Workplace Communication Skills


Overview/Description
Target Audience
Prerequisites
Expected Duration
Lesson Objectives
Course Number



Overview/Description
Poor communication is often blamed for discord, errors, and misunderstandings in the workplace. In fact, and more correctly, poor communication of intent causes these problems. They occur when people are unwilling to say exactly what they mean, or what they want. They also occur when there is a reluctance or an inability to get clarification of another person's intent. These situations can be avoided by using certain communication techniques to establish intent, both other people's intent, and your own. This course covers the three prime strategies that will enable you to do this. By speaking assertively, you can make your intentions clear, and in this course you will have the opportunity to practice several assertive communication techniques. Similarly, the course will demonstrate how to give constructive criticism on the behavior of others, and how to receive criticism on your own behavior positively. Finally, the course covers the skill of questioning. You will learn how to use questions in a non-threatening way to direct or encourage a conversation, to uncover hidden feelings or motives, and to persuade. Effective questioning is one of the most valuable communication skills of all.

Target Audience
Those people in roles which depend on the ability to influence colleagues, senior managers, or clients. Also, anyone who has responsibility for managing, supervising, or leading staff.

Prerequisites
None

Expected Duration (hours)
3.0

Lesson Objectives

Workplace Communication Skills

  • identify the benefits of using assertive communication in the workplace.
  • determine which communication mode or modes are being used, based on examples of verbal and nonverbal behavior.
  • use the most appropriate assertive response or responses within a given scenario.
  • match the four assertive response types to their applicable situations.
  • use the most appropriate assertive communication technique to negotiate a preferred outcome in a given scenario.
  • classify instances of assertive interpersonal negotiation, based on the technique demonstrated.
  • identify the benefits of being able to give and receive criticism positively.
  • classify examples of criticism, constructive criticism, feedback and personal attack.
  • give acceptable constructive criticism to a co-worker, within a given situation.
  • recognize the five essential criteria for giving acceptable constructive criticism.
  • use the appropriate techniques to receive criticism positively within a given scenario.
  • identify some of the essential decisions behind the positive reception of criticism.
  • recognize the benefit of questioning in interpersonal communication.
  • use open and closed questions to gain the required information in a given situation.
  • identify questions as being either open or closed.
  • recognize examples of exploratory questions.
  • use appropriate leading questions to persuade another person to take action, within a given situation.
  • recognize leading questions.
  • Course Number:
    comm_02_a03_bs_enus