Communication and Planning Skills for Administrative Professionals

Introduction

Good communication and planning skills are essential for all administrative professionals.  This interactive and practical programme is designed to help participants review and develop these skills so that they can enhance not only their own effectiveness but also that of their immediate colleagues and teams.

Taking an in-depth and comprehensive approach the programme focuses specifically on:

• face-face communications (both one-to-one and in small groups)
• telephone skills, teleconferencing and remote communications
• written communications (including writing e-mails, letters, reports and instructions)
• meetings skills and supporting presentations
• interpersonal and influencing skills
• personal planning and time-management skills
• project planning and monitoring

Objectives

• review and develop their communication, interpersonal and planning skills and their appreciation of the principles involved
• take stock of their current approaches and decide on initiatives to enhance communication and planning within their own teams/sections

Content

Day One

Face-to Face Communication and Interpersonal Skills

• Barriers to effective communication and how to overcome them
• Interpersonal skills and building working relationships
• Delegation – giving and receiving
• Assertive communication
• Managing conflict

Day Two

Planning & Time Management

• Prioritising
• Handling and making requests
• Personal planning tools and systems
• Managing  interruptions
• Project planning and principles of CPA

Day Three

Team-Working and Meetings

• Team development and group dynamics
• Constructive  and inclusive discussions
• Challenging ideas and getting agreement
• Improving meetings
  • planning and preparation
  • participation and control
  • follow-up and meeting notes

Day Four

Managing Information and Written Communication

• Principles of information management
  • digesting information and making it meaningful
• Report writing
  • relevance
  • layout
  • structure
• Grammar & punctuation
• Editing  and proofreading skills
• Writing e-mails and letters
  • style
  • tone
  • structure
• Other forms of written communication

Day Five

Supporting Presentations/Improving Teamwork and Systems

• Designing slides and incorporating graphics
• Room setup, equipment and trouble shooting
• Continuous improvement and creative thinking
• Making a case
• Programme review