Attend three courses to receive your Business Communications certificate.
All courses held in Room 120, HRS Building, unless otherwise indicatedBCC010 Communication Confidence
Also counts toward Pro3 Certification
Thursday, June 28, 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.
Instructor: Ronda Mitchell
Most of us think we’re good communicators. Listening and talking are things we engage in all the time, so we assume we do it well. Unfortunately, that’s often not the case. Attend “Communication Confidence” to learn a number of skills and tools to improve the way you communicate with others. Behind these skills are these fundamental concepts:
- We all can be better communicators
- By understanding what makes communicating difficult, we can improve
- By using certain tools and skills, we can counteract the difficulties
BCC020 Now Hear This: Listening, Comprehending, Communicating
Also counts toward Pro3 Certification
Wednesday, August 8, 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.
Instructor: Kim Kirkup
Did you know that as much as 40% of the average workday is spent listening to others? That’s close to half of your day! Do you need to stop and make sure you’re using your time to its greatest advantage? Take a few moments and ask yourself: Are you an effective listener? How often do you assess your listening skills? Could you improve? That’s where “Now Hear This” can help.
In this workshop, we’ll:
- Define “listening” and how it impacts your work
- Recognize and deal with the barriers between listener and speaker
- Practice good listening techniques and identify ways to make them work for you
BCC030 Communicate Assertively
Also counts toward Pro3 Certification
Wednesday, May 9, 9 a.m. to 12 noon
Instructor: Courtney Moon
Assertiveness is a skill you can acquire, not a personality trait that some people are born with and others are not. When we communicate assertively, we express our feelings, thoughts, and wishes—standing up for our legitimate rights without violating the rights of others.
In this workshop, you’ll learn to:
- Distinguish between assertive, aggressive, and non-assertive (or passive) behaviors
- Include the three parts of an assertive message in your communication approach
- Listen assertively by concentrating your attention on the other person
- Respond appropriately to criticism
Building on the topics discussed in “Communication Confidence,” this workshop highlights communication skills that are essential in many day-to-day situations.
BCC040 Power Writing
Also counts toward Pro3 Certification
Tuesday, May 29, 9 a.m. to 12 noon, HRS Building, Room 119
Instructor: Marianne Preisler
In this class, we will focus on preparing professional business documents, including a review of grammar, tone, stressing the positive, saying “no” gently, and doing a little more than you need to in order to get your message across.
You will learn to:
- Define your purpose
- Target your reader
- Reduce writer’s block
- Organize your writing
- Eliminate “clutter”
- Edit for accuracy and grammatical correctness
BCC050 Punctuation Power
Also counts toward Pro3 Certification
Tuesday, July 17, 9 a.m. to 12 noon
Instructor: Scott Blades
Is punctuation really that important? Absolutely. This fast-paced and interactive class is designed to help you catch common punctuation mistakes that can hurt your professional image and your credibility. During this course, participants will explore essential writing skills such as proper use of commas, semicolons, dashes, and capitalization.
BCC060 E-Mail Effectiveness
Also counts toward Pro3 Certification
Thursday, June 7, 9 a.m. to 12 noon
Instructor: Courtney Moon
Do you control your e-mail or does your e-mail control you? Most of us spend a good part of our day using this powerful medium. Yet, navigating through threads, jargon, and acronyms sometimes leads to some nasty flames! Attend this interactive session to learn how to make the most of your electronic mail.
BCC070 Grammar Game
Wednesday, August 15, 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.
Instructor: Scott Blades
Can business grammar be fun? Absolutely. This fast-paced and interactive class is designed to help you catch common grammar mistakes that can hurt your professional image and your credibility. During this course, participants will explore those essential grammar rules that every professional must know such as:
- Subject/verb agreement
- Who vs. whom; me vs. myself (You’ll never be confused again!)
- How to correct writing without changing the meaning
If you would like to strengthen your writing skills (and have fun in the process), this class is for you!
Tuesday, May 22, 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.
Instructor: Kim Kirkup
We are all diverse! The University of Florida has a diverse population of both staff and students. Age, gender, race, religion, politics, socio-economic, education…the list is endless. Is this a weakness—or an opportunity? It is known that by drawing on diverse strengths and talents and developing a truly inclusive environment, an organization will increase productivity and be in the best position to succeed in today’s global community. Attend this workshop to learn more about how diversity can work for you—and your team!
SCS080 Making Meetings Work
Also counts toward Managing at UF: The Supervisory Challenge
Thursday, June 14, 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.
Instructor: Courtney Moon
How many meetings have you attended or conducted that just seemed like wasted time? Well, no more! Attend this workshop to learn techniques for planning and facilitating effective meetings. This workshop counts as an elective in the Supervisory Challenge certificate program.
SCS090 Powerful Public Speaking
Monday, August 27, 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.
Instructors: Kim Kirkup and Marianne Preisler
Have you ever been in a meeting or making a presentation and wished you had prepared more fully? Has stage fright ever had an impact on your effectiveness? This program can help! Attend this program and learn how to:
- Reduce stage fright
- Deliver with professionalism
- Apply the basics of public speaking by focusing on situation, purpose, audience, and methods
