Through many contexts in history and through the midst of conflicting forces that arise within organizational systems, leaders are faced with adaptive challenges. The course distinguishes between authority and knowledge, provides a diagnostic framework for assessing the typical mechanisms in which social systems avoid work on critical issues, and explores strategies and tacticts of intervention to mobilize adaptive work.
Prerequisite(s): COMM 1100 Introduction to Organizational Communication, LEAD 3100 Introduction to Leadership, LEAD 3200 Interpersonal Communication for Leadership, and LEAD 4100 Group and Team Dynamics.
COMM 1100 Introduction to Organizational Communication (3 hours)
This course will explore theories, processes, and variables that explain and predict communication behavior in complex organizations. A major emphasis of the class will be on application of these concepts to actual organizational contexts.
Offered in the Adult Undergraduate program only.
LEAD 3100 Introduction to Leadership (3 hours)
This course provides an overview of leadership perspectives, frameworks and theories and also focuses on how communication is the essential tool for engaging in relational leadership processes. In the last 30 years information about leadership has exploded, and this class is designed to help you to be better consumers of information about leadership as well as to have a clearer and more useful repertoire of ideas, and practices to intentionally engage in the leadership process, no matter the role in which that engagement occurs. You will also spend time analyzing your own experiences, beliefs, and assumptions about leading, following and communicating effectively.
LEAD 3200 Interpersonal Communication for Leadership (3 hours)
Interpersonal Communication for Leadership is a core course for Organizational Leadership and Communication majors at Nebraska Wesleyan University. The course is significant for students of all majors as every person participates in interpersonal relationships in a variety of contexts: leadership, family, friends and colleagues. In this course we will explore the dynamics of human interaction, relational sense-making, and the influence of context and individual variables on relationships. Primary emphasis will be placed on the application of interpersonal communication concepts and theory to leadership contexts.
LEAD 4100 Group and Team Dynamics (3 hours)
Group and Team Dynamics is an intermediate-level course in the organizational leadership and communication curriculum that focuses on group and teams. In this class we will examine theories, variables, models, and processes of communication occurring in the context of formal and informal groups and teams. The course is designed to develop competent participation in and facilitation of group processes. Specifically, after taking this course you should be able to:
•Describe the factors that affect the performance of groups and teams
•Analyze theories and apply them to group activities in organizational settings
•Understand leadership process within groups and teams
•Describe how communication functions affect group members and the outcomes of group processes
•Demonstrate effective communication skills as a group member
•Demonstrate facilitation skills for group tasks and activities
