71C01000 Management Communication (6cr) Mike Baker MA, MBA michael.baker@aalto.fi Learning outcomes By the end of the course, students will be able to: 1. understand the criticality of defining and choosing an appropriate leadership communication style for the given management context 2. employ relevant theoretical frameworks to analyse, plan and implement effective managerial communications 3. construct sound, compelling and convincing arguments targeted at internal stakeholders Assessment Deliverable PW CVCF communicator profile and CVCF message strategy (ind.) 10 A1 Internal stakeholder communication I: sensitive message (group) 10 A2 Internal stakeholder communication II: managerial proposal (group) 15 A3 Internal stakeholder communication III: transformational speech (ind) 25 A4 Communication project: presentation and executive summary (gp) 30 Cl Preparedness for class; contribution to group activities, online reviewing 10 To pass the course you need to: - complete all the required assignments including the pre-work - successfully complete any other tasks assigned by the lecturer - attend all classes Pts Workload This is a 6-credit course (162 hours). Lectures, 24 hrs; preparation for lectures, seminars and consultation sessions, 48 hrs; preparing assignments, 90 hrs (15hrs/wk).
P a g e 2 Assignments and deadlines at a glance Pre-work: Mandatory readings and pre-course tasks (10%) Deadline: uploaded to MyCourses by 23.59 Monday, 4.1 and bring 2 copies to class This pre-work introduces you to some of the key communication theories and strategies that we will be using during the course. You need to prepare your communicator profile and an objective-driven presentation, using the Competing Values Communication Framework (Rogers and Hildebrandt). A1: Internal stakeholder communication I: communicating sensitive info (10%) Deadlines: 19.1 (draft); 26.1 (final version) In your assigned group you are required to write a sensitive message aimed at an internal audience using the BNM guidelines, and the macro / micro level writing tools. A2: Internal stakeholder communication II: persuasive managerial proposal (15%) Deadlines: 26.1 (draft); 2.2 (final version) This group assignment requires you to write a managerial proposal to Aalto Biz management. You should use Toulmin s Claim-Data-Warrant communication model and persuasive writing guidelines to help you compose this managerial message. A3: Internal stakeholder communication III: transformational speech (25%) Deadline: 26.1 (outline); 2.2 (presentation); 9.2 (appraisal) This individual assignment requires you to prepare a short (5-minute) transformational speech to internal stakeholders (top management, colleagues, team members, fellow managers, company personnel). A4: Communication project: presentation and executive summary (30%) Deadlines: 18.1 (project proposals); 26.1 (consultation sessions); 8.2 (executive summary); 9.2 (presentations) This team assignment requires you to analyse an authentic organisational communication situation (problem / challenge / crisis / change). In your analysis, you are expected to take a strategic approach towards communication and draw on relevant communication models dealt with during the course. You also need to make recommendations based on your analysis. More detailed instructions for all of these assignments will be made available on the MyCourses workspace.
P a g e 3 Schedule PRE-WORK: Mandatory readings and 2 pre-course tasks due midnight, Mon. 4 January 1. Competing Values Communication Framework: readings 2. Communicator profile 3. Objective-driven presentation Deadline: uploaded to MyCourses by midnight Monday, 4 Jan. and bring 2 copies to first day of class (5.1) SESSION 1: TUESDAY 5 JANUARY Introduction to course Competing Values Communication Framework (Rogers & Hildebrandt) Discussion of CVCF Communicator Profiles Fine-tuning CVCF objective-driven presentation: feedback on strategy Division into groups for project (A4): choice of project situation Read Input 1: Strategic Contingency Model (SCM) Read Input 2: Persuasive managerial writing: sensitive messages Read Input 3: Writing with a reader-focus Read Input 4: Reader-friendly document design Prepare the BNM draft (A1) for 19 January Fine-tune your CVCF objective-driven presentation for 19 January Upload communication project proposal (A4) to workspace by 23.59, 18 January GROUPWORK (NO CLASS): TUESDAY 12 JANUARY Prepare your communication project proposal (A4) and upload it to the MyCourses workspace by 23.59, 18 January Write the BNM draft (A1) for 19 January. Bring 2 copies along to class next week for peer review
P a g e 4 SESSION 3: TUESDAY 19 JANUARY Objective-driven presentations (pre-work assignment) Internal management communication I: sensitive messages Peer reviewing & editing BNM (A1). Final version 26 January (upload to workspace). Read Rogers (2003), Building a case and arguing with sophistication Prepare the managerial proposal in your group (A2) for 26 January Read Denning, S. (2004), Telling Tales and Conger, J. (1991), Inspiring others Prepare individual transformational speech outline (A3) for 26 January Continue with preparation of your communication situation presentation (A4) SESSION 4: TUESDAY 26 JANUARY Internal management communication II: managerial proposal (A2) Reviewing and editing your managerial proposals. Final version due 6 February. Internal management communication III: transformational presentation (A3) Feedback on transformational speech outlines Writing an executive summary Finalise your transformational presentation (A3) Prepare your communication project presentation (A4) SESSION 5: TUESDAY 2 FEBRUARY Internal management communication III: transformational presentation Transformational speeches with lecturer/peer feedback (A3) Write your self-reflection of transformational speech (A3) for 9 February Read Input 5: Writing an executive summary Read input 6: Essentials of effective slide design Read: Yates, J. (2009), Active listening and Munter, M. (2007), Q and A sessions. Finalise executive summary and post on MyCourses by Monday 8 February SESSION 6: TUESDAY 9 FEBRUARY Project presentations followed by Q&A with opponents (A4)
P a g e 5 Class contribution grading rubric Grade 5: Excellent contribution. Came to class thoroughly prepared having done all the required readings and preparation work. Always took an active role in class discussions and group activities. Contributions were always constructive and often insightful. Grade 4: Very good contribution. Came to class having clearly done the required readings and most of the other preparation work. Regularly took an active role in class discussions and group activities. Grade 3: Adequate contribution. Came to class having done part of the required readings and preparation work. Participated in class discussions rather seldom and wasn t very active during group-work and other class exercises. Grade 2: Barely sufficient. Came to class having skimmed quickly through required readings and preparation work. Showed very little interest in class discussion or sharing ideas with others in group activities. Grade 1: Inadequate contribution. Came to class unprepared. Said next to nothing during class discussions and was unwilling to share ideas with others in group activities. Seemed uninterested. Grade 0: No contribution. Attended the minimum amount possible. Was always completely unprepared for class having failed to do any of the required readings or preparation work. Didn t participate in class discussions or group activities. Appeared to be totally disengaged.
P a g e 6 Mike Baker: a brief bio I m a Business Communication lecturer here at Aalto Biz, where I lecture on undergraduate, graduate (Aalto MSc, Community of Management School s (CEMS) Masters in Management), and Aalto Executive Education (AEE) executive MBA programmes in Europe and Asia. I lecture in numerous universities and training organisations worldwide, most recently at Nanyang Business School, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (Senior Teaching Fellow / visiting faculty 2010-2012); Harvard University Extension School, Massachusetts, USA; Graduate Institute of Management, Seoul School of Integrated Sciences and Technologies (assist), South Korea; Escuela Superior De Administracion Y Direccion De Empresas (ESADE), Barcelona, Spain; and the Institute of Banking, Poznan, Poland. I regularly organise intensive negotiation and management communication courses in international companies and organisations in Europe and Asia. Recent clients include ABB, Booz Allen Hamilton, City of Helsinki, City of Tallinn, Danske Bank, Finnair, Fortum, KEPCO Korean Power, Kone, LG (Seoul), Nokia (India, Italy, Philippines, Singapore), Metsä, Nordea, Outokumpu, Shinhan Bank (Seoul), Skanska, and STX. I majored in English Language and Literature at the University of Lancaster, Lancaster, UK, completed my postgraduate studies in pedagogy at S.Martin's College, Lancaster, UK, and in linguistics at the Centre for Applied Language Studies at the University of Reading, UK. I received my Executive MBA from Aalto Executive Education (AEE). My areas of special interest in the field of business communication are presentation skills, business negotiations and writing strategies. I have written materials dealing with these areas of communication for numerous training organisations including Aalto Executive Education and International Management Education (IME), Finland. I have been recently commissioned to create a SPOC (Small Private Online Course) for the Community of European Management School s Masters in International Management (MIM) programme (ranked 4th in FT Masters in Management, 2015) Business Communication Skills seminar.