Engaged? How To Develop Communication Skills and Engagement in Management and Staff

The events sector has been successfully creatingthem - an objective outsider can more easily
platforms for businesses to share its' vision andhighlight and develop constructive language and
plans with audiences for decades now. It is clearcommunication patterns with your workforce for
that audiences are becoming more and moreeveryone's benefit. Over the last 10 years PJ
sophisticated; you cannot just impress them withStevens, of LEAP, has worked with businesses,
creative stages and amazing lighting. If you need ateams and leaders to help them create positive
return on your investment it is essential toand engaging communication strategies, through
engage your audience early, which is not alwaysconference presentations, seminars, development
easy with information packed sessions and limitedworkshops and coaching sessions.
time frames. The more engaged the workforceWith conference presentations, you can reach
is, the greater the impact on their motivation andhundreds of people with the same message with
ultimately the bottom line.potentially huge impact. PJ has 'a great stage
The big question is, to what extent is yourpresence and charisma, which is utterly infectious,
workforce engaged? Workforces that have ayou can't help but get caught up in it' said one
higher percentage of employees who feelsatisfied company sales director. Givenchy were
engaged with the vision and direction of theblown away when he presented at their last
business will outperform those who feelconference, but more importantly 9 months on
disengaged. Standard Chartered Bank, is onethe attendees are still using the Champion
business who are striding ahead in this arena, theyBehaviours from the conference speech. And one
use measures of engagement and have foundtop UK agent says of PJ's training and
that there is a strong correlation betweendevelopment, 'We trust him with our best clients
performance and engagement.in the full knowledge that he will deliver results'.
Some studies show that less than 20% of staff'If businesses are serious about building teams and
are actively engaged at work, with over 40%being more successful a hands on approach will
actively disengaged, that leaves a big percentageget the results you need' note Emma Palfrey,
of the workforce ready and waiting to beDirector of Penguins. She continues, 'Running
activated in the right way, so they are engagedinteractive workshops, including Ice-Breakers,
to use their resources and deliver on theOutstanding Teamwork, Leadership Development
companies objectives.and Winning Relationships will give you the
One of the main issues for poor staffopportunity to explore the teams' areas for
engagement is unskilled and poor managers.development and skill them to take performance
Managers are now said to be 'very weak', norand productivity to the next level.' To measure
just 'weak', in a studies done in the UK andthe improvement in key competencies such as
States, notes John Shenton of HR Evaluate. Weakcommunication, difference management, trust,
and unskilled managers cost businessmotivation and leadership; An Even Better Place
£220bn through misunderstanding, poorto Work website offers fabulous interactive
communication, personality clashes and lack ofmeasurements, activities and development tools.
leadership!If you want to engage with your most valuable
So how do you train your managers to ensureresource - people - and have them fully engaged
that they can engage, inspire and lead theirwith their roles, goals and responsibilities then
teams? How do make sure the communicationengage the services of a professional (external)
skills and strategies they use are effective acrossfacilitator, presenter and trainer and measure the
all levels?positive results for yourself. As with any training,
One way to motivate your staff for the longdevelopment and teambuilding, measurement,
term is to make use of a skilled facilitator andquantifiable results and return on investment is
trainer, who specialises in soft skills, motivationbecoming more and more important. Team
and communication strategies. If team leaders canbuilding for fun is important, team development
use language that really "speaks" to teamthat supports people, performance and
members they are much more likely to engageproductivity is vital!