Communicating with your team
Learn effective communication skills and how to improve team communication
Course overview
The hardest part of being a manager often isn’t the tasks – it’s the people conversations. The ones that linger in your mind, like giving difficult feedback or handling unexpected reactions. And more often than not, poor communication is what makes these moments harder.
That’s why good workplace communication matters so much. It builds trust, creates psychological safety and helps employees understand what’s expected – and feel supported along the way.
Whether you're stepping into a line manager role for the first time or simply want to strengthen your workplace communication skills, this course will help you build the skills needed to communicate effectively, in less than 30 minutes.
What's inside this course:
This line manager communication course, led by expert Culture Coach, Lizzie Benton, is split into four short modules - each focused on a key part of effective communication at work.
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Managing negative mindsets – Spot unhelpful patterns and use reset techniques like Pause → Probe → Pivot, to keep your team on track.
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Communicating with clarity and empathy – Practise active listening, clear messaging, empathy and awareness of body language and nonverbal cues, so your messages land clearly and your team feel heard.
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Tackling difficult conversations – Use tools like the Respect Check, and open–middle–close conversation structure to handle conflict and challenging discussions constructively, and with care.
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Motivating and empowering your team – Learn practical ways to build confidence in every team member, recognise effort and connect work back to purpose.
The course is designed to be short and practical, so you can take the modules in any order, revisit when needed and use the included resources to put your learning into action.
What you'll walk away with:
By the end of this line manager communication course, you'll have a toolkit of essential communication skills for managers - helping you support, lead and motivate your team with confidence.
Managing negative mindsets in the workplace
How to manage negative mindsets in the workplace through good communication
Negative mindsets can creep in quietly - a low mood, resistance to change, or unhelpful comments. Left unaddressed, they can spread through a team and hurt morale.
In this module, Lizzie shares how to spot the signs early and understand what might be driving them. You’ll explore the Pause → Probe → Pivot method and learn simple, people-first communication techniques to reset the tone, support each team member and build a more positive team culture. You’ll also see how positive body language and facial expressions can help reinforce your message and encourage open communication.
Then, in the resources section, you'll find a playbook with extra tips and practical conversation starters to help you manage negative mindsets with confidence.
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The key communication skills for managers: clarity and empathy
How active listening, body language and emotional intelligence can help managers build better communication with their team
Every message lands better when it's delivered with care. And being clear doesn't mean being cold.
In this module, Lizzie shows how managers can use the three pillars of effective communication skills: active listening, clear messaging and empathy. Alongside emotional intelligence, verbal communication and body language awareness, you’ll explore how your communication style shapes the way a message is received, and learn how to adapt your approach so every team member feels heard, valued and understood.
You’ll also learn how to pay attention to nonverbal cues and eye contact, which can make all the difference in helping your people feel heard.
Then, in the resources section, you’ll find our Manager’s mini guide to effective communication, plus an infographic to help you identify what type of leader you are and your communication style.
Useful resources:
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Tackling difficult conversations with your team
How managers can use good communication skills to ease difficult conversations
No one enjoys conflict at work - but avoiding tough conversations often makes things worse.
In this module, Lizzie shares practical tools to approach difficult conversations with confidence and care. You’ll learn how to plan ahead, manage your own emotions, and create psychological safety so every team member feels safe to speak openly.
You’ll also explore the Respect Check – a quick way to keep your tone factual, constructive and respectful – and a simple open–middle–close structure to keep conversations clear and balanced. The result? Honest conversations, open dialogue and opportunities for employees to voice concerns that build trust and move your team forward.
Then, in the resources section, you'll find a toolkit with step-by-step guidance to plan, structure and follow up on challenging discussions.
Useful resources:
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Motivating and empowering your team
How to motivate and empower your entire team
Good communication isn't just about giving instructions - it's about inspiring confidence, trust and motivation in your team.
In this module, Lizzie explores how managers can build a positive workplace culture where every team member feels valued. You’ll learn how to start meaningful conversations, listen to what drives people, give ownership not just tasks, and connect work to purpose. You’ll also see how clear expectations, set with kindness, can turn accountability into a form of care.
And in the resources section, you'll find a handy infographic with quick tips to re-energise and inspire your team - an easy, visual reminder whenever you need it.
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Congratulations, you've completed Breathe's communication course for line managers
Well done on completing the course. Along the way, you've explored how to manage negative mindsets, communicate with clarity and empathy, tackle difficult conversations and motivate your team. You've built a toolkit of practical communication skills that will help you create stronger connections, support every team member and build a positive workplace culture.
These aren’t soft skills – they’re essential communication skills for managers. Strong communication is what builds trust and psychological safety. Whether through written communication, verbal communication or nonverbal communication, being an effective communicator is key to managing a team and ensuring employees understand what’s expected.
And this is just one of the expert-led courses in our Line Manager Essentials Training. The Breathe Growth Academy has even more courses and resources to help you grow as a line manager - from performance management to boundary setting. Keep exploring to build your skills and confidence.
