Business Communication. Sharpen your communication skills.

Confidence is built, not born. Our work environments often put us in high pressure or stressful situations, where we need to find the courage to speak up, share our ideas, or advocate for projects, colleagues and teams. We might find ourselves facing a difficult ethical scenario, or be required to respond to challenging questions in a client meeting. Managers and senior executives have to know how to navigate change, and lead teams through difficult times. In these situations, knowing the correct answer isn’t always enough. Communicating with confidence, as well as competence, is critical.

This course offers practical skills for anyone who wants to be able to communicate confidently under pressure. This course will help you remain calm, think on your feet, and present yourself in a polished and professional manner.

We will consider how to retain your confidence in high-pressure situations, how to communicate in a way that ensures other people hear your message, how to reduce tension and avoid further escalation, and how to overcome natural flight, fright or freeze responses. We’ll discuss common business settings, consider when to deploy specific verbal and non-verbal communication techniques, and develop skills in responding when ‘under fire’ or when broaching difficult topics.

This course will empower you to:

• communicate confidently and remain calm under pressure
• effectively engage with leaders, senior staff, team members and stakeholders
• quickly structure a question or answer in your mind, before you open your mouth
• initiate uncomfortable conversations and resolve conflict
• know when to say yes, when to say no, and when to say silent
• build positive professional relationships.

Aims

This course aims to help you:

• identify your authentic voice and style
• become self-aware and shift your mindset
• understand the unique value you bring
• improve your physical presentation and vocal presence
• learn active listening techniques and structured talking techniques
• adapt your approach to different situations
• understand how people perceive confidence and how you can project it.

Outcomes

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

• demonstrate your improved skill in planning to listen and quickly understand questions
• use ‘pause gaps’ and improve your use of honouring silence
• utilise methods of improving confidence and perceived confidence by refining your physical presentation and vocal delivery
• utilise a range of easy-to-use talk structures to respond to any question
• quickly translate ideas to speech.

Content

The course will empower participants using the following framework:

Positive mindset + enhanced listening and speaking skills + ‘under fire’ practice = a calm and confident communicator.

The first part of the course will focus on developing a positive mindset, by battling common fears and building confidence. We’ll consider:

• Building a positive mindset
• Developing a ‘yes’ perspective
• Removing fears and other obstacles
• Tips for tackling your triggers
• Building confidence

The second part of the course will delve into enhancing your listening and speaking skills. This will include:

• How to listen like you mean it
• Creating perceptions of confidence when listening and responding
• Using verbal and non-verbal prompts
• Levelling up your speaking skills
• When to interrupt, ask questions, make comments and offer solutions
• Etiquette for difficult conversations
• Thinking on your feet

The third part of the course will focus on ‘under fire’ practice for challenging situations. We will practice:

• How to build your fluency and flexibility with 'under fire' practice
• Conquering the Q&A
• Responding to difficult questions
• How to handle mistakes and missteps
• How to collect and respond to feedback

Intended audience

This course is suitable for a range of participants working in high pressure workplace environments, including those starting out in their careers as well as experienced professionals working in senior roles which demand effective communication in high-stress situations. Participants are encouraged to come to class with a specific scenario in mind which can be workshopped and discussed in the session.

Prerequisites

None

Delivery style

Interactive workshop which includes facilitator training, in-class exercises, and workshop-style activities.

Delivery mode

Face-to-face, presenter taught training

Materials

All course materials are provided electronically (via Dropbox). Printing services are not provided. Please bring laptop or iPad, and pen and paper.

Recommended reading

Duhigg, Charles (2024) Supercommunicators: The Power of Conversation and the Hidden Language of Connection, Cornerstone Press

Kahneman, Daniel. (2013) Thinking, Fast and Slow, Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

Sinek, Simon. (2011) Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action.