Course
Description

Provides opportunities to practice and improve written and spoken communication skills, both individual and collaborative, which are appropriate for career success. Utilizes strategic managerial communication skills in analyzing business problems or situations and choosing the appropriate communication processes, products, or events to meet organizational needs.

Methods of Course Instruction

The primary objective of this course is to explore communication as a process that affects individual performance as well as intra-organizational and inter-organizational operation. Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to:
         

• Analyze a communication problem and determine the appropriate response (medium and message)

• Explore contemporary communication problems and issues that affect organizations, i.e., ethics in communication and intercultural communication

• Express themselves clearly, confidently, and professionally

• Produce concise documents that convey a clear purpose (thesis) with supporting arguments and evidence

• Proofread and edit to ensure professional quality documents that are “mailable”

• Evaluate personal delivery techniques and develop a plan for improvement

• Use technology to research problems, produce communication products, and deliver presentations

• Develop strategies for conducting routine and difficult communications--such as one-on-one conversations, meetings, and media relations--through role-playing activities

• Maintain a professional demeanor

1. Executive Summary of a Chapter in Difficult Conversations        5 %

2. Reading Responses to Articles on Professional Communication    30 %

3. Creative Problem Solving Project Planning Document       5 %

4. Creative Problem Final Deliverable   10 %

5. Training Module Planning Document 5 %

6. Training Module Final Deliverable     10 %

7. Grammar Review Exercises  10 %

8. Course Contract       5 %

9. Class Participation (discussion board, study group, timely assignment submission)       20 %

           Total   100%

Materials

Required

Text(s)

Prentice Hall Reference Guide for Professional Writing (Book Alone)
Muriel G. Harris, Professor Emerita, Purdue University

ISBN-10: 0131789155
ISBN-13: 9780131789159
Publisher: Prentice Hall
Copyright: 2007
Format: Paper; 640 pp
Published: 12/30/2006

Title: Difficult Conversations
Author: Stone 
Publisher: Penguin
Edition: 1999
ISBN#: 9780140288520

Additional or Optional Materials
Assigned articles provided in the course website:

• Alsop-"Playing Well with Others"

• Ballard--"Six Ways to Grab and Audience"

• Winfrey--"How to Talk to a Crowd"

• Dyer—“Pretend Agreement”

• --- "The Micromanager"

• Cunningham & Greene--"Email: Before You Hit Send"

• Williams & Miller--"Change the Way You Persuade"

• Xavier--"Clear Communications and Feedback Can Improve Manager and Employee Effectiveness"

• Manzoni--"A Better Way to Deliver Bad News"

• Perlow and Williams--"Is Silence Killing Your Company?"

• O'Rourke--"Communication Ethics"

Note: The books for the course are in stock at College Bookstore, (740) 594-3505. Click here for online ordering.

Exams
Requirements

No exams