Communication and Feedback Skills Training Course

Duration 5 days 10 modules · 33 contact hours
Level Intermediate Certificate on completion
Who attends Line Managers, Team Leaders and others
Fee from USD 1,100 KSh 95,000 for Kenyan organisations
Where 52 cities + online See dates by city
Next start 16 Nov 2026 Course code SD-CS-200

Before you join: Participants should have regular workplace communication responsibilities, such as contributing to meetings, writing emails or reports, coordinating colleagues, giving updates, or discussing work quality.

Dates & prices

Two start dates a month in every city, and live online on weekdays or weekends. Fees are per participant; classroom fees include tuition, materials, lunch and refreshments, and the certificate.

Suggest a date or city

Showing the next six months. Later dates, other cities and private deliveries for your team are available on request.

Course overview

Communication failures often appear as misunderstood requests, delayed decisions, tense meetings and feedback that changes nothing. Managers may believe they have been clear, while colleagues receive incomplete context, vague ownership or conflicting signals. Feedback can become overly cautious, personal or focused on past mistakes, leaving performance problems unresolved. These gaps carry operational costs: rework, avoidable escalation, weak cross-functional coordination and damaged working relationships. The professional opportunity is to communicate decisions and expectations precisely while addressing behaviour early enough to improve results.

This course builds practical communication and feedback skills for conversations, meetings, written messages and performance discussions. Participants analyse audiences, select appropriate channels, listen for facts and concerns, ask purposeful questions and structure messages using the Pyramid Principle and BLUF. They learn to deliver specific feedback using the SBI and DESC frameworks, receive difficult feedback without becoming defensive, and handle disagreement through principled negotiation, de-escalation and clear action agreements. Attention is given to tone, nonverbal signals, virtual communication and culturally aware communication choices.

Teaching combines concise instructor briefings with realistic case work, group analysis, communication simulations and structured reflection. Cases reflect familiar workplace situations such as correcting an inaccurate report, addressing missed commitments, gaining agreement on a contested recommendation and responding to feedback from a manager. Participants leave with reusable conversation-planning materials, feedback templates and a 30-day application plan for priority workplace interactions.

The course suits professionals who already communicate regularly with colleagues, managers, clients or stakeholders and need greater consistency when messages are sensitive, complex or contested. It is particularly relevant where effective coordination, clear accountability and constructive performance conversations are essential.

What you will be able to do

  • Diagnose communication barriers using the communication cycle and stakeholder analysis
  • Apply active listening, paraphrasing and questioning techniques during workplace conversations
  • Structure clear recommendations using the Pyramid Principle, BLUF and plain-language techniques
  • Adapt verbal, nonverbal, written and virtual communication to audience needs
  • Deliver behaviour-based feedback using the SBI and DESC frameworks
  • Receive challenging feedback through clarification, emotional regulation and evidence testing
  • Handle difficult conversations using principled negotiation and de-escalation techniques
  • Create a 30-day communication and feedback application plan

Benefits of attending

For you

  • Greater confidence preparing for high-stakes conversations
  • Clearer written requests, recommendations and meeting contributions
  • A repeatable method for giving corrective feedback respectfully
  • Better control of defensive reactions when receiving criticism
  • Stronger credibility through concise, audience-focused communication

For your organisation

  • Fewer errors caused by vague instructions and unclear ownership
  • Earlier resolution of performance and relationship issues
  • More productive meetings with documented decisions and commitments
  • Improved manager consistency in feedback and follow-up conversations
  • Stronger coordination between technical, operational and client-facing teams

Course modules

10 modules over 5 days

Participants can diagnose communication breakdowns and select approaches appropriate to the audience and purpose.

  • Communication cycle: sender, message, channel, receiver, feedback and noise
  • Distinguishing intent, impact and interpretation before responding to ambiguous messages
  • Audience analysis using stakeholder needs, authority, context and communication preferences
  • Selecting synchronous or asynchronous channels by urgency, complexity and record requirements
  • Johari Window applied to disclosure, feedback and relationship awareness
  • Checking shared meaning through paraphrase, summarising and confirmation questions

Participants can listen actively, identify underlying concerns and use questions to clarify meaning.

  • Attending behaviours: posture, eye contact, silence and minimal encouragers
  • Open, closed, probing and reflective questions matched to conversation goals
  • Paraphrasing content and reflecting emotion without agreement or premature solutions
  • Listening for facts, assumptions, interests and unspoken concerns
  • Ladder of Inference used to separate observations from conclusions
  • Summaries that test understanding, decisions and ownership

Participants can structure messages that state the required decision, action and supporting rationale.

  • Pyramid Principle structures recommendations around a governing thought and evidence
  • BLUF messages place decisions, requests and deadlines at the beginning
  • Plain-language techniques remove jargon, qualifiers, ambiguity and unnecessary detail
  • Crafting assertive requests using facts, needs, options and consequences
  • DESC framework addresses behaviour, effects, desired change and agreed consequences
  • Editing email and briefing messages for action, accountability and readability

Participants can align spoken, nonverbal and digital communication with the intended message.

  • Nonverbal congruence between words, tone, pace, facial expression and posture
  • Vocal techniques control pace, pause, emphasis and volume under pressure
  • Reading observable cues without claiming certainty about another person's intent
  • Email subject lines, structure and response expectations reduce message friction
  • Video-meeting protocols establish participation, turn-taking, chat use and decision records
  • Adapting communication style across cultural preferences without stereotyping individuals

Participants can prepare feedback that is specific, fair, timely and focused on improvement.

  • Feedback purpose distinguishes reinforcement, redirection, development and performance management
  • SBI model describes Situation, Behaviour and Impact with observable evidence
  • Balancing reinforcing and corrective feedback without the feedback sandwich
  • Specific examples separate observed behaviour from judgement, motive and personality
  • Timeliness, privacy and consent considered before initiating a feedback conversation
  • Feedforward questions focus discussion on future choices and support needed

Participants can deliver feedback conversations that result in clear, documented improvement actions.

  • Preparing feedback with intended outcome, evidence, setting and likely reactions
  • Opening conversations with purpose, respect and permission to discuss observations
  • SBI statements delivered concisely, then paused for the recipient's perspective
  • Impact questions test understanding before moving toward options and commitments
  • Joint action agreements specify behaviour, support, measures and review dates
  • Documenting performance feedback factually while preserving confidentiality and fairness

Participants can respond to feedback constructively and convert useful input into development actions.

  • Receiving feedback with curiosity rather than defence, explanation or counterattack
  • Clarifying examples, standards and expectations through disciplined follow-up questions
  • Separating useful data from delivery style, bias and unsupported judgement
  • Regulating emotional responses using pause, naming and response choices
  • Testing feedback patterns against evidence from work outputs and stakeholders
  • Personal development commitments translated into observable behaviour and review points

Participants can address disagreement, emotional reactions and contested issues while maintaining professional relationships.

  • Conflict styles assessed through the Thomas-Kilmann conflict mode instrument
  • Interests separated from positions using principled negotiation techniques
  • Emotionally charged language reframed into facts, needs and requests
  • De-escalation uses acknowledgement, calm tone, boundaries and structured pauses
  • Crucial conversations prepared around mutual purpose, safety and candour
  • Escalation decisions distinguish coaching issues from formal grievance procedures

Participants can tailor messages, gain commitment and record decisions in stakeholder discussions.

  • Stakeholder messages tailored by influence, interest, decision rights and concerns
  • Framing recommendations around audience priorities, risks, evidence and requested action
  • Advocacy-inquiry balances a clear view with genuine investigation of alternatives
  • Meeting agendas define purpose, participants, decisions, timing and preparation
  • Facilitation techniques surface quieter contributions and manage dominant voices
  • Decision records capture commitments, owners, deadlines and unresolved issues

Participants can plan targeted communication and feedback improvements for immediate workplace use.

  • Communication self-assessment identifies recurring strengths, gaps and high-risk situations
  • Real-work conversation map defines objective, audience, evidence and desired outcome
  • Feedback habit plan schedules observation, preparation, delivery and follow-up
  • Personal triggers linked to pause strategies, reframing prompts and support
  • Peer accountability arrangements establish practice dates, measures and review questions
  • Thirty-day application plan prioritises two behaviours and observable success indicators

Exercises and examples are adapted to each cohort's sectors and roles.

What you take back to work

  1. Stakeholder communication analysis template
  2. Pyramid Principle message-planning model
  3. SBI and DESC feedback conversation template
  4. Difficult conversation preparation checklist
  5. Meeting decision-record template
  6. 30-day communication application plan

Who should attend

  • Line Managers — need to set expectations and address performance issues clearly
  • Team Leaders — need to coordinate work and strengthen accountability within teams
  • Project Managers — need to align stakeholders, resolve misunderstandings and secure decisions
  • HR Professionals — need to support fair, constructive employee conversations
  • Client-Facing Professionals — need to build trust and handle sensitive service discussions
  • Technical Specialists — need to explain recommendations clearly to non-specialist decision-makers

Skills and tools covered

Active listeningStructured messagingConstructive feedbackDifficult conversationsStakeholder communicationConflict resolution

Tools and standards

SBI Feedback Model, DESC Framework, Ladder of Inference, Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument

How the course runs

Training methodology

The course uses short instructor briefings to introduce communication models, followed by case analysis, group discussion, simulations and individual planning. Participants work with realistic scenarios involving unclear requests, missed commitments, poor-quality work, stakeholder disagreement and difficult feedback. Facilitated observation focuses on message structure, listening behaviour, tone, evidence and agreed next actions. Trainers provide targeted feedback against named frameworks, while participants adapt templates and conversation plans to situations they expect to handle after the course.

Requirements and prerequisites

Participants should have regular workplace communication responsibilities, such as contributing to meetings, writing emails or reports, coordinating colleagues, giving updates, or discussing work quality. They should be prepared to reflect on real communication situations and receive peer input during simulations. No formal qualification in communication, psychology or management is required. The course does not assume prior knowledge of feedback models, conflict-resolution theory or presentation techniques. It is designed for professionals with some workplace experience rather than people seeking an introductory orientation to office communication.

A typical training day

08:30 – 10:30First session
10:30 – 10:45Refreshment break
10:45 – 12:30Second session
12:30 – 13:30Lunch and networking
13:30 – 15:00Third session
15:00 – 15:15Refreshment break
15:15 – 16:30Workshop and daily review

Live online deliveries follow the same structure in East Africa Time, with shorter screen blocks and longer breaks.

What the fee includes

  • Instruction by a practitioner facilitator
  • Full course workbook and materials
  • Exercise files, templates and case studies
  • Refreshments and lunch on classroom deliveries
  • Certificate of completion
  • Post-course application plan

Frequently asked questions

You should have experience communicating with colleagues, managers, clients or stakeholders in a professional setting. No prior training in communication models, feedback frameworks or conflict resolution is required.

Bring examples of communication situations you want to improve, such as a recurring meeting issue, a difficult feedback conversation or a written message that needs greater clarity. Do not bring confidential documents or personal employee records.

The course is designed for managers, team leaders, project professionals, HR practitioners, client-facing staff and specialists who need to influence others. It is particularly useful for professionals whose work depends on clear coordination and constructive conversations.

Presentation training concentrates on formal speaking to an audience, while leadership training addresses wider management responsibilities. This course concentrates on everyday workplace communication, feedback, listening, difficult conversations and stakeholder alignment.

Participants use named frameworks to prepare real conversations, write clearer requests, give behaviour-based feedback and record agreed actions. The final application plan identifies two priority behaviours to practise during the following 30 days.

Each training day runs from 08:30 to 16:30 and provides about 6.5 contact hours. Time is divided between instructor input, case analysis, group exercises, communication simulations, feedback and application planning.

Questions about this course?

Ask about dates, fees, group bookings or running it for your team. Our training team replies by email.

Ask on WhatsApp info@skillsetdevelopment.com

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