Communication Skills For Construction

Excellent communication is essential for construction leaders! In this course, participants will learn how to improve their listening, speaking, and writing skills. Participants will leave with a better understanding of how to communicate goals and strategies effectively, as well as lead collaborative decision-making. 

Learning Outcomes

• Learn the basics of good communication.
• Improve their listening skills: interpret body language, use reflective listening, deal with difficult people, and use good questioning skills. 
• Effective oral communication - tone, body language, listening well, asking good questions, active/reflective listening.
• Choosing the right mode of communication - when to email, when to call, when to text, and when to call a meeting.
• Improve their speaking skills: phone calls, meetings, small groups, and large group presentations. 
• Improve their writing skills: emails, texts, letters, RFIs, and reports. 
• Enhance individual and group performance and engagement by communicating well.
• Apply various negotiating skills.
• Deal with difficult people, conflict, and confrontation.
• Tips for better emails (and bloopers to avoid).
• Tips for better meetings.
• Tips to get RFIs answered quickly.
• Tips for effective Change Orders.
• Building a proactive communication plan for projects - dealing with all the stakeholders.
• Lead through vision casting and strategic focus. 
• Learn the benefits of collaborative decision-making and how best to lead leaders. 

Course Schedule

This course consists of two full days (16 hours) of classroom lessons with instructors. With an optionally, online portion involving research, reading, and answering questions (7-8 hours) that will be marked by the instructors.  

Who Should Attend

Construction Owners, Managers, Project Managers, Estimators, Supervisors, CSOs and Staff.

Course Format

• Live, Online, Instructor-led training. This is a highly interactive course facilitated by the instructor on the Zoom platform.
• You will be expected to have your webcam on during the whole class and participate in break-out rooms, small-group discussions, and other activities with your instructor and classmates during the course.
• Zoom access information will be provided to you in advance of the training by your instructor
• Full attendance and participation in all four sessions is mandatory for course completion. If a student misses a class session, we are unable to transfer registration or provide a partial refund of the registration fees.

Course Requirements (Technology & Participation)

This course requires full face-to-face interaction and participation from both the instructor and students. In order to attend, you’ll must make sure you have the following:

• Computer or laptop with webcam (webcams are mandatory): This course will involve 100% on-screen interaction with your instructor and classmates, reading/viewing on-screen content like slides or videos, and interacting via typing with questions or responses. For this reason, you must have a webcam and use a full computer/laptop, and we do not permit students to attend using a tablet or cell phone.
• A quiet space with minimal distractions: Please plan to be fully engaged in the class, and clear your work schedule just as you would for attendance in an in-class program.

Industry Credits  

• This course is worth 2 gold seal credits. To receive a 4 Gold Seal credits, you must complete the online portion after the 2 classroom sessions. 
• This course is worth 16 Informal Continuing Professional Development (CPD) credits as approved by BC Housing.

Refunds or Transfers: 

• Five (5) or more business days before the course start date: Full refund of registration fees or can be transfers to a different course date.
• Less than five (5) business days before the course start date and course no-shows: No refunds or transfers to future course dates.
• For a complete document on the NRCA Education Policies, click here. 

Other Policies: 

• Substitution of another member of your company/team is permitted up to the course start date for no additional fee.
• Unless otherwise stated, every person able to see, hear, and observe the virtual course sessions must be a paid participant. Non-compliance of this requirement will result in removal from the course. Refunds will not be issued to students who are removed from the course for non-compliance of this requirement.
• If the NRCA has to postpone or cancel courses due to insufficient enrolment, NRCA will refund the registration fee or, if possible, the attendee may choose to move to an identical session in the future.