Write a 2-3-page proposal to an executive requesting that s/he sponsor a professional development activity.

Introduction

Note: Developing a Project Stakeholder Communications Plan requires specific steps that must be carried out in a certain order. Therefore, you must complete the assessments in this course in the order in which they are presented.

Continued professional development in communication techniques and technologies is essential to an effective project manager.

As the project management discipline matures, effective communication becomes more crucial. Decision making and problem solving for a project are only possible when communication, either written or verbal, is effective. A project manager's ability to express him or herself in effective ways is crucial. Periodic professional development for enhancing communication skills should be a part of any project manager's career development plan. Being able to identify appropriate professional development activities, and get executive sponsorship for them, should be a part of that plan.

Overview

The world of business and technology is changing at an ever-increasing pace. Professional development is an important consideration for every employee to keep them relevant, competent, current, and competitive. In this assessment, you will seek executive sponsorship for a professional development activity that you hope to use yourself or share with colleagues. The activity should focus on innovative ideas, practices, or technologies that improve communication among global teams.

Examples are:

• Intercultural communication.
• Communicating with executives.
• Effective global meetings or communication.
• Communication platforms, such as social media.
• Information sharing.
• Project communication software.
• Communication security.

Preparation

As you prepare to complete this assessment, you may want to think about other related issues to deepen your understanding or broaden your viewpoint. You are encouraged to consider the questions below and discuss them with a fellow learner, a work associate, an interested friend, or a member of your professional community. Note that these questions are for your own development and exploration and do not need to be completed or submitted as part of your assessment.

• What communication skills would you like (or need), to improve?
• What types of activities are proven to enhance the communication skills of project managers?
• What are some techniques for getting sponsorship for a professional development activity? What has worked in the organizations that you have worked for?

Directions

Write a proposal or request for sponsorship of a professional development activity to your CapraTek boss. The proposal should detail an activity from an outside firm that is designed to address contemporary communication needs of global teams.

Your request should:

• Explain the need for the training—the problems it will solve and the opportunities it could create.
• Describe a specific example that is available in the real-world, including cost, availability, training type, et cetera.
• Explain how the development activity would help you or your target group. If possible, provide a real world example of its success.

Competencies Measured

By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and assessment criteria:

• Competency 3: Create communication plans or collateral that facilitate executive sponsorship.
  • Create a request for professional development that offers compelling rationale for its acceptance.
• Competency 4: Explain how selected professional development activities could enhance the effectiveness of communication and stakeholder management strategies.
  • Explain the need for a selected professional development activity by matching it with current business and technology workplace demands.
  • Explain how a professional development activity could aid global project teams.
• Competency 5: Communicate effectively.
  • Communicate effectively in a professional manner consistent with the standards and conventions of project management.

RESOURCES— 

The resources provided here are optional. You may use other resources of your choice to prepare for this assessment; however, you will need to ensure that they are appropriate, credible, and valid. The Project Management Research Guide can help direct your research.

You may wish to review the following resources, as you will need to consult them for this assessment.

• Project Management Institute. Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) — Sixth Edition and Agile Practice Guide. Newtown Square. PA. 2017.
  • Part 1:
    • Section 3.4, "Project Manager Competencies," pages 56–68. This section discusses how project managers need to have a "balance of technical, interpersonal, and conceptual skills." Specifically, it discusses interpersonal skills and how professional development can enhance these skills. The interpersonal skills considered include leadership, communication, conflict management, and decision making.
• Kerzner, H. (2015). Project management 2.0: Leveraging tools, distributed collaboration, and metrics for project success. Wiley & Sons.
  • Chapter 10, "Problem Solving and Decision Making," pages 229–234.
    • This chapter outlines how the environment in which the project managers perform is changing significantly. Specifically the discussion focuses on how communications and stakeholder management assists the stakeholder's problem solving and decision making processes.

These resources represent examples of the types of topics that you might consider for this assessment.

• Saxton, G. D., & Guo, C. (2014). Online stakeholder targeting and the acquisition of social media capital: Targeted stakeholder communication and social media capital. International Journal of Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Marketing, 19(4), 286–300.
  • This article discusses how social media has provided targeted stakeholder communication abilities. It also examines the nexus between social media–based stakeholder communication and the acquisition of social media–based resources.
• Schwalbe, K. (2016). Information technology project management (8th ed.). Cengage Learning. Available in the courseroom via the VitalSource Bookshelf link.
  • Chapter 10.6, "Suggestions for Improving Project Communications," pages 405–410.
    • This section presents recommendations and suggestions for how to develop effective communication skills for project management.