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Communication Skills

Business Training Media offers a wide selection of communication skills training programs. We also offer Online Communication Skills Training Programs for employee training and development.
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Communication Breakdown - DVD

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2007 Release!

Free Online Preview

Communication is the foundation for everything we do in the workplace. It happens every day, all the time. This program identifies the seven communication breakdowns most likely to undermine organizational success, and gives tips on how to avoid them.

Most employees never receive training in the development of their communication skills. Even more importantly, employees aren't provided with the knowledge and skills to help them avoid the frequent communication problems that arise. The good news is that the most common communication potholes in the road can be easily spotted and avoided.

Illustrated in this program are Seven Common Communication Breakdowns:

  • Believing there is one reality
  • Choosing the wrong method
  • Responding defensively
  • Failing to share information
  • Failing to be direct
  • Breaching confidentiality
  • Failing to listen

Program inlucdes: A 18 minute DVD or VHS, Leader's Guide, PowerPoint Presentation on disc and 10 Employee Handbooks (additional copies sold in packs of 10 for $29.50)

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A World of Difference - Working Successfully Across Cultures - DVD

Produced - 2006

Working internationally is difficult and demands special skills to ensure success. However, highly effective managers and professionals often under perform when working with people from different cultural backgrounds, who do not share the same values and working practices. This challenge is yet more complex in multicultural teams where managers are required to build relationships and achieve business success across a number of different realities, values and perspectives.

A world of difference is for organizations whose business depends on high-quality international relationships, and who need support in making international teamwork effective. The program focuses on a video dramatization of an international team, brought together to launch a new product. It illustrates the complex challenges that individuals and teams face in working internationally. It covers:

  • How conflicting assumptions about communication style, feedback, task and relationship handling if unmanaged can lead to poor results
  • The essential international skills needed to work successfully and manage effective teamwork across cultures
  • Issues of building trust, teamwork, people management and remote communication in a multicultural context.


The benefits
  • Clearly illustrates how business counterparts from other cultures can have differing approaches and attitudes to basic business variables
  • Provides a clear framework for experienced and inexperienced international professionals to understand the challenges and complexities of working in a world of difference
  • Helps to develop the practical skills and attitudes required to work with differences, rather than against them, in the pursuit of an organization's international goals

Program includes: DVD (35 & 42 min version), with English and Italian subtitles, facilitator guide, self-study workbook and trainer's resources CD-ROM

  • A World of Difference - Working Successfully Across Cultures - DVD $870.00 [Add to Cart]
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Talk Isn't Cheap - DVD

Free Online Preview

Poor communication costs money. And it's not just money that's wasted; it's energy, enthusiasm for the job and relationships as well. In this age of empowerment and shared accountability for the bottom line, everyone must take responsibility for communicating clearly.

This video demonstrates four practical, effective techniques for improving communication in the workplace: making yourself clear, adding reinforcement, becoming an active listener, and finding hidden messages. The video also dramatically illustrates how expensive a careless communication error can be. The cumulative cost of these sometimes small, sometimes devastating errors can chisel away at a company's profitability.

Using the skills demonstrated in this video, viewers will communicate more clearly and reduce unnecessary costs in time, morale and money.

Program includes: A 19 minute DVD or VHS(available in English and Spanish), 32 page comprehensive training leader's guide with reproducible worksheets. DVD contains PDF version of leader's guide. (Guide and PowerPoint files available as a download.) DVD is subtitled.

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Tall Ships: Building Effective Teams (Complete Kit)

Raise your team’s effectiveness with Tall Ships, the fast-paced simulation that challenges teams to race against the clock — and others teams — to build the tallest ship mast at the lowest cost. Participants learn about and practice the 7 skills critical to effective team performance: Clarity, Capability, Collaboration, Commitment, Communication, Continuous Improvement, and Creativity.

The Scenario

The Seven Seas Company has selected your company to collaborate with them in an attempt to win a lucrative contract for designing and building a tall ship. But your company must first demonstrate that it can successfully perform the “Seven C’s” upon which The Seven Seas Company is founded. Can your team rise to the challenge to win the deal? How It Works

Three game rounds reveal the team dynamics that impact team effectiveness. In Round 1, teams are asked to assemble the tallest ship mast possible in the least amount of time. Lessons learned from this round are discussed and applied to the Seven C’s model. Round 2 challenges teams to rethink their strategy and build yet a taller mast in the same amount of time, but at the lowest cost. Following a team performance assessment and debrief, teams make one last attempt at the task, assembling the mast according to new specifications and requirements. Finally, an action-planning phase provides teams and team members with an opportunity to improve their performance.

Uses for Tall Ships

Perfect for both newly formed and intact teams, Tall Ships can be used as a stand-alone learning event, integrated into a larger training initiative, or adapted to address such topics as leadership, change management, quality awareness, process improvement, and safety awareness.

What to Order/Product Contents

Each Complete Game includes materials to simultaneously train 3 teams of 5-7 participants. All parts except for the Participant Guides are reusable. Participant Guides Refill 5-Packs are also available for individual purchase.

For larger groups, order one Game Pack for each additional team of 5–7 participants.

The Tall Ships Complete Game includes:

  • 1 Facilitator Guide
  • 3 bags of reusable game parts
  • 3 sets of laminated Game Cards
  • 21 Participant Guides
  • 1 tablet of observer and materials cost worksheets
  • 1 stopwatch
  • 1 tape measure
  • 1 sturdy tote bag

The Tall Ships Extra Game Pack includes:

  • 7 Participant Guides
  • 1 set of reusable parts with tape measure
  • 1 set of 3 game cards
  • 1 mesh bag

Participant Guide features:

  • The “Seven Cs” model and dimensions
  • Team assessment
  • Questions to Consider
  • Planning worksheet
  • Action planning

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Assert Yourself: Learning to Be Assertive - DVD

Produced - 2007

Assertive behavior means saying what we want, need, feel, think or believe in ways which are direct, honest and appropriate, but also respects the rights of those we are addressing - treating ourselves and those we work with as professional adults. It's the balance between passive and aggressive behavior.

Passive behavior has the advantage of avoiding confrontation but fails miserably at getting what you want. While aggressive people often appear to be successful, they rarely win the willing co-operation of their colleagues in the long run.

Being assertive, on the other hand, is much more advantageous. Assertiveness does not conflict with listening and accepting the views of others, such as a colleagues or customers, and is more likely to lead to a satisfactory solution to any problem.

By behaving more assertively your staff can be more positive, more creative and better equipped to get their job done effectively.

This new program looks at:

  • What assertiveness is
  • Passive and aggressive behaviors and their advantages and disadvantages
  • Getting your inner dialogue right
  • Honesty and relevance when communicating
  • Assertive responses to different types of behaviors
  • Assertive requests

The techniques of assertive behavior are shown in the new program in a series of real life situations from in an office, within meetings, to even in a hospital looking both at the wrong way and right way scenarios.

Program Includes: DVD (28 mins), DVD extras (10 mins)

  • Assert Yourself: Learning to Be Assertive - DVD $870.00 [Add to Cart]
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Managing Me - DVD

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Produced - 2007

Free Online Preview

As the leader of any group, problems are inevitable. So…how do you react? Do you lead with your gut…or your head? This is the dilemma that the host of Managing Me grapples with. When problems arise at work, he can choose to react with either impulse or reason. As each situation plays out, the better reaction is clear. Viewers recognize that how you react often has a far greater impact—on morale, on retention, on productivity—than any specific problem ever could. The key to managing other people is learning how to manage you.

Key Learning Points:

  • Don’t attack. Teach.
  • Don’t take sides. Mediate.
  • Don’t blame. Solve.
  • Don’t close doors. Open doors.
  • Don’t argue. Negotiate.
  • Don’t avoid. Confront.

Includes: DVD, 28 page comprehensive training leader’s guide with reproducible worksheets. DVD contains PDF version of leader’s guide and supporting PowerPoint graphics.

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Writing for Business Professionals Online Course (1 Year Access)

This course is designed to give you an understanding of the writing environment and in particular the business writing environment. This course will teach you what to cover in your writing and how to outline to produce a better document. The course will also cover how to get the readers attention as well as how to build professionalism into your business writing skills.

Key Course Topics:

  • Writing Environment
  • What to Cover
  • Mind Mapping
  • Outline Method
  • Grabbing the Reader
  • Be Concise
  • Selling It
  • Highlighting
  • Word Choice
  • Professionalism in Writing
  • Formula
  • Letters
  • Memos
  • E-mail
  • Reports
  • Grammar
  • Proof Reading

Course includes post course exam

1 level - 24 training modules

  • Writing for Business Professionals Online Course (1 Year Access) $119.99 [Add to Cart]
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Yes Lives in the Land of No - DVD

It’s no secret that we live in a world full of negativity. It seems like everywhere we turn, we’re confronted by difficult, negative people, with their shaking heads, thumbs down, brush-offs, closed doors, and put-downs. Negativity surrounds us — in our workplaces, in our communities and places of worship, in government, in social settings, in schools, and even within our families. Dealing with negative individuals is one of the most common problems that people complain about.

But that’s only half the story ... sometimes it’s our own negativity that stands between us and success. Our pessimistic thinking, apathy, and over-cautiousness can be bigger barriers than everyone else’s negativity combined!

Some days we wonder, “Why bother?” Trying to find happiness and success in an endless landscape of negativity is just too hard, it often seems.

Sound familiar? If so, we have good news for you: Help has arrived!

Understanding the sources of negativity — both our own and others’ — is essential for people to work together effectively. This video-based training program is designed to help workshop participants develop skills for their own journeys in the Land of NO — overcoming others’ resistance, roadblocks, and rebuffs.

The video provides simple, how-to instruction that's both practical and entertaining. It will help participants deal with negativity faster, more effectively, and with a lot less discouragement and despair.

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Team Management Training Bundle Online Course (1 Year Access)

Learn all about Teams and Team Management. Join expert instructor as he presents and expounds on the topics of teams through this 4 part series. The Team Management Training Bundle includes all 4 individual training courses for:

  • Enabling Teams
  • Leading Teams
  • Team Participation
  • Managing Team Conflict

4 courses - 4 levels - 152 training modules

Key Course Topics:

  • Team Empowerment
  • Organizational Environment
  • Mistakes that Managers Make
  • Establishing the Team
  • Why Teams Don’t Work
  • Learning Teams
  • Teams Leadership
  • Team Fundamentals
  • Role of the Team Leader
  • Intro To Communication
  • Introduction to Team Meeting Protocol
  • Elements of a Successful Team
  • Team Fundamentals
  • Symptoms of Team Conflict
  • Sources of Conflict
  • Healthy Conflict=Strong Teams

  • Team Management Training Bundle Online Course (1 Year Access) $299.99 [Add to Cart]
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Put it in Writing - DVD

Produced - 1998

Free PreviewAbout the program Everyone can improve their written communication skills. This training pack succeeds in explaining the techniques required to get your point across in writing clearly and persuasively, even if you are not a natural writer. Nisha coaches two of her colleagues: Marcus who is struggling to write a letter and Alan who I trying to write an email.

Nisha explains the importance of uncovering the 'purpose of writing', which is what they hope their written communication will achieve. She encourages them to construct a plan in order to ensure they include everything they wish to say.

She also reveals how to draw a spider diagram, which requires them to order their points to ensure they flow in a logical sequence.

She then reviews Marcus's and Alan's first drafts, explaining how to improve their writing with some fine tuning

The summary section of this video recaps the learning points and offers tips on the importance of:

  • Gathering the relevant information
  • Planning
  • Identifying the 'purpose of writing'
  • Using the active voice
  • Avoiding business jargon
  • Avoiding pomposity
  • Short sentences
  • Short paragraphs
  • Checking and proofing

Program includes: DVD (20 mins), trainer's guide and self-study guide.

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The Art of Active Listening Online Course (1 Year Access)

Why do we like talking to some people more than others? Because they are good listeners. If someone is a good listener we not only like them more, we think they understand us and our business. We all understand the basics of good listening. Good listening, in part, is just being courteous. However, it is requires more than just being quiet and paying attention, although those are aspects of being a good listener. Being a good listener is not a passive activity. It entails taking actions that will encourage the other person to open up and communicate what is really on their mind. Good listening is active listening. That is the topic of our course-- Active Listening.

Key Course Topics:

  • Principles of Active Listening
  • What Makes a Good Listener
  • Why Listening is Important
  • Active Listening on the Phone
  • Telephone Do’s
  • Telephone Don’ts
  • Active Listening for Business
  • Recognize Feelings
  • Course Summary

1 level - 30 training modules

  • The Art of Active Listening Online Course (1 Year Access) $119.99 [Add to Cart]
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Public Speaking: Time to Stand - DVD

Produced - 2000

In this program, Dr. Tina Dupree, president of the Motivational Training Center and founder of the Professional Speakers Network, shares her proven techniques for building confidence as a public speaker. How to turn fear into an asset, master the art of small talk, create a "30-second commercial," assess an audience, choose the right words, organize a speech, improve delivery, and other topics are addressed, along with the ten do’s and don’ts of creating a winning speech. Guest speakers include Arlene Hoffman, of International Sales & Marketing; Bradley Johnson, of Johnson Partners Research; and retired pro football player Roy Foster. (27 minutes)

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Organizational Communications Online Course (1 Year Access)

Communication is the most important determining factor for success in the business world. This course is a must for those wishing to become effective communicators. Content Includes such topics as a verbal and non-verbal communication, persuasion, conflict and anger, and listening.

Key Course Topics:

  • What is Communication?
  • Communication Components
  • Verbal Communication
  • Non Verbal Communication
  • Persuasion
  • Conflict and Anger
  • Listening

1 level - 28 training modules

  • Organizational Communications Online Course (1 Year Access) $129.99 [Add to Cart]
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Working with Aggression - DVD

Free Online Preview

Violence and aggression at work can be emotional as well as physical. This powerful drama, based on the research of specialist consultant Roy Braithwaite, will help people manage aggressive situations at work by seeing how such behaviour is expressed.

It covers the body language and verbal indicators of aggression, diffusion techniques and preparation and ideas for reducing risk and preventing violence. Written materials also provide information and exercises on levels of acceptable behaviour, causes of aggression, anger and its constructive use, assertive communication and body and verbal language from a multi-ethnic perspective.

The benefits

  • Comprehensive, wide-ranging and high-impact resource
  • Note: for realism, video contains language that may be found offensive

Program includes: DVD (39 mins)

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Ouch! That Stereotype Hurts - DVD

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Produced - 2007

Just one person speaking up can inspire others to do the same.

Free Online Preview

What do you do if someone you care about is the target of demeaning stereotypes? What if you are being demeaned or stereotyped? How often do you speak up on behalf of respect? This new program, based on the book by Leslie Aguilar, can be used for training on Diversity & Inclusion, Communication, Teamwork and Leadership.

Why is OUCH! important?

Staying silent in the face of demeaning comments, stereotypes or bias allows these attitudes and behaviors to thrive. This undermines our ability to create an inclusive workplace where all employees are welcomed, treated with respect and able to do their best work. Yet, most employees and leaders who want to speak up don't know how. So, we say nothing.

What Does OUCH! do?

In a unique and powerful way, viewers will experience the impact of stereotypical comments, explore why people don't speak up against stereotypes and other biased behaviors, and learn six techniques for speaking up without blame or guilt.

OUCH! Learning Objectives:

  • Understand the impact of stereotypes and biased statements, even when casually said.
  • Identify the most common reasons people sit silent in the face of bias and stereotypes.
  • Enhance skills for speaking up against stereotypes without blame or guilt.

Program includes: 12 minute DVD or VHS video, Speaking Up Activity 5 min., OUCH! That Stereotype Hurts with vignettes 13 min., CD-ROM with Leader's Guide, Powerpoint presentation, 1 OUCH! book and 10 OUCH! reminder cards