On Friday, 12 November, we organized a workshop as part of the Soft Skills 4 Democracy project. The event was held in collaboration with the International Student Office of Schmalkalden University of Applied Sciences and focused on “Soft Skills in Leadership: decision-making and team building.”
The aim of the workshop was to help participants better understand and practice the key soft skills needed to work effectively as a leader within a team. These skills included decision-making, communication, teamwork, conflict resolution, and strategic thinking. Throughout the activities, participants were encouraged to reflect on their own beliefs, their ability to make decisions, and how to defend those decisions in front of a group. The workshop also highlighted the importance of soft skills for future career opportunities.
After an icebreaker activity, we began with a decision-making game. Participants were presented with a dilemma and had to choose a position. They then discussed their choice with others who agreed with them and prepared arguments to support their decision. In the final step, the two groups debated with each other and tried to convince the opposing side. This activity helped participants develop debating, argumentation, and decision-making skills, while also showing how decisions can have consequences.
Next, participants were divided into small groups of three or four. Each group took part in a simulation where they imagined being stranded on a deserted island with the remains of their boat. They were given a list of 15 items and had to agree together on the five most important ones to keep. At the end, each group presented their choices and explained their reasoning. This exercise focused on teamwork, group decision-making, prioritization, communication, and conflict management.
The workshop ended with a short debriefing session, during which participants answered questions and reflected on the discussions, group dynamics, and decision-making processes they experienced during the activities.
The project SoftSkills4Democracy (Pr. nr. 2024-1-DE04-KA154-YOU-000234648) is funded by the Erasmus+ foundation.
