GIS PROFESSIONAL SUCCESS:

INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATIONS

WITHIN A GIS TECHNICAL ENVIRONMENT

(2002 Esri International User Conference – Paper # 673)

ABSTRACT

The Southern Alberta Institute of Technology's (SAIT) new Applied GIS Degree Program (which uses ArcView as the core GIS tool) incorporates an interpersonal communications course that is specifically focused on developing the class into a high-performance team. The overall purpose of this course is to provide a competitive advantage for graduates recognizing that professional success requires both technical and interpersonal skills. Furthermore, the course creates a collaborative basis for learning within the program itself. This paper will outline the rationale, methods, and results of teaching interpersonal communications as part of a technical GIS curriculum.

INTRODUCTION

The basic premise of this paper is that a GIS professional’s success depends upon the practitioner being both technically and interpersonally competent.  Being well informed and skilled in the art and science of GIS but ineffective in the area of interpersonal communications marginalizes both personal and organizational success. 

COMM 222 is an interpersonal communications course taught within the GIS Applied Degree Program at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.  This paper outlines the rationale, methods and results of teaching interpersonal communications as part of this program. 

It can be argued that interpersonal communications impacts an organization’s effectiveness, efficiency and, ultimately, it’s bottom-line.  The approach that is described in this paper could easily be customized and implemented directly in the workplace.

INSTITUTIONAL CONTEXT

The Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) is Canada's premier institute of advanced technology.  The Institute's mission is to be an innovative organization, equipping people to compete successfully in the changing world of work by providing relevant, skill-oriented education.  SAIT's target is to achieve 20,000 full load equivalent students with earned revenues at $100 million (Cdn).  With a foundation of 85 years of success and excellence in technical training and education, together with the recent completion of $176 million (Cdn) in renovations, SAIT is well positioned to meet the education challenges of the new millennium.

The GIS Applied Degree Program, implemented in September 2001, is the most recent of SAIT's seventy-six technical programs.   Available through full-time, part-time, and distance delivery, the program caters primarily to the needs of Western Canada, although recent course additions have been implemented to address increasing demand for both national and international scope concerns.  For the 2002-2003 academic year, the program will have tripled in size to accommodate 50 full-time and over 100 part-time and distance education students.  ArcView is currently used as the core GIS application in SAIT’s GIS Applied Degree Program.

RATIONALE

In developing the curriculum for the GIS Applied Degree Program, a series of focus groups were organized by the program coordinator, Reg Letourneau.  GIS practitioners were drawn from small and large organizations in the private and public sectors.  They were asked to explore their expectations of the program’s graduates.  A key characteristic universally desired by the focus groups was ‘the ability to work collaboratively with others’.  This was translated by SAIT to mean that graduates would be competent in the area of interpersonal communications.  

The course instructors (facilitators), Wayne Boss and Richard Gorecki, recommended that the course be engaging and participatory.  To accomplish this, it was recognized that the course had to acknowledge and respect the varied backgrounds of the participants. 

The participants ranged in ages from 23 to 49. Many had previous formal education and years of work experience in a number of different industries.  It was also decided that the course would contribute to the development of a class culture based on respect and trust given that these are foundations for collaboration and team development.  To accomplish these intentions, a number of guiding principles were identified. 

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

The guiding principles not only influenced the development of the course, but were used to explain the courses’ intentions to the participants and gain their support.  These principles were presented to the participants as follows:

• Each of you is deserving of respect and trust.

• Each of you has much to contribute to achieving the objectives of this course because of your life and work experiences.

• Your success as a GIS professional is dependent upon your ability to balance the human and technical side of your work (i.e. the art and science of GIS).

• Collectively, we will create this course to be mutually beneficial to everyone.

• You are adults.  Period.

·        As much as possible, group interaction will be employed.  A group could consist of a dyad, small group, large group or the entire class.

·        Your personal development and your development as a team are the focus.

·        The output of completed exercises will become the input for subsequent (i.e. the next class) exercises.

During the first class, the guiding principles were introduced to the participants. At the same time, a dialogue was initiated regarding their rationale and implications for how the course would proceed.  Particular attention was drawn to the emphasis that would be placed on the development of the class into a high performing team. 

A team’s ability to work collaboratively maximizes both individual and team success.   This is true both in the workplace and in an educational setting.  Through being involved in a focused effort to develop the class into a high performing team, participants would learn concepts and skills that would be useful in the workplace.  In this way, the participants and their development into a team were the subjects of this course. 

COURSE OBJECTIVES

The course objectives were introduced to the class in a similar fashion to the guiding principles.  Through participating in the course, participants would achieve the following:

• Increase one’s competence as a communicator in the workplace

• Be able to describe how a team can become a high performing team

• Be able to describe some resistances a team will experience to becoming a high performing team and strategies to deal with this

• Be able to assess whether or not a team is a high performing team

• Be able to explain why paying attention to communication and interpersonal relations at work is important to the goal of becoming an exceptional GIS practitioner

• Be able to explain why being a GIS professional is personally meaningful

A significant amount of discussion during the first class was centered on selecting the kind of course experience.  The course could be taught from a purely theoretical perspective (e.g. This is what we know about interpersonal communications and here are some skills that we can put into practice).  Alternatively, the course could be taught from a balanced theoretical and experiential perspective (e.g. Let us use the course as a laboratory for becoming a high performing team).  The participants and facilitators agreed upon the later choice.

METHODS

COMM 222 is a course structured on the basis of two classes per week, where each class is three hours in length. There are a total of 11 classes in the course.  Each class incorporated some element of interpersonal skills development and becoming a high performing team.  Approximately every other class also included a practical scenario component. 

Interpersonal Skills Development 

Nine communications modules were used to provide the theoretical basis for the course.   These modules were derived from previously existing curriculum developed by SAIT and are as follows:

·        Introduction to Interpersonal Communications

·        Working Effectively as a Team Member

·        Perception

·        Personal Style

·        The Self and Communication

·        What is Interpersonal Communications

·        Listening Effectively

·        Giving and Receiving Feedback

·        Resolving Conflict

The discussion material and exercises related to each module were assigned for reading and completion outside of class.  While completing the readings and exercises, participants were asked to reflect on their previous work experiences.  This process served as preparation for in-class dialogues during the next class.  These dialogues were guided by the following questions:

·        What are the critical points (skills) being presented in the module?

·        What is meaningful to you about the points being made?

·        Describe a work incident you have experienced where these skills were applied either well or poorly.

·        Discuss the relevance of the points to your team interactions.

These dialogues helped focus the attention of the class on how they were treating each other in the process of becoming a team.  The readings and shared experiences contributed to the development of a common language that expedited the team building initiatives.

Becoming A High Performing Team

A group becomes a high performing team when individuals choose to be members of a high performing team, develop a shared vision and then jointly bring this into manifestation.  A premise for this process is the idea that individual and group benefits are intimately related, and that these different levels of benefit are simultaneously achievable.  This concept is fundamental to the collaboration which is necessary in order for a workplace to be healthy and productive.   

A series of mini-lectures and class dialogues helped develop an understanding and willingness related to the process of team-building.  The mini-lectures created an awareness of how we, individually and collectively, are causal forces; because we think, feel, believe and choose, we cause things to happen.  It was emphasized that participants were not “passive recipients” in the GIS Applied Degree Program and that this program could be viewed as their “workplace”.  If they made the choice, they could have a creative impact on their learning experience and, subsequently, on their working experience. 

 The topics of the mini-lectures were as follows:

      ·        The importance of believing in yourself and valuing your contribution to the team

·        The power of choice

·        The power of your mind and thought

·        The meaning of work

·        The importance of personal vision

·        The importance of shared vision

·        What it means to work together

·        The importance of being patiently persistent

References to interpersonal skills were incorporated in these mini-lectures in order to reinforce them and illustrate their practical application in a team building context.  In order to further help participants experience the practical application of the ideas presented during the mini-lectures, the class was asked to develop a performance appraisal system (process) that they would apply to themselves. 

Each participant had some experience with performance appraisal.   We used these experiences to involve the class in designing a process that would work for them in their program.  The sequencing of the exercises used to develop their own performance appraisal system was correlated with the topics of the mini-lectures.  These exercises are as follows:

• Sharing personal experiences of the performance appraisal system

• Identifying the fundamental principles / philosophies behind an effective performance appraisal system

• Identifying the components of an effective performance appraisal system

• Identifying behaviors observed in class that, according to the participants, were desirable and undesirable

• Developing a shared vision of the class as a high performing team

• Developing operational definitions of key works and phrases in the vision

• Developing strategies for providing feedback to one another and to the class

• Developing strategies for resolving issues that interfere with learning

Upon completing these exercises, the participants developed a shared vision for themselves as a high performing team.  A vision can be defined as “a potential alternative reality provided it is accepted and believed”.  Contributing to the development of a shared vision increases the likelihood that it will be accepted and believed.  The course participants developed the following vision for their performance appraisal system:

“Our performance management system provides a supportive team environment and a better understanding of ourselves and others through effective communication, feedback and mutual respect.  Team unity and personal accountability fuel motivation and a positive attitude to attain personal and professional goals in the GIS industry.”

To ensure that the vision could be implemented effectively, operational definitions were developed to make sure the meaning of critical phrases was clear.  Some examples of these definitions are as follows:

• Supportive team environment:  Team members feel comfortable asking for help and offering help to others.

• Better understanding of ourselves and others:  Team members (1) listen to each other’s personal experiences and opinions and (2) are able to give and receive constructive criticism.

• Effective communication:  Team members do not interrupt each other and provide necessary feedback.

• Mutual respect:  Team members accept each other for who they are and treat each other as they would like to be treated.

• Team unity:  Team members (1) openly discuss issues and concerns as a group and (2) work together to accomplish goals as a team.

At the beginning of each class, a few moments were devoted to an open dialogue regarding the question, “how are things going”?   This question was asked in the context of the class vision. When things were going well according to this standard, the individual or individuals involved were recognized and celebrated.  When things were not going well, some time would be set aside in order to clarify the issue and to develop a strategy for dealing with it that was consistent with the class vision.   In the early stages of the course, such discussions were facilitated by one of the course instructors.  However, by the end of the course, they were facilitated by a course participant (team member).

Practical Scenarios

The scenario component of the course was intended to help bridge the gap between a theoretical discussion of interpersonal communications and it’s practical application.  At the same time, it was designed to help students gain insight into the “real world” of geomatics and provoke discussion on the best practice of communications in a technical setting.

In designing this component, real life examples of communications issues in the geomatics sector were used as a basis.  These examples typically involved a situation where there was some degree of communication breakdown, leading to a disruption in business process.  Care was taken to protect the identity of individuals and organizations involved.   In particular, all names used were fictitious.

Each scenario was keyed to a specific communications topic / interpersonal skills module.   For instance, a scenario built around the situation of “publishing a map” was created to correspond with the topic of “working effectively as a team member” (see Appendix A).  In total, five scenarios were prepared for the course.

In addition to a specific communications topic / interpersonal skills module, each scenario was designed around the following elements:

• Situation:  A definition is given of the context for the scenario; what is going on? (e.g. publishing a map, developing an application).

• Organizational setting:  Is this a public, private or institutional organization?  What is the corporate culture and are there any unique factors to consider?

• Individuals:  A description is given of the job titles and responsibilities of the “players” in each scenario. An attempt is also made to identify personality type in general terms in order to help predict how individuals will react to the particular circumstances presented.

• Relationships between individuals:  How do the players relate to each other in general?

• Scenario:  A general description of the problem.  What is the issue that needs to be resolved and how are the players attempting to reach a solution?  What factors, beyond the above elements, need to be considered? 

In terms of execution, each scenario was presented following the presentation of the related communications material.   This could be during the same class or the next class.  Scenarios were described and initially presented to the students in the form of handouts.  Each handout was intended to serve as a framework only. 

Oral presentation of the scenario by an instructor provided the opportunity for greater elaboration and “customization”.  Students were invited to relate their own personal experiences in accordance with the scenario being presented.  If there was some element of the scenario that could be modified so as to make it more relevant to the students in general, this was taken into consideration.  In this manner, each scenario became a dynamic exercise, subject to “co-creation” by the students.

Following the presentation of each scenario, the class was divided into working groups of between four and six individuals.  Each group was asked to discuss (1) what would be the likely outcome assuming the players were “left to their own devices” and (2) what could be the outcome based on the application of effective interpersonal communication skills. 

The only rule affecting this small group discussion was that it be conducted in a mutually respectful manner, consistent with the course’s guiding principles.  The discussion period was limited to approximately 20 minutes.   A spokesperson for each group would then present their results to the class.  This formed the basis for further analysis of the scenario by the class, based on identification of areas of agreement and disagreement between the small groups.

A key finding of the scenario portion of the course was that there was invariably a distinction between the likely outcome and the “could be” outcome (i.e. that based on effective interpersonal communications).  The class determined that the communications skills learned in the course, if properly employed, would contribute significantly toward improved business practice within the corporation, an improved bottom line as well as a more rewarding individual work experience.

RESULTS

The course was evaluated by the participants as well as by the program coordinator.  Course participants completed their evaluation during the last class.  The coordinator postponed his evaluation for five months (i.e. after course completion) in order to have a better sense of the results. 

A key question in the participant evaluation was the following:

1.      I'm glad I took this course!  It has been very helpful to me.

The average response to this question was a value of 8.7.

Other questions required participants to provide written comments. Here are examples of comments (quotations) that were given:

• I thought the course was great because it made me aware of the people around me and the effect I have on people in the workplace (in business) and personal life.

• Having worked for over 12 years as a professional and also participating in many courses such as this, some material was repetitive.  But I have learned a lot and it will be an asset to all of us.  Not only for this degree but for the rest of our lives. 

• I liked the interaction with the group during discussion.  It was interesting going through the process of creating a vision statement and then using that to create a performance management system.  We learned a number of different ways to improve team efficiency and performance through interaction strategies that are helpful now and will be helpful in the future.    

• We started to slowly develop a sense of team spirit as a whole group and started to know more about one another.

• We all grew together and started to accept one another in a team (friendship) environment.

• A lot of open discussion made us more comfortable with one another, especially the “let’s celebrate class” even though there was at first some tension.

• This course helped me develop my communication skills greatly. 

• The group exercises were excellent!  I learned how to cooperate with other people to get a job done. 

• The course was well organized and the instructors were excellent!

Evaluation comments made by the program coordinator were:

• (The course) solidified the class as a group very quickly.

• The class was organized.  

• (The course) provided a mechanism for the class to deal with program issues as a group.

• Class members considered both personal interests and class interests in decision making.

• Strong negotiation skills emerged to represent class solutions to issues.

• Program issues were clarified and identified by the class, and solutions were recommended.

• The program coordinator was held accountable.

• A weekly team leader role quickly emerged to become a valued spokesperson role.

• Generally, class members collaborated and helped each other.

• Participants demonstrated high confidence in themselves when presenting final projects.

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

In summary, our belief is that the course achieved its major objectives.  Graduates of SAIT’s GIS Applied Degree Program who have completed COMM 222 have been equipped to enjoy enhanced professional success.  This is based on their better understanding of the importance of interpersonal communications in a technical environment and greater ability to become an effective member of a high performing team.

Admittedly, this assessment may be premature considering that the participants have (at the time of this writing) only recently completed the first year of a two year program.   The second year consists of a practicum where participants actually enter the work force.  It would be interesting to follow them in this year and beyond in order to determine the degree to which what was learned in the course is actually applied.  There are currently no intentions for such follow-up initiatives.   Nevertheless, we believe the following recommendations are valid:   

• An interpersonal communications course(s) should be included as part of any technical program.

• The experience of the classroom can be extrapolated to the workplace.  Organizations and project teams should intentionally create a dialogue about how interpersonal relations are affecting their success.  If it is determined that the lack of effective interpersonal relations is causing a negative effect on projects, customer service and successful business process (e.g. profitability), then it should be recognized that tangible solutions are available.  Newly available industry courses and specialized consulting (coaching) services can be accessed in order to positively impact interpersonal communications and team effectiveness within a GIS oriented organization.

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CONTACT INFORMATION

Wayne Boss, B.A., B.Ed., M.Sc., C.Psych., C.H.R.P.

Wayne Boss is a Chartered Psychologist and Certified Human Resources Professional and owner of Boss Consulting.  His work focuses on helping individuals, teams, organizations and leaders to achieve exceptional results through the creation of healthy and high performance work environments. Wayne has over 35 years of Human Resources and Organizational Development experience working in a number of industries including education, oil and gas, health care, and telecommunications.

Richard C. Gorecki, M.Sc.

Richard Gorecki has worked in the areas of remote sensing and GIS since 1987, holding positions in application development, sales, marketing and client support.  He is a graduate of the University of Calgary in Geography (B.Sc. and M.Sc.).   Currently, Richard serves as Client Support Manager with Pixxures Canada, Inc. 

Reg Letourneau, B.A.

As the Academic Coordinator for SAIT’s GIS Applied Degree Program, J.R.R. (Reg) Letourneau is responsible for all administrative and logistic aspects of the program, and is currently involved in efforts to merge SAIT's Geomatics and GIS programs together to form an all encompassing "Geospatial Information Technologies" group.   Trained as a project manager with over ten years experience with the Canadian military medical services branch, a dozen years experience in private industry, and currently undertaking a GIS Masters degree at the University of Calgary, along with extensive contacts in the local Geomatics industry, Reg is uniquely qualified to grow SAIT's fledgling GIS program.

APPENDIX A: EXAMPLE OF A SCENARIO