CPSS308 University of Phoenix Collaborative Decision Making Approach Paper

SCENARIO: An insurance company executive and her managers have been challenged by their company to increase the productivity of their 100 customer service associates. The associates are very diverse in all respects, including cultural background and languages spoken. The executive observes associates mingling during work hours and is concerned they are under-performing as a result. She makes a unilateral decision to have associates log their time on each call so they are more accountable for their time. Associates complain that this new tracking system takes time from their schedule, making them less productive. After a few months, morale and productivity are lower, and tensions are high due to the tracking system. The insurance executive hires you as an independent management consultant to analyze the situation and recommend solutions, including helping the stakeholders decide if the tracking system should remain in place. Note that it is not your job to make this decision but to facilitate an agreement supported by all or most of the organization. ASSIGNMENT: Use the best practices for managing and moderating conflict in the workplace that you’ve learned in Unit 2 to address this scenario. The insurance executive has hired you as an independent management consultant to analyze the situation and recommend solutions, including whether the tracking system should remain in place.

To complete the assignment, download the response template and answer the following questions in 5-7 sentences each. You will return the completed template as your Touchstone submission.

Type Your Name Here

Business Communication

Date here

Using what you have learned about business communication through Unit 2, respond to the following questions in response to the scenario. For each question, you should write a paragraph-length response (5–7 sentences) to receive credit for this assignment. You may use your Sophia tutorials as a resource.

Question 1: What decision-making approach will you recommend the executive take for achieving the best decision on whether to keep this tracking system in place and for obtaining cooperation from the customer service associates? Why do you think this method is best?

Question 2: You recommend that the executive and managers meet with their customer service associates to better connect with them and create empathy as a key step toward resolving the conflict. What advice would you give to the executives and managers to facilitate such a meeting? What advice would you give to customer service associates?

Question 3: To accommodate their customers, the company employs a number of native speakers of Spanish, Russian, and other languages. In your recommendation about this tracking system issue, how will you assure the meeting feels inclusive and equitable to these staff members?

Question 4: Can you identify how this organization’s conflict might result in improvements to its internal processes and productivity? Can you explain some possible benefits of such improvements to the larger organization?

Unit 4 Touchstone: Oral Presentation

ASSIGNMENT: Imagine that you have been asked to give a five-minute oral presentation at the next staff meeting. The purpose is to teach your colleagues some strategy or technique for better communication. Feel free to draw on the content you have already learned in this class!

Since you will not be able to share a screen, it is recommended that you do not try to teach people how to use a technology, but some other best practice. You may do something related to technology, as long as you do not need to do a demonstration. Use of visual aids is optional and will not be assessed directly.

Example topics could be:

These are some suggestions, but you can select any topic that is related to workplace communication and which can be explained in five minutes.

Don’t be daunted by the time limit. That’s as long as ten television commercials, which usually tell a story and make a pitch in 30 seconds!

Before you begin you may want to review the content on Organizing Presentations and Delivering Presentations.

A. DIRECTIONS

1. As you begin, remember to follow the seven guidelines of professional communication.

2. Select a topic and draft your presentation on paper as an informal outline. Prepare and practice. Organize your talking points so you can make full use of the full five minutes without going over. Time yourself and make appropriate edits until your presentation fits the five minutes.

3. Record a 5-minute video of yourself delivering your presentation. Remember that the assessment will be of verbal and nonverbal delivery, so use of visual aids is optional. If you do use them, make sure they are visible on the screen.

Note: You do not have to dress formally but should choose a wardrobe and background that are professional, or at least not distracting. It is important that you convey yourself as a professional and that background noise is minimal so that your speech can be clearly heard.

4. Review your video to make sure you like the results and that the recording was successful. But don’t overdo it! If you deliver the same speech too many times it will be harder to maintain a natural tone. Four or five runs should be plenty.

5. Submit your video for a grade.

B. RUBRIC

AdvancedProficientAcceptableNeeds ImprovementNon-Performance

Content (10 points)

Content is accurate, relevant to the assignment, and engaging.Content is accurate, relevant to the assignment, and engaging.Content is generally accurate, relevant to the assignment, and engaging, but may fall a bit short in one area..Content is generally accurate, relevant to the assignment, and engaging, but may fall short in at least one area.Content is lacking in at last two elements of accuracy, relevance, and engagement.Content is not an appropriate response to the assignment, is not accurate, or otherwise falls so short of expectations that no points can be given.

Appropriateness to Audience (10 points)

Speaker uses language and tone that are appropriate to a diverse professional setting.

Speaker continuously uses language and tone that are appropriate to a diverse professional background.Speaker generally uses language and tone that are appropriate to a diverse professional setting with one or two exceptions.Speaker generally uses language and tone that are appropriate to a diverse professional setting with a few exceptions.Speaker’s language and tone are often inappropriate for a diverse professional setting.Language and tone are so unprofessional that no points can be given.

Verbal Skills (10 points)

Speaker is attentive to volume, pacing, pitch and intonation

Speaker is attentive to volume, pacing, pitch and intonation throughout the speech.Speaker is generally attentive to volume, pacing, pitch and intonation with one or two exceptions.Speaker is generally attentive to volume, pacing, pitch and intonation with a few exceptions.Speaker is inattentive to volume, pacing, pitch and intonation; parts of the speech may be effective but other parts are in a monotone or a tone inappropriate to the message.Speech is so inarticulate and poorly delivered that no points can be given.

Nonverbal Skills (10 points)

Speaker uses gestures, facial expressions, and other body language to clarify, support, and dramatize parts of the speech. Speaker minimizes distracting and unintentional gestures, facial expressions, or movements.

Speaker uses gestures, facial expressions, and other body language to clarify, support, and dramatize parts of the speech. Speaker minimizes distracting and unintentional gestures, facial expressions, or movements.Speaker generally uses intentional body language and avoids distracting body language with one or two exceptions.Speaker adequately uses intentional body language and avoids distracting body language with a few exceptions.Speaker insufficiently uses body language and/or has distracting body language that undermines their speech.Use of body language is so absent or inappropriate no points can be given.

Time Management (10 points)

Speaker makes effective use of the full five minutes without either finishing early or going over by more than a few seconds.

Speaker makes effective use of the full five minutes without either finishing early or going over by more than a few seconds.Speaker runs a little short or a little long by no more than 30 seconds.Speaker runs a little short or a little long by no more than a minute. .Speaker runs well short or long by over a minute.Speech is so brief or so long it is not an appropriate response to the assignment.