Cross-Functional Communication: Strategies for Workplace Effectiveness August 17, 2009

Improve your business communication to increase your interpersonal skills…and your impact on the bottom line!

Business communication with colleagues in different departments is no longer just a matter of having good working relationships...it is a business imperative. With a focus on behavioral skills and promoting cooperation in the workplace, this highly interactive business communication seminar shows you how to develop “win-win” cross-functional relationships that lead to organizational effectiveness.
How You Will Benefit

* Increase the positive impact your behavior can have on relationships with those in other functions
* Use diagnostic tools and evaluate the implications of your behavioral strengths and weaknesses for business communication
* Deliver better customer service through improved interdepartmental cooperation and business communication
* Understand the importance of viewing challenges from the other team's perspective
* Develop a customized action plan to improve cross-functional business communication in your workplace

What You Will Cover

* Business communication across functions, including virtual communication
* Establishing joint goals across functions
* Identifying causes of conflict and learning to resolve it
* Developing business communication skills that will help foster collaborative relationships
* Influencing those in other functions and practicing “good” organizational politics
* Understanding different work styles and how to identify compatibilities and potential conflicts
* Keeping up an accelerated pace by focusing on building networks across functions

Who Should Attend

Anyone who needs to improve business communication skills to better relate to other individuals and departments and more successfully accomplish his or her job.
Extended Training Description

Learning Objectives

* Recognize Value-Added Activities of an Organization’s Various Functions
* Use Factors of Cross-Functional Communication to Improve Work Interactions
* Build Influence and Collaboration Skills for Cross-Functional Communication
* Develop and Present Mutual Benefits to Members of Other Departments
* Handle Politics and Networking Across Functions
* Use Strengths and Minimize Excesses of Personal Communication Style
* Exchange Information Effectively
* Employ Virtual Communication Productively
* Resolve Cross-Functional Conflict
* Develop an Action Plan for Cross-Functional Communication

Communicating Across Functions

* Explain the Importance of Cross-Functional Communication
* Recognize Value-Added Activities of an Organization’s Various Functions
* Identify Problems Affecting Cross-Functional Communication

Cross-Functional Factors

* Explain the Four Factors That Impact Cross-Functional Communication
* Describe How These Factors Might Affect Your Work Group’s Cross-Functional Communication
* Suggest Ways to Improve Your Work Group’s Cross-Functional Communication

Personal Communication Styles

* Identify Strengths and Excesses of Different Personal Styles of Communication
* Describe How to Exchange Information Effectively
* Explain How to Use Virtual Communication Effectively

Influence and Collaboration

* Explain How to Build Credibility in Cross-Functional Communication
* Develop Mutual Benefits for Presentation to Another Work Unit Member
* Identify Obstacles to Collaboration and How to Overcome Them

Politics and Networking

* Explain the Characteristics of Good and Bad Organizational Politics
* Describe the Four Styles of Organizational Politics
* Describe Four Types of Network Contacts and How to Approach Them
* Discuss the Use of Tactics to Improve Networking

Cross-Functional Conflict

* Describe the Three Types of Conflict and How They Lead to Disagreement
* Explain Five Positions People Often Take in Conflict Situations
* Discuss the Five Steps to Conflict Resolution

Planning Cross-Functional Communication

* Explain the Characteristics of Good Action Plans
* Develop an Action Plan for Cross-Functional Communication

Official Website: http://www.focustraco.com/index.php/tm-training-schedule/details/223-110143