Course Outline

What is Communication

  • Communication styles
  • Communication flow
  • Framing conversations
  • Non-verbal communication Definitions & principles
  • Written communication
  • Telephone skills

Exercise/Case Study

Understanding Communication

  • What makes a successful communicator
  • The qualities of a successful communicator
  • Defining persuasion and influence
  • Self- belief, confidence & assertiveness
  • Push and pull styles
  • Framing communication

Exercise/Case Study

Communication Style

  • Choose from a range of communication styles depending upon the situation
  • Learn to respond, rather than react
  • Open, leading and closed questions
  • The Funnel technique
  • Understanding values
  • Questioning techniques to understand values and build relationships

Exercise/Case Study

Overcoming resistance

  • What causes resistance
  • How to deal with resistance
  • A practical guide using six steps
  • Dealing with conflict
  • Handling difficult situations without emotions
  • Presenting your case with impact, taking the values of others into account

Exercise/Case Study

Poor Communication

  • Examples and why does this happen so frequently
  • The Ladder of Inference
  • Top down, Bottom up or 360 degree
  • Collaborative versus dictatorial
  • Selecting the best style and understanding what makes this the “best”

Exercise/Case Study

Putting it all Together

  • Feedback
  • Questioning & Listening
  • Asking powerful questions
  • Getting the key message across
  • Making effective requests
  • Promises – blessing or curse?
  • How to improve communication skills going forward

Exercise/Case Study

The Art & Skill of Persuasion

Understanding Persuasion

  • What makes a successful persuader?
  • The qualities of a successful persuader
  • Influencing and persuading, not manipulation
  • Defining persuasion and influence
  • Principles of effective influencing
  • Self- Belief, Confidence & Assertiveness
  • What do we mean by push and pull styles of persuasion
  • The psychology of persuasion – the basics

Example/Exercise

Preparing to persuade

  • Building Trust
  • “Mocking Bird” Theory
  • Non verbal communication
  • Building Trust and rapport
  • Finding out what others want or need - listening and questioning
  • Perception – how you perceive situations and how others may perceive you

Example/Exercise

Explore what others want

  • Setting clear objectives on the scope of selling you wish to embark on
  • Effective questioning techniques
  • Realise the values and motivations of others
  • Hone your listening skills and overcome barriers to active listening
  • The identification of individual ‘filters’ and how to overcome these
  • The power of positive thought – preparing for the persuasion discussion

Example/Exercise             

Communication Style

  • Choose from a range of communication styles depending upon the situation
  • Learn to respond, rather than react
  • Open, leading and closed questions.
  • The Funnel questioning technique.
  • Understanding values and how to persuade around these
  • Questioning techniques to understand values and build relationships

Example/Exercise             

Overcome resistance

  • Select one of the six levels of assertiveness, without compromising the values of others
  • Apply a practical 6-step Influence Model
  • Using FAB to match the needs gathered from customers
  • Dealing with conflict – handling difficult situations without emotions
  • Presenting your case with impact, taking the values of others into account

Example/Exercise             

State your case persuasively

  • Presenting at the right stage.
  • Adopt strategies that work for you
  • State your case assertively and convincingly.
  • Knowing the audience
  • Gathering the content
  • The 10/80/10 rule for structuring the presentation
  • Delivering a presentation

Example/Exercise    

Handling Objections

  • Identifying frequently encountered objections.
  • The pre-emption of objections.
  • Developing appropriate responses.

Example/Exercise

Negotiation Skills for Finance Professionals

Introductions

  • The Process of Negotiation
  • Objectives in negotiation
  • Communication Skills of the Effective Negotiator
  • Assessing information
  • Establishing the parameters
  • What is the “win-win” outcome

Case Study/Discussion Point

The “Interests”

  • Interests  
  • The difference between positions and interests
  • Identifying and prioritising your interests
  • Common mistakes when handling interests
  • When is negotiation a good idea?
  • The elements of an effective negotiation

Case Study/Discussion Point

The “Options”

  • Generating and evaluating possible options
  • Identifying your ideal outcome
  • Common errors when generating options

Case Study/Discussion Point

Understanding Negotiation Outcomes

  • Evaluate the options
  • Where do you think it will end
  • Is there a “win” or would a compromise be better
  • Setting clear objectives
  • Being prepared to lose when it makes sense

Case Study/Discussion Point

The Negotiating Process

  • Making proposals and giving and receiving concessions
  • Breaking Deadlock
  • Agreeing a remedy
  • Understanding the negotiator’s role
  • Key stages of the process
  • Giving information
  • Reading signals
  • Making a plan.
  • Reviewing assumptions
  • Working through the meeting/discussion process
  • Probing in order to develop understanding
  • Reaching agreement

Case Study/Discussion Point

Challenges

  • Different types of people
  • Behavioural approaches & body language
  • Deadlocks, Standstills & Concessions
  • Tricks, Traps & Tactics
  • When & Where to Negotiate – Electronic Media are not ideal

Live Practice

  • Simultaions 
  • Debrief

Presentation Skills for Finance Professionals

The Essentials - The Presenter - You

  • Carrying out the ‘essential checks’
  • Presenting the ‘right’ image
  • Using your words, tone and body language
  • Working with the qualities of your voice
  • Acknowledging and overcoming nerves
  • Using relaxation techniques
  • Using mannerisms and gestures to enhance impact
  • The qualities of a successful presenter

Example/Exercise

The Essentials – The Material – What Are You Going to Say

  • Performing a needs analysis
  • Writing the basic outline
  • Researching, writing and editing
  • Establishing a clear purpose
  • Using successful information gathering techniques
  • Choosing the best route through your material
  • Identifying the key points
  • Creating strong openings and closings
  • Knowing the pros and cons of different visual aids
  • Making it big, bold and brilliant

Example/Exercise

The Essentials – The Audience – Who Will You be Saying it To

  • Knowing your audience to develop presentations that appeal
  • Building rapport
  • Getting and keeping them on your side
  • Working with questions
  • Handling difficult people
  • Understanding group dynamics

Example/Exercise

Next Step – Delivery Methods

  • Basic methods
  • Advanced methods
  • Basic criteria to consider
  • Choose from a range of communication styles depending upon the situation
  • Listening and Hearing: They aren't the same thing
  • Asking questions
  • Communicating with power

Example/Exercise

Next Step – Communication Skills

  • What do we mean by Communication
  • Preparing mentally
  • Physical relaxation techniques
  • Appearing confident in front of the crowd
  • Non-Verbal Communication Skills
  • Body language
  • The signals you send to others
  • It's not WHAT you say, It's HOW you say it
  • Presenting your case with impact,

Example/Exercise

Perfecting your skills

  • Make them laugh a little
  • Ask them a question
  • Encouraging discussion
  • Dealing with questions
  • Creating Fantastic Flip Charts
  • Creating Compelling PowerPoint Presentations
  • WOW your Audience
  • Vibrant Videos and Amazing Audio

Example/Exercise

What is Mediation

  • Textbook definition
  • Mediation in practice
  • Good and bad mediation
  • A SWOT analysis
  • The goals of mediation
  • Reaching a compromise
  • WinWin – is this always possible
  • Plugging the gap between avoidance and formal action

Exercise/Case Study

Understanding Mediation

  • The principles of Mediation
  • What can it achieve.
  • When is it appropriate
  • Is there ever a time when mediation is inappropriate
  • Taking a strategic approach
  • Alternative dispute resolution practices
  • HR Policies: help or hindrance in conflict situations

Exercise/Case Study

Preparing for Mediation

  • Essential skills.
  • Critical discussions
  • Understanding why people behave the way they do in conflict
  • What are the issues
  • Is there a compromise
  • Least worst outcome
  • BATNA/WATNA
  • Setting the parameters

Exercise/Case Study

 Mediation

  • Structuring the process
  • Creating a “safe” environment
  • Building rapport and trust
  • Maintaining impartiality
  • Assist with the win-win
  • Dealing with destructive conflict
  • Dealing with deadlock
  • Engaging resistant people in a constructive manner
  • Closing the mediation
  • Confirming the outcome
  • Selecting alternatives
  • Follow up and review mechanisms

Exercise/Case Study

  35 Hours
 

Testimonials

Related Courses

Assertiveness

 7 hours

A highly participative course involving individual and group discussions and skills practice to enable delegates to share ideas and develop their skill levels. Audience Anyone who is looking to enhance their assertiveness skills Aim This

Advisory & Leadership Skills

 14 hours

This course is part of the Data Scientist skill set (Domain: Advisory & Leadership).

Communicating and Influencing - For Managers and Team Leaders

 14 hours

Audience Staff who need to be fully aware of the issues surrounding Communicating and Influencing: Their colleagues Their bosses Their internal and external customers and stakeholders Format of the course The course will be a

Business English for Non-Native Speakers

 14 hours

Business English refers to the speaking, reading and writing skills needed to communicate effectively in an international business setting. It includes the ability to understand and speak out during meetings, as well as the ability to

Communicating and Influencing For Team Members

 14 hours

Audience Staff who need to be fully aware of the issues surrounding Communicating and Influencing: Their colleagues Their bosses Their internal and external customers and stakeholders Format of the course The course will be a

Communicate With Impact

 7 hours

Consider how much time you spend communicating in an average workweek. Are you confident that your communication skills are productive and strengthen relationships? If you would like to ensure you spend less time clarifying messages and more time

Influencing and Avoiding Conflict

 21 hours

Audience Staff who need to be fully aware of the issues surrounding Influencing and Avoiding Conflict with :  Their colleagues Their bosses Their internal and external customers and stakeholders Course

Customer Care Strategy

 21 hours

A customer care strategy plays an important role in building customer satisfaction, helping you to retain loyal customers and increase levels of repeat business.  Through good customer service you gain the client’s trust, enhance the

Coaching Skills

 7 hours

Audience Staff who need to be fully prepared to deliver high quality Coaching sessions To individual members of their own staff To their teams To individuals who are not directly connected to their own teams but who would value their

Conflict Resolution, Assertiveness and Self Confidence

 14 hours

In an increasingly globalised world, we work in more multicultural environments where conflicts between individuals and groups are possible. The fundamental belief behind conflict resolution is that conflicts are unavoidable but that

Hosting Online Meetings

 7 hours

Online meetings have become extremely popular in recent years. What differentiates an effective, stimulating, and efficient online meeting from a mediocre, ineffective one? This instructor-led, live training (online or onsite) is aimed at

Personal Efficiency and Managing Meetings

 7 hours

Audience Managers, Team Leaders and staff members who feel that: They are attending too many meetings Their time is being “stolen” by other people They cannot get to the bottom of their day’s work because of a lack of

People and Team Management

 21 hours

Audience Staff who need to be fully aware of the issues surrounding People and Team Management for: Themselves Their colleagues (peers) Their bosses Their team members Their internal and external customers and

Communication and Teamwork

 7 hours

Working in a team comes with challenges in communication, teamwork and efficiency. Although the techniques for overcoming these challenges are not complicated, implementing them in real life takes commitment and practice. This instructor-led, live