Module 1 — Communication Foundations

Section 1: Module Purpose

This module introduces how assumptions and interpretations shape workplace communication. Using a CBT-informed lens, participants learn how meaning-making—rather than words alone—drives reactions, misunderstandings, and communication breakdowns.

Section 2: What You’ll Learn

• Recognize how assumptions and interpretations influence workplace communication
  
  

• Apply a CBT-informed lens to improve clarity, conciseness, and consideration
  
  

• Increase communication awareness using the Johari Window model

Section 3: Key Idea

In high-pressure environments, people don’t respond only to what was said—they respond to what they think it means. When we learn to separate words from interpretations, we communicate with more clarity, accuracy, and professionalism. 

Section 4: Tool or Framework

CBT Lens: Assumptions & Interpretations
Before communicating, pause to consider:

• What assumptions am I making?
  
  

• What interpretation am I attaching to this situation?
  
  

• How might this message be interpreted by others?
  
  

Johari Window
The Johari Window highlights communication awareness by examining:

• What I know about myself
  
  

• What others know about me
  
  

• What is assumed but unspoken

Section 5: Workplace Example

Example
Your supervisor says: “Let’s tighten this up next time.”

• Trigger: Supervisor said the sentence after reviewing work
  
  

• Interpretation: “They think I’m not good at my job.”
  
  

• Reaction: Anxiety → defensiveness
  
  

• Response: Short tone, withdrawal, or over-explaining

Section 6: Practice

Practice (2–3 minutes)

• Identify a recent workplace interaction that felt unclear or frustrating.
  
  

• Which communication principle—clarity, conciseness, or consideration—would most improve that interaction?
  
  

• What assumption or interpretation may have influenced how you responded?

Section 7: Workbook

Workshop Slides

Annotated Bibliography

This annotated bibliography brings together the key readings that support all five modules of the Communication Essentials: A CBT‑Informed Workshop for High‑Performing Teams. Each source has been selected for its practical relevance to workplace communication, emotional regulation, and cognitive‑behavioral skill development. The annotations highlight why each reading matters and how it connects to the strategies introduced throughout the workshop. Learners can use these notes to deepen understanding, reinforce core concepts, and apply the material more confidently across every module

Section 8: What’s Next

Next, we apply this thinking model specifically to feedback—so feedback becomes usable data instead of a threat.