Advanced Communication Skills

Description

Communication shapes everything - your relationships, your impact, your ability to create change. In this Summerschool you'll discover how to communicate effectively when it truly matters.

Two experienced professionals take you beyond the 'basics', exploring communication at a deeper level.  We will guide you through a unique journey where you learn to use communication to bring about positive change, balancing persuasion with empathy - while engaging in meaningful personal development.

But the real challenge is when things are hard. When stakes are high, emotions surface and pressure builds, staying grounded in your communication principles becomes key. Through practice, you'll learn to speak from your values, listen deeply, navigate complex negotiations, understand group dynamics, create dialogues that connect, and have difficult conversations in a human way - all while practicing empathy and compassion.

Most of all, you'll learn about yourself. Don't expect long presentations though - this course is highly interactive and experiential. Many exercises will help you shape your vision on communication and master invaluable skills. Last year's 24 participants rated the course 9.4 average out of 10.

Learning objectives

This course helps you to bring your communication skills to the next level. Would you like to learn to:

• Communicate with confidence - in any (difficult) situation

• Build strong connections - connect with compassion and empathy

• Grow social intelligence - understand what has been said in between the lines

• Master group dynamics - create safe spaces for open communication

• Communicate from your unique and authentic style -  align with your character strengths

• Inspirational speaking - communicate a vision for a better world

• Get better at navigating conflict - stay centered in hard conversations

• Arrive at better solutions together - apply principled based negotiation

If this speaks to you, then this will be the summer school for you!

Self awareness is key

This course is founded on the understanding that effective communication starts with self-awareness. You will develop deep insights into who you are, your own patterns, triggers, and needs, which leads to you being better equipped to connect with others and navigate complex conversations. This course helps you to express yourself honestly while maintaining connection and finding solutions that work for everyone.

Our methods

We integrate various proven methods, weaving them into experiential exercises that allow you to discover what works for you while practising in a safe environment. Methods include:

• Non-Violent Communication - express yourself honestly while maintaining connection
• Interest-based negotiation - find solutions that work for everyone by looking beyond positions to underlying needs
• Deep Democracy and Dialogue - embrace all voices and perspectives, especially those harder to hear
• Compassionate leadership - blend kindness with clarity in challenging conversations
• Shadow Work and Deep Coaching - understand your emotions, triggers and blind spots, turning obstacles into insight
• Embodied leadership - use your body and nervous system to stay grounded and access inner wisdom
• Emotional Intelligence & Systemic Work - recognize patterns in relationships and groups, navigate complex emotional situations

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

The track record of this course speaks for itself: over 100 professionals have participated in this course. The 24 participants of last year’s edition rated the course on average with a 9.4 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

Judith van den Boogert

Judith studied Cultural Anthropology and Political Science at the University of Amsterdam, specializing in conflict resolution. Her professional journey began as a teenager in Jerusalem, where her father worked in interreligious dialogue. Witnessing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict firsthand, she wondered why people with so much in common could see each other as enemies. That experience sparked her passion for bridge-building and transforming conflict into connection.

Since 2011, Judith has worked as an independent expert in international dialogue and peacebuilding. As a certified mediator (MfN), she facilitates mediation processes, guides dialogues, and trains peace negotiators, insider mediators, and diplomats worldwide. She has collaborated with organizations such as the United Nations, the European Union, the African Union, and various ministries to support professionals in conflict-affected areas. Previously, she served as a senior policy advisor on conflict prevention at the Dutch Ministry of Defense and as a senior fellow at the Clingendael Institute for International Relations.

Judith's strength lies in her ability to go several layers deeper, uncovering the fundamental interests and needs that drive conflict. As a cultural anthropologist, she creates space for everyone to be themselves in conversation. Recently, she has integrated trauma-informed care and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy into her work, believing that sustainable peace requires addressing both the analytical and emotional dimensions of conflict. Her mission is to make the world more conflict-wise, helping people reconnect through honest dialogue and mutual understanding.

Imre Végh

Imre founded the Compassionate Leadership Institute and 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
• compassion