Credit for Prior Learning BUS3050 1
Prior Learning Petition for BUS3050 – Principles of Organizational Communication
Name: Address: Email Address in Capella University records: Date submitted: August 28, 2009
*Please submit petition in a Word .doc file*
List the supporting documents that have been attached to this Course Petition. (DCP and resume are required. You should provide additional documentation specific to your learning.) Degree completion plan. Résumé Employment Description AHRA-Leading Your Team **** Management Excellence Award AHRA-Facilitating Teams to Consensus 2008 Congress on Healthcare-The Influencer: The Power to Change 2008 Congress on Healthcare-Restoring Trust in Organizations During Rapid Change The Q12 Advantage **** Hospital-Power of Excellence Class Corporate University-Service Strategies Corporate University-Human Capital Management **** Hospital-Competency Tracking Data Privacy/Security Risk Assessment Credit for Prior Learning BUS3050 2
Please tell us why you should be granted credit for BUS3050 – Principles of Organizational Communication.
I have 23 years of experience in the healthcare field, with 19 years of applied knowledge and experience in various management positions. These positions have included Supervisor, Manager, Director, Administrative Director, Executive Director, Service Line Administrator, and Vice President.
I am currently managing a team of 1000+ employees, with 11 direct reports.
Each of the positions, as well as the knowledge and experience, has provided me with a dynamic foundation on organizational communication. I communicate on an organization level daily and this communication crosses multiple cultures and requires various methods and tools. The average size of the 3 employers in which I have worked is 5600 employees, and I feel my 19 years of management in these various institutions have provided me with a broad and in depth knowledge of Organizational Communication.
How does your knowledge and your experiences in this area enhance your personal and organizational effectiveness in your chosen field of study.
Summary of Competency Learning
Course Competencies for Documentation BUS3050 – Principles of Answer the 2 basic questions: Organizational 1. What do you know? Communication 2. What have you done with this knowledge? (Refer to the Prior Learning Assessment Lab for guidance). Credit for Prior Learning BUS3050 3 Competency 1: Learner Analysis: Analyze business Résumé communication 1. What do you know? Employment Description situations. Analyzing business communication situations requires the application of critical AHRA-Facilitating thinking before, during, and post communication situations. Teams to Consensus 2008 Congress on Critical thinking involves demonstrating a positive attitude, focusing on the Healthcare-The accuracy of the assumptions and conclusions, breaking the problem into workable Influencer: The parts, no guessing or jumping to conclusions, and having meaningful self dialogue Power to Change throughout the process of communications. The Q12 Advantage
In business, communication may take place orally, in forums, electronically and ****Hospital-Power of written. Moreover, in today’s environment, I-Pod, texting, and PDA are also used Excellence Class for communication. Corporate University- Service Strategies When analyzing business communication situations, several factors are Corporate University- considered and include: Human Capital Management 1. Determining the message and the results you would like to achieve in its **** Hospital- deliverance. Competency Tracking 2. Who are your key stakeholders and is the message designed to capture their attention. 3. Which media sources will be utilized, to deliver the message.
2. What have you done with this knowledge?
In my career, analyzing business communication situations have been the largest part of my job. In the healthcare industry, the failure to analyze business communication situations can be the difference between life and death. Each day I am faced with complex business issues, which can include patient care issues, family issues, federal audits, state audits, external and internal stakeholders.
These issues require me to analyze the situation and develop dynamic business communication strategies to be delivered in various forums within the organization. An example I would like to provide is an accident, in which the driver ran off an Credit for Prior Learning BUS3050 4 overpass. Several students were killed and the other students suffered major and minor injuries.
I was the administrator responsible for analyzing the appropriate business communication for the situation. My considerations included the families of the victims, internal staff, local media, community, and national media.
The first phase of communication in this situation was preparing a statement for the media and internal team members.
I prepared known facts and drafted a media release, because media is usually the first to arrive for community disasters.
After preparing the media release, I prepared a document for internal communication. Simultaneously, I requested a room to be prepared to communicate with immediate family members and 8 bereavement rooms.
Next, I contacted the board chair and briefed him on the situation. Then I sent an email to the board members with talking points attached, in case they were contacted by the media or other community members.
Finally, I positioned different leaders throughout the various emergency command posts with communication documents, thus allowing all team members to communicate the same information.
Another, business communication situation I have analyzed and applied critical thinking was an Organizational Right Sizing Project.
This project required me to reduce a team of 70 employees down to 43 employees.
It was important for me to communicate effectively to each of these team members, because the team members were afraid of losing their jobs and angry with the organization for its decision to phase out their positions. Credit for Prior Learning BUS3050 5 First, I developed a set of talking points for the initial group meetings. I decided an initial group meeting was necessary, so that each affected team member heard the initial announcement simultaneously.
After the group meetings I developed a discussion outline in which I utilized for the one-on-one meetings. The one-on-one meetings included an initial discussion of why the reduction was taking place, how positions were selected, and how I would ensure that HR would work with each team member to find another position within the organization or assistance in completing early retirement documents.
I assured each team member that I would conduct a knowledge gap analysis for positions in which they were interested, but lacked the necessary skills. For individuals who selected the early retirement options; I talked with them about retirement planning, which included IRA rollovers, investment options, volunteering and earnings maximum, if they chose to work part-time.
Within 60 days 20 team members were repositioned in other departments and 7 took advantage of the early retirement package.
During this process I used direct, written, formal and informal communications. Each team member personally thanked me for being honest and patient with them.
This experience taught me how effective and honest communication can deliver positive results in a negative situation.
The greatest value I have obtained from this knowledge is the ability to select and utilize the appropriate communication for various situations I am faced with. It is equally important to use skillful discussions that allow others to express their feelings, thoughts and concerns. Each business situation requires a different communication algorithm and methodology. Credit for Prior Learning BUS3050 6 Competency 2: Learner Analysis: Analyze the Résumé interrelationships of 1. What do you know? Employment Description communication within With regard to what I know about analyzing the interrelationships of *** Management organizational systems. communication within organizational systems, it is evident that organizations are Excellence Award complex systems which require analysis of communication on many different AHRA-Facilitating levels. Teams to Consensus Corporate University- Specifically, organizational systems include a myriad of relationships which shape Service Strategies the way in which groups and individuals interact with each other. *** Hospital- Competency Tracking By having a clear understanding of the specific position of each individual or group in the organization, it will be possible to clearly understand the context of communication and the meaning which is derived from the communication of both receiver and sender.
Organizational structure will also impact how communication is developed, sent, and received.
When an organization’s culture is informal, it is reasonable to assume that communications which take place in the environment will be informal. Formal communications impact organizations substantially, and members of the organizations are able to recognize the importance of these messages. An organization’s culture will also influence an understanding of the interrelationships of communication within organizational systems.
2. What have you done with this knowledge?
I communicate with frontline staff, managers, directors, executives, city council members, and state representatives. I utilize written, verbal, video, live presentations, and email to communicate with these various groups.
These various forms of communication have allowed me to analyze the effectiveness of my communication methods within and outside of organizations. I constantly evaluate how well the relationships among the team members and Credit for Prior Learning BUS3050 7 stakeholders are preserved.
I further analyze the effectiveness of my communication methods by reviewing responses from emails, measuring the desired outcomes of written communications, reviewing comment cards from live presentations, analyzing reactions from verbal communications, and measuring how often videos are reviewed or checked out for viewing.
I understand that interrelationships of communication within organizational systems are not only influenced by cultural differences, but also by human dynamics. Human dynamics, which includes learning patterns, responses to stress and the way team members solve problems, all impact the way team members interact with each other.
My advanced knowledge has helped me to create cultures that have yielded positive individual and group behavior.
These results are supported by the most recent organizational community preference score of 8.2 out of 10, a patient satisfaction score of 94.6, and a staff engagement score of 85%.
Another example, in which I improved interrelationships of communication within the organization, is a Hand-off System I developed. The reason I developed the system was due to the lack of communication between transporters, whom were responsible for moving patients from one location to another, and nurses whom are responsible for the daily care of the patients.
Specifically, nursing team members were not being informed when patients were leaving their rooms to receive tests in other areas, and the transporters did not have basic information about the patient’s status.
I developed a committee that completed a Six Sigma workout session, which is a session that allows you to resolve a problem quickly by analyzing each step currently being utilized and removing any steps which may be causing the inefficiency or compromised productivity. The committee consisted of 4 Credit for Prior Learning BUS3050 8 transporters and 4 nurses.
After completing the Six Sigma workout session, it was clear that the professional respect between the groups needed to be enhanced and communication was nearly none existent, as it pertained to moving patients from the floors to the testing areas.
It is extremely important for nurses to know when the patients are leaving the floor; however, it is equally important for the transporters to know what is going on with the patients they are moving around. While both parties understood the importance of communication, very little existed between them. Therefore, it was my job to improve the relationships and develop a communication system.
To improve the interrelationships of communication, I required each of the teams to work in each other’s area for 4 hours. This helped to create a clear understanding of the task involved and the importance of both jobs.
Next, I created a Hand-off-Form which required the nursing team to complete on each patient before they leave the floor. This form included pertinent patient information, which could be utilized by any caregiver, so that they would know the current status of the patient. This form traveled with the patient at all times and each caregiver was required to sign the form upon receiving the patient for testing or otherwise.
I engaged both groups in dialogue to create an environment of sharing information, ideas, listening and asking questions, which greatly improved the interrelationships of communication within the organization. Competency 3: Learner Analysis: AHRA-Leading Communicate effectively. Your Team 1. What do you know? *** Management Excellence Award Communicating effectively within organizations is one of the most important AHRA-Facilitating aspects to its success. Communicating effectively has been accomplished when Credit forTeams Prior to Learning you have successfully connected with the person or targeted audience. Effective ConsensusBUS3050 communication is achieved by being approachable, having an open environment, 2008 Congress on9 and ensuring dynamic listening skills. Healthcare-The Influencer: The Fostering an environment of respect is another way of communicating effectively Power to Change within an organization. This prevents the perception of being wrong or inferior with 2008 Congress on the person or audience receiving the communication. Healthcare- Restoring Trust in There are various methods of communication with organizations including verbal, Organizations live presentations, written letters, email, phone technologies, body language, face- During Rapid to-face and virtual communication situations. Change
Finally, an organization must clearly state its objectives, purpose and goals, to The Q12 decrease the potential of delivering inaccurate information. Advantage *** Hospital- 2. What have you done with this knowledge? Competency Tracking This knowledge has allowed me to build dynamic teams whom have exceeded the Data vision and mission of the organization in which I work. Each team member clearly Privacy/Security understands the Quality Objectives, Service Satisfaction, and Financial goals of Risk Assessment the organization. Employment Description I was able to share knowledge which provided a high level of understanding amongst the team members regarding Quality, Service Satisfaction, and Financial goals by reviewing national guidelines on quality, benchmarking top performing organizations on service and financial performance.
I then discussed options and methods that are utilized to communicate effectively with frontline team members; which continue to help the organization achieve preeminent and sustained results. The organization is currently in the 90th percentile for each initiative.
To ensure this communication was reaching the targeted audience, I conducted forums to discuss Quality, Service and Finance. I engaged the team in the discussion to allow them to speak freely and share their concerns on the aforementioned topics. I conducted these forums on all 3 shifts including weekends.
Due to the various generations and diversity within the organization, I conducted an additional 130 sessions to allow team members to meet with me in a smaller environment, so that they would feel more comfortable communicating with me.
The importance of this information was so great and crucial to success, I required mandatory participation.
During the forums, I discussed the importance of quality and how it was linked to outcomes and financial performance. Credit for Prior Learning BUS3050 10 Credit for Prior Learning BUS3050 11