Speaking up is not simply a choice between saying something and staying silent. People often communicate concerns indirectly—softening their language, hinting at disagreement, or deferring to someone with greater authority. In this module, you’ll examine how these communication patterns shape what teams are able to understand and act upon, particularly when uncertainty and pressure are high. You’ll learn to distinguish between communication that makes concerns clear and communication that leaves important meaning beneath the surface, and explore how undiscussables can prevent teams from confronting the issues that matter most. By the end of the module, you’ll be able to recognize communication patterns that weaken dialogue, identify concerns that are present but not being discussed openly, and evaluate how managers can create conditions for more direct and productive communication.

Effective dialogue requires more than encouraging people to speak up. Managers also need to understand how people participate once a conversation is underway—and know how to intervene when that conversation becomes unbalanced or unproductive. In this module, you’ll learn to recognize four common conversational roles: mover, follower, opposer, and bystander. You’ll examine what each role contributes, what can happen when a role is missing or overrepresented, and why effective managers need the versatility to shift roles as circumstances change. You’ll also develop practical inquiry techniques for drawing out examples, testing assumptions, broadening participation, and reframing conversations to invite additional perspectives. By the end of the module, you’ll be able to diagnose the structure of a managerial conversation and use inquiry intentionally to help teams surface information, examine their reasoning, and move toward more productive dialogue.

Managers do not communicate only with individuals and teams. At times, they must speak on behalf of an entire organization, where a decision or statement can signal what the institution values and shape how different audiences understand its identity. In this module, you’ll explore what changes when managerial communication becomes institutional communication. You’ll examine how leaders move from personal judgment to organizational responsibility, consider the needs and expectations of multiple constituencies, and navigate situations in which no single response will satisfy everyone. By the end of the module, you’ll be able to evaluate an institutional communication challenge from multiple stakeholder perspectives and develop a position that clearly communicates the organization’s reasoning, values, and expectations.

Shared purpose does not guarantee shared priorities. In this module, you’ll explore what happens when managers must communicate across stakeholders who care about the same broader mission but differ in what they value, how they define success, and what they need from the organization. You’ll examine how leaders can map stakeholder priorities and concerns, surface tensions that might otherwise remain unspoken, and adapt how they frame a message without losing sight of a coherent organizational strategy. You’ll also consider how listening, translation, and sustained dialogue can help leaders build trust and create alignment without requiring every stakeholder to agree. By the end of the module, you’ll be able to diagnose sources of stakeholder misalignment, tailor communication to different audiences, and use dialogue to build enough shared understanding for coordinated action.

Effective communication requires managers to do more than deliver a clear message. In this final module, you’ll bring together the practices developed throughout the course—from listening for what remains unsaid and creating productive dialogue to communicating for an institution and building alignment across stakeholders. You’ll consider how these capabilities work together to help managers surface important information, navigate disagreement, and create shared understanding. By the end of the module, you’ll be able to integrate the communication principles from across the course and apply them to a range of managerial situations.