Advanced Communication Skills for Effective Professionals CW103 Why Attend Whether you are presenting your business ideas or attempting to resolve a conflict within your company or team, communication is key to reaching your goal. The aim of this course is to assist you in becoming a more effective communicator by learning how to identify people’s thinking patterns and preferred learning methods and by tailoring your communication accordingly. You will learn how to use every resource you have available to elevate your speeches and presentations from mundane to captivating. Moreover, in this training course, you will learn how to resolve even the most problematic conflicts using a variety of approaches and proven techniques. You will identify your preferred conflict resolution style and learn how to adapt it to tackle the situations you may face as well as become equipped with the ability to diffuse conflicts and use them as a platform for positive change. Course Methodology This course is designed to be interactive and participatory. It includes various learning tools to enable participants to function effectively and efficiently in a multilateral environment. The course will be built on four pedagogical pillars: concept learning (presentations by the consultant), role playing (group exercises), experience sharing (roundtable discussions), playback of videotaped performances (where permissible), individual and group feedback, as well as exposure to case studies and scenarios. Course Objectives By the end of the course, participants will be able to: Use advanced communication tools and skills to deliver various types of messages Discover the different personal listening styles and identify their own Practice and use assertiveness skills in different situations List the main causes for boring and ineffective presentations and ways for overcoming them Project the right verbal and non-verbal characteristics essential in powerful presentations Pinpoint the main reasons that lead to Public Speaking Anxiety (PSA) and ways for eliminating them prior to presenting Define and understand the different sources of conflict Identify personal conflict resolution styles Manage conflict in teams and engage in effective team problem solving Target Audience This course is targeted at employees, supervisors, middle managers and senior managers seeking to take their communication skills, presentations skills and conflict management skills to the next level by developing advanced communication techniques and strategies. Course Outline Defining effective communication Communication: definition and characteristics Myths about communication Communication functions The four laws of communication Evolution of communication Communicating for results Understanding elements of communication Mehrabian’s 55-38-7 rule Overcoming communication anxiety and other obstacles Communication etiquette The art of listening Common listening issues Guidelines for effective listening Effective listening and paraphrasing techniques Understanding different listening styles: active versus passive styles Improving the information recall rate Assessing personal listening profiles Body language in communication The hands, legs and the eyes To move or to stay put? Tips for effective body positioning Guidelines for animating the legs and hands Characteristics of captivating verbal delivery Avoiding clichés and euphemisms The dangers of smart casual Dress and appearance: what are the rules? Public Speaking Anxiety (PSA) Reasons why most people get nervous Adrenalin and its effect on presentations Dealing with PSA: short and long term solutions What do great presenters do? Definitions of conflict Nature and scope of conflict management Misconceptions about conflict Sources of conflict Positive and negative factors of conflict When conflict comes between you and your desired results Thomas–Kilmann conflict resolution mode instrument Scoring and interpretations Ways of coping with conflict Assumptions and outcome of conflict Managing conflicts and using appropriate style for more effective outcomes Approaches to conflict resolution Giving and receiving feedback Assumptions in disagreement Creating a collaborative work environment for faster and better results
