Infographic: Master virtual communication by honing soft skills

master virtual communication soft skills infographic
Duarte Circle D logo

Written by

Team Duarte

Many organizations attempted a transition to online work during the COVID-19 pandemic to protect the health of staff and customers. While remote virtual communication technology helped keep businesses open, many workers struggled with communicating and collaborating at a distance.

After 18 months in the “new normal,” it’s safe to say the status quo for virtual communication soft skills isn’t good enough, and it’s leaving some members of the workforce fatigued and frustrated.

But improving online presentations doesn’t just happen. It requires intentional focus on developing the soft skills needed to master connecting with others and approaching communication from a position of empathy. The infographic below, along with Presenting Virtually, our newest book by Chief Strategy Officer, Patti Sanchez, and our recently released research report on the state of virtual communications & soft skills, provide a roadmap for improving the way you communicate, and present, online.

Presenting Virtually Infographic 2021 07 AM EAW

References

New call-to-action

Header image illustrated by Alexis Macias

Infographic illustrated by Aisling Doyle

Communication skills

Check out these related courses

New Course

Adaptive Listening®

Build trust and traction

Uncover a better way to listen that goes beyond active listening and paying attention. Learn about the way you prefer to listen, and adapt to meet the needs of others.

Live online: Coming soon

Change Communication Training

Drive strategic change

Craft an effective communication strategy that sparks and sustains change with empathetic speeches, stories, ceremonies, and symbols that motivate and inspire teams.

Live online: Coming soon

Presentation Principles™

Learn presentation basics

Follow a step-by-step method to write compelling stories, amplify ideas visually, and present with confidence while learning at your own pace.

On demand: Anytime

Check out these related resources

Step by step guide to planning successful sales kickoffs header

Blog post

How to Plan a Sales Kickoff: A Step-by-Step Guide

A sales kickoff sets up your team’s whole year. Here’s how to an enterprise SKO that aligns your reps on one story, from the big idea to the agenda.
A budget-seeker talking with their CEO, the budget-approver, in front of a locked cabinet with boxes and bags of cash locked inside.

Guides and tools

Executive Performance Levers Assessment

Craft your budget ask to match what budget-approvers are prioritizing. In 12 questions, learn where money, market, and exposure rank for your stakeholder and receive actionable tips to stay on target.
A budget-seeker is presenting in front of two decision-makers holding a magician’s top hat and waving a wand as money hovers above the overturned hat. The two decision-makers are seated and weighing whether to approve the budget.

Blog post

How to Get Your Next Budget Approved: 3 Narrative Techniques

Gain traction and earn funding for your next endeavor with 3 narrative techniques proven to get your budget approved and bring your project to life.
A group of executives are seated around a board room table as a another team member emerges through the floor on a chair to join them. This barber chair image is meant to signify how leadership development programs can support employee retention by giving folks a seat at the table.

Blog post

Improve Employee Retention with Leadership Training

Turning employee attrition around for stability and savings are reasons enough to invest in leadership development. But cost avoidance aside, the benefits of establishing a clear cadence for upskilling and advancement are felt at every level of an organization.
A leader standing on a cloud with five arcs of envelopes bending toward another cloud to five recipients dressed for different roles illustrating how segmentation can help messages build executive presence across each unique relationship.

Blog post

How to Build and Maintain Executive Presence Over Email

Presence doesn’t just matter in person. Learn how email can help build and maintain executive presence across audiences segments and establish meaningful connections.
A professional standing in front of a group to offer their unique perspective during a team meeting. This demonstrates how understanding the value of one’s contributions and sharing them confidently is essential to building executive presence.

Guides and tools

Executive Presence Skills Gap Assessment

Confidence can be hard to cultivate. But it starts with understanding where skill gaps exist at your organization. Answer 9 brief questions to reveal your score and actionable next steps.