3006 — Communications for Managers

Course Block Description: 

Communications for Managers is designed to help all levels of managers use the kind of comunication skills that reinforce their leadership and contribute to positive individual and organizational performance.

Communications for Managers is divided into three parts. The first course, Communication Basics, provides a broad overview and a basis for the more specific information contained in courses two and three. This course explains why commicating is important, the concept of comunnication filters and how our decision impact our results. The four key reasons why the people we manage don't do what we want or expect them to do and what we can do about it are explored in depth.

The second course, the Communication Process, discuss the way that communication flows from one person to another. The non-verbal elements — assumptions, the ego state, and non-verbal behavior — that interfere with commuication are examined in detail.

The third course, Communication Skills, provides practical skills that the manager can use to enhance his or her communication, including active listening, questioning, and techniques for providing balanced feedback. The final outcome is a personal plan developed by the learner for improving his or her communication behavior.

The content for this course is provided by Peter A. Land, principal of Peter A. Land and Associates

Competencies: 

On completion of the course block the student will be able to:

• Explain why effective communication is critical to effective leadership.
• Describe the verbal and nonverbal behaviors, filters, and cues that impact behavior.
• Use verbal skills that use communication to create understanding.
• Describe the interrelationship between all the channels of communication.
• Recognize and deal with the effect of the ego state on the communications transaction.
• Appropriate use active listening skills.
• Use each of the four types of questions in the appropriate manner to elicit information.
• Develop and implement a personal plan for effectively implementing the skills and knowledge gained in this course.

Measurement: 

The most obvious measurement of better communications will be improved relationships between the manager and his or her direct reports. More specific measures include:

• Increased performance in the areas in which employees are asked to change.
• Employees will feel more comfortable coming to the manager with problems.
• Improve morale.
• Better company and department loyalty as evidenced by willingness to help other team memebers, better information sharing, and greater commitment to team goals and to each other.

Reinforcement: 

Management can reinforce the skills taught in this course by:

• Observing managers communicating with staff and providing feedback.
• Getting feedback regarding the manager's communication style from his or her direct reports and sharing it with the manager.
• Providing feedback on the manager's communications with other levels of management.