Effective Communication 1:1
First intensive session to communicate with clarity, impact, and authentic connection
🎯 Main Goal
Help the client identify their communication style, clarify a real communication challenge, and leave with practical tools (key message, structure, and techniques) they can apply in an important conversation this week.
Specific Objectives:
- Self-awareness: Identify strengths and blind spots in current communication.
- Clarity: Structure messages with purpose, audience, and desired outcome.
- Connection: Develop active listening, empathy, and audience adaptation.
- Impact: Use storytelling, body language, and strategic pauses.
- Confidence: Manage nerves, objections, and difficult conversations.
- Action: Prepare a script for a specific conversation with success metrics.
📋 Required Materials
Purpose, audience, context, and outcome
Direct, analytical, expressive, amiable
Point, Reason, Example, Point
Timed exercises
Client’s real situation
Difficult feedback, presentation, conflict
⏰ Detailed Schedule (60 minutes)
Check-in and Context
Align expectations, real situation, and session objectives. Identify the communication type (presentation, feedback, conflict, leadership).
Communication Diagnosis
Assess clarity, listening, adaptability, and confidence. Identify 1–2 key skills to develop.
Communication Fundamentals
Practical review: purpose vs. content, audience adaptation, PREP structure, body language. Example applied to the client’s case.
Message Design
Define purpose, audience, context, and desired outcome. Structure the key message with PREP and supporting points.
Practice Round 1: Core Message
Practice opening, key message, and close. Coach as audience. Feedback using GROW + nonverbal observation.
Practice Round 2: Handling Reactions
Practice active listening, handling objections/difficult questions, and real-time adaptation.
Debrief and Action Plan
Finalize script, specific techniques, and success metrics for this week’s real conversation.
🎭 Roles and Responsibilities
👨💼 Coach’s Role
- Mirror: Reflect communication patterns and nonverbal cues.
- Facilitator: Create a safe space to practice and experiment.
- Architect: Structure clear and persuasive messages.
- Audience: Simulate different types of interlocutors.
- Trainer: Develop specific techniques and confidence.
🎯 Client’s Role
- Explorer: Share real challenges and specific context.
- Practitioner: Try different approaches and techniques.
- Observer: Record own reactions and the interlocutor’s.
- Designer: Adapt message by audience and purpose.
- Committed: Apply learnings in a real situation.
❓ Question Bank by Round
🔥 Warm-up (Pick 1)
- “What important conversation do you have pending and what’s holding you back?”
- “In which situations do you feel your message doesn’t land as intended?”
- “What would make this session a total success for you?”
- “What’s your greatest strength communicating and your biggest challenge?”
🧠 Diagnosis/Design (Pick 2–3)
- “What specific outcome are you aiming for with this conversation?”
- “What does your audience need to hear to be receptive?”
- “What objections or resistance do you anticipate and how would you address them?”
- “Which communication style works best with this person/group?”
- “What evidence or examples would make your message more credible?”
🗣️ Structure and Clarity (Pick 2)
- “If you had 30 seconds, what would be your essential message?”
- “How would you connect your proposal to what your audience cares about?”
- “What story or example would best illustrate your point?”
- “How will you know if your message is being understood?”
⚖️ Handling Reactions (Pick 2)
- “How would you respond if they say ‘I disagree’?”
- “What would you do if you notice they’re disengaged or distracted?”
- “How would you handle a strong emotional reaction?”
- “What questions would you ask to better understand their perspective?”
🚀 Closing and Action (Pick 2)
- “How would you summarize the key points and next steps?”
- “What specific commitment would you seek at the end?”
- “How would you follow up on this conversation?”
- “What indicators would tell you the conversation was successful?”
🎭 Coaching Modes for the Coach
🤝 Empathic (Warm-up)
Behavior: Deep listening, normalize nerves, validate challenges.
Body language: Open, eye contact, nods.
Goal: Trust and openness.
🔍 Analytical (Design)
Behavior: Break down message, assess audience, logical structure.
Body language: Precise, schematic, takes notes.
Goal: Clarity and structure.
👔 Directive–Practical (Practice)
Behavior: Set pace, simulate real audience, ask for concreteness.
Body language: Attentive, reactive, authentic.
Goal: Fluency and natural delivery.
🔥 Challenger (Closing)
Behavior: Raise the bar, anticipate difficult scenarios.
Body language: Firm, respectful, challenging.
Goal: Robust preparation and commitment.
📊 Feedback and Progress Framework
🎯 GROW + Nonverbal Observation (2–3 min per block)
Use after each practice to refine message, presence, and impact.
1. Goal (15–30 sec)
“What was your specific goal in this part (connect / persuade / clarify)?”
2. Reality + Observation (45–60 sec)
“Your message was clear, but I noticed you spoke faster at the key point. Your posture closed a bit. What did you feel in that moment?”
3. Options (45 sec)
“What alternatives do you see? (pause before the key point, eye contact, reframe, use an example)”
4. Will/Way Forward (45 sec)
“What will you do differently, when, and how will you practice before the real conversation?”
✨ Indicators to Observe
- Clarity: Structured message, highlighted key points.
- Connection: Eye contact, active listening, adaptation.
- Confidence: Open posture, steady voice, intentional pauses.
- Impact: Uses examples, stories, emotional language.
- Flexibility: Adapts to reactions, reframes when needed.
- Closing: Summarizes, confirms understanding, sets clear next steps.
📝 Scripts and Key Phrases
🎬 Opening
“I want to make sure this conversation is valuable for both of us. My goal is [clear purpose]. What perspective or information would be helpful for me to understand first?”
🔎 PREP Structure
“My point is [key message]. The reason is [evidence/logic]. For example, [story/specific case]. That’s why I believe [restate main point].”
🎯 Audience Connection
“I know [audience value/priority] is important to you. What I’m proposing aligns with that because [specific connection].”
🧱 Handling Objections
“I understand your point about [objection]. That’s a valid consideration. From my perspective [alternative/nuance]. How does this way of looking at it land with you?”
🎯 Action-focused Closing
“To summarize, we’ve agreed on [key points]. The next steps would be [specific actions]. Is there anything else we should clarify before moving forward?”
🔄 Understanding Check
“I want to make sure I’m being clear. How do you understand what I just shared?” / “What questions do you have so far?”
⚠️ Warning Signs and Adjustments
🚨 Disconnection Signs
- Body language: Crossed arms, wandering gaze, closed posture
- Verbal: Short answers, “yes, but…”, topic switching
- Adjustment: Pause, ask, reconnect with their interests
🚨 Confusion Signs
- Expression: Frown, tilted head, prolonged silence
- Verbal: “I’m not sure I understand”, basic questions
- Adjustment: Simplify, use analogies, check understanding
✅ Connection Signs
- Engagement: Relevant questions, nodding, open posture
- Verbal: “That makes sense”, “What if…?”, builds on your ideas
- Action: Go deeper, explore implications, move to close