Communication and the World Around You Part II

Most of what goes wrong at work; the duplicated effort, the missed deadline, the meeting that resolved nothing, the agreement that fell apart, all began as a message that did not arrive in the form it was sent, or a conversation in which nobody asked what the other side really needed.

This course builds the three sets of skills that public servants rely on most. Part 1 covers the foundations of communication: listening, understanding, speaking, non-verbal signals and communication styles. Part 2 turns to negotiation: how to reach agreements that meet both sides’ real interests, and how to prepare. Part 3 covers power and influence: how power operates in the workplace, how to respond when it is misused, and how to get things done when you do not have the authority to require them.

It is built for people who already communicate constantly and want to do it deliberately.

What you will be able to do

By the end of this course you will be able to:

1. Listen to understand rather than to reply, and confirm understanding accurately.
2. Read non-verbal cues in context, and use your own deliberately.
3. Recognise your communication style and express yourself assertively.
4. Negotiate by focusing on interests rather than positions, and prepare using a BATNA.
5. Recognise sources of power, including your own, and respond to its misuse.
6. Build influence and credibility ethically, without formal authority.