Communications Training

Communications training seminars teach and reinforce important skills that will help your organization become more effective and more successful. Participants will come away from these sessions with concrete strategies and tactics.

FULL DAY SESSIONS

Media Relations Training - This interactive session for 6 - 12 participants includes video-recorded mock interviews. Course content covers

• Understanding media and how it works
• What makes a good story
• Preparing for media interviews
• Developing and using key messages effectively
• Handling difficult questions and avoiding pitfalls
• How social media fits in your overall media strategy
• Interview practice and assessment

Crisis Communications - When the storm comes, it's too late to start building the ark. Protect your organization by being proactive. This course can be presented to large and small groups. Course content covers

• developing & maintaining your crisis communications plan
• protecting your reputation during a crisis
• managing the media
• internal communications during a crisis

Optional : mock media conference for plausible crisis scenario.

Internal Communications for employee engagement - This session can be tailored for any size group and includes self assessment and group exercises. Course content covers

• Understanding the importance of internal communications
• Understanding communication styles
• Increasing interpersonal communication effectiveness
• Removing communication barriers
• The importance of two-way communication
• Engaging employees through leadership and management communication

FULL OR HALF DAY SESSIONS

Dealing with Difficult Audiences - If you make presentations you are likely, at some point, to encounter a difficult audience or situation. If you are not prepared, it can be a very uncomfortable experience. This session for any sized group looks at

• What to do when an audience member is distracting you and others
• How to deal with a hostile audience member or members
• How to avoid distractions in your speaking environment

Why Communication Fails in organizations and how to fix it. This session for any sized group will cover

• Understanding why interpersonal communication fails
• Understanding why organizational communication fails
• Implementing strategies and tactics for successful communication

Mergers and Acquisitions - It's a fact that most business acquisitions and mergers fail. There are many factors but a critical one is ineffective or insufficient communication. Sandra Thornton was involved in over 44 acquisitions while at Stantec. This session for any size group looks at communications to help employees understand the changes, the new company, and their role within it. Specifically it addresses

• Communicating before the deal is closed reduce fear and manage expectations
• Integration communications to help employees adapt and to perform their jobs
• Post-integration evaluation to determine how things went, and where communications are still required

Change Communications - The world changes all the time. Technology changes. Even our bodies keep changing. Nothing EVER stays the same. So what's the big deal? WHY do we have difficulty with change in the workplace? This session for any sized group covers

• Why people resist change
• Employee perceptions of change
• The importance of effective communication in any change initiative
• Strategies and tactics to manage change through communications

Elements of Benefits Communication - 10 concepts to enhance effectiveness in communicating about benefits. This session for any sized group covers

• Why benefit communications fail
• Information or communication - what's the difference?
• Creating audience focused communications
• The value of repetition

Communication in the Wireless World - Technology is changing the way we communicate. Are you confused about the role of social media and other new media? This session for any sized group provides

• An overview of new media
• Real life examples of the impact of new media
• How new media can be integrated into your overall communication and marketing efforts

Listen Up - Listening is often ignored as part of effective communication. Yet, effective listening skills can help us

• Understand other perspectives
• Determine facts
• Make better decisions
• Build better relationships
• Do our jobs better

Understanding Interpersonal Communication Skills in the workplace. Our success, personal and professional, is influenced by our ability to communicate with those around us. This interactive session for any sized audience covers

• Understanding communication styles
• Barriers that interfere with people understanding each other
• Methods and techniques to communicate more effectively

Business Writing Skills - This practical session for any sized group shows how to organize and convey business information for maximum effectiveness. Specifically it will cover

• Understanding of the basics of good writing
• Organizing your content
• Useful examples and tips to apply to your writing
• Practical applications through in-session exercises

Contact Sandra Thornton to discuss customized employee training.