The Leader as Communicator

1: The Leader as Communicator

Can you imagine an effective leader who is not an effective communicator? Leadership communication skills are very important. Some would call it the most important leadership competency. Without the skills of effective communication, you will not be an effective leader, especially in this complex, fast-paced environment.

It is important for the leader to create an environment of open communication where the exchange of ideas, solutions, and problems can all be discussed without fear. When employees understand that communication is open and encouraged, they will perform better.

Using the module readings, University online library resources, and the Internet, research communication competencies required for leaders. Respond to the following:

• What are some key communication competencies needed in leaders today?
• Is individual communication more important than group or mass communication? Why or why not?
• List 3–5 methods that leaders can use to improve their individual communication skills.

Support your positions with specific examples or by citing credible sources.

Write your initial response in approximately 300 words. Apply APA standards to citation of sources.

By Wednesday, September 25, 2013, post your response to the appropriate Discussion Area.

 2: Developing a Climate of Trust

In Module 5, you will explore the notion of trust. It can be argued that trust is a critical currency in the leader/follower relationship. As we all know, trust is hard to earn and easy to lose. Leaders earn trust by personal example, personal values, performance, attitude, expertise, and experience. Leaders must be consistent in words and actions. Followers will not believe in a leader’s message unless they believe in the leader.

Trust is earned in action and can be lost in a moment if the leader forgets that he must lead by example. To fully leverage earned trust, the leader must also create an environment of trust or as it is often called, a “climate of trust.” This is characterized as an environment of open communication including a free exchange of feedback up and down the organization. It is an environment where employees feel they have a voice and will be heard. It is not a blame-oriented environment but one that promotes thoughtful risk taking and sees mistakes as a natural result of growth and learning. In this assignment, you will analyze how a leader can create and sustain a climate of trust.

Using the module readings,University online library resources, and the Internet, research methods for creating a climate of trust and healthy relationships.

Using the research resources and your own experiences, respond to the following:

• Why is a climate of trust important? What can happen in a climate without trust and/or healthy relationships?
• What are 3–4 ways a leader can create a climate of trust and facilitate healthy relationships?

Support your positions with specific examples from credible sources.

Write your initial response in approximately 300 words. Apply APA standards to citation of sources.

By Thursday, September 26, 2013, post your response to the appropriateDiscussion Area. 

   

Assignment 1: Can Leaders Really Motivate Employees?

In today’s turbulent environment, success depends on employees using their skills and capabilities to the fullest. Employee motivation can be a challenge at work. Those leaders who don’t emphasize employee satisfaction as a key part of the organizational strategy will not be able to leverage the potential of the human assets to the fullest. 
Every person needs motivation at work. The reasons for working vary widely, but we all work because we obtain something that we need from work. This affects morale, production, retention, and overall quality of life. To create positive employee motivation, employees must have a voice and feel that they are worthy to the team and to the organization.
Based on your research using the module readings, University online library, and Internet resources, respond to the following:

· Can managers really motivate employees? If so, how and for how long? 

· Is there a way to create and sustain a motivating environment that will also help retain talent?

Support your positions with specific examples or by citing credible sources.

Write your initial response in approximately 300 words. Apply APA standards to citation of sources.

LASA 2: Assignment 2: Workforce 2020 Executive Report

Both leadership and organizational strategy in the next decade will see major trends affecting the way organizations conduct business. These include the deployment of more technology to extend reach and access, increased globalization, increased diversity, more focus on extended supply chains, and a more nomadic workforce. In this assignment, you will consider these trends and analyze how they may impact your selected organization and what actions are necessary to get ready to address these trends.

You have been appointed by your organization (either a hypothetical or one you are familiar with) to prepare its Workforce 2020 executive report. 

The report should be as detailed as possible for the CEO of your organization. That means it should include the key points of your research, analysis, and findings. The report should also contain examples of specific application to your company in a clear, concise, and informative document. 

In Module 5, you began your research on Workforce 2020. In this module, continue this research using the module readings, Argosy University online library resources, and the Internet, including federal guidelines. Select 3–4 scholarly resources for use in this assignment.

Do the following:

1. Analyze your organization in its present form. Explain your organization’s structure, workforce diversity, market/customer diversity, and communications technology.

2. Forecast future trends. Identify the economic, social, demographic, and workforce parameters that are expected to be in the U.S. in the year 2020. Explain how those trends will or will not be reflected in your organization.

a. What are the general workforce trends?

b. How will these trends impact our industry?

c. What are the general trends in leadership/management that are impacting your organization?

3. Synthesize data and recommend changes needed for the future. Identify and recommend leader, organizational, and workforce trends that must be considered for change in the larger macro environment (e.g., advances in technology or globalization) in your organization. Identify related outcomes for each specific topic:

a. What leadership actions should the organization take?

b. What competencies will be needed?

c. What does the organization need to do to be prepared?

To conduct a holistic assessment of your selected organization and the challenges and opportunities it faces in addressing the noted trends, you may want to consider some of these concepts as you develop your recommendations for the organization. It is not necessary to include them all, but you should include 2–3 of them to do a thorough analysis. For example, leadership models and diversity management are likely to be pivotal areas for the organization. You could talk about the environment trends that were noted in the beginning of this assignment and then discuss how leadership practices and approaches in your selected organization may have to change to meet or address those trends.

4. Analyze how the following concepts apply to your organization:

. Diversity management

. Leadership models

. Ethics

. Decision-making models

. Problem solving

. Conflict management processes 

Here is a checklist of the contents of your paper:

· An integrated report with an introduction and summary

· A set of recommendations that will enable the organization to meet the expected challenges of 2020

· Trends in your own organization

· Three to four credible, cited sources supporting your projections

Support your assertions using the selected scholarly resources.

Write a 12–15-page paper in Word format. Apply APA standards to citation of sources. Use the following file naming convention: LastnameFirstInitial_M6_A2 .

Grading Rubric

This assignment is worth 300 points and will be graded using a rubric. Download and read the rubric to understand the expectations.

LASA 2: Assignment 2: Workforce 2020 Executive Report
Both leadership and organizational strategy in the next decade will see major trends affecting the way organizations conduct business. These include the deployment of more technology to extend reach and access, increased globalization, increased diversity, more focus on extended supply chains, and a more nomadic workforce. In this assignment, you will consider these trends and analyze how they may impact your selected organization and what actions are necessary to get ready to address these trends.
You have been appointed by your organization (either a hypothetical or one you are familiar with) to prepare its Workforce 2020 executive report. 
The report should be as detailed as possible for the CEO of your organization. That means it should include the key points of your research, analysis, and findings. The report should also contain examples of specific application to your company in a clear, concise, and informative document. 

In Module 5, you began your research on Workforce 2020. In this module, continue this research using the module readings, University online library resources, and the Internet, including federal guidelines. Select 3–4 scholarly resources for use in this assignment.

Do the following:
1. Analyze your organization in its present form. Explain your organization’s structure, workforce diversity, market/customer diversity, and communications technology.
2. Forecast future trends. Identify the economic, social, demographic, and workforce parameters that are expected to be in the U.S. in the year 2020. Explain how those trends will or will not be reflected in your organization.
a. What are the general workforce trends?
b. How will these trends impact our industry?
c. What are the general trends in leadership/management that are impacting your organization?
3. Synthesize data and recommend changes needed for the future. Identify and recommend leader, organizational, and workforce trends that must be considered for change in the larger macro environment (e.g., advances in technology or globalization) in your organization. Identify related outcomes for each specific topic:
a. What leadership actions should the organization take?
b. What competencies will be needed?
c. What does the organization need to do to be prepared?
To conduct a holistic assessment of your selected organization and the challenges and opportunities it faces in addressing the noted trends, you may want to consider some of these concepts as you develop your recommendations for the organization. It is not necessary to include them all, but you should include 2–3 of them to do a thorough analysis. For example, leadership models and diversity management are likely to be pivotal areas for the organization. You could talk about the environment trends that were noted in the beginning of this assignment and then discuss how leadership practices and approaches in your selected organization may have to change to meet or address those trends.
4. Analyze how the following concepts apply to your organization:
. Diversity management
. Leadership models
. Ethics
. Decision-making models
. Problem solving
. Conflict management processes 
Here is a checklist of the contents of your paper:
· An integrated report with an introduction and summary
· A set of recommendations that will enable the organization to meet the expected challenges of 2020
· Trends in your own organization
· Three to four credible, cited sources supporting your projections
Support your assertions using the selected scholarly resources.

Write a 12–-pages paper in Word format. Apply APA standards to citation of sources

By Friday, October 4, 2013, deliver your assignment

Workforce

2

020 Executive Report Rubric

Assignment

Components

Unsatisfactory

< 77% (C- to C) Emerging 78 – 82% (C+ to B-) Proficient 83 – 89% (B to B+) Exemplar 90 – 100 % (A- to A) Score To calculate score: (% / 100) x max pts. e.g. (80% / 100) x 12 = 9.6 Explain your organization’s current structure, workforce diversity, market/customer diversity, and communications technology. (Program Outcomes [PO]: 1.1, 1.2, 2.2, 2.3, 3.2, 3.3, 4.1, 4.2) Explanation of your organization’s current structure, workforce diversity, market/customer diversity, and communications technology is present, but it is mostly unclear and illogical. It lacks detail and is not fully based on reliable facts but is based on personal opinion. Explanation of your organization’s current structure, workforce diversity, market/customer diversity, and communications technology is present, and it is only partially unclear, illogical, and detailed and is mostly based on reliable facts. Explanation of your organization’s current structure, workforce diversity, market/customer diversity, and communications technology is present, and it is clear, concise, and correct and is based on reliable facts. Explanation of your organization’s current structure, workforce diversity, market/customer diversity, and communications technology is present, and it is clear, concise, and correct and is based on reliable facts. In addition, explanation of the effectiveness of the current practices in these areas is included. /76 pts.

Page 1 of 4

Perspectives in Change Leadership

©2011 Argosy University Online Programs

Identify what will be the
economic, social, demographic, and workforce parameters that are expected to be in the U.S. in the year
2020.
Explain how those trends will or will not be reflected in your selected organization. (PO: 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.3,
3.3, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3)

Identification of what will be the economic, social,
demographic and workforce
parameters that are expected to be in the U.S. in the year 2020 is present, but it is mostly unclear and incorrect and is not fully based on credible sources but rather on personal opinion.
Explanation of how those trends will or will not be reflected in one’s selected organization is present, but it is mostly illogical, lacks
detail, and is not fully based on credible sources but rather on personal opinion.

Identification of what will be the economic,
social, demographic,
and workforce parameters that are expected to be in the U.S. in the year 2020 is present, and it is only somewhat unclear and correct and is mostly based on credible sources.
Explanation of how those trends will or will not be reflected in one’s selected organization is present, and it is only somewhat logical and detailed, and it is mostly based on credible sources.

Identification of what will be the economic,
social, demographic,
and workforce parameters that are expected to be in the U.S. in the year 2020 is clear, concise, and accurate and is based on credible sources.
Explanation of how those trends will or will not be reflected in one’s selected organization is clear, concise, logical, and detailed and is based on credible sources.

Identification of what will be the economic,
social, demographic,
and workforce parameters that are expected to be in the U.S. in the year 2020 is clear, concise, and accurate and is based on credible sources.
Explanation of how those trends will or will not be reflected in one’s selected organization is clear, concise, logical, and detailed and is based on credible sources.
In addition, several insightful examples are given.

/68
pts.

2

Workforce 2020 Executive Report Rubric

Page 2 of 4

Perspectives in Change Leadership
©2011 Argosy University Online Programs

Synthesize data to
recommend leader, organizational, and workforce trends to be considered in the larger macro environment. (PO: 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.2,
2.3, 3.1, 3.2. 3.3, 4.1,
4.2, 4.3)

Synthesis of data and
recommendation of changes for the leader as well as organizational and workforce practices that need to be considered in the larger macro environment is present, but it is mostly unclear and illogical. It lacks detail and is mostly not based on sound research in the
industry but rather personal opinion.

Synthesis of data and
recommendation of changes for the leader as well as organizational and
workforce practices that need to be considered
in the larger macro environment is present,
and it is only somewhat
unclear, illogical, and detailed and is mostly based on sound research in the industry.

Synthesis of data and recommendation of
changes for the leader
as well as organizational and workforce practices that need to be considered
in the larger macro environment is present, and it is clear, concise, logical and is based on sound research in the industry.

Synthesis of data and
recommendation of changes for the leader as well as organizational and
workforce practices that need to be considered
in the larger macro environment is present
and it is clear, concise,
and logical and is based on sound research in
the industry.
In addition, several insightful examples are given.

/88
pts.

Identify related
outcomes for each specific topic (e.g., leaders, competencies, and preparedness). (PO: 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.3,
3.3, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3)

Identification of related
outcomes for each specific topic is present, but it is mostly unclear and illogical and lacks detail. It is mostly not based on reliable sources in the industry but rather on personal opinion.

Identification of related
outcomes for each specific topic is present, and it is only somewhat unclear, illogical, and detailed. It is mostly based on reliable sources in the industry.

Identification of related
outcomes for each specific topic is present, and it is clear, concise, and logical. It is based on reliable sources in the industry.

Identification of related
outcomes for each specific topic is present, and it is clear, concise, and logical. It is based on reliable sources in the industry.
In addition, several insightful examples are given.

/40
pts.

Page 3 of 4

Perspectives in Change Leadership
©2011 Argosy University Online Programs

Write in a clear, concise,
and organized manner; demonstrate ethical scholarship in accurate representation and attribution of sources; and display accurate spelling, grammar, and punctuation.

Writing is unclear and
disorganized and rereading to solidify understanding is frequently necessary. Although an attempt at ethical scholarship is attempted, it is sloppy or incomplete throughout. Spelling, grammar, or punctuation errors severely interfere with readers’ comprehension.

Writing is somewhat
clear and is somewhat organized although rereading to solidify understanding is occasionally necessary. It demonstrates an attempt at ethical
scholarship in accurate representation and
attribution of sources,
but errors are occasional or minor. Writing has good spelling, grammar, and punctuation, but errors somewhat interfere with readers’ comprehension.

Writing is generally
clear and in an organized manner. It demonstrates ethical scholarship in accurate representation and attribution of sources; and generally displays accurate spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Errors are few and isolated and do not interfere with readers’ comprehension.

Writing is clear and
concise and in an organized manner; demonstrates ethical scholarship in accurate representation and attribution of sources; and displays accurate spelling, grammar, and punctuation.

/28
pts.

Subtotal

Timeliness

Late Work penalty:

Total Score

/300 pts.

Page 4 of 4

Perspectives in Change Leadership
©2011 Argosy University Online Programs

Module Readings

Complete the following readings early in the module:

·

From the textbook, The leadership challenge (4th ed.), read the following chapters:

·

Foster collaboration

·

Strengthen others

·

Recognize contributions

·

Celebrate the values and victories

Suggested reading

· From the Webliography, read:

· Barrett, D. (2006). Leadership communication:  A communication approach for 
senior-level managers. Handbook of Business Strategy, (7)1, 385–390. Retrieved from 

http://www.dspace.rice.edu/bitstream/handle/1911/27037/Leadership%
20Communication%20-%20A%20Communication%20Approach%
20for%20Senior-Level%20Managers%20-%20Barrett ?sequence=2

· Lawson Consulting Group. (2011). How to motivate today’s worker. Retrieved from

http://www.lawsoncg.com/lcgi-article_motivate.htm