Course Description and Competencies

What to Expect

What skills will help you excel in the business world? They include leadership and emotion management. They also include ethical considerations and effective communication. You will explore these and other concepts by taking this course. You will also have the opportunity to explore your own strengths and passions in relation to the professional world.

Your learning will be enhanced by videos, practical scenarios, and AI-supported activities. In addition, you will find Lightning Rounds and Practice Quizzes throughout. These will reinforce your learning.

At the beginning of each module, you will be introduced to a fictional professional who faces a challenge in the workplace. Reading each of these scenarios will introduce you to important concepts you will learn more about as you proceed through your coursework. At the end of each module, you will encounter interactive questions about the scenario. These are ungraded opportunities for you to apply what you've learned to a practical scenario.

Course Competencies

This course covers the following competencies:

  • The learner identifies common ethical issues that individuals face within organizations.
  • The learner recognizes common organizational functions and values in order to collaborate within them.
  • The learner communicates ideas, opinions, and information suitable for a professional setting.
  • The learner recognizes the emotional reactions of self and others in a variety of professional situations.
  • The learner identifies leadership opportunities to enhance organizational performance.

Assessment

The assessment provides an opportunity to demonstrate your mastery of the competencies in this course. You may attempt the assessment two times before additional support is necessary. If you require further attempts, please contact your Student Experience Team.

1 Final Exam
3 Competency Units

Course Outline

ModuleUpon completion of this module, you will be able to:
Common Ethical Issues
  • Distinguish between personal and organizational ethics.
  • Identify how ethics impacts outcomes in organizations.
  • Define corporate social responsibility (CSR) and its importance in the organization and the community.
  • Compare corporate ethical commitments with the reality of how the commitments are executed.
Organizational Functions and Values
  • Describe the functions within different departments of an organization.
  • Differentiate between leadership and management.
  • Explain the competing values framework (CVF).
  • Examine how personal values fit within various types of organizations.
Effective Communication
  • Communicate ideas, opinions, and information suitable for a professional setting.
  • Explain the differences among various means of communication.
  • Explain the differences among communication styles.
Emotional Intelligence
  • Define emotional intelligence and its principles.
  • Explain the role of emotional intelligence in our lives.
  • Discuss the concept of ethics as it pertains to emotional intelligence.
  • Identify techniques for self-examination and enhancing emotional intelligence.
  • Discuss methods to share emotional intelligence concepts with others.
Leadership and Influence
  • Identify leadership opportunities to enhance organizational performance.
  • Characterize key attributes of leadership and their benefits.
  • Identify the six bases of power.
  • Describe the process of design thinking.
  • Compare the effectiveness of leadership styles in different situations.
  • Select appropriate strategies for interacting with different leadership styles.

Technology Requirements

We want you to have the tools to succeed! Since this course includes at least one proctored test, please be sure to have a working microphone, speakers, and an external webcam. Unfortunately, an internal webcam (built into many laptops) is not acceptable. (Note: The external webcam is required only for exams that have proctors. You do not need one for practice tests and other non-proctored assessments.) If you haven't already, be sure to download the Meazure Learning Guardian browser, which you will need for the proctoring system.

You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader DC. If you haven't already, download this free software. You may encounter an interactive form that contains fields that you can select or fill in. Review how to fill in a PDF form.

You are allowed to use a hand-held calculator on every assessment. Be sure to follow these calculator requirements.

For other details about the technology you'll need, review the Computer System and Technology Requirements. If you have questions about your setup, contact support@academy.wgu.edu.

Key Contacts

Certificate Connect
Check out this online community to take advantage of course resources, including videos and tips from your educators. You can ask and answer questions, provide feedback on your progress, and interact with fellow students. You will find this platform in the Student Resources section of the course. Log on and do some exploring!

Technical Support
If you encounter technical issues, be sure to contact the Help Desk. Just submit a Support Request for assistance.

Program Support
Do you have questions about your account? Student Support has answers. They can help with billing, switching courses, and other requests. You can contact them at (888) 320-0540 or support@academy.wgu.edu.

Accommodations

WGU provides compliant and accessible learning experiences. If you require accommodation, please contact us at the start of the course. You can email disability@academy.wgu.edu.

We are committed to ensuring that all students with disabilities have equal access to WGU's services and materials. We strive to use best practices for accessibility. Our goal is to conform to existing U.S. laws, including the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act.

Our learning management system (LMS) platform is Open edX. Open edX’s commitment to accessible content is published in their Website Accessibility Policy.