Strategic Communications Course

Lesson 1 • Core Principles of Clear Messaging

Introduces the 7 Cs of communication: clarity, conciseness, correctness, completeness, coherence, courtesy, and credibility. Applies each principle to sample messages.

Lesson 2 • The Communication Process Model

Examines sender-receiver dynamics, encoding, decoding, and feedback loops. Establishes the vocabulary used throughout the course.

Lesson 3 • Ethics and Responsibility in Communication

Covers honesty, transparency, and accountability as professional standards. Frames ethical communication as a foundation for trust.

Lesson 4 • Audience Analysis Fundamentals

Teaches how to profile an audience by knowledge level, role, and expectations. Connects audience insight to message design decisions.

Lesson 1 • Techniques for Focused Attention

Introduces SOLER posture, minimal encouragers, and note-taking strategies. Connects physical presence to perceived attentiveness.

Lesson 2 • Listening in Group Settings

Addresses multi-speaker environments such as meetings and panels. Builds skills for tracking multiple threads and synthesizing input.

Lesson 3 • Paraphrasing and Clarifying Questions

Teaches how to restate content accurately and ask open-ended questions. Reinforces comprehension and signals respect to speakers.

Lesson 1 • Structuring Spoken Messages

Applies the PREP and problem-solution frameworks to verbal communication. Ensures spoken content has a clear opening, body, and close.

Lesson 2 • Conversational Communication Skills

Develops skills for dialogue, small talk, and professional relationship-building. Bridges formal speaking skills to everyday workplace interaction.

Lesson 3 • Handling Questions and Pushback

Prepares learners to respond to challenging questions and disagreement calmly. Builds confidence and composure under verbal pressure.

Lesson 4 • Word Choice and Plain Language

Trains learners to replace jargon and filler words with precise, accessible language. Improves comprehension across diverse audiences.

Lesson 1 • Categories of Nonverbal Communication

Maps the full range of nonverbal channels: kinesics, proxemics, haptics, and chronemics. Establishes how each channel carries meaning independently.

Lesson 2 • Nonverbal Norms Across Cultures

Compares gesture, space, and touch norms across cultural contexts. Prevents misreading and offence in diverse professional environments.

Lesson 3 • Facial Expressions and Eye Contact

Analyses how facial cues and gaze patterns influence trust and engagement. Teaches calibrated eye contact for different cultural and professional norms.

Lesson 4 • Posture, Gesture, and Movement

Trains intentional use of open posture, purposeful gestures, and confident movement. Reduces contradictory signals between words and body.

Lesson 1 • Editing, Proofreading, and Quality Control

Introduces a systematic review process for grammar, clarity, and consistency. Builds habits that eliminate errors before distribution.

Lesson 2 • Email and Memo Writing

Applies professional conventions to high-frequency written formats. Teaches subject lines, salutations, body structure, and calls to action.

Lesson 3 • Planning and Structuring Written Documents

Covers purpose-setting, outlining, and logical sequencing before drafting. Reduces revision time and improves document coherence.

Lesson 4 • Tone, Style, and Register

Teaches how to calibrate formality, warmth, and assertiveness to context. Prevents tone mismatches that damage professional relationships.

Lesson 1 • Managing Difficult Conversations

Provides a framework for addressing sensitive topics with clarity and respect. Prepares learners for performance issues, disagreements, and boundary violations.

Lesson 2 • Delivering Constructive Feedback

Teaches the SBI and sandwich models for structured, actionable feedback. Ensures feedback is specific, behaviour-focused, and forward-looking.

Lesson 3 • Receiving and Acting on Feedback

Develops a growth mindset toward critical input and teaches response strategies. Reduces defensiveness and accelerates professional development.

Lesson 4 • Empathy and Emotional Intelligence

Applies emotional intelligence competencies to workplace dialogue. Builds capacity to recognise and respond to others' emotional states.

Lesson 1 • Audience Engagement Techniques

Teaches polling, storytelling, and interactive elements to sustain attention. Shifts presentations from monologue to dialogue.

Lesson 2 • Virtual and Hybrid Presentations

Adapts delivery skills to video-conferencing and hybrid formats. Addresses camera presence, technical setup, and remote audience engagement.

Lesson 3 • Rehearsal and Performance Preparation

Structures practice sessions to build fluency and reduce anxiety. Connects deliberate rehearsal to confident, natural delivery.

Lesson 4 • Visual Aid Design Principles

Applies contrast, alignment, repetition, and proximity to slide design. Prevents cognitive overload and reinforces spoken content visually.

Lesson 1 • Negotiation Communication Tactics

Covers interest-based negotiation language, anchoring, and concession framing. Builds verbal strategies for reaching mutually beneficial outcomes.

Lesson 2 • Stakeholder Mapping and Messaging

Teaches how to identify stakeholder priorities and tailor messages accordingly. Connects audience analysis to strategic communication planning.

Lesson 3 • Crisis and Change Communication

Provides frameworks for communicating during uncertainty, disruption, and organisational change. Maintains trust when stakes are highest.

Lesson 4 • Principles of Persuasion

Applies Cialdini's influence principles and Aristotle's rhetorical appeals to professional contexts. Builds ethical persuasion capability.