Com510 ass 1

Please read the following attachment carefully. It contains detailed instructions on completing this assignment. I have chosen, “Coaching Your Direct Employees” as  my topic

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COM510 ASSIGNMENT COMMUNICATION
CHALLENGE TOPICS

In the world of business, we can create opportunities through
strategic communication. Throughout our professional careers,
there are key events that raise the stakes of our communications
approach.

WHAT YOU’LL DO
1) Review the Communication Challenge Topics and their

accompanying case study examples.

2) Select 1 topic that is professionally relevant for you.

3) Use for your COM510 assignments (the topic you have
selected, not the case study example).
Note: If there is another challenge or current opportunity
in your professional life that is more relevant for you, you
may choose a topic that is not on this list. Keep in mind
that the communication challenge you select must in-
clude both written and verbal communication elements
to meet the needs of this course. (Your professor must
approve your selection before you proceed.)

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Examples of each scenario are provided to demonstrate what
thoughtful, professional communication would look like in each of
these situations. These are only examples and should not be used
for completing the assignment. You can create and establish all
necessary assumptions. The scenario is yours to explain.

COMMUNICATION CHALLENGE TOPICS
Choose one of the following topics for your assignments.

• Internal Promotion Opportunity

• New Job Opportunity Interview

• Running a Meeting

• Coaching Your Direct Employees

• Pitching a Project Idea

INTERNAL PROMOTION
Seeking a promotion from within your company is one opportunity
in which strategic communication could mean the difference be-
tween success and failure. If you choose this scenario, you’ll need
to create both a written and a verbal (audio or video) communica-
tion. These elements should explain why you are the right person
for the internal promotion while addressing potential questions you
might need to answer as part of the process.

Things to Consider

• Have you checked the listings on your company’s job
board lately?

• Is there a new position you would like to secure?

• Have you taken on more responsibility at work?

• Have your outcomes been positive?

• Do your job title and job description match what you do?
(If your job description is inaccurate, be sure to mention
this when you are interviewing and/or negotiating.)

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Case Study Example — Internal Promotion

Kim has been working at the XYZ Company for two years. She is
interested in an internal position that has just opened up. The new
job involves more responsibility and would require her to supervise
personnel for the first time in her career. She believes she brings a
number of strengths to this opportunity. The position would mean
reporting to a different manager. It would also include a significant
increase in salary and a supervisor title. Kim’s annual reviews have
been good and she believes her current manager would recom-
mend her for the new position.

Kim first emails her boss a carefully worded email to set up a time
to discuss the job opening in person. She has thoughtfully planned
her approach to engage the support of her current manager. Next,
Kim emails the HR representative hosting the position to formally
express her interest. She copies her current manager on the email
and submits her application through the company’s application
portal.

These carefully planned and executed steps result in Kim receiving
an email from the hiring manager. She gets an invitation to inter-
view for the position. Each step in Kim’s application process has
built support for her candidacy in a strategic, meaningful way. She
asked probing questions to gain insight into the department, job,
and the individuals who were involved in the hiring process. This
allows her to arrive for the interview with solid support and a firm
knowledge base from which to draw in answering the interviewers’
questions.

NEW JOB OPPORTUNITY INTERVIEW
Every new job opportunity represents a chance to improve your pro-
fessional position. Strategic communication is critical to make the
best first impression, navigate the screening and recruiting process,
and secure the job through an interview (or series of them). If you
choose this scenario, you’ll need to create both a written and a ver-
bal (audio or video) communication. These elements should explain
why you are the right person for the job while addressing the types
of questions interviewers might ask.

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Things to Consider

• Do you follow the latest job listings relative to your area
of expertise and industry?

• Do you have an interview opportunity or position in mind
for which you would like to apply?

• Do your research, write a cover letter, and prepare for
an interview that highlights your skill set. How can you
bring value to the company? How would you prepare for
the initial and follow-up interviews?

Case Study Example — New Job Opportunity

Pat is not satisfied in his finance job with a non-profit organization.
He wants to move to a fast-growth start-up business. His methodi-
cal online searching has yielded what seems like a great opportuni-
ty in a new technology firm locally. He is further encouraged when
he learns that a former colleague is already working there.

Pat considers how best to reach out to his former colleague. He re-
members that she is an active LinkedIn member and decides first to
send her a message through the site. He tells her of his interest in
the company and the position, asks a few probing questions about
the department, and then spends time reviewing the company web-
site and researching the firm online. Using sites like Glassdoor.com,
he learns a great deal about the company’s culture, its current areas
of focus, and even salary ranges and typical interview questions;

After several days without news, Pat follows up with his former col-
league. Knowing that she has welcomed calls in the past, he makes
a quick phone call to her to affirm his interest in the company. Pat’s
coworker provides him with great insights into the firm and sends
an email to a manager in the department where Pat wants to work.
She personally recommends Pat to this manager.

In the meantime, Pat carefully drafts a cover letter, updates his
resume, and completes the online application. He begins preparing
for interview questions, listing questions he has about the company,
and brainstorming the best way to present himself to meet the pos-

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sible needs of the company. In this way, he will arrive for the inter-
view fully prepared to make his best, most confident presentation.

RUNNING A MEETING
Meetings are all about strategic communication, or they should be.
If you don’t communicate strategically, you’ll waste attendees’ time
and even lose control of the meeting. If you choose this scenario,
you’ll need to create both a written and a verbal (audio or video)
communication. These elements should address why you hold
meetings, how you call them, how you conduct them, and how you
follow up on them for the most meaningful impact and efficient use
of attendees’ time.

Things to Consider

• Do you have an important meetings coming up, for
which you’ll need to prepare?

• What makes a meeting exceptional?

• Is the objective set and clear?

• Are agendas sent out in advance?

• Are only essential personnel invited?

• Is the meeting actively facilitated to ensure prog-
ress toward the objective?

• Are action items and decisions recorded?

• Is a follow-up communication sent? If so, how? If
not, why not?

Case Study Example — Plan a Productive Meeting to Improve
Team Performance

Melinda and her team, including employees Jane and Jim, made a
sales presentation to a prospect company yesterday. Melinda does
not think the presentation went well and wants to make sure the
team does better next time. She believes several factors contrib-

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uted to the team’s lack of success. Jane seemed distracted and
unprepared, while Jim made several mistakes in presenting and
representing data during the presentation. The prospect noticed
these mistakes and pointed them out.

Melinda believes it was a mistake not to require a rehearsal before
the meeting. She thinks her team was unprepared. To address
these issues, Melinda calls a meeting through the company’s
scheduling software, careful to use encouraging, concise, and direct
language in calling the meeting, and clearly explaining the meeting’s
purpose (without making accusations). While she waits for attend-
ees to respond, she drafts her communication plan for that meet-
ing. Her goal is to make sure team members will be receptive to
productive criticism and ready to contribute to a discussion about
the team’s performance. Her meeting agenda reflects this.

Prior to the meeting, Melinda writes an outline on notecards to help
her stay on track. She will first explain why the after-action meeting
is important. She will then walk all three participants through an
assessment of the prior sales meeting, presenting each issue as an
opportunity for improvement. She will explain that she is not as-
signing blame. Rather, she, along with her team, should take this op-
portunity to learn from the prior meeting in order to improve future
presentations. She incorporates questions into her outline, making
sure all involved will be included in the discussion and the solution
that this discussion generates.

Fully prepared for a productive meeting, Melinda is confident that
she can secure her team’s support and buy-in for improved presen-
tations in the future. She intends to be better prepared for all future
sales prospects and believes this meeting is the first productive
step toward that goal.

COACHING YOUR DIRECT EMPLOYEES
Coaching direct employees is an excellent example of strategic
communication. It can be very difficult to offer constructive criti-
cism, suggestions, or direction to an employee without alienating,
offending, or otherwise upsetting that person. Motivating personnel
requires a strategic approach that secures their buy-in and support.

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This is more effective than simply trying to force compliance. If
you choose this scenario, you’ll need to create both a written and
a verbal (audio or video) communication. These elements should
address why you need to coach the employee, how you will choose
to do so, and what you’ll cover when you present your constructive
criticism, feedback, and input.

Things to Consider

• Do you have direct employees, or will you be responsible
for direct-reports in the future?

• Have you identified issues that represent opportunities
for improvement?

• Have your past coaching sessions been well received?
Why or why not?

• In your experience with coaching from managers and
other business leaders, what approaches motivated you
best? Which motivated you least?

• What approach and channel would you employ to coach
your direct employee(s)?

Case Study Example — Providing Constructive Feedback to
Achieve Shared Goals

Jonas has been working day and night on a sales proposal for
Acme Furniture, potentially the largest client for his company.
Jonas’ assistant Heidi has been working alongside him and under-
stands how important this pitch is to the company. Heidi has also
been supporting another manager whose assistant is on family
leave for a month. Both Jonas and Heidi feel tired and overworked.
They are glad this big project will soon be completed.

Jonas arranges to meet Heidi at 7:30 a.m. to retrieve the final hand-
outs for a 9:00 a.m. pitch meeting at Acme. He is there at 7:15, and
at 7:45, Heidi still has not arrived. She isn’t answering his texts or
calls, either. Frustrated, Jonas goes to her office and rummages
through her desk until he finds a folder marked “Acme Furniture”

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with the handouts inside. He races to make the meeting at Acme.

Too late, Jonas realizes that the handouts are an older version con-
taining typographical errors. They are not the most recent, error-free
versions of the presentation. Jonas chooses not to use the flawed
handouts. He makes the pitch, upset about Heidi’s failure and con-
cerned about the quality of the presentation.

Jonas returns to the office and plans for a conversation with Heidi.
He drafts an email to her requesting an in-person meeting, careful
not to put her on the defensive. Ideally, his email will leave her re-
ceptive to constructive criticism. To prepare for this meeting, Jonas
creates a list of bullet points to cover in their conversation. His goal
is to engage her on what happened, sharing his point of view, and
asking for hers. He intends to work with her to find an effective
solution that prevents such mistakes in the future. Fully prepared
for a productive, collaborative discussion that avoids blame while
seeking mutual benefit for both parties, Jonas is confident they can
work out a series of best practices and processes for future sales
presentations.

PITCHING A PROJECT IDEA
Pitching projects, making proposals, and other presentations that
seek the audience’s approval, support, and buy-in represents a very
real strategic communication challenge. The success or failure
of your pitch relies directly on how you make that pitch and how
persuasive your message proves to be. If you choose this scenario,
you’ll need to create both a written and a verbal (audio or video)
communication. These elements should address what your pitch is,
how your pitch will be delivered, and what will (hopefully) make that
pitch successful.

Things to Consider

• What is it you are pitching? What is your key message?
Who is your audience? What action are you asking of
them?

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• What challenges exist that could prevent you from se-
curing an approval? Are there challenges that are out of
your control? Are there some that you could influence?

• Whose support would make your pitch more likely to
succeed? How can you approach these personnel to
secure their buy-in prior to your pitch?

• Do pitches of this type have a history of success or fail-
ure where your audience is concerned?

• What is the most effective channel for delivering your
pitch?

Case Study Example — Constructing an Effective Project Proposal

Max is the marketing coordinator at a very successful construction
firm. He believes that the company’s website is out of date and
does not accurately represent or market the construction firm to its
customers, subcontractors, vendors, and employees.

Max wants the executive team, including his own manager, to ap-
prove a new website project and its budget. This project will be led
by Max.

Max has also learned that his predecessor, the former marketing
coordinator for the construction firm, proposed the same thing to
the executive team two years ago. The team voted no at the time.
Determined to achieve a different outcome, Max intends to have the
new website approved and funded by management. It is his under-
standing that the former marketing team misrepresented figures on
the potential success of the website. He believes this fact can be
used to persuade management concerning the benefits of his plan.

Max develops a communications plan for accomplishing this ob-
jective. He first drafts an email to the executive team participants,
asking for a meeting in a way that he hopes will bring them to that
meeting with open minds. He then creates a list of bullet points for

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a preliminary in-person conversation with his boss. The goal of the
conversation is to make sure his boss is onboard with his plan and
learn what his boss thinks would make for a successful presenta-
tion to the executive team.

Finally, Max scripts his presentation to the executive team, persuad-
ing them to approve and fund the website project using compelling
supporting information. He intends to rehearse his presentation
until he knows it backward and forward. He will deliver the pre-
sentation with confidence, secure in the knowledge that he is fully
prepared for any arguments the executive team might make, any
questions they might ask, and any criticism they might offer regard-
ing his plan.

Learn
WEEK 1
IT’S A DIGITAL WORLD

ASSIGNMENT 1

STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS PLAN
Due Week 4, worth 150 points
The ability to effectively communicate is one of the most in demand and sought
after skills in today’s workforce. As a business professional, you will be
expected to not only communicate in a clear and concise way, but to do so
strategically. These communication skills are necessary to manage personnel
effectively and to drive your organization toward its strategic goals and
outcomes. Effective communication starts with planning. By developing a
strategic communications plan you will be more intentional in your messages
and the actions you ask of your audience. This plan is the foundation for
Assignments 2 and 3.

INSTRUCTIONS
Create a written strategic communications plan for the professional communi-
cation challenge or opportunity of your choice. Your plan should include the
following components and may be written in a professional report format. See
the formatting requirements for additional information.

1. Description
a) What is your challenge or opportunity?
b) Why is this professionally important to you?
2. Goal
a) What goal or outcome do you want to achieve with
this communication?

3. Audience
a) Who is your target audience?
i. What are the professional positions of the
audience members?
ii. What demographic characteristics will the
audience comprise?
iii. What is your relationship to the audience?
iv. What background knowledge and expertise does
the audience have?
v. What does the audience know, feel about, and expect
concerning this communication?
vi. What preconceptions or biases do you possess
that might prevent you from building rapport
with your audience?
b) What information is available about your audience?
i. What research/sources will you use to obtain information
about the audience?
ii. What conclusions have you been able to draw about
the audience?
c) What tone will you use to convey your message?
i. Is the setting casual or formal?
ii. Is the communication personal or impersonal?
4. Key Message
a) What is the primary message you must convey to
your audience?
i. Is the message compelling and memorable?
ii. Is the message clear and concise?
iii. Is the message aligned with your audience’s goals
and needs?
5. Supporting Points
a) What three to four points, reasons, or justifications
support your message?
i. What research/sources will you use to obtain facts/data
about your message?

6. Channel Selection
a) What communication style will you employ
(Tell/Sell or Consult/Join), and why?
b) What channel(s) will you use to deliver your message,
and why will they be the most effective?
c) What purpose is served by each channel you have selected?
7. Action Request
a) Is your call to action you are making to your audience clear,
concise, and easily actionable?

Note: You may create and establish all necessary assumptions needed for the
completion of this assignment. The scenario is yours to explain.

PROFESSIONAL AND APA FORMATTING REQUIREMENTS
Your assignment must follow these general APA formatting requirements:
Your document must be typed, using Times New Roman font (size 12),
with one-inch margins on all sides.
Resources must be cited using in-text citations and a reference list.
Your document must include a cover page containing the title of the
assignment, your name, the professor’s name, the course title,
and the date.
Professional report format may be used. This includes the use of
headers, single spacing, no paragraph indents, and use of bullet
point lists. It should be skimmable.

Grading for this assignment will be based on the following criteria
and evaluation standards:

POINTS: 150

Criteria

1. Description
Weight: 10%

Does not or
incompletely
describes
challenge or
opportunity
and/or may
not provide
information on
why this topic
is profession-
allyimpor-
tant/relevant.

Partially
describes
challenge or
opportunity
and/or pro-
vides some
information on
why this topic
is profession-
ally impor-
tant/relevant.

Adequately
describes
challenge or
opportunity
and/or
provides
information on
why this topic
is profession-
ally impor-
tant/relevant.

Fully
describes
challenge or
opportunity
and provides
information on
why this topic
is profession-
ally impor-
tant/relevant.

The communi-
cation goal is
unclear or is
not defined.

The communi-
cation goal is
fairly defined.
It is somewhat
clear, and may
need further
refinement to
be concise
and clearly
actionable.

The communi-
cation goal is
satisfactorily
defined. It is
mostly clear,
is actionable,
but could be
more concise.

The communi-
cation goal is
exceptionally
well-defined. It
is clear, con-
cise, and
actionable.

2. Goal
Weight: 5%

Unacceptable
Below 70% F

Fair
70-79% C

Proficient
80-89% B

Exemplary
90-100% A

ASSIGNMENT 1: STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS PLAN

The communi-
cation does
not include an
audience
analysis,
draws irrele-
vant conclu-
sions about
the audience,
or incomplete-
ly addresses
the character-
istics, motiva-
tions, and
expertise of
the audience.
Does not
identify the
tone to be
used to
convey
message.

The communi-
cation
includes an
analysis of the
audience, but
this is insuffi-
cient. The
communica-
tion includes
some relevant
conclusions
about the
audience, the
characteris-
tics, motiva-
tions, and
expertise of
the audience.
Identifies only
one element
of the tone to
be used to
convey
message.

Audience
analysis is
sufficient to
the task. The
author
thoughtfully
considers
most of the
characteris-
tics, motiva-
tions, and
expertise of
the audience,
drawing
mostly rele-
vant conclu-
sions. Identi-
fies both
elements of
the tone to be
used to
convey
message.

Audience
analysis is
thorough. The
author
thoughtfully
considers the
characteris-
tics,
motivations,
and expertise
of the audi-
ence, drawing
highly relevant
conclusions.
Identifies both
elements of
the tone to be
used to
convey
message.

The key
message is
unclear and/or
is illogical. It
does not align
with the
goals/needs
of the audi-
ence.

The key mes-
sage is fairly
clear, concise,
and logical. It
may be
somewhat
compelling
and memora-
ble and aligns
somewhat
with the
goals/needs
of the
audience.

The key mes-
sage is mostly
clear, concise,
and logical. It
is sufficiently
compelling
and memora-
ble and is
sufficiently
aligned with
the
goals/needs
of the audi-
ence.

The key mes-
sage is
completely
clear, concise,
and logical. It
is exceptional-
ly compelling
and memora-
ble. It is
well-aligned
with the
goals/needs
of the audi-
ence.

3. Audience
Weight: 20%

4. Key Message
Weight: 15%

The communi-
cation does
not provide
three or four
points,
reasons, or
justifications
to support the
key message,
and does not
list sources
to be used to
support the
message.

The communi-
cation pro-
vides three or
four points,
reasons, or
justifications
that support
the key mes-
sage to some
degree, but
this support is
incomplete,
and may not
list relevant
sources to be
used to sup-
port the mes-
sage.

The communi-
cation pro-
vides three or
four points,
reasons, or
justifications
that support
the key mes-
sage suffi-
ciently, and
lists mostly
relevant sourc-
es to be used
to support the
message.

The communi-
cation pro-
vides three or
four points,
reasons, or
justifications
that clearly
support the
key message
in a compel-
ling manner,
and lists
entirely rele-
vant sources
to be used to
support the
message.

The communi-
cation does
not identify or
incompletely
identifies the
communica-
tion style
and/or com-
munication
channel(s),
while failing to
provide suffi-
cient rationale
for the chan-
nel selec-
tion(s).

The communi-
cation identi-
fies the com-
munication
style and
communica-
tion chan-
nel(s), but to
an insufficient
degree. Ratio-
nale for the
style and
channel selec-
tion(s)
explains the
chosen
method of
delivery insuf-
ficiently.

The communi-
cation identi-
fies the com-
munication
style and
communica-
tion chan-
nel(s) suffi-
ciently. Ratio-
nale for the
style and
channel selec-
tion(s)
explains the
chosen
method of
delivery ade-
quately.

The communi-
cation style
and communi-
cation chan-
nel(s) are
thoughtfully
chosen. Ratio-
nale for the
style and
channel selec-
tion(s)
explains the
chosen
method of
delivery in a
compelling
and thorough
manner.

5. Supporting
Points
Weight: 15%

6. Channel
Selection
Weight: 10%

The request
made of the
audience is
unclear, or
action cannot
be taken
based on the
communica-
tion.

The request
made of the
audience is
fairly clear, but
may not be
actionable.

The request
made of the
audience is
sufficiently
clear and is
actionable.

The request
made of the
audience is
thoroughly
clear and
easily action-
able.

Writing does
not meet
minimal stan-
dards.
Tone is not
professional.
Communica-
tion is wholly
lacking in
logic, clarity,
and/or consis-
tent format-
ting.
Contains
many spelling,
mechanical,
formatting,
citation,
and/or gram-
matical errors.

Writing is
satisfactory.
Professional
tone is devel-
oping.
Shows moder-
ate logic,
clarity, and/or
consistent
formatting.
May contain
more than a
few spelling,
grammar
mechanical,
formatting, or
citation errors.

Writing could
be improved,
but meets
acceptable
standards.
Tone is profes-
sional.
Shows logic,
clarity, and
consistent
formatting.
May contain
few or no
spelling,
mechanical,
and/or gram-
matical errors.
There may be
a small
formatting or
citations
errors.

Writing is
excellent.
Tone is profes-
sional and
sophisticated.
Shows logic,
clarity, and
consistent
formatting.
Contains no
spelling,
mechanical, or
grammatical
errors, and
formatting and
citations meet
standards.

7. Action Request
Weight: 15%

8. Write in a
professional
manner using
proper
grammar,
mechanics,
spelling,
formatting,
and citations.
Weight: 10%