Communication(s) Excellence - Course Content

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