Here are modern communication skills training activities including effective use of e-mail, voice-mail and audio conferencing at your fingertips and ready to run!
With Communication Skills, youve got all the essential skills of communication covered including much-needed skills development for the modern channels of communication that are becoming part of everyday working life.
Whether you are seeking ideas to boost your existing communication skills sessions, or building a new programme from scratch, this is your ready-to-run goldmine of 22 communication training activities.
Activities on those core skills that will always be in demand: influencing skills, telephone techniques, questioning and listening skills, team communication, handling difficult people.Youll also get activities that help you cover those communication skills that can often be overlooked: tone of voice, networking, and establishing rapport with colleagues to ensure smooth working relationships.
Build these essential communication skills:
- Questioning and listening skills to find out exactly what your customers need
- Feedback and rapport building techniques to ensure smooth day-today work with colleagues
- Assertiveness and influencing skills to create win-win outcomes with suppliers and colleagues
- Networking skills to create a supportive, learning network both within and outside your organisation
- Plus proven activities to keep your people bang up to date with all the new communication channels: e-mail, voicemail, audio and videoconferencing.
List of Activities:
1. Assertive communications skills
Assertive communication is the cornerstone of effective communication. This activity helps to increase participants\' ability to communicate assertively with other people. It gives them practice and feedback in dealing with situations in an assertive manner.
2. Networking
Communication in business runs via two networks: formal and informal, sometimes called the skeleton and the nervous system. Whatever role people have within an organisation, there are great benefits in creating and growing informal networks in the business environment, both within and outside the organisation. This activity allows participants to explore ways of doing this.
3. How effective a communicator are you?
If people are to communicate effectively, they must both choose the right method and do so in a manner which builds positive relationships. This is an activity which helps participants understand the impact of their communication method and their communication styles.
4. Listening skills
We spend nearly half our waking hours listening but often we only hear, rather than truly listen. To listen actively is a key building block in developing effective relationships. This activity will help participants to develop their listening skills.
5. Questioning skills
This activity will enable participants to identify the different types of questions and the advantages and disadvantages of their use. It includes practical exercises and feedback to increase the effectiveness of participants\' questioning styles.
6. Body language
Over half of the initial impression that people gain about other people is via their body language. Each individual has their own unique \'dance\' or non-verbal language which can have a positive or a negative impact on others. This activity allows participants to explore the effect of body language and to identify ways in which they can improve their non-verbal behaviour.
7. The voice
This is a short activity designed to allow participants to evaluate how effectively they use their voice when communicating. They receive advice on the steps they can take to improve their voice.
8. Creating positive rapport
Whatever role people have within an organisation, there is a high probability that those people with whom they have the bet working relationships are those with whom they feel they have the greatest rapport. This activity allows participants to identify what creates rapport amongst people and the steps they can take to build stronger relationships.
9. Communicating on the telephone
This activity is designed to increase participants\' competence and confidence in representing their organisation in a professional manner on the telephone when receiving incoming calls. It allows participants to practise techniques to control and manage these calls.
10. Communicating via e-mail
E-mail is increasingly being used as a communications medium. This activity allows participants to identify best practice in sending e-mail and provides a method for prioritising messages that they receive.
11. Audioconferencing
Audioconferencing allows two individuals or a group to hold a meeting or discussion without the need for physical contact. However, without proper training, audioconferencing can prove ineffective. This activity allows participants to investigate how best to use this medium.
12. Using voice-mail effectively
In today\'s business environment, increasing use is being made of voice-mail as a messaging system. This activity reminds participants how to use voice-mail effectively, either when the person is away from their desk or when they have to leave a message on a voice-mail.
13. Videoconferencing
As the cost of travel increases, more organisations are turning to videoconferencing as a method of communication between individuals who work at a distance. In this activity participants learn techniques for making the best use of videoconferencing.
14. Feedback skills
Letting people know how they are doing is essential in building a committed and motivated workforce. The way in which feedback is given is extremely important. This is an activity which helps participants to develop their ability to give feedback on performance.
15. Leading a successful meeting
In many organisations meetings are neither time nor cost effective. This activity helps participants to plan, prepare and lead effective meetings; also to receive feedback on their effectiveness in managing a meeting.
16. Presentation skills
On a formal or informal basis, the ability to portray information in a confident, clear and persuasive fashion is essential. This activity helps participants to plan, prepare and present in an effective and confident manner.
17. Team communication skills
Communication has to be effective in a team in order for it to function well. In this activity participants have an opportunity to diagnose the effectiveness of their team communication and to identify ways in which they can communicate more effectively.
18. Influencing skills
There are always times in people\'s business lives when they need to exert some influence over others to shape events. This activity helps individuals to recognise the power they have in influencing others and provides them with an opportunity to test their influencing skills.
19. Handling difficult situations
Everyone is going to encounter difficulties at some time in dealing with customers, suppliers, direct reports, colleagues or their managers. This activity provides a framework which will enable participants to tackle difficult situations in an effective manner.
20. Letter-writing skills
The style and manner of writing business letters says a lot about the individual and the organisation. This activity allows participants to identify best practice in letter writing and to receive feedback on the effectiveness of their letter-writing style.
21. Participating at a meeting
Participants at a meeting have a responsibility to make the meeting work as much as the leader. In this activity delegates consider the role of the participants and the part they have to play in making the meeting effective.
22. Report-writing skills
Having to write a report can seem very daunting to many managers. This activity allows participants to identify best practice in writing their report and to increase their skills and confidence in this area.
