Conversations and negotiations, memos and emails, speeches and press releases, reports and roundtables – communication is everything. So immersed are we in words that we tend to take their use for granted. Rarely do we invest in strengthening and honing this critical skill set. But we should.
Because good communication skills can mean the difference between a great idea sitting in a drawer and transforming the world, between mutual mistrust and understanding, between war and peace.
As an author, journalist, speechwriter, public speaker and linguist, Nicola understands the elements of impactful communication, including the importance of the audience we are addressing, the language we choose and the stories we tell.
As an educator with almost two decades of experience, she also knows how to best share her expertise with others, drawing on a pedagogy that is always:
Relevant
We are most engaged when we care.
Meaningful content, highly tailored to the needs and interests of participants, incorporating authentic materials and context-appropriate scenarios.
Transformative
We remember most when learning is deep.
Not just filling knowledge banks, but shaping mindsets and sharpening skills through personal reflection on experiences, critical analysis of existing materials and practical experimentation.
HANDS ON
We learn most when we do.
Learning through action to deepen understanding, increase memorability and build confidence in implementation.
Nicola offers highly tailored and engaging training courses, both online and in-person, in a number of communication disciplines.
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For most of us, the last appraisal we received of our writing skills happened at high school or university. We are rarely prepared for effective writing in our professional lives, a skill that actually often requires us to unlearn many of our academic habits.
This training takes us through the stages of planning, outlining, drafting and reviewing to produce a text that is clear, logical, concise, engaging and beautifully presented.
(More specialised workshops tackling report writing, journalistic writing, academic writing, environmental communication and publishing can also be arranged by request)
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The spoken word is extremely powerful – if it is wielded effectively. The art of speechwriting is a very specific skill, yet most involved in the process have never had any formal training.
So how do we start writing for the ear, not the eye? In this course we explore the differences between written and spoken language, ways of making your message memorable, and how to manage audience attention spans (which are almost always shorter than you’d hope).
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Nervous about delivering that speech or presentation? You are not alone. A fear of public speaking is our most commonly held phobia, ahead of the fear of death. Yet those who do it well can look forward to increased opportunities and higher paycheques.
In addition to nerves, we’ll learn to master the three major channels of communication: verbal (choosing your words well), vocal (projection, pace and intonation) and visual (body language and visual aids) – so your words land with impact.
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A panel or roundtable can provide a fantastic opportunity to bring a diversity of perspectives and expertise to a single enriching conversation. But what if one voice starts to drown out the others? Or an unexpected question from the audience leaves a participant floundering?
If we want to conduct a symphony, and not drown in a cacophony, we need to know how to keep our backbones firm but the conversation fluid. We need to do our research and we need to keep the audience onside as well as our participants. In this workshop we’ll learn how to do just that.
CLIENTS
make an
impression
Want to know more about Nicola’s tailored trainings?
Book a free consultation.