The Authentic Communicator: Building Presence and Trust
Keep adding new skills with 10,000+ programs for $239 (usually $399). Save now.
The Authentic Communicator: Building Presence and Trust
This course is part of Authentic Communication With Confidence And Impact Specialization
1,866 already enrolled
Included with
Ask Coursera
Recommended experience
Recommended experience
Skills you'll gain
- Personal Development
- Personal Attributes
- Public Speaking
- Self-Awareness
- Empathy & Emotional Intelligence
- Adaptability
- Communication
- Verbal Communication Skills
- Executive Presence
- Communication Strategies
- Oral Expression
- Rapport Building
- Interpersonal Communications
- Non-Verbal Communication
- Relationship Building
- Emotional Intelligence
Details to know
See how employees at top companies are mastering in-demand skills
Build your subject-matter expertise
- Learn new concepts from industry experts
- Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
- Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
- Earn a shareable career certificate
There are 4 modules in this course
This course has been designed by academics and experienced tutors at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, a specialist college of the University of London. This course equips professionals and aspiring leaders with the tools to harness their unique personal traits and communication styles for greater workplace impact. Rooted in the belief that every interaction is shaped by both who a person is and how they communicate, the course centres a learner in the process of creating more authentic connections in every conversation.
Through reflective exercises, guided analysis, and practical techniques, learners will deepen their awareness of their values, motivations, and behaviours, and understand how these influence their communication style. They will learn how to: - recognise their unique communication patterns - develop emotional awareness - strengthen their physical and vocal presence - communicate with clarity and confidence . Whether managing teams, collaborating across functions, or striving for more genuine communication, this course provides learners with the opportunity to build stronger, more meaningful professional relationships. They will gain practical strategies, renewed confidence, and a clearer sense of how to connect with themselves and others at every step of their career. After completing the course, learners will be able to: CLO1. Identify and analyse their unique personal characteristics and how these influence communication behaviours in various contexts CLO2. Investigate the role of physicality and vocal delivery in enhancing effective communication CLO3. Explore and apply strategies to develop strong connections to materials and messages through effective communication techniques CLO4. Experiment with and reflect on their optimal physical and vocal communication behaviors in different contexts.
This first module focuses on building awareness and an understanding of yourself as a communicator. You’ll explore your style, habits and preferences, and notice how they influence the way you speak, listen and connect with others. The module introduces how mindset, vocal qualities and nonverbal cues shape confidence, presence and credibility. Through guided exercises, you’ll develop greater self-awareness and begin to identify patterns that affect the way you choose and communicate your message. The learning objectives listed below will be addressed throughout the module.
What's included
5 videos18 readings1 assignment
5 videos•Total 26 minutes
- Course introduction•6 minutes
- Exploring your mindset•4 minutes
- Understanding your voice•4 minutes
- Awareness of your body•7 minutes
- Your relationship to others•5 minutes
18 readings•Total 330 minutes
- Course structure and navigation•10 minutes
- Learning effectively on this course•15 minutes
- Information regarding relevant competency skills•10 minutes
- Exercise: Learning from past experiences•15 minutes
- Exercise: Mindset self-check and communication belief inventory•20 minutes
- Exercise: Self-talk awareness — Listening to your inner voice•10 minutes
- How identity intersects with voice•15 minutes
- Exercise: Voice analysis and vocal expression exploration•30 minutes
- Exercise: Vocal awareness •30 minutes
- Exercise: Guided body language awareness•30 minutes
- Exercise: Gesture exploration •30 minutes
- Introduction: What you say - language, detail, structure•10 minutes
- Exercise: Understanding your verbal communication style•30 minutes
- Exercise: Answer first or context first?•20 minutes
- Exercise: Style contrast exercise•10 minutes
- Exercise: Confidence and rapport reflection•30 minutes
- The art of listening and asking questions•10 minutes
- Module summary•5 minutes
1 assignment•Total 10 minutes
- Check your understanding: Mapping the self•10 minutes
In this module, you’ll begin shaping a clear picture of the communicator you want to become. You’ll reflect on how you’d like to be perceived, the qualities you want to express more consistently, and the shifts in mindset, voice, body and personal presence that can help you align how you show up with your professional goals. We’ll explore how internal beliefs become visible in behaviour. Through guided, reflective exercises, you’ll translate self-awareness into practical direction — developing clarity, intention and early strategies to communicate with authenticity and confidence. The learning objectives listed below will be addressed throughout the module.
What's included
3 videos10 readings1 assignment
3 videos•Total 12 minutes
- Exploring the intersection of ourselves and professional environments•4 minutes
- Voice and body choices•5 minutes
- Discovering compelling content•2 minutes
10 readings•Total 240 minutes
- Exercise: Identity mapping•60 minutes
- Exercise: Perception roadmap•20 minutes
- Introduction – Your optimal mindset•10 minutes
- Exercise: Role model analysis•10 minutes
- Exercise: Peak communication memory•10 minutes
- Exercise: Personal mindset statement•30 minutes
- Exercise: Mapping desired voice and body behaviours•20 minutes
- Exercise: Observing what works•45 minutes
- Exercise: Mapping desired content habits •30 minutes
- Module summary•5 minutes
1 assignment•Total 10 minutes
- Check your understanding: Charting the destination•10 minutes
In this module, you’ll explore the inner patterns that influence how you communicate — the thoughts, expectations and habits that shape how you show up in real moments. You’ll learn new approaches and techniques to centre yourself, manage your energy and intentionally shape how you come across in any situation. Through readings and guided practice, you’ll learn how habits are formed, how to gently shift your thinking patterns and how to use mental rehearsal to prepare for moments that matter. These exercises help you align your inner experience with the presence you want to project — so you can communicate with clarity, energy, and authenticity in professional environments. The learning objectives listed below will be addressed throughout the module.
What's included
4 videos14 readings1 assignment
4 videos•Total 26 minutes
- The science of habit change•9 minutes
- Utilising grounding•4 minutes
- Energy calibration exercise•9 minutes
- Exercise introduction•5 minutes
14 readings•Total 195 minutes
- Exercise: Reframing practice•30 minutes
- Exercise: Preparing for upcoming situations •20 minutes
- Exercise: Guided visualisation•15 minutes
- Exercise: Building a grounding habit•10 minutes
- Exercise: Grounding reflection•10 minutes
- Energy and communication•5 minutes
- Exercise: Self-awareness•10 minutes
- Exercise: Practising by scenario•20 minutes
- Quick energy resets•10 minutes
- Ordering your thoughts and enriching your material •10 minutes
- Exercise: Using structures•15 minutes
- Exercise: Varying vocabulary•15 minutes
- Exercise: Making it human•20 minutes
- Module summary•5 minutes
1 assignment•Total 10 minutes
- Check your understanding: Shifting the landscape•10 minutes
In this module, you will strengthen your versatility as a communicator by expanding your skills and strategies. You will also learn to adapt your style, tone and approach to suit different contexts and challenges so you can feel confident and communicate effectively. The learning objectives listed below will be addressed throughout the module.
What's included
5 videos14 readings1 assignment
5 videos•Total 30 minutes
- Finding vocal variety•5 minutes
- Connecting to meaning and intention•5 minutes
- Working with physical alignment•7 minutes
- Exploring gesture•8 minutes
- Course summary•6 minutes
14 readings•Total 235 minutes
- Exercise: Pauses •10 minutes
- Exercise: Pitch•10 minutes
- Exercise: Pace•10 minutes
- Exercise: Volume•10 minutes
- Exercise: Tone•10 minutes
- Exercise: Bringing it all together•15 minutes
- Exercise: Emotion mapping•15 minutes
- Exercise: Aligning vocal tools with intention (Sentence)•20 minutes
- Exercise: Aligning vocal tools with intention (Paragraph) •20 minutes
- Exercise: Seeking alignment•45 minutes
- Exercise: Reflecting on your changing alignment•30 minutes
- Your body as a tool for communication•10 minutes
- Exercise: Gesture practice (scenario based)•20 minutes
- Module summary•10 minutes
1 assignment•Total 10 minutes
- Check your understanding: Exploring new possibilities•10 minutes
Earn a career certificate
Add this credential to your LinkedIn profile, resume, or CV. Share it on social media and in your performance review.
Instructors
Offered by
Explore more from Personal Development
- Status: Free TrialU
University of London
Specialization
- Status: Free TrialU
University of London
Course
- Status: Free TrialC
Creo Incubator
Course
- Status: Free Trial
Course
Why people choose Coursera for their career
Frequently asked questions
To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.
More questions
Financial aid available,
