CHAPTER 1 – Microskill Practice Exercise

							                CHAPTER 1 – Individual Practice Exercise
               Discovering Your Natural Style of Interviewing

Instructions

It is important to conduct this exercise as soon as possible. Your choice of audio or
videotape will document an accurate baseline of your natural style and skill level. As you
progress through this text, compare this session with your later work.



Guidelines for audio or video recording

1. Find a volunteer client willing to role-play a concern, problem, opportunity, or
   issue.
2. Interview the volunteer client for at least 15 minutes. Seek to avoid sensitive
   topics.
3. Use your own natural communication style.
4. Ask the volunteer client, “May I record this interview?”
5. Inform the client that the tape recorder may be turned off at any time..
6. Select a topic. You and the client may choose multicultural dimensions,
   interpersonal conflict, a specific issue selected by the client, or one of the
   elements from the RESPECTFUL model.
7. Follow ethical guidelines
8. Request that your volunteer client complete the Client Feedback Form.
9. Compare this baseline with subsequent recordings of your work later in this
   course.

Self-Assessment

Ask yourself the following:
1. What did you do that was effective and helpful?
2. What did you learn from the Client Feedback Form?
3. Identify one thing you would like to improve?
4. What strengths do you bring to interviewing overall?