Soft Skills: Develop Interpersonal Skills Course

Lesson 1 • Emotional Intelligence Fundamentals

Introduces the five domains of emotional intelligence and their relevance to professional interactions. Learners map their current EI profile.

Lesson 2 • Understanding Interpersonal Skills

Defines interpersonal skills and distinguishes them from technical competencies. Establishes why these skills drive career advancement and team performance.

Lesson 3 • Personal Values and Professional Identity

Connects core values to communication style and decision-making. Learners articulate a professional identity that guides consistent interpersonal behaviour.

Lesson 1 • Communicating in Virtual Environments

Addresses unique challenges of video calls, messaging platforms, and asynchronous communication. Builds skills for maintaining presence and clarity remotely.

Lesson 2 • Principles of Clear Verbal Communication

Covers word choice, tone, pacing, and structure for professional speech. Connects verbal clarity to reduced misunderstanding and stronger credibility.

Lesson 3 • Nonverbal Signals and Body Language

Examines posture, gestures, eye contact, and proxemics as communication tools. Learners practise aligning nonverbal cues with intended verbal messages.

Lesson 4 • Adapting Communication Style to Audience

Teaches style-flexing based on personality, role, and cultural context. Learners practise shifting register without losing authenticity.

Lesson 1 • Active Listening Techniques

Introduces paraphrasing, summarising, and reflective listening as core tools. Learners practise each technique in structured conversation exercises.

Lesson 2 • Empathetic Listening in Practice

Moves beyond technique to genuine emotional attunement with speakers. Learners distinguish sympathy from empathy and apply empathetic responses.

Lesson 3 • Barriers to Effective Listening

Identifies cognitive, emotional, and environmental obstacles that block genuine listening. Awareness of these barriers is the first step towards overcoming them.

Lesson 1 • Rapport-Building Across Difference

Addresses building genuine connection across generational, cultural, and role-based differences. Learners practise perspective-taking and inclusive rapport strategies.

Lesson 2 • Repairing Damaged Relationships

Provides a structured approach to acknowledging harm, apologising, and rebuilding trust. Learners role-play repair conversations using a step-by-step framework.

Lesson 3 • The Anatomy of Professional Trust

Breaks trust into competence, integrity, benevolence, and reliability components. Learners assess which trust dimensions they currently demonstrate most strongly.

Lesson 4 • Authenticity and Vulnerability in the Workplace

Explores how appropriate self-disclosure and honesty accelerate rapport. Learners calibrate vulnerability to professional context and relationship stage.

Lesson 1 • Receiving Feedback Gracefully

Builds the mindset and behaviours needed to accept feedback without defensiveness. Learners practise active listening and clarifying questions during feedback receipt.

Lesson 2 • Upward and Peer Feedback Dynamics

Addresses the unique challenges of giving feedback to managers and peers. Learners practise framing and timing strategies appropriate to each relationship type.

Lesson 3 • Principles of Effective Feedback

Establishes what makes feedback actionable, specific, and timely. Learners distinguish developmental feedback from criticism and praise.

Lesson 4 • Delivering Feedback with Skill

Teaches structured models for giving feedback in one-on-one and group settings. Learners practise framing, delivery, and follow-up for maximum impact.

Lesson 1 • Understanding Conflict Dynamics

Maps the stages, sources, and escalation patterns of workplace conflict. Learners identify their default conflict style and its consequences.

Lesson 2 • De-escalation and Emotional Regulation

Teaches techniques for lowering emotional intensity before problem-solving begins. Learners practise self-regulation and calming language in conflict simulations.

Lesson 3 • Mediation and Third-Party Facilitation

Introduces the mediator role for professionals who facilitate others' disputes. Learners practise neutral facilitation and structured dialogue techniques.

Lesson 4 • Interest-Based Conflict Resolution

Shifts focus from positions to underlying interests to find durable solutions. Learners practise uncovering hidden needs and co-creating agreements.

Lesson 1 • Assertiveness as a Professional Skill

Defines assertiveness on the spectrum from passive to aggressive communication. Learners identify their default style and practise assertive expression.

Lesson 2 • Storytelling as a Persuasion Tool

Applies narrative structure to professional communication for greater impact. Learners craft data-backed stories that move audiences to action.

Lesson 3 • Influencing Without Formal Authority

Teaches peer influence strategies for professionals who lack positional power. Learners build coalitions, leverage reciprocity, and use social proof effectively.

Lesson 4 • Principles of Ethical Persuasion

Covers credibility, logic, and emotional appeal as the pillars of persuasion. Learners distinguish ethical influence from manipulation.

Lesson 1 • Collaborative Problem-Solving

Teaches structured approaches to group decision-making and creative problem-solving. Learners practise facilitation moves that draw out diverse perspectives.

Lesson 2 • High-Performance Team Dynamics

Examines the interpersonal conditions that enable teams to perform at their best. Learners identify and address dysfunctions that undermine collective output.

Lesson 3 • Personal Interpersonal Development Plan

Synthesises all course learning into a personalised growth roadmap. Learners set measurable interpersonal goals and identify accountability structures.

Lesson 4 • Strategic Networking and Relationship Management

Reframes networking as intentional, value-driven relationship investment. Learners create a personal networking strategy aligned with professional goals.