JWI 505

WEEK 1

Discussion

Welcome to Business Communications and Executive Presence!

Please introduce yourself to your classmates and professor.

• As you consider your course materials for this week, list your top three (3) communication strengths and why you feel these are your strengths.
• Please watch the video on Panic Attack on Live Television. When you think about the areas of communication you would like to develop more, explain how your inner narrator gets in the way of your ability to communicate well.

https://www.americanexpress.com/en-us/business/trends-and-insights/articles/7-steps-to-developing-your-presence-as-a-leader/

https://www.themuse.com/advice/the-it-factor-how-to-have-executive-presence-in-a-meeting

Response to Classmate (Davis Douglas)

am Davis Douglas and I live in Ontario, Canada. My current role is Director, Consulting Expert with CGI. I am currently working as a Portfolio Director for a top 5 bank in Canada managing their Payments, Cards and ABM portfolios for their subsidiary bank.

In the next 5 years, I see myself as a Vice President of Information Technology or PMO; or starting my own business.

My top three communication strengths are

1. Being Authentic. I pride myself on being me and not someone else. I have honed my skill by ensuring I am being genuine in my communication.
2. Engaging. Ensuring I am knowledgeable about the topic I am presenting and giving relevant examples has made me confident in what I am communicating. I prepare before the event and take note of the time I have to present and focus on the material, and, if needed, adding some humor.
3. Cohesion and Clarity. I prepare by knowing my audience and ensuring my material is clear and relevant for the target audience. I also take pride in the structure of my presentation and ensure it flows. This also assists in keeping my audience engaged.

My inner narrator gets in the way by telling me I am speaking too fast and I need to slow down to ensure my native accent is not too strong so the audience can understand what I am saying.

Response:

Response to Classmate (Tyrone Wallace)

My name is Tyrone Wallace. I am from Jamaica but now reside in Atlanta, Ga. I enjoy writing short stories and poems about my private life when I find the time in between work, school and watching the Patriots winning ways. My goal for this course is to continue building on my leadership journey by gaining a full understanding of the concepts and lessons we will uncover over the next several weeks. I am excited about implementing those concepts into my professional life as I grow and add value to my organization.

I am looking forward to connecting with you all on the discussion board and to read all your great feedback ad responses.

Top 3 communication strengths.

Confidence – I think and speak in a way that shows I am knowledgeable about what I am saying. I speak on topics that I know, and people usually listen and provide feedback or a response to father the conversion on that topic.

Passionate – being genuine is important to the way I lead my life and that is clear in the way I communicate. I am authentic and honest about the topics I choose to speak on, and if I am not able to display that naturalness about myself, I will not participate.

Direct – being clear in my communication has always been something I tried to work on. Of course, it is tricky because there are so many different personality types. Therefore, it is important to understand the best way to effectively communicate with a specific individual or audience. Nevertheless, as a leader, the goal is to figure it out and ensure the message is clear and gets the point across with as little confusion as possible.

One of my biggest weaknesses is public speaking. The fear and anxiety I experience when speaking to large groups take over and leave me in the most uncomfortable state of mind. That is the area of communication in which I am most affected by that inner voice. It is a constant battle of pros and cons which creates a level of confusion that eventually turns into a lack of confidence.

Response:

WEEK 2

Discussion

Optimize Your Business Writing

Scenario: You are a salesperson, customer service agent, or small business owner. You have received an email from a customer who is very unhappy with a recent interaction with someone from your organization and is threatening to take their business to your competitor.

First, share a few details with your peers about what occurred. Then, draft an email response that will validate their concern, maintain company integrity, and retain their business.

Use the tips below to craft an effective response:

1. Before you respond, put yourself in the customer’s place to fully understand their complaint or concern
2. Use a clear, descriptive Subject line
3. Use a Salutation suitable for business communication
4. Say “Thank you” for their feedback at the start of the email
5. Apologize (even if you don’t agree or if it was the customer’s fault)
6. Explain what happened truthfully and politely
7. Tell the customer what you will do to help
8. Keep your message succinct, brief, and on topic
9. Use a Closing suitable for business communication

Finally, keep in mind that this task involves important leadership values that constitute Executive Presence: respect for others, the ability to diffuse anger and focus on positive outcomes, showing empathy for another, and the willingness to be candid about an error or poor performance. These values lead to the ability to build trust — the foundation of leadership.

Share with us your strategy for this email and explain how your email will retain them as a customer, applying course materials and/or other resources to further the discussion.

In your responses to peers, discuss what works well in their email message and why, applying course materials and/or other resources to further the discussion. Suggest changes that will make their response more effective as a business communication.

https://skillcrush.com/2014/07/10/5-tips-texting-professionally/

https://services.hbsp.harvard.edu/lti/links/7720BC-PDF-ENG

https://services.hbsp.harvard.edu/lti/links/7772BC-PDF-ENG

WEEK 3

Discussion

Asking the Right Questions

Convincing others to buy into an idea, a product, or an initiative requires listening and communicating effectively. Asking the right questions can help people to open up and to discuss upcoming changes more freely, while understanding that they have a voice in the process.

Scenario: Your company has developed a new initiative or product, or it is introducing a change to technology or personnel that will affect your team and its daily working environment. You are tasked with gathering buy-in from your team, as well as learning if they have any objections to this initiative.

You call a meeting with your team:

• Briefly describe the new initiative and why it is important (e.g., a reorganization, a new product, a new technology, etc.)
• Draft three questions for your team designed to gain buy-in and support for this new initiative

Next, share your communication strategy with us:

• How will you know if your questioning was effective?
• Your team needs to know they have a voice – during this meeting, how did you let them know you are listening to them and that their opinion matters?

https://bigthink.com/think-tank/want-to-lead-learn-to-ask-the-right-questions

JWI 510

WEEK 1

Discussion

Welcome to Leadership in the 21st Century! Please introduce yourself to your classmates and professor.

• What is your current role in your organization?
• Where would you like your career to be in five years?
• How can you apply Jack’s Leadership Principles to achieve your career goals? Include at least two principles that you find especially relevant, and explain why.
• Share a few aspects of your non-professional life (family, hobbies, talents, etc.).

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/more-eyerolls-please-thank-you-very-much-jack-welch/

Response to Classmate (Latika McRay)

My name is Latika McCrary born in raised in Huntsville, AL. I have a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Faulkner University. I currently work for a Government Contractor as a Senior Accountant. I have been working in Accounting for over 27 years. I have two Daughters ages 28 and 25. My oldest teaches 3rd grade and my youngest is a RN. I am excited about getting my Master’s. I am looking forward to after graduation, working as a Controller.

I look forward to this class and I wish everyone a great semester…..

Response:

Response to Classmate (Anas Shouman)

My name is Anas Shouman. I am from Jordan and currently living in Saudi Arabia as an expat. I work in a construction chemicals factory in which I recently got a promotion to be the Technical manager.

After five years, I aspire to be a general manager for one of the companies that do believe in listening to people. However, even if I find this opportunity to work with such a company, I am sure I cannot be a successful general manager without having an effective use of candor and differentiation, which I lack right now! In fact, those two principles are my nightmares that I always like to not to deal with them despite knowing and being aware and convinced that any successful business cannot be done without applying those principles, however, this time, I want to face and challenge those nightmares to succeed in my career and reach my goals.

About my non-professional life, I am married and have one son called Ezzuddin (sounds strange to you, I am sure), I like to play table tennis and watch tennis. Roger Federer is the best!

I am looking forward to meeting you all one day.

Response:

WEEK2

Discussion 1

Applying Jack’s 8 Rules of Leadership

In this week’s videos, Jack Welch discusses “What Leaders Do: 8 Essential Rules.”

Share an experience that you have had working in a dysfunctional team. Looking back, how might you have applied at least one of Jack’s Rules to help resolve the issue(s)? Support your answer with information from your DiSC assessment results.

https://www.developgoodhabits.com/growth-mindset-adults/

https://services.hbsp.harvard.edu/lti/links/R0111F-PDF-ENG

Discussion 2

Using the Wall Street Journal menu link, select an article that relates to this week’s readings, videos, and discussions. Briefly explain why you chose the article and how it relates to your leadership journey.

NOTE: Use the “Search” option to narrow your search to relevant topics, or navigate to different sections of the WSJ.

https://services.hbsp.harvard.edu/lti/links/R00204-PDF-ENG