Course Description & Learning Objectives

Companies consistently describe writing and speaking competencies as major factors in hiring and promotion decisions. Managers who communicate effectively greatly enhance their ability to achieve desired results for both themselves and their organizations. Today’s rapidly developing communication technologies also expose managers and their firms to significant reputational and operational risks. This course will take a strategic approach to management communication, providing participants with the tools they need to immediately improve their workplace communication.

The course will offer a framework for making effective communication choices in varied situations. The instructors will share examples to highlight best communication practices when writing and speaking. Participants will learn how to design high-value business messages that convey information in clear, concise, and easy-to-follow ways for diverse audiences. Woven throughout the course will be discussion of the risks the current digital environment poses for business communicators today, as well as suggested ways to mitigate those risks.

By the completion of the course, participants should:

• Understand the information needs of business audiences and the importance of developing a strategic approach to communication
• Be able to create messages that are highly readable and appropriate in tone
• Know how to structure a presentation and deliver information orally in an effective, engaging way

Participants will complete the course over four weeks. During each of the first three weeks, participants will receive instruction in three one-hour sessions, for a total of nine hours of instruction. Each session features PowerPoint slides accompanied by audio lectures and other Web-based instructional materials and exercises.

In addition, the instructors encourage students to observe communication practices in their current workplaces and to note examples of successful and unsuccessful business communication discussed in the media.

Course Assessments

This course has a “pass/fail” format.

Participants will complete short assessments at the end of the first, second, and third week to make sure they understand key concepts. Each of the three assessments is expected to take about half an hour to complete. Participants who do not pass an assessment will be able to review class materials and retake the assessment until they achieve a passing grade.

Week 4 will provide a review of all materials from the previous three weeks. A final audio/video review presentation will connect the course content to questions posed online by participants. After the review session, participants will complete a final assessment that is expected to take about one hour to complete.

Course Schedule

Week #	Session	Time (hrs)	Topic
Week 1	1	1.0	Introduction: Developing a strategic approach to communicating with colleagues and clients
	2	1.0	Assessing and understanding the needs of business audiences
	3	1.0	Organizing messages to increase impact and desired results
	4	0.5	Assessment
Week 2	5	1.0	Writing for clarity and quick comprehension
	6	1.0	Managing the tone of messages to build and keep relationships
	7	1.0	Delivering bad news effectively
	8	0.5	Assessment
Week 3	9	1.0	Planning and structuring a business presentation
	10	1.0	Developing high-impact presentation delivery skills
	11	1.0	Putting it all together: A communication case challenge
	12	0.5	Assessment
Week 4	13	1.0	Course Review: Audio/visual review session
	14	1.0	Final Assessment
Total:		12.5