Better Communication Skills at Work - Communication that Delivers Results

Overview

Course duration: 2 days.

Communication is best judged by the effect it has on others, the impact it generates and the results it achieves. This hands-on course focuses on all of these critical elements, allowing delegates to leave the course with a clear plan of how to improve their communication skills, enabling them to achieve the right results.

This challenging, practical and insightful two-day course explores the techniques required for you to achieve positive results through your interaction with others. Altogether a better way in which to communicate! You will leave the course with a personal action plan identifying the key changes to make and skills to practise to build your self-confidence and improve your communication techniques. You will also take awaytips, techniques and templates to support you in implementing your communication skills back in the workplace.

Is it right for me?

For those wishing to improve their communication skills with others; face-to-face, in meetings or on the telephone.If you are a senior manager looking to communicate at all levels then you may wish to consider

What will I learn?

By the end of this course you will be able to:

• Engage with others and understand the impact you have on them
• Deliver the image you want to portray
• Identify different communication styles in action and flex your style to influence others
• Convey your message clearly, concisely and assertively, and ensure you have understood the message others are conveying to you
• Recognise how behaviours impact the effectiveness of communication and select the most appropriate behaviour to the situation.

Pre-course Activity

To gain the maximum benefit from the course, you will be sent a pre-course questionnaire to complete which asks you to consider current expectations. This will help you set the context of the course and the information you provide will be used on the day as part of the course activities.

What will it cover?

What is Effective Communication?

• Clarifying how you wish to portray yourself
• Exploring how you are perceived by others (personal assessment/feedback)
• Understanding and softening different perceptions and communication barriers
• Exploring styles of communication and experimenting with different styles

Assessing Relative Difference

• How to identify hidden emotions and messages through observation
• Tackling difficult behaviour – effecting a change
• How to deliver difficult messages and maintain the relationship

• Recognising different behaviours and choosing an appropriate, professional response

Building Rapport – Creating a Productive Relationship

• Use of questioning – softening the barriers, using the right approach
• Listening – what to listen for, how to discern acceptance or resistance
• Listening to understand and not just to respond – focus on active listening

How to Influence Others

• Requirements and process for moving someone from an entrenched position
• Using and controlling your emotions through words, sounds and presence to create impact
• Handling difficult situations and delivering difficult messages

Communicating and Presenting a Positive Image

• Meetings – getting heard, being taken seriously, taking control, getting a decision
• Understanding the relative impact of phraseology
• Responding to others’ ideas – sharing understanding, support and appreciation

Presenting a Positive Image - Personal Application Plan

• Projecting a more confident image through improved communication skills
• Putting communication skills into practice

Trainer Profile

George Baxter

Some delegates come on this course believing they are ‘bad communicators’. My aim is to turn this around and to bolster confidence by practising communication techniques in a safe and supportive environment.

I encourage delegates to share experiences and discuss situations and by adding my own personal anecdotes try to relate to delegates and show that change can happen. You can change from a ‘bad’ communicator to a great one!

I get a buzz from supporting my delegates towards a personal commitment to change. And everyone goes away with new skills and techniques to complement the way they currently communicate.

The Faculty

Along with Ian Sanders, Neal Cooper and Andy Kane, George Baxter is part of the dedicated faculty team who will deliver this course. The initials next to each date below indicate which trainer is scheduled to deliver which event.

Recent delegates have said:

"The structure of the course was good and all the activities were well designed, enabling us to put into practice what we have learnt."