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Instructions for

Part One

Written Management Communication Project

Step-by-Step Instructions

Requirements

Overview of the Conference Plan

Examples and details

Rubric

Organizational Communications (BSM 304)

PART 1.

Written Management Communication Project

Step-by-step Instructions

Your team will choose a topic (involving communication in the workplace) for a large conference you are organizing and hosting at a large local venue.

Your Team Leader will submit one copy of your Group’s written management communication project, which will outline the: plans, organization, and details of a conference on an appropriate topic involving “Communication for organizations.” As you may know, an “organization” can include learning institutions, non-profits and for-profit organizations. The attendees of your conference will be members or employees of these organizations.

REQUIREMENTS:

NUMBER OF ATTENDEES: 100- 500 people

LOCATION: A hotel or place that can hold that number of people

LENGTH: ½ day to 2 full days

GROUP CONTRACT: Complete the contract with the group. Each member must save a copy of the contract. The Team Leader will email the contract to your instructor at City U.

The written documents in the project include the following four separate parts:

1. AN OVERVIEW OF THE CONFERENCE PLAN

a. AN ESSAY (1-1 ½ pages) - This document will provide the reader with information about your conference. You will be including your LOGISTICS - conference name, location, date, times, capacity (how many participants will you expect to attend); your ideal audience, the purpose of this conference and the outcomes - or your expectations (what you hope your audience will learn by attending). The following steps will help your team determine the information you need to select the content for your Overview.

i. Naming the Conference: As a team, you will need to brainstorm the name of the conference. Think about a topic that is in demand or provides a gap in the audience’s information or a problem they may be facing. Choose a name that will allow you to focus on topics that will “solve” that problem. Keep in mind that the name MUST attract the right people to attend. Keep your conference name short (5-7 words).

ii. You can research titles by Googling the names you’re considering: E.G., Conferences on:

· “Communication for International Students”

· “7 Communication Skills That Will Make You a Better Leader.”

· “ Five Tips That Can Help You Get That Ideal Job.”

· “ Three Massive Mistakes Leaders Make When Giving Feedback”

· “How to Handle Courageous Conversations”

· “Communication Strategies to Develop Extraordinary Customer Service”

· “Communicating your Worth in an Interview”

· Or you can search this URL, which lists conferences re- Communication, where you can get some ideas.   https://conferenceindex.org/conferences/business-communication ).

b. Conference Details: (Logistics) Once you have the name/purpose of your conference, your team will need to decide on the following:

1. How many people do you want to attend?

2. Who will be the best audience for this convention (be very specific with the demographics, E.G., age, culture, job position (students, leaders, managers, etc.), education, income, geography, etc.?

3. Where will the conference take place? (Hotel - name the hotel, Convention Centre, University, virtual Zoom conference)

4. Length of the conference: ½ day, full day, two days?

5. Cost: You are a business, and nothing is free (or without expenses)! Tickets are usually $250-$500 for a full day (includes coffee, tea, water, and snacks). If you are offering it for FREE, you will need to provide sponsors to pay for your expenses. ALSO, “free” will encourage many people to register, but since there is no investment, expect only 30% to attend. Charge something…even $50, so that if people don’t plan to attend, you will end up with their $50. NO REFUNDS!

6. Budget: Think realistically when determining your price. Do some research on the actual costs of venues, coffee, tea, water, muffins, etc. For example, just one coffee urn for 50 cups is $75! Lunch is often at least $25 per person, and keynote speakers are between $3000-$15,000 for 1 hour, plus their travel expenses. I will catch you on this oversight if your prices are not aligned.

7. What other speaking topics should be included? Your keynote speakers should have excellent presentations to motivate, inform, or offer beneficial information. Sometimes a panel of experts would be helpful (E.g., if you are dealing with a topic such as how to communicate confidently during an interview, your panel can be comprised of HR managers from four different industries or companies.

8. What topic will your group be presenting at the conference? Decide if you will be part of the mainstage keynote presenters as a panel or offer a Breakout Session. Your topic should be titled, so the attendees know precisely what they will learn. E.g., “Three Key Communication Strategies That Will Make Your Employees Like You”; “Three Massive mistakes managers make that will convince your best people to leave”; “Five Critical steps to “ACE” your Interview”; “Three Secrets on Communicating Change to Your Employees.”

9. Your team’s responsibilities. In week 9, your team will be presenting a 30-minute presentation to a smaller audience (or to the entire audience”) at the Conference. Each of you will be responsible for some part of the presentation. I will cover more about this later.

See the sample Executive Summary following:

Executive Summary (Sample)

Our team enjoyed the time and concentration it took to create a conference that would supply a theme needed in the workplace for better communication protocols in both written and verbal situations. Five generations are often represented in many workplaces, yet they all have different work ethics, skills and strengths, and…communication styles. Our plan was to address the communication issues with information, activities, and presentations.

Within this package, you will find the following information and samples:

a) An introduction of our purpose, how we determined our conference theme, our target audience, and logistics. We did meet some challenges, and through our various communication methods, we could erase any difficulties. We set up our SMART goals and actions and chose the projects that used our strengths. Our entire team handled how we organized our meetings and accomplishments well, as we held regular weekly meetings outside the class.

b) Logistics:

Conference Name: Dialogues Between the Decades

Intended Audience: Multi-generational employees

Date and Time: February 17, 2022 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Location of the Conference: Holiday Inn Hotel, 1234 Broadway, Vancouver, BC

Price: $125 per person

c) Conference Plan: A general plan including the conference name, date and time, and the expected turnout numbers. Our Team will be listed as Breakout presenters and their topic and sections are listed.

d) Announcement: A sample of an email invitation with a registration link and image that will be sent to our clients, Chambers of Commerce, and other database lists.

e) Poster Announcement: A sample of our Advertising poster announcement listing the logistics, keynote speakers, and related images.

f) Agenda: A detailed list of events, breaks, breakout sessions, mainstage speakers and their related times.

g) Handouts: Two valuable handouts that will be presented to the

audience will include: _____ and _____

This project has been gratifying to put our communication skills into practice, organize a huge conference and learn how to work as an engaged team with common goals and collaboration.

2. INVITATION VIA EMAIL (Separate page)

a. You will provide a copy of the email invitation to your potential audience. E.g., pretend that you have an extensive database of the contacts you need to invite. How are you going to ask them to convince them to register? What information will you put on the invitation? Will you use an image? Will you name a couple of Keynote Speakers and their topics? Plus, of course, the information needed for the conference (date, place, time, cost, etc.). I have included the URL of my speaking group to get an idea of the image and the info that we possess. Samples are below.

Another sample:

https://mailchi.mp/e095e6777894/bcodn-event-dancing-on-shifting-sands-vuca-4849298?e=2b02af6344

3. POSTER ANNOUNCEMENT (Separate page)

Create an attractive poster that can be sent to organizations via email, posted on office walls, etc. Be creative. Use colours wisely. Keep some white space (unused space), and don’t put too much information on the poster. Take a look at some websites that appeal to you for colour choices. Some of you might use “CANVA” to design your posters. There is a free option. Also, a poster can be done on a PowerPoint page.

I have included examples of posters:

4. AGENDA (Separate page)

a. Create a complete agenda for the entire conference. Create a timeline of speakers, breakouts, coffee breaks, Keynote speakers and the Final Speaker and Closing. An example of an agenda is below.

Time	Event	Speaker
8:15-8:55 a.m. 9 a.m. 9:20 - 10:30 10:30 - 10:45 10:45 – 11:45 11:45 – 12:15 12:00 – 1:30 1:30 – 2:00	Registration- Lobby Welcome- Main stage Keynote - Main stage Break - Lobby Breakouts - Rooms A, B, C and D Light refreshment Break– Lobby Panel Discussion: Main Stage Closing Remarks	Jack Smith Serinda Bellevue “Communicating to the Masses” “Tips On How to Engage All Multi-Cultural Employees to Perform as a Team” ICBC, West Fraser Timber, Ltd.; Lululemon Athletica; City U of Seattle (Vancouver) Jack Smith

5. AUDIENCE HAND-OUTS (2 OR MORE)

a. To add value for your audience, create an informative handout.

E.g., Sometimes, I have received a small booklet containing the agenda, the list of speakers in the breakouts, and a write-up on each speaker with their photo. There are also some empty pages entitled “NOTES” for people to write notes based on what they learned and want to remember. It doesn’t need that much information, but the more information you include, the more proficient you will become (and your mark will be higher).

b. For something simpler, one or two handouts, based on your Breakout Oral Presentation’s topic, can contain relevant information or URLs (or both) for participants to read later.

c. Another example might include a “feedback form” or a page that states where they can contact you and your names.

I have included sample “handouts” on the following two pages.

THE PROJECT:

Your group will investigate and select an appropriate topic for your conference.  (See the URL to access recent conferences on Communication.

  https://conferenceindex.org/conferences/business-communication

The instructor must approve the group's proposed topic.  Email your instructor for her approval of your Conference title BEFORE you move forward. You can choose your topic related to Communication in the workplace or consider these conference topics:

· Principles Of Business Interviewing ,

· Developing Leadership Through Communication Skills

· Effective Problem-Solving Meetings

· Improve Your Negotiation Skills

· Harnessing Verbal Aggressiveness at the Office

· Intercultural Communication in the Workplace

Submit your paper to Turnitin (a built-in plagiarism checker) to ensure all your sources have been cited appropriately.  Review your first submission and make corrections, then submit it for final grading by your instructor.   

This assignment is the Written Part of a two-part assignment. Check the “ASSIGNMENT” tab for details . We will be working on post parts separately.

· Part 1 Written assignment is DUE: Week Six

· Part 2 Oral presentation is DUE: Week Nine

·

(HANDOUTS) Examples:

Three Massive Mistakes Professional Women Make

That Keep Them Embroiled in Conflict

By JoAnne Marlow, January 17, 2022

Conflict: a disagreement through which the parties involved perceive a threat to their needs, interests or concerns.

A few points worth considering:

· A conflict is more than a mere disagreement - it is a situation in which people perceive a threat (physical, emotional, power, status, etc.) to their well-being. As such, it is a meaningful experience in people's lives, not to be shrugged off by a mere "it will pass…."

· Participants in conflicts tend to respond based on their perceptions of the situation rather than an objective review. People filter their perceptions (and reactions) through their values, culture, beliefs, information, experience, gender, and other variables. Conflict responses are filled with ideas and feelings that can be solid and robust guides to our sense of possible solutions.

· As in any problem, conflicts contain substantive, procedural, and psychological dimensions to be negotiated. We must consider all these dimensions to understand best the threat perceived by those in a conflict.

· Conflicts are ordinary experiences within the work environment. To a large degree, they are also predictable and expectable situations that naturally arise as we manage complex and stressful projects in which we are significantly invested. As such, if we develop procedures for identifying conflicts likely to occur and systems through which we can constructively manage conflicts, we may discover new opportunities to transform conflict into a productive learning experience.

· Creative problem-solving strategies are essential to positive approaches to conflict management. We need to transform the situation from one in which it is 'my way or the highway' into one in which we entertain new possibilities that have been otherwise elusive.

Conflict is normal. Anticipating Conflicts like to arise in the workplace:

· Consider your work environment for a moment:

· What are some key sources of conflict in our workplace?

· When do they tend to occur?

· How do people respond to these conflicts as they arise?

· When we solve problems, do we do so for the movement, or do we put in place systems for addressing these concerns in the future?

Sample 2

Listening Strategies

By JoAnne Marlow

The importance of listening is trying to understand another’s point of view before trying to impress upon them your own. Willingness to listen is a hallmark of the most effective managers, leaders, marriages, partnerships and relationships. Listening is, at the core, about trying to see something through the eyes of the other person.

Below are eight of the most important and helpful strategies for better, stronger and more effective listening:

1. Listen for the concern they are speaking from. Be thoughtful about the underlying problems of the person you are listening to. What are they not saying? Listen between the lines.

2. Speak only to deepen your understanding, not to defend or criticize. Remember, this is about listening, not conveying your point of view.

3. Build on the pool of facts – if the person leaves out an essential piece of information, ask about it. The more factual information you share about an issue, the more likely you will move to a shared understanding of the issue. Once again, this isn’t about you defending your stand but about adding to the pool of knowledge of the situation.

4. Acknowledge their upset and feelings. “I can see you are very upset about this.”

5. ‘Prime’ when you think there is something they do not feel comfortable sharing. When I say prime, I mean saying something like, “I could be off the mark here, but I have a feeling that you aren’t pleased about the recent changes that were made,” or “I get the feeling that you’re feeling resentful about x, y or z.” You’re just putting out there what your intuition is telling you.

6. Agree whenever the person says something you also agree with. “You’re right. It has been difficult, and the pressures have taken a toll.”

7. Reflect verbally, paraphrasing what you think the person is saying. It helps you know that you’re on the right path and understands what they are saying correctly. And it allows them to correct you or clarify a little bit more.

8. Don’t fill in the silence. I know this is a tough one. But the more emotional the conversation, the more valuable the silence becomes in helping lead the discussion to the heart of the issue. I know that’s not always easy, mainly if you, like me, are someone who is a bit of a chatterbox. But the most fruitful conversations occur when people are willing to allow the silence, just to let it be, while people think in their heads about the issue and are eager to explore deeper into whatever territory it opens up.

Learning to communicate clearly, clearly and confidently is, like all skills, one that you will become more competent at and ultimately master with ongoing practice and commitment.

1

Details on your Written Management Communication TEAM Project

Written Management Communication Project Rubric

Your group will submit a written management communication project which plans, organizes, and holds a conference on an appropriate topic. The written documents in the project include a conference plan, email announcement, poster, detailed agenda, and audience hand-outs (2 or more). Your group will investigate and select an appropriate topic for your conference, which must involve communication in the workplace. The instructor must approve the group’s proposed topic. Possible conference topics include: principles of business interviewing, developing leadership through communication skills, holding effective problem-solving meetings, improving negotiation skills, harnessing verbal aggressiveness at the office, inter-cultural communication in the workplace, investigating communication in business organizations, and so forth.

Undergraduate Percentage Scale:	0.00 – 57.49%	57.50 – 76.24%	76.25 - 93.74%	93.75 - 100%
Undergraduate Scaled Score:	0.0 – 0.6	0.7 – 2.1	2.2 - 3.5	3.6 - 4.0
	% of Grade	Below Standard	Approaching Standard	At Standard	Exceeds Standard
All required documents are submitted Quality and images are professionally presented	25	None or no more than three of the required documents submitted Images and quality are not attractive or appealing	Four or five required documents were submitted. Images and writing presentations are of standard quality	All six required documents submitted Images, colours, and presentation is attractive and professionally done	More than six required documents submitted The presentation of all images, writing and arrangement is of excellent quality
Information is presented on separate pages and in a logical sequence in all documents.	25	Information is not presented in a logical sequence in documents submitted	Information is seldom presented in a logical sequence in documents submitted	Information is usually presented in a logical sequence in documents submitted	Information is uniformly presented in a logical sequence in documents submitted
Writing is clear and coherently organized	25	Writing is quite unclear and disorganized	Writing is coherent, but weak	Writing is clear and organized	Writing is professional, highly literate, and organized
Proper use of grammar, punctuation, spelling, and syntax	25	Many extremely serious errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, and/or syntax make comprehension extremely difficult or impossible	Several errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, and/or syntax make comprehension difficult	Only a few (3 to 5) serious errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, and/or syntax	No more than two serious errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, and/or syntax
TOTAL	100%