Clear and Effective Communication Seminar
One Saturday ONLY!
Saturday, January 17, 2015, 8 AM – 12 PM
Location: Ovient, Inc. (Inside Plug and Play) 440 N. Wolfe Rd., Sunnyvale, CA 94085
This 4-hour intensive seminar will give you a 360-degree spoken communication “tune up.” In this seminar, you will learn and practice strategies for speaking clearly and communicating effectively. Each hour, we will focus on one spoken communication strategy.
I. Communicate confidence through better body language. Learn the difference between aggressive and confident body language, identify your body language habits, and learn to control your body language to present a better and more professional first impression.
II. Develop conversational competence. Awkward, curt, overly direct, or overly personal small talk can permanently damage your professional relationships. Learn the dos and don’ts of casual conversation and small talk; learn the phrases and strategies that will help you engage your listener and build better professional relationships; learn to monitor and adjust your S-L Ratio to ensure every conversation flows seamlessly and effectively.
III. Learn to listen effectively. Being a great communicator means being a great listener. Learn to redirect your focus from your next thought to the listener’s words. Practice phrases to help you engage more fully in conversation by confirming and clarifying your comprehension. Learn to improve the passive aspects of communication by engaging in active listening!
IV. Respond effectively to high-pressure situations. A great speaker knows how to stay calm and coherent under pressure. Learn how to control your responses (and nerves) when you are faced with a high-pressure situation, an “out-of-the-blue” question, or a deliberately aggressive speech attack. (Hint: It’s not what you think!) Practice responding to challenging questions with precision, confidence, coherence, and tact.
Bring in your questions! We will dedicate a portion of every hour to answering your specific and individual questions. The seminar will be taught by two instructors, so one instructor will always be available to address your individual questions.
The seminar has a dual emphasis on both strategy and practice. You will be expected to do a lot of impromptu speaking in front of others.
What is included?
- Four-hour seminar
- Handouts and reference materials including tips, tricks, strategies, and concepts
- Q & A time with the instructors
- Free coffee and donuts!
About the Instructors:
Blythe J. Musteric, M.A. TESOL
Co-Founder, CEO, and Executive Coach
Ovient, Inc.
Blythe is an experienced communication consultant, a skilled educator, and an expert in curriculum development for the professional workplace. She has personally logged over 10,000 hours instructing individuals, small groups, and classes on professional communication skills. She has coached nonnative English-speaking executives and senior managers at many of Silicon Valley’s top companies. In addition, Blythe has developed and taught management seminars on working effectively with nonnative speakers. She has developed full courses based on original content in the areas of confident professional communication, presentations, polite communication, pronunciation and accent reduction, grammar, writing, vocabulary development, email and professional writing, and professional networking and small talk. She regularly gives presentations and leads workshops for English teaching professionals at TESOL conferences in California and around the country. Blythe is the author of the book, The Accent Diet: A Daily Program for Improving Your American English Pronunciation.
Marc J. Musteric, M.A. East Asian Languages
Co-Founder, COO, and Executive Coach
Ovient, Inc.
Marc has coached CEOs, CFOs, Senior VPs, and other senior managers at major technology firms throughout Silicon Valley, including Fortune 500 and Global 500 companies. He developed Ovient’s 5-step presentation development framework, co-authored The Accent Diet: A Daily Program for Improving Your American English Pronunciation, and wrote or co-wrote Ovient courses on spoken fluency, spoken communication, email communication, and business communication fundamentals. Marc is an advisor to the Fukuoka Center for Overseas Commerce in America, a Japanese government agency, and regularly reviews presentations from Japanese startups planning to enter the US market. Before co-founding Ovient, Marc worked in consulting and international relations, supporting international companies seeking to build a market presence in the U.S. Marc has logged over 5000 hours coaching professionals in Silicon Valley on improving their communication skills.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: Will this seminar really help me improve my communication skills?
A: Yes. We will allow ample practice time each hour so that you can apply the concepts and receive feedback from the instructors. You will then have the confidence to take these strategies and apply them to your daily communication tasks.
Q: Where is this seminar located?
A: The class will be held at the Ovient, Inc. offices inside the Plug and Play Tech Center at 440 N. Wolfe Rd., Sunnyvale, CA, 94085.
Q: I have questions about the seminar. Who can I call?
A: Feel free to call the Ovient office at 408-524-1649. We are happy to answer any questions you may have. You can also send us an email using the contact button on this event page or post a question on our Facebook page.
Q: I cannot attend this seminar. Will you offer this again?
A: Due to a busy travel and enterprise training schedule, we are only able to offer public seminars on a limited basis. Therefore, we cannot guarantee when or if this course will be offered again. You can view all of our upcoming seminars here.
Q: If I have to cancel at the last minute, can I still get a copy of the materials?
A: Sure. After 11:59 PM on January 10, 2015 we cannot offer you a refund, but we are still happy to send you a copy of the materials. Call us at 408-524-1649 or send us an email to make arrangements for delivery.
Q: Is parking available?
A: Yes! There is plenty of free parking available. If there are no spaces at the front of the building, please park at the back or at the side of the building. You will need to walk around the building to the front door to enter.
Q: What time should I arrive?
A: Since this is a secure building, you will need to sign in when you arrive. This can take a few minutes, so we recommend arriving ten minutes early to make sure you do not miss any of the seminar.
Cancellation Policy: Registration may be canceled, with no charge, until 11:59 PM on January 10, 2015. Cancellations after this date will be charged the full tuition. We do not offer refunds or exchanges. Ovient reserves the right to cancel the class at anytime due to low enrollment or extenuating circumstances. If we need to cancel the class, you will be offered a full refund.