Effective Communication Skills

What your team will learn

• Listen actively and pick up the non-verbal cues behind what people say
• Give constructive feedback and speak assertively with different personality types
• Write clear, concise emails and business documents
• Set clear goals and expectations, and keep team communication open

1. Week1

   The foundations

   1. Session 1
      Why communication matters

      How the way we communicate shapes our working relationships.

   2. Session 2
      What makes a message clear

      The elements that make communication clear and effective.

   3. Session 3
      Barriers and how to get past them

      Common barriers to communication, and practical ways to overcome them.

2. Week2

   Active listening

   1. Session 4
      The art of active listening

      What active listening looks like in a real conversation.

   2. Session 5
      Becoming a better listener

      Practical techniques to sharpen your listening skills.

   3. Session 6
      Empathy and non-verbal cues

      Listening with empathy, and picking up on what people say without words.

3. Week3

   What you say and how you say it

   1. Session 7
      Assertive communication

      Techniques for stating your needs and views clearly and respectfully.

   2. Session 8
      Constructive feedback

      How to share feedback constructively, so it helps the other person improve.

   3. Session 9
      Different personality types

      Adjusting how you communicate to suit the different personalities on your team.

4. Week4

   Written communication

   1. Session 10
      Clear, concise emails

      Writing emails that are clear, concise and to the point.

   2. Session 11
      Business documents

      Writing business documents that are clear and effective.

   3. Session 12
      Communicating on digital platforms

      Keeping your tone professional on digital platforms and online tools.

5. Week5

   Trust, conflict and hard conversations

   1. Session 13
      Trust and rapport

      Building trust and rapport through the way you communicate.

   2. Session 14
      Resolving conflict

      Strategies for working through conflict when it comes up.

   3. Session 15
      Difficult conversations

      Handling difficult conversations with tact and diplomacy.

6. Week6

   Communicating as a team

   1. Session 16
      Team communication

      Strategies that help a team share information and stay on the same page.

   2. Session 17
      Clear goals and expectations

      Setting goals and expectations that everyone on the team understands.

   3. Session 18
      Open communication

      How open communication improves the way a team works together.

7. Week7

   Putting it into practice

   1. Session 19
      Role-plays and simulations

      Practising the skills from earlier weeks in realistic role-plays and simulations.

   2. Session 20
      Real-life case studies

      Working through real-life cases and scenarios from the workplace.

   3. Session 21
      Your improvement plan

      Each person builds a personal plan for improving how they communicate.

How the sessions work

• Role-plays and simulationsPractise listening, feedback and tough conversations in realistic scenarios.
• Case studiesReal-life cases and scenarios to apply the skills to.
• Self-assessmentsExercises that help each person see their own strengths and gaps as a communicator.
• Group discussionsTalking through the ideas with the group, and how they apply at work.

Who it's for

• Teams that rely on email and messaging to get work done
• Team leads who give feedback and set expectations
• Any staff member who wants to listen better and speak up with confidence