Straight Talk for Accountability and Results (2-day)

Workshop Overview

Straight Talk teaches direct, assertive communication that creates raised productivity, harmonious work relationships, greater accountability, increased voicing of innovative ideas, and improved results for individuals, teams, and companies.

Managers, professionals and executives have both task-related and people problems that drain their time, energy, results, morale, job satisfaction, and health. For most of us, it’s more often the people problems that keep us up at night, create stress, erode morale, and lower results.

Interpersonal astuteness and skills differentiate great from good or average performers. Recent Gallup research found that only 30% of corporate employees are “fully engaged,” and that most identify the key detractor as their boss. It’s common sense, but not always common practice to improve interpersonal communication, to handle people problems with confidence and competence.

Workshop Deliverables

Pre-work Learning Packet

Online Straight Talk Assessment on pre-post-course skills

Color course workbook with activities, readings, and slides

28 Weekly Application Emails

Reinforcement Job Aids

2 Day Course Learning Goals

  • Ownership and accountability for constructive communication, even in challenging situations.
  • Confidence and empowerment in one-on-one and group communication situations, with behaviors that are assertive rather than passive or aggressive.
  • Less “bailing out” of tough conversations in more relationship-driven company cultures and less abrasiveness in competitive company climates.
  • Consistently assertive speaking, rather than blindly brutal, naïve, or unwise honesty.
  • Stellar active listening skills to raise understanding, convey empathy, and reduce costly listening errors.
  • Efficient smooth sailing conversation formats to:
    1. Gain commitments to results, goals, or ideas
    2. Consult or advise others
    3. Remind about milestones or agreements
  • Powerful rough sailing conversation formats to:
    1. Give tough feedback
    2. Challenge ideas or saying “no”
    3. Forge group commitments and handle resistance
    4. Confront problem behavior/performance
  • Managing defensiveness or resistance, staying calm, defusing reactions, and refocusing conversations.

See a module-by-module course outline.