Communication Skills for IT Professionals

PT0465
Training Summary
Effective communication skills are essential for success. Participants in this course learn essential communication skills and strategies necessary for managing business relationships in today's fast-paced, demanding IT environment. Practical skills, within a communication skills best practices framework, are taught through a series of lectures, hands-on workshops, and case-studies designed to give all course participants practical experience in the communication skills essential to building and maintaining business relationships.Participants learn about their own preferred communication style through the comprehensive Everything DiSC Workplace Report and how to adapt their preferred communication style to be more effective when communicating with others in both one-to-one and group settings.Topics covered include how to communicate technical information to a non-technical audience, principles of influencing using communication, assertive versus passive communication, delivering unexpected and/or unpleasant news, and using communication skills to effectively manage expectations, and manage conflict.
Prerequisites
Students should have a desire to improve interpersonal communication effectiveness and enhance interpersonal relationships.
Duration
2 Days/Lecture & Lab
Audience
This course is designed for any IT professional who wants effective communication skills that will build and maintain business relationships with both IT and non-IT colleagues.
Course Topics
  • Defining effective interpersonal communication
  • Understanding our preferred communication style
  • Developing an effective interpersonal communication approach -using the concept of story to frame effective communication and to influence others
  • Communicating technical information to non-technical individuals (case-study).
  • Using recognized communication skills Foundation Practices
  • Developing an effective ongoing communication plan.
  • Active listening - using active listening to maximize retention of information.
  • Asking effective questions - to maximize information gathering efforts and influence others.
  • Managing expectations vs requirements - understanding the fundamental differences between expectations and requirements.
  • Influencing the outcome - learning proven techniques to influence others.
  • Using Key Messages to communicate effectively - using a proven key message format to influence others and manage expectations
  • Communicating unexpected or unwanted news effectively - using proven techniques to communicate unexpected negative news.
  • Building trust through communications skills.
  • Addressing conflict positively - using proven steps and approaches to resolve conflict.

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