Communications Course
Communications Course
This course is a one-day Foundation Communication Skills training.
The programme provides participants with the skills, tools and insight to make a substantial difference to the way communication happens around them, and to improve communication within their work environment.
They will get an opportunity to look at and get feedback on their own communication style - to highlight the resources, strengths and talents they already have.
People will come away with a real understanding of what communication is and how it works. There is practical work on listening and responding skills, an introduction to rapport-building, the opportunity to practise core communication skills and techniques for working more effectively on a day-to-day basis.
Communications Course Programme
This communications course content may include many of the exercises listed below, and additional material that the trainers feel relevant to the delegates on the day.Communications Course Introduction
An outline of Impact Factory's underlying principles, how we work and how everyone gets the most value out of a communication skills course.Everything we do is participative and interactive. There is work in pairs, small group work, games, processes and exercises designed to stimulate, challenge and develop knowledge and skills. They are also fun!
What more would you like from a communications course?
A chance to add anything you would like from the programme. The Communications Course is adapted and changed as we go along to better fit your needs.Communications dynamic - how it works
We start with an introduction to the dynamics of face-to-face communication skills.What affects the participants and how they might take more charge of situations?
We give an overview of how communication works best and identifying where it can go wrong.
Throughout the day delegates will be given the opportunity to practice and experience each section.
Communication and Vocal Tone
Each person will identify their usual default style and also consider how their tone affects the way that they may be perceived.From here we practice ways to turn up and down different aspects of our natural communications style. In unpicking how to achieve the tone you choose, participants can see how they can do so consistently.
How do Words Communicate?
This is a chance to have fun deliberately mangling our messages and bury their meaning under waffle, padding and jargon. If we know how to make our communications worse, it is easier to see how to make them better.Communication and Impact of Body Language
We have a variety of exercises to demonstrate the power and control a listener has, through body language and attitude. Being consciously aware of our options means we can remain on a front foot when it comes to communicating effectively.Your History and a Communications Course
What makes us who we are in and out of our workplace?What is our history or our form with particular sorts of people, particular subjects in particular scenarios?
We will look over the challenging situations and communications that trip us up. Over the course of the communications course we will practice some do-able and positive approaches which may help us next time. In particular, we will look at how to ensure that our history only gets in the way if we really want it to.
We will be looking for those tiny changes to our words, tone and body language that could make a big difference next time.
How can Head Stuff affect Communication?
What makes us who we are? And how does that impact on what we make of others and they of us?When was the last time you got something wrong?
When were you last misunderstood?
Mis-communication happens most often when we base our actions on assumptions. This means we are working with perceptions and misconceptions rather than objective facts. After looking at how and why it happens, we will look at what you can do about it.
Eye Contact and Communication
One of our most powerful communication skills is eye contact and its effect upon the communications dynamic.Here we explore what happens when we deny or hold eye contact in a difficult communication. Our intention will be to uncover more effective ways to approach the situation next time.
How does the Environment Effect Communication?
There are many non-verbal factors that can either help or hinder effective communication. So how far do these subtle or not so subtle details swing things in one direction or another?In reality there will be things about the environment that we can't actually change. The choice of a meeting place, the colour of the walls, the availability of natural light. During the communications course we will play with the room and experience the effects of the physical changes.
Equally the effect of breaking natural physical boundaries is important, we will look at how they also affect our communications much more than we think.
Communication and Geography
Your territory or theirs? Being familiar with a place and a location can put you at an advantage. Certainly culture influences how our behaviour and words are perceived.Attentiveness to what is likely to cause a ripple can help us to be deliberate in our intentions. Its may look obvious, but successful communicators are always sensitive to the culture and geography of a place. This helps them predict the effect of their words and behaviour.
Communication Cycle
We will invite everyone to try and define how communication works... or doesn't!Once we get an idea of just how complicated it all is, we start to understand why it might be worthwhile unpicking how it works. Remember, mis-communication is normal for this very reason, communication is complex.
Communications and Timing
Here we have some fun looking at what happens when we don't think about whether it's the right time to have a conversation.Difficult Communication Situations
Where we have enough time we will look to recreate unsatisfactory communications and try to find a better outcome.The idea here is to draw upon the tools and techniques covered during the day.
Working to Your Communication Strengths
Everyone gives a brief description of what they currently know they do and what they know works for them. They then have a chance to reflect on how the other participants in the communications course see them.Communications Course Support
In the final part of the Communications Course, each delegate devisees a personal Plan of Action, identifying their personal take-out of the programme, where they know they will practise and areas for their development.Finally we have people identify what they think will stop them putting this plan into practise and what support they could get to help themselves put the communication skills course work into practise.
