Assignment 1: Listen and Respond

Due: Week 3

Points: 150

Skill(s) Being Assessed: Communication (active listening, oral communication)

Criteria for Success: In this assignment, you will:

• Create a 1–2 minute audio response with clear and consistent sound quality throughout.
• Address all aspects of the problem identified clearly, cohesively, and concisely.
• Tailor the content, tone, and language of your response to the audience.
• Summarize the speaker’s message, incorporating all of the speaker’s main points clearly.
• Convey openness and approachability.
• Appropriately use informal and formal language.

What to submit/deliverables: Informal voicemail to a colleague (Kaltura or mobile device to record voicemail).

What is the value of doing this assignment?This assignment gives you an opportunity to practice active listeningand oral communication in a workplace setting, all of which continues tohone your communication skill. You will demonstrate the use ofappropriate tone and language, and practice conveying openness andapproachability in your response to a co-worker. Whether at work or athome, it is critical to tailor approachability and language depending onthe audience and purpose.

Communication is a universal skill andone you will continue to refine as you progress throughout yourprofessional and academic careers. This assignment asks you to use whatyou’ve learned in the first three weeks of the course about activelistening, audience analysis, and responding in the workplace. Worriedabout where to start? The good news is that you’ve already establishedyour foundation with these practices by reading through Chapters 1, 3,and 6 in The Art of Public Speaking. This assignment will use what you learned in those chapters to help you record and compose your responses.

Your goal for this assignment is to:Practice your communication skill. You will do this by applying activelistening and oral communication strategies to appropriately reply to avoicemail message from your co-worker.

What you need to complete this assignment: To complete this assignment, you will need the following resources:

• Assignment Overview Video.
• Voicemail from your co-worker.
• Kaltura or mobile device.
• Chapter 3 in the textbook.

Scenario:Your organization recently shifted to remote work. Since that time, youhave heard complaints from a few co-workers concerning the lack ofcollaboration tools and difficulty effectively collaborating in a remoteenvironment. Your co-worker recently left you a voicemail expressingextreme frustration with the lack of collaboration tools and has askedif there is something that can be done to help the organization selectand implement a collaboration tool.

To address the problem of lack ofcollaboration software, you will reply to your co-worker to acknowledgetheir concerns and let them know you are planning to establish a taskforce to research effective collaboration tools and suggest replacementtechnology.

Steps to complete: In Week 3, complete and submit your assignment in BlackBoard using the following steps:

STEP 1: Listen to the voicemail from your co-worker

STEP 2: Record a 1–2 minute audio message to your coworker in which you:

• Acknowledge your co-worker’s concerns by summarizing their message and asking any clarifying questions.
• Outline your plans to help resolve the issue by establishing a task force to research effective collaboration tools.
• Reiterate your understanding and empathy for your coworker’sconcerns and that you will be available for further discussion asneeded.

STEP 3: Submit your audio file to Blackboard in Week 3.

Grading for this assignment will be based on the following rubric found here:

Week 3 Assignment 1 Resources

Instructions

Make sure to read the detailed instructions and the scoring guide (rubric) for Assignment 1: Listen and Respond.

To submit your assignment, please go to Assignment 1 in Blackboard by clicking the Assignment 1 link above.