Communication and Persuasion in the Digital Age

Grounded in extensive cognitive research on how we learn and observe, Communication and Persuasion in the Digital Age is designed to help executives and managers become successful communicators in person and in virtual contexts, like group discussions, presentations, and social media.

Advancements in technology and the rapid proliferation of digital media, data analytics, artificial intelligence and online collaboration require executives to lead their organizations with sophisticated communication skills, adapted for these new ways of working. In particular, AI-assisted communication is affecting almost every aspect of professional communication—ChatGPT, AI-created slide shows, social media bots, AI created videos, and even personalized head shots. A dedicated session will describe how such technology works and what the strengths and weaknesses are of relying on AI-assisted communication. To be a successful leader today, you must be able to effectively persuade and influence at all levels, in person and virtually, and with supporting data.

As a participant in this course, you will learn how to leverage new communication skills and harness the power of persuasion to:

• Influence attitudes and change behaviors in your organization
• Understand how new technology shapes the way we work and communicate
• Bring your message and your medium into alignment
• Support your message with data analytics
• Manage virtual communications with power and presence
• Apply the latest research to become a confident and inspiring public speaker
• Create a compelling story to galvanize and motivate people
• Adapt and deliver your message across different media channels and to diverse audiences
• Advance the level of discourse within your organization
• Earn a certificate of completion from the MIT Sloan School of Management upon successful completion of the course. This course may also count toward MIT Sloan Executive Certificate requirements.

Edward Schiappa and Ben Shields draw on cutting-edge communication research, theories of persuasion, studies on parasocial interaction, and empirical studies on compelling storytelling to help participants solve problems, make quality decisions, and motivate people. Session topics include speaking persuasively, visual persuasion, communicating quantitative information clearly, and adapting messages to audiences. You will also benefit from small group discussions.

Please Note: We do not recommend this course if you have already completed Interpersonal Communication: Strategies for Executives, unless you are seeking a refresher of the content.