Verbal Communications & Public Relations
building communication skills series: coping with the angry public
...if you face the public, you face people with complaints, and some of them are angry...
Objective To develop or improve communication skills that will help us successfully cope with angry people.
Who Should Attend This workshop is designed for anyone who works with the public - from front-line receptionists to department heads. It focuses on dealing successfully with the angry public by first focusing on what we want to accomplish during this exchange of information. It looks at those communication skills that can help meet our goals and cope with both the public's anger and our own.
Course Content
Evaluating the Situation
Dealing with the Anger
Communicating Through the Conflict
Thinking on Your Feet
Competencies addressed in this session
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Customer orientation
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Professionalism
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Persuasion
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Commitment to serve the public
building communication skills series: effective communication skills
...how well do I listen?...
Objective To develop or improve skills in listening, and giving and receiving feedback.
Who Should Attend This workshop is designed to provide group members with the interpersonal skills that will help them work together effectively.
Course Content
Giving and Receiving Constructive Feedback
Inclusion, Control, and Respect
Elements of Good Listening
- understanding the speaker's purpose
- listening to the message
- interpreting the message
- evaluating the message
- responding to the message
Practice
Competencies addressed in this session:
- Customer orientation
- Speaking effectively
- Leadership
- Interpersonal understanding
building communication skills series: male / female communication
...are you having trouble communication with the other gender?
Objective To identify and discuss the difference in communication styles and behaviors in the genders; to develop the tools necessary to facilitate good communication between the genders.
Who Should Attend This course will benefit anyone who wishes to better understand the communications styles of others and improve his or her ability to communicate.
Course Content
The frustrations with cross-cultural communications
Do men and women speak the same language?
- number of words used and when
- interruptions
- left brain vs. right brain
- non-verbal traits
- setting the agenda
- using the same words
Language of emotions
- emotions that are seen as "for men to express", which are not
- emotions that are seen as "for women to express", which are not
- Communication tips to facilitate understanding and respect
Competencies addressed in this session:
- Professionalism
- Interpersonal understanding
- Relationship building
- Teamwork
- Self-knowledge and personal awareness
building communication skills series: on being assertive
...learning to be more confident, clear, and spontaneous in expressing ideas and feelings...
Objective To identify and recognize four types of communication behaviors; to develop the tools necessary to use assertive communication to better express one's goals.
Who Should Attend This half-day course will benefit anyone who wishes to improve his or her honest communication with others.
Course Content
Communication Styles
- passive
- aggressive
- passive/aggressive
- assertive
Components of Assertive Behavior
- body language
- timing
- content
Self-Image and Assertiveness
- self-talk
- self-esteem development
Communication Practice
- response practice
- actual situations
Competencies addressed in this session:
- Self-knowledge and personal awareness
- Persuasion
- Speaking effectively
- Professionalism
building communication skills series: win/win communication
...in your communications, you can turn stress into success with these communication skills...
Objective Participants will learn the skills to communicate successfully in a cooperative, "everyone wins" atmosphere.
Who Should Attend Win/Win is a frame of mind and heart that constantly seeks mutual benefit in all human interactions. Win/Win means that agreements or solutions are mutually beneficial, mutually satisfying. All parties feel good about the decision and feel committed to the action plan.
This course enables a cooperative effort toward common goals. The result emphasizes a mutual, "win-win" solution. The workshop will benefit anyone who would like to become a more skillful communicator in ordinary workplace situations. Win/Win communication skills can be applied to interpersonal conflict, work planning, and other areas where problems need solving.
Course Content
- Preparation: First Things First
- Win-Win Philosophy
- Elements of Communication
- The Communication Map
- Critical Mistakes
- Communication Practice
Competencies addressed in this session:
- Persuasion
- Relationship building
- Speaking effectively
- Personal effectiveness
building communication skills series: working with difficult people
...you can improve your human relations with people who sometimes don't seem human...
Objective To identify characteristics of several types of difficult people and the methods of dealing with them effectively.
Who Should Attend You can't handpick the people you must work with. It would be naive to expect a friendly, helpful, accommodating person every time. Very often, you come across someone who seems - to you, at least - difficult to deal with. It's just as naive not to recognize that you may be difficult yourself. Your partner in communication has to deal with your character quirks and may be hard pressed to find a productive way to interact with you. This course will benefit anyone who must deal routinely with others who seem difficult. It focuses on several types of difficult people, as well as providing tips on recognizing and coping with them.
Course Content
Identifying Difficult Behavior
Difficult People Behaviors & Tactics for Managing Them
Behavioral Styles Inventory
Communications Skills
Competencies addressed in this session
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Persuasion
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Relationship building
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Self-knowledge and personal awareness
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Decision making
customer service in the public sector
...a key ingredient to success in any business or government agency is customer ...
Objective To develop or improve skills and techniques necessary for effective contact with the public.
Who Should Attend Customer service is vital to your business success, whether it is a private company or government agency. But many times we don't even realize that our customer base is very diversified. This seminar will provide all public-contact people (front-line receptionists to department heads) with the skills they need to analyze the customer base and provide excellent service to all those "publics".
Course Content
Who are your "Publics?"
Assessing Your Public Relations Quotient
Analyzing and Improving Your Service Cycle
- understanding customer needs
- staff knowledge and authority
- service time requirements
- improving listening skills
- handling complaints
- using feedback sources well
Gaining Staff Commitment
Continued Improvement
Competencies addressed in this session:
- Customer Orientation
- Relationship building
- Commitment to serve the public
- Commitment to the profession
effective meetings
...if you feel like you are spending your whole life in meetings, here's how you can make the time worth while...
Objective To help participants diagnose problems with meetings, to produce results from meetings, and to find creative alternatives to meetings.
Who Should Attend Whether as members of a small task force or as managers of large agencies, we often find ourselves trying either to start a meeting, stop a meeting, or direct a meeting toward significant results. This course will help managers and supervisors who frequently find their days overscheduled with meetings.
Course Content
- How to select clear meeting objectives
- How to avoid unnecessary meetings
- How to diagnose failures
- How to add creativity and energy to meetings
- How to stimulate meetings as a participant
- How to keep meetings from wasting your time
- How to stimulate meetings as the leader
- How to enjoy every meeting
Competencies addressed in this session:
- Leadership
- Analytical thinking
- Persuasion
- Speaking effectively
effective presentations
...a practical, hands-on course to help you improve your public speaking skills...
Objective To develop or improve skills in designing and delivering presentations to a group.
Who Should Attend One of the most frequently cited fears of adults is that of speaking in public. Yet our jobs often offer the opportunity to contribute our expertise in a variety of situations. This 14-hour course is designed to assist any employee having present or future presentation responsibilities. It will help the participant in designing his or her presentation and in overcoming the anxiety associated with speaking before a group.
Course Content
Getting Started
- setting objectives
- outlines and plans
Paraphernalia
- audiovisual aids
- paper props
Platform Skills
- preparing
- presenting
Adult Learners
- ten principles
- ideas for action
Practice, Practice, Practice...
Competencies addressed in this session:
- Analytical thinking
- Speaking effectively
- Persuasion
- Organizational understanding
- Leadership
electronic etiquette: e-mail and voicemail
...because your correspondence says a lot about you...
Objective To improve professional skills in communicating and interacting with others using e-mail and voicemail.
Who Should Attend In our work, we communicate vast amounts of information through e-mail and voicemail. Those who use e-mail and voicemail have a responsibility to communicate clearly and concisely. This course is designed for anyone who wants to improve their etiquette skills.
Course Content
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What does e-mail say about you?
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Subject lines
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Spelling and grammar
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Abbreviations, acronyms and emoticons
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Fonts and color
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Tone and body of the message
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Signature text
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Attachments
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When to use reply, forward, Cc, Bcc
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Voicemail greetings
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Returning voicemail
Competencies addressed in this session
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Professionalism
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Efficiency and focus
facilitating groups
...making meetings effective...
Objective To equip participants with the basic skills, knowledge, and practice to effectively design, lead, and participate in effective meetings.
Who Should Attend This workshop is designed to equip participants with the basic skills, knowledge, and practice to effectively design, lead, and participate in effective meetings. This workshop will provide lots of hands-on practice in facilitating.
Course Content
Role of the Facilitator
- Journey of the group
- Style
Using Myers-Briggs to Understand Your Group Members
Preference exercises
Preparing for the Group
- Room set-up
- Clarifying issues
Conducting the Meeting
- Setting Ground rules
- Setting the Agenda
- Clarifying Roles
- Clarifying Goals
- Clarifying Group's Tasks
Dealing with the Issues
- Brainstorming
- Consensus Building
- Reaching Agreement
Follow-up
Practice Facilitating Groups
- Preparation
- Practice
- Feedback
Competencies addressed in this session:
- Persuasion
- Relationship building
- Efficiency and focus
- Interpersonal understanding
- Leadership
managing conflict
...how to recognize, reduce, & resolve conflicts...
Objective To identify prevalent styles in handling conflict and to improve skills in constructively resolving conflicts that arise in the workplace.
Who Should Attend Conflict is inevitable in human relationships. Given this fact, managers and supervisors need skills in identifying and resolving conflict. This course will help you to recognize your personal approach to conflict and how to deal with conflicts on a situational basis. The course emphasizes communication skills and defusing confrontations.
Course Content
Methods of Managing Conflict Dealing with People
- individual approaches
- understanding your role
- personal styles
- understanding your self
- organizational biases
- active listening
- situational applications
- getting your ideas across
Approaches to Conflict Resolution
- communication methods
- conventional viewpoints
- competition
- cooperation
- strategy considerations
The Heat of the Battle
- ground rules
- handling hostile people
- dealing with stress
- dealing with dirty tricks
Competencies addressed in this session:
- Decision making
- Persuasion
- Customer orientation
- Organizational understanding
- Self-knowledge and personal awareness
media relations
...a practical primer on plaudits and possible problems with the press...
Objective To improve knowledge and skills interacting with various media on behalf of your organization.
Who Should Attend Government is the media's favorite source of information - and also their favorite target. How you respond to media inquiries and the way you conduct yourself on the media "stage" will often influence the treatment your information receives. In addition, Montana has strong "right-to-know" provisions giving the media access to records and meetings. In this environment, it's best to work constructively with reporters.
This day-long seminar is intended for anyone who has contact with the press as part of the job - either regularly or intermittently. It addresses the rights and responsibilities of working with the press, and includes a video-recorded press interview.
Course Content
What are media relations?
Understanding the media
Understanding your responsibilities
Bridging the gap
Responding to the media
Getting the news to the media
Competencies addressed in this session
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Relationship building
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Commitment to serve the public
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Writing effectively
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Speaking effectively
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Organizational awareness
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Ethics
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Interpersonal understanding
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Flexibility and adaptability
negotiating skills
...in your communications, you can turn stress into success with these negotiating skills...
Objective Participants will learn the skills to negotiate successfully in a cooperative, "everyone wins" atmosphere.
Who Should Attend The complexity of today's working world requires novel, creative methods of negotiations that produce understanding and agreement. Effective working relationships endure through problems and grow stronger when everyone can gain something from the solution.
This course enables a cooperative effort toward common goals. The result emphasizes a mutual, "win-win" solution. The workshop will benefit anyone who would like to become a more skillful negotiator in ordinary workplace situations. Negotiating skills can be applied to interpersonal conflict, work planning, and other areas where problems need solving.
Course Content
Overview
- Competitive vs. collaborative negotiations
- Negotiation model
Pre-assessment
- Relational vs. content issues
- BATNA
- Communications
Entry
- Establishing ground rules and the agenda
- Listening
Face-to-face Discussions
- Fractioning and reframing
- Breaking deadlocks
Agreements
- Forms of agreement
- Assessment of agreements
Monitoring
Competencies addressed in this session:
- Decision Making
- Persuasion
- Relationship building
- Organizational understanding
- Analytical thinking
- Teambuilding
telephone presence
...when the telephone rings, your job is calling...
Objective To identify and discuss the critical aspects of service and presence in telephone communications.
Who Should Attend Every time you make or receive a telephone call at work, you represent your agency. The impression you make can be a lasting one. This half-day course will explore ways in which you can convey your personal and professional best over the phone. The course is appropriate for all employees who conduct a significant portion of their work over the phone. It addresses the needs of those who must frequently receive and direct calls and answer inquiries for information or assistance.
Course Content
- Developing Office Policies
- Tone of Voice
- Personalizing the Call
- Forbidden Phone Phrases
- Taking and Leaving Messages
- Preparing for Outgoing Calls
- Answering Irate Customers
- Answering Machines
- Telephone Time Wasters
Competencies addressed in this session:
- Customer orientation
- Professionalism
- Commitment to serve the public
- Speaking effectively
