Communication Skills for Technical Professionals Training

Available Formats

• One Day
• Two Days

Program Overview

Technical people expect technical training, but often what they need most is managerial, people-skills, and leadership training. During this down-to-earth program, participants will learn the secrets of those who make people skills seem easy: how to build personal credibility, deliver positive and negative feedback, improve listening skills, make small talk, rephrase for better relationships, deal with difficult people, handle negative situations, and more. Skills exercises are interactive, allowing participants to practice what they have learned in a relaxed environment. Power Networking: Communication Skills for Technical Professionals is the ideal program for technically competent people who want to enhance their communication skills.

Program Objectives

At this program's conclusion, participants should be able to:

• Define why listening is important.
• Demonstrate the use of open-ended and closed questions.
• Identify personal behavior style and its unique challenges.
• Describe a model of feedback, communication, and listening.
• Explain the importance of body language.
• Effectively introduce themselves and others.
• Rephrase blunt language for better communication.
• List techniques for dealing with difficult people.
• Develop an action plan to improve communication skills.

The following outline highlights some of the course's key learning points. As part of your training program, we will modify content as needed to meet your business objectives. Upon request, we will provide you with a copy of the participant materials prior to the session(s).

Course Outline

Communication as a Tool for Technology Professionals: Why Communication Skills Are Critical

This training begins with a discussion of what makes communicating with non-technical people difficult but why it's important to learn how to do it well. Participants will identify their particular challenges and concerns in this foundation lesson.

Building Personal Credibility: Understanding Different Communication Styles

Unit two focuses on each participant's personal communication style. Using Business Training Works' signaturecha diagnostic tool, The Communication Jungle, participants will learn to identify their own behavioral styles and those of their coworkers and clients in order to adjust for better communication.

It's Not What You Say: Rephrasing for Better Relationships

The lesson in the saying "it's not what you say but how you say it" is one that takes some people years to learn. In this segment, participants will learn how to use language so that it will be better received in conversations and in writing. The trainer will place special emphasis on showing participants how to say "no" in ways that reduce conflict and eliminate phrases such as "we can't do that" and "that makes no sense."

Tools of the Trade: Voicemail, Email, Memos, and More

When used poorly, certain office communication tools designed to improve business communication do the exact opposite. Anyone who has ever sent a misinterpreted email can attest to this fact. From writing style to telephone etiquette, this unit reviews office communication tools and how to use them for maximum effectiveness.

Thingamagigees and Gizmos: Communicating Technical Information to Non-Technical People

Communicating complex information to laymen can often appear to be an insurmountable task for many technical professionals. This portion of the training introduces participants to techniques for keeping non-technical people interested in technical information and its effects on an organization.

Difficult Personalities and Difficult Situations: Dealing with Challenges

This program concludes with case-study evaluations of ways to deal effectively with difficult personalities and tough situations. From "negaholics" to backstabbers and whiners to minimal contributors, participants will discuss better ways in which to communicate and work with those whose actions make the process hard.

By the end of this program, participants will understand how to capitalize on their communication strengths, adjust to accommodate their weaknesses, and effectively use proven communication techniques to interact with non-technical people.

Find this course by searching for: communication skills for technical professionals, communication skills for engineers, communication skills for IT, communication skills for scientists