Communication Skills

Years of employee surveys continue to show that communication skills, or lack of communication skills, up and down the organization are a source of dissatisfaction and low morale. Improving these communication skills have shown improvement in organization effectiveness. Conclusion: speaking with respect, listening, handling conflict and being heard in meetings has a positive impact on the business.

The following communication skills workshops and modules will enhance the communication skills of your organization's employees.

• Understand assertive communications as the heart of sending the message.
• Use assertive communication techniques and recognize why they are effective.
• Deal with difficult people in protecting one's rights while respecting the rights of others.
• Ask for what you want, speak to be heard, set limits, and say no.
• Stay out of win/lose situations and promote win/win outcomes.
• Provide and respond to positive and negative feedback.

• Receive and confirm the speaker's message.
• Understand the listening skills process as it relates to effective communications.
• Appreciate the power the listener can have in the communicated message.
• Improve one's understanding and listening skills at hearing, decoding, and confirming.
• Use nonverbal behavior to emphasize and support the communicated message.
• Enhance the listening skills communication process by paraphrasing, asking non-directive (open-ended) questions and reflecting emotional feelings.

Managing Conflict for Win/Win Outcomes

• Put the Sending & Listening Skills to "work" resolving conflict.
• Understand what outcomes are available and choose accordingly.
• Work toward win/win outcomes when there are differences of opinion or conflicts with coworkers and others.
• Build relationships using effective communication; assess four approaches for managing differences.
• Use creativity in achieving win/win outcomes.
• Counter "ploys" used by others who wish to force outcomes.
• Use negotiating skills to resolve conflict where 'positional' power is considered equal or less than those with whom you are dealing.

Communication Skills - Telephone and Email

• Describe the sending and receiving process as it relates to effective communications
• Use I-statements to "assertively" communicate both verbally and written.
• Improve the communication process by using techniques: assertively responding, selective repetition, accepting criticism and assertively acknowledging.
• Ensure that the feedback given the speaker promotes effective communications.
• Improve the communication process by paraphrasing, asking non-directive (open-ended) questions and reflecting emotional feelings.
• Define the characteristics of effective and efficient email communication by applying the six characteristics of good business writing.
• Demonstrate effective use of subject headings.
• Explain the role of audience and tone in written communication.
• Recognize email etiquette.
• Describe when an email is appropriate and when other communication is more appropriate.
  

• Prepare for presentations to groups from 5 to 500.
• Structure the presentation to motivate the attendees to action.
• Use platform skills to capture and retain the attention of the audience.
• Structure a question and answer session.
• Understand and use visual aids, including the Internet, for maximum impact.
• Control the presentation environment to eliminate distractions.
• Use videotaping in the several presentation opportunities to improve over-all skills.

Successful Teams

• Understand how to determine the need for a team approach in various job situations.
• Structure a team from the first meeting to the success of the team.
• Establish the vision and subsequent goals and objectives.
• Recruit and get "buy-in" from participants.
• Balance results focus and relationship focus.
• Differentiate between participation skills and leadership skills.
• Handle difficult situations that arise.
• Measure the progress of achievement and relationships.
• Get assignments done on time.
• Celebrate success.