This course is ideal for professionals who want to improve their communication skills in a matrixed organization. It can be delivered in person or virtually. We can tailor your workshop to meet your team's specific needs.
Chart Your World. Participants chart their "world." It will include whom they report to, who reports to them, which communication method they use (or which the other person prefers). We can do this either before the session starts or at the beginning of class.
Outcome: Participants will begin to see their world more clearly. We will use this throughout the session.
RACI. We will discuss RACI (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed). We will add RACI to the chart or use a RACI Matrix for each task and role.
Outcome: Participants will have a system to make roles and responsibilities more clear.
Communication Issues. Teams will work to create a list of the biggest communication problems they face. They will examine how the change from in-person to virtual impacts communication. Generally, we see that too much or too little communication is at the heart of the issue.
Outcome: Issues will become clearer. We will then look at ways of improving communication problems.
Understanding Your Personal Communication Style. Using the DISC assessment, participants will first learn about their communication style as embodied in one of four types. Next, with the aid of a flipchart depicting their type, the group will reflect on and explain how their types D (Eagle), I (Parrot), S (Dove), or C (Owl) prefer to communicate. They will also identify the styles they find more challenging. Finally, they will report on how their style can be identified by others. (For example, D's prefer high level, quick communication; they dislike small talk; they can be identified by the fact that they sometimes sound brusque.)
Outcome: Participants will have self-awareness about their preferences and an understanding of styles different from their own.
Learning How to Build Rapport. "Like likes like"—people like people who are like them. We unconsciously communicate to others using our preferences rather than their likes and dislikes. In this section, participants will further explore communication styles, and learn techniques to help them minimize the differences between themselves and others.
Outcome: Participants will know how to build rapport with people having styles dissimilar to their own.
Is It a Meeting or is It an Email? We give small teams a scenario. The team will need to determine if it is a meeting or not. If it is not a meeting they will need to determine the alternate means of communication that should be used instead.
Outcome: Participants will create criteria for meetings. They will also be introduced to a flow chart that can help them decide if a meeting is appropriate.
Meeting Best Practices. This section will have participants looking at what makes meetings effective. We will look at proper agendas, invitations and norms.
Outcome: Participants will create a list of best meeting practices.
What Do You Say? In small teams, they will look at scenarios where they are invited to a meeting. They will write out how to handle various situations.
Outcome: Participants will have a plan to deal with problematic meetings
Email Etiquette. In this section we will examine what is proper email etiquette. How to create clear and compelling subject lines. How much information should be included in the body of the email. How to make email more understandable and actionable.
Outcome: Participants will be able to write emails that get results.
Teams or Slack Etiquette. Not all communication is appropriate. We look at Teams/Slack best practices.
Outcome: Participants will use Teams/Slack more appropriately.
Building Trust and Managing Expectations. Often employees are unhappy because their expectations have not been adequately managed. We will look into how expectations are formed and how to manage them.
Outcome: Participants will find methods for building trust.
Creating and Utilizing Communication Boundaries.
Designed specifically for matrixed organizations, this training will teach you the skills and techniques needed to communicate and collaborate within a matrixed structure effectively. You'll learn to navigate complex reporting lines, build strong relationships with cross-functional teams, and effectively communicate with team members across different departments and locations.
Whether you're looking to improve team performance, boost productivity, or simply reduce frustration and conflict within your organization, this workshop has something to offer.
We will customize this program or coaching session to address your wants and needs.
