Duration: 13 minutes
Learn a simple, effective seven-step blueprint that can immediately improve communication skills.
1. Identify a checklist of skills
Identify the skills you need
• Core communication skills: explaining clearly; effective listening; communication without words; interviewing
• Team skills: communicating in a team; team building; managing meetings; presenting to a group
• Personal effectiveness: winning first impressions; empowering yourself; being assertive; influencing others
• Leadership: coaching on the job; productive counselling; empowering people
• Handling difficult situations: dealing with conflict; mediating disputes; handling difficult people; giving bad news; discipline interviewing
2. Get feedback from others
• "What skills do I do well... what don't I do well?"
• "Give me examples"
• "What do other people do well?"
3. Summarise skills that need development
• List each specific skill you need to develop
• "If I use this skill well, what would be different? eg. more sales, better feedback..."
4. Develop skills
• Identify suitable activity: workshop; in-house program; video; observation
5. Actively experiment with new skills
• Try out new techniques - in role play, in the real world
• Initial 'fake' feeling will fade
6. Evaluate progress
• Monitor yourself
• Solicit feedback
• Is anything different?
7. Celebrate your success
• Reward yourself
• Keep improving - 7 steps loop
