Overview
Clear communication is a practical and active course to develop an understanding of communication as required by a practicing team leader. The course is applied to workplace situations and is rich in personal practice and feedback – not just theory.
Learning objectives
Following the completion of the course and assignment, the leader will be able to:
- Explain why clear and effective communication is essential in the workplace
- Outline the key stages in the communication process
- List potential barriers to communication and outline how these could be overcome
- Explain methods and their best use when communicating with the team
- Explain why it is important to have a record of communication
- Outline the importance of keeping a record of oral communication
- Describe methods of maintaining accurate records of electronic and oral communication
Course content
Day 1
Stages in the communication process
Consideration of the recipient’s needs
Barriers to communication and how to overcome them
A range of direct communication methods relevant to the team and their relative advantages and disadvantages
A range of direct communication methods relevant to people outside own area of responsibility, including written, telephone, e-mail and face-to-face discussions
A series of mini-activities are used to demonstrate and allow practice in applying leadership styles to different situations.
Day 2
Aspects of face-to-face communication, including appearance, impact, body language
The importance of succinct and accurate records of one-to-one oral communication
Reasons for maintaining records of one-to-one communication (e.g. potential disciplinary or legal issues)
The second half of the day has an extended experiential exercise so that new concepts can be applied in a simulated leadership environment. Peer and instructor coaching is used to refine skills and understanding.
