Communication Workshops

Presented by the Department of Communication and Rhetorical Studies in Cooperation with University College

Each workshop contains approximately four hours of material and is designed to be conducted at your workplace or off site, in a format that is convenient for you and your attendees.

Prior to each workshop, an assessment of those attending will be conducted. Based on assessment results, the workshop will be tailored to meet the needs of participants, thus maximizing its relevance for your employees and meeting your needs.

The Department of Communication and Rhetorical Studies is also willing to work with you on customizations to meet your workforce needs. These may include additional workshops, on-site research studies, business consultations, and design of on-site internship programs.

For more information, call us at 315-443-4173.

Effective communication is a fundamental skill with a powerful effect on employee productivity. Many employers frankly acknowledge that improved employee communication skills could significantly improve workplace effectiveness.

To assist employers, faculty from the Communication and Rhetorical Studies Department at Syracuse University have developed workshops on the following topics:

Effective Presentational Skills
Public speaking is the number one fear among individuals in America, but most managerial positions require it. This module focuses on giving effective presentations. Participants will learn how to overcome anxiety, organize and clarify information, and develop effective delivery. The module involves both conceptual discussions and actual practice.

Leading Small Groups
Working with groups of people is about more than just holding meetings. At the heart of this module is the idea that groups work best when designed to achieve the task at hand. The module deals with “Group Process Designs”—designing group processes to achieve particular ends. Participants will learn to improve group effectiveness, encourage creativity, foster information sharing, and promote critical thinking.

Communicating Gender and Diversity
Many interactions in today’s diverse workplace involve intercultural communication. This module explores communication difficulties arising from cultural differences and outlines ways they can be collaboratively and cooperatively circumvented. The module considers “culture” broadly, to include not only national origin but also regional, racial/ethnic, and gendered differences in communicative style. Participants will learn how different ways of speaking and structuring information and different cultural assumptions can lead to communication breakdowns. They will also learn how to productively manage misunderstandings when they do occur.

Leadership Communication
Effective leadership requires effective and appropriate communication that allows personal, team, group, and organizational goals to be met. Appropriate communication between leaders and stakeholders maintains or enhances working relationships within the team, group, or organization. Participants will learn how to manage communication and organizational change through communicating vision, managing conflict and negotiation, networking face-to-face and cybernetically (including types, designs, and assessments), encouraging innovation and creativity, building relationships, and communicating in diverse teams, groups, and organizations.

Conflict Management and Negotiation
Leading and managing often involves conflict, which can be productive or nonproductive. The difference between the two often results from differences in communication management and the practice of conflict. Participants will learn approaches to communicating conflict; how to manage conflicts in work groups, organizations, and work / life; how to manage conflict for community building; and approaches and strategies in negotiating.

Featured Presenters

Cynthia Gordon, Ph.D., is assistant professor of Communication and Rhetorical Studies at Syracuse University. Her expertise is in communication and relationships, as well as in intercultural communication.

Lynn Greenky, M.A., J.D. is an assistant professor. She teaches presentational speaking, public advocacy, organization and legal communication.  She brings experience from the legal and advocacy professions.

Diane Grimes, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Communication and Rhetorical Studies.  She teaches and publishes in the areas of organizational diversity and whiteness, race and gender in communication.

Kenneth M. Johnson, Ph.D., is assistant professor of Communication and Rhetorical Studies at Syracuse University. He has published articles on interpersonal and organizational communication and is currently researching communication practices in organizational life.

Erin Rand, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Communication and Rhetorical Studies.  She teaches and publishes in the area of queer theory and feminism, social movements and activism.

Greg Victory, M.S., teaches interviewing, presentational speaking and public advocacy.  He holds a certificate in conflict resolution from PARCC (Program for the Advancement of Research on Conflict and Collaboration) at Syracuse University..