Communication Skills: Understanding Yourself & Others

Problems with communication and relationships often arise because people are not on 'the same wave length' with each other and find it difficult to 'tune in' to the style, needs and expectations of the other party. It can almost be as if they are speaking different languages. This one-day communication skills course looks at some of the major barriers and pitfalls of communication and particularly those resulting from differences in personality.

Using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator®, participants are helped to develop an understanding of their personal styles and preferences, how other people differ and how to communicate effectively with them to build co-operative relationships and therefore improve their communication skills.

Course Membership

All managers and professionals

Course Objectives

To provide an opportunity for participants to:

• explore communication skills

• discover their preferred communication style, the impact it has on others

• adapt their communication style and to speak the 'language of others' (whilst remaining true to themselves)

• become more effective in their working relationships thus enhancing personal effectiveness, team morale and organisational success

Course Outline

• · Communication skills & the barriers & pitfalls of communication
• · Personality differences & communication skills & issues
• · The four dimensions of the MBTI®:

- where we prefer to focus our energy (E-I)

- how we prefer to make sense of the world (S-N)

- how we prefer to make decisions (T-F)

- how we prefer to organise ourselves (J-P)

• · Understanding & valuing differences
• · Communication styles & MBTI® types & preferences
• · Implications of MBTI® for team-working

Course Methods

Communication skills: Understanding Yourself & Others provides a highly participative balance of theoretical input, self-assessment and group discussion. As part of the programme participants complete the MBTI® questionnaire.