1. Introduction
Become aware of your own successful communication skills. Understand what skills you want and need to develop for more confident, effective communication
- Concepts of communication
- One way communication style – inform & direct
- Two way communication style – interact & advise
- Multiculturalism
- Introducing the Communications Iceberg – going beyond the tip of the iceberg to make a difference and create an impact
2. Questioning Techniques
Best practice questioning techniques to allow you to understand the real situation and avoid assumptions, miscommunication, conflict, dislike and resistance
- Review the contribution of successful pioneers
- Questioning styles and types
- Importance of open questions
- Effective questioning – guidelines
- Applying the Communications Iceberg techniques
- Checklist – guidelines for effective questioning
3. Listening Techniques
Become more confident, proactive and attentive in any given situation to achieve positive and valuable communication outcomes
- Importance of listening
- Barriers to effective listening
- Filters for active listening
- Effective listening – guidelines
- Checklist – guidelines for effective listening
4. Interview Techniques
Application of questioning and listening techniques in any given situation for maximum value and optimal relationship development
- Best practice interviewing skills
- Planning techniques
- Maintaining control with flexibility
- Note-taking
- Reflect understanding
- Efficiently and effectively addressing the next action – proposal, requirements document, report, business solution
- Checklist – guidelines for effective interviewing
5. Facilitation Techniques
Learn and apply the techniques applied by experts for constructive facilitation
- Understanding different personality preferences
- Understanding group dynamics
- Planning for successful facilitation
- Preparing the right facilitation environment
- Best practice facilitation techniques
- Using framing to start on a good note
- Enable complete group participation
- Collate input, create relevance & document output
- Checklist – guidelines for effective facilitation
6. Meeting/Teleconference Techniques
Understand the key techniques and adopt the skills to perform better in all meetings – internal and external
- Role of the chairperson
- Role of the participant
- Framing
- Maintaining control
- Maintaining interest and participation
- Capturing input
- Other issues – time zones, languages, etc
- Checklist – guidelines for effective meetings & teleconferences
7. Written Communication Techniques
Know why, how, when and where to apply different writing techniques for improved recipient response
- Understanding typical pitfalls & challenges
- Inappropriate use of technical jargon
- When it’s appropriate to use technical jargon
- Writing for the recipient
- Appropriate business writing formats
- Checklist – guidelines for effective business writing
8. Public Relations
Be empowered and confident to communicate to create positive perceptions and improve credibility
- Taking responsibility
- Creating personal credibility
- Positioning and promoting
- You
- Your services
- Your business/department
- Educate your expertise, externally
- Checklist – guidelines for effective PR
9. Presentation Techniques
Apply best practice techniques to efficiently prepare and deliver an effective confident, presentation
- Plan and structure your presentation
- Get undivided attention
- Sequencing – simple to complex
- Become comfortable using animation and theatrics to present your solution or recommendation
- Benefits, implications and consequences
- Concluding and commitment
- Checklist – guidelines for effective presentations
10. Case Study and Group Activity
Opportunity to rehearse these techniques with peers applied to a business situation
- Making it practical and second nature
- Continuous self-assessment & improvement