Brian Richardson
Adjunct Lecturer in Leadership Development and Communications
Brian Richardson is the CEO of StartOut, the national nonprofit that supports LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs in building high-growth companies. Under his leadership, StartOut connects thousands of founders to critical resources—including capital, mentorship, and community—and works to increase LGBTQ+ representation in the innovation economy. Previously, Brian has held leadership roles at Lambda Legal, Google and the Democratic National Committee, and served as Deputy Commissioner for the Chicago Department of Public Health and as press secretary in the U.S. Senate. He earned degrees from University of Chicago and UC Berkeley - Haas School of Business. He lives in Lakeview with his son.
Strategic Communication for Organizations (LDEVM-456-5)
Strategic Communication for Organizations (LDEV-456-5)
This course was previously known as KACI-915-5 .
Effective communication is essential in the workplace - it contributes dramatically to your ability to succeed at every level of an organization and is relevant across every function. It is through strategic, audience-centered, and compelling communication that you convey your talents and abilities and engage others in accomplishing shared goals and tasks. Knowledge workers spend more than 60% of their time every day communicating and communication skills are tested further as you grow in seniority and become responsible for leading others and engaging diverse stakeholders. The course will teach you to thoughtfully consider how to leverage communication at key career stages - as an individual contributor, a manager or team leader and as an executive. More specifically, we'll explore how leaders use strategic communication to build employee engagement (one-on-one and in groups), drive change and perform under pressure. Each class session will combine lecture and discussion with exercises and cases that allow you to apply the concepts we discuss. In summary, this course is about providing you with a strong foundation in communications strategy and the opportunity to gain insights and develop skills that will allow you to be a more aware and effective communicator.
