Become the leader people want to follow. Focus on one of the most crucial competencies of a good collaborative leader: strong communication. Learn to connect with people to build trust and loyalty, use emotional intelligence to build rapport, bridge and leverage cultural and generational distances, and use these skills to reach consensus, build teams, and develop better workers.
Target Audience
This course is ideal for current and aspiring leaders who want to enhance their communication skills and become the kind of leader people want to follow. It is particularly beneficial for managers, team leaders, supervisors, and anyone in a leadership role who aims to build trust and loyalty within their teams.
What You'll Learn at a Glance
- Define leadership communication in the 21st century.
- Analyze the importance of strong leadership communication.
- Discuss the results of effective communication.
- Explore the elements of essential communication
- Practice strategies for better listening, connecting, building trust and consensus, bridging generational differences, and using emotional intelligence.
- Learn the benefits of developing a layered internal communication strategy.
- Learn how to use technology more effectively to communicate.
- Discuss strategies for conflict and change communication.
Course Syllabus
Module 1: The Art of Communication and Listening
- Define effective communication and how verbal and nonverbal cues work together.
- Practice active listening habits: paraphrasing, eye contact, listening through to the end.
- Recognize how tone and body language shape meaning and trust.
- Use your own nonverbal signals to reinforce respect and attentiveness.
Module 2: Emotional Intelligence
- Explain EI and its components (self-awareness, self-management, motivation, social awareness, relationships).
- Contrast “motivator” and “technician” leadership styles and their effects on teams.
- Apply the H-E-A-R approach: Hear, Empathize, Acknowledge, Respond.
- Translate EI into daily communication choices under pressure.
Module 3: The Results Oriented Request
- Identify pitfalls that derail clear requests (vagueness, missing details, over-softening).
- Prepare with purpose: objective, audience, method, timing, and alignment to mission.
- Be explicit about what’s unknown, invite input, and secure agreement/accountability.
- Keep messages concise, focus on outcomes, and follow up for clarity.
Module 4: Encouraging Innovation and Producing Results: Planning the Project
- Use a five-step model: Task & Purpose → Information → Plan → Action → Review.
- Define scope, success criteria, roles, milestones, risks, and communication plans.
- Enable innovation by setting clear guardrails and monitoring progress visibly.
- Capture lessons learned and close out with a concise report.
Module 5: Technology and Communication
- Layer communication strategically across email, platforms, meetings, and calls.
- Apply practical email protocols (clarity, brevity, “reply all” discipline, single-topic notes).
- Leverage collaboration tools (e.g., Teams/SharePoint, Google Docs) to co-create and track work.
- Set norms for virtual workplaces—accessibility, check-ins, inclusion, and feedback.
Module 6: The Generational Divide
- Understand values and preferences across Veterans, Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z.
- Build cross-generational teams and agree on communication channels and hours.
- Bridge differences by focusing on shared goals, quality, and recognition.
- Tailor leadership approaches to individual needs and life stages.
Module 7: Conflict and Developing Consensus
- Differentiate healthy debate from dysfunctional argument and steer toward facts.
- Use collaborative communication: describe behavior, state impact, invite response, co-design solutions.
- Prepare ground rules and processes that enable inclusive discussion.
- Reach decisions with structured tools—brainstorming, multi-voting, nominal group technique.
Module 8: Change
- Lead through transition using Bridges’ phases: Endings, Neutral Zone, New Beginnings.
- Validate emotions, communicate frequently, and counter rumors with facts.
- Enable innovation during the Neutral Zone and reinforce early wins.
- Document lessons (AAR) to improve future change efforts.
Module 9: Moving Forward
- Assess your personal communication habits and identify improvement areas.
- Create a concise action plan to apply course tools with your team.
- Set checkpoints for accountability and continued practice.
