Strategic Business Communication
Elevate Your Influence With Duke Business Communication Training
In the dynamic landscape of modern leadership, the ability to clearly convey ideas, engage stakeholders, and drive organizational change is not just an asset; it's a necessity. Whether you’re looking to amplify your voice, ensure your messages resonate, or propel your ideas forward, our Strategic Business Communication program equips you with the strategic communication training needed to make a meaningful impact.
Join us for an immersive three-day communication skills training at the JB Duke Hotel and Conference Center, where you will learn from world-renowned faculty, participate in real-world simulations, and network with fellow leaders. Our curriculum blends cutting-edge research insights with practical, actionable strategies to enhance your ability to influence and inspire action across any context.
Step into your role as a transformative leader—master the art of strategic communication and see your ideas gain the momentum they deserve. Register today and prepare to change not only how you communicate, but how effectively you can lead and influence the world around you.
Key Reasons for Pursuing Communication Skills Training
Companies and individuals often seek communication skills training for a variety of compelling reasons, each aimed at enhancing effectiveness in personal interactions and professional engagements. Here are some of the key reasons:
Improving Leadership Abilities: Effective communication is fundamental for leaders. Duke's strategic communication program helps leaders to clearly articulate visions, strategies, and expectations to diverse stakeholders, enhancing their ability to lead and inspire teams.
Enhancing Team Collaboration: Good communication skills are crucial for fostering teamwork and collaboration. Our strategic business communication course can help individuals understand and be understood by their colleagues better, leading to more productive and cohesive teams.
Facilitating Change Management: During periods of change, clear communication is vital. Communication training assists leaders and employees in effectively conveying and accepting changes within the organization, which can ease transitions and reduce resistance.
Boosting Persuasive Power: Whether it's negotiating deals, selling products, or pitching ideas, persuasive communication can significantly impact outcomes. Training sharpens these skills, enhancing the ability to influence and persuade others effectively.
Increasing Cultural Competence: In today’s globalized business environment, communication across cultural boundaries is common. Executive communication training helps individuals and teams communicate effectively with people from different cultural backgrounds, preventing misunderstandings and building international relationships.
Improving Customer Relations: Effective communication is key to customer service and client relationships. Our intensive business communication course helps employees handle inquiries, complaints, and negotiations more effectively, leading to improved customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Managing Crises: In times of crisis, effective communication is essential to manage the situation and mitigate damage. Training prepares individuals and organizations to handle crises with clear, strategic communication.
Career Advancement: Strong communication skills are often linked to career progression. Individuals invest in communication training to enhance their professional image, increase their visibility, and open up more opportunities for advancement.
Each of these reasons highlights the strategic value of communication skills in both personal growth and organizational development, making such training an essential investment for sustained success.
Empower Your Communication To Drive Change
Whether you're steering a corporation, leading a team, or pioneering new business ventures, effective communication is the cornerstone of success. Our Strategic Business Communication program is designed to empower professionals across various roles with the skills to influence outcomes, drive change, and achieve strategic goals. Discover how enhancing your communication abilities can open new pathways for professional advancement and organizational impact.
Who Should Attend Our Strategic Communication Training?
- Forward-Thinking Executives: Elevate your strategic impact by mastering the art of influence and vision-driven leadership. Ideal for those keen to steer transformative organizational change and enhance stakeholder engagement.
- Dynamic Managers: Supercharge your team's performance and cohesion through superior communication skills. Perfect for leaders aiming to inspire, drive results, and forge strong stakeholder relationships.
- Dedicated Sales and Business Development Professionals: Boost your negotiation prowess and client management capabilities. This communication training program is tailored for professionals eager to secure new clients, cultivate lasting relationships, and accelerate revenue growth.
- Government and Nonprofit Leaders: Sharpen your ability to articulate initiatives, rally support, and adeptly manage complex stakeholder networks. Essential for those in roles that demand persuasive communication to drive social and organizational change.
- Innovative Entrepreneurs and Business Owners: Learn to effectively communicate your vision, attract investment, and establish robust partnerships. Designed for visionaries who want to influence outcomes and ensure their ideas resonate on a larger scale.
- Consultants and Advisors in High-Stakes Environments: Enhance your advisory impact with advanced communication techniques that persuade and inform. Ideal for professionals who need to convey complex ideas clearly and influence decision-making processes effectively.
More About Duke's Strategic Business Communication Program
Join us for an intensive three-day immersive experience in executive communication training held on-site. Our program is crafted to provide you with a blend of lectures, hands-on practice, and real-world simulations tailored to your professional needs. You will:
- Engage with Adaptive Strategies: Dive into strategic frameworks that are flexible and responsive, designed to thrive in any business environment.
- Learn through Evidence-Based Practices: Understand the 'why' behind the 'what' and the 'how', with a curriculum grounded in the latest research.
- Apply Real Tools in Real Time for Immediate ROI: Use practical tools during the program that you can immediately apply to your daily challenges and long-term projects.
Each session is led by expert faculty, who bring profound insights and experience in persuasion, strategic communication, leadership, and change management. Prepare to transform your approach to communication and influence with guidance from the best in the field.
To fully participate in the program, participants are required to bring a laptop to each session.
All program sessions will be held at the JB Duke Hotel and Conference Center, a premier hotel, event, and meeting destination conveniently located on the Duke Campus.
Lodging at JB Duke, dinner on arrival the evening prior to the program as well as Day 1 and Day 2, and daily breakfast and lunch on Days 1, 2, and 3 are included in the registration fee. Snacks are also provided throughout the program day.
Certificate of Completion
Upon successful completion of the Strategic Business Communication program, participants receive a verified Certificate of Completion and digital badge issued by Duke Executive Education.
This credential signals your achievement and can be easily added to your LinkedIn profile to highlight your enhanced ability to influence across contexts and drive change.
The certificate reflects:
- Sharpened persuasive skills to drive change
- Heightened ability to inspire action and influence key stakeholders
- Development of a personalized communication strategy to get to "Yes"
This program counts toward the Duke Certificate of Leadership and Management.
Program Registration Calendar
Already in the area...
Reduced pricing available if lodging accommodation is not needed.
Stay connected.
Program Location and Accommodations
Executive Education
Contact Us
Curriculum
Focusing on refining your communication skills and influencing strategies, you will learn to leverage strategic frameworks that empower you to engage effectively with a range of audiences and return to the office ready to have a greater impact within your organization.
- Framing: Frame your messages to better resonate with specific decision-makers or stakeholders
- Authenticity: Leverage your authentic self to communicate from your strengths and adjust your message with agility to align the necessary frame with your unique expertise
- Impact: Better position yourself to increase the impact of your ideas through narratives and story structure which are critical to any change effort
At the conclusion of the program, you will be better able to:
- Deliver your ideas in a way that is clear, crisp and compelling
- Gain attention, focus, and be memorable
- Frame your message to influence decision-makers in or outside the organization – delivering the “right” message for the “right” audience to get to “Yes”
Program Schedule
Day 1: Framing
9:00 – 9:30 a.m.
Welcome & Introductions
9:30 – 10:00 a.m.
The Influential Leader Framework
10:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Social Styles Assessment
12:30 – 1:30 p.m.
Lunch
1:30 – 3:30 p.m.
It’s Not About You: Influencing Decision-Makers
3:45 – 4:45 p.m.
Framing Simulation – Stakeholder Communication
4:45 – 5:00 p.m.
Day 1 Summary, Reflections, & Insights
Day 2: Authenticity
9:00 – 10:30 a.m.
Influence Superpower: Questions & Intentions
10:45 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Interpersonal Effectiveness & Empathy
12:30 – 1:30 p.m.
Lunch
1:30 – 3:30 p.m.
It’s Not About You: Organizational Content Strategy
3:45 – 4:45 p.m.
Authenticity Simulation – Idea to Influence in Dialogue
4:45 – 5:00 p.m.
Day 2 Summary, Reflections, & Insights
Day 3: Impact
9:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Crafting Your Storied Message
11:15 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Building Your Persuasive Pitch
12:30 – 1:30 p.m.
Lunch
1:30 – 2:45 p.m.
IMPACT through Influence Simulation
2:45 – 3:00 p.m.
Program Summary, Reflections, Insights, & Commitments
Faculty
Daisy Lovelace
Daisy Lovelace, PhD, is an Associate Professor of the Practice at Duke University's Fuqua School of Business. She teaches leadership and communication and is committed to creating inclusive teams and organizations. Her professional interests include leadership, inclusive excellence, interpersonal communication, crisis management, persuasion, and influence. In addition to live instruction, she teaches short courses on the LinkedIn Learning platform. She earned her doctorate from the University of Virginia. In addition to teaching at Duke, she has held faculty posts at Indiana University-Bloomington, Princeton University, Sungkyunkwan University in Seoul, Korea, the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, and the University of Virginia.
Richard Freishtat
Richard Freishtat, PhD, serves as Associate Dean for Executive Education at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. In this role, Freishtat leads all aspects of the Executive Education portfolio including strategy, business development, finance, curriculum, and program delivery focused on making a positive impact through the cutting-edge work of faculty.
In addition to serving as a leader in executive education organizations since 2018, Freishtat has deep experience as a faculty member in executive education, working directly with industry leaders to transform themselves and their organizations. He has been designing and delivering communications and leadership executive programs since 2013 to thousands of executives in organizations across the globe, from start-ups to Fortune 50 companies.
Freishtat has published several research articles and worked as a PI on NSF-funded grant projects. He earned his PhD in Education (Curriculum & Instruction) from Arizona State University and his MA and BA in Rhetoric & Public Address from Pennsylvania State University.
How to Register
For more information about how to register, please see our detailed instructions.
Frequently Asked Questions
For additional information about our Executive Education programming, please visit our FAQ page.