Search Video Library for: Personal Performance, Communication
Communication Essentials™ Promoting Professionalism in the Workplace
SOLLAH EXCLUSIVE!
Effective communication is the cornerstone of any successful organization. Whether you're interacting with colleagues, clients, or stakeholders, the way you communicate can make or break the outcome of your interactions. Why maximize your workplace communication? Simply put, doing so helps you avoid common pitfalls associated with bad communication including: misunderstandings, low morale, conflict, missed deadlines, poor decision making, customer dissatisfaction, lack of innovation, employee turnover and legal issues. Addressing these pitfalls through improved communication strategies can significantly enhance organizational effectiveness and employee satisfaction.
Listen Up! Is That What This Is... A Discussion?
An important part of communication excellence is your ability to get your point across effectively by speaking clearly and confidently. In some situations, it’s not always easy to speak up. The situation may be tense, or you may lack confidence in our ability to get our point across effectively. When you want to get your point across, you need to plan for four aspects of your communication.
Listen Up! I'm Pushing Them All the Time
Listening is the most used aspect of communication, and the way we listen determines what we hear. The most common type of communication is passive listening - when you hear what someone else is saying, but you’re not really actively engaging in the communication process, getting involved with what the other person is saying or telling you, or trying to understand the communication. We need to become active listeners!
Accurate Communication - A Quick Conversation
In New York, taxi means a “black and yellow,” in India a “rickshaw,” in Thailand a “tuk tuk,” and in Haiti a “tap tap.” Travelers in foreign countries can be very surprised by another culture’s definition of taxi. Therefore, even with the most common of words, understanding the context in which that word is used is critical to understanding the significance behind what is being said, whether communicating across the world or across the hall.
Adapt to Encourage Growth - A Quick Conversation
Whales possess the ability to adapt what they hear and then make it their own. Adaptive communication is a skill that is also critical to organizational growth. Keeping something the same just “because this is the way we have always done it” hinders an organization from innovating and progressing.
Pay Attention To Nonverbal Communication - A Quick Conversation
While your colleagues in the workplace communicate both verbally and non-verbally, understanding how to interpret their nonverbal communication can be a great advantage. Keep in mind that the meaning behind body language and facial expressions may vary from culture to culture, so it is always good to check for understanding.
Discussion Card: Starting Conversations with Grace
Need to have a serious talk with an employee or front-line staff? Having the tough workplace discussions are never easy. These easy-to-use cards provide a simple model (G.R.A.C.E.) along with thought-provoking questions on effective ways to tackle the tough discussions... effectively and with respect. These cards are great for a quick training reminder, reinforcement or as a conversation generator.
Discussion Card: Understanding Intent vs. Impact
Having the tough workplace discussions are never easy. Opening up the proper lines of communication (getting your intent and impact across) to discuss the 'not-so-easy' stuff is essential to properly address them. These easy-to-use cards provide a simple model (I.M.P.A.C.T.) along with thought-provoking questions on effective ways to tackle the tough discussions with grace and respect. These cards are great for a quick training reminder, reinforcement or as a conversation generator.
Clarify (from Ready. Set. CHANGE!™)
The importance of clarifying how a change impacts everyone differently.
Communicate About Change (Dramatic)
How to ask for information to help feel comfortable with a change; dealing with a dress code change.
Achieving Communication Excellence
Accelerate the personal effectiveness and interpersonal abilities of your employees with a program focused on communication skills. In three, straight-to-the-point modules, employees will experience focused learning on how to effectively listen, communicate and give and receive feedback.
Make Your P.O.I.N.T. (Step-By-Step Demo)
A specific example of how to best use the P.O.I.N.T. model to effectively inform, inspire and influence others.
Life IS a Series of Presentations: Inspire, Inform & Influence. Anytime, Anywhere.
This program teaches employees how to focus and execute communication by following the steps of the P.O.I.N.T. model. Ultimately, employees will establish credibility, improve working relationships, increase efficiency and effectiveness, improve job and personal satisfaction and more. It will contribute to organizational success by providing employees the tools necessary to improve conduction of meetings, cascade clear messages, generate more business and execute effective communication.
Accentuate the Positive
How encouraging and reinforcing positive behavior will improve performance and build positive relationships.
Brainstorming (from Fearless Facilitation! How to Lead Effective Meetings™)
Managing the brainstorming process during a meeting.
Clarify Change (Resolution)
Using clarification techniques to feel comfortable with a change in process. A good example for personal evaluation.
Commit to Change (Dramatic)
Dealing with the changes related to relocation; the importance of making a commitment to change.
Communicate and Listen
How asking questions, seeking answers, controlling emotions and taking notes leads to effective communication.
Communication - Outline Intent
How to best prepare to communicate effectively with others.
Involve Your Audience
How to inspire and influence others to communicate effectively by involving them.
Listen Up! (from Achieving Communication Excellence)
The importance of active listening. When we actively listen – our body language, gestures and behaviors let other know we are engaged.
Narrow Your Focus
How narrowing the focus of communication can add clarity and immediacy.
Overcoming Communication Issues - Hotel/Hospitality Scene
As we all eventually find out, bad communication can lead to even worse problems. This video vignette demonstrates how to effectively deal with a non-listener - confronting the communication problem.
Overcoming Communication Issues - Manufacturing
When a team can't freely exchange ideas or share thoughts, the team freezes or becomes ineffective. This vignette demonstrates why we need to deal with the team communication.
Overcoming Communication Issues - Office/General
Sometimes we need to discuss 'hard' issues - like setting the record straight. Communicating in these situations is critical to get consensus. This vignette demonstrates the approach to confronting others using good communication - to resolve issues.
Overcoming Communication Issues - Retail
Let's face it, bad communication can lead to even worse problems. This video vignette demonstrates how we can overcome workplace issues by taking a step back and working on our communication and interpersonal skills.
Prepare for Communicating Effectively
How to best prepare to communicate effectively. Follow a process for getting ready to communicate with others.
Redirection With a Coworker
How using positive redirection with a coworker improves relationships and performance.
Redirection With a Team Member
How using positive redirection with a team member improves relationships and productivity.
So, How Am I Doing? (from Achieving Communication Excellence)
The importance of being proactive and clarifying information when giving and receiving feedback.
Speak Up! (from Achieving Communication Excellence)
Gain confidence to communicate in a direct and clear manner.
Tailor Your Presentation
Learn about the importance of tailoring your presentation and the situations you may find yourself in when it becomes necessary... to effectively get your point across.
The Boss Who Knows it All, And Then Some (from Bad Apples™)
Dealing with a boss that discounts ideas and doesn't listen to reason.
I Feel...
Allows for personal assessment and reflection on the training topic at hand. This activity is designed to be used with any SMART-START® video or other short video program with text, This activity may be used as a cultural commitment or assessment.
Team Spark: Adapt to Encourage Growth
Adaptive communication is a skill that is also critical to organizational growth. Keeping something the same just “because this is the way we have always done it” hinders an organization from innovating and progressing. Adaptation taps into employee skill sets and allows people to utilize their diversity to improve upon old “songs”, making a new version that supports growth.
Team Spark: Assess Your Communication Style
When communicating with others, particularly people from other countries, it is important to recognize when your communication style has become outdated and when it is time to upgrade to a new technique.
Team Spark: Check Assumptions Before Judging
When judging the “dance” of another person, especially across differences such as culture, be careful about making judgments based upon what you think is important. Focusing on their “feet” while communicating may mean you are missing the most important part of their dance.
Team Spark: Craft Your Message With Purpose
Communication across differences is often done in a similar fashion. However, taking time to think about who, when, and how a message will be received allows the sender to craft a much more effective message that will produce much better results.
Team Spark: Create Structure to Help Bridge Barriers
The lack of face-to-face interaction reduces the team’s ability to adjust and adapt as quickly as a team that is located all at one site. In situations like this, having a clearly defined structure detailing everyone’s role and responsibilities is a key to success.
Team Spark: Cross-Pollinate to Spark Innovation
Within companies and teams, employees have the important role of sharing ideas between groups, departments, and teams. This “cross-pollination” of ideas helps to unlock the inherent creativity and innovation that lies within a company, but may need a spark from another source to bring it to life.
Team Spark: Find the Common Beat
Similar to a band with many different instruments playing together, a diverse team consists of many different personalities working together. While this diversity allows for innovation and creativity, it also makes it more difficult for team members to keep the same tempo. It is the role of the team member with the drummer personality to keep everyone communicating and completing tasks on time.
Team Spark: Pay Attention To Nonverbal Communication
Colleagues in the workplace communicate both verbally and non-verbally. Understanding how to interpret their nonverbal communication can be a great advantage. The meaning of body language and facial expressions may vary from culture to culture, so it is always good to check for understanding.
Team Spark: Proverb - Don't Insult Someone Who Can Take Care of You
Spark team communication about how to better understand each other so that we don’t offend each other.
Team Spark: Proverb - Each Person Is Unique
Spark team communication around how we can use our unique skills and abilities more effectively as individuals, or as a team.
Team Spark: Proverb - If You Don't Communicate, You'll Get Burned
Spark team communication on what we can do to better communicate with people inside and outside of the team.
Team Spark: Teach Team Shorthand to New Team Members
Most work teams tend to develop their own compressed language that allows team members to communicate quickly and easily with each other. When outsiders join the team, this shorthand may be hard to understand or learn, resulting in conflict and frustration, especially if people are from different cultural backgrounds.
Team Spark: Tell Stories to Build Strong Communities
Storytelling is at the heart of what makes us human and is a universal tool used by groups of people to explain who they are and the experiences that shaped their history. While we might not use cave drawings anymore, we still use storytelling to capture collective histories and lessons learned.
Team Spark: Use a Mediator to Help Stalemates
Asking for the assistance of a “referee” or a neutral, third party colleague, may provide the necessary insight to tease out the cause of the miscommunication, which could be rooted in cultural, generational, or personality style differences.
Team Spark: Use Intuition to Foster Better Teamwork
When you devote time and effort to communicating with a colleague, especially one from a background different than your own, you can improve the fluency of your communication and eventually be able to detect minute changes in these communications.
Discussion Card: Nonverbal Communication
Did you know that 55% of communication with others happens without words? That means your body language is key in your daily conversations. These easy-to-use cards provide a simple model (W.A.T.C.H.) along with thought-provoking questions to help learners understand the importance of nonverbal communication - helping leaders, managers and supervisors address individual or team issues. These cards are great for a quick training reminder, reinforcement or as a conversation generator.
Life is a Series of Presentation - Introduction
Introduces the concept that life is a series of presentations.
Open Mind, Open World: Improving Intercultural Interactions™ (Opening/Introduction)
Introduces five cultural continuums that impact how people from around the world interact and work together & introduces a four-step process for engaging in effective intercultural communication.
Open Mind, Open World: Improving Intercultural Interactions™ (Program Summary)
Summarizes the five cultural continuums and the four-step O.P.E.N. communication process.
Case Study: The Rivals (manager)
Handling conflict between two employees
Helping Hands
When there is disagreement on how work gets done
Shared Resources
When a colleague monopolizes shared resources
Teamwork
What is an "unfair advantage" when you are up for a promotion?
Work-Life Imbalance
Competing priorities and lack of time
TrainingBytes® Preparing for the Post-Pandemic Workplace™
Due to the recent pandemic, organizations are navigating a broad range of issues that span from keeping their employees and customers safe to re-configuring business operations and getting things to a 'new' normal. This short video program is a great introduction to what employees might see in the post-pandemic workplace.
ATTITUDE!™ Resolving Difficult Situations in the Workplace
Powerful tools to fix everyday workplace issues! Let's be honest, nobody likes to deal with a difficult attitude... In fact, most of us would rather sit in a dentist's chair before we'd confront one of those bad apples who are making our lives miserable at work. But did you ever stop to think about what kind of price we're paying for that self-imposed misery? This program helps employees and leaders use emotional intelligence skills to recognize the characteristics of difficult attitudes in today’s diverse workforce and sort out the problems when they arise.
Adversity Creates Inspiration - A Quick Conversation
When diverse teams come together, there can be conflict if there is a lack of understanding and trust among team members. When there is a lack of trust, the team is fighting its differences instead of embracing them. When teams embrace the challenges that come with differences, the differences can be leveraged for inspiration and growth.
Challenge What Needs To Be Changed - A Quick Conversation
There are times when faced with the choice of following the rules or fighting for a principal such as equality, that a fight against the rules is the right action to take. When working in a diverse environment, pay attention for opportunities to fight for the principal of inclusion instead of following the unspoken rule of “that is the way it has always been done.”
Craft Your Message With Purpose - A Quick Conversation
An enduring whimsical tradition that many people are familiar with is the act of placing a written message in a bottle and tossing it into the sea. The composer of the message has no idea who is going to receive the message or when they might get it -or if anyone will at all. Not knowing the end recipient of the message limits the ability to communicate with intention. Communication across differences is often done in a similar fashion.
Create Your Own Opportunities - A Quick Conversation
When working on diverse teams, sometimes you have to create your own opportunities by putting forth new ideas, proposing collaborations, and building networks that will help accomplish your goals.
Differences Create Insights - A Quick Conversation
When working on teams, having a different point of view can provide powerful insight, if people feel respected enough to share that idea. If the team lacks respect for individuals then great ideas won’t be shared. Being respectful of others’ points of view is the first step to developing powerful teams.
Explore Unchartered Territories - A Quick Conversation
America’s best-known Colorado River explorer was John Powell, who lost his right arm in the Civil War at the Battle of Shiloh. In 1869, he started with 10 men to explore the length of the Colorado River. Three months later, six would complete their journey after some harrowing experiences. Powell returned in 1871, to map the river and to conduct geological studies. Powell inspired courage and belief in the men that he led and he never put any limitations on his abilities. While not battling white water rapids, working on diverse teams with divergent points of view, creates opportunities for a different kind of courage.
Invest Your Time for Others - A Quick Conversation
On teams, it is important to be willing to invest time into the lives of other team members. We do this by learning about what they need and what obstacles they face and by then offering our assistance. This investment pays off in greater team cohesion, inclusion, and trust, as well as the removal of obstacles that stand in the way.
See Potential Contributions, Not Limitations - A Quick Conversation
When working on teams, it is important not to look at limitations but instead at the potential contribution that each person can make – regardless of what kind of package that contribution comes in. This will allow you to maximize the skills and abilities of all team members.
Tell Stories to Build a Strong Community - A Quick Conversation
Across the globe, cave drawings thousands of years old have preserved the remnants of ancient civilizations. While the drawings may be scattered over great distances and originate from different cultures, they all have one aspect in common: they tell stories. The drawings recount stories about successes, hunts, trials, and daily life. Storytelling is at the heart of what makes us human and is a universal tool used by groups of people to explain who they are and the experiences that shaped their history. While we might not use cave drawings anymore, we still use storytelling to capture collective histories and lessons learned.
Understand How To Use Your Skills - A Quick Conversation
A guitar in the hands of a novice is simply an object to hold. In the hands of a master, that same guitar becomes an instrument that makes beautiful music. The guitar itself does not change; it just requires well-developed skills to unlock its musical potential. With effective instructions, open communication, and management support, employees are able to unlock and cultivate their natural talents and interests into skills that add to the strength of their team.
Understand Preconceived Notions - A Quick Conversation
Hear the word flour and what comes to mind is probably baking, bread, and pizza crust. The preconceived notion that flour is only found in baked goods can lead to surprise when it is discovered that it can also be an ingredient in: pasta sauce, hot dogs, salad dressing, soup, taco sauce, and even dog food. Having preconceived notions about other people is like assuming that you know all of the ingredients of an item of food just by looking at it.
Understand Your Significance - A Quick Conversation
Both captains and lighthouse keepers have roles that, although different, are important to the navigation of ships. Likewise, each position within a company plays an important role in helping the company to navigate the global marketplace. When employees understand how their role contributes to team success, they are able to take pride in doing their job well and in contributing to the overall progress of the company.
Understanding Context - A Quick Conversation
When a rubber band is stretched taut it has potential energy. This potential energy is only important if the rubber band is released and the band moves towards a target. A diverse team can also have incredible intrinsic potential. However, if team members do not feel comfortable contributing their unique ideas, they will not release their great potential energy towards the target of innovation.
Understanding From Experience - A Quick Conversation
A documentary about life in the sea will provide knowledge about ocean life. However, that knowledge is enhanced when it is combined with the experience of scuba diving. The combined knowledge and experience deepens your understanding of the sea exponentially. Scuba diving augments book knowledge with a visceral experience. The act of learning about people with different cultural backgrounds can be viewed in a similar way. Learning about a culture by reading a book or talking to people from that culture gives you a base of knowledge.
Understanding Hidden Beauty - A Quick Conversation
The majority of the time, a male peacock looks ordinary and small. However, when given an opportunity to showcase himself, he becomes a world-renown beauty. While he has the beauty every day, it is only when he feels duty-bound to be his best, that it is displayed and appreciated. People can be like peacocks. When they are not given opportunities to shine, they don’t let their true beauty show.
Understanding Impact - A Quick Conversation
A single drop of water splashing against a rock may not seem to have an erosive impact. However, there is power in water drops, for over time water has the strength to wear down stone. The Colorado River, which began millions of years ago as a drop of water, carved the Grand Canyon. Positive every day actions are like water drops. While each act may not seem to have much impact, over time, the cumulative impact of many drops of water can wear down fear, negativity, and resistance to help forge a new path ahead.
Understanding Passion - A Quick Conversation
The energy of a “match on the pitch” comes from a group of people sharing in their common passion. Being in the midst of your passion is an energizing experience. It is obvious when people are in their passion: their eyes light up, excitement fills their voice, and they are “in the zone.” Inquiring about a co-worker’s passion is a great way to gain insight into a person that you work with. Demonstrating a desire to understand a co-worker’s passion enables you to build connections and begin to create common ground.
Understanding Perceived Value - A Quick Conversation
During the Revolutionary War, lobster was considered such inferior food that it was used to feed the British prisoners, and even they revolted against it. With the advent of railroads, trains brought lobster to the Midwesterners, who had no cultural bias, and found it to be a delicacy. Gradually, New Englanders came to the same conclusion. Often it takes an outside perspective to realize the inherent value that is already on your team and within your company.
Understanding the Fear - A Quick Conversation
Jumping out of an airplane might seem insane to some people, while to others it is an exhilarating and often repeated experience. What makes one person deeply afraid may not be at all scary to another person. Much of what causes people to react with fear to a situation are perceptions and assumptions about what that situation will be like. After facing their fears, people often realize that the perception of the experience created more fear than the experience itself.
Discussion Card: During the Conversation
We all know that having a difficult discussion can be hard. It's important to watch out for key indicators during that conversation. This includes ground rules, verbal and non-verbal cues, and so much more! These easy-to-use cards provide a simple model (D.U.R.I.N.G.) along with thought-provoking questions on effective ways to tackle the tough discussions with grace and respect. These cards are great for a quick training reminder, reinforcement or as a conversation generator.
E•Z START™ Getting Back to Work After the Pandemic
After the pandemic, organizations are navigating a broad range of issues that span from keeping their employees and customers safe to re-configuring business operations and getting things to a 'new' normal. This E•Z START™ is geared towards all employees within your organization, providing a great introduction to what employees might see in the post-pandemic workplace. Total Discussion Time: 30-60 Minutes
WorkSmarts™: How to Get Along, Get Noticed and Get Ahead
Enhance career development by taking initiative and putting common sense into common practice. WorkSmarts™ will encourage employees and supervisors to share ideas, ask questions and interact with others--ultimately promoting job efficiency and satisfaction!
Direct or Indirect: What's Your Route?
How communication styles differ within cultures and impact decision making and working relationships.
Open Mind, Open World: Improving Intercultural Interactions™
Boost productivity by developing cultural capability! In a global economy, cultural misunderstandings can have an immediate, negative impact on business productivity. Open Mind, Open World provides a solid foundation for identifying and understanding basic cultural values and behaviors. Employees and managers gain insights, strategies and skills that help minimize cultural misunderstandings and strengthen interactions.
All for One and One for All
Conflict at work? Really? Here's an example of work team conflict: two teams working through differences to make progress toward a common goal.
Cell Phones, Tablets, Etc. (from Fearless Facilitation! How to Lead Effective Training™)
Managing disruptions in meetings. As challenging as it may be, there is a correct way to handle disruptions while in meetings, in discussions, etc.
Challenging a Learning Point (from Fearless Facilitation! How to Lead Effective Training™)
Handling an objection to a key content point during a training session.
Dealing with Sensitive Comments (from Fearless Facilitation! How to Lead Effective Training™)
Responding to disparaging remarks during a training session
Handling an Off-Topic Conversation (from Fearless Facilitation! How to Lead Effective Meetings™)
Dealing with an off-topic conversation during a meeting
Making a Smooth Transition (from Fearless Facilitation! How to Lead Effective Training™)
How to best transition from one topic to the next during a training session
Progressive Intervention (from Fearless Facilitation! How to Lead Effective Training™)
Managing pervasive disruptions
The Question That Stumps You (from Fearless Facilitation! How to Lead Effective Training™)
Handling questions and generating discussion
Team Spark: Proverb - Many Things Require People To Work Together to Achieve a Goal
Spark team communication on the consequences if we try to complete a big project without excellent teamwork.
Johnny the Bagger® - Final Thought
How to provide service from the heart
Life IS a Series of Presentations (P.O.I.N.T. Model Review)
Summarizes how to effectively inform, inspire and influence others by using the P.O.I.N.T. Communication Model.
Discussion Card: After the Conversation
So you've had a difficult discussion with an employee, direct report, staff member... what's next? Things like action items, open issues, follow-up and more! These easy-to-use cards provide a simple model (A.F.T.E.R.) along with thought-provoking questions on effective ways to follow-up with a tough discussions with grace and respect. These cards are great for a quick training reminder, reinforcement or as a conversation generator.
Discussion Card: Before the Conversation
Having a difficult discussion is hard. Though it must be done to get to resolution, you must be prepared. That includes understanding ground rules and preparing yourself mentally (working through a checklist). These easy-to-use cards provide a simple model (B.E.F.O.R.E.) along with thought-provoking questions on effective ways to tackle the tough discussions with grace and respect. These cards are great for a quick training reminder, reinforcement or as a conversation generator.
Discussion Card: Purpose of the Talk
It's not always easy having workplace discussions - whether to simply gather information or to tackle a tough situation. Shying away from key workplace topics/issues don't make those problems disappear. These easy-to-use cards provide a simple model (T.H.E.C.H.A.T.) along with thought-provoking questions on effective ways to tackle the tough discussions with grace and respect. These cards are great for a quick training reminder, reinforcement or as a conversation generator.
Discussion Card: Starting Conversations
When it comes to having a tough conversation, just starting is often the most difficult part. These easy-to-use cards provide a simple model (S.P.E.A.K.) along with thought-provoking questions to create a respectful flow of communication. These cards are great for a quick training reminder, reinforcement or as a conversation generator for all employees and managers.
Training Certificate of Completion
Need a quick, editable training certificate of completion? Look no further! Simply download this Word doc and edit as needed.