Advanced Communication and Problem Solving
Advanced Communication and Problem Solving
OBJECTIVES
- Know your personal communication strengths and weaknesses
- Apply logical and creative approaches to solving problems and making decisions.
- Increase your self-confidence and self-esteem
- Learn to express yourself with coolness, confidence and clarity
- Improve your ability to influence others and get things done
- Use traditional and creative tools for identifying causes and generating solutions.
- Learn how to handle difficult people and situations with grace
- Analyze and solve actual problems facing them at work
- Learn to say no and survive
WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
- Managers, Team leaders, Supervisors and Seniors whose jobs involve solving problems, as well as making and implementing decisions
- who feels improved communications skills will help them get ahead at work
- Are dependent on their interpersonal skills to get things done
- Are interested in developing their personal potential
- Anyone who feels they have more to offer their company but lack the confidence to present themselves and their ideas to others
COURSE OUTLINE
Self-Confident Communication
- What is self-confident communication?
- Recognize your communication strengths and weaknesses
- The difference between real confidence and aggression
- A self-test to determine how assertive you are now
- Practicing assertive behaviors in challenging situations
- Overcome obstacles to assertiveness skills for women
- Build and project a positive self-image
- How stress can ruin our communications
- Assessing your stress level and managing your stress reactions
- How to get over the need to be liked all the time
- Self-esteem as the foundation of confident communication
- Self-belief and Self-confidence
Problem Analysis Supplementary Tools
- Root Cause Analysis
- The Importance of the Why Question
- Ishikawa Fishbone Concept
The Essentials of Assertive Communication
- Choosing words which convey power and confidence
- What does your voice say about you?
- Listening skills – seeking to understand before being understood
- The number one reason we don’t listen well
- Improve your concentration
- Physical assertiveness
- Dealing with people who invade your space
- How to read and use body language to your advantage
- Learn how to say no to additional work
- How to project a confident, professional image
- Essential assertiveness techniques
- Expressing yourself in meetings
- Getting your message across without being interrupted
- How to get people to take you seriously
Creativity and Problem-Solving
- Lateral Thinking
- Creativity and Its Use as a Business Tool
- Barriers to Creativity and Ways to Overcome Them
- The Hemispheres of the Brain
- Brainstorming
- Six Thinking Hats
Getting results – the art of negotiation
- Where can we use negotiation skills?
- Basic negotiation concepts
- Preparing for negotiation, understand yours and others needs and motivations
- Male and female style differences – what to watch out for
- Anticipating and preparing for challenges
- How to stay focused and avoid the trap of getting along instead of getting what you want.
- Developing creative solutions and win/win options
- How to be fair without giving in
- The delay tactic
- Overcoming barriers to successful negotiations
- Reading non-verbal communications and hidden meanings in meetings
- Changing the climate – creating trust, support and co-operation
Handling yourself professionally in difficult situations
- How to mentally prepare for a difficult confrontation
- Staying calm and in control in chaos
- Giving criticism or feedback to your equals and subordinates
- How to accept criticism without getting emotional
- Deciding on, sticking to, clear boundaries – being happy to defend your position, even if it provokes conflict
- Assertive confrontation – how to deal with issues instead of emotions
- Understanding and dealing with different personality types
- Dealing with bigoted behavior
- Using empathy to defuse aggressive people
- Specific techniques for dealing with lying, guilt trips and unreasonable requests
- How to avoid inconsistent behaviors that make it harder for you to set limits the next time
Presenting yourself with Calm, Confident Competence
- How to make presentations with confidence and power
- Overcoming the fear of public speaking
- Learn the essentials of planning a presentation
- How to hold the attention of a group
- Getting noticed and getting ahead through speaking up
- Painless methods for giving corrective feedback
- Best practices for delivering positive feedback
- Continuing Professional Development – where to go from here
Applications of Techniques
- Analysis and Solution of Real Cases Presented by Participants