Course Description

Almost everything that happens in the workplace requires some form of communication. Frontline managers have to communicate with the workers they supervise, with their colleagues in management, and with their bosses in the executive suite. Being able to communicate clearly and effectively is a vital skill for any frontline manager. This course provides a brief introduction to communication theory, but the main emphasis is on practical approaches to communicating in the workplace. Topics include verbal and nonverbal communication; how to develop a clear message; how to tailor your message to suit your purpose; how to communicate down, to the workers who report directly to you; and how to communicate up, to your bosses in senior management.

Learning Outcomes

After completing this course, the learner should be able to:

• Define "communication," and explain why effective communication is important in the workplace
• Distinguish between push communications and pull communications, and explain the different elements of a communications model
• List the major characteristics of effective communication and describe how to use them
• Formulate a clear primary message and develop appropriate secondary messages to support it
• Distinguish between "communicating up" and "communicating down," and demonstrate your ability to do each effectively
• Practice active listening
• Run a meeting effectively
• Identify and eliminate jargon from your work communication

Notes

Estimated time to complete: 2 hours

This course includes an “Ask the Expert” feature. You can use this feature to submit questions about course content. A subject matter expert will provide guidance or point you to additional resources for the topics you’re studying. Questions are answered as quickly as possible and usually within 24 hours. Learners must achieve an average test score of at least 70% to meet the minimum successful completion requirement and qualify to receive IACET CEUs.