Comm B10, Leadership Communication
TR 11:10 a.m., Spring 09
Professor: Michele Bresso
Email:
mbresso@bakersfieldcollege.edu
Website: www2.bakersfieldcollege.edu/mbresso
Office Hours:
Mondays
Wednesdays
Other times
Finals Week May 11-15
Office Location: FA 52
Office Phone: 661-395-4611
1 – 4 p.m.
1 – 3 p.m.
By appointment
By appointment
Course Objectives: Comm 49b explores human communication in a variety of leadership roles and
applies principles of communication to leadership in family, community and organizational settings.
Students will develop a mission statement as a tool for exploring personal leadership communication.
Students will identify and analyze various characteristics of leadership through the use of self-diagnostics.
Students will research and analyze current leadership topics.
Students will also explore how leaders communicate by learning from a pool of guest speakers
representing community leaders from a variety of levels and organizations. Students will draw on others’
experiences as they assess their own leadership communication. Students will explain the benefits of
effective leadership communication.
Textbook: Daft, R. L. (2007) The Leadership Experience (4th ed. Custom Edition for Bakersfield
College). Mason, OH: South-Western.
Materials: Index cards in one of the following sizes: 3” x 5”, 4” x 6”, or 5.5” x 8.5”.
Point System: A = 90-100%, B = 80-89%, C = 70-79%, D= 60-69%, F = 59% or lower.
Attendance: Comm B8 requires your presence each week. Students who fail to attend the first class
meeting will be dropped. Students absent for four class meetings will be dropped in accordance with
Bakersfield College policy. Roll will be taken once during class. Two tardies count as one absence.
Leaving class early constitutes a tardy. You do not need to tell me if you will miss class. There are no
excused absences. Schedule appointments outside of class time. Students are responsible for securing
any assignments or material distributed they may have missed. There are no make-up quizzes or
assignments.
Students bear all responsibility for dropping this class. Students’ failure to execute a web drop to remove
themselves from the roster may result in an “F” grade for the course.
Perfect attendance reward: At the end of the semester students will receive a 2% point bonus added
on to their overall point total if they do ALL of the following: 1) Attend every class meeting; 2) Are tardy
(arrive late/leave early) no more than one time during the semester; 3) Turn in all homework
assignments on time in class (no electronic submission allowed). EXAMPLE: A student who receives this
2% award and ends the semester with an 88% in the class will receive 90% or an A.
Projects and assignments: All assignments are posted on my website. Work must be submitted to the
instructor during the class period on the date specified. The posted deadline is firm. Late assignments are
worth zero points. All work must be typed. Keep copies of all assignments. Assignments this term include:
330 points
Presentations:
My Vision For Leadership
30 points
Based on Vision Statement Assignment
Leader Interview Presentation
150 points
Based on Leader Interview Assignment
Reflection on Leadership Presentation
150 points
Based on Leader Paper & e-journals
In-class, point-getting activities
100 points
Assignments
370 points
Weekly e-journal (13 x 15 = 195 points)*
Vision Statement (25 points)
Leader Interview Summary (50 points)
Leader Reflection Paper (100 points)
*e-journal assignments are due via email no later than midnight on Tuesday of each week
Quizzes (8 x 10 points)
Final Exam
TOTAL
80 points
100 points
980 points
Grade Check: Please email the instructor at ANY time during the term, and as often as you’d like to
learn your current course grade.
Email use: Email is the primary form of communication with the instructor. You can obtain an email
address at no charge to you by going to any student-access computer on the BC campus. Log in as
“student” with no password, then go to https://intranet.kccd.edu/aacms.
Your own work: Academic honesty is an unassailable requirement of this course. You will receive zero
points for any assignment that is found to be work other than your own.
Cell phone warning: Cell phones must be shut off or placed in silent mode during class AND put away
out of sight. If you leave class to take a phone call, you’re done for the day and the requisite penalty
(absence or tardy) will be applied to you. If you are caught texting or using your phone during class, you
will be dropped from the course. No, I’m not kidding. Put cell phones away until class has ended.
Students with disabilities: Bakersfield College will make reasonable accommodations and/or academic
adjustments to ensure that students with disabilities have an equal opportunity to participate in the
college’s courses, programs and activities, including extracurricular activities. Students with disabilities
who believe they may need accommodations in this class are encouraged to contact Disabled Student
Programs & Services (661-395-4334), FACE 16, as soon as possible to better ensure such
accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion. Students who are eligible for test and other
accommodations in this class must deliver a copy of their accommodations sheet to the professor and
make advanced arrangements for accommodations for all tests in the course.
COMM 10 LEADERSHIP & COMMUNICATION with Michele Bresso
Changes to this calendar will be announced in class
Week 1
Due
Tuesday
Jan 20
Thursday
Jan 23
Bring
Textbook
Discuss
Activity
Syllabus; Syllabus Email Quiz
explained
Global view of leadership
Journaling Assignment explained
Leadership Potential
diagnostic, p. 16
Week 2
Due
Bring
Discuss
Activity
Tuesday
Jan 27
Textbook;
ScanTron 882E
& No. 2 pencil
Textbook
Chapter 1: What does it mean to be a
leader?
Quiz: Ch 1
Inspiring Leader Activity
Thursday
Jan 29
Read Ch 1;
Via email: ejournal
Syllabus Email
Quiz
Defining leadership
Are You on the Fast Track to
Nowhere self-diagnostic, p. 26
Week 3
Due
Bring
Discuss
Activity
Tuesday
Feb 3
Read Ch 8;
Via email: ejournal
Textbook;
ScanTron 882E
& No. 2 pencil
Textbook
Chapter 8: Creating Vision and
Strategic Direction
Guest: Sallie S.
Your personal vision to lead
MBTI Assignment Explained
My Vision for Leadership Presentation
explained
Quiz: Ch 8
Visionary Leadership selfdiagnostic, p. 318
Personal vision activity and
charge to envision leadership
at BC
Week 4
Due
Bring
Discuss
Activity
Tuesday
Feb 10
Via email: ejournal
BC leadership opportunity
exploration
Thursday
Feb 12
Via email: MBTI
Take MBTI survey
Week 5
Due
Bring
Discuss
Activity
Tuesday
Feb 17
Read Ch 6;
Via email: ejournal
Textbook;
ScanTron 882E
& No. 2 pencil
Chapter 6: Leadership and
Communication; Comm Model
Mindful Communication Assignment
explained
Leadership communication skills:
using presentation aids, outlines &
PowerPoint
Quiz: Ch 6
Personal Assessment of
Communication apprehension
self-diagnostic, p. 239
Week 6
Due
Bring
Discuss
Activity
Tuesday
Feb 24
Thursday
Feb 26
Via email: ejournal
Week 7
Tuesday
Mar 3
Thursday
Feb 5
Thursday
Feb 19
Textbook
Communicating Like a Leader
Leader Interview Assignment
Explained
Due
Bring
Via email: ejournal
Oral Comm
Packet
Discuss
My Vision for Leadership
Presentations
Mindful communication results
shared
Listening Self-Inventory selfdiagnostic, p. 232
Activity
Presentations given in groups
of 5-6
Thursday
Mar 5
Leader nonverbal communication
View “Secrets of Body
Language”
Week 8
Due
Bring
Discuss
Activity
Tuesday
Mar 10
Via email: ejournal
ScanTron 882E
& No. 2 pencil
Ch 2: The Leader as an Individual
Quiz: Ch 2
What’s Your Thinking Style
self-diagnostic, p. 62
Thursday
Mar 12
Guest: Hollie A.
Week 9
Due
Bring
Discuss
Activity
Tuesday
Mar 17
Read Ch 5
ScanTron 882E
& No. 2 pencil;
Textbook
Textbook
Ch 3: Leadership Mind and Heart
Quiz: Ch 3
Communicating leadership from within
Emotional Intelligence selfdiagnostic, p. 116
Thursday
Mar 19
Week 10
Due
Bring
Discuss
Activity
Tuesday
Mar 24
Via email: ejournal
ScanTron 882E
& No. 2 pencil;
Textbook
Textbook
Ch 4: Courage and Moral Leadership
Quiz: Ch 4
Glory Activity
Exploring moral and courageous
leaders
Assess Your Moral Courage
self-diagnostic, p. 156
Thursday
Mar 26
Week 11
Due
Bring
Discuss
Activity
Tuesday
Mar 31
Via email: ejournal
ScanTron 882E
& No. 2 pencil;
Textbook
Textbook
Ch 5: Motivation and Empowerment
Quiz: Ch 5
Sister Act Activity
Empowering others
Your Approach to Motivating
Others self-diagnostic, p. 191
Thursday
Apr 2
SPRING BREAK, April 6-10
Week 12
Due
Bring
Tuesday
Apr 14
Via email: ejournal
Formal outlines
(all) & speaking
outlines
Speaking
outlines
Thursday
Apr 16
Discuss
Leader Interview Presentations
Activity
Leader Interview Presentations
Leader Interview
Presentations Given
Discuss
Leader Interview Presentations
Activity
Leader Interview
Presentations Given
Week 13
Due
Bring
Tuesday
Apr 21
Thursday
Apr 23
Via email: ejournal
Speaking
outlines
Week 14
Due
Bring
Discuss
Activity
Tuesday
Apr 28
Via email: ejournal
Ch 7: Leading Teams
Thursday
Apr 30
Personal
Reflection
Paper
ScanTron 882E
& No. 2 pencil;
Textbook
ScanTron 882E
& No. 2 pencil
Quiz: Ch 7; Assess Your Team
Leadership Skills selfdiagnostic, p. 285
Take final exam
Leader Interview
Presentations Given
Final exam review
Final Exam: Test is comprised of
questions from quizzes throughout
the semester
Week 15
Due
Bring
Discuss
Activity
Tuesday
May 5
Thursday
May 7
Via email: ejournal
Textbook
Leadership Communication Revisited
Planning to lead
Personal Leadership
Development Plan
Leadership Matrix
Week 16
Due
Bring
Discuss
Activity
Speaking
outlines
Reflection on Leadership
Presentations
Presentations in the Round
Thursday,
May 14
10 a.m.