Courses for Dummies

Communication Skills For Dummies

Courses for Dummies

Communication Skills For Dummies

Starweaver
Courses for Dummies

Instructors: Starweaver

Included with Coursera PlusLearn more

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
Beginner level

Recommended experience

7 hours to complete
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace
Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
Beginner level

Recommended experience

7 hours to complete
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace

What you'll learn

  • Evaluate what great communication requires, set clear intentions, and adapt to different communication styles.

  • Demonstrate active listening, rapport building, and a delivery in which attitude and voice support the message.

  • Apply body language, conflict handling, negotiation, and cross-cultural awareness to difficult conversations.

  • Design effective written, digital, and telephone communication for audiences you cannot see.

Details to know

Shareable certificate

Add to your LinkedIn profile

Assessments

13 assignments

Taught in English

See how employees at top companies are mastering in-demand skills

 logos of Petrobras, TATA, Danone, Capgemini, P&G and L'Oreal

There are 6 modules in this course

Provides a starting-point assessment that helps learners understand their current readiness across the communication skills developed throughout the course. It highlights strengths and development needs across clarity and intention setting, communication style adaptation, active listening and rapport, voice and body language, conflict and negotiation, cross-cultural awareness, and written, digital, and telephone communication. Results generate a personalized readiness profile and recommended learning path without restricting access to any module.

What's included

1 video4 readings1 assignment

Establishes the foundation for clear, purposeful, and adaptable communication. Learners explore how the whole body contributes to communication, construct clear messages, and give positive and constructive feedback without creating resistance. The module develops active intention setting, presenting a compelling case based on what matters to the other person, and avoiding barriers such as criticism, moralizing, and blame. Learners also recognize different communication styles and adapt their approach to introverts, extroverts, big-picture thinkers, and detail thinkers.

What's included

4 videos2 readings3 assignments1 peer review1 discussion prompt

Develops the listening, rapport, attitude, and delivery skills that help messages connect effectively. Learners practice active listening by lowering barriers, suspending judgment, asking questions, paraphrasing, and recognizing what is left unsaid. The module builds rapport through curiosity, common ground, empathy, matching, mirroring, pacing, and leading, then strengthens delivery through I-statements, conviction, storytelling, posture, breathing, articulation, and the deliberate use of pitch, pace, and pause.

What's included

4 videos2 readings3 assignments1 peer review1 discussion prompt

Prepares learners to navigate difficult conversations using non-verbal awareness, conflict management, negotiation, and cross-cultural communication. Learners interpret silent emotional displays and body modes, recognize expectations and emotional triggers, and apply techniques for controlling and de-escalating conflict while focusing on behavior and required outcomes. The module also develops negotiation skills through preparation, goal setting, concessions, power awareness, and closing, then explores cultural norms and the differences between high-context and low-context communication.

What's included

4 videos2 readings3 assignments1 peer review1 discussion prompt

Builds effective communication skills for situations where audiences cannot see body language or easily interpret tone. Learners apply email etiquette, create clear subject lines, use professional formatting, avoid common communication danger points, and represent themselves appropriately across social media and other digital channels. The module also develops confident telephone communication through preparation, clear openings, active listening, and effective closing, before strengthening concise and purposeful personal and business correspondence.

What's included

4 videos2 readings3 assignments1 peer review1 discussion prompt

Provides practical reference, reflection, and application resources that consolidate the communication skills developed throughout the course. These resources bring together clear-message and feedback structures, intention setting, communication style adaptation, active listening, rapport building, I-statements, voice controls, body language, conflict de-escalation, negotiation, cross-cultural communication, and email and letter checklists. The collection also includes communication tips, a comprehensive communication toolkit, and a final integrated project in which learners plan a real conversation from intention and audience analysis through listening, rapport, delivery, channel selection, likely objections, and follow-up.

What's included

1 video2 readings1 peer review

Instructors

Starweaver
Courses for Dummies
618 Courses1,283,142 learners
Courses for Dummies
4 Courses2 learners

Offered by

Why people choose Coursera for their career

Felipe M.

Learner since 2018
"To be able to take courses at my own pace and rhythm has been an amazing experience. I can learn whenever it fits my schedule and mood."

Jennifer J.

Learner since 2020
"I directly applied the concepts and skills I learned from my courses to an exciting new project at work."

Larry W.

Learner since 2021
"When I need courses on topics that my university doesn't offer, Coursera is one of the best places to go."

Chaitanya A.

"Learning isn't just about being better at your job: it's so much more than that. Coursera allows me to learn without limits."

Frequently asked questions