Effective Communication for Front-Line Supervisors

We all want to be effective communicators and build working relationships, and this course on effective communication is the starting point. It is completed in three modules.

In addition to the three modules, participants will complete prework through two self-assessments called the DiSC Management Profile and the DiSC Agile E.Q. report. This pre-work is designed to help you understand your communication style and how it can be improved during the course.

PARTICIPANTS WILL LEARN:

• Why do we act and communicate the way we do
• How others see us and what they hear in our communication
• What skills do we need to develop to become more effective communicators
• Enhance and create your professional relationships
• Increase productivity through active listening
• Be more understanding of others and better understood by others
• Demonstrate effective questioning techniques
• Give and receive constructive feedback
• Increase productivity through constructive feedback

COURSE OUTLINE

DAY ONE – LEADERSHIP, SUPERVISORY AND BEHAVIOUR STYLES, YOUR APPROACH AND BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS

Communication Impact

• Body language: what are you saying?
• It is not what you say but how you say it that makes the difference
• What do you want people to experience in your supervisory style

Leadership, Supervisory and Behaviour Styles

• The four behavioural styles and their impact on communication
• Developing communication techniques for each style
• Adapting your style to the situation

Your Approach to Motivation and Working with Others

• Delegating and directing others
• Motivating others

Communication Behaviours

• Four styles of communication behaviours
• Recognizing the behaviours that speak to our communication style

Pulling it All Together – Becoming More Assertive

• Demonstrating verbal and non-verbal assertive skills
• Enhancing your assertiveness style

DAY TWO – ACTIVE AND EMPATHETIC LISTENING

Active Listening

• Barriers and benefits of listening
• Five techniques of active listening
• Concentration Tips

Using your Emotional Intelligence

• Distinguish between active and empathic listening
• Identify your challenges in listening
• Consequences of not listening

Empathetic Listening

• Exhibit listening to behaviours
• Using the non-verbal behaviours of an empathic listener
• Create an action plan

Building relationships, credibility, and trust

• Building meaningful connections with co-workers to foster trust
• Finding common ground and taking the time to get to know your colleagues
• Developing emotional intelligence to influence and connect with others

Positioning your expertise and bringing practical solutions

• Positioning yourself as an expert makes it easier to influence people
• Inspiring others and offering knowledge, experience, and guidance
• Demonstrating the value you bring to the team is worth the effort

Embracing resistance, listen and seek to understand

• Taking the time to learn where the resistance is coming from
• Assessing the issues you can and cannot address
• Explaining your ideas more compellingly

DAY 3 THREE – GIVING AND RECEIVING FEEDBACK

Questioning Basics

• Benefits of asking the correct type of question
• Characteristics of types of questions
• Guidelines for questioning

Understanding Feedback

• Benefits of constructive feedback
• Why are people reluctant to give feedback
• How to give both positive feedback and, when necessary, constructive feedback

Feedback Process

• Six strategic steps for giving constructive feedback
• Distinguishing between behaviour and judgement
• Tips for giving and receiving feedback

Tips on difficult conversations

• Understanding what steps in the way of effective communication
• Develop techniques to deal with uncomfortable situations
• Get the message across without harming relationships

Practical Applications – What We Have Learned

• Leadership, supervisory and behaviour styles
• Motivation – the environment we create
• Our approach to others
• Giving and receiving feedback

METHODOLOGY

This dynamic course combines discussions, small activities, and exercises, along with practical real-life examples. The course is made of dynamic short cycles that introduce concepts, explore and review ideas, and apply them with activities and exercises.