1 | al’. _ Contents The tools you will need 3 > Letters, emails and memos 3 > Reports, 4 > Presentation slides and notes 4 > Visual aids, such as grids or heat maps 5 > Briefing notes/ briefing papers and warking notes 5 > Press release 6 > Project Initiation Document (PID) 6 General professionalism 7 ‘Communication tools used in the Exhibits 7 > Meeting minutes/ transcripts 7 > Website homepage 7 > Risk register 8 strategic Business Leader ~ The importance of efectie communication for SBL 2‘Think Ahead [efor till: Reports ‘Arepor isan often used format in an examination context, sit provides candidates the opportunity te prosent wll formulated and structured answers at some length, Thess are often required when an overall recommendation s required by the candidate or an analysis o evaluation ofan iesue i required Presentation slides and notes Presentation sides and accompanying notes ar a useful tool ta convey information conctely to a wide audiance, ‘They ae often used to introduice/ explain concepts or issues to thowe with las knawledge/ information. Inthe ‘examination, presentation slides will normally quire accompanying notes. Alternatively the examiner could indeed ask you to just provide the nates, inthe form of speakers notes which would be used to accompany a set of slides. The examiner may prescribe the number of sides tobe prepared oryou may have to use your own judgement 0: ‘sto the number of sides required, This likely to depend ‘on how many tasks you are asked to cover. Reports should havea clear and well defined structure 25 follows From If ached to prepare slides, then itiimporant to remember that each slide needs to create immediate impact, be ‘quick anl eoty to read forthe audience and presented in 13 dleor concise way. Each side should contain between ‘three and five faith brief bullet pints encapsulating the content tothe audience, Sides should be produced with _ecomparying notes to explain the bullet points more fully. ‘These notes must be drat inked to the point made an, the slide. Remember, these are the speakers notes and you may be preparing ths presentation for another senior ‘manager. Therefore, they must be able to understand how the notes link and explain the bullet points Subject Header: (Name ofthe Report) Setting out the reason far wing the report ‘and ite main aime, Main Body “Two or toe structured paragraphs containing analysis evaluation af the main contact of Slide header the report * Bullet point 1 = Bullet point 2 Concluding comments/ recommendation © Bales poten ‘Summary of fiings wth recommendations for further action (fasked fer. Notes page Again remember the tone ofthe report ill be vary important and must be set ata sategic level anc pitched at the right audionce © 500 Specimen 2, Question 3a for #aport Sond queen: Explanation’ Reasoning ofthe slide Explanation of bullet point 1 Explanation of bullat point 2 Explanation of bullet point 3 @ see specimen 2, Question 3 fra presentation ‘Smut question i Business Leader ~ The importance of ffectve communication for SBLVisual aids, such as grids or heat maps ‘Sometimes an exam may require the candidate to create a visual aid as a task or par of it. Examples of this would be to construct a Mendelow matrix, a BOS ‘matix 0 plot sks on a heat map which re visualizations that present the results ofa rskassossment For example, ina isk assessment process, the ability to visualiza risks helps to establish and communicate a holistic view af ks afecting the organization. Rsk heat mapsare often used te convey the potential ined and impact of risks so that strategic decisions can be made forthe heath of the ‘organization, Ina Mendel matt a candidate may need te decide where to poston er move the relative postions of stakeholders based on ther power and intrest as related toa staksholder engagement strategy Likelihood ——> Briefing notes/ briefing papers and working notes ‘As the names indicate, bref notes, papers oF werking ‘otes ae intended tobe short and tthe pont ut have ‘no rea formal structure a they are intended as ochisory document for ether people suchas sri managers board rectors tohelp them communicate mare formally both verbally orn wtingt a selected acines, Therefore, theres no recognised, formal structure, but students must understand that these iflerfrom reports, in that they do aot require options! conclsions/ recommendations stead, they should be merely informative and factual inorder forthe recipient to form an objective opinion af the factspresetod. @ See spacinen 2, Question ta for a bring ote Remelguneton, HY ‘Think Ahead ‘Once risks have been aseosted in an cxganization, thers heatmap shows four relative values dependent ‘on the impact and tkalnoad a the sk The areas of ‘greater concer arerepreseted inthe upper right ‘quadrant of the risk heatmap, andthe areas of lower concem are represented in the lower ight quadrant. © S00 specimen 1 Guesion2for Heat ‘map format question. 1 ‘Communicate more formally ‘both verbally or in writing. L___4 ‘Strategic Business Leader ~ The importance of effective communication fr SBL 5. Wy a. Still. ~-= Press release {A press release is 2 very useful communication tool to convey information about the organisation to external stakoholders suchas customers, investors, suppliers fand the general publ. tie important that the content ‘of pres releases factual and concise, convaying the ‘mort important information tothe relevant stakeholder {r0up a} we are tying Yo communicate with, The main purpose ofa pres releases isto promote something Significant and specifi [A press release serves three marketing and promational purposes: 1 Tolet stakeholders know about an event ‘ Tolet the media know about the business * Tohelp promote our business’ appearance or credibility, Press release (Fer release dote/ time) ‘Shor factual paragraphs Ending For more information, press any PR Contace Name Phone number Email Project Initiation Document (PID) [APIO is one ofthe mast significant tools in project management, which provides the foundation forthe business projact. The Project nition Docurnent provides 8 reference point throughout the project for ‘oath the custome and the rojact Team and should ‘normally incide th following sections hore sufcientinformation i presented inthe exhibits): | PID is one of the most significant tools in project management. a | * Project Goats * Scope * Project Organization * Business Cate * Constraints * Stakeholders aks * Project Controls * Reporting frameworks = PIO Sign OF * Summary > ‘The main purpose of all press L__ releases is to promote something significant and specific. O 500 spocinon 2 Queton Sb fora PO Format question. mnunication for SL 6. Wy a. Sill. ~-= General professionalism Communication’ is one of the five SBL professional skills. In each examination you will be tested on. your communication skills through the ‘communication’ professional sil, This will equire you to use ‘the communication tool requested by the examiner appropriately and effectively within the particular ‘question that this skill is assigned to. However itis also imporant for students to understand that communication infact forms part of al ofthe professional sil, through the appropriate and corect se of these presentation formats discussed inthe previous section of hi article, Therefore, candidates ‘se the format aperaprately then ti highy likely that they wll eam more profesional marks even if communication is not the specific profesional skill boing assessed in that paticula equirement For example, ifthe professional sil being examined is "Evaluation sill and candidates have bean asked ‘ta write a report tothe Board af Diectos, then ifthe candidate's ansvor has not presented a report or has presented the report badly fer example, there is no Proper induction anda lack of veal concluding ‘comments or recommendations, then full profesional marks wilnat oe awarded to the andldate, even fall the specific evaluation criteria fr full marks have been met Therefore, do not think that ‘sammunication’i nly tested within the communication professional sil. Sound and effective communication required throughout the ‘examination and should be considered when answering allof the questions, Marker wil be looking for strong ‘and effactve communication in every ansner ich will emanstatestiong professionalism in all answers. SBL professional skills Communication Communication tools used in the Exhibits ‘The communication formats highlighted above are the ones most likely to be required of the fates in presenting their own answers to the questions asked. However, itis also worth Giving a brief mention of the additional communication tools which could be used by the ‘examiners to present information to the candidates: Meeting minutes/ transcripts ‘Thee are ureful forthe examiner to corwey the opinions ‘of senior leaders though the comments that they make about organisational issues. Candidates should ead these ‘comments and opinions thoroughly 9 ty to understand ‘more cleat the personalities ofthe meeting members ‘and their viewpoints on stategic issues. These wil often bbe at Board level and willbe focused on one specific strategic eu, @ see Specimen 1 and 2 for examples ofboth formal imoeting minutes (Specimen 2 anda transcript ofa Ascussion between a management consutant and the CEO (Spedmen i Website homepage ‘An organisation's website home pages normally the main page a vitor navigating to a website fom. 1 web search engine will we. The home page i used +0 failtate navigation to other pages on the site by providing information on and links to its products and Senvces, ts organisation stiuctue,recertaticles and itshistory is 2 useful tool forthe examiner to set the context ofan organisation and highlight its main features and atts © S00 Specimen 2forn example ofan exact ftom 3 companys homepage. wD Think Ahead [Xefer\ = rr Risk register ‘Asisk register is an important and practical tool that allcompanias should now produce. raged tobe reviewed regulary and this i likely tobe what wll be {eked of candidates in an SBL examination cantext. The rk register is often lid out ina tabular format and nowadays isan integra pat of companies ‘eporting and ea requirement of investors fd ‘A risk register is an important and practical tool that all companies '— should now produce. ‘The main aspects of ask register willbe: 1 The title ofthe risk * The ikelhood ofthe risk normally measured ‘ona scale of I (unlikely) 05 (highly likely) * The impact of the risk ~ Again likely tobe graded from 1 (low) to 5 (high impact) 1 The risk owner — usually a manager ora director * The date the risk was identified and the date it was lst given consideration * Mitigating actions should be listed ie what has the business done to reduce the risk land what are Intended future actions to mitigate the risk. Be prepared to evaluate and commenton ark regjster and pessibly formulate or improve on ane (Other formats that the examiner may use to convey industy/ organizational information could include + Newspaper articles @ See Specimen Paper 2 * Sprendshects O00 Specimen Papert and2 * Industry research artis * Chaiman’s Statement or other extracts from a company's Annual Report @ see Specinen Paper ‘As ctated eater inthis aril, this it not exhaustive ‘and there are many alternative formats thatthe examiners ould select to present relevant organisational! industry relevant information. Therefore, you must be prepared to.analyee and evaluate a wide range of information sources effectively within the examination hall in ore 10 communicate elective; Make sure thatin preparation {or this examination, you read widely, both traditional ‘and online macia and familiarise youreaf wth a range Of information sources used by modem businesses. Strategic Business Leader ~ The importance of effective co mmunication for SBL