Better conversations.
More confident
people.
Practical, thoughtfully designed training for the people who support our communities. Help your teams approach everyday conversations—and the difficult ones—with clarity, empathy and confidence.
When the conversation matters, your people matter too.
A resident needs an answer you cannot give. A colleague needs honest feedback. A service user is frustrated, worried or finding it difficult to be heard.
These moments ask a great deal of your teams. They deserve space to practise, reflect and develop a way of communicating that feels both professional and human.
Donaldson James Ltd creates focused communication and professional development workshops for public-service organisations. We start with the situations your people face, then shape practical learning around them.
Scenarios and discussion shaped around your teams, their responsibilities and the people they support.
Participative workshops with guided practice, thoughtful conversation and time to reflect.
Practical approaches participants can consider and apply in their everyday work.
Real situations.
Thoughtful programmes.
Five proposed workshop starting points, each open to adaptation. We agree the scope and learning objectives with you before delivery.
Confident conversations,
even when they're difficult.
Help your people find a constructive way through sensitive discussions, disagreement and emotionally charged interactions—without losing sight of empathy or professional boundaries.
Discuss this workshop- Recognise what makes a conversation difficult and prepare a considered response.
- Use listening and questioning to understand the concern behind the words.
- Practise remaining composed when frustration or emotion rises.
- Communicate boundaries and next steps with clarity and respect.
- Identify when an interaction needs additional support or escalation.
02Communication Skills for New Managers
The move into management changes everyday conversations. Give newly appointed managers space to practise setting expectations, offering feedback and addressing concerns with fairness and clarity.
Suitable for
First-time managers, newly promoted supervisors and team leaders across public services.
- Set clear expectations and check shared understanding.
- Structure specific, constructive feedback.
- Prepare for sensitive performance conversations.
- Listen to concerns while maintaining professional boundaries.
- Agree practical next steps and follow-up.
03Effective Workplace Communication
Make space for clearer working conversations. Explore how assumptions, different communication preferences and unclear messages can create friction between colleagues, teams and departments.
Suitable for
Cross-functional teams, administrative and support staff, managers and departments working closely together.
- Recognise communication preferences without labelling people.
- Practise active listening and useful questions.
- Communicate a clear purpose, request and next step.
- Check assumptions and clarify misunderstandings.
- Select a suitable channel for the conversation.
04Communicating with Residents and Service Users
Bring empathy and clarity to public-facing conversations, particularly when the answer is complex or unwelcome. Explore how to acknowledge concerns, explain options and keep interactions respectful.
Suitable for
Housing officers, customer-facing council teams, healthcare reception and administrative staff, and other service teams.
- Listen for practical needs and emotional concerns.
- Use plain language to explain decisions and options.
- Acknowledge frustration without making promises outside the role.
- Check understanding and explain next steps.
- Recognise when to seek support in line with local procedures.
05Building Stronger Workplace Relationships
Look more closely at the everyday behaviours that shape how it feels to work together. A reflective, practical workshop exploring interpersonal awareness, emotional intelligence and constructive working relationships.
Suitable for
Established or newly formed teams, supervisors, managers and colleagues working across departments.
- Reflect on the impact of personal communication habits.
- Notice emotional responses and choose a considered approach.
- Practise listening with curiosity and respect.
- Address differences constructively.
- Identify behaviours the team wants to strengthen.
Your organisation is unique.
Your training should be too.
From the challenges facing frontline teams to the development needs of new managers, we work with organisations to create relevant, engaging training shaped around the people who will benefit from it.
You do not need a perfectly written brief or a course title in mind. Bring us a challenge, a learning objective or a situation you would like your people to handle more confidently. We can explore a suitable programme together.
Let's discuss your training needsIllustrative commissioning ideas, rather than previous client projects.
Discover
Discuss your challenges, audience and learning objectives. Understand the context before recommending a format.
Design
Agree the focus and develop a programme informed by your team's needs, with relevant examples and activities.
Deliver
Facilitate practical, engaging sessions that give people space to participate, practise and reflect.
Review
Gather participant feedback, reflect on the learning and explore any further development requirements.
Make room for development.
Keep the day moving.
A useful workshop does not always need a whole day. Focused two-hour sessions make space for professional development alongside the responsibilities of running a service.
We agree a manageable scope, a suitable group size and a delivery approach that gives your people time to contribute.
Find the right format for your teamLive online
Facilitated learning for teams joining remotely, with discussion and practical activities built into the session.
At your premises
In-person workshops designed around the people in the room. Location and any travel requirements agreed in advance.
Two hours or half a day
A focused session for a defined learning need, or a longer programme when the subject needs more practice and reflection.
One team or several cohorts
Discuss repeat delivery across teams and departments, or a series of sessions supporting ongoing development.
Discuss the programme, format and scope with us. Your proposal will confirm what is included, any applicable VAT and any agreed travel costs. Bespoke and multi-cohort programmes are quoted individually.
A personal approach to professional development.
Donaldson James Ltd is an independent UK training consultancy focused on communication, interpersonal skills and professional development for public-service and not-for-profit organisations.
Led by Gary Donaldson, whose qualifications include an MSc in Intercultural Business Communication, our approach brings thoughtful programme design together with a personal, responsive commissioning experience.
We take time to understand the learning need, discuss what is realistic within the time available and agree a clear brief before delivery.
Relevant training. Thoughtful design. Meaningful development.
Talk to Gary about your teamA few useful details.
Can you adapt a programme to our organisation?
Yes. The proposed programmes are starting points. We can discuss your audience, objectives, terminology and relevant situations, then agree the extent of adaptation or bespoke development in your proposal.
Do we need to know exactly what training we want?
No. A short description of the challenge is enough to start a conversation. We can help explore the audience, desired learning and suitable format before developing a proposal.
Can we commission the same workshop for several teams?
Yes. Repeat and multi-cohort delivery can be discussed as part of commissioning. We can also explore linked sessions where your development needs extend beyond a single workshop.
What happens after we get in touch?
We discuss the need and any practical requirements, then agree whether a proposed workshop or bespoke programme is suitable. A written proposal sets out the scope, delivery arrangements and fees before you commit.
Can you work with our internal policies and procedures?
We can discuss how examples and activities should reflect relevant organisational procedures. Communication workshops complement your internal guidance; they do not replace specialist clinical, safeguarding, legal or personal-safety training.
Can we discuss accessibility and participation needs?
Please raise any access or participation requirements during commissioning so we can discuss suitable materials, activities, breaks and delivery arrangements with you.
What would you like your people to feel more confident doing?
Tell us a little about your team and the conversations they face. Whether you have a defined brief or an early idea, we would welcome the opportunity to discuss it.
Use the enquiry form below. Your organisation, a short outline of the need and your preferred delivery format are helpful starting points. Please do not include confidential service-user information.