Professional Communication Morning Workshop - Oct. 20, 2022

 

Welcome to the Professional Communication Workshop!

INTROS & SCHEDULE

• Climb welcome 
  
• Intros: 
• Name
  
• What brought you to this workshop today
  
• Your communication strengths
• Your communication challenges
• What you hope to leave with this morning
  

 

WHAT IS PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION? 

Word Association

• Professional? 
• Communication? 

YOUR COMMUNICATION TOOLBOX

Soft Skills

• Soft skills vs. Hard Skills

 APPLICATION: 

1. Which of these communication soft skills are your strengths? 

2. Which of these are more difficult for you?

 

 

Active Listening

mirror neurons - a brain cell that reacts both when a particular action is performed and when it is only observed.   

 APPLICATION: 

1. The speaker will tell the listener about car troubles she has recently experienced. The listener will practice active listening skills. 

2. Switch speakers. The new speaker will tell the listener about a challenge she has with her child. The listener will practice active listening skills.

Audience Analysis - Adapt your communication for your specific audience

• demographics - age, gender, culture, ethnicity, race, religion, and educational level

• attitude (likes/dislikes), beliefs (what's true/false), and values (personal standards) 

• environment

• nonverbal cues - eye contact, facial expression, movement

  APPLICATION: 

  1. You are doing audience analysis all the time! Consider your workplace. Choose two different people you communication with at work. Complete an audience analysis for each person. How do you communication differently with each person? 

  2. Adapting communication for your audience: How would you communicate the following for work, friends, and family? 

  • Saying hello or goodbye

  • Asking for help

  • Showing excitement
    

 

PHONE SKILLS

•  Simple Tips to Up Your Skills
  

•  Preparing for professionalism
  
• making phone calls - identification, details, questions
  
• receiving phone calls - identification, notes/message taking, following up
  

• Workplace scenarios
  

 

FACE TO FACE SKILLS

• Transactional vs. Transformational -  "Greeting the Patient" 
• Components of each type
  

•  Workplace scenarios
  

 

CHALLENGING CUSTOMERS

• What we can't do - "If Call Center Employees Were Honest"
  

• What we can do - The Formula! 
  

• Listen
• Stay calm
• Empathize / Apologize 
• Empathy statements
  
• Seek a solution
• Offer next steps
• Follow up

• Workplace scenarios
  

 

WRAPPING UP

1. What are your top three communication tips from this morning? 
2. What can you start to use immediately?  
3. What would you like to learn more about and/or practice?