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Craft of Communication is a new kind of training company for Managers and Executives who wish to develop their Communication Skills. The company was set up by John Abulafia, the international theatre and opera director. His experience and skills are the bedrock of this new method of training. He is now in great demand as a Management Trainer, Executive Coach and expert in Communication Skills in both the private and public sectors.



Executive Coaching

All Craft of Communication courses are designed to address the specific coaching needs of each client. This is especially true of our Executive Coaching Programme.

Craft of Communication Executive Coaching helps clients to develop a personal style that matches both their seniority and their aspirations.

Before the first session we have extensive discussions with the client to define their precise training needs. We have helped clients who have requested help with:



  • Enhancing Leadership Skills
  • Dealing With Conflict
  • Managing Change And Its Consequences
  • Running Meetings More Effectively.
  • Q & A Sessions, Especially Those From Difficult Or Hostile Audiences
  • Communication Problems With Colleagues, Whether Peers, Juniors Or Those More Senior
  • Issues Around Assertiveness And Confidence
  • Facilitation Skills With Clients, Colleagues Or Teams
  • One To One Meetings With Clients
  • Negotiation Skills
  • Communicating Well During Interviews
  • Being More Effective On The Phone And In Conference Calls
  • Techniques For Successful Video Conferencing
  • Presenting At Board Meetings
  • Presenting To Any Kind Of Audience: Peers, Juniors Or Those More Senior
  • Addressing Large Meetings
  • Networking Skills
  • Media Training Whether For Press Or Tv Interviews
  • Help For Women Managers And Executives Who Need To Communicate Effectively, And To Be Both Authoritative And Inclusive In A Business Environment Where The Leadership Is Male
  • Help With Issues Around Diversity.
  • Voice Coaching.


Clients who request this coaching almost always have very full diaries, so the sessions are never more than three hours long.

What you learn:

The first two sessions are devoted to Skill Building. For example, clients often wish to enhance their gravitas. This is an issue that can be resolved by coaching them in the use of Status. Once they have mastered the sophisticated skill of modulating their Status, clients begin to develop the ability to influence colleagues, boards, clients and audiences by making subtle changes to posture, using eye contract, altering their breathing, choosing an appropriate pace when speaking, and making full use of pitch and pace changes in the voice.

The skill building sessions also equips clients to deal with a variety of difficult situations and people. They learn the observational skills they need to understand and read the body language and hidden messages of others. They learn techniques to neutralise the effect of those who are negative or hostile.

Subsequent sessions can be scheduled so that the client has time to use their new skills: the next session can be used to assess and develop the skills, or rehearse for important meetings or presentations. Later sessions can also examine, in confidence, any problematic work relationships. A combination of discussion and role play can be used to find more fruitful and positive solutions to this range of problems.

By the end of the coaching, clients will have been through in a phase of personal development that enhances their energy levels, fine tunes their interpersonal skills, often releasing underappreciated qualities like charm and wit. Above all, they acquire authority that is authentic.

Craft of Communication can also offer One to One Voice Sessions from our Voice Coach Tara Shaw.

How you learn:

The sessions are action-led: clients learn the techniques by using them. As the session develops, there is of course analysis, discussion and debate. Worksheets are used to pinpoint key ideas. There is extensive use of Role Play; this enables the client to try out new techniques, rehearse situations that have been challenging. Role Play using actors can be used to help simulate one to one meetings of any kind, including press and TV interviews.



Download | Executive Coaching: How We Can Help.






“The species that survives is not necessarily the strongest, the most aggressive or even the most intelligent. The species that survives and thrives is the species that can adapt.”

CHARLES DARWIN: The Origin of Species.



Click Start to Sample Executive Coaching in Reading Body Language

With our theatre background, Craft of Communication has access to the talents of highly skilled actor-facilitators. Sometimes we use them to help executives to try out newly-acquired skills. Our actors can play clients or colleagues if a client needs to role-play One to One meetings. They can play journalists, TV interviewers or a wide range of difficult, challenging people. We can film all these role plays and then give constructive feedback so the executive feels better equipped for the real thing.

We can also make training films for clients. This film was specially scripted and filmed for a leading merchant bank to help their Senior Financial Advisors acquire skills in reading Body Language.

The film consists of two short scenes. Both show a meeting with a married couple who are relatively new clients for the bank. They talk direct to camera, so you, the viewer, see them as a Financial Advisor would see them.

In both scenes, the script is exactly the same. Any differences are in the body language. All the Financial Advisors know is that:

Charles is a very active, self-made man. He is 63 years old. Susan is 55 and has always devoted herself to caring for him and their two children. She has not had a career. Following a heart attack, Charles has reluctantly accepted the advice of his doctors and is about to retire. He has agreed to Susan’s idea that he hands over management of the family firm to their 28 tear old son, Gerald. Their 23 year old daughter Barbara is at the start of a career in PR. Barbara’s boyfriend is in his last year at business school.

The Financial Advisors watched the first film. They were asked what financial advice they would give this couple.

Then they watched the second film. They were asked if their advice would be different in any way.

Then we discussed how the couple’s Body Language not only changed the meaning of their words; it indicated their thoughts, conflicts and feelings. As personal financial advisers, they needed to be aware of all this when deciding on the best advice to give.

Try it!



Client Feedback 1:

“By all accounts, yesterday’s session was outstanding. Eric downloaded to me that the whole training process with you had been ‘life-changing’ and that he wishes he’d had it 10 years ago. I’ve never heard him so enthusiastic about anything. Our CEO was blown away by the transformation of Eric’s client-handling, so we now expect great things of him here! Thanks for working so cleverly and intuitively with him, and to delivering on the rigour of the process. We were most impressed. I’m already thinking about who we can line up next.”

SOPHIE MANHAM: Head of HR, SHM.




Client Feedback 2:

“I selected your training because I felt it would answer some wider questions about my personal effectiveness and this it did very well. I now feel very aware of my impact on others and the reasons for it and am actively working day by day to make necessary changes: principally my posture, taking time to breathe, talking at the pace I choose etc…I have mooted the idea of a 1-day follow-up in 3 months' time or so.”

ANDREW PARKINS, Old Mutual PLC.




Client Feedback 3:

“The coaching has proved invaluable and not a day goes by where I do not apply it in some form or the other. I would go so far as to say that it might be some of the most useful training I have received in my professional career.”

DEWARD SERFONTEIN Old Mutual PLC Investor Relations Team