What to include in a communication skills training programme for managers
September 23, 2026
How to setup a communication skills programme: A step-by-step guide
September 23, 2026FURTHER EXPERTISE
Training session, course, pathway or programme: which is right for your organisation?
Expert Opinion from Rich Watts published September 23, 2026
When an HR manager is trying to scope out communication skills training for their organisation, one of the earliest decisions they face is also one of the least well-explained: what kind of learning intervention will be most effective here?
The language used in the learning and development industry (think training session, workshop, course, module, pathway, programme and more!), is used inconsistently enough that it is difficult to know what you are buying, let alone whether it is the right thing for your team.
This article sets out the distinctions and definitions clearly. It explains what each format involves, what it is best suited for, and the questions that will help you confirm what is being suggested by your training provider and work out which is the right choice for your organisation's communication skills needs.
DEFINITION
The four formats and what they actually mean
These are by no means the only types of learning interventions that might be useful or relevant for your organisation. But, these are the most common types of offer that you will engage with an external supplier or partner to provide. Below is an outline of what these formats mean and include.
A training session
A training session, also called a workshop, is a single, standalone event. It might run for half a day or a full day, and it addresses one specific topic or skill area: giving feedback, chairing meetings, presenting with confidence. A training session is the right choice when the development need is clearly contained, the audience are all relatively similar in their needs, and the goal is to introduce or reinforce a specific skill rather than to produce a broad or sustained shift in communication capability. It is also the most straightforward option to commission and to deliver, which makes it a natural starting point for organisations that are new to communication skills training. (Don’t forget though that great training sessions should come with lots of extra support to embed the learning.)
A training course
A training course is a series of connected sessions that together cover a defined topic or skill area in more depth than a single session allows. A course in difficult conversations, for example, might run across two or three half-day sessions, with participants working through the skill in stages. During the sessions they will build from the foundational principles to increasingly complex scenarios. Between sessions they will have had the chance to apply and test what they have learned. A course is the right choice when a topic requires more time to do it justice than a single session allows, or when the skill being developed benefits from a period of testing it in ‘real-life’ between sessions.
A learning pathway
A learning pathway is a planned sequence of training across multiple topics, designed so that each builds on the last. Rather than addressing one skill in depth, a pathway takes a broader development journey covering, say, feedback skills, followed by difficult conversations, followed by change communication. Each element connects to the others through a clear developmental logic. A pathway is particularly well suited to organisations that want to build a specific tier of manager or leader. For example, new managers moving into their first leadership roles, or mid-level managers taking on broader people responsibilities are developed through a sequenced programme of capability development over a period of months.
A training programme
A training programme is the most comprehensive format. It combines the training itself, whether a single course or a learning pathway, with lots of supporting elements that produce sustained behavioural change rather than a short-term knowledge gain. In Further's programmes, those supporting elements include a pre-programme needs analysis and baseline survey, individual coaching sessions, structured opportunities for peer learning and reflection, tailored and personalised learning resources and libraries and post-programme measurement. A programme is the right choice when the development need is significant and valuable to the organisation, when the required change is substantial, and the organisation wants to be able to demonstrate the impact of the investment with evidence rather than participant feedback alone.
Discover more about our Communication Skills Programmes
UNDERSTANDING YOUR NEEDS
How to decide which format is right for your organisation
The right format for any organisation depends on the answers to four questions. Working through them in order tends to produce a clear picture quickly.
- How broad and how deep is the development need? A single contained skill gap, for example chairing meetings more effectively, or handling a specific kind of difficult conversation, points toward a training session or a short course. A broader set of communication challenges across the management tier, or a significant cultural shift that the organisation is trying to drive through improved leadership communication, indicates the need for a pathway or a programme.
- How much sustained change is the organisation expecting? A training session will introduce a new skill or perspective and give participants the tools to start using it. A programme will produce a more substantial and more durable shift in the way people actually communicate. This is because the learning is reinforced over time, applied in real situations, and supported by coaching and follow-up.
- What is the timeframe and the budget? A training session can be designed and delivered within a few weeks of commissioning. A programme typically involves a research phase, a design process, and a series of sessions delivered over three to six months. This point is particularly important for companies that are using external training suppliers and not an internal team. Budget and timeframe are real constraints.
- Has the organisation done communication skills training before? For organisations that are commissioning communication skills training for the first time, starting with a well-designed training session or short course makes a great deal of sense. It gives the organisation a chance to build confidence in the value of the investment, to test how participants respond to this kind of development, and to gather the data that will make the case for a more substantial programme in due course.
CASE STUDY
How this decision often plays out in the real world
When Further began working with Insensys, the initial conversation was about a single training need: the senior leadership team wanted support with communication during a significant period of organisational change. The format that made sense at that point was a focused programme. It was a series of sessions working through how people respond to change, how to build trust during uncertainty, and how to lead people through a transition effectively.
That programme was well-defined, appropriately scoped for the development need, and proportionate to the significance of the change the organisation was navigating. It was not the broadest possible intervention, but it was the right one for that moment and that organisation.
The relationship between Further and Insensys then developed into more tailored programmes and pathways for different levels of staff and roles.
A good training provider will help you think through the right answer for your situation right now, rather than default to the most comprehensive (or the most commercially convenient!), option.
GOING FURTHER
Related reading from Further Communications
If you have not yet identified the specific communication skill gaps you are trying to address, our guide to identifying your team's communication training needs is the right place to start.
If you have a clear sense of the format you need and are ready to think about what a programme should cover, our guide to what to include in a communication skills training programme for managers sets out the content areas and structural design decisions in detail. We can also guide you on when and how to start measuring training impact (SPOILER ALERT: Start early!)
If you have decided on the right format and are ready to move into planning, then check out this step-by-step guide to creating a communication skills programme.
To see the full scope of what a communication skills programme designed and delivered by Further looks like, visit our communication skills programme development page.
HOW FURTHER COMMUNICATIONS CAN HELP
Not sure which format is right for you? Start with a conversation.
Further Communications works with HR managers and L&D leads to scope and design communication skills training that is right for their organisation. We help them to get to the right topics, the right format, and the right level of support. We are happy to help you think through which option makes most sense for your team before any commitment is made.
Many of the organisations we work with come to us with a rough sense of what they need rather than a precise brief. That is entirely normal, and it is exactly the conversation we love to have.
Or get in touch directly — we will get back to you within one working day.
