Develop practical communication techniques to effectively engage with diverse audiences.
6 weeks, excluding
orientation
6–8 hours per week,
entirely online
Weekly modules,
flexible learning
Earn a digital
MIT Sloan certificate
1
A practical understanding of the RELATE Framework, a scalable communication strategy developed by experts from MIT Sloan with techniques for inspiring, motivating, and engaging with diverse audiences.
2
The confidence to navigate difficult conversations in the workplace, as well as manage cross-cultural communication effectively, in order to strengthen interpersonal and business relationships.
3
The ability to strategically communicate to your workforce what the adoption of advanced technologies will mean for them, and how to effectively use and communicate with this technology.
4
The skills and strategies needed to successfully manage remote teams in today’s digitized world.
Over the duration of this online program, you’ll work your way through the following modules:
MODULE 1 SHARPENING YOUR COMMUNICATION CAPABILITIES THROUGH THE RELATE FRAMEWORK
Understand who you are as a communicator to maximize engagement with multiple audiences.
MODULE 2 NAVIGATING INTERPERSONAL DYNAMICS
Explore tools to enhance interpersonal communication.
MODULE 3 MANAGING DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS
Engage and listen to manage difficult conversations at work.
MODULE 4 COMMUNICATING ACROSS CULTURES
Explore strategies for communicating in-person and remotely across cultures.
MODULE 5 MAXIMIZING YOUR PERSUASIVE POTENTIAL
Explore persuasive strategies and tactics to motivate and manage different audiences.
MODULE 6 ADDRESSING A NEW AUDIENCE: MACHINES
Explore how humans communicate with, through, and about machines.
Please note that module titles and their contents are subject to change during course development.
Ben Shields
Senior Lecturer in Managerial Communication, MIT Sloan
Shields is a senior lecturer at the MIT Sloan School of Management. He studies technological change through the lens of sports. His current research explores how people and organizations use data analytics to inform strategy and decision-making. At MIT Sloan, he teaches courses on sports management and analytics, leadership communication, and social media. Shields is the author or co-author of three books, The Sports Strategist: Developing Leaders for a High Performance Industry, The Elusive Fan: Reinventing Sports in a Crowded Marketplace and Social Media Management: Persuasion in Networked Culture. He is the co-host of ‘Counterpoints’, the sports analytics podcast from the MIT Sloan Management Review, and the faculty director of the Formula 1 Extreme Innovation Series with MIT Sloan Executive Education. Prior to MIT, he was the director of social media at ESPN. Shields holds a PhD in media, technology, and society from Northwestern University, where he wrote his doctoral dissertation on fantasy sports.
Kara Blackburn
Senior Lecturer in Managerial Communication, MIT Sloan School of Management
Blackburn holds a PhD from Boston College, an MA from Teachers College, Columbia University, and a BA from Connecticut College. She is an affiliate of MIT Sloan's Leadership Center and teaches a range of MBA and executive education programs, winning the Jamieson Prize for Excellence in Teaching at MIT Sloan in 2019. She has mentored teams in the Global Entrepreneurship Lab (G-Lab), and China and India Lab courses. She has also been the faculty lead for study tours in South America and Africa.
“This was my first online learning experience, and I am very impressed and satisfied. Both the content and the online campus platform were amazing. I loved having a concrete framework and techniques with which to improve my work. I’m leaving this course with tools that will be with me forever.”
This MIT Sloan online program is delivered in collaboration with online education provider GetSmarter. Join a growing community of global professionals, and benefit from the opportunity to:
Develop new competencies and earn valuable recognition from an international selection of universities and institutions, entirely online and on your own time frame.
Enjoy a personalized, people-mediated online learning experience that supports you every step of the way.
Experience a flexible but structured approach to online education as you plan your learning around your life to meet weekly milestones.