Seattle University
Executive Master of Not-for-Profit Leadership Program
SYLLABUS – ARTL 544
PERSUASIVE COMMUNICATION FOR ARTS LEADERS
Ultimately, a genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Not brute force but only persuasion and faith are the kings of this world. Thomas Carlyle
British Historian
I would rather try to persuade a person to go along, because once I have persuaded him
he will stick. If I scare him, he will stay just as long as he is scared and then he is gone.
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Fall 2010
Wednesdays, September 22, 29, October 6, 13, November 17; 6-8:30 PM
Saturdays, October 16, November 13, 20; 10-2:30 PM
PIGT 205
Instructor:
Voice:
Cell:
Fax:
Email:
Vivian Phillips
(206) 328-7181
(206) 227-7747
(206) 860-5965
vivphil@msn.com
phillipsv@seattleu.edu
Course text:
Harvard Business Review on The Persuasive Leader
Product #: 2499-PBK-ENG
Additional Materials:
Any additional materials required for this course will be provided by the
instructor.
Other media – we will explore the use of narrative film, theatre and poetry as
vehicles of indirect and overt persuasion.
Guest speakers – invited guests from local arts organizations who have used the
art of persuasive communications have been invited to share their experiences and
lessons learned with the class.
Persuasive Communications Fall Quarter 2010 V. Phillips
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Graded elements:
1. In-class discussion participation: 15%
2. Individual presentations: 30%
3. Group participation: 25%
4. Final Paper: 30%
Summary:
Arts leadership requires a command of oral and written communication skill.
From articulating a creative vision of an arts organization effectively to the board, staff
and patrons, to making a strong case for support; arts leaders are faced with
choreographing multiple degrees of effective and persuasive communication styles to
command and display leadership.
Arts leaders must articulate the significance of the art for which they are charged
to steward, and maintain a commitment to creating meaningful relationships with artists
and arts supporters.
This course will focus on techniques for developing strong relationships through
oral and written communication that is precise, persuasive, authentic, and develops a
foundation for greater personal and professional influence.
There will be three individually graded presentation assignments, one group
assignment and a final graded paper.
Competencies:
This course is designed to help you develop and strengthen your skills in each of
the program’s four core competencies:




Principles and practices of speaking effectively to persuade an audience;
Methods of assessing audience communication preferences;
Preparing for formal and informal speaking opportunities expected of arts
leaders;
Assessing your communication strengths and opportunities for improvement.
The course will also focus on exploration of the following to increase your
communication confidence:
Basic elements of preparing and delivering Persuasive speeches:
Learning the appropriate use of pace, tone, repetition and imagery to
create persuasive presentations,
Meaningful and skilled interactions: using communication as a means of sharing
experiences,
Effective influence: inspiration and motivation as a communications goal,
Turning crisis into opportunities: using persuasive communication to engender
support through crisis,
Credible communications: using the truth to tell your story.
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DATE
09/22
TOPIC
Orientation to course
Exploring our communication strengths, fears and weaknesses
Team Building Exercise – a scenario will be provided and the class will
be divided to reflect the following segments of an arts organization:
Board of Directors
Executive Staff
Patron/Subscriber representatives, Volunteers
This exercise will provide an opportunity to work in a group and explore
methods for building internal and external relationships and employing
those relationships to plan for and address an issue that has significant
public impact.
Choosing your organization
Assignment: Create a one-page overview/description for the organization
you have created. Include mission, vision, values, budget size, staff
outline, unique accomplishments; information that at-a-glance, describes
your organization. All of your future assignments will be relevant for this
organization. Assignment will be turned in and be the start of your
personal organization profile. DUE September 29th
09/29 Elements of Persuasive Speeches
Exploring great communicators and their use of
Pace, Tone, Repetition, and Imagery
Basics of Dynamic Communication
 Meaningful Conversation
 Skilled interaction
 Communication styles – finding your strengths

Assignment:
1) Read The Necessary Art of Persuasion Jay A. Conger; and Harnessing
the Science of Persuasion
2) Prepare a 1 minute presentation to be delivered to an audience of
newcomers exploring arts opportunities. Your presentation should be
geared
toward
persuading
these
newcomers
to
become
subscribers/members of your organization. This will also serve as the first
public introduction of your organization.
10/6
Public Organization Introductions and in-class Critiques
Discussion – Review of The Necessary Art of Persuasion and Harnessing
the Science of Persuasion articles
Review/Discussion
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


Organizing and Delivering Persuasive messages
Persuasion vs. Information – knowing when to sell and when to
inform
Understanding and communicating with your audience
Assignment:
1)
2)
10/13
Read Why People Follow the Leader – The Power of
Transference, Michael Maccoby;
Prepare to deliver a 2-minute presentation based on the
following scenario: Your organization is now 3 years old and
eligible for funding from larger granting institutions. You must
submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) to be invited to submit a full
grant proposal for a major multi-year funding opportunity. The
decision to invite organizations to submit full applications is
completely contingent on how well they persuade the review
panel in a 2-minute presentation. Presentations in-class on
October 13th
Guest Speaker – Lisa Fitzhugh founded Arts Corps and led the
organization for 8 years. Topic - Developing a new arts organization and
persuading people to support your idea.
Letter of Intent presentations and in-class Critiques
New media, technology and the arts – persuasion and online
communications
Assignment:
1)
2)
3)
10/16
Read – Change the Way You Persuade, Cary A. Williams and
Robert B. Miller
Prepare a 3 minute speech/press statement to present based
on the following scenario: After 5 years of leading the
organization you founded, the Board of Directors has decided
that a shift in leadership is in the best interest for the
organization’s future. A new leader (could be Executive
Director, Managing Director – you choose) has been selected
and a press conference called to introduce the new leader. You
must make the new introduction to the media.(Further details
regarding the leadership change decision will be provided in
class)
Write a brief press release that announces the change to be
distributed at the press conference – prepare to turn in both
your speech and your press release. Presentations and
assignment due on October 16th
Organizational leadership press speech presentations
(videotape and in-class critiques)
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What You Don’t Know About Making Decisions, David A. Garvin and
Michael Roberto – In-class review and discussion (advance reading is
optional – we will go through this together)
Assignment:
1) Read – August Wilson speech – The Ground On Which I Stand
(will be provided) In-class discussion 11/13
2) Group Assignment Overview– DUE 11/17
3) Final Assignment Overview– DUE 11/20
11/13
The Ground on Which I Stand – class discussion
Exploring Persuasive Arts - theater, poetry, visual arts
Narrative films – the use of persuasion in the narrative films of
Spike Lee and Stanley Kubrick (as examples)
Assignment:
1) Read Change Through Persuasion – David Garvin & Michael
Roberto
2) Read Why People Follow the Leader – The Power of Transference,
Michael Maccoby;
11/17
Group Presentations and in-class Critique
Discuss articles – explore persuasive change and leadership
Crisis Communication – Persuasive communication through
crisis conditions
11/20
Final Assignment Pitches, Evaluation, Course Wrap
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