Interpersonal Communication Skills

Course Number:  048-GO
Recommended Duration:  2 Days

Intended Audience:  All Employees

Course Overview
This course will provide participants with an opportunity to analyze and improve their communication skills by applying approaches to improve face to face, verbal, written and presentation type communications.

Objectives
As a result of taking this course, you will learn to:

• Ask questions to uncover needs and problems
• Use support and benefit statements to gain commitment and help establish positive working relationships
• Using paraphrasing and active listening to help clarify understanding
• Apply proven techniques to handle objections
• Handle and deliver difficult messages in a productive manner
• Give and receive feedback effectively
• Use body language to influence communication effectiveness
• Design the content of the presentation to increase clarity, flow and audience retention
• Add elements to a presentation to grab attention and clearly convey the message
• Apply personal presentation techniques to demonstrate confidence and credibility

Prerequisites:  None

Topics

Day One:

• Foundations of Interpersonal Communication 

  • Forms of communication 

  • Face-to-face, written, telephone, electronic mail, video conferencing 

  • Selecting form based on message, audience and desired outcome 

  • Communication styles instrument 

  • Building trust by “climbing the Trust Pyramid”

• Face to Face and Verbal Communications

  • Ten key communication skills 

  • Paraphrasing, active listening, questioning, supporting, interjecting, pausing, reading between the lines, handling objections, benefit statements, body language 

  • Listening and questioning techniques 

  • Videotaped demonstration and skill practice 

  • How to effectively give and receive feedback 

  • Skill practice 

  • Techniques for phone meetings and teleconferences

• Written Communications

  • Effective use of email, letters, and proposals

• Difficult Communication Situations

  • Handling difficult people, and delivering difficult messages 

  • Steps for controlling emotions 

• Communication styles and modes of communication

Day Two:

• Powerful Presentations

  • Types of presentations

  • Opening: grabbing attention

  • Organization and design of content 

  • Applying adult learning theory 

  • Dynamic use of visual aids

  • Closing with impact and key take-aways

  • Dealing with difficult audience members

• Personal Techniques

  • Preparation tips: know your topic cold, gain confidence through practice; relaxation techniques, organizing your thoughts

  • Overcoming presentation phobias

  • Use of body language and silence

  • Dynamic delivery-energy, enthusiasm, confidence

  • Professional image-projecting credibility

  • Involving your audience

  • Use of humor and stories

  • Effective room set-up

• Skill practice

• Video tapes with peer and instructor feedback and coaching

• Communications action planning

• Identifying specific actions to take during the next 1 to 60-day cycle to improve communication skills and relationships

• Course evaluation