Spring 2015

BUCO 503: Advanced Managerial

Communication (AMC)
University of Southern California
Marshall School of Business
Spring 2015
Professor:
Office:
Telephone:
Email:
Class:

Kirk Snyder
ACC 215F
213-740-0500 949-633-0778 Cell/Text
kirks@marshall.usc.edu
Saturdays 1-4 PM

COURSE DESCRIPTION
Advanced Managerial Communication (AMC) is an important element of the graduate level
elective curriculum. Your professor will work with you to help you develop as a professional
communicator. Throughout this class, your professor will help you assess your incoming skill levels,
establish your goals, and improve your interpersonal, relational, networking, interviewing, career
advancement, and managerial communication skills. Multiple delivery methods will be utilized
throughout the class. These include:

AMC lecture/discussion sessions

AMC one-on-one and peer coaching sessions

AMC class activities

AMC video analysis

AMC lab sessions

AMC case studies

AMC experiential learning sessions

COURSE MATERIALS
COURSE MATERIALS
Session topics and discussion will be based on selected readings from the following:
Title: HBR's 10 Must Reads on Communication
ISBN-13: 978-1422189863
Title: Conversation Transformation: Recognize and Overcome the 6 Most Destructive
Communication. Authors: Ben E. Benjamin, Amy Yeater, and Anita Simon
ISBN-13: 978-0-07-176996-9
Cases:
Lorsch, Jay W., and Kathleen Durante, McKinsey & Company
Rivkin, Jan W., Stefan H. Thomke, and Daniela Beyersdorfer, LEGO (A): The Crisis
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Schotter, Andreas, and Mary Teagarden, Blood Bananas: Chiquita in Colombia

LEARNING OBJECTIVESWhat You Will Learn

In Advanced Managerial Communication (AMC), we will focus on skills, attributes, knowledge, and
strategies necessary to succeed communicatively in the global workplace. Three major content
elements combine to form the AMC curriculum:
1. Become an advanced public communicator and presenter. (Persuasive and Informative
Business Briefing Competencies)
2. Learn how to work and communicate successfully in interpersonal contexts.
(Interpersonal, Relational, and Cultural Communication Competencies)
3. Learn how to enhance your career and communicate confidently in various organizational
situations. (Professional Development and Networking Competencies)
Here is a closer examination of each of these:
1. Adroit networking skills advance ones career and the development of ones professional
repertoire. These skills encompass the way in which one manages employment
interviews either as interviewer or prospective new-hire, develops a strategic networking
plan, appreciates the landscape of political-organizational alliances on the job, and
cultivates professional relationships. All agree that these abilities are significant, but few
understand precisely how to nurture them.
2. Accomplished interpersonal-relational-cultural communication suggests strong emotional
intelligence, sharp listening skills, and sensitivity both to verbal and non-verbal cues
relayed by ones audience. Cultural and geographic factors further complicate this
dynamic. The business professional, who pays heed to these issues, however, invariably
communicates with greater confidence and effectiveness.
3. Persuasive business briefings demand strong public presentation skills. They, in turn,
require the ability to accurately analyze ones audience, organize key pieces of
information to reach that audience, prepare and practice ones briefing, and then finally
capture the audience through effective presentation. Further, a key component of
persuasive presentation is the skillful integration of visuals into ones speec

ACADEMIC STANDARDS
This course is subject to the USC Marshall School Learning Objectives
1. Advanced Persuasive Business Briefing Competencies: Become an advanced
public communicator and presenter. Learn how to present differing types of materials (e.g.,
financial briefings, marketing and VC pitches). Learn how to analyze audiences, organize
messages for maximum persuasive impact, and communicate these messages in a
persuasive manner. Work with your professor to continually refine your persuasive skills in a
variety of settings. Set goals for continued presentation improvement as you move toward the
end goal of becoming an advanced communicator and presenter.
2. Interpersonal, Relational and Cultural Communication Competencies: Learn how to
work and communicate successfully in interpersonal contexts. Learn about topics such
as managing non-verbals, finding similarity, evaluating yourself and others critically, and giving
and receiving feedback for personal development and organizational growth. Assess your
emotional intelligence and its role in effective managerial communication. Appreciate cultural
diversity and develop greater worldly awareness. Learn how to better present yourself as a
confident, competent communicator and professional.
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3. Professional Development and Networking Competencies: Learn how to enhance

your career and communicate confidently in various organizational situations. Learn
about topics such as managing the interview, strategic networking, understanding
organizational alliances and developing professional relationships.

LEARNING APPROACH How You Will Learn

Through class sessions, experiential activities, 1-1 meetings with your professor, and class
assignments, your professor will help you develop your managerial communication competencies both
professionally and personally. This course is not text-based or lecture-driven, and it is not about
passive learning of content. Your professor teaches and works with you. Your success in AMC thus
depends on your active involvement in learning and upon your effort and actions designed to change
your behaviors and way of thinking.

EXPECTATIONS, EVALUATION AND GRADING

Expectations: Attendance, active participation, and a positive attitude are required for successful
completion of this course. Must be present to win is true of skill building in interpersonal, and
persuasive communication skills. Many sessions involve peer coaching activities, and your professor
plans and organizes them assuming all students will be present. You should notify your professor as
far in advance as possible if you are unable to attend any class or exercise so that any necessary
adjustments can be made. Missed classes, late arrivals, early departures, lack of communication or
inappropriate communication will reduce your grade on individual assignments and your final grade in
the course. Partial credit for missed classes or activities is solely at the discretion of your professor
and may not be possible depending on the activity and timing.
Evaluation and Grading:
All sections of this course will follow the same grading criteria and standards. We will follow the
grading standards and policies of the Marshall School of Business; historically, the GPA for Marshall
graduate elective courses is 3.5, which reflects an average course grade between B + and A -.
At the end of the course, your professor will assign a final grade based on your performance. See the
Summary of Assignments and Activities for specific due dates.
Participation
Your participation score is based on your contributions to the class. The highest possible score for
each class is 4 points. Typically, you will receive 3.6 points (90 percent) for good participation. On
occasion, a few students in the class may be rewarded with 4 points for exceptional class
performance. There will also be points for several online activities and your feedback on your
classmates projects. For all classes, you may be docked for below-average contributions and/or for
arriving to class late. You may miss two classes without penalty to your overall participation grade.
Summary of Assignments:
Assignment #1
Assignment #2
Assignment #3
Assignment #4
Assignment #5

Communication Assessment Briefing

Peer Interviews
Informative Presentation
Networking Briefing (YouSeeU Online)
Persuasive Presentation

NA
150 points
150 points
50 points
150 points

Total 500 points

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Details
Assignment #1: Communication Assessment Diagnostic. Students will discuss their
communication goals for the course and assess their current competencies (Not graded)
Assignment #2: Peer Interviews. Each student will participate as both Interviewer and Interviewee in
a coaching partnership. This assignment will also include a job description, interview script and peer
evaluation. Total, 150 points
Assignment #3: Informative Presentation: Students will begin the feasibility briefing regarding their
future persuasive briefing regarding a communication strategy for an organization or industry. Total,
150 points
Assignment #4: Networking Briefing (based on information networking interview). Students will
be required to attend a networking event and secure an informational interview with a professional in
their current or future industry. The students will prepare a briefing to be delivered via YouSeeU to
discuss networking communication strategies and lessons learned. Total, 50 points
Assignment #5: Persuasive Presentation. Students will work on a persuasive business pitch
utilizing communication strategies covered during the semester with a specific target audience. Total,
150 points

ACADEMIC STANDARDS AND UNIVERSITY POLICIES

Academic Standards: Academic integrity is a critical value of the University Community. Integrity
violations destroy the fabric of a learning community and the spirit of inquiry that is vital to the
effectiveness of the University. This course is subject to the Marshall School of Business Academic
Standards and USC Academic Integrity Standards, as detailed in SCampus. Please refer to and
become familiar with these standards. We will work with you to maintain an atmosphere conducive to
personal integrity, intellectual honesty, and ethical behavior.
Students with Disabilities: Any student requesting academic accommodations based on a disability
is required to register with disability Services and Programs (DSP) each semester. A letter of
verification for approved accommodations may be obtained from DSP. Please deliver the letter to the
MBA Program Office and your professors as early in the term as possible. DSP is located in STU 301
(phone 213-740-0776) and is open 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Professors Retention of Graded Papers: Returned paperwork, unclaimed by a student, may be
discarded one month after the end of each term. Paperwork intentionally not returned to students will
be retained until the start of the next academic year.

* * * * *

Class schedules, readings, and the list of assignments are distributed separately but are considered
part of this syllabus.

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BUCO 503: ADVANCED MANAGERIAL COMMUNICATION:

Cultivating Communication Competencies
SCHEDULE, TOPICS, AND ASSIGNMENTS for Spring 2015
Session
Number
1.

Date
Sat.
1/17/15

Topics/Activities
AMC An Overview
Discuss course goals and expectations.

Readings &
Assignments
Reading:

Effective Managerial Communication:

Contexts vs. Competencies +
Understanding Your Audience
The Power of Story
TAPING: Individual Communication
Assessment (Assignment #1)
Demonstrate your baseline or incoming
communication skills by delivering an
individual briefing to a small group.
Introduce Assignment #2
2.

Sat.
1/24/15

Reading:
Individual Coaching Plans
Effective Managerial Communication:
Interpersonal Communication
Competencies and Listening
Collaborate on Job Description and
Peer Interviews (Assignment #2 Taping
Next Week)

Deliverables: Bring rough

draft of your job description
to collaborate with your
team in class.

Case Study Discussion (McKinsey)

3.

Sat.
1/31/15

TAPING: Peer Interviews

(Assignment #2)

Reading:

Peer Feedback Session

Deliverables: MBTI Know

your code
Introduce/Review Assignments #3 and
#4
MBTI and Audience Analysis

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4.

Sat.
2/7/15

What Makes a Great Presentation

In-Class Exercise
Preparing for Assignment #3
Case Study: Lego

5.

Sat.
2/14/15

Emotional Intelligence
Discuss conflict resolution/management
Individual Coaching for Assignment #3

6.

Sat.
2/21/15

TAPING: Individual Informative

Presentation (Assignment #3)
Review progress for Assignment #4
(YouSeeU Due Next Week)
Introduce/Review Assignment # 5
(Persuasive)

7.

Sat.
2/28/15

Develop Compelling and Persuasive

Strategies
Discuss best practices for persuasive
business briefings; In class application of
persuasive strategies

Deliverables: YouSeeU
Assignment #4 Due

Prepare for Final Presentation

Case Study: Chiquita
8.

Sat.
3/7/15

TAPING: Final Persuasive Presentation

(Assignment #5)

Deliverables: Turn in your

peer evaluations for tonights
briefing at end of class

Course Wrap Up

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