Communicating without Authority

Anyone with limited authority who seeks to enhance their communication effectiveness. Business, technical and support professionals, team leads, coordinators, supervisors and junior to mid-level managers in particular will benefit from attending.

• Develop a more constructive mindset and behaviours when you are working from a position of limited authority
• Become more efficient and effective when planning and delivering your message upwards, laterally or downwards
• Acquire a new toolkit of skills for informing and persuading others assertively and diplomatically
• Explore internal and external communication obstacles and apply methods to overcome them 
• Engage others quickly and with maximum impact
• Acquire buy-in and support from individuals and groups at all levels
• Enhance your power, credibility and confidence when addressing others, despite your lack of authority

Module 1: Communicating Upwards with Confidence

• Identifying your self-defeating obstacles when communicating upwards 
• Engaging people with more authority to give you their respect and commitment
• Crafting messages with impact when communicating upwards 
• Practicing a real-life conversation and creating an action plan for communicating upwards more effectively

Module 2: Communicating Laterally with Assertiveness and Tact 

• Key challenges when communicating to those with equal authority
• Strategies for becoming more assertive when communicating laterally
• Crafting and delivering messages about requirements, policies and procedures with optimal clarity
• Communicating more diplomatically while remaining authentic
• Practice: planning, creating, editing and delivering messages that balance assertiveness with tact  

Module 3:  Communicating Clearly to Inform 

• What is and is not relevant when informing others—guidelines for informing with impact 
• The WSN Technique for communicating to inform when one has limited or no authority over others
• Crafting and delivering messages with clarity and impact
• Practicing a real-life conversation to inform

Module 4: Communicating Persuasively to Influence 

• Essential components of an effective message to persuade when you do not have authority

• Giving your message persuasion appeal with the ROBA technique 

• Using ROBA to craft and deliver a persuasive message in a real-life conversation 

• Creating an action plan for communicating more persuasively for buy-in, commitment and action from others

Special features

You will engage in exercises to hone the skills you are learning, and receive constructive feedback from your facilitator and peers. You will also get self-assessments, checklists and templates for communicating without authority.

For financial assistance opportunities, please refer to Financial Assistance, Scholarships and Team Rates .