Communication and Interpersonal Skills for Technical Professionals

Whether you’re an IT professional, engineer, scientist, or researcher, communicating with others—both technical and nontechnical professionals—is an essential part of the job. This seminar will give you the interpersonal and communication tools you need to ensure mutual clarity and understanding when dealing with others, so you can maximize all your business interactions and achieve your critical goals.

• Recognize and manage differences between you and nontechnical professionals
• Deliver clear messages to non-technical professionals
• Apply verbal and nonverbal techniques to build shared understanding
• Strategically apply a communication system to enhance relationships and achieve performance goals
• Develop active listening skills that promote better work relationships
• Get your points across in diverse communication contexts
• Use influencing skills to complete projects faster and grow your reputation
• Be able to productively manage conflict

Identifying Differences Between Technical and Nontechnical Professionals

• Recognizing the differences in communication needs/expectations of technical vs. nontechnical professionals
• Understanding the impact of generational characteristics on communication within and outside of technical areas
• Analyzing your own work situation based on communication needs and expectations

Interpersonal Strategies to Help You Get Your Points Across in Diverse Circumstances

• Distinguishing communication style preferences to better understand and influence others
• Determining your personal communication styles with the DiSC® profile
• Identifying the strengths and limitations of your DiSC® profile
• Using behavioral clues to determine others’ personal styles
• Describing how to more effectively work with other styles

Strategically Applying a Communication System to Enhance Relationships

• Differentiating between verbal and nonverbal communications
• Assessing your own nonverbal traits and developing an improvement plan
• Identifying criteria for establishing trust and building credibility
• Using a communication model to conduct more effective conversations

Developing Active Listening Skills to Promote Better Work Relationships

• Recognizing the role of listening in effective communications
• Knowing when and how to acknowledge emotions and ideas
• Applying effective listening techniques to own work situations

Communication Strategies to Help You Achieve Your Goals

• Determining when to use open and closed-ended questions
• Demonstrating and applying the effective use of informing, directing and criticizing

Productively Managing Conflict

• Using and applying the AEIOU model to assertively build shared expectations
• Determining your own conflict style using the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument
• Developing an action plan to apply these techniques to your own work situations

Learning Objectives

• Identify Communication Differences Between Technical and Nontechnical Professionals
• Differentiate Personal Style Preferences in Order to Communicate Better with Others
• Strategically Apply a Communication System to Build Trust and Credibility and to Enhance Relationships
• Apply Verbal and Nonverbal Techniques to Build Rapport
• Develop Communication Skills That Promote Better Work Relationships
• Apply Strategies to Manage Conflict Productively

The Communication Challenge

• Distinguish Communication Needs and Expectations of Technical and Nontechnical Professionals
• Define Generational Differences and Their Impact on Communication
• Assess the Communication Needs and Expectations in Your Own Job

Personal Styles—Your Own and Others’

• Differentiate Communication Style Preferences in Order to Better Understand Others
• Identify Your Own Style Preferences and Their Strengths and Limitations
• Use Behavioral Clues to Determine Others’ Personal Styles and to Work More Effectively with Other Styles

A System for Communication

• Distinguish Between Verbal and Nonverbal Communication
• Identify Criteria for Establishing Trust and Building Credibility
• Implement a Communication Model for Conducting More Effective Conversations

“I Listen”—Understanding the Message

• Identify the Role of Active Listening in Effective Communication
• Demonstrate the Critical Skills of Active Listening—Acknowledging Emotions, Encouraging, and Acknowledging Ideas
• Apply Effective Listening Techniques to Your Own Work Situations

Asking Questions

• Identify and Construct Open-Ended and Closed-Ended Questions
• Demonstrate Effective Use of Questioning
• Apply the Techniques to Your Own Work Situations

“I Talk”—Sending the Right Message

• Demonstrate Effective Use of Informing and Directing
• Identify Appropriate Use of Skills to Influence
• Apply Techniques to Your Own Work Situation

Managing Conflict

• Determine Your Own Conflict Style Using a Self-Assessment
• Identify When and How to Deliver Criticism Appropriately and Effectively