Needs Understanding core training
The core training covers the Needs Understanding toolkit, offering you the tools that you need for developing empathy, self-awareness, empowerment and better decision-making.
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What will I get from the training?
The training will give you and your team skills and practices which help you to:
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listen and speak in ways which consistently create more supportive, understanding, enjoyable connections with clients and colleagues
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understand what is at the core of difficult situations and know how to develop creative new win-win solutions
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be the person that you want to be at work
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know what to do when you feel like you or your colleagues are acting unreasonably or over-reacting over an issue
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make requests that others want to say 'yes' to
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resource yourself so that you can show up in the way that you want to with those around you
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negotiate so that everyone is satisfied
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resolve the core of conflicts so they don't replay over and over again
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say 'no' in a way which can be more easily heard by the other
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express regret when you make a mistake in a way which rebuilds trust and leaves you free of guilt
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communicate effectively across divisions without giving up on what's important to you
Essential details
Length: 0.5 to 2 days. 2 days to cover the whole toolkit, 0.5 / 1 / 1.5 days if you want to cover less or take it more slowly
Number of participants: Any
Delivery mode: Online or in person
Previous experience required: No
Core training content
The Needs Understanding core training covers the core principles and the four skill areas of Needs Understanding. It is practical, fun and interactive, and is taught with a flexible approach to respond to the particular people who are in the room.
The detail
Core principles
Needs as a way to understand ourselves and each other • Our unique fingerprint needs as a key to solving our most difficult challenges • Look through needs glasses to find solutions that take care of everyone's needs
1. Listen with empathy
Habitual ways of listening that unintentionally alienate people • The two island model of empathy • Blocks to empathy and how to develop an empathic attitude • Find your authentic way to listen and create connection
2. Understand yourself with compassion
Connect with your needs • Understand what your judgements about yourself and other people can show you • Act deliberately as you want to, rather than reacting to what is going on around you • Use your feelings as a resource to help you • Discover your internal resource tank •
3. Speak to be heard
Create connecting conversations • Express your anger without blame • Use four language tools ~ observations not evaluations; requests not demands; appreciation and celebration not praise and reward; regret and sorrow not guilt and denial
4. Act with care for everyone's needs
Problem solve using the needs pot • Take action that serves • Use the distinction between strategies and needs to find better ways forward • Go for needs-based solutions instead of compromise • Move from opposition to partnership • Set respectful boundaries • Connect across divides
Training is related at each stage to you and to your particular setting, using your examples, and with a dynamic approach to content that can respond to the group who are in the room.
What is the best length of training?
The Needs Understanding core training is two days in total. That's what I recommend when time and budget allow, because you are then fully equipped to take away all the tools and run with them.
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However, the core training can split into shorter sessions, and if you prefer to do a half day or a whole day rather than the full two days, that will work completely fine. For one offs like away days, conferences or large team meetings, I would often expect to be doing a two or three hour session.
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If you feel unsure, please don't hesitate to be in touch and we can talk about exactly what would work best for you.