Leadership Institute

Communicating with Others

Learning Format: Classroom

Order No. TQ21

Research shows that people screen out or misinterpret 70 percent of the messages to which they are exposed. That can cost your organization time, productivity, and money.

This interactive skill practice course helps participants understand the impact of effective interaction skills. It teaches them to recognize and overcome communication barriers and interact effectively with others.

Do You Face Any of These Issues?

  • Do your people sometimes struggle with being clear and direct when making a point?
  • Do people routinely misunderstand one another or not take one another’s communications seriously?
  • Do they worry so much about their messages being perfect that they never get communicated?

Performance Objectives

Helps associates:

  • Communicate more effectively with coworkers, leaders, team members, suppliers, and customers.
  • Be aware of communication barriers and ways to overcome them.
  • Understand the importance of communication in the workplace.

Primary Competency Developed

  • Communication

Secondary Competency Developed

  • Building Strategic Working Relationships

Course Overview

  • What Is Communication?: Learners discuss the importance of effective communication. A video shows communication challenges and what can happen when people don’t communicate effectively. Participants learn typical barriers to communication and discuss the importance of nonverbal communication. A paper-folding exercise shows differences between one- and two-way communication and demonstrates the benefits of two-way.
  • Key Principles Skill Building and Interaction Guidelines: Through reading, discussion, and video, participants learn about personal and practical needs and the Interaction Process -- Key Principles, Interaction Guidelines, and feedback fundamentals. Learners practice using Key Principles and feedback skills.
  • Skill Practice Process: A positive model shows an employee using all of the skills learned to conduct a problem-solving discussion. The Interaction Planner is introduced and used to provide feedback on the employee’s use of the skills. Participants practice conducting discussions using Interaction Process skills. After each skill practice, participants give feedback to each other.
  • Applying Skills on the Job: Participants use an Interaction Planner to prepare for an upcoming discussion on the job. They list do’s and don’ts for communicating with others. Learners relate how the skills and concepts learned support the Basic Beliefs (introduced in Interaction Skills for Success).

Video Segment Summaries

  • A vignette shows what can happen when people don’t do a good job of communicating.
  • A narrator explains Interaction Guidelines for communicating with others.
  • A positive model shows an employee using Interaction Guidelines and Key Principles in a problem-solving discussion with a peer.

Course Details

  • Target audience: All employees up to mid-level leaders.
  • Course length: 3 hours or 1 hour, 43 minutes Fast Track.
  • Facilitator certification: DDI-certified facilitator required.
  • Prerequisites: Interaction Skills for Success or Essentials of Leadership.
  • Series: Service/professional and manufacturing.
  • Group size: 10 to 20 people.
  • Prework: No.

Related Courses