Government Communication Skills for Impact & Influence Toolkit

Emotional Intelligence and Communication Challenges

- Understand the impact of emotions and manage them effectively

- Increase self-awareness to improve interactions and collaboration

- Explore alternative communication styles

Key Strategies

- Utilise body language and tone of voice

- Tailor your message to better meet your audience's needs and rhythms

- Use curiosity to overcome assumptions and bias

- Explore alternative communication styles

Creating a Connection

- Build rapport quickly and authentically

- Explore the benefits of assertiveness and accountability in building trust

- Develop your questioning and listening skills

Making an Impact

- Strategies for managing expectations

- Give and receive feedback effectively

- Demonstrate confident and fluent presentations

- Utilise persuasive techniques

Impact, Influence, and Persuasion

- Understand the distinction between influence and persuasion

- Practical strategies for influential and persuasive writing

- Avoid adverse reader reactions

Influential and Impactful Writing Essentials

- Explore the components of effective written communication

- Understand the effect of voice and tone in creating impact

- Recognise loss of context in written communication

- The role of Emotional Intelligence in written communication

Taking a Reader-Centred Approach

- Understand your target audience

- Articulate your desired goal and purpose, and align this with your readers' needs

- Build trust and demonstrate empathy

Planning, Structure, and Editing

- Develop your understanding of objectives and structure

- Learn classic structures for alternative communication styles

- Enhance formatting to create impact

- Improve editing of content, impact, flow, grammar, and spelling