Effective Professional Communication

As a television news and current affairs broadcaster for over 25 years, Richard Morecroft has always been fascinated by communication. Why do some people get their messages across clearly and effectively, while others waste opportunities, or worse still, do damage to their cause.

For over two decades, Richard has worked with the leaders of many organisations and companies to help them improve their confidence and their performance: to help them understand the elements of their personal communication (how they look and sound) and to give them practical tools to structure their key messages effectively. Media skills training is still a big part of his professional activity, but more and more, organisations are asking to go one step further.

They want to work with their key people not always because they think they’re going to have to deal with a media crisis, but because they are recognising that the same skills needed for media performance – good control over personal communication and the ability to structure messages well – are applicable to all types of effective professional communication. Richard notes that he 'might find myself working with the Chairman of a Board who wants to prepare for a shareholders’ meeting, or researchers from a university who want to explain their complex discoveries in laypersons’ language, or Government department representatives who want to explain a change of policy to local councils, or an electricity supplier who wants to explore better ways of explaining to customers why the power’s off.'

Some people are naturally very talented communicators even without any training – but many others can find themselves disappointed after an important meeting or discussion or interview. They feel they could have done so much better, or that an important opportunity may have been missed. That’s why it is so satisfying to see someone take control of their communication skills, and say that they feel much more confident about communicating effectively.

Richard Morecroft is an Australian media icon. He was the host of the popular quiz show Letters and Numbers on SBS One for 3 seasons and was the face of ABC television's nightly news for 20 years. Richard been the host of many other TV programmes, from current affairs to business and wildlife documentaries.