Servant Leadership, Leadership Communication, and Organizations as Systems
Background
In today's business world, we rely on leaders to make persuasive arguments to motivate employees and "get the job done." This requires both written and oral skills.
In Module 1 SLP, we examined the use of ethos, logos, and pathos in influence. In this SLP, you will apply these principles to make your own argument as if you were a supervisor in your Fortune 10 company.
Required Reading
Refer to the required and optional readings on effective communication messages and methods, as well as the readings from Module 1 on ethos, logos, and pathos.
Session Long Project
Using what you have learned in this module and module 1 about effective communication, develop a slide deck (minimum of 8 slides) with voice narration in which you introduce a new organizational policy at your company.
Your presentation should consist of at least 8 slides explaining the implementation of a new organizational policy (e.g., no cell phones on the job) and an audio recording of your presentation (no more than 5 minutes long) where you (a dedicated leader) communicate the benefits and implications of your policy. The goal is to be able to influence (e.g., ethos, logos, pathos) your followers/audience to embrace this organizational change.
Once you have completed the PowerPoint presentation, you will use "Record Narration" to record your presentation using a microphone. You will submit the PowerPoint presentation with voiceover for a grade. (Please discuss any special issues with your instructor if you are unable to complete any portion of this assignment).
You will be particularly assessed on:
Your completion of all the steps in the exercise.
Your ability to synthesize information and present a concise and meaningful PowerPoint and audio presentation.
How well you demonstrate the principles of communication presented in this module.
The clarity and quality of your PowerPoint and audio presentations.
Assignment-Driven Criteria (Precision and Breadth): Does the paper fully address all Keys to the Assignment? Are the concepts behind the Keys to the Assignment addressed accurately and precisely using sound logic? Does the paper meet minimum length requirements?
Critical Thinking (Critical Thinking and Depth): Does the paper demonstrate graduate-level analysis, in which information derived from multiple sources, expert opinions, and assumptions has been critically evaluated and synthesized in the formulation of a logical set of conclusions? Does the paper address the topic with sufficient depth of discussion and analysis?
Business Writing (Clarity and Organization): Is the paper well written (clear, developed logically, and well organized)? Are the grammar, spelling, and vocabulary appropriate for graduate-level work? Are section headings included in all papers? Are paraphrasing and synthesis of concepts the primary means of responding to the Keys to the Assignment, or is justification/support instead conveyed through excessive use of direct quotations?
Effective Use of Information (Information Literacy and References): Does the paper demonstrate that the student has read, understood, and can apply the background materials for the module? If required, has the student demonstrated effective research, as evidenced by the student's use of relevant and quality sources? Do additional sources used in the paper provide strong support for conclusions drawn, and do they help in shaping the overall paper?