Dominican University

Graduate School of Library and Information Science

River Forest, Illinois

www.dom.edu

Communication for Leadership

LIS 716.01

Tuesday 6-9PM

Spring 2008

Room 109 Parmer Hall

Instructor: Alexis H. Sarkisian

Office Hours Tuesday – 3:30-5:45 PM

Wednesday -1-5 PM

Contact: asarkisian@dom.edu

708.524.6949

Course Description

(from GSLIS Bulletin)

Theory, research and practice of interpersonal and group communication for collaborative leadership roles: facilitator, coach, catalyst and leader. Includes using a variety of media for information transfer among groups; communicating a leadership stance, creating and enrolling others in your vision (advocacy), developing organization support for your vision (systems literacy) and building skills in interpersonal communication, group dynamics, negotiations, conflict resolution and asserting influence.

DOMINICAN Mission Statement

As a Sinsinawa Dominican-sponsored institution, Dominican University prepares students to pursue truth, to give compassionate service and to participate in the creation of a more just and humane world. Dominican University is a distinctively relationship-centered educational community, rooted in the liberal arts and sciences and comprehensive in scope, known for its rigorous and engaging academic programs, for the care and respect with which it mentors students, for its enduring commitment to social justice and for the enriching diversity of its students, faculty and staff. Integral to Dominican’s success and distinction is the ongoing exploration, clear expression and shared experience of its Catholic Dominican identity.

Dominican University aspires to be a premier Catholic, comprehensive, teaching university with an enrollment of 4,000 students.

GSLIS Mission

The mission of the Graduate School of Library and Information Science is to educate excellent library and information science professionals. This education is carried out within the larger context of Dominican University’s institutional commitment to values-centered intellectual development, both personal and professional for students and faculty alike.

Communication for Leadership

Assumption

Everyone can become a leader in her/his workplace.

Goal

To provide each student with the communication tools to become a leader

Course Objectives

Students will:

· Observe examples of effective and ineffective communication and leadership in themselves and their everyday environment

· Articulate observations (through conversations and papers) and relate them to his/her developing philosophy of communication and collaborative leadership

· Demonstrate the ability to assume a variety of leadership roles in class activities

· Seek out examples of useful writing and information about communication, collaboration, and leadership

· Demonstrate communication skills for meeting management, negotiation and conflict resolution in small group interactions

· Use communication skills to develop a vision, create support for it, and build a team to accomplish the vision

· Explore an organizational system and identify strategies for improving the environment for cooperation and collaboration

Course Text

Alessandra, Tony, Ph.D., and Hunsaker, Phil, Ph.D, Communicating At Work, Fireside, 1993 (ISBN: 0-671-78855-8)

Communication For Leadership

Requirements

Participation, Discussion, and Attendance (30%)

You are expected to participate fully in the class sessions by reading the assigned material, participating in class discussions, and facilitating group activities as requested in class. You will be required to bring additional literature to the attention of the class.

2. Group Presentation (20%)

For this assignment, the class will be divided into 5 groups of 3 or more. You will be asked to assess the total GSLIS experience from start to finish. Each group will function as a SWOT team where you will be asked to present your recommendations as to how you would improve and add to the GSLIS experience using

an organized style of implementation. You will provide you assessment of the current experience and make your recommendations using a mission statement, goals, activities expected outcomes and a plan for evaluation. Your group will also prepare a reflection paper describinghow you worked together as a group.

3. Leadership Vision Project (30%)

Develop a proposal for a collaborative project that you begin to implement this semester. Your proposal should be written for the specific audience who will decide whether the project should be implemented. It should demonstrate an understanding of communication styles and the use of collaboration to reach your desired outcome. It should also reflect accomplishments and outcomes as of the last day of class.

4. Class Assignments (20%)

You will prepare one communication journal each week. Journals must include: 1) a description of a situation in which

you were involved; 2) after your description, you will need to analyze the experience based upon learning and in class; and 3) finally, you will need to reflect upon your experience in terms of what you might do differently in the future.

Note: Communication for Leadership is taught using the Socratic Method of questioning, and exploration. Each student as a member of this class is expected to participate, contribute, and collaborate to make our class time a significant learning experience. From time to time modifications in the weekly assignments might take place.

Note regarding late assignments: Assignments are due at the beginning of the class session on the date indicated. The grade on an assignment will be lowered one full grade per week when the assignment is received after the date due.

Academic Honesty and Integrity: “All students of the GSLIS are expected to observe high standards of academic honesty and integrity. Any student whose conduct violates such standards may be subject to disciplinary action as determined by due process.” (GSLIS Bulletin, p. 23)

Class #1 – January 15, 2008

Introduction

Review Class Requirements

Discussion of the Communication Model

Prepare 1 journal. Your journal should include a description of your communication experience and relate your experience to the communication model. The journal will be due next week.

Bibliography regarding the Communication Model

http://www.businessballs.com/mehrabiancommunications.htm

Professor Albert Mehrabian

http://www.class.uidaho.edu/comm101/chapters/selecting_topic/selecting_topic4.htm

Occasion Analysis

http://extension.missouri.edu/explore/comm/cm0109.htm

Developing Effective Communications

http://www.chass.ncsu.edu/ccstm/scmh/model.html

Thinking Strategically

http://www.changethatsrightnow.com/toastmasters.asp

Conquering America’s Greatest Fear

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communication_theory

Communication Theory

Class #2 – January 22, 2008

Communication Model

A. Bring in an article to share with the class regarding the

the communication model. Be prepared to present it to

the class. The article should be different than the ones listed in the above bibliography.

B. Turn in your first journals for review.

Attend Lecture, Social Entrepreneurship: One Man’s Journey

Bluhm Lecture Hall, Parmer Hall

Write short paper evaluating the lecture based upon content and delivery

Class #3- January 29, 2008

Interpersonal Communication

Read Part 1 – Communicating at Work

Discussion of the 4 Communication Styles

Relater

Socializer

Thinker

Director

Review last week’s lecture

Turn in Journals

Class #4 – February 5,2008

Verbal Communication

Read Part 2 – Communicating at Work

A. Discussion from the reading about

Listening – What is the difference between listening and hearing?

Asking Questions

Conflict Resolution

B. Write a 2 page paper about yourself and your particular

style or combination of styles to be turned in at the beginning of class

Present an article of interest to you about communication styles or a particular communication style include a copy of the article as part of your assignment which will be handed in at the time of presentation.

Class #5 – February 12, 2008

Non-Verbal Communication

Read Part 3 Communicating at Work

A. Videotape of Kennedy-Nixon Debate

B. In class speech assignment. Discussion on what constitutes a well structured speech. You will prepare and present a speech on a person whom you admire.

C. Discussion of non-verbal communication. What is it?

D. Review individual and group project

Class #6 – February 19, 2008

Leadership

Discussion on Leadership. What is leadership? How is it

defined?

A. Research the concept of Leadership. Put together your

own bibliography on the topic. Include in your bibliography

selections that are library specific and those that are non-library specific. Come prepared to present your bibliography and why you built it the way that you did.

B. Write a two page paper regarding your thoughts on leadership. Include in the paper answers to the following questions? What makes a strong leader? Are you a leader?

why or why not.

C. Why is communication so important as we think of leadership?

D. How do strong leaders advocate? What is your vision?

E. Discussion of individual Leadership Vision Project

Discussion of your class Group Project Assignment. You can meet in your groups.

Class #7 – February 26, 2008

Group Communication

Part V – Communicating At Work

The Learning Organization – Peter Sengue

Assigned Reading – www.infed.org/thinkers/senge.htm

http://www.skyrme.com/insights/3lrnorg.htm

What is a Learning Organization? How is it different from the more traditional management style? What are the strengths of group work? How would one develop a systems approach within a Learning Organization. How do you communicate vision within that system.

Videotape of the North Suburban Library System Learning Organization.

Prepare a two-three page paper focusing on how you would convert your organization into a Learning Organization. To be turned in next week. Be prepared to present your paper in class.

Begin working on your group project.

Spring Break – March 4, 2008

Class #8 – March 11, 2008

Turn in your Learning Organization paper.

Prepare your proposal for your vision leadership project.

Interview a Library Director on his or her philosophy on leadership and write a 2-3 page paper on the interview. Be prepared to present it in class. The paper is due next week.

Work on your group projects.

Class #9 – March 18, 2008

Crucial Conversations – What are they and why are they important?

Videotape explaining and exemplifying crucial conversations

Managing Change

Reading – Library Administration and Management

20, no. 2, Spring 2006

Sarah Robbins, ChangeMasters All – A series on Librarians who Steered a Clear Course toward the Twenty-first Century

Why is change so disliked, and yet so important to having successful libraries? What were the skills and the driving force for Maureen in terms of her career? What did she see as some of the more important aspects of the North Suburban Library System converting to a Learning Organization?

Select an article on the topic of change management. Be prepared to present the article in class.

Turn in your paper regarding an interview with a library director.

Work on Group Projects.

Class #10 – March 25, 2008

The process of interviewing for a job requires excellent communication skills. We will discuss best practices in terms of writing, speaking and interviewing for jobs

Create a bibliography regarding best practices for job interview. Come to class prepared to present highlights of your research.

Class #11 – April 1, 2008

Presentation of Group Projects

Class #12 – April 8, 2008

Presentation of Group Projects

Class #13 – April 15, 2008

Synergy Program – Illinois

Video with Susan Lucia Annunzio

Author, Contagious Success

Discussion of the role of the leader in a high performing organization. What is the collaboration model? How does this information apply to the different types of libraries?

Class #14 – April 22, 2008

Presentation of Final Projects

Class #15 – April 29, 2008

Presentation of Final Projects