Communications and Team Development

John Alexander

john@virginia.edu

243-6619

Overview

If you want to be a vital technical professional, you need to also be a savvy and effective communicator and team member. Several related factors make it essential that you master these challenges: the pace of change, the complicated and dynamic business environment in which we work and the fact that dynamic work teams make better and sounder solutions. We can no longer work effectively in isolation. This course will help you improve your skills in communication and team work.

Course Homepage: http://toolkit.virginia.edu/unkn1-1 [address is good after end of fall semester]

Course Goal: To learn how to write, speak and work on teams more effectively.

Text: Vicker, Lauren & Hein, Ron. The Fast Forward MBA in Business Communication. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 1999.

Additional Readings from: [available at the above web address.]

Katzenback and Smith. The Wisdom of Teams. pp. 7-26

Senge, The Fifth Discipline. pp. 3-26; 57-67.

Senge, The Fifth Discipline Fieldbook. pp. tbd

Requirements/Objectives:

  1. Write and revise a 1 page memo on a workplace issue
  2. Make a 3-minute individual presentation
  3. Develop a team project and presentation on industry-related issue
  4. Actively participate in class discussions, team writing projects, etc.

Grading: Course is pass/fail. Students must complete all the above assigments to instructor's satisfaction.

Syllabus

  1. Introduction and Solo Exercise
  1. The Big Picture and the Fifth Discipline
  1. Writing and Team Projects
  1. Business Writing, Editing and Presentations
  1. Business Presentations
  1. Team Projects
  1. Team Projects
  1. Evaluate Teams