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Communication comes so naturally to us that it’s difficult to give it any serious thought. We communicate constantly, and do it to a fair degree of success and even with a little flair. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be very good at our jobs, would we?

The problem, however, is that communication – particularly in the business world – is not something we’re all good at. Some people may seem better at it than others, in that they sound better. But think of how many times you’ve listened to an ostensibly good speaker, yet later on found it difficult to remember a single word they’d said. Verbal fluency does not necessarily translate into effective communication.

The implications and effects of good communication go way beyond social skills. Your business success will depend to some degree or other on your ability to communicate with customers, suppliers, employees, financiers, and others. Maximise the effectiveness of that communication and you’re on the way to maximising your business potential.

As a young teacher (I won’t say how many years ago!) I discovered that kids will let you know quickly enough whether you’re a good communicator or not! It’s a lesson I’ve never forgotten. In particular, it taught me that a common failing – whether it’s a speech, sales pitch, or whatever – is that not enough thought is given to the message.

This might seem an exaggeration, but the fact is that many business people concentrate overly on the detail and overlook the key message they want to impart. Think of the chef who prepares food with no consideration for flavour. The diners might get all the nutrition they need, but they’ll have no memory of the meal. Worst of all, they’re unlikely to come back for more.

So, when business people come to me for advice, I encourage them to ask serious questions of themselves.What is your key message? Who do you want to hear it? How do you want to convey it to them? Only after these questions have been posed and answered satisfactorily, can you move on how they should be prioritised, where they should be targeted for maximum impact and how they should be delivered.

A vital element in this approach is what I call differentiation, i.e. empowering people to think just that little bit differently, to identify what it is that separates them and their organisation from the rest of the crowd and to convey that uniqueness through innovative and imaginative thinking.

People too often adopt the approach that what has worked for others will work for them. But churning out old clichés like ‘on time and within budget’ is not going to grab anyone’s attention. These also tend to state the obvious (for instance, when did you last hear the catchphrase ‘overspent and over time’?).

Instead, I ask people to think in terms of what it is that makes their organisation unique, whether it be the product, the people they employ, how the service is packaged or delivered, and so on. That is where the message lies, and once that critical piece of content is finalised, you can move on to the issue of how best to convey it to your target audience.

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Stress Management and Resilience Training is a very successful, one-day workshop launched by High Performance Training to help you transform stress from a crushing burden into a motivational and liberating force.

The workshop identifies the factors that cause stress and outlines how to remedy these through special coping strategies, lifestyle changes, and a variety of resilience management techniques.

In many cases ‘executive stress’ accumulates gradually over years of long working hours and an imbalance between work and personal life. The end result is that business people, professionals and administrators find themselves struggling to cope with change, challenge and uncertainty.  By attending this workshop, those affected can relieve themselves of acquired stress burdens and restore the balance necessary for fulfilment in their work and personal lives.

The benefits are immediate, lasting, and life prolonging and manifest in a very real way in terms of improved health, reduced fatigue or burnout, improved decision-making and deeper mental and emotional reserves from which to draw in times of crisis.

This one day course looks at the science behind stress and how it affects our mood, hormones and energy.

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It is a business imperative for the period ahead that we have at our disposal the tools necessary to manage the negotiation process, avoid pitfalls, and secure the best possible deal.

Everybody – from CEO to Head of Function to Middle Management in operations, marketing, sales, administration, buyers and procurement specialists, legal professionals, commercial and industrial negotiators, industrial relations people, SMEs, logistics, human resources and others – must have these problem-solving resources to hand.

The ability to negotiate effectively is one of the few personal capabilities that impact directly on the bottom line, which means that individual performance in this area – the difference between success and failure – is easily defined and measured.Fortunately, negotiating skills can be learned and developed as part of ongoing executive training and personal development.

Those that don’t possess these skills, or who think they could do better in this regard, should right now be taking steps to acquire them or improve on their existing capability. Sharpen Your Negotiation Skills is a two-day open course which runs on Monday 16 and Tuesday 17 October at The Clayton Hotel in Ballsbridge (formerly Bewley’s Hotel). This course is designed to enable participants approach the bargaining table with a clear negotiating strategy and the confidence to see it through.

Book now for the next negotiation skills open course: Monday and Tuesday 16/17 November

The post Negotiate Your Way to the Top – Effective Negotiation Skills Will Guide Us Through The Recovery appeared first on High Performance Training.

For instance, research shows that most people will read 25% more slowly from a computer screen than from print. Also, internet users approach online material with a different mindset compared to print material. Anyone who ignores these realities – and a great many do – immediately puts themselves at an online disadvantage.

Simplicity, clarity, and ease of use are key determinants of how successful a corporate website will be, regardless of whether its role is to sell product or provide information to the public and taxpayers. “Your website is your window to the world, and its ability to effectively impart your corporate message is crucial” she says.

Writing for the Web is an interactive, one-day course aimed at anyone involved in the generation, writing or editing of web content. Participants gain an understanding of how site visitors interact with the content they find online, how to meet their informational needs most efficiently, and how to prompt them to further action.

The course offers an insider’s knowledge on how to avoid the common pitfalls and weaknesses in online content, and helps participants achieve a reader- focused style that delivers real impact.

The next High Performance Training Writing for the Web course takes place on Thursday 5 November in the Clayton Hotel (formerly Bewley’s Hotel) in Ballsbridge, Dublin 4. Course fees are €350 per person. The course can also be tailored to your organisation’s specifications and delivered in-house. To book your course please book online or for more information you can contact us on 01 853 2215 / training@highperformance.ie.

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