviewees described workplace scenarios between peers and nine described deterioration as a result of promotion (Sias et al., 2004). The narratives were analyzed, and three themes became apparent to the authors. First, deterioration began in response to a triggering event (Sias et al., 2004). Next, a resolution stage followed where deterioration was allowed (Sias et al., 2004). Finally, sense-making of the event followed whereby the deterioration was analyzed, and consequences were pondered (Sias et al., 2004). From these narratives, researchers determined that five causes were the typical catalyst for friendships deterioration: conflicting expectations, personality differences, distracting life events, job promotion and betrayal (Sias et al., 2004). There were several negative consequences to these events such as job stress, higher turnover, and less attention to job tasks (Sias et al., 2004). The results of the study indicate the clear connection between friendship quality and job satisfaction and provided a reasonable basis to conclude that organizations should make space for friendship building, friendship maintenance and friendship repair when necessary (Sias et al., 2004). Translation: Trainees should adopt positive attitudes about forming friendships because of their importance in the workplace. Trainees should be able to identify the catalysts for deterioration, the dialectical tensions, and the behaviors that indicate deterioration which enables them to proactively and thoughtfully strategize steps to stabilize deteriorating friendships over time. Trainees should learn alternative strategies to catty behaviors or workplace betrayals when competing for job promotions or internal political recognition, as negative behaviors result in permanent loss of reputation and friendships. Therefore, trainees should identify the consequences of negative behaviors and identify the positive relational tools that avoid competitive working behaviors to maintain collegial peer networks that support their career growth. Finally, trainees should be able to identify career points known to increase tensions such as job promotions, and be able to identify effective strategies to maintain friendships when status equality changes. Skills: Adopting supportive, non-competitive attitudes, adopting attitudes that emphasize the importance of friendships, and preparing strategies for combatting each of the five scenarios before full deterioration occurs.

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Communication Training & Development Final Project (M. Murray) Training Plan (v 1.0) Page 15 of 30 Melissa Murray, Graduate Student, Department of Communication, Fairfield University Abstract 10: Deception occurs in work situations with varying consequences Bryant E. M. & Sias P. M. (2011) Sensemaking and relational consequences of peer co-worker deception, Communication Monographs, 78, 115-137, doi:10.1080/03637751.2010.542473 This study examined how coworkers made sense of deception and betrayal in work settings. The research is vital because betrayal had been identified as one of the main reasons people choose to terminate friendships in career settings (Bryant & Sias, 2011). Therefore, understanding how peers evaluate deception and to what degree they weigh its seriousness is valuable insight into the nature of workplace friendships (Bryant & Sias, 2011). Additionally, career friendships often begin in non-voluntary settings. Therefore, the researchers speculated that this non-voluntary nature of relationship formation might have an impact on whether work-friendships can survive deception as opposed to personal-sphere relationships where it is easier for one to avoid the deceiver permanently (Bryant & Sias, 2002). Narrative surveys were conducted by interview of 23 coworkers with 58 narratives collected in total (Bryant & Sias, 2002). Narrative themes emerged from the surveys. The corrupt systems (CYA) narrative refers to a deception that occurs in toxic organizations where co-workers are forced to lie to survive the culture (Bryant & Sias, 2002). In these scenarios, the relationship did not completely breakdown due to the aggrieves’ acknowledgment that the deceiver had little choice (Bryant & Sias, 2002). Therefore, coworkers in these scenarios managed this deception by documenting work with emails, group emails, and other such protection strategies (Bryant & Sias, 2002). The second narrative to emerge based on deceivers who did so solely for personal gain. Their relationships often were terminated when the deceit was discovered, which is not often (Bryant & Sias, 2002). Finally, personality defect was identified as a third catalyst of work-place deceipt. These scenarios faced a high likelihood of relationship termination, unless great task dependency existed that forced a cordial relationship to continue (Bryant & Sias, 2002). The seriousness of consequence in this deception category was based on the severity of the lies or misinformation (Bryant & Sias, 2002). Translation: Deception is not an ideal in interpersonal relationships but is sometimes necessary particularly in work scenarios. Nonetheless, learning to evaluate deception helps one deal with the inevitable. Discussing CYA protection strategies can empower students to act in toxic environments. In personal gain scenarios, there is little resolution, but students can be prepared to discuss options: (1) report, (2) ignore (3) remain cordial (4) distancing. Finally, if deception occurred due to personality, students should consider their assessment of the individual and use de-escalating tactics to hold boundaries in place, as well as, CYA tactics to provide work-life stability.

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Communication Training & Development Final Project (M. Murray) Training Plan (v 1.0) Page 16 of 30 Melissa Murray, Graduate Student, Department of Communication, Fairfield University Abstract 11: Workplace aggression includes passive tactics that affect worker well-being Coombs T. W., & Holladay, S. J. (2004). Understanding the aggressive workplace: development of the workplace aggression tolerance questionnaire. Communication Studies, 55, 481–497. doi: 10.1080/10510970409388633 The study examined workplace aggression, which the authors defined in broad terms to reflect direct and indirect confrontation ranging from mere gossip to physical attacks. The researchers’ definition importantly includes covert aggression, such as back stabbing and other passive-aggressive behaviors in the workplace that had not been studied before (Coombs & Holladay, 2004). The researchers determined workplace aggression is defined as a purposeful act that is intent on hurting individuals or an organization that they had worked for or currently work for (Coombs & Holladay, 2004). This research is important as most study of workplace aggression has focused on egregious actions, not aggression in daily communicative processes in the workforce (Coombs & Holladay, 2004). Also, the researchers stated that daily aggression has an enormous impact on worker health and satisfaction and organizations such as the UN have reported increasing incidents of workplace aggression (Coombs & Holladay, 2004). Two-hundred and eight workers who were not in college, and had at least three years of work experience, were asked to complete surveys to gauge the appropriateness of 28 workplace reactions to an unjust performance review given by a superior (Coombs & Holladay, 2004). The second part of the study surveyed 201 college students who rated the same 28 workplace behaviors. The researchers found many aggressive behaviors such as meeting avoidance, interrupting, purposely slow task completion as well as, direct verbal aggression can cause psychological stress and harm, while impeding relationship development (Coombs & Holladay, 2004) The researchers concluded attitude change was more important that just attempting to manage such behavior as these behaviors are difficult to identify once they occur (Coombs & Holladay, 2004). The researchers concluded training in conflict management and forgiveness can be useful in managing workplace behaviors (Coombs & Holladay, 2004). Translation: Trainees should learn positive communication and good behavior tactics, as well as, recognizing bad behavior tactics. Trainees should recognize passive-aggressive behaviors are negative and harmful to fellow coworkers. Understanding the psychological factors and the limitations to friendships these behaviors cause is important to encourage trainees to choose more positive relational maintenance behaviors instead. Skills: Altitudinal change against aggressive behaviors, including passive-aggression. Identifying covert aggression and labelling appropriately. Identify polite, face-saving strategies that may provide the same communication benefit in managing the relationship. Group managers should learn to train, address and assess incidents of workplace aggression.

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Communication Training & Development Final Project (M. Murray) Training Plan (v 1.0) Page 17 of 30 Melissa Murray, Graduate Student, Department of Communication, Fairfield University 1.4 Training Objectives This course is organized in two modules. The first will focus on strengthening connections with colleagues and workplace friends. The second module, will focus on strengthening boundaries and communicating critiscm effectively within relationships that have become too casual. Module 1: Strengthening Connections Learning Objective 1: At the end of the course, students should be able to escalate peer relationships with strategies known to increase affection such as initiating peer conversations with phrases that encourage their colleagues to speak about themselves personally, as well as, offering to assist their colleagues with task completion. Learning Objective 2: At the end of the course, students should be able to escalate peer relationships with strategies known to increase affection such as sharing resources, providing information and emotional support including, well-considered advice that offers clear, feasible arguments while acknowledging the potential risks to their colleague. Module 2: Strengthening Boundaries Learning Objective 3: At the end of the course, students should be able to implement strategies that increase personal boundaries with their work colleagues by indirectly re-focusing conversations away from personal topics and avoiding personal interactions outside of work settings. Learning Objective 4: At the end of the course, students should be able to articulate politeness and face-saving behaviors, as well as, communicate complaints respectfully with their peer’s feelings and identity protected by focusing feedback on behaviors and not personal statements regarding one’s nature, and asking for specific behaviors from their colleague that are intended to increase task-completion.

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Communication Training & Development Final Project (M. Murray) Training Plan (v 1.0) Page 18 of 30 Melissa Murray, Graduate Student, Department of Communication, Fairfield University 1.5 Task Analysis I. Assess your current professional peer network holistically to determine which relationships are distancing and which would provide you benefit if they were strengthened and closer. A. Write the names of these relationships down. B. Consider reasons these relationships need repair. 1. Ask yourself, have you been too busy to attend to this friendship or did an event occur that warranted distancing. C. Notate your observations D. If you have been too busy to attend to this friendship, notate times you may have the opportunity to interact with this person based on your knowledge of your normal work schedules. E. Pick a time to plan your interaction where there may be a relative amount of privacy or less distraction within your work areas. 1. As you approach your friend ensure they are not too busy by noticing their body language. 2. If possible, check public calendars to ensure they are not working against an immediate deadline. 3. Before you approach your work colleague, take note of their immediate surroundings to determine if the moment is too loud or distracting for a conversation to occur. F. Once you have determined the environment and immediate area are clear of distractions, approach your friend at a close but comfortable distance. 1. You should be close enough that it is clear the conversation is intended to be just between the two of you and not with the whole room and inclusive of others. 2. Ensure your demeanor is loose and light-hearted, indicating an invitation for informal interaction. 3. Offer a smile as you approach your friend. 4. Use your friends name and ask, “So (insert name), how are things going?” 5. Allow your friend time to answer thoroughly without interrupting. 6. If your friend offers just a “fine”, answer by stating “It has been a while and was wondering how things are going with you.” 7. Allow them to answer thoroughly. 8. Keep eye contact so as to not to look distracted but do not glare uncomfortably either. 9. Offer appropriate and responsive answers to their statements such as: a. If they are stressed offer to assist in their task completion. b. If they are confused, help them think through their issue and offer genuine advice. c. If they are in a funny mood, reciprocate with laughter and joking. G. Continue conversation with your friend but keep the focus on their personal feelings and not work topics, unless your friend mentions a specific work need. H. Focus the conversation on personal topics such as what they did on their weekend, inquiring how family is or if they’ve seen the latest movie.

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Communication Training & Development Final Project (M. Murray) Training Plan (v 1.0) Page 19 of 30 Melissa Murray, Graduate Student, Department of Communication, Fairfield University I. Make a point to reconnect with this friend through similar periodic interactions even if you must plan them into your work calendar to remember. J. Approach them every few days in the same manner until the relationship is comfortable and the interaction naturally becomes more frequent. K. Choose different topics to bring up that invoke their personal self in these interactions such as the weather, their vacation plans, opinions about popular culture topics which will keep the interaction informal and jovial. L. Repeat these steps for each of the people identified in I. A. II. If an event occurred that created a distancing scenario as mentioned in section I. B write down who these friendships are and what event occurred to cause distance. A. For friendships that distanced because of a distracting life event, re-establish connection utilizing the steps as identifies in I. D-L. B. For friendships that distanced because of an organizational occurrence or a workplace deception that could not be helped, focus on creating closeness with this friend through proximity, starting with steps included in I. D-L. C. In addition, volunteer to work on a project with this friend to create proximity and re-establish trust. D. Be responsive to this friend’s work needs and offer assistance on task completion outside your normal duties. E. Assess whether there is a high-level of shared tasks and work projects that contribute to your positive working dynamic and ensure you are present and active in these tasks as they come up. F. As your work interaction increases your friend may ask you for advice, it is important you follow these steps to provide respected and accepted advice by; 1. Thinking through carefully the scenario your friend is in and determining what you would do for yourself if you were in the same scenario. 2. Explain clearly to your friend why you chose the course of action you did and present the arguments for why you came to that conclusion. 3. Explain why you do not think it is best to go with other options and explain clearly why your advice the most feasible. a. Make it clear that you know there are inherent risks and that your opinion is just that, an opinion. b. Verbally acknowledge there are other courses of action that could be better than the one you have chosen. c. Accept your friend’s decision to take your advice or not graciously by telling them you understand it’s a tough choice and wishing them luck, as well as offering to help in other ways if they need. G. If in the course of re-establishing friendships, one of your friends directly inquires about a negative scenario that impacted the closeness of your relationships, address this with them directly but kindly as well. 1. Give as honest of feedback as you are able (as defined by the constraints of your organization), as to why the relationship deteriorated. 2. Offer positive feedback before the negative feedback, if you have to tell them you were disappointed in their behavior.

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Communication Training & Development Final Project (M. Murray) Training Plan (v 1.0) Page 20 of 30 Melissa Murray, Graduate Student, Department of Communication, Fairfield University 3. Define specific hopes for their behavior moving forward, avoiding criticizing their character personally and instead focusing on what you hope will happen so that your friendship can continue and thrive in the future. 4. If you are unable to share an open honesty with them because of organization constraints or other similar factors, avoid their direct conversation with polite deception. a. State that you do no remember the specifics of the incident any more and refocus the conversation to lighter topics. b. Continue to volunteer for shared work tasks to create proximity with this friend to cement a new recent history based on friendship and avoiding focusing on past grievances. H. Continue to strengthen all your work relationships in the same manner as above, moving down the list of the people you notated in I. A. I. For relationships that are in need of repair but proximity is not an issue, attempt to re-establish friendships by focusing on your personal utility to their relationship. 1. If your friends’ work environment is stressful, provide emotional support and a listening ear when it appears, they might need it. 2. If your friend has been through a career transition or lateral move that has impacted your relationship, considering offering instrumental support which is resources and information you can provide your friend to make their transition easier. a. Do research and fact-finding for your friend if they are busy b. Look back at old training notes you found helpful and share this information with them as it comes up. 3. If your friend needs connections or other resources to accomplish their job, offering these resources to them as you have them. III. Look back at the document you created in part I. Identify friendships that make you feel uncomfortable and seem to consume a lot of your energy within the workplace, write these names down. A. Determine why you think these friendships have grown too close. B. Make a point of planning your next interaction with these friends by outlining your goals for the interaction and strategizing how you will conduct your next interaction with them to ensure your goals are met. C. For friends that are not badly behaved but are simply closer than you would like in the workplace, simply avoid discussing personal topics while around them. 1. If your friend continues to discuss personal topics, indirectly and politely shift the conversation back to the work task at hand. 2. If your friend continues to push the conversation to personal levels and has not been responsive to your indirect conversational shifts, you will need to avoid scenarios where you are alone with them. Instead, plan meetings inclusive of them but with others that share your work-tasks to ensure the conversation remains on work.

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Communication Training & Development Final Project (M. Murray) Training Plan (v 1.0) Page 21 of 30 Melissa Murray, Graduate Student, Department of Communication, Fairfield University 3. Avoid social outings outside the work sphere with them until the relational boundaries become more in-line with your comfort zone. 4. If this friend brings up a topic from the personal sphere that is off the work topic state “I don’t know anything about that”, even if you do, and continue to discuss the work topic at hand. 5. If your friend still continues to bring up personal topics and all the indirect conversational refocusing tactics have failed, directly re-shift the conversation to work topics by stating, “I don’t want to talk about that right now, I need to accomplish this task”. D. For friends that either do not respond to indirect conversational refocus or are exhibiting behaviors such as passive aggression, that must be dealt with immediately, you must provide direct open feedback. You must do this consciously being aware that they may get defensive if you embarrass them. Therefore, you must strategize this conversation before it occurs so that you are comfortable and prepared for what you will say. 1. Directly explain that you need more personal boundaries to focus on your own work. 2. Explain clearly and directly that you would like to avoid personal topics and focus on work tasks. 3. You should provide some positive feedback along with the negative feedback to encourage their good behavior and to avoid defensiveness. 4. You may also use some polite deception to ease the offense. For example, state that you are very busy at the given moment and do not have time to socialize, you must focus on your work and would appreciate help in accomplishing that. 5. When you deliver feedback, ensure that you have practiced verbally stating what exact behaviors you would like from your colleague and what behaviors you would like to avoid. 6. Do not make statements that insinuate there is a character flaw in your friend, be sure to ask for the specific behaviors your need from them.

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Communication Training & Development Final Project (M. Murray) Training Plan (v 1.0) Page 22 of 30 Melissa Murray, Graduate Student, Department of Communication, Fairfield University 2.0 Training Design & Needs Assessment 2.1 Methodology To determine the training needs of this organization, I discovered that three methods of assessment should be utilized. First, I observed a typical work day within this advertising agency in New York City to determine how the employees interact with one another. From this observation, and conversations with upper management, I completed a SWOT analysis to understand specific needs within the advertising industry as a whole, as well as, to review this particular organization’s strengths and weaknesses in regards to the training topic. Lastly, I surveyed employees to determine how comfortable they are with communicating with one another professionally. While advertising professionals interact with one another often on a casual level, asking them for thoughtful strategic conversation seemed to be a barrier for some I spoke with. This stems from the typical advertising culture that thrives on brainstorming and throwing out ideas to maximize creativity. On my observation day, some employees expressed that formalized communications or limiting friendships seemed intimidating. My survey sought to gauge if this was an attitude held by the entire training group or just a few, as well as, determine what the group hopes to learn during their session and what friendship maintenance skills they already have.

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Communication Training & Development Final Project (M. Murray) Training Plan (v 1.0) Page 23 of 30 Melissa Murray, Graduate Student, Department of Communication, Fairfield University 2.2 Assessment SWOT ANALYSIS Strengths External: A focus on culture has been top-of-mind for some time and the advertising industry as a whole is constantly evolving, making change less difficult and more likely. Advertising industry personnel view themselves as being at the forefront of new trends and social change, presented correctly attitude shift towards positive friendship maintenance in the work culture should not be hard. Advertising agencies have collaborative relationships with each other, and train outside their borders. “Evangelizing” ideas and culture is a constant topic and there is little doubt that once they adopt these maintenance strategies, they will evangelize outside the boundaries of the organization. Weaknesses External: The industry, along with other flat-open culture industries, are experiencing backlash for being too casual and not providing protective boundaries to employees. Open floor-plan offices provide little personal space and recent industry conversation has pointed to increasing privacy and personal boundaries so creativity can thrive. Advertising culture as a whole is not known for appropriate or cordial communication. Hence, mid-level managers do not begin their management careers with adequate communication skills to guide and coach entry-level staff. Opportunities Internal: • Attitude shift whereby more professional communication or boundaries does not mean speaking like a corporate robot. • Ensuring team feels authentic in their communication so creativity is not stifled, use of role-play to accomplish this. • Management participated in choosing the training and the topic. • All employees seem enthusiastic about the training, and management has been transparent about what it is and what it hopes to accomplish by offering such training. • The agency is friendly and interactive, and trainee discuss will not be hard. Trainees are more enthusiastic than in other industries, they seem excited by the benefit provided. Threats Internal: • The culture is quite casual, and the open communication does lack boundaries and border on rude which can limit the organizational workforce to only those who thrive in such a culture. • Some employees expressed fear of change or becoming to corporate-like in their communications. • Mid-level managers admitted to needing training and coaching on interpersonal communications as these topics take up a good portion of their workday.

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Communication Training & Development Final Project (M. Murray) Training Plan (v 1.0) Page 24 of 30 Melissa Murray, Graduate Student, Department of Communication, Fairfield University 2.3 Survey Maintaining Friendships in Creative Professions Survey Please circle the choice under each statement that most closely represents your agreement or disagreement with each statement. I was better friends with my coworkers in the first year of my employment. Strongly Agree Agree Undecided Disagree Strongly Disagree I have a hard time asking friends to complete tasks I need them to accomplish quickly. Strongly Agree Agree Undecided Disagree Strongly Disagree I enjoy colleagues in other departments but don’t know how to get to know them better. Strongly Agree Agree Undecided Disagree Strongly Disagree I have lost a workplace friend because I was promoted over them. Strongly Agree Agree Undecided Disagree Strongly Disagree I have lost a workplace friend due to moving departments laterally within the organization. Strongly Agree Agree Undecided Disagree Strongly Disagree I find it difficult to focus on work tasks when a work peer is discussing personal issues. Strongly Agree Agree Undecided Disagree Strongly Disagree I find it difficult to provide constructive critiscm to those I am friends with at work. Strongly Agree Agree Undecided Disagree Strongly Disagree Assess Your Communication Skills Rank Yourself from 1 to 5 in order of difficulty. 5 indicated it is hardest for you ___Providing good advice ___Setting boundaries with friends ___Shifting focus to tasks at hand ___Maintaining long-term work friendships ___Offering tactful feedback to workplace friends

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Communication Training & Development Final Project (M. Murray) Training Plan (v 1.0) Page 64 of 30 Melissa Murray, Graduate Student, Department of Communication, Fairfield University Training & Development Reflection Paper The Training & Development course assisted in designing my training plan and streamlining my thoughts regarding delivery of a relatively simple topic. Although the topic appears simple at the outset, organizing the training so that trainees can engage with these skills and recall them after the training is complete is not nearly as easy. The coursework laid-out the basic outline which I centered around the “Tell, Show, Invite, Encourage, Correct and Repeat” mantra as discussed within our text (Beebe, Mottet, & Roach, 2013). I next spent a great deal of time considering the delivery of my training, as the coursework impressed upon me the importance of trainer delivery, attitude and likability on the success of any course given. Another aspect of my training is that I knew my topic well. I have worked in advertising agencies and often thought the culture needed to blend it’s open, yet sometimes brutal, expressive nature with some of the communication skillsets of corporate managers. I envision using my communication knowledge in my workplace so that I can encourage the processes that provide our creativity and interaction while also, limiting the downside flat, undisciplined cultures are known for. The research that accompanied this final project also educated me on the topic itself. It’s clear to me that friendships and cordial cultures are necessary for workplace productivity (Sias, Heath, Perry, Silva, & Fix, 2004). Despite advertising cultures championing a lack of this cordiality as a means for cutting through bluster and getting to the core of issues quickly, there is strong research that indicates this can affect worker well-being, stress levels, satisfaction and task-completion (Sias et al., 2004). Therefore, this training also provided me the research tools to express myself to my own management with ideas of improving culture without changing the essential nature of our work industry creatives hold in high regard. This balance between communication knowledge and the needs of the industry, remind me greatly of the communication consulting relationship outlined and championed by Cragan at firehouses throughtout his career (Cragan, 2008). Before reading this work, my training was

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Communication Training & Development Final Project (M. Murray) Training Plan (v 1.0) Page 65 of 30 Melissa Murray, Graduate Student, Department of Communication, Fairfield University planned in a different direction. After reading Cragan’s thoughts on designing customized training for the industry, I considered how maintaing work friendships would be different from industry to industry. I incorporated this comparison in my needs assessment. In advertising agencies, employees bump-up against each other ofren and can risk feeling sick of one another because of the constant interaction and open culture. In finance companies, employees are separated by cubes, floors and multiple organizational silos. These employees have to work much harder at connecting with one another. In addition, finance cultures have stronger controls on open communication and transparencey than adveritsing agencies do. Knowing this, it’s clear that maintaing workplace friendships requires a different set of skills in advertising agencies than in other work cultures such as finance companies. I designed my training anticipating that advertising agency employees are able to make friends quickly but, experience more negative scenarios such as deceipt or promotion competition than a corporate culture employee would. Therefore, it’s imperative for advertising agency employees to manager their friendship deterioration proactively to maintain a productive working atmosphere. If they do not, they will suffer burnout more quickly than in other working cultures (Sias et al., 2004). Within my design, I also was intentional abour repeating information and providing multiple opportunities for trainees to engage in the material over and over again. Each learning objective is trained with a segment for participating in the behaviors and having their role-plays corrected by the trainor. As our text states, the Law of Frequency is essential in recalling and reinforcing learned behaviors (Beebe et al., 2013). Additionally, I was cognizant that I was training adults who are self-directed and need relevancy in their training. I used role-play and personal case studies so that the discussion will center around topics interesting to the trainee, that reflect their personality and natural communication style. Set inductions and other transition indicators also help adults understand the process while inviting them to take part in their training (Beebe et al., 2013). I will also invite

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Communication Training & Development Final Project (M. Murray) Training Plan (v 1.0) Page 66 of 30 Melissa Murray, Graduate Student, Department of Communication, Fairfield University and encourage the training to focus on industry specific examples in their discussions to put them at ease that I am one of them and I understand their work needs. Credibility is an essential part of training and traininees need to feel their trainer is apart of their culture and walk-the-talk (Cragan, 2008). Therefore, signposts that ensure the trainess know the direction of the training as well as indicators that express my understanding of advertising culture have been incorporated into the training plan so I am an enhancement to their learning as a trainor, instead of a distraction. Each of my training modules also follow Donald Kirpatrick’s level of assessment as my goal was to align the specific skill as outlined in the task analysis, with the skill the trainee will be assessed on later. To provide clients with accurate reporting and satisfaction, it is important to assess the learning outcomes of trainees. Therefore, trainees were asked their reaction to the training, to assess their learning of the topic, and were asked to perform trained behaviors at multiple junctures in the training to encourage their recall of the behaviors during their assessments and well after the training is complete. The finest example of a productive training session is one where the trainees enjoyed themselves, the trainer, the topic and remember instances of their experience they can adopt to their own work scenarios later. (Beebe et al., 2013). Finally, as our text suggests, I trained the skills in a pyramid pattern. The easier skills were taught first (Beebe, 2013). This created two positives scenarios to induce learning. First, the trainees had time to get comfortable in their environment before moving to more difficult tasks. Also, the training started on a more positive topic (i.e., creating closer friendships and support behaviors), this allowed trainees to become comfortable discussing non-threatenig topics. The subject of complaints and distancing was left until the end because trainess would be comfortable sharing and role-playing at this juncture. In addition, there are less polite tactics used in work settings to manage escalating friendships, therefore the skill is harder to grasp because the trainor

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Communication Training & Development Final Project (M. Murray) Training Plan (v 1.0) Page 67 of 30 Melissa Murray, Graduate Student, Department of Communication, Fairfield University has limited alternatives to offer in each scenario (Sias et al., 2004). Therefore, the more challenging topic was left until the end when the trainees at an increased level of comfort in their leaning environment (Beebe et al, 2013). As far as my presentation materials, I took our text’s advice and kept the program materials simple. Most of the knowledge I coul train from my memory which allows me to walk around the room and connect with trainees without being tethered to my computer or screen. I envisioned the trainees at round tables to increase interaction and so they would feel comfortable with role-play scenarios. Given the learning domain of attitude adoption and friendship regulation fall into, this is an apporpriate choice of training (Beebee et al,. 2013). Therefore, I did not heavily use slides or multimedia as I did not intend the training to resemble a seminar and instead, hoped for an engaging and social workshop. As my experience and the text, state that comfort and interaction are essential to productive learning atmospheres (Beebe et al., 2013).

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