Course Title: Communicate with influence

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term2 2022

Course Code: COMM5474C

Course Title: Communicate with influence

Important Information:


Please note that this course may have compulsory in-person attendance requirements for some teaching activities. 

To participate in any RMIT course in-person activities or assessment, you will need to comply with RMIT vaccination requirements which are applicable during the duration of the course. This RMIT requirement includes being vaccinated against COVID-19 or holding a valid medical exemption. 

Please read this RMIT Enrolment Procedure as it has important information regarding COVID vaccination and your study at RMIT: https://policies.rmit.edu.au/document/view.php?id=209

Please read the Student website for additional requirements of in-person attendance: https://www.rmit.edu.au/covid/coming-to-campus 

 

Please check your Canvas course shell closer to when the course starts to see if this course requires mandatory in-person attendance. The delivery method of the course might have to change quickly in response to changes in the local state/national directive regarding in-person course attendance. 

See Canvas

School: 525T Business & Enterprise

Campus: City Campus

Program: C5406 - Diploma of Business

Course Contact: Steven Hansen

Course Contact Phone: +613 9925 5705

Course Contact Email: steven.hansen@rmit.edu.au


Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Nominal Hours: 60

Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.

Pre-requisites and Co-requisites

None

Course Description

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to present and negotiate persuasively, lead and participate in meetings and make presentations to customers, clients and other key stakeholders.

The unit applies to individuals who are managers and leaders required to identify, analyse, synthesise and act on information from a range of sources, and who deal with unpredictable problems as part of their job role. They use initiative and judgement to organise the work of self and others and plan, evaluate and co-ordinate the work of teams.

No licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to present and negotiate persuasively, lead and participate in meetings and make presentations to customers, clients and other key stakeholders.

 

This course addresses the following units of competency:

* BSBLDR523 - Lead and manage effective workplace relationships

* BSBTWK502 - Manage team effectiveness

* BSBCMM511 - Communicate with influence

These units are clustered for delivery and assessment.


National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

BSBCMM511 Communicate with influence

Element:

1. Identify communication requirements

Performance Criteria:

1.1 Confirm authority to present material on behalf of an organisation or work area, according to organisational policies and procedures

1.2 Identify information that may be subject to confidentiality and manage appropriately

1.3 Identify information needs of audience and prepare a position in line with purpose of communication

Element:

2. Negotiate to achieve agreed outcome

Performance Criteria:

2.1 Identify objectives of negotiation, and needs and requirements of stakeholders

2.2 Identify and document potential issues and problems

2.3 Prepare positions and supporting arguments according to objectives

2.4 Communicate with stakeholders, and establish areas of common ground and potential compromise

2.5 Confirm and document outcomes of negotiation

Element:

3. Participate in and lead meetings

Performance Criteria:

3.1 Identify the need for meeting and schedule according to stakeholder availability

3.2 Prepare meeting materials and distribute to stakeholders

3.3 Conduct meeting and contribute to discussions

3.4 Seek consensus on meeting objectives

3.5 Summarise outcomes of meetings and distribute to stakeholders

Element:

4. Make presentations

Performance Criteria:

4.1 Identify forums to present according to organisational objectives

4.2 Determine tone, structure, style of communication and presentation according to target audience

4.3 Prepare presentation according to desired outcomes

4.4 Provide an opportunity for audience to ask questions

4.5 Follow up with stakeholders following presentation

4.6 Evaluate presentation and identify areas for improvement


Learning Outcomes


This course is structured to provide students with the optimum learning experience in order to demonstrate the skills and knowledge required to present and negotiate persuasively, lead and participate in meetings and make presentations to customers, clients and other key stakeholders.


Details of Learning Activities

A range of learning activities are provided in this course. These include collaborative classroom based activities and online self-paced activities.  

Classroom: The collaborative classroom based activities will include group discussion, group problem solving activities and opportunities to practice your skills in a simulated workplace environment.  We expect you to participate and contribute in all scheduled learning activities. 

Pre-Class: This is online, by logging on to your Canvas course, and includes required pre-class reading and activities. Other self-paced activities will be delivered through various technology platforms. These may include your contribution to discussion threads, reflective journals, quizzes and interactive sessions.

Sessions: There is one face-to-face classroom session for this unit each week which includes tutorials and workshops.  There are additional activities to support learning and research.


Teaching Schedule

Week / Topic 

Topic details  

Assessment 

WEEK 1 

 Working in Teams  

This week we will explore the fundamentals of working in teams. We explore how teamwork can lead to better decisions, products, or services. We also introduce type of teams and characteristics of an effective team to work towards objectives.  

  •  

WEEK 2

Team Stages and Roles

Exploring the stages of team formation, development, and effectiveness, this week we will also discuss several important factors which impact group dynamics, such as group member power, roles, and coalitions. 

 

WEEK 3 

Team Participation, Collaboration  

 

This week we will discuss how to cultivate optimum team participation through individual behaviour and how collaborating in the workplace enables businesses to finish important projects and meet crucial deadlines efficiently. We discuss the importance of developing strategies to help teams participate in planning and decisions. 

  •  

WEEK 4

 Facilitate Team Communication

This week we will explain how team collaboration is closely connected to team communication. In other words, poor collaboration can create barriers to effective communication and vice-versa. We will also discuss the efforts to establish good open communication in teams following procedures, and how it is imperative for the team leader to create a receptive ‘teamwork’ setting. 

Assessment 1 Due

WEEK 5 

Negotiate to achieve agreed outcomes   

 

 

This week we identify objectives of negotiation including potential issues and problems. We discuss how communication is important in establishing common ground, supporting arguments and confirming outcomes of negotiations. 

 

 

 

WEEK 6

Group Decision Making

 

 

We will explain how group decision-making is a type of participatory process in which multiple individuals act collectively, analyse problems or situations, consider and evaluate alternative courses of action, and select from among the alternatives a solution. 

 

 

 

WEEK 7 

Managing Conflicts in Teams 

 

 This week we will explain how people can have different viewpoints and, under the right set of circumstances, those differences escalate to conflict. We also discuss how you handle that conflict through communication to determine whether it works to the team's advantage, or contributes to its demise.

  •  

WEEK 8

Team Performance Plans

 

 

This week we will discuss how performance planning is used to provide a structured approach to the attainment of the desired level of performance for both individuals and teams 

 

 

 

 

WEEK 9 

Team Engagement and Key Performance Indicators  

 

 This week we will explain how to use a measurement that demonstrates how effectively a company is achieving its key business objectives. We also discuss how organisations use KPI metrics to evaluate their success in reaching targets.

  •  

WEEK10

Constructive Feedback

This week we will discuss how giving and receiving feedback can be a delicate process, and explain how there's no doubting its value in helping to identify issues and solve them. We will also explain how team leaders need to manage feedback in a positive way so that it can do what it's intended to do: Help improve and grow  the team and the organisation

 

WEEK 11

Leadership Skills & Leadership Styles

This week we will discuss how Leadership skills can be learned, and how leadership development benefits individuals and organisations. We will also discuss the varying perspectives and models that surround the leadership development field, as well as the importance of leadership development 

Assessment 2 Due

WEEK 12

Organisational Stakeholders

This week we will focus on the who the stakeholders are and how they support the organisation and accept all the business practices regarding the action that business takes, which can include corporate governance, strategic management, corporate social responsibility. We also analyse the most common types of stakeholders and look at the unique need that each of them typically has. The goal is to put you in the shoes of each type of stakeholder and see things from their point of view. 

 

WEEK 13 

Organisational Policies & Procedures

This week we will explain how policies and procedures are designed to influence and determine all major decisions and actions, and all activities take place within the boundaries set by them.  We will also explain how procedures are the specific methods employed to express policies in action in day-to-day operations of the organisation. 

 

WEEK 14

Participate in and lead meetings and presentations 

 

We will also discuss meetings and presentations, including setting objectives, scheduling meetings, preparing materials and conducting meetings and presentations. 

We also discuss communication of presentations, including tone, style, and providing the opportunity for the audience to ask questions. 

 

 

WEEK 15 

 

This week we complete Assessment Task 3 role-plays in class 

Assessment 3 Due 

 

 

WEEK 16

This week is reserved for resubmissions and extensions

 


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts


References


Other Resources


Overview of Assessment

In order to achieve competency in this unit, you must provide:

Performance Evidence

The candidate must demonstrate the ability to complete the tasks outlined in the elements, performance criteria and foundation skills of this unit, including evidence of the ability to:

  • participate in and lead at least two meetings
  • prepare and make a presentation to two different groups.

In the course of the above, the candidate must:

  • communicate with key stakeholders to position the business to best effect including:
  • listening actively
  • understanding information needs of others
  • adapting communication to suit the audience
  • identifying suitable platform for presentations
  • presenting reliable information
  • designing the presentation to meet the needs of the audience
  • answering questions clearly and concisely.

 

 

Knowledge Evidence

The candidate must be able to demonstrate knowledge to complete the tasks outlined in the elements, performance criteria and foundation skills of this unit, including knowledge of:

  • industry, media and government organisations, events and communication channels that are relevant to the organisation
  • cross-cultural communication
  • techniques for negotiation, mediation, conflict resolution and incident de-escalation
  • structured and inclusive meeting procedures
  • organisational policies and procedures relevant to:

    • presenting and negotiating
    • leading and participating in meetings
    • making presentations
  • communication tone, structure, style and impact on others
  • relevant organisational policies and procedures on confidentiality of information.

Assessment Conditions

Skills in this unit must be demonstrated in a workplace or simulated environment where the conditions are typical of those in a working environment in this industry.

This includes access to:

  • workplace documentation and resources relevant to performance evidence
  • organisation information, including organisational structure, goals, objectives and plans.

 Feedback

Feedback will be provided throughout the semester in class and/or online discussions.  You are encouraged to ask and answer questions during class time and online sessions so that you can obtain feedback on your understanding of the concepts and issues being discussed.  Finally, you can email or arrange an appointment with your teacher to gain more feedback on your progress.

You should take note of all feedback received and use this information to improve your learning outcomes and final performance in the course.


Assessment Tasks

Assessment Task 1 - Knowledge Questions

Due Week 4

Summary and Purpose of Assessment

 This is assessment task one (1) of three (3) assessments tasks for this cluster of three units (BSBTWK502, BSBLDR523 and
BSBCMM511). All 3 Assessment Tasks must be satisfactorily completed to be deemed competent in this cluster.
This is a short answer assessment developed to assess the knowledge in developing and facilitating team cohesion, group
dynamics, gaining consensus, resolution strategies, managing effective workplace relationships and communicating with
influence.

Assessment Task 2 - Case Study 

Due Week 11

Summary and purpose of assessment

This is assessment task two (2) of three (3) assessments tasks for this cluster of three units (BSBTWK502, BSBLDR523 and BSBCMM511). All three assessment tasks must be satisfactorily completed to be deemed competent in this cluster of three units.

The purpose of this assessment is to assess your skills and knowledge in applying a range of team leadership and participation skills.  You will be required to establish team performance plans, develop and facilitate team cohesion and facilitate teamwork.

 

Assessment task 3 - Role Play

Due Week 15

Summary and purpose of assessment

This is assessment task three (3) of three (3) assessments tasks for this cluster of three units (BSBTWK502, BSBLDR523 and BSBCMM511). All three assessment tasks must be satisfactorily completed to be deemed competent in this cluster of three units.

The purpose of this assessment is for you to be able to demonstrate your skills when working in teams. You will be given the opportunity to demonstrate how you work in the team and use effective team management, presentation and participation skills.


Assessment Matrix

The assessment matrix that maps all the assessments is available on Canvas.

Other Information

ubmission Requirements

You should:

     • Ensure that you submit assessments on or before the due date via Canvas. 
     • Always retain a copy of your assessment tasks. (hard copy and soft copy)
     • When you submit work for assessment at RMIT University you need to use the Assessment task document that includes
        a declaration and statement of authorship.
     • Each page of your assessment should include a footer with your name, student number, the title of the assessment,
        unit code and title and page numbers.

Late Submission Procedures

You are required to submit assessment items and/or ensure performance based assessment is completed by the due dates.

Extension of Time.  If you are prevented from submitting an assessment item on time by circumstances outside your control, you may apply in advance to your teacher for an extension to the due date of up to seven calendar days.

More information: https://www.rmit.edu.au/students/student-essentials/assessment-and-exams/assessment/extensions-of-time-for-submission-of-assessable-work
Form to use is found in the section "How to apply."

Special Consideration. Where more than seven days is needed, you must apply for Special Consideration.  Applications for special consideration must be submitted no later than two working days after the assessment task deadline or scheduled examination.

More information: https://www.rmit.edu.au/students/student-essentials/assessment-and-exams/assessment/special-consideration

Resubmission (VE Programs)

If you are found to be Not Yet Competent in a course assessment task (or you do not submit the assessment tasks/attend the assessment) you will be allowed one resubmission.  Your teacher will provide feedback regarding what you need to do to improve and will set a new deadline for the resubmission in Canvas. 

If you are still not meeting the assessment requirements you must apply to your Program Manager in writing outlining the steps you will take to demonstrate competence in your course. Your submission will be considered by the Program Team and you will be advised of the outcome as soon as possible.

Adjustments to Assessment

In certain circumstances students may be eligible for an assessment adjustment. 

More information: https://www.rmit.edu.au/students/student-essentials/assessment-and-exams/assessment/adjustments-to-assessment

Marking Guide (Competency):

You must demonstrate that you have all the required skills/knowledge/elements in the unit of competency you are studying.  You will receive feedback on each assessment task that will inform you about your progress and how well you are performing. 

  • CA Competency Achieved
  • NYC Not Yet Competent
  • DNS Did Not Submit for assessment

Course Overview: Access Course Overview