Who needs a Communication Coach?

There comes a moment in every person's life when we have to admit our limitations. That moment came to me some years ago when, in the midst of a difficult workplace situation,  I realised that I was not as resilient as I had previously thought.

Although we often want to provide an image to the outside world that we can "do it all" and "have it all" (especially in the workplace), sometimes we have to "crack". I naively thought that the situation could be reversed by using clear and honest communication with the boss. I had no idea that for that concrete situation, the skill missing from my toolbox was not communication but resilience. 

Had I been offered concrete help in the form of coaching, with someone who could understand and give me the tools to build my resilience, I would have learnt a very useful skill. But such a thing was not offered. I could not talk to other employees as they were in the exact same place. I could not talk to HR as they had no training to deal with such issues. And let's face it, sometimes your boss simply doesn't want you to thrive. It hurts, but when that happens, better sharpen those interview skills and get out soon.

Fortunately, many managers and HR departments do want you to thrive in the workplace. And the best way to find out where they stand is to simply tell them that you want to invest in your learning and development. There are many skills to choose from and communication skills is an important one.

Communications coaching can help employees, at whatever level, do the following:

Learn the tools that will help them speak and present with confidence, whatever the situation
Deliver complex ideas in simple and clear way
Understand body language and use it effectively
Listen to others to really hear what they have to say (active listening)
Use persuasion and argumentation
Communicate to resolve conflicts
Write, in all forms (presentations, reports, emails) so that the message is simple, clear and concise.*

 Do you think you may benefit from such coaching in your workplace? Contact me to find out how we can work together!

*List was adapted and is credited to Taft Communications Website