Advanced Communication Skills

Description

If you want to bring your communication skills to the next level and work on your personal development, then this course is here for you!

This course takes you beyond the ‘basics’. You will, amongst other things, learn the highlights from empathic & compassionate communication, influencing group dynamics, inspirational speaking and interest-based negotiation. And you will learn a lot about yourself.  But please don't expect long presentations. This course is highly interactive and experiential in nature. You will engage in many exercises that will help you shape your vision on communication and master invaluable skills. The 24 participants of last year’s edition rated the course on average with a 9.5 out of 10.

The content

If you're looking to explore communication at a profound level and engage in meaningful personal development, this course offers a unique journey. Two experienced professionals guide you through an exploration that goes far beyond traditional communication courses.

Would you like to learn to:

• Be more confident in your presentation
• Get better at navigating conflict
• Be more empathic in your communication
• Stay centered in bad news conversations
• Master group dynamics
• Arrive at better solutions together
• Create safe spaces for open communication
• What communication style fits your style and character
• Or learn to lister better in between the lines?

Then this might be the summer school for you!

This course is founded on the understanding that effective communication starts with self-awareness. As you develop deeper insights into your own patterns, triggers, and needs, you'll find yourself better equipped to connect with others and navigate complex conversations. We work with proven methods like Non-Violent Communication, the principles of Harvard Negotiation and Deep Democracy. This course helps you to express yourself honestly while maintaining connection and finding solutions that work for everyone.

Our Approach

We integrate various proven methods that complement each other naturally, weaving them into experiential exercises that allow you to discover what works for you while practicing in a safe environment:

• Non-Violent Communication helps you express yourself honestly while maintaining connection, focusing on observations, feelings, needs, and requests
• Interest-based negotiation enables you to find solutions that work for everyone by looking beyond positions to understand underlying needs
• Coherence Coaching connects you deeply with what truly matters to you, helping you align your communication with your values
• Deep Democracy teaches us to embrace all voices and perspectives, especially those that might be harder to hear
• Shadow Work helps you understand your triggers and blind spots, turning potential obstacles into sources of insight
• Systemic Work allows you to recognize patterns and dynamics in relationships and groups
• Emotional Intelligence practices enhance your ability to navigate complex emotional situations with awareness
• Compassion-based approaches help you blend kindness with clarity in challenging conversations

These methods aren't taught as dry theory - they come alive through practical exercises, real-life situations, and personal exploration. You'll experience how they naturally flow together to create a comprehensive approach to communication and connection.

Feedback from previous participants

What Participants Say

The track record of this course speaks for itself: over 80 professionals have participated in this course. The 24 participants of last year’s edition rated the course on average with a 9.5 out of 10.

Some of their feedback:

• 'Being primarily exercise based, this course was highly effective for me. I expected I would be on my own to construct situations but this was infinitely better.'
• 'I learned how to express my feelings, how to stay rational during conversations, to present myself better, to be understanding, to negotiate and tools for presentation and most of all to connect to people on a new level.'
• 'Some of the most important things I learned: (1) Knowing myself even better: strengths, values etc (2) Appreciating my weaknesses and vulnerabilities (3) Argumentation techniques (4) Practicing non-violent communication (5) Learning what different needs people may have.'
• 'The instructors’ positive vibe and experience in the different topics as well as their willingness to go above and beyond their role and make a change. Additionally, I liked their rather innovative pedagogical methods which they used to make us comprehend the topics discussed.'
• 'I really appreciated how in-depth we went on an emotional level, how caring the teachers both are and how they managed to create a safe space and how this affected in a positive way to the connection of the group. I will remember the exercises we did for a long time.'
• 'Open respectful atmosphere, knowledgeable teachers, flexibility in subjects.'
• 'I really appreciated the honest feedback on communication and behaviors.'
• "I thoroughly enjoyed the course and how it was presented. Top marks to Jan Reinder and Imre for their energy and professional experience which pulled an incredibly diverse group together. Most enjoyable."
• "I met students from around the world, sharing many new stories about life with people from different backgrounds and learning so many new things."

Lecturers

Jan Reinder Rosing

Jan Reinder studied (International) Law at Utrecht University. In 2004 he became European Champion debating and founded Debat.NL, a company in debating and communication. In 2006 he published 'De Debatwijzer', a handbook for debaters. In 2008 he left his company and became a diplomat for the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs for which he served in The Hague and the Dutch Embassy in Ankara. Between 2013 and 2016 he was member of the Dutch team that campaigned for a seat on the UN Security Council. In 2016 he joined the EU Diplomatic Service for three years to work on the prevention of violent conflict. In 2017 he began working as an independent consultant supporting organizations and individuals in communication, empathy and personal development. He holds a coaching certificate and followed many trainings in, amongst other, meditation, empathic communication, inclusive decision making and systemic approaches.  

Imre Végh 

Imre is an international trainer, discussion leader and (team)coach in higher education, politics and development aid agencies. His passion is personal leadership, practical idealism and communication. He worked around the world in countries such as The Netherlands, Spain, China, Uganda, Laos, Vietnam and Israel. And he coached many politicians, members of parliament, worked with development organisations, commercial companies and universities such as the International Space University in Strasbourg, Nyenrode Business University and several Honors Programs.   

Imre brings out the best in people in a disarming and inspiring way: honest, committed and caring. He likes to combine a sharp mind with a gentle heart, asking sharp questions and exploring assumptions. But, always focused on growth, learning and connection. Sharp when necessary, with gentle humor when possible. As an idealist in heart and soul, he likes to work for a better world; a world with more understanding, compassion and justice, with which we may overcome our planets most pressing challenges.

Target audience

This course is meant for professionals and master students. The past few years, around two thirds of participants are (senior) professionals and one third are students. The maximum number of participants is 24. Participants will be admitted on a first come, first serve basis.

Study load

The courses will start at 10:00 every day, and end between 15:00 and 16:00. Often, there will be a homework assignment, for which between one to two hours are needed, to prepare for the next day.

Tags

• Communication Skills
• critical analysis
• effective communication
• empathic communication
• group dynamics
• principle-based negotiation