Becoming an Effective Communicator

Learn communication skills and strategies for career success.

Develop skills to communicate clear expectations, solicit ideas, and gain support and respect from others.

This is a high-impact 1-day workshop develops the essential communication skills needed to be successful. This course is designed can increase the levels of collaboration and mutual support among team members, co-workers and managers.

The training covers the proven techniques and strategies needed to communicate clear expectations, solicit ideas, and gain support and respect of others. Participants discover how to make an unforgettable, positive first impression and develop techniques to “fit in” with any group.

Through interactive exercises, cases, discussions and practice sessions, this workshop helps participants will learn up-to-date techniques to ask better questions, improve their listening skills and communicate effectively – even in difficult situations.

Everyone leaves with new techniques and the confidence needed to apply these essential communication skills for success.

Competencies developed include: Interpersonal Skills, Listening Skills, Influencing, Conflict Management, Presentation

Course Learning Objectives

At the end of the course, participants will be able to:

• Make a positive first impression on anyone
• Increase the levels of collaboration
• Gain support among team members, co-workers and managers
• Express your ideas in ways that gain the attention – and support
• Project a self-confident, professional and competent image
• “Fit in” with any work group
• Reduce stress resulting from difficult behaviors and negative situations
• Assertively state your messages for clear understanding
• Practice business etiquette
• Practice effective listening techniques
• Demonstrate effective communication techniques
• Use effective techniques for giving negative constructive feedback
• Apply skills to gain acceptance of an idea or decision

Course Outline and Topics:

Module 1: Making the Positive First Impression

• “Break the ice” – getting the conversation started, even with a total stranger
• Take steps to increase the level of trust, cooperation and support from your co-workers, employees and the boss
• How to incorporate vital interpersonal skills into your professional style How to tailoring your approach to individuals
• How to “fit in” when you have little in common
• Be in control of how people respond to you — inspire positive responses
• Managing your mouth to maintain credibility and confidentiality
• Avoid sending contradictory messages
• Being seen as someone who can be counted on

Module 2: Developing Personal Power to Influence Others

• Likeability – and why it is important
• Enhance your professional image
• Understanding charisma – and how to develop your charisma
• Make others feel great through thoughtful communication
• Using the Socratic Approach to get others to see your point of view
• Strategies for presenting your ideas
• Tools to gain acceptance – Test your skills
• Getting credit for your ideas without creating jealousy or resentment

Module 3: Communication is a Two-Way Street

• How to recognize implicit verbal cues and nonverbal signals
• Use the principles of body language to enhance your communication effectiveness
• Direct the flow of communication – up, down or across
• Use negotiation to develop win-win solutions
• How to open closed doors by proposing new alternatives
• Build and enhance key professional relationship

Module 4: Developing Assertive Skills for Clear Communication

• What assertiveness really means
• Essential steps for assertive communication
• Listening with an assertive perspective
• Responding assertively to put-downs and insults
• Using positive techniques to give feedback to bosses, employee, and team mates
• How to respond when you are receiving negative from others
  • One to one
  • In front of others
• Making the most of feedback – the Good and the Bad

Module 5: Communicating with Difficult People and Difficult Situations

• How to recognize the 10 most difficult personality types and how to deal with each
• How to admit mistakes and errors without losing respect or damaging your reputation
• How to how and when to agree, disagree or remain neutral
• How to keep disagreement from escalating into an argument
• Handling complaints with tact and diplomatically
• How to say no without being disagreeable
• What to do when the boss is the difficult person
• Understanding how your attitude affects your ability to handle difficult people and situations
• How to deal with feelings of anger and helplessness when dealing with unreasonable behavior

Module 6: Etiquette Guidelines for Business Professionals – Polishing Your Image

• Basic rules of business etiquette – ignore these at your peril!
• Enhance your professional image and make others feel great through thoughtful correspondence
• Important etiquette tips to remember when interacting with your boss
• Recognizing and eliminating unconscious sexism from your speaking and writing
• Etiquette questions that still arise about the sexes working together.
  • Who pays for lunch?
  • Who opens doors?
  • What about shaking hands?
• Business introductions
  • Should you stand?
  • Whom do you present to whom?
  • What is an appropriate greeting?
• How to abide by your company’s policies and “unwritten” rules of the culture
• When you said the wrong thing – how to recover and mend fences quickly
• The etiquette of appointments: simple guidelines that ensure respect for each other’s time

Evaluations and Wrap-up

Bring this writing skills course to your organization and begin applying these powerful techniques immediately.

To receive more information about this training call toll free at 877-385-5515.