Communication skills are vital for good relationships and results. Improve communications skills in your workplace with our courses in Crucial Conversations, Presentation Facilitation Skills, and Improv.

Crucial Conversations
Communication Skills

Whenever you’re not getting the results you want, it’s likely an important conversation either hasn’t happened or hasn’t been handled well. Both individual and organizational success are largely determined by how quickly, directly, and effectively we speak up when it matters most. At the heart of healthy and high-performance organizations are people willing and able to hold Crucial Conversations–an essential communication skill.

A Crucial Conversation is a discussion between two or more people where the stakes are high, opinions vary, and emotions run strong. When conversations turn crucial, people tend to follow one of two ineffective paths.

Some speak directly and abrasively to get the results they want, but harm their relationships. Others remain silent with the hope of preserving relationships only to sacrifice results. Crucial Conversations® for Mastering Dialogue gives you the skills to step into disagreement. Rather than stepping over or around disagreements we can turn disagreement into dialogue for improved relationships and results.

communication skills zoom home page

Organizations around the world have turned to Crucial Conversations for Mastering Dialogue to improve quality, efficiency, engagement, safety, and more. We’ve worked with large to small businesses, from Fortune 500 to tech startups, from government agencies to school districtsWhether you have time for a one-hour overview, or two days for a complete workshop, you will get skills you can use immediately to begin having Crucial Conversations to improve your results and relationships. You can see more data on the impact of crucial conversations at Crucial Learning.

Crucial Conversations Book

Based on the mega-bestselling book and more than 30 years of research, this program has been adapted for Hawai’i’s unique people and culture. The skills taught help people unlearn the ways they have communicated–or NOT communicated–in the past, and give the tools for improving relationships and results with crucial conversations.

Makana has presented this communication skills program at Hawaiian Electric, Hawaii Employers Council, REHAB Hospital, and the nonprofit Hawai’i Health and Harm Reduction Center. To find out if it might be right for your organization, contact us.

Presentation & Facilitation
Communication Skills

Makana’s class completely shifted my presentation paradigm. I’ve delivered many presentations in my career but always felt something was missing. I learned how to conduct presentations that light a spark and have audiences caring about the topic.
Carrie Miyasato
Creative Producer

Whether you are an SME, an experienced trainer, or an instructional designer, you want your presentations to have an impact on participants. You want to influence them to change their opinions, their behavior, or their choices. You can design and present your programs to have that kind of impact. Every subject, no matter how “dry,” can be engaging, enjoyable, and entertaining if you use a simple four-step process to craft your presentation. These ideas work for trainings in person and online, whether using your own or others’ materials.

MIND, BODY, HEART, SPIRIT:

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Full Audience Engagement for Maximum Impact is Makana’s communication skills program that gets you these results. 

In this program, you explore:

    • Using the Four Elements of engaging presentations.
    • Constructing stories to create an emotional commitment to change.
    • Increasing collaboration and team bonding during training.
    • Creating space for reflection and inspiration.
    • Answering questions at the best time.
    • Moving the group to action and increasing ROI.
    • Handling resistance to your topic.
    • What to do when the tech doesn’t work.
    • Starting and ending your presentation powerfully

This program is an engaging presentation with high levels of participation you can use as a model for your own presentations. You will connect, bond, and build relationships with your teammates. And you get practical skills and inspirational insights for facilitation and engagement.

Makana has presented this communication skills program at HMSA, Hawaiian Electric, and the University of Hawaii at Manoa. To find out if this program might be right for your organization, contact us.

communication skills training

"Improve Work with Improv"
Communication Skills

Improv is engaging, energizing, and a great way to practice communication skills to improve your work performance. In this one-hour, in-person session, you will hone your ability to listen, focus, ask questions, and surf the waves of change. You will bond with co-workers as you work together as a team. The skills you practice and the insights you achieve will inspire you with a new perspective when you return to work.

Makana’s program, “Improve Work with Improv,” was a fun, engaging and energizing session. We practiced creativity, teamwork, focusing and listening skills to improve brainstorming and decision-making on the job. The interactive session helped us to be comfortable with being uncomfortable when learning new skills to achieve success!
Glenn Kunitake
Hawaii DOE

Learning objectives: As a result of this session, participants will be able to

  • Improve brainstorming and decision-making by asking extreme questions
  • Employ their strengths whether extroverts or introverts
  • Appreciate the discomfort of learning a new skill as a means to achieving success

Makana has performed improv on stage and with groups for more than 20 years. This communication skills program has been presented at the Hawaii State Department of Education. To find out if this program might be right for your organization, contact us.