Communication & Consulting

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Overview

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This course develops the communication and consulting skills needed to translate analytics into action. You'll learn how to present insights clearly, engage stakeholders, deliver empathic feedback, and persuade leaders using data. You'll begin by practicing data storytelling techniques tailored to non-technical audiences. The course then introduces consulting approaches for scoping analytics requests and collaborating with business partners. You'll also explore empathic communication strategies that improve stakeholder engagement. You’ll practice building evidence-based presentations and crafting recommendations supported by analytics. The course culminates in a project where you develop an executive-level presentation using workforce data. This course is designed for professionals who want to move beyond analysis and influence decisions using people analytics.

Syllabus

Communication & Consulting: Tailoring Data Stories to Your Audience

In this module, you'll apply your understanding of why the same data insight lands differently depending on who hears it. You'll practice identifying audience needs and frame your message accordingly.

Communication & Consulting: Drafting and Refining Executive Summaries

In this module, you'll move from audience understanding to practical execution. You'll draft a one-page executive summary and use AI tools to refine your communication and analyze outputs for accuracy.

Consult on Talent Processes

Your analysis is brilliant—but does anyone understand it? In many organizations, HR analytics insights never reach decision-makers because they're buried in jargon and technical detail. This course shows you how to bridge that gap. You'll apply your understanding of why the same data lands differently depending on the audience—and how to frame findings for executives, managers, and employees. You'll draft a one-page executive summary that translates turnover statistics into plain-language recommendations using a structured template. You'll also use AI tools like ChatGPT or Claude to refine your communication, while practicing the verification skills that ensure accuracy. Through realistic role plays, you'll practice delivering findings under pressure—including a hallway conversation with a time-strapped CEO and a structured walkthrough with a detail-oriented CFO. In coach dialogues, you'll navigate conflicting stakeholder feedback and learn to address requests for 'more data' by strengthening your narrative instead. Designed for HR professionals, people analytics practitioners, and anyone who needs to turn workforce data into action. Basic familiarity with HR analytics concepts is helpful. Access to free ChatGPT or Claude recommended.

Practice Empathic Feedback

Feedback is only useful if people can hear it. Yet most managers either avoid difficult conversations entirely or deliver them in ways that trigger defensiveness—neither approach changes behavior. You'll apply your understanding of why empathic communication improves feedback outcomes by exploring the research on how the brain processes criticism and what makes people open to change. You'll apply the SBI (Situation-Behavior-Impact) model to structure feedback that separates observable behavior from judgment, making conversations specific, fair, and actionable. Using AI tools like ChatGPT or Claude, you'll practice drafting and refining SBI-formatted feedback messages—then learn to verify that AI-generated language matches your intended tone and context. Through realistic role plays where you coach a manager through a feedback failure and deliver difficult feedback to a valued team member, you'll practice these skills in high-stakes scenarios. Designed for people managers, HR professionals, and team leads. No prerequisites required. Access to free ChatGPT or Claude recommended.

Persuade with Data

Data doesn't change minds—persuasive narratives do. In this course, you'll apply your understanding of why evidence-based arguments are the key to stakeholder buy-in for HR initiatives—and how to build them. You'll master the problem-evidence-solution framework, applying it to create a persuasive slide deck that transforms workforce data into a compelling case for action. You'll use industry benchmarks to create urgency, anticipate counterarguments using steel-manning techniques, and leverage AI tools like ChatGPT to draft and refine your arguments—while verifying that every claim matches your actual data. Through realistic role plays, you'll practice defending recommendations to skeptical leadership teams. Through coach dialogues, you'll work through real challenges like causation pushback and source credibility concerns. Designed for HR professionals, analysts, and business partners who want to turn analysis into influence. Basic familiarity with HR metrics helpful. Access to free ChatGPT or Claude recommended.

Project: Executive Insight Presentation

The ultimate test of people analytics work is whether it drives organizational action. In this project, you'll create a complete presentation package that could be delivered to an executive audience. This integration of communication, consulting, and persuasion skills represents the culmination of your people analytics training.