Particularly suited for staff who inter-face directly with the public. Our training in this area uses professional role-players to allow participants to exercise their skills in a secure and supportive environment.

The workshop's aim would often beto improve interaction between colleagues and stake-holders, and to offer a first-class service to customers. Its objectives may also be to raise self-awareness; to share best practice across a multi-disciplined group and to explore effective techniques for questioning, listening, expressing empathy and agreeing a plan of action.

Participants might be asked to re-visit a moment when they encountered a difficult communication barrier at work. The group offers advice and recommends strategies in order to alter the situation and achieve a better outcome. Professional actors use their skills to recreate the moment and guide the participant with appropriate levels of realism, challenge and reward. The participant is able to stop the interaction at any time to seek advice from the group.

The learning can be enhanced with the use of video - allowing both the group and participant to reflect on what has gone well and what could be improved upon.

Positive examples are examined. Techniques such as using open questions, active listening, clarifying, summarising and use of silence are discussed in detail. Positive examples from within the organisation are also looked at. Ideas are captured on flip charts and the participants can take home their personal DVD.