Communication Skills Training Programs

Delivered by David D. Knapp, PhD

The word “etiquette”, for many people, commonly equates to remembering not to put elbows on the dinner table or to always say “please and thank you”. But in the business word, etiquette is a far more encompassing term that makes the difference between a comfortable work environment, and an aggravating one. Whether it is being polite to a rude coworker, keeping a clean workspace, or using proper grammar in an email, small, attentive gestures make the workplace more enjoyable.

However, business etiquette has been on the decline. According to a recent study by Weber Shandwick, “large American businesses are considered uncivil by 53% of Americans.” This is an important statistic, considering the same study found that 60% of a firm’s market value is attributed to its reputation. Outside the client-company relationship, bad business etiquette harms workplace harmony. One of the more concerning workplace trends is the rise of Americans leaving their jobs because of incivility. In the span of 2 years, 26% of Americans reported they quit a job because it was an uncivil workplace.

Being able to assess your level of self-respect and dignity, to display patience, to say no diplomatically, and to make a positive impression allows you develop more meaningful relationships with colleagues, and to build a pleasant work environment that boosts productivity.

Course Objectives

Upon completion of this program, participants will be able to:

• Use basic courtesy and manners
• Practice common business etiquette to build and maintain relationships
• Implement practices for respecting yourself
• Be resilient in difficult situations
• Interact in a respectful manner with coworkers and subordinates
• Interact respectfully with individuals with disabilities
• Establish positive human connections
• Maintain relationships with strong communication skills
• Use technology effectively

Delivery

In-person or live webinar for your organization’s group.

Suitable for:

Groups of 5 – 25 participants.

Length

Two hours, half day, or full day.

Delivered by David D. Knapp, PhD

According to research, engaging in effective communication and building strong workplace relationships are both critical for career success. That is especially true for professionals in today’s work environment, where more and more work is completed by matrixed, cross-functional teams that must communicate effectively to succeed.

To that end, this highly interactive and entertaining course will help participants improve their workplace communication skills. Through self-analysis, case studies, and group exercises, participants will learn immediately applicable communication skills that will help them build stronger, more productive workplace relationships.

Course Objectives

Upon completion of this program, participants will be able to:

• Leverage their individual workplace communication strengths, while compensating for their individual workplace communication weaknesses as identified by the What’s My Communication Style? assessment
• Identify and overcome triggers that can lead to workplace conflict
• Demonstrate high levels of emotional self-awareness and self-expression
• Apply a number of communication tips and techniques designed to improve interpersonal workplace relationships
• Engage in active-listening skills
• Implement the “One Issue” approach to building stronger workplace relationships

Delivery

In-person or live webinar for your organization’s group.

Suitable for:

Groups of 5 – 25 participants.

Length

Two hours, half day, or full day.

Delivered by Kelli Oberndorf, MHA, CPP, CPF

In this half-day workshop, your team will develop an understanding of how to cultivate curiosity within the workplace by asking questions, understanding one another, and and leading with curiosity during conflict.

Topics include:

• Asking open-ended questions
• Listening to understand, rather than respond
• Communicating and resolving conflicts by leading with curiosity

Delivery

In-person or virtual for your organization’s group.

Suitable for:

Groups of 5 – 25 participants.

Length

Half day.

Delivered by Kerstin Caldwell

Communication is vital to the success of any organization yet many people struggle with how to communicate in ways that are efficient and effective. Communication breakdowns, misunderstandings, and mistakes are common and can affect morale, retention, and relationships. In this workshop, we’ll explore how effective communication is tied to conscious and subconscious neurological responses that can make expressing ourselves difficult and what helps us to communicate with more ease. Through a series of exercises, we will explore first-hand how our own individual responses arise and will use the wisdom of neuroscience to counteract and adapt to how we respond effectively.

Delivery

In-person or virtual for your organization’s group.

Suitable for:

Groups of 5 – 25 participants.

Length

Two hours to half day.

Delivered by Shannon Andrus, EdD

This inclusive course is designed to help all members of an organization address issues of gender that can arise in the workplace. The session focuses primarily upon written communication, including the use of pronouns, stereotypical male and female communication styles and their implications, and ways to promote and support all employees regardless of gender. Shannon includes practical suggestions to promote positive gender consciousnesses within the workplace.

Delivery

In-person or live webinar for your organization’s group.

Suitable for:

Groups of 5 – 25 participants.

Length

Adjustable from 30 minutes to 2 hours.

Delivered by David D. Knapp, PhD

Although men and women have been working side by side in the United States for generations, effective gender communication in the workplace remains a challenge for many individuals. Therefore, this session is designed to help participants better recognize men and women typically bring to the workplace. Participants also will learn specific communication techniques to help them engage in more effective gender communication in the workplace. This often-sensitive subject is presented in a neutral, non-judgmental way and is based on the findings of research from multiple perspectives.

Course Objectives

Upon completion of this program, participants will be able to:

• Understand the differences (and similarities) in the communication behaviors that men and women typically bring to the workplace
• Leverage their individual gender-communication strengths, while compensating for their gender-communication weaknesses, as identified by the “Gender Communication” assessment
• Apply specific tips and techniques to communicate more effectively in the workplace, including effective emotional self-awareness and self-expression, active listening, empathy, two-sided appeals, and The CONNECT Model™

Delivery

In-person or live webinar for your organization’s group.

Suitable for:

Groups of 5 – 25 participants.

Length

Two hours, half day, or full day.

Delivered by David D. Knapp, PhD

As more and more organizations move from traditional hierarchical structures to cross-functional, matrixed structures, the importance of building personal influence in the workplace has increased – while the significance of traditional position power has steadily decreased. To that end, this highly interactive half-day session is designed either as a stand-alone course or as a complementary session to our Leader as Storyteller training. Using the fable of “The Sun & Wind” as its foundation – and self-analysis, case studies, and group exercises as its means – this session will help participants learn the necessary skills to successfully build and effectively apply their personal influence in the workplace.

Course Objectives

Upon completion of this program, participants will be able to:

• Leverage their individual workplace communication strengths, while compensating for their individual workplace communication weaknesses as identified by the What’s My Communication Style? assessment
• Identify and overcome triggers that can lead to workplace conflict
• Demonstrate high levels of emotional self-awareness and self-expression
• Apply a number of communication tips and techniques designed to improve interpersonal workplace relationships
• Engage in active-listening skills
• Implement the “One Issue” approach to building stronger workplace relationships

Delivery

In-person or live webinar for your organization’s group.

Suitable for:

Groups of 5 – 25 participants.

Length

Two hours, half day, or full day.

Delivered by David D. Knapp, PhD

 Difficult conversations are inevitable in any workplace. Those conversations can create unhappiness, stress, and tension. They can also impair and even destroy relationships. When handled poorly, they are likely to result in serious problems that interfere with productivity and leave everyone involved feeling frustrated and dissatisfied. You can’t avoid these kinds of conversations, but you can learn how to handle them more effectively. Developing the ability to handle these challenges will pay off in terms of reduced stress, increased confidence, improved relationships, increased trust, fewer problems, better teamwork, higher productivity, and better career opportunities.

Course Objectives

Upon completion of this program, participants will be able to:

•  Understand the nature of difficult conversations and what it takes to handle them.
• Identify the seven stages of handling difficult conversations.
• Use empathy in a way that minimizes negative responses and strengthens relationships.
• Apply best practices for preparing, initiating, and delivering the conversation.
• Discover how to generate solutions and bring the conversation to a close.

Delivery

In-person or live webinar for your organization’s group.

Suitable for:

Groups of 5 – 25 participants.

Length

Two hours to half day.

Delivered by David D. Knapp, PhD

As the world becomes more complex, the ability to negotiate effectively is no longer a luxury – it is a necessity. Consequently, individuals at all levels of their organizations must be able to engage in principled negotiations that lead to win-win agreements, while effectively balancing the engaged parties’ dual concerns of relationship and outcome. To that end, this highly interactive session introduces participants to best practices in the field of negotiation skills – then gives them ample opportunity to apply those best practices during focused role plays and case studies.

Course Objectives

Upon completion of this program, participants will be able to:

• Understand the key differences between positional bargaining and principled negotiation
• Recognize the importance of both developing a strong BATNA (Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement) and accurately identifying the other party’s BATNA
• Leverage your individual negotiation style strengths, while compensating for your individual negotiation style weaknesses, as identified by the Negotiating Style Profile assessment
• Apply proven negotiation strategies and techniques
• Engage in effective communication skills during negotiations – including dealing more effectively with impasse

Delivery

In-person or live webinar for your organization’s group.

Suitable for:

Groups of 5 – 25 participants.

Length

Two hours, half day, or full day.

Delivered by Kari Knutson, MA

“Soft skills” are personal attributes that enable you to interact effectively with other people. These skills do not require extensive study or a technical knowledge base but they are vital to successful relationships; they include verbal and non-verbal communication skills, attitude, emotional intelligence, and social skills.

Developing your soft skills involves actively thinking about how you engage with others. It also involves intention. How do you want to make people feel? What are you doing with your verbal and nonverbal communication (tone, body language, eye contact, proximity, active listening) that either make people feel safe or encouraged to connect with you or push them away? How are you being intentional in your interactions with others?

In the age of increased automation, our ability to communicate with each other face to face is even more critical to our success. In this presentation you will learn how soft skills can help you be more successful in your relationships by actively connecting with others in more authentic and meaningful ways.

Delivery

In-person or live webinar for your organization’s group.

Suitable for:

Groups of at least five participants; no maximum size limit.

Length

Two hours or half day.