Theories of Organizational Communication (360-DL-20)

Instructors

Daniel Moser
I earned a PhD in performance studies from Northwestern University, School of Communication and have 25 years of experience in the study, scholarship, coaching, and leadership of dynamic human performance and cultural communication. I’ve been faculty since 2004 and am a lecturer in the Department of Communication Studies and the School of Professional Studies. As facilitator of the Northwestern Graduate School’s Professional Development Series in Professional Presence and Presentation, I work with most colleges in the university, including the McCormick School of Engineering, Feinberg School of Medicine, and Kellogg School of Management. An in-demand corporate consultant, I have international clients including Goldman Sachs, British Petroleum/BP, DHL, Mead Johnson Nutrition, and many others.

Meeting Info

Online: TBA

Overview of class

The ability to communicate successfully is vital to professional success. In this course, you will learn effective communication behaviors and skills for contemporary organizations. We will explore the dimensions of organizational communication, focusing on topics such as listening, nonverbal communication, ethics, and values. You will engage in interactive exercises and practical applications of theory, applying the skills needed to thrive and lead in today's organizations. You will walk away from this class with multiple skills, including a rehearsed elevator pitch to promote your professional career and an ability to evaluate, as a corporate ethnographer, the ways that organizations express their culture.

We will focus on communication as a process and skill that can help individuals and their organizations gain a competitive advantage. You'll maximize your leadership and communication skills and be ready to apply them immediately in the workplace and your personal life.

Registration Requirements

Prerequisites: none.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

Assess the impact of social, cultural, economic, psychological, technological, political, legal, and other factors on the communication process.
Demonstrate how the history and background of organizational communication informs today's best practices.
Identify the causes of conflict in organizations and groups.
Discuss key sources of resentment and frustration that can lead to toxic work environments.
Employ common conflict resolution strategies.
Identify the communication strengths and weaknesses that individuals exhibit in an organizational setting.
Refine presentation skills according to professional standards.
Analyze a current organizational communication culture using both theory and practice.
Use the professional vocabulary (the terms of this field) comfortably.

Class Materials (Required)

Purchase textbook from the Northwestern University Bookstore or another source:

Zaremba, A. J. (2009). Organizational communication (3rd ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN: 978-0195379044

Additional required readings and media are posted in Canvas, including relevant news articles, academic research, and videos that you will watch in order to complete the assignments and participate in the discussion board conversations.

Class Attributes

Asynchronous:Remote class-no scheduled mtg time