Five skills to improve performance

Outlines five communication skills suggested to the authors as being of major importance: enquiring, diagnosing, summarizing, proposing and directing. Presents the relationship of these skills to either a problem‐centred or solution‐centred focus by way of an easy‐to‐use model. Outlines the use of a questionnaire as a method for people to gain feedback and conduct a personal assessment on their communication skills. Describes a self‐assessment resource which can be used by managers and team members in such situations as interpersonal skills courses and leadership workshops.