PCC/ CCOG / MSD

Course Content and Outcome Guide for MSD 113

Date:
23-FEB-2009
Posted by:
Rebecca Robinson
Course Number:
MSD 113
Course Title:
Influence Without Authority
Credit Hours:
1
Lecture hours:
10
Lecture/Lab hours:
0
Lab hours:
0
Special Fee:
 

Course Description

Participants will learn to clearly distinguish between the terms power, influence and authority. Topics include: effective listening, lateral relationships in the workplace, influencing peers, influencing one's supervisor, mutual exchange, rules of reciprocation, knowing yourself and your allies, and building relationships.

Intended Outcomes for the course

  • Exercise influence, without formal authority, to accomplish projects faster and more effectively in an organization.
  • Build relationships with peers, supervisors and others to create mutual advantage and to get more done.

Outcome Assessment Strategies

  • Various individual and/or group skill-building activities such as role-plays, case studies, or other exercises geared toward critical analysis of course concepts.
  • Written assignments or oral reports designed to integrate course material into personal experience or experiences of others.
  • Exams comprised of essay and/or objective questions, or an individual and/or team project or paper which requires integration, application, and critical examination of course concepts, issues, and themes.

Course Content (Themes, Concepts, Issues and Skills)

COMPETENCIES/SKILLS:
  • Diagnosing the needs of uncooperative people.
  • Creating interpersonal exchanges
  • Forming alliances
  • Disagreeing without being insubordinate
  • Creating win-win results
  • Adjusting social style to others
  • Planning
CONCEPTS, THEMES & ISSUES:
General Concepts 
  • Influence without formal authority
  • Mutual respect
  • Openness and trust
  • Mutual exchange strategies
  • Currencies of exchange
  • Building relationships
  • Power and authority
  • The four different social styles
Themes 
  • The work environment requires higher levels of initiative, judgment, and self-direction from non-supervisory people.
  • Each employee is responsible for department success.
Issues 
  • Be willing to settle for partial success initially. 
  • Fears prevent people from building alliances and taking initiative.
  • To complete their jobs, employees need to influence those they can’t control.
  • Not all people can be influenced successfully.