Communication is More Than Words

Register for this four-week online course.

Tuesday, November 8 – Monday, December 5, 2022.

Are you afraid to speak up because your idea may get shot down? Do people misunderstand what’s being said? Are you struggling with conflict in your work? Mastering the art of communication involves choosing words, understanding preferences, and learning to interpret body language, tone and gesture as well as listening actively and without bias or judgment. Fortunately these are all skills that can be learned and practiced.

In this workshop you will learn:

• Various forms of communication
• Methods of great communicators
• Identification of communication preferences to improve your chances of being heard
• Non-verbal cues to create rapport
• Techniques to use when listening becomes a challenge
• Strategies to stay present and listen actively
• Words to avoid, such as “always” and “never”
• Tools to engage in constructive conflict
• Ideas to communicate effectively to higher ups

As a result of this course you will have a broader understanding of how we communicate in various situations, an awareness of the challenges involved in communicating effectively, and several tools to improve conversations with customers and co-workers.

Course Description: Readings, discussions, online meetings, and assignments will provide learners with the tools, resources, and skills to practice better communication. Throughout the course you will also have the opportunity to reflect, share with other students, and communicate with the instructor one-on-one.

Course Outline: Using an Internet connection and web browser, you will log in to the Infopeople online learning site and complete the following learning modules:

Week 1: What Is Communication and Why We Do It

• What is communication
• Non-verbal communication
• Why we communicate

Week 2: What Does It Take to Be a Great Communicator?

• Self-awareness
• Habits of great communicators
• Communication with customers
• Communicating accurately

Week 3: Avoiding and Resolving Conflict

• Things that complicate communication
• Causes of conflict in communication
• Handling conflict
• Conflict with customers
• Conflict with co-workers
• Resolving conflict

Week 4: Choosing Your Communication Path

• Good written communication
• Communication styles and preferences
• Choosing appropriate modes of communication
• Communicating with supervisors and managers

Instructor: Sharon Morris

See full course information here.

CALL SPONSORED: CALL is offering a limited number of free seats to California library staff in this Infopeople course. Please use the link above to register for one of these no-cost seats. In order to gain the most impact from learning events sponsored by the CALL grant we ask that all participants engage fully (attend, participate, discuss and share). If you are unable or not willing to agree to this, please be kind and leave a seat or place for someone else.