The introduction of Business Communication for Success, the textbook used throughout this course, notes that “[E]ffective communication takes preparation, practice, and persistence. There are many ways to learn communication skills; the school of experience, or ‘hard knocks,’ is one of them. But in the business environment, a ‘knock’ (or lesson learned) may come at the expense of your credibility through a blown presentation to a client.” Effective communication skills are a prerequisite for succeeding in business.

Enroll in course

MOOC List is learner-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

The introduction of Business Communication for Success, the textbook used throughout this course, notes that “[E]ffective communication takes preparation, practice, and persistence. There are many ways to learn communication skills; the school of experience, or ‘hard knocks,’ is one of them. But in the business environment, a ‘knock’ (or lesson learned) may come at the expense of your credibility through a blown presentation to a client.” Effective communication skills are a prerequisite for succeeding in business. Communication tools and activities connect people within and beyond the organization in order to establish the business’s place in the corporate community and the social community, and as a result, that communication needs to be consistent, effective, and customized for the business to prosper. Business Communication for Success provides theories and practical information that represent the heart of this course, while additional resources are included to expand or pose alternatives to the approaches chosen in the textbook. You will receive maximum benefits from this course if you complete the readings first and then use the additional resources to fill in the blanks and/or reconsider the topics in the textbook.

Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:

- Explain why effective communication is important in a corporate environment.

- Apply theories and observations of verbal communication to real-world communication challenges.

- Use information about perceptions to analyze themselves and also the audiences to which businesses distribute messages.

- Critique common formats of written business communication by recognizing standard and nonstandard elements in examples of each format.

- Create business presentations that use verbal and nonverbal communication techniques effectively.

- Recognize the importance of intrapersonal and interpersonal communication in business environments.

- Recognize the impact of cultural differences on effective communication and understand the steps to becoming acculturated for international assignments.

- Prepare a crisis communication plan and know how to give and receive negative news.

- Use an understanding of groups, teams, and leadership to explain how to solve problems and run productive meetings.