14 Jan b. An impactful opening statement

JWI505 Business Communications

Assignment 1

Your Leadership Values, Executive Presence, and Winning

JWMI is the place where leaders are made. You’re here to transform your life, lead teams to success, and grow

your organization. As a leader, speaking your leadership values while being present and authentic will help you

to build connections and establish trust with candor.

For this assignment, you will apply the key concepts from Weeks 1- 3 to deliver a video message on your

leadership values, executive presence, and what winning means to you. The video message will provide an

opportunity for you to practice your executive presence and strategic communication skills. This should be a

video of you. No PowerPoint or other props are needed. Your communication should be clear, main points are

simple and easy to recall, the tone is professional, and reflects your leadership values and passionate purpose.

Instructions:

Create a short video, using Zoom. Your video should last 2 to 3 minutes, but no longer than 3 minutes.

1. Identify 1-3 leadership values that are most important to you. Explain the reasons for their importance,

using the below questions as a guide:

a. Why are these values important to you?

b. As a leader, why are these values essential for effective communication?

c. How do these values impact/support your executive presence?

2. Discuss a business leader (other than Jack Welch) who exhibits executive presence.

a. In what ways does this leader exhibit executive presence?

b. What aspects of his or her executive presence appeal to you? Why?

c. How does your leadership style compare to this leader’s?

3. Jack defines winning as, “Growing yourself, your organization, and your teams.” Describe what winning means for you.

a. What does winning look like for you?

b. Why is it important to you?

c. How do your leadership values support winning for you?

4. Present your video using strategic communication skills and with Executive Presence. See the Best

Practices below to guide you in achieving this.

Executive Presence and Strategic Communication Best Practices:

Remember to focus on utilizing and exhibiting the following:

ü State your intent and purpose at the onset

ü Speak confidently, expressively, with passionate purpose and energy

ü Be authentic and fully present in an engaging manner

ü Build connection with your audience

ü Exude your Executive Presence by looking professional (business casual or business attire)

ü Make sure your background is free from clutter (you do not want to distract your audience)

ü Make sure your surroundings are quiet (i.e. no children, animals, cars, or other extraneous noise in

the background)

ü Communication is organized, logically flows, uses “beginnings and endings,” and other appropriate

strategies to deliver strong, clear communication

Suggestions:

• Practice in front of a trusted colleague, friend, or family member, asking for feedback on your vocal

and physical presence, and the effect your message had on them

• To get the best results with Zoom, please work on a computer rather than a mobile device or iPad

Optional Professor Coaching:

Schedule time with your professor to watch your video together and discuss its elements. You will explore intent

vs. impact and receive growth-focused feedback. You should use this feedback to continue honing your

communication skills and Executive Presence.

JWI505 Business Communications

Assignment 2

Persuasive Memo

As a leader, there will be times when you will need to convince your audience about your point of view, whether

you are selling a product or relaying information. Knowing how to convince people of your perspective is a

valuable skill. In order to do this effectively, you must learn the art of persuasion and communication.

For this assignment, you will apply key concepts from Week 5 to write a persuasive Memo. Choose ONE of the

below scenarios that you feel passionate about. Think about how you will convince your executive leadership

team to buy into your point-of-view on your chosen topic.

1. The office dress code at your company is strictly business attire and the employees feel that business casual is more appropriate for your company culture. You’ve been designated as the spokesperson to approach the executive leadership team about this proposed change. How will you persuade them to buy-in to your recommendation?

2. Your boss discourages remote working although it is allowed in other departments, which is starting to impact the morale of your team. How will you persuade him that increased flexibility will be beneficial to the productivity of the team?

3. There is an opening on the leadership team at your company. There are several internal and external candidates applying for this job besides you. How will you persuade your boss that you are the best candidate?

Instructions:

• Review your Week 5 readings

• Create a 2 to 3 page Memo, addressed to the executive leadership team or to your boss, depending

on the scenario that you chose.

• Use the Outline below to structure your Memo:

1. Write a “Hook” to get your audience’s attention (1-2 paragraphs)

2. Tell the story/create a connection (1-2 paragraphs)

3. Identify the benefits of your point-of-view (1-2 paragraphs)

4. Back it up with facts and data (1-2 paragraphs)

5. The Ask: State clearly what you are asking for (1-2 paragraphs)

6. Closing: Describe the proposed next steps (1-2 paragraphs) subject to change based on the needs of the class.

Professional Formatting Requirements:

Your assignment should follow these formatting requirements:

• Typed, single spaced, with a blank line between paragraphs, professional font (size 10-12)

• Includes headings and subheadings (to identify main topics and subtopics), with one-inch margins on all sides

• Do NOT include a standard cover page. Instead, on the first page, start your Memo with the following headings aligned to the left:

o TO: Fill in Decision Maker’s Name

o FROM: Fill in Your Name

o DATE: Fill in the Due Date

o RE: Insert a Subject Line to Capture the Reader’s Interest

• Application of course material or other resources is needed. References must be included and provide appropriate information that enables the reader to locate the original source.

• The length of 2 to 3 pages does not include your References page.

JWI505 Business Communications

Assignment 3

“The art of communication is the language of leadership.” James Humes

For this assignment, you will apply the practices of planning, creating, and delivering an impactful professional presentation. Identify an important presentation coming up at work in your near future. If you don’t have one on the horizon, choose a worthy topic for your role, business, or industry. This could be a presentation at a conference, or to your board, your management team, your own team, or a few key decision-makers in your organization.

Instructions

Prepare a PowerPoint presentation slide deck of 20 slides or less. Apply slide design best practices: use minimal text, include images and/or charts, and format slides professionally.

1. Deliver a 6-8 minute presentation, using Zoom. The video must include you and your slides. (See your Blackboard course for instructions on using Zoom.)

2. Your presentation will be assessed using the below criteria:

a. Objectives are clear.

b. An impactful opening statement is used to engage the audience, set context, and/or create relevant meaning for the audience.

c. Delivery exhibits strong, professional stage presence, confident body posture, authenticity, appropriate tone, demonstration of passionate purpose, and connection to audience (feels more like a conversation than a speech).

d. Communication is clear, targeted, succinct, and utilizes the beginning and end effectively.

e. Presenter is the focus. Slides serve only as visual aids to support the objective.

f. Presenter is professional in look (appropriate business attire, distance to computer, angle, and setting with neutral, non-distracting surroundings).

Professional Formatting Requirements:• Include a PowerPoint cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student name(s),the professor’s name, the course title, and the date.