Improving Business Communication – interactive module on 24-26 March 2023

Paweł Ziemiański, Ph.D. and Bob Dignen, M.A have been working together now for over five years jointly delivering their interactive module exploring the key challenges of effective business communication, and developing the competences needed to become a high-performing communicator.

The module covers a broad range of topics including hacking the code of international collaboration, an introductory session which immediately exposed to participants that their biggest risk when communicating internationally was their own assumptions. In line with Daniel Kahneman, Nobel prize winner and advocate of slow thinking, tools were examined which delivered on the promise made in the introduction to the module, “The next three days will change the way you think and change the way you communicate, forever.”

After these fundamentals, the module went on to deep dive into a range of topics including influencing, storytelling and coaching, all essential components of today’s international leader. Lessons learned were inspiring: that listening is the starting point for influencing, not telling; that personal stories can unlock hearts and minds more powerfully than data; that the core goal for leaders is not simply to achieve targets, but to develop others to deliver results – that’s truly sustainable leadership.

The final half day of the three days was dedicated to pitching, preparing students for their pitching session event and their final thesis defence looking on the distant horizon. Incredibly, many participants were already confidently formulating final project and thesis ideas calculated not simply to gain MBA certification but to make a difference to society.

It was a privilege and an honour to spend time in the company of such a committed and creative MBA cohort. We wish them the very best on their journey.