Communication and Negotiating in Construction

This course will focus on the human ele­ments of the con­struc­tion indus­try is the focus. Top­ics will include: nego­ti­a­tion and com­mu­ni­ca­tion strate­gies, meth­ods, and styles; team build­ing, col­lab­o­ra­tion, and the sit­u­a­tion­al lead­er­ship mod­el; con­flict res­o­lu­tion, and strate­gies for deal­ing with issues such as intran­si­gence, insub­or­di­na­tion and absen­teeism. Pri­or knowl­edge of project man­age­ment and admin­is­tra­tive con­trols is rec­om­mend­ed, but not required.

Course at a glance
  • Course delivered in a three-day condensed format.
  • Recognized by CIQS, Gold Seal, and Blue Seal both as required education for accreditation and continuing professional development (post-accreditation maintenance).
  • Aimed at a wide range of construction workers, including tradesmen and journeymen, managers and supervisors, administrators, contractors, consultants, architects, and construction business owners.
  • Varied class dynamics, with learning facilitated through extensive group work, case-study analysis, and role-playing.
  • Learning materials available through eClass, the University of Alberta’s eLearning management tool.
What you will learn

By the end of this course, you should be able to:

  • Understand the concepts and philosophies of effective communication as it relates to the negotiation process, integrating perspectives and goals from all parties.
  • Identify the benefits of formalizing negotiation through the appropriate process, mapping procedures, and related documents.
  • Demonstrate how to clarify negotiation subjects in order to manage and control the process for optimal results.
  • Define the negotiation objectives and related issues through research prior to initiating the process.
  • Develop strategies and tactics to be used during the negotiation process, including utilizing applicable materials, resources, and supports.
  • Demonstrate how to optimize negotiations through effective planning, communication, positioning, document and process review, research, and application of strategies and tactics.
  • Demonstrate skills in face-to-face negotiations.
  • Evaluate the success of the negotiations.
This course has no prerequisites

Students from all educational backgrounds welcome. You can register for this course without applying and enrolling in a program.

Take note:

  • In-class course assessment; participation will be a primary component of assessment.
  • Prior knowledge of project management and administrative controls is recommended for student success.
Currently counts towards:

Applicants intending to enrol in a program are encouraged to apply as soon as possible to lock in their course requirements since they are prone to change.

*If you are already enroled in this program, please refer to your specific program requirements as outlined at the time of your admission: Bear Tracks > Academic Advisement.

When will
this course be offered?

New course schedules are released each June and November.

Scheduled for Fall/Winter:

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