Friday 13 March 2026, 12.45-3.45 pm
This high-energy, interactive workshop is designed for Executive Assistants who want to step beyond ‘good communication’ and into intentional, strategic conversations that shape decisions and outcomes across the business. You will unpack how to communicate with clarity, authority, and tact in high-stakes environments, so your voice imports conviction in every room you step into.
Across the session, you will explore the difference between influencing, persuading, and negotiating – and when each approach serves you best in an executive context. You will also learn how to set clear intentions, define and protect your boundaries, and use advanced communication techniques to build trust, strengthen relationships, and evince the information you need to support confident executive-level decisions.
- Explore practical scenarios where effective communication helps foster harmony and builds positive connections across the organisation
- Gain insights into how different personality styles influence strategic conversations at the executive level, and learn how to engage with confidence and respect
- Design communication and influence strategies that protect your executive’s focus, shape decisions, and position you as a trusted strategic partner
- Build a practical ‘playbook’ you can use the next morning – e-mail templates, phrasing upgrades, and stakeholder strategies that feel authentic to you.
By the end of this 3‑hour, highly interactive workshop with facilitator Sarah Blake, participants will be able to:
- Translate big‑picture organisational and executive goals into clear, targeted communication strategies for different stakeholders
- Confidently choose the appropriate channel, tone, and timing to reduce dissonance, prevent misunderstandings, and achieve goals and objectives faster
- Apply listening and questioning techniques to read the room, interpret the ‘unsaid,’ and respond with empathy and authority
- Use a personalised strategic communication playbook to handle high‑stakes conversations, challenging emails, and conflict situations with composure and impact.
By applying the strategies explored in this session, you will be able to confidently bring each of the 4 outcomes to life in real-world strategic communication moments with your executive and key stakeholders. You will leave with practical, readily implementable tools to handle high-stakes conversations, navigate tricky dynamics with composure, and create influence that genuinely shifts results.
Featuring Sarah Blake, Conflict Strategist, Sarah M Blake
With over 28 years of experience, Sarah is a conflict strategist that understands the complex dynamic
s of culture in business and people. She has delivered bespoke corporate training, university courses, and workshops in remote Australia and the Pacific, and has spoken in nine countries. Sarah’s extensive experience with multi-party, cross-cultural cases helps clients navigate complex decision-making, focusing on collaborative practices that foster clarity, innovation, and trust.