Business Communication Training

Business Communication Training

Business communication skills, including the foundation of communication process, writing for business, giving briefings and making presentations, electronic presentations, effective meetings for managers, influencing others and an in-depth focus on negotiation skills.

Section 1-INTRODUCTION: FOUNDATIONS OF COMMUNICATION

• Introduction: an overview of the essentials of business communication
• What is communication?
• Language as a unique human attribute
• History of human communication
• Communication in theory
• Categories of communication
• Purposeful language
• The role of grammar, punctuation, usage and style
• The interconnectedness of writing and thinking
• Barriers to communication
• A new approach to business communication
• Jargon and weasel words

Section 2- FUNDAMENTALS OF WRITTEN COMMUNICATION

• Introduction: the power of words
• What will you need to write?
• Writing in plain English Writing for your reader
• Practical grammar
• Common problems with sentence structure
• Expanded Contents
• Active and passive voice
• Stylish and consistent writing
• Writing for academic purposes
• The art of editing
• Style guides

Section 3- INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

• Introduction: the influence of interpersonal communication
• Understanding interpersonal business communication
• Distinctive features of interpersonal business communication
• Effective interpersonal communication
• Interpersonal communication competence
• Positive interpersonal environments
• Advantages and purposes of understanding communication models
• The use of specialist language in the business setting
• Managing interference
• Positive communication climates
• Emotions and emotional intelligence in business communications
• Factors in effective interpersonal communication
• Communication in the professional context
• Networking and hierarchies in interpersonal business communication
• Understanding and diffusing the dark side of interpersonal business communications

Section 4- NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION

• Introduction: the role of nonverbal communication in creating meaning
• Do actions speak louder than words?
• The science of nonverbal communication
• Channels of nonverbal communication
• Functions of nonverbal communication
• The complexities of nonverbal communication
• Developing stronger business communication skills through an appreciation of nonverbal communication
• Specific applications of nonverbal communication for business professionals

Section 5- COMMUNICATING ACROSS CULTURES AND IN GROUP

• Introduction: culture, communication and competence
• Culture
• Individualist versus collectivist cultures
• Individualism versus individuality
• Intercultural communication: self-fulfilling prophecies
• East versus West
• Colourful communication: cultural codes and symbols
• Groups and grooming groupies
• Models of group development
• Group task roles
• Formal and informal tasks
• Leading groups
• Shared or co-leadership

Section 6- THE ETHICS OF BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

• Introduction: the fundamental place of ethics in business communication
• What is public morality? How is it different from private morality?
• Ethical relativism
• Relativism in business
• Deception
• Mandatory reporting
• New technologies and ethics
• Whistleblowing

Section 7- PERSUASION, ARGUMENTATION AND REASONING: CRITICAL THINKING

• Introduction: making business communication logical
• What is logic?
• Persuasion and argument
• Underpinnings of logical thinking: the ancient Greeks
• Skilful business writing
• Writing persuasively
• Structuring for argument, logic and persuasion
• Critical thinking
• Deductive and inductive reasoning
• IDEAS: a practical tool

Section 8- ORGANISATIONAL COMMUNICATION: INTERNAL

• Introduction: what is internal communication?
• How internal communication happens
• The costs of poor communication
• Roles of the internal communication team
• The informal network: gossip, scuttlebutt, hearsay and the grapevine
• How to improve internal communication
• Interpersonal communication solutions for leadership

Section 9- ORGANISATIONAL COMMUNICATION: EXTERNAL

• Introduction: appearances are everything
• Communicating with the media
• The corporate communication practitioner
• Media releases
• Difficulties and pitfalls: both sides of the fence
• Rules of engagement
• The challenges of perception
• Special events
• Proactive and reactive external communication
• Foreseeing the future and planning for the worst
• Media training for spokespeople

Section 10- ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION

• Introduction: development and acceptance of non-print communication
• Communication and electronic media
• What makes electronic communication different?
• Key considerations for electronic communications
• Interpersonal relationships
• The cognitive factors
• Handling the volume and the immediacy
• Cultural and technical issues

Section 11- FUNDAMENTALS OF ORAL COMMUNICATION

• Introduction: oral presentations
• Analysing the situation and audience
• Structuring presentations
• Using visual aids
• Designing a PowerPoint presentation
• The presentation
• Team-based presentations
• Special-occasion presentations
• Organising and managing meetings
• Communicating by telephone