Course information

Business Communication. Sharpen your communication skills.

In a world of information overload, stories are the most powerful way to cut through the noise, inspire action, and connect deeply with others. This course will provide professionals with the tools and confidence to communicate with authenticity, clarity, and purpose through impactful storytelling.

Whether you're delivering a performance review, influencing change, pitching an idea, sharing team successes, or speaking at a company-wide event, storytelling helps you translate dry facts into memorable, motivational messages that resonate.

This course provides a practical framework for crafting and delivering purposeful stories tailored to different contexts - professional or personal - and aligning these stories to strategic outcomes in the workplace.

Aims

By the end of this course, you’ll have greater confidence in your ability to have your voice be heard effectively and to influence change. We want you to discover that you do not have to have the “gift of the gab” to be an influencer, coach and leader. And we want you to be able to optimise your technical skills and knowledge by applying them effectively as a force for positive change.

Outcomes

By the end of this course, you should be able to:

• more confidently stand in front of a room or camera and deliver a powerful, captivating message
• understand when, why and how to use story-telling in your daily communication
• structure stories in an effective way that gets your intended message across
• deliver stories in a captivating and impactful manner
• apply storytelling in real workplace scenarios including:
  • presentations and keynotes
  • team briefings and leadership communication
  • stakeholder engagement and change initiatives
  • client interactions and sales conversations
• build a storytelling mindset that enhances team culture and communication effectiveness.

Content

Why storytelling works in business

The neuroscience of emotion, attention, and influence

The business case for storytelling

How stories build trust, shift culture, and inspire teams

Practical story structures

Easy-to-use frameworks, including context–challenge–resolution–insight

Crafting a lesson story

Learning from setbacks to build credibility and growth culture

Influencing behaviour through storytelling

Real case examples to shift mindsets or correct course (e.g. customer dissatisfaction)

Vision stories for change leadership

Painting a compelling picture of the future to inspire alignment

Personal connection stories

Building rapport and human connection across all levels

Opening with impact

Techniques for starting strong and setting tone

Live practice and peer coaching

Small group practice with real-time feedback

Application & action planning

How and where to apply stories immediately in your role

Intended audience

Suitable for professionals in leadership, project management, client-facing, communications, HR, change, or business development roles—including emerging leaders—who want to:

• engage others more effectively
• communicate complex ideas with clarity
• build buy-in and trust
• influence outcomes without relying on authority.

Prerequisites

None

Delivery style

Practical workshop including:

• real-world business case studies
• story crafting frameworks and exercises
• theory application (e.g. story arc, influence psychology)
• partner and small group activities
• facilitator-led storytelling demonstrations
• peer feedback and coaching.

Delivery modes

• Face-to-face, presenter-taught workshop
• Online workshop via the platform Zoom

Materials

Course materials are provided electronically using Dropbox.