COM 600 Milestone Two Guidelines and Rubric
A milestone is designed to serve as a stepping stone to the final project.
This assignment can be submitted in one of two formats: 1) a short paper with an included SWOT analysis or 2) a video essay which uses the SWOT analysis to
support the position. If you choose the latter, you may record your submission with a camcorder, webcam, or even your smartphone. See the articles in this
module’s optional resources for tips on making video recordings. Milestone Two provides you with an opportunity to analyze leadership communications from
the organization you profiled in Milestone One.
Specifically, the document should address the impact of the leadership communications of the organization. Students should look for opportunities for critical
analysis of the communications process as well as how systems theory frames those arguments.
The submission should be drawn from the specific readings in the course material and must include the following:
A SWOT analysis of the company’s communications (for a paper submission) or supporting evidence that references the SWOT analysis (for a video
submission)
The effectiveness of the organization’s communications approach on internal and external stakeholders
How the communications approach affects the organization’s culture from a systems theory approach
Ways the communication approach could inhibit growth
The organization’s approach (or lack of) to ethics
Guidelines for Submission: The paper should be submitted as a 2- to 4-page Microsoft Word document with double spacing, 12-point Times New Roman font,
one-inch margins, and sources cited in APA format. If submitting a “speaker’s position” video essay, it should be no more than 5 minutes in length and be
submitted in one of the following video formats: .wmv, .mov, .mp4.
Critical Elements
SWOT Analysis
Internal and
External Audiences
Proficient (100%)
Paper: Provides a SWOT analysis with strong
points made for all four elements
or
Video: Provides a compelling argument
supported by the four elements of a SWOT
analysis
Describes the effectiveness of the organization’s
communications approach on both internal and
external stakeholders
Needs Improvement (55%)
Paper: Provides a SWOT analysis with
weak points made for some or all
elements
or
Video: Provides a compelling argument
but argument is not supported by all
four elements of a SWOT analysis
Describes the effectiveness of the
organization’s communications
approach on either internal or external
stakeholders
Not Evident (0%)
Paper: Does not provide a SWOT analysis
or
Video: Provides an argument that is not
supported by any elements of a SWOT analysis
Does not describe effectiveness of the
organization’s communications approach on
internal and external stakeholders
Value
24
22
Organizational
Culture
Explains how the communications approach
affects the organization’s culture from a systems
theory approach
Inhibiting Growth
Interprets ways the communication approach
could inhibit growth by citing specific examples
Articulation of
Response
Paper: Submission has no major errors related
to citations, grammar, spelling, or syntax
or
Video: Argument is clearly structured and
contains precise articulation and pronunciation
Explains how the communications
approach affects the organization’s
culture but not from a systems theory
approach
Interprets ways the communication
approach could inhibit growth but does
not cite specific examples
Paper: Submission has major errors
related to citations, grammar, spelling,
or syntax that negatively impact
understanding of ideas
or
Video: Argument is somewhat
structured with fairly clear articulation
and pronunciation
Does not explains how the communications
approach affects the organization’s culture
22
Does not interpret ways the communication
approach could inhibit growth
22
Paper: Submission has critical errors related to
citations, grammar, spelling, or syntax that
prevent understanding of ideas
or
Video: Argument is not structured, words are
slurred or have dropped consonants, or
pronunciation is non-standard
10
Total
100%
COM 600 Final Project Guidelines and Rubric
Overview
The final project for this course is the creation of a leadership communication analysis and leadership communication plan.
Can we learn from the past to prepare for the future? It is a common refrain in the business world. However, nowhere are the lessons of the past more helpful
than in the field of corporate communications. All of us have seen, at one time or another, a company failing to get out the proper message. Whether it is about a
product recall or an unforeseen corporate crisis, companies can be slow to react and their reactions are not always the most appropriate for the situation at
hand.
Being an effective leader is more than just making an impressive speech. The most important aspect of communication is not speaking, but listening. To be an
effective speaker, you have to know that your message is being received and is being received in the manner that is expected. This paradox is what leads to most
communications problems in the corporate world. In this course, you will explore examples of leadership communications and learn not only how they do or do
not effectively reach their audiences, but the impact leadership communications can have on an organization. This experience will expose you to appropriate
ways of communicating as a leader and proper strategies and approaches to leadership.
For the summative assessment in this course, you will review an example of a leadership communication, discern how the plan could be improved in reaching
internal and external audiences, and determine its impact on the organization responsible for the communication. Then you will develop a leadership
communication plan designed to inform future leadership communications of the organization. This summative assessment will prepare you to create future
leadership communications and take advantage of future leadership opportunities.
The project is divided into three milestones, which will be submitted at various points throughout the course to scaffold learning and ensure quality final
submissions. These milestones will be submitted in Modules Two, Four, and Six. The final product will be submitted in Module Nine.
In this assignment, you will demonstrate your mastery of the following course outcomes:
Evaluate the effectiveness of leadership communications of an organization for both internal and external audiences
Analyze the challenges and opportunities in creating a positive organizational culture for how they impact organizational growth
Develop strategies for developing future leadership communications directed to both internal and external audiences that are supported by systems
theory and best practices
Develop ethical frameworks for leadership for organizational decision-making regarding the development of leadership communications
Recommend improvements to leadership communications for guiding management on effectively delivering communications
Prompt
For the summative assessment in this course, you will conduct a leadership communication analysis consisting of a company overview, the analysis of a
leadership communication, and leadership communication guidelines. Examples of leadership communication might include, but are not limited to
memorandums to internal employees regarding organizational changes or job responsibilities, speeches or presentations by an organizational leader, interviews
of an organizational leader regarding a crisis event in the organization, and so on. First, you will review several examples of leadership communications from the
same organization. You will conduct your analysis by first reviewing the mission, values, and goals of the organization and describing some of its important
characteristics. You will use this profile of the organization to conduct your analysis of its communications. Your analysis will focus on how effective the
communications were in reaching internal and external audiences.
Then, using the information you discovered in your analysis, you will develop guidelines for the organization on how to develop future communications. This will
help guide leadership on how they will develop future communications that avoid the previous issues in the communications. For both your leadership
communication analysis and your leadership plan, you will be expected to support your responses with research and your own analysis when appropriate.
Specifically, you must address the critical elements listed below. Most of the critical elements align with a particular course outcome (shown in brackets).
I.
Company Overview: In this section of the summative assessment, you will develop an overview of the company. This overview will serve as a profile for
the company, detailing their daily operations and describing their key characteristics. This profile will be useful in your analysis and evaluation of their
leadership communications.
A. Provide an overview of how the organization operates from a systems theory approach. For example, how does the organization operate on a
daily basis? On a monthly basis? How do individuals with different roles interact?
B. Explain the mission, vision, and goals of the organization. For example, what is the mission statement of the organization? What are the
employees expected to follow and abide by?
C. Determine the role of key leaders of the organization in the development and delivery of organizational communications.
D. Determine the most important internal and external audiences of the organization and justify your response.
E. Describe the current culture of the organization. Your response should be a general description of the work environment and the morale of
employees.
II.
Analysis of Leadership Communications: In this section of the summative assessment, you will analyze the leadership communications of the
organization. You will focus on how well the messages reach internal and external audiences, as well as the impact of the messages on the culture of the
organization. Your analysis should consider both the messages themselves as well as the role leadership played in the development and delivery of the
messages.
A. Evaluate the communications for how effectively leadership met the needs of internal stakeholders.
B. Evaluate the communications for how effectively leadership met needs of external stakeholders.
C. Analyze the communications for determining their impact on the culture of the organization.
D. Explain the approach of the organization to issues of ethics. Your response should be a general explanation regarding the overall process (or lack
thereof) of the organization regarding issues of ethics. For example, is it clear how issues of ethics would be handled by leadership? What steps
were or were not taken into account for ethical concerns?
E. Explain how issues in organizational culture inhibit opportunities for organizational growth. For example, how might interpersonal issues that
arise from communications inhibit organizational growth?
III.
Leadership Communication Guidelines: In this section of the summative assessment, you will develop strategies that will serve as guidelines for
developing future leadership communications of the organization. You will also develop an ethical framework that will guide the organization in
addressing issues of ethics regarding the development and delivery of leadership communications.
A. Develop leadership communication strategies that will allow future leadership communications of the organization to account for the needs of
internal and external stakeholders.
B. Develop leadership communication strategies that will allow future leadership communications of the organization to account for challenges
with the message receiver.
C. Recommend improvements directed to the organization for developing and delivering communications regarding meeting the needs of internal
and external stakeholders and overcoming challenges with the message receiver.
D. Recommend improvements directed to the organization for developing and delivering communications regarding the role that leadership will
have when following your developed guidelines.
E. Predict the social and cultural impact of the proposed leadership guidelines on internal and external stakeholders. For example, how might
leadership communications developed under this plan impact the organizational culture? How might they influence the effectiveness of
leadership?
F. Develop an ethical framework that will be used in the leadership guidelines and justify your framework. For example, how is this framework an
improvement over the organization’s previous approach to ethical issues?
G. Develop leadership communication strategies that will allow future leadership communications of the organization to account for ethical issues
using the ethical framework you developed.
H. Explain how your leadership communication guidelines are informed by systems theory and best practices for organizational leadership
communications.
I. Explain how these developed strategies and recommended improvements would help guide leadership in effectively delivering future
leadership communications.
Milestones
Milestone One: Organization Profile
In Module Two, you will compose a paper that shares your analysis of the company you have chosen from the provided Final Project Subject list or one of your
own choosing. You will conduct some research on the organization’s culture, leadership, and communications. Compose a paper that shares your analysis of the
organization. Discuss the organization’s culture (e.g., work environment, morale of employees), organizational operations, who the key leaders are and how they
affect communications, the organization’s mission, vision, and goals, and the internal and external audiences receiving the communications. This milestone will
be graded with the Milestone One Rubric.
Milestone Two: Leadership Communication Critique
In Module Four, you will discuss the impact of the leadership communications of your chosen organization. This exploration will be the next step into the world
of evaluating effective communication processes for a company, which is a key component of the final project. First, complete a SWOT analysis for your chosen
organization. Then, compose a paper that shares your analysis. Critique the company’s process based on your understanding of systems theory as well as other
leadership evaluative methods. You also have the option of creating a TED Talk-type video essay (in lieu of a paper) in which you make the case, as a speaker, for
your position. If you choose the video essay, you may record your submission with a camcorder, webcam, or even your smartphone. This milestone will be
graded with the Milestone Two Rubric.
Milestone Three: Recommendations for Optimal Leadership Communications
In Module Six, you will formulate your recommendations on guidelines for optimal leadership communications, taking into account considerations such as
company culture, ethics, and systems theory. You will consider the impact of optimal leadership communications on an organization and its alignment with your
present understanding of systems theory. Submit your assignment as a PowerPoint or Prezi media presentation. You may submit speaker’s notes with your
presentation, if you wish. This milestone will be graded with the Milestone Three Rubric.
Final Submission: Leadership Communication Analysis and Leadership Communication Plan
In Module Nine, you will submit your final project. It should be a complete, polished artifact containing all of the critical elements of the final product. It should
reflect the incorporation of feedback gained throughout the course. The content generated in the three previous milestones will serve as the foundation for this
work. This submission will be graded with the Final Project Rubric.
Deliverables
Milestone
Deliverable
Module Due
Grading
One
Organization Profile
2
Graded separately; Milestone One Rubric
Two
Leadership Communication Critique
4
Graded separately; Milestone Two Rubric
Recommendations for Optimal Leadership
Communications
Final Submission: Leadership
Communication Analysis and Leadership
Communication Plan
6
Graded separately; Milestone Three Rubric
9
Graded separately; Final Project Rubric
Three
Final Project Rubric
Guidelines for Submission: Your leadership communication analysis and leadership communication plan should be 12 to 15 pages in length with 12-point Times
New Roman font and double spacing.
Critical Elements
Exemplary
Company Overview: Meets “Proficient” criteria and
Organization Operates response demonstrates a
[COM-600-03]
sophisticated awareness of
systems theory and how it
relates to organizational
operations
Proficient
Needs Improvement
Provides an overview of how the Provides an overview of how the
organization operates from a
organization operates from a
systems theory approach
systems theory approach but
provided overview is cursory or
(90%)
contains inaccuracies
Not Evident
Does not provide an overview of
how the organization operates
from a systems theory approach
Value
3.16
(0%)
(70%)
Company Overview:
Mission, Vision, and
Goals
[COM-600-01]
Company Overview:
Key Leaders
[COM-600-03]
Company Overview:
Internal and External
[COM-600-01]
(100%)
N/A
100%
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
response demonstrates a
sophisticated awareness of how
key leaders of the organization
are involved in organizational
communications
(100%)
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
justification demonstrates keen
insight into what makes the
determined audiences the most
important for the organization
Explains the mission, vision, and Explains the mission, vision, and
goals of the organization
goals of the organization but
explanation is cursory
(100%)
(70%)
Determines the role of key
Determines the role of key
leaders of the organization in the leaders of the organization in the
development and delivery of
development and delivery of
organizational communications organizational communications,
but determination is cursory or
(90%)
contains inaccuracies
Determines the most important
internal and external audiences
of the organization and justifies
response
(90%)
(100%)
(70%)
Determines the most important
internal and external audiences
of the organization but
determination is cursory or
contains inaccuracies or
justification is tenuous or
illogical
(70%)
Does not explain the mission,
vision, and goals of the
organization
(0%)
Does not determine the role of key
leaders of the organization in the
development and delivery of
organizational communications
4.75
3.16
(0%)
Does not determine the most
important internal and external
audiences of the organization and
justify response
(0%)
4.75
Company Overview:
Culture
[COM-600-02]
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
response demonstrates a
sophisticated awareness of the
elements that best describe the
culture of an organization
Describes the current culture of
the organization
(90%)
Describes the current culture of
the organization but description
is cursory or contains
inaccuracies
Does not describe the current
culture of the organization
6.33
(0%)
(70%)
Analysis: Internal
[COM-600-01]
Analysis: External
[COM-600-01]
Analysis: Culture
[COM-600-02]
(100%)
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
response demonstrates keen
insight into the specific elements
that contribute to the
communication’s effectiveness in
meeting the needs of internal
stakeholders
(100%)
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
response demonstrates keen
insight into the specific elements
that contribute to the
communication’s effectiveness in
meeting the needs of external
stakeholders
(100%)
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
makes especially cogent
connections between the
communications and their
impact on the culture of the
organization
Evaluates the communications
for how effectively leadership
met the needs of internal
stakeholders
Evaluates the communications
for how effectively leadership
met the needs of internal
stakeholders but evaluation is
cursory or contains inaccuracies
(90%)
Does not evaluate the
communications for how
effectively leadership met the
needs of internal stakeholders
4.75
(0%)
(70%)
Evaluates the communications
for how effectively leadership
met the needs of external
stakeholders
Evaluates the communications
for how effectively leadership
met the needs of external
stakeholders but evaluation is
cursory or contains inaccuracies
(90%)
Does not evaluate the
communications for how
effectively leadership met the
needs of external stakeholders
4.75
(0%)
(70%)
Analyzes the communications
for determining their impact on
the culture of the organization
(90%)
Analyzes the communications
for determining their impact on
the culture of the organization
but analysis is cursory or
contains inaccuracies
Does not analyze the
communications for determining
their impact on the culture of the
organization
6.33
(0%)
(70%)
Analysis: Issues of
Ethics
[COM-600-04]
(100%)
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
response demonstrates a
sophisticated awareness of how
issues of ethics were handled by
leadership of the organization
(100%)
Explains the organization’s
approach or lack of approach to
issues of ethics
(90%)
Explains the organization’s
approach or lack of approach to
issues of ethics but explanation
is cursory or contains
inaccuracies
(70%)
Does not explain the organization’s
approach or lack of approach to
issues of ethics
(0%)
6.33
Analysis:
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
Organizational Growth response makes especially
[COM-600-02]
cogent connections between
issues in organizational culture
and their effect on
organizational growth
Explains how issues in
organizational culture affect
opportunities for organizational
growth
Explains how issues in
organizational culture affect
opportunities for organizational
growth but explanation is
cursory or contains inaccuracies
(90%)
Does not explain how issues in
organizational culture affect
opportunities for organizational
growth
6.34
(0%)
(70%)
Guidelines: Internal
and External
Stakeholders
[COM-600-03]
(100%)
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
developed leadership strategies
demonstrate keen insight into
how to meet the needs of
internal and external
stakeholders
Develops leadership
communication strategies that
will allow future leadership
communications of the
organization to account for the
needs of internal and external
stakeholders
(100%)
(90%)
Guidelines: Message
Receiver
[COM-600-03]
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
developed leadership strategies
provide keen insight into how to
account for social and cultural
challenges with the message
receiver
Develops leadership
communication strategies that
will allow future leadership
communications of the
organization to account for
social and cultural challenges
with the message receiver
(100%)
(90%)
Develops leadership
communication strategies that
will allow future leadership
communications of the
organization to account for the
needs of internal and external
stakeholders but developed
strategies are cursory or contain
inaccuracies
(70%)
Develops leadership
communication strategies that
will allow future leadership
communications of the
organization to account for
social and cultural challenges
with the message receiver but
developed strategies are cursory
or contain inaccuracies
(70%)
Does not develop leadership
communication strategies that will
allow future leadership
communications of the
organization to account for the
needs of internal and external
stakeholders
3.16
(0%)
Does not develop leadership
communication strategies that will
allow future leadership
communications of the
organization to account for social
and cultural challenges with the
message receiver
(0%)
3.16
Guidelines:
Improvements
[COM-600-05]
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
response demonstrates keen
insight into improving the
development and delivery of
leadership communications for a
variety of audiences
(100%)
Recommends improvements
directed to the organization for
developing and delivering
communications regarding
meeting the needs of internal
and external stakeholders and
overcoming challenges with the
message receiver
(90%)
Guidelines: Leadership Meets “Proficient” criteria and
[COM-600-05]
response demonstrates a keen
insight into the role that
leadership must play in
developing and delivering
communications
Recommends improvements
directed to the organization for
developing and delivering
communications regarding the
role that leadership will have
when following developed
guidelines
(100%)
(90%)
Guidelines: Social and Meets “Proficient” criteria and
Cultural
response demonstrates keen
[COM-600-03]
insight into the potential social
and cultural impact of the
proposed leadership plan
Predicts the social and cultural
impact of the proposed
leadership plan on internal and
external stakeholders
(90%)
Recommends improvements
directed to the organization for
developing and delivering
communications regarding the
meeting the needs of internal
and external stakeholders and
overcoming challenges with the
message receiver but
recommendations are cursory or
contains inaccuracies
(70%)
Recommends improvements
directed to the organization for
developing and delivering
communications regarding the
role that leadership will have
when following developed
guidelines but recommendations
are cursory or contain
inaccuracies
(70%)
Predicts the social and cultural
impact of the proposed
leadership plan on internal and
external stakeholders but
prediction is cursory or contains
inaccuracies
Does not recommend
improvements directed to the
organization for developing and
delivering communications
regarding meeting the needs of
internal and external stakeholders
and overcoming challenges with
the message receiver
6.33
(0%)
Does not recommend
improvements directed to the
organization for developing and
delivering communications
regarding the role that leadership
will have when following
developed guidelines
6.33
(0%)
Does not predict the social and
cultural impact of the proposed
leadership plan on internal and
external stakeholders
3.16
(0%)
(100%)
Guidelines: Ethical
Framework
[COM-600-04]
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
response demonstrates keen
insight into how to guide future
leadership in in avoiding ethical
issues regarding
communications
Develops an ethical framework
that will be used in the
leadership plan and justifies
framework
(90%)
(70%)
Develops an ethical framework
that will be used in the
leadership plan and justifies
response but framework is
cursory or contains inaccuracies
or justification is tenuous or
illogical
(100%)
(70%)
Does not develop an ethical
framework that will be used in the
leadership plan and justify
framework
(0%)
6.33
Guidelines: Ethical
Issues
[COM-600-04]
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
response demonstrates keen
insight into how to guide future
leadership in addressing ethical
issues regarding
communications
Develops leadership
communication strategies that
will allow future leadership
communications of the
organization to account for
ethical issues using the ethical
framework
(100%)
(90%)
Guidelines: Systems
Theory and Best
Practices
[COM-600-03]
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
response demonstrates keen
insight into how each piece of
the guidelines is informed by
systems theory and best
practices
Explains how leadership
communication guidelines are
informed by systems theory and
best practices
Develops leadership
communication strategies that
will allow future leadership
communications of the
organization to account for
ethical issues using the ethical
framework but developed
strategies are cursory or contain
inaccuracies
(70%)
Explains how leadership
communication guidelines are
informed by systems theory and
best practices but explanation is
cursory or contain inaccuracies
(90%)
Does not develop leadership
communication strategies that will
allow future leadership
communications of the
organization to account for ethical
issues using the developed ethical
framework
6.34
(0%)
Does not explain how leadership
communication guidelines are
informed by systems theory and
best practices
3.16
(0%)
(70%)
Guidelines: Guide
Leadership
[COM-600-05]
Articulation of
Response
(100%)
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
response demonstrates keen
insight in how the guidelines will
assist leadership in effectively
delivering future leadership
communications
Explains how developed
strategies and recommended
improvements would help guide
leadership in effectively
delivering future leadership
communications
(100%)
(90%)
Submission is free of errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, syntax, and organization
and is presented in a
professional and easy-to-read
format
Submission has no major errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, syntax, or organization
(90%)
Explains how developed
strategies and recommended
improvements would help guide
leadership in effectively
delivering future leadership
communications but explanation
is cursory or contains
inaccuracies
(70%)
Submission has major errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, syntax, or organization
that negatively impact
readability and articulation of
main ideas
Does not explain how developed
strategies and recommended
improvements would help guide
leadership in effectively delivering
future leadership communications
6.34
(0%)
Submission has critical errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, syntax, or organization
that prevent understanding of
ideas
5.04
(0%)
(100%)
(70%)
Total
100%
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