Communication Skills

Having self-awareness of your own natural communication style and the way others preferred to communicate gives us the opportunity to adapt to other’s needs. 

Learning Objective:

• Revise the core elements of communication and how each element contributes towards the way we communication.
• Recognise the communication barriers in the workplace and identify workable solutions to overcome the barriers.
• Identify preferred communication styles and adapt your style to enhance your communication with others. 
• Recognise the ego states and how to use Transactional Analysis as an effective communication tool.
• Practice the techniques of active listening and questioning skills to gain understanding of others. 
• Identify your purpose, target audience and what they need to know to ensure effective communication is achieved.

Content:

Effective Communication Is Key

• The definition of effective communication
• The core elements of communication
• The communication model and how we perceive information
• Common communication barriers
• Overcoming the communication barriers

Self-Awareness and Awareness of Others

• Transactional Analysis ego states – the reactions to the way we communicate
• Communication styles profiling – four distinctive communication styles self assessment 
• Valuing the differences of the other styles
• Adapting your preferred communication style

Questioning And Listening Skills

• Open and closed questions
• Probing for information and understanding
• Paraphrasing and summarizing for clarity
• Using the ‘pull’ technique for better understanding
• Levels of listening
• Applying active listening skills

Body Language Basics

• The unspoken message of body language
• Cultural differences in body language
• Using gestures and movement to improve communication