Coursera Instructor Network
Business Execution: Ops, Team Management & Communication Specialization
Coursera Instructor Network

Business Execution: Ops, Team Management & Communication Specialization

Master Operational Excellence and Team Leadership. Drive productivity and sales with expert-led insights on business execution.

Eric Zackrison
Kelley O'Connell
Phil Gold

Instructors: Eric Zackrison

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Get in-depth knowledge of a subject
Beginner level

Recommended experience

4 weeks to complete
at 10 hours a week
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace

What you'll learn

  • Enhance productivity with strategic operations and effective workflow management.

  • Strengthen team dynamics and communication through leadership and ethical practices.

  • Innovate in purchasing and negotiations with core principles and advanced strategies.

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Taught in English
Recently updated!

September 2025

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Specialization - 10 course series

What you'll learn

  • Articulate business presentations to varying work audiences.

  • Create compelling business proposals that deliver important messages to key stakeholders.

  • Identify crisis communications best practices based on the latest case study research.

  • Apply effective messaging and persuasive communication techniques to work related discussions and documentation.

Skills you'll gain

Category: Storytelling
Category: Business Communication
Category: Crisis Management
Category: Strategic Communication
Category: Communication
Category: Communication Strategies
Category: Presentations
Category: Proposal Writing
Category: Writing
Category: Public Speaking
Category: Sales Presentations
Category: Corporate Communications
Category: Verbal Communication Skills
Category: Business Writing
Category: Persuasive Communication

What you'll learn

  • Analyze key concepts, benefits, and types of workflows.

  • Evaluate workflow diagrams and assess digital tools for workflow mapping.

  • Apply techniques for evaluating current workflows in your organization.

Skills you'll gain

Category: Workflow Management
Category: Process Mapping
Category: Team Management
Category: Process Improvement
Category: Continuous Improvement Process
Category: Business Process Management
Category: Operational Efficiency
Category: Process Analysis
Category: Team Leadership
Category: Analysis
Category: Business Workflow Analysis
Category: Process Design
Workforce Productivity

Workforce Productivity

Course 32 hours

What you'll learn

  • Identify the foundational principles of workforce productivity and operational efficiency. 

  • Apply Lean and Six Sigma techniques to real-world processes to minimize waste and optimize performance. 

  • Utilize technology to streamline operations and enhance productivity effectively. 

  • Develop and implement performance metrics to monitor and improve operational efficiency. 

Skills you'll gain

Category: Continuous Improvement Process
Category: Lean Methodologies
Category: Business Technologies
Category: Performance Metric
Category: Operational Performance Management
Category: Process Improvement
Category: Process Analysis
Category: Six Sigma Methodology
Category: Data-Driven Decision-Making
Category: Business Process Management
Category: Operational Efficiency

What you'll learn

  • Explore negotiation nature, structure, impact of personality, success drivers, and negotiation structure.

  • Assess negotiation success drivers, set clear objectives, allocate prep time, emphasize influencing skills, and trust for favorable outcomes.

  • Close negotiations effectively, overcome challenges, prevent buyer’s remorse, and learn from failures.

Skills you'll gain

Category: Influencing
Category: Rapport Building
Category: Negotiation
Category: Interpersonal Communications
Category: Verbal Communication Skills
Category: Overcoming Obstacles
Category: Active Listening
Category: Personal Attributes
Category: Communication
Category: Persuasive Communication
Category: Collaboration
Category: Goal Setting
Category: Relationship Building
Category: Contract Negotiation

What you'll learn

  • Describe the purchasing process and its strategic importance to organizations.

  • Identify techniques for effective supplier evaluation, selection, and management.

  • Identify techniques for effective supplier evaluation, selection, and management.

  • Apply knowledge of purchasing and supply chain management to real-world scenarios

Skills you'll gain

Category: Contract Management
Category: Purchasing
Category: Negotiation
Category: Strategic Sourcing
Category: Supplier Relationship Management
Category: Communication
Category: Business Ethics
Category: Supply Chain Management
Category: Procurement
Category: Vendor Management
Category: Cost Reduction
Category: Compliance Management
Category: Relationship Building

What you'll learn

  • Identify the principles of effective leadership

  • Apply strategic thinking in decision-making processes

  • Recognize and navigate team dynamics

  • Implement ethical decision-making strategies

Skills you'll gain

Category: Strategic Decision-Making
Category: Business Leadership
Category: Ethical Standards And Conduct
Category: Strategic Leadership
Category: Business Ethics
Category: Team Management
Category: Decision Making
Category: Leadership and Management
Category: Strategic Thinking
Category: Teamwork
Category: Leadership
Category: Leadership Development

What you'll learn

  • Learn the principles of effective internal communication

  • Evaluate the role of internal communication in business

  • Develop skills for implementing effective internal communication

  • Apply these learned skills in real-world scenarios

Skills you'll gain

Category: Communication Strategies
Category: Internal Communications
Category: Employee Engagement
Category: Stakeholder Communications
Category: Corporate Communications
Category: Strategic Communication
Category: Target Audience
Category: Drive Engagement
Category: Communication
Category: Leadership
Category: Business Writing
Category: Business Communication
Category: Active Listening
Category: Verbal Communication Skills
Category: Stakeholder Engagement
Category: Presentations
Category: Interpersonal Communications
Category: Organizational Leadership
Systems Thinking Basics

Systems Thinking Basics

Course 83 hours

What you'll learn

  • Analyze complex systems by identifying and mapping their elements, interconnections, and feedback loops.

  • Apply systems thinking tools and methods to real-world problems and opportunities.

  • Generate innovative ideas and solutions using systems thinking approaches.

Skills you'll gain

Category: Systems Thinking
Category: Complex Problem Solving
Category: Innovation
Category: Systems Analysis
Category: Business Systems Analysis
Category: Decision Making
Category: Creative Thinking
Category: Critical Thinking
Category: Collaboration
Category: Strategic Thinking
Category: Analysis
Category: Data Visualization
AI in Workforce Management

AI in Workforce Management

Course 92 hours

What you'll learn

  • Identify specific uses of AI in workplace management.

  • Design a detailed AI-driven workforce strategy.

  • Apply advanced AI applications for decision-making.

Skills you'll gain

Category: Data-Driven Decision-Making
Category: Resource Management
Category: Strategic Decision-Making
Category: Human Resource Strategy
Category: Employee Performance Management
Category: Strategic Planning
Category: Workforce Planning
Category: Ethical Standards And Conduct
Category: Performance Improvement
Category: Operational Efficiency
Category: Workflow Management
Category: Business Strategy
Category: Emerging Technologies
Category: Workforce Management
Category: Human Resources
Category: Process Optimization
Value Stream Mapping

Value Stream Mapping

Course 102 hours

What you'll learn

  • Identify the purpose and benefits of using VSM in process improvement.

  • Use standard VSM symbols and notations to represent processes, material flows, and information flows.

  • Analyze a completed Value Stream Map to identify areas of waste and opportunities for improvement.

Skills you'll gain

Category: Business Process Improvement
Category: Process Mapping
Category: Strategic Thinking
Category: Operational Efficiency
Category: Business Workflow Analysis
Category: Waste Minimization
Category: Process Improvement
Category: Process Analysis
Category: Lean Methodologies
Category: Process Management

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Instructors

Kelley O'Connell
11 Courses31,349 learners
Phil Gold
Coursera Instructor Network
9 Courses17,717 learners
Manish Gupta
15 Courses49,575 learners

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