COMMUNICATION CROSS-TRAINING COURSE
Communication upskilling for early stage biotech companies.
Communication in a startup flows in many modes and even more directions. For leaders, investing in the skills to communicate effectively can be the difference maker for meeting milestones and making an impact.
At Founder to Leader, we have designed a course to help early-stage biotech and climate tech leaders understand the value of effective communication and learn key principles to communicate effectively at work.
Through this course, participants will:
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Understand how their role positions them as a lead communicator
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Build a toolbox of strategies and techniques to communicate effectively within and outside of the company
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Develop frameworks for communicating across a range of venues including setting vision, priorities, and culture; leading cross-functional teams; and winning supporters
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Design a game plan for translating new knowledge gained through the course into new approach and action on the job
Syllabus
00
Onboarding + Introductions
1 HOUR OF ONLINE CONTENT TO COMPLETE + 30 MIN LIVE SESSION WITH SHELBY
In this session we will review course objectives and make sure everyone is comfortable using our online learning platform.
01
Concepts: Leading Through Communication
Principles: Audience + Purpose
1 HOUR OF ONLINE CONTENT TO COMPLETE BEFORE LIVE SESSION
Learning objectives: Understanding why communication matters within the company + within each individual’s role; Appreciating the frequency + complexity of communication tasks required in a startup environment; Internalizing a frame of approach for effective communication centered on defining your purpose + understanding your audience
02
Concepts: Internal Meetings + Memos
Principles: Be Focused + Inclusive
1 HOUR OF ONLINE CONTENT TO COMPLETE BEFORE LIVE SESSION
Learning objectives: Understanding the key mechanics that structure meetings + memos; Ways to ensure meetings + memos open with clear messages about purpose + intended outcomes (“leading with the lede”); Appreciating the multilingual nature of interdisciplinary teams + approaches for finding common language; Identifying pitfalls to meeting management + learning safeguards to running great meetings.
03
Concepts: Project + People Management
Principles: Connect Horizons + Build Trust
1 HOUR OF ONLINE CONTENT TO COMPLETE BEFORE LIVE SESSION
Learning objectives: Setting and communicating goals (Objectives and Key Results, OKR’s) in a research enterprise; The role communication plays in translating goals into action plans; Frameworks for interacting with others in a matrix environment; Communicating to build trust and maintain psychological safety as you get things done.
04
Concepts: Winning Supporters
Principles: Storytelling + Pursuasion
1 HOUR OF ONLINE CONTENT TO COMPLETE BEFORE LIVE SESSION
Learning objectives: Storytelling tools to win supporters across arenas; Key principles to successfully securing financial supporters (pitching to prospective investors, securing non-dilutive grant funding); Outreach strategies for attracting top talent (advisors, personnel, and collaborators); Raising your profile as an individual and on behalf of your company.
Online teaching model is catered to today's biotech workforce
Communication Cross-training will be offered online in a “flipped classroom” model to cohorts of 20 participants. Each week, participants will independently walk through ~1 hour of bite-sized, interactive content via a social learning platform to absorb the main concepts presented. Then, at week’s end, each cohort will join a 30 minute live Zoom session with a Founder to Leader instructor to ask questions, discuss topics, and reinforce plans for implementing their new knowledge.
This model of learning is ideal for the biotech workforce, catered to adult learning styles with minimal burden and maximum return.
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Flexible: bite-sized, any-time content accommodates the schedules of busy leaders + experimentalists
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Self-paced: each team member can learn according to their ability + fluency level
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Self-ownership: prompts, scenarios, and polls are completed by all participants, ensuring reflection, comprehension checks + application for all team members
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Higher-level learning: engaging with content throughout the week enhances retention + understanding, while live sessions can focus on discussion to promote analysis, evaluation + creation
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Investment
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Individual enrollment is priced at $600 per person. Application required. Please sign up for our newsletter for application information.Companies investing in this course for their teams will receive a discounted rate of $6,000 per cohort for up to 20 participants. If desired, company-specific edits + additions may be incorporated for additional cost. Please reach out for more information.
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Contact
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Shelby Doyle, PhD
Communication Coach + Consultant
shelby@founderleadercoach.com