write from the standpoint of a supervisor sending a message to staff members working under your authority. You'll propose and justify the need for a day-long mandatory workplace-based staff training session in five applied communication skills.

Start by describing a workplace communication problem that has cost your organization time and money and therefore prompted you to bring in a consultant to upgrade the applied communication skills of employees under your supervision. A key part of the assignment is to list/rank in order of importance five communication skills you feel need to be addressed and provide justification for focusing on each of these skills. A helpful way to go about this assignment is to list the five key communication skills you personally feel you could most benefit from improving.

The desired skill improvements you propose are broadly defined. For example, precise writing; effective speaking; non-verbal communication; active listening; building rapport; identifying and avoiding fallacies; assertiveness; communicating with difficult people; or cross-cultural communication. Make the training sound both engaging and worthwhile.