UCL School of Management

Module Fact Sheet

MSING021: Leadership and Communication

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This is a past version of this module for MSING021 16/17.
Click here for the current version.
Taught by
Gillian Lacey-Solymar
Level
Masters
Prerequisites
None
Eligibility
MSc Management Route B Leadership pathway, SoM MRes/PhD, SoM PGT affiliate and EMPA students only
Terms
Term 2
Delivery method
3-hour block of lectures and seminars (x 10 weeks)
Assessment
100% coursework (50% 2000-word group report, 30% 500-word speech written by the student, and to be delivered in person, 20% class participation)

Course overview

This module prepares students to understand and apply the persuasive principles behind the leadership communication process. It gives students the opportunity to practise and develop their own leadership communication skills through both the study of persuasion, and the practice of speeches, role plays and improvisation exercises.

The module is delivered through weekly lectures and seminars. In the first part topics are introduced and discussed. The second part consists of practical workshops aimed at developing leadership communication skills.

Learning outcomes

Upon successful completion of the module, students will be able to:

  • Understand the importance of verbal and non-verbal communication in the leadership process

  • Critically appraise different key rhetorical principles in the leadership process

  • Understand the key role of rhetoric in the process of communicating leadership

  • Understand the importance of personality, emotions and arguments in persuasion

  • Apply the persuasive process to different genres and scenarios

  • Develop a repertoire of stylistic choices to enhance the persuasive process in leadership situations

  • Deliver persuasive and truthful leadership messages

Topics covered

  • Physical preparation in leadership and communication

  • Emotional preparation

  • The role of authenticity

  • Ethos: personality and stance

  • Pathos: emotional engagement

  • Logos: models of argument

  • The role of storytelling

  • The role of metaphors and other figures of speech

  • The persuasive repertoire: putting it all together

  • Delivering a persuasive speech in a leadership context

Assessment summary

100% coursework comprising of the following elements:

50% consist of a group 2,000-word paper based on both module content and team reflections.

30% consist of a 500-word persuasive speech written by the student, and to be delivered in person.

20% is based on class participation.

Essential reading

Cockcroft, R. & S. Cockcroft (2014) Persuading People: An Introduction to Rhetoric. 3rd Edition. New York: Palgrave.

Past versions of this module

MSING021 17/18

MSING021 16/17

Last updated Tuesday, 18 December 2018