Communication and Interpersonal Skills for Technical Professionals

Whether you work as an IT professional, engineer, scientist, researcher, or in another technical field, the ability to communicate effectively with colleagues, clients, and stakeholders, both within and outside your technical discipline, is absolutely essential to your professional success. This seminar provides you with practical interpersonal and communication tools that create mutual clarity and understanding in all your business interactions, enabling you to accomplish your most important objectives and achieve your critical goals.

Who should attend:

Technical and IT professionals who recognize the importance of developing strong interpersonal and communication skills necessary to convey their specialized knowledge to diverse audiences.

How you will benefit:

• Identify and effectively navigate differences in communication style and approach between technical professionals and those with nontechnical backgrounds
• Communicate clearly and persuasively to nontechnical audiences without sacrificing accuracy
• Apply verbal and nonverbal communication techniques to establish shared understanding and common ground
• Use a strategic communication system to enhance your professional relationships and accomplish your performance goals
• Develop sophisticated active listening skills that strengthen workplace relationships and improve collaboration
• Articulate your expertise and perspectives in varied communication contexts and settings
• Deploy influence strategies that help you complete projects faster while building your professional reputation
• Address conflicts in a productive and solutions-oriented manner

Understanding communication differences between technical and nontechnical professionals

• Recognize distinct communication expectations and needs of technical versus nontechnical professionals
• Understand how generational characteristics influence communication styles and expectations both within and beyond technical fields
• Assess your specific work situation and identify key communication challenges and opportunities

Interpersonal strategies to communicate effectively in diverse situations

• Understand communication style preferences and how they influence how we connect with and influence others
• Complete the DiSC profile assessment to identify your personal communication style
• Recognize the strengths and potential limitations of your individual profile
• Read behavioral cues to determine others' communication preferences and styles
• Develop strategies to work more effectively across diverse communication styles

Strategic communication approaches to strengthen relationships

• Distinguish between what you communicate verbally and what is conveyed through nonverbal means
• Evaluate your nonverbal communication patterns and develop a plan for improvement
• Establish trust and credibility as a professional communicator
• Apply a proven communication model to conduct conversations that achieve your objectives

Developing active listening capabilities for stronger work relationships

• Understand the essential role of listening in creating effective communication
• Learn when and how to acknowledge and validate both emotions and ideas in conversation
• Apply active listening techniques to your professional situations and interactions

Communication strategies to achieve your professional goals

• Determine when open-ended questions versus closed questions serve your communication purpose
• Develop skill and judgment in informing, directing, and providing feedback

Managing conflict productively

• Apply the AEIOU model to establish shared expectations assertively and respectfully
• Complete the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument to understand your conflict resolution style
• Create an action plan to apply these techniques to your current work environment and relationships