What Is Communication Skills Training?

Communication skills training covers a broad range of topics that help make one an effective communicator. Communication occurs in many contexts such as emails, marketing materials, presentations, and other written and spoken forms. Examples of popular skills training subjects are:

  • Building Better Work Relationships
  • New Techniques for Results-Oriented Communication
  • How to Communicate with Diplomacy, Tact, and Credibility
  • Getting Results Without Authority

Available Tools for Communications Planning

The purpose of communications planning is to get the proper message to the intended audience, in an appropriate way. One useful approach is to use strategies to find and get to know your audience. Some tools to help you do this:

Communicating Effectively in Writing

Effective writing skills are important to write clear and understandable emails, reports, and other messages. You need to get your readers' attention and make sure they get important information as easily as possible. The Inverted Pyramid Writing model is a good source for making sure the key points are at the top of your message.

Other points to consider for writing an effective email are being brief, clear, and making use of understandable subject lines. Avoid carrying on, using a false tone, and other typical mistakes. Business reports and other longer pieces of writing also should be organized well to make sense to the reader so they can easily find the information they seek.

Communicating Effectively Face-to-Face

Face-to-face communication is a good way to build relationships and relate to people personally. Using small talk can help the other person feel comfortable, but also be sure to listen closely to what they have to say in return. This can teach you a lot about a person, and you can discover what language to use to bond with them. We communicate with our appearance and body language before we even say a word, so keep this in mind in making a good first impression. An experienced communicator learns both to read and to use body language and visual clues to their advantage.

Communicating Effectively While Presenting

Delivering a quality presentation is a necessary communication skill for those in management positions, or for anyone with leadership ambitions. A certain set of communication skills are required in order to run a meeting smoothly. While running a meeting, a skillful facilitator is good:

  • Designing and planning how a meeting will go
  • Involving people in the meeting
  • Guiding the interest of those in the meeting
  • Making note of the key points brought up at the meeting
  • Ensuring all employees know what they are to do after the meeting

If your meetings tend to lose their focus, you can use Dialogue Mapping to get them back on track. This involves a facilitator, who jots down new ideas and comments, creating a record of what is said, which is useful for future meetings.

It's also important to pick a style and structure that accommodates your audience. Also, think about what impact you can make visually. Set up the room and test any equipment or props that you intend to use beforehand. You need to keep your audience interested.

If your presentation is well-practiced, your confidence in public speaking will expand, enabling you to pay more attention to your body language. Educate yourself on potential presentation mistakes ahead of time.

Communication Is a Two-Way Process

It's important to remember that listening to the other person is a large part of being a good communicator. Learning how to listen attentively and sincerely understanding what's being said is a useful skill. To listen actively means to withhold any judgment until you've heard everything that the other person has to say.

The Famous Dale Carnegie Course

This is a communication skills program that helps in making you an effective communicator by boosting your engagement levels. It helps you become better at human relation skills demanded in today's business environment. You'll be ready to perform as a persuasive communicator, problem-solver, and focused leader. The course is offered in various formats, some of the more popular are the 8 week and 3 day programs.

Outline of the Dale Carnegie Course

  • Build a foundation for success
  • Recall and use names
  • Build on memory skills & enhance relationships
  • Increase self-confidence and put stress in perspective
  • Clearly present ideas
  • Energize communication
  • Disagree agreeably
  • Gain willing cooperation and influence others
  • Demonstrate leadership
  • Celebrate achievements & renew your vision

5 Modules of the Dale Carnegie Interpersonal Skills Seminar

  • Module 1 - Recognize the Importance of Attitude and Image
  • Module 2 - Increase Credibility Through Your Words and Actions
  • Module 3 - Think On Your Feet (and keep your foot out of your mouth)
  • Module 4 - Build Rapport and Strengthen Your Relationships
  • Module 5 - Cultivate Power Without Being Intimidating

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