Communicating Up

Communicating Up helps managers build a more effective process for communicating and collaborating within the organizational hierarchy. The ability of first-line managers to effectively communicate up the line affects team member retention, overall productivity and even profitability. The manager must properly represent the team’s efforts and challenges so that issues and problems can be addressed before it’s too late for corrective action. This workshop teaches managers how to gain mutual agreement on what needs to be done, why it’s important, and when it will be accomplished.

In this 4-5 hour workshop participants will review video presentations and case studies, participate in group discussions, practice new skills, and receive immediate feedback. Managers leave with implementations tools, troubleshooting guides and additional resources to help them apply the skills they have learned on the job.

Participants will be able to:

  • Identify their manager’s communication style.
  • Effectively communicate a team’s accomplishments.
  • Understand the importance of framing all communication with their manager in terms of his/her self-interest.
  • Enter meetings with their manager armed with a well thought-out and clearly stated objective.
  • Clearly link their objective with facts that support their plans and goals.
  • Work with their manager to uncover any questions or reservations he/she may have concerning their message.
  • Move conversations toward agreement with questions that focus on benefits to be gained when the objective is reached.
  • Clearly and concisely restate the decision that results and insure that those decisions are mutually understood.