Cool, Comms, Collected Workshop Series: Communication skills for success at school, work, and in life.

Join us for any or all workshops!

Communication plays a vital role in emotional intelligence, conflict resolution, and leadership—all skills critical for personal and professional success. Each 90-minute workshop is open to all ages (5th grade – adult) and includes a themed introduction followed by guided group activities and discussions. A certificate is available to participants who complete all five sessions. We look forward to having you join us! Invite a friend!

Curiosity: Never Be Bored Again! – August 23rd at 10:30am
When we are curious, we are never bored! Curiosity means finding the unfamiliar in the familiar, seeking understanding, fostering appreciation, and (most importantly) discovering what’s right for you. We’ll discuss how to ask better questions and explore the concept of a habit loop.

The Art of Storytelling – September 20th at 10:30am
We tell stories for the same reasons we communicate: to connect, express feelings, persuade, entertain, and/or inform. When telling stories (as in life), it’s about the journey, not the end result. Our group activities include “Have You Ever?” Bingo and using prompts to develop story ideas.

Active Listening is a Superpower — October 18th at 10:30am
There is a big difference between hearing and listening: you hear with your ears, but you listen with your brain. Active listening truly is a superpower because so few people do it well. We will discuss the importance of mindfulness, being present, and using mnemonic devices to remember and recall information. Our main activity will be an introduction to marketing: promoting your community to a fictional prospective visitor.

Popping Bubbles: Collaborative Problem Solving – November 15th at 10:30am
We are not meant to exist in a bubble (and there will be bubbles to pop at this workshop!). Learning to collaborate/work with others is a key to happiness and success, but it starts by understanding yourself: your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. We will take the concept of understanding and working with people of varying viewpoints to the next level in this workshop by completing a challenge, competing in small groups.

Fire + Ice: Conflict Management – December 20th at 10:30am
There are many benefits to conflict, when addressed effectively. Being an effective communicator means truly embracing the namesake "Cool, Comms, Collected" by remaining cool, calm, and collected while facing conflict. We’ll review the three C’s of effective communication, participate in a roll-playing game that simulates a crisis (in a fun way), and have a graduation for those who completed all five workshops!

Facilitator Stephanie Threinen has been a Lakeway resident for over 10 years. She has a bachelor’s in journalism from the University of Texas and is certified as a public communicator from Texas Christian University. Her 20+ year career in communications has ranged from serving as a managing editor of a multicultural beauty trade magazine to operating her own business in marketing, graphic design, and public relations. She currently manages communications for Lakeway MUD. While she is originally from the Midwest, but calls Texas home, she grew up abroad, living in Southeast Asia for five years, an experience that she attributes her appreciation for new experiences and desire to help others live their best life by asking questions and seeking possibilities.

For more information about this series, visit amusingfuture.com or email Stephanie at coolcommscollected@gmail.com.