How effective a communicator are you?

Featured in the communication skills training manual:

This communication skills training activity enables participants to gain feedback on the effectiveness of their communication methods, and to establish the different styles of communication and the impact they have on others. It will also help them to evaluate the effect.

If people are to communicate effectively, they must choose the right method and do so in a manner which builds positive relationships. This is an activity which helps participants to understand the impact of their communication methods and their communication styles. Being aware of one's own strengths and weaknesses in communicating is an important step in improving personal effectiveness.

You introduce the session and participants look at the types of communication channels they currently use. Participants discuss the findings of a communications survey that provides them with feedback on the effectiveness of their current communication methods. They then complete a self-assessment questionnaire on the way in which they communicate. You explain the different styles and participants discuss the implications of each. Participants then score their questionnaire, discuss the results and how they can increase the effectiveness of their communication style.

Who is it for: This training activity is intended for use by trainers to enable participants to become effective communicators.

Purpose: This training activity is intended for use by trainers to enable their participants to gain feedback on how effective their communication methods are. It will help them to establish different styles of communication and the impact these styles have on others, and allow them to evaluate how effective their own communication style is. Use this activity as a stand-alone training session or as part of a workshop on topics such as communication and assertiveness skills, conflict management, facilitation and training and development skills, leadership and team-building skills.

Assertive communication skills:

Use this communication skills training activity with your participants to increase their ability to communicate assertively with other people, and to give them practice and feedback in dealing with situations in an assertive manner.

Assertiveness is a life skill which helps individuals develop respectful relationships. Whether at home or at work, people operate best if they feel good about themselves and the people around them. This is an activity which helps participants increase their ability to be assertive in a wide range of situations and give them practice in doing this.

You introduce the session and discuss the difference between assertive, passive and aggressive behaviours. The participants are then introduced to the foundation stones of assertiveness and given the opportunity to practise their assertiveness skills and to receive feedback on these.

Who is it for: This training activity is intended for use by trainers to help participants communicate assertively.

Purpose: This training activity is intended for use by trainers to increase the ability of their participants to communicate assertively with other people, and to give them practice and feedback in dealing with situations in an assertive manner. The activity can be used as a stand-alone training session or as part of a workshop on topics such as communication skills, conflict management, dealing with difficult people, or leadership, meetings, negotiation and team-building skills.

Networking:

Use this training activity to encourage your participants to identify ways of creating and growing informal communication networks.

Communication in organisations runs via two networks: formal and informal, sometimes called the skeleton and the nervous system. Whatever role people have within an organisation, there are great benefits in creating and growing informal networks in the business environment, both within and outside the organisation. This activity allows participants to explore ways of doing this.

You introduce the session and ask participants to discuss what a network is and the benefits in creating networks both inside and outside the organisation. Next, participants undertake an exercise to help them establish their current and potential networking partners. They then discuss how the best networking partners act and ways of building future networking opportunities.

Who is it for: This training activity is intended for use by trainers to help participants create informal networks.

Purpose: This training activity is intended for use by trainers to encourage their participants to identify ways of creating and growing informal communication networks. The activity can be used as a stand-alone training session or as part of a workshop on communication skills, coaching and mentoring skills and team-building skills.

Listening skills:

This is a training activity that helps participants to develop their listening skills. We spend nearly half of our waking hours listening but often we only hear, rather than truly listen. Active listening skills are a key building block in developing effective relationships.

You introduce the training session via a listening skills activity. In groups, participants then discuss the barriers to active listening. You then discuss methods to demonstrate active listening. Finally, participants undertake a practical exercise to increase the effectiveness of their listening skills.

Who is it for: This training activity is intended for use by trainers to establish the importance of active listening skills with participants.

Purpose: This listening skills training activity is intended for use by trainers to establish the importance of active listening skills as a key communication skill with participants and to give them the ability to increase the effectiveness of their listening skills. This training activity can be used as a stand-alone training session or as part of a communication skills workshop. In addition it can be integrated into training workshops on topics such as counseling skills, appraisal, performance management and coaching skills, assertiveness skills, conflict management, mentoring, meetings skills, negotiation skills, recruitment and selection skills, selling skills, telephone skills and facilitation and training skills.

Questioning techniques:

A communication skills training activity to encourage the use of effective questioning techniques and to establish the different types of questioning and the advantages and disadvantages of their use.

This is a training activity which helps participants to develop their questioning techniques. Using the right questions is essential if we are to communicate effectively - be it when chairing meetings, conducting interviews and one-to-one discussions, giving performance feedback or conducting appraisals. This module is a building block in developing questioning techniques for effective communication skills.

You introduce the training session and explain the four main question types. In groups, participants give examples for each of the question types and discuss their advantages and disadvantages. They then undertake a practical exercise to increase the effectiveness of their questioning techniques.

Who is it for: This training activity is intended for use by trainers to help participants develop their questioning techniques and to establish the advantages and disadvantages of the different types of question.

Purpose: This communication skills training resource is intended for use by trainers with their participants to establish the different types of questioning and the advantages and disadvantages of their use, and to encourage their participants to increase the effectiveness of their questioning techniques.

Body language:

Use this training activity to enable participants to explore the impact that body language has on the effectiveness of communication, to provide them with an opportunity to receive feedback on their body language, and to identify ways of creating a more participants.

Over half of the initial impression that people gain about others in through their body language. Each individual has their own unique 'dance' or non-verbal language which can have a positive or a negative impact on others. This activity allows participants to explore the effect of body language and to identify ways in which they can improve their non-verbal behaviour.

Prior to the session, participants are notified to make contact with another named individual as soon as they arrive at the training venue and to form a pair with this person. The initial activity in the session involves participants giving feedback to each other on their first impressions. Then they take part in several exercises to identify the impact of body language and our ability to read this. Finally, participants look at ways of improving their non-verbal communication.

Who is it for: This training activity is intended for use by trainers to enable participants to explore the use of body language on effective communication.

Purpose: This training activity is intended for use by trainers to enable participants to explore the impact of body language on effective communication. It will also provide them with an opportunity to receive feedback on their own body language and help identify ways of creating a more positive impact through their non-verbal language. This activity can be used as a stand-alone training session or as part of a workshop on a wide range of topics as diverse as assertiveness and communication skills, appraisal, coaching, counseling skills, dealing with difficult situations, facilitation, mentoring, performance management, recruitment, selling, team building, negotiation, meetings skills, presentation skills and conflict management.

The voice - Communication skills training:

Use this communication skills training activity to improve the impact that participants make through their tone of voice and improve communication skills.

With the exception of body language, a person's tone of voice is their biggest asset in creating a positive impact and no more so than on the telephone. This activity is designed to allow participants to evaluate how effectively they use their voice when communicating and the steps they can take to improve it.

Participants discuss the impact of the voice in effective communication and how to maximise its effect. They are then given an opportunity for other people to hear and comment on their voice in order to identify how to make a positive impact.

Who is it for: This training activity is intended for use by trainers to improve the impact participants make through their tone of voice.

Purpose: This training activity is intended for use by trainers to improve the impact that participants make through their tone of voice. The activity can be used as a stand-alone training session or as part of a workshop on topics such as assertiveness and communication skills, meetings and presentation skills, training and development skills, and telephone skills.

Creating positive rapport:

Use this training activity to encourage participants to identify ways of creating positive rapport with other people.

Whatever role people have within an organisation, there is a high probability that the people with whom they have the best working relationships, are those with whom they feel they have the greatest rapport. This activity allows participants to identify what creates rapport between people and the steps they can take to build stronger relationships.

You introduce the session and ask participants to discuss what rapport is and the barriers to creating rapport. After discussion, you introduce a process for creating rapport: the 'ask, listen, give and get' principle. Participants then plan how to create better rapport with a work colleague, manager, supplier or customer.

Who is it for: This training activity is intended for use by trainers to encourage participants to create positive rapport.

Purpose: This training activity is intended for use by trainers to encourage participants to identify ways of creating positive rapport with other people. It can be used as a stand-alone training session or as part of a workshop on topics such as communication skills, coaching, counseling and mentoring, negotiation, selling skills, leadership and tea-building skills, training and facilitation skills.

Communicating on the telephone:

Use this communication skills training activity to enable participants to represent their organisation in a professional manner when receiving incoming telephone calls, and allow them to practise techniques for controlling and managing incoming calls.

More and more business communication is now conducted via the telephone. This activity allows participants to improve the way in which they handle incoming calls.

You introduce the session and ask each participant to make a call to an organisation that they consider provides good service on the telephone. They then report back their experience. You introduce the three steps in handling incoming calls in an effective manner and participants practise each step. Finally, they look at telephone etiquette in taking messages, transferring calls and putting people on hold.

Who is it for: This training activity is intended for use by trainers to enable participants to control and manage incoming calls.

Purpose: This training activity is intended for use by trainers to enable participants to represent their organisation in a professional manner when receiving incoming telephone calls and allow them to practise techniques for controlling and managing incoming calls.

Communicating via e-mail:

Use this training activity to enable participants to send effective e-mail messages and prioritise the e-mails they receive.

E-mail is increasingly being used as a communications medium. It is simple to use in any location with the necessary equipment, instant and fast. However, the downside is the amount of e-mail that people have to deal with every day. This activity allows participants to identify best practice in sending e-mail messages and provides a method for prioritising messages they receive.

You introduce the session and ask participants to brainstorm the advantages and disadvantages of using e-mail. Then the group agrees best practice in sending e-mail. They look at samples of the e-mails they send and discuss ways in which these can be improved. Finally, the trainer introduces a process for prioritising incoming e-mail and participants try this out on the e-mails they have brought along with them.

Who is it for: This training activity is intended for use by trainers to enable participants to send effective e-mails and priorities those they receive.

Purpose: This training activity is intended for use by trainers to enable participants to send effective e-mail messages and priorities the e-mails they receive. It can be used as a stand-alone training session or as part of a workshop on communication and letter-writing skills.