“Incommunicado”
“We want better communication skills” is the most common objective that I hear from participants at the start of this course and, of course, there is no reason to disagree with it. That said, a few years ago I began to wonder what these skills actually are. Communication is such a broad term which can mean so many different things. Does it mean talking? Writing? Presenting? Listening? Teaching?Coaching? Leading? Persuading? I’ve long wanted to deliver a course that explores communication specifically in terms of how to argue, apologise and forgive – which strike me as communication topics worthy of attention – but there is precious little market for them. In a world where influencers vie for clicks, thought leaders seek to set agendas and everywhere are narratives needing to be controlled – it’s probably worth being not just a bit more, but a lot more specific about what we mean – especially if we are to get value from a course on the subject.
Add to that the fact that, depending on which set of statistics and definitions you use, almost 58% of Interpersonal Communication courses are entirely speaking focussed, 35% are listening focussed and only the remaining 7% think a balanced approach is needed, and it would seem that “communication skills” is too vague a term to be useful, and we haven’t even touched on cultural differences. Incommunicado considers communication from a spoken (transmitted) and heard (received) perspective, and argues that it should be simple, direct, clear and unambiguous, and is a course that takes a balanced view of speaking and listening. It also considers it to be inextricably linked to the relationships in which it takes place.
The course employs plenary inputs, exercises, group discussion and coaching, and is interactive in keeping with my usual style. It views communication through the lenses of various ideas and models to create a journey through landscapes familiar and possibly new. By including an exploration of cultural differences, personal preferences and common purposes, it aims to leave participants with a greater awareness and sense of control in their ability to communicate effectively.
