Interpersonal Communication for Engineering Leaders

About this course: This course covers communication skills that engineering leaders use every day to motivate, inspire, and support the people in their organizations. Speaking and writing are basic leadership communication skills. (We covered these topics in the Specialization course 1 and 3.) However, leaders also need to be skillful interpersonal communicators. Modern business requires communication skills that are effective across cultures, generations, and genders. Communication is also a key skill in building your personal brand. Leaders need to look, act, and speak like leaders. Another important leadership skill is the ability to handle difficult, emotional communications with employees, supervisors, and colleagues. Finally, engineers are often at the center of crisis communication. In this course, you will learn 1. How to communicate in a global environment, 2. How to communicate across cultures, generations, and genders 3. How to use communication to build your personal brand, communicate your values, and your leadership promise 4. How to handle high-stakes, emotionally charged, difficult conversations with employees, supervisors and your colleagues 5. How to handle crisis communication

Who is this class for: This course is geared toward practicing engineers who are early in their careers, especially those who are either in or approaching their first leadership role.

Created by:  Rice University

• Taught by:  Gayle Moran, Lecturer in Professional and Engineering Communication

  Rice Center for Engineering Leadership

• Taught by:  Beata Krupa, Lecturer in Professional and Engineering Communication

  Rice Center for Engineering Leadership

Basic Info Course 2 of 3 in the Communication Skills for Engineers Specialization Commitment 4 weeks of study, 3-5 hours/week Language English How To Pass Pass all graded assignments to complete the course. User Ratings 5.0 stars Average User Rating 5.0See what learners said Coursework

Each course is like an interactive textbook, featuring pre-recorded videos, quizzes and projects.

Help from your peers

Connect with thousands of other learners and debate ideas, discuss course material, and get help mastering concepts.

Certificates

Earn official recognition for your work, and share your success with friends, colleagues, and employers.

Rice University Rice University is consistently ranked among the top 20 universities in the U.S. and the top 100 in the world. Rice has highly respected schools of Architecture, Business, Continuing Studies, Engineering, Humanities, Music, Natural Sciences and Social Sciences and is home to the Baker Institute for Public Policy.

Syllabus


WEEK 1


Specialization Introduction - Communication for Engineers



3 videos, 5 readings expand

1. Video: Meet the Professor - Dr. Gayle Moran
2. Video: Meet the Professor - Dr. Beata Krupa
3. Reading: Course Icon Legend
4. Video: Introduction to Specialization
5. Reading: Talking with Sam
6. Reading: Required Materials and Other Info
7. Reading: Personal Communication Plan - Specialization Level Activity - Introduction
8. Reading: Pre-Course Survey

Course Introduction - Interpersonal Communication for Engineering Leaders



1 video, 4 readings expand

1. Video: Course Overview and Objectives
2. Reading: General Course Information
3. Reading: Discussion Forum Guidelines
4. Reading: Peer Review Guidelines
5. Reading: Accessibility and Accommodations Statement

Week 1: What Influences the Way People Communicate?



Today’s global business environment makes good communication more important than ever. Those who lead virtual global teams need to be great communicators. They need to be able to persuade others, build trusting relationships, and motivate productive teamwork. To bring out the best in people and to find the common ground where true communication takes place, you need to understand the things that influence the way people communicate, including culture, gender, and generation. When you understand these influences, you can avoid miscommunication and misunderstandings, and you can help everyone focus on what’s really important—the business.


6 videos, 6 readings expand

1. Video: Introduction and Objectives
2. Discussion Prompt: Introduce Yourself
3. Reading: Think About It
4. Video: How Culture Influences Communication Styles, Habits, and Behaviors, Part 1
5. Reading: Talking with Sam
6. Discussion Prompt: Talking with Sam - Different Cultures
7. Video: How Culture Influences Communication Styles, Habits, and Behaviors, Part 2
8. Discussion Prompt: Cultural Dimensions
9. Reading: Cultural Dimensions in Action
10. Video: How Culture Influences Communication Styles, Habits, and Behaviors, Part 3
11. Reading: The Power of Talk: Who Gets Heard and Why
12. Video: How Gender Influences Communication Styles, Habits, and Behaviors
13. Video: How Generations Influence Communication Styles, Habits, and Behaviors
14. Reading: Talking with Sam
15. Discussion Prompt: Talking with Sam - Communicating Well
16. Reading: Personal Communication Plan – (Course 2) Week 1: Diagnose Your Skills

Graded: Context in Cultural Communication
Graded: Module 1 Quiz

WEEK 2


Week 2: Communicating With Leadership Presence in the Workplace



As you learn to do the things that leaders do—make decisions, develop a vision, talk to people and inspire them, manage productivity—you need to develop the skills that make you look, act, and speak like a leader. A personal brand will tell others what you value and what you promise; personal presence will help others see you the way you see yourself; and learning how to lead productive meetings will differentiate you as a leader who gets things done.


10 videos, 7 readings, 1 practice quiz expand

1. Video: Objectives
2. Reading: The Brand Called You
3. Video: Building and using your personal brand
4. Video: Developing leadership presence, Part 1
5. Video: Developing leadership presence, Part 2
6. Reading: Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are
7. Discussion Prompt: Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are
8. Video: Developing leadership presence, Part 3
9. Reading: Think About It
10. Reading: Hey, Did You Catch That?: Why They’re Talking as Fast as They Can.
11. Practice Quiz: Hey, Did You Catch That?: Why They’re Talking as Fast as They Can.
12. Video: Set a Positive and Productive Tone
13. Video: “Yes, and…”
14. Video: Make Sure Everyone Gets Heard
15. Reading: Talking with Sam
16. Discussion Prompt: Talking with Sam
17. Video: Ask Insightful Questions
18. Reading: A Conference Call in Real Life
19. Video: Manage Virtual Meetings
20. Reading: Personal Communication Plan – (Course 2) Week 2: Diagnose Your Skills

Graded: Write Your Own Brand Statement
Graded: Module 2 Quiz

WEEK 3


Week 3: How to Handle Difficult Conversations



Strong interpersonal communication skills are crucial in effective leadership. Tough conversations happen when we disagree about important issues, and knowing how to handle difficult conversations can keep a team or an organization running smoothly. In this module, you’ll learn how to handle disagreements and diverging opinions and how to use conflict to strengthen teams and organizations.


6 videos, 5 readings expand

1. Video: Introduction and Objectives
2. Discussion Prompt: Think About It
3. Discussion Prompt: Self-assessment of your reactions during difficult conversations
4. Video: What makes difficult conversations difficult?
5. Video: Preparing for difficult conversations - start with yourself
6. Discussion Prompt: Difficult Conversations
7. Reading: Starling Systems Case Study
8. Video: In the Midst of a Difficult Situation
9. Video: Practical Tools to Handle Difficult Situations
10. Reading: Harvard Business Review Articles
11. Discussion Prompt: Plan for your Next Difficult Conversation
12. Reading: Listening Self Evaluation Quiz
13. Video: Listening
14. Reading: Additional Articles
15. Discussion Prompt: Additional Readings
16. Reading: Personal Communication Plan – (Course 2) Week 3: Diagnose Your Skills

Graded: Sterling Systems Case Study Part 1
Graded: Sterling Case Part 2
Graded: Module 3 Quiz

WEEK 4


Week 4: What to Say, and What Not to Say, in a Crisis Situation



In this module, we will practice communication in the context of crisis situations. You’ll learn how to handle crisis responses, how to save your company’s good name, and who you should pay attention to when communicating about a crisis. Skillful crisis communication makes crisis management effective.


12 videos, 4 readings expand

1. Discussion Prompt: Think About It
2. Video: Objectives
3. Video: What is Crisis?
4. Video: Talking with Jeff - How to Prepare for a Crisis
5. Video: Crisis Communication Plan
6. Video: Talking with Jeff - Online Media and Crisis Communication
7. Video: Talking with Jeff - How to React in a Crisis
8. Discussion Prompt: Analyze Bad Crisis Response - Case Study
9. Video: The Key Rule: Communicate Early and Often
10. Reading: View Good Responses to Crisis
11. Video: Talking with Jeff - Difference in Crisis Communication
12. Video: How to Answer Media Questions
13. Reading: Instructions for Writing Crisis Related Media Statement
14. Video: Talking with Jeff - Key Elements of Crisis Communication
15. Reading: Personal Communication Plan – (Course 2) Week 4: Diagnose Your Skills
16. Video: Congratulations: Course Completed!
17. Video: What Makes a Good Communicator?
18. Reading: End-Course Survey

Graded: Review Crisis Communication Plan P/F Assignment
Graded: Crisis Related Media Statement
Graded: Module 4 Quiz