Persuasive Communication

ARUSHA, 12-14 September 2011. In the framework of a major project* to enhance the capacity of the leading Employers’ Organisations in East-Africa and Ghana, DECP supported a seminar on ‘persuasive communication’ organised in Arusha (Tanzania).  The 3-day seminar proved to be an intelligent mix of knowledge transfer and exercise to boost the communication capacities of the organisations and was very well received by all twenty participants.

For some it can already be difficult to express oneself in words and gestures. Many more find it hard to really listen and almost everyone will encounter difficulties in proper understanding others and becoming properly understood themselves. Communicating is not easy. And it is vital.  Especially for employers’ organisations.

Very few people in high ranking positions will be interviewed without proper preparation – time after time. Or do a press conference. Or deliver a speech.  The communication training that was provided from September 12^th till September 14^th to staff members of the Ghana Employers’ Association, the Federation of Kenya Employers, the Private Sector Federation of Rwanda, the Association of Tanzania Employers and the Federation of Uganda Employers stressed time and again the enduring need for preparation. And presented to participants a lot of useful do’s  (and some don’ts) on issues like communicating with the media, preparing for interviews, making presentations that capture attention and creating websites that provide information without leading the visitor into a maze.

The experts who conducted this training were Ludovic Goethals en Katrien Decroos from Square Circle in Belgium.

*) This project is the so-called ‘Pro€Invest’ project ‘Maximising the Influence of Employers’ Organisations for a Better Business Environment and Private Sector Development’.  More information on this project can be found on the Africa-page and in our Annual Report 2010.