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JWI 505: Business Communications and Executive Presence
Assignment 2
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JWI 505 – Assignment 2 (1244) Page 1 of 8
Assignment 2: Navigating a Crisis
Due: Monday, 9 am (eastern), Week 7 (Weight: 20%)
Overview
As a leader, you will face multiple crises. While you will easily weather many bad situations, there may be
some that will seriously threaten your company and your reputation. How you respond to crises, especially
crises of trust, will determine your fate. You must use appropriate communication tools to emerge
victorious. In your course materials, Jack identifies five principles for managing a crisis:
1. Assume the worst
2. There are no secrets
3. Your crisis management will not be portrayed favorably
4. Your organization will undergo changes
5. Your organization will come out of the crisis stronger
Additionally, Warren Buffett emphasizes four critical steps in managing a PR crisis:
1. Get it right
2. Get it fast
3. Get it out
4. Get it over
For this assignment, you will apply key concepts from your course materials to respond to
a public relations crisis. NOTE: Before beginning work on this assignment, review your
materials from Weeks 5 and 6. Your responses in Part One: Memo Outline must include
specific references to course materials addressing the principles and practices of
effective crisis management that you are deploying in your internal memo and include an
explanation for why you are doing so.
In your Week 5 discussion question, you identified and addressed a public relations crisis that an
organization faced. In this assignment, using that same crisis, you will turn your attention to crafting an
internal communication in the form of a memo to be shared by email. You will write your memo from the
perspective of a leader within that company. The memo will be addressed to your team members and will
communicate information about the crisis and your response. Your assignment will be composed of two
parts: (1) an outline of your key points and communication strategy and (2) the actual memo.
JWI 505: Business Communications and Executive Presence
Assignment 2
© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University confidential and proprietary information and may not
be copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed, in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University.
JWI 505 – Assignment 2 (1244) Page 2 of 8
JWI 505: Business Communications and Executive Presence
Assignment 2
© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University confidential and proprietary information and may not
be copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed, in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University.
JWI 505 – Assignment 2 (1244) Page 3 of 8
Instructions
Part One: Memo Outline
Create an outline of your memo in which you summarize four communication objectives and your strategy
to achieve each of those objectives. Think of this as your “game plan.” This outline should be no more
than one page in length. You may use bullets and sentence fragments if you like. The outline’s purpose is
to help you organize your messaging and create a roadmap for the final version of the memo. Your
outline should address the following:
1. The Nature of the Crisis
a. What are the 2-3 most critical points that must be presented in the memo to accurately
summarize the nature of the crisis without going into non-essential details?
b. Why are you focusing on these points?
2. The Factors That Led to the Crisis
a. What key circumstances – decisions, mistakes, timelines, personnel, and/or departments
caused the crisis?
b. Why are you focusing on these?
3. The Impact on Stakeholders (both Internal and External)
a. What are the most important adverse outcomes you want to highlight in your memo?
b. Why are you focusing on these?
c. Are there any outcomes you do NOT want to include in the memo? Why?
4. The Plan to Resolve the Crisis
a. What are the critical next steps to get through the crisis?
b. Who will own these steps, and what are the timelines?
c. What do you need from your team?
d. Why are you focusing on these actions?
Part Two: Memo
Create a 1- to 2- page internal memo to be sent to your team members via email based on your outline.
Make sure you cover the following:
1. The nature of the crisis
2. The factors that led to the crisis
3. The impact on stakeholders
4. The plan, including how the company – and you – are responding to the situation, and the steps
your team members should take, including what, if anything, they need to do differently
JWI 505: Business Communications and Executive Presence
Assignment 2
© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University confidential and proprietary information and may not
be copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed, in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University.
JWI 505 – Assignment 2 (1244) Page 4 of 8
Professional Formatting Requirements:
Your assignment should follow these formatting requirements:
• Your memo should be typed, double-spaced, with a blank line between paragraphs, using a
professional font (size 10-12).
• Your memo should include headings and subheadings to identify main topics and subtopics with
one-inch margins on all sides.
• Your submission should include a cover page containing the assignment’s title, your professor’s
name, the course title, and the date.
• Application of course material or other resources is needed. References and in-text citations must
be included and provide appropriate information that enables the reader to locate the original
source. Use the Writing Standards Guide in the Course Documents to guide you in formatting
your citations.
• The length of 2 to 3 pages does not include your cover page or references page.
• Begin your 1- to 2- page internal memo with the following headings aligned to the left:
o TO: Fill in your team’s name (e.g., Sales Department, Accounting Team)
o FROM: Fill in your name
o DATE: Fill in the due date
o RE: Insert an appropriate subject line
JWI 505: Business Communications and Executive Presence
Assignment 2
© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University confidential and proprietary information and may not
be copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed, in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University.
JWI 505 – Assignment 2 (1244) Page 5 of 8
Assignment 2: Rubric
Weight: 25% Assignment 2: Navigating a Crisis
Criteria Honors High Pass Pass Low Pass Unsatisfactory
1. Outline Notes:
Nature of the
crisis and
rationale for
focusing on
these key
points in the
memo
Weight: 10%
Excellent
selection of the
most critical
points of focus to
summarize the
nature of the
crisis; provides a
clear and
compelling
explanation of
the rationale and
strategy for
highlighting
these points in
the memo.
Well-chosen
selection of the
most critical
points of focus;
clear and
logical rationale
for highlighting
these points in
the memo.
Good summary
of the crisis with
appropriate
selection of key
points of focus;
may lack clear or
logical rationale
for highlighting
these as the
most critical
points in the
memo.
Partially
summarizes the
nature of the
crisis; may
highlight too
many or too few
critical points or
does not provide
a clear or logical
rationale for
highlighting
these as the
most critical
points in the
memo.
Does not or
unsatisfactorily
summarizes the
nature of the
crisis; does not
highlight the 2-3
most critical
points; does not
include, or
provides an
unclear rationale
for, highlighting
these as the most
critical points in
the memo.
2. Outline Notes:
Factors That
led to the crisis
and rationale
for focusing on
these in the
memo
Weight: 10%
Excellent focus
on the key
decisions,
mistakes,
timelines,
personnel,
and/or
departments that
caused the
crisis; provides a
clear and
compelling
explanation of
the rationale and
strategy for
highlighting
these in the
memo.
Well-chosen
focus on the
key decisions,
mistakes,
timelines,
personnel,
and/or
departments
that caused the
crisis; clear and
logical rationale
is presented for
highlighting
these in the
memo.
Good summary
of the key
decisions,
mistakes,
timelines,
personnel,
and/or
departments that
caused the
crisis; may lack
clear or logical
rationale for
highlighting
these as the
most critical
factors.
Partially
summarizes the
key decisions,
mistakes,
timelines,
personnel,
and/or
departments that
caused the
crisis; may
highlight too
many or too few
critical factors or
does not provide
a clear or logical
rationale for
highlighting
these as the
most critical
factors.
Does not or
unsatisfactorily
summarizes the
key decisions,
mistakes,
timelines,
personnel, and/or
departments that
caused the crisis;
does not include
or provides an
unclear rationale
for highlighting
these as the most
critical factors.
3. Outline Notes:
Impact on
stakeholders
and rationale
for focusing on
these key
points in the
memo
Weight: 10%
Identifies the
most significant
impacts on
stakeholders;
provides a clear
and compelling
rationale for
inclusion of
these impacts
and/or exclusion
of other impacts
in the memo.
Identifies the
most significant
impacts on
stakeholders;
rationale for the
inclusion of
these impacts
and/or
exclusion of
other impacts in
the memo is
clearly
explained.
Identifies
significant
impacts on
stakeholders;
however, the
rationale for
inclusion of
these impacts
and/or exclusion
of other impacts
in the memo is
missing or
unclear.
Identifies some
impacts on
stakeholders but
may include
impacts that are
vague or
inappropriate;
may present an
unclear rationale
for the inclusion
of these impacts
and/or exclusion
of other impacts
in the memo.
Does not identify
the most
significant impacts
on stakeholders
or includes
impacts that are
unclear or
inappropriate;
does not include
or provides an
unclear rationale
for the inclusion of
these impacts
and/or exclusion
of other impacts in
JWI 505: Business Communications and Executive Presence
Assignment 2
© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University confidential and proprietary information and may not
be copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed, in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University.
JWI 505 – Assignment 2 (1244) Page 6 of 8
the memo
JWI 505: Business Communications and Executive Presence
Assignment 2
© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University confidential and proprietary information and may not
be copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed, in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University.
JWI 505 – Assignment 2 (1244) Page 7 of 8
Criteria Honors High Pass Pass Low Pass Unsatisfactory
4. Outline Notes:
Plan to
resolve the
crisis and
rationale for
focusing on
these actions
Weight: 10%
Excellent focus
on critical next
steps,
ownership,
timelines, and
team
responsibilities
for resolving the
crisis; provides
an exemplarily
detailed and
insightful
rationale for
including these
actions in the
memo.
Excellent
focus on
critical next
steps,
ownership,
timelines, and
team
responsibilities
for resolving
the crisis;
rationale for
including these
actions in the
memo is
logical and
clear.
Good focus on
critical next
steps,
ownership,
timelines, and
team
responsibilities
for resolving the
crisis; rationale
for focusing on
these actions in
the memo may
be vague and/or
logic is unclear.
Partially
identifies next
steps,
ownership,
timelines, and
team
responsibilities
for resolving the
crisis but does
not clearly
explain the
rationale for
focusing on
these actions in
the memo.
Does not or
unsatisfactorily
summarizes next
steps, ownership
and/or timelines;
does not or
unsatisfactorily
summarizes
team
responsibilities
and their
connection to
resolving the
crisis; does not
or unclearly
explains the
rationale for
focusing on
these actions in
the memo.
5. Craft a crisis
response
memo to your
team
members
Weight: 30%
Memo is clear
and on-topic in
its treatment of
all topic areas
from the outline;
content and
structure of the
memo
demonstrate
outstanding
execution of the
communication
objectives
identified in the
outline; key
takeaways for
the message’s
recipients are
clear, succinct,
immediately
actionable, and
directly tied to
supporting a
resolution to the
crisis; the
memo
addresses the
crisis with
candor while
delivering a
motivational call
to action.
Memo is clear
and on-topic in
its treatment of
all topic areas
from the
outline;
content and
structure of the
memo
demonstrate
excellent
execution of
the
communicat-
ion objectives
identified in
the outline;
key takeaways
for the
message’s
recipients are
clear and
directly tied to
supporting a
resolution to
the crisis.
Memo is clear
and on-topic in
its treatment of
all topic areas
from the outline;
content and
structure of the
memo
demonstrate
good execution
of the
communication
objectives
identified in the
outline; key
takeaways for
the message’s
recipients are
clear, but may
benefit from
additional detail
on how they
support a
resolution to the
crisis.
Memo is
unclear or off-
topic in its
treatment of no
more than one
of the topic
areas from the
outline; content
and structure of
the memo
demonstrate a
basic execution
of the
communication
objectives
identified in the
outline; key
takeaways for
the message’s
recipients may
be vague or
unclear in how
they support a
resolution to the
crisis.
Does not or
unsatisfactorily
crafts a crisis
response memo;
does not address
2 or more of the
4 topic areas
from the outline;
content and
structure of the
memo do not
support the
communication
objectives
identified in the
outline; key
takeaways for
the message’s
recipients are
unclear.
JWI 505: Business Communications and Executive Presence
Assignment 2
© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University confidential and proprietary information and may not
be copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed, in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University.
JWI 505 – Assignment 2 (1244) Page 8 of 8
Criteria Honors High Pass Pass Low Pass Unsatisfactory
6. Writing Style,
Formatting,
and Grammar
Weight: 30%
Memo is
exceptionally
well written,
succinct, and
makes excellent
use of
appropriate
business
language; well
formatted with
no grammar or
spelling errors;
references are
included in a
manner that
enables the
reader to
quickly identify
sources.
Memo is very
well written,
succinct, and
makes good
use of
appropriate
business
language; well
formatted with
minimal
grammar and
spelling errors;
references are
included in a
manner that
enables the
reader to
quickly identify
sources.
Memo is
satisfactorily
written and
makes good
use of
appropriate
business
language; free
from significant
formatting
issues and
grammar and
spelling errors;
references are
included in a
manner that
enables the
reader to
quickly identify
sources.
Memo is
adequately
written and
uses mostly
appropriate
business
language; may
contain minor
formatting
irregularities
and/or some
grammar and
spelling errors;
references may
not be included
in a manner that
enables the
reader to quickly
identify sources.
Memo is poorly
written and/or
does not use
appropriate
business
language;
improperly
formatted and/or
contains multiple
grammar and/or
spelling errors;
references are
not included in a
manner that
enables the
reader to quickly
identify sources.
- Assignment 2: Navigating a Crisis
- Due: Monday, 9 am (eastern), Week 7 (Weight: 20%)
- Professional Formatting Requirements:
- Assignment 2: Rubric
