Chapter 2 Collaboration, Interpersonal Communication, and Business Etiquette

Virtual teams

•Pull together the best people for a task •Take advantage of the benefits of telecommuting •Increase engagement and productivity •Instant messaging (IM) and teleconferencing are the simplest forms of virtual meetings. Videoconferencing lets participants see and hear each other, demonstrate products, and transmit other visual information. Telepresence enables realistic conferences in which participants thousands of miles apart almost seem to be in the same room. •The most sophisticated web-based meeting systems combine the best of real-time communication, shared workspaces, and videoconferencing with other tools, such as virtual whiteboards, that let teams collaborate in real time. Such systems are used for everything from spontaneous discussions among small groups to carefully planned formal events such as press conferences, training sessions, sales presentations, and webinars (web-based seminars). One of the newest virtual tools is online brainstorming, in which a company can conduct "idea campaigns" to generate new ideas from people across the organization. •Conducting successful virtual meetings requires extra planning beforehand and more diligence during the meeting. Recognizing the limitations of the virtual meeting format is a key to using it successfully. Because virtual meetings offer less visual contact and nonverbal communication than in-person meetings, for example, leaders need to make sure everyone stays engaged and has the opportunity to contribute. Participants have a responsibility to pay attention and avoid the temptation to work on other tasks. To keep everyone focused, make sure the meeting time is dedicated to discussion and interaction, rather than getting everyone up to speed on the issues. Distribute background information before the meeting so that participants can join the meeting ready to collaborate. A virtual team is one in which members work in at least two different locations and rely on technology to communicate and collaborate. Professionals in a wide variety of situations work in virtual teams, including telecommuting (working from home or other off-site locations), collaborating with colleagues in other offices, and working as independent contractors from remote locations.

Characteristics of effective teams

•Shared sense of purpose & compatible values •Clear and challenging goal •Belief in the value of efforts •Well-balanced mix of people and skills-along with the insights needed to achieve the goal. •Appropriate size-aligns well with the team's responsibilities. •Psychological safety-encouraging people to share information, propose unproven ideas, and express vulnerability without fear of repercussion. •Willingness to put team needs first-ahead of one's own. •Open and honest communication •Effective teams have a clear sense of purpose, open and honest communication, consensus-based decision making, creativity, and effective conflict resolution. The most effective teams have a clear objective and shared sense of purpose, have a strong sense of trust in each other, communicate openly and honestly, reach decisions by consensus, think creatively, know how to resolve conflict, and believe that their work matters. •Dysfunctional Teams- reasons for dysfunctional team efforts include management expectations that are either unclear or not accepted by all team members, a reluctance by team members to prioritize team goals over their personal goals, reward systems that don't recognize team contributions, and leadership that tolerates negative and counterproductive behaviors. Notice how all these traits rely on communication, both in the info that's shared and in the way people interact with one another.

Group dynamics

•Team Roles: •Self-Oriented Roles (Classified as Dysfunctional)-Take for example: "Dream teams" comprising multiple superstars often don't perform as well as one might expect because high-performing individuals can have trouble putting the team's needs ahead of their own. In addition, highly skilled and experienced people with difficult personalities might not contribute, for the simple reason that other team members may avoid interacting with them. •Team-Maintenance Roles (Classified as Functional) •Task-Oriented Roles (Classified as Functional) •Stages of Team Development: •Forming or Orientation-Team members socialize, establish their roles, and begin to define their task or purpose. Team-building exercises and activities can help teams break down barriers and develop a sense of shared purpose. For geographically dispersed virtual teams, creating a "team operating agreement" that sets expectations for online meetings, communication processes, and decision making can help overcome the disadvantages of distance. •Storming or Conflict-Team members begin to discuss their positions and become more assertive in establishing their roles. Disagreements and uncertainties are natural in this phase. •Norming or Brainstorming-Team members air all the options and fully discuss the pros and cons of each. At the end of this phase, members begin to settle on a single solution to the problem. Note that although group brainstorming remains a highly popular activity in today's companies, it may not always be the most productive way to generate new ideas. Some research indicates that having people brainstorm individually and then bring their ideas to a group meeting is more successful. •Performing or Emergence-Consensus is reached when the team finds a solution that all members are willing to support (even if they have reservations). •Adjourning or Reinforcement-The team clarifies and summarizes the agreed-on solution. Members receive their assignments for carrying out the group's decision, and they make arrangements for following up on those assignments. •Side Note-You may also hear the process defined as forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning, the phases identified by researcher Bruce Tuckman when he proposed one of the earliest models of group development. Resolving Conflict in Teams: •Constructive Conflict: can be constructive if it forces important issues into the open, increases the involvement of team members, and generates creative ideas for solving a problem. Teamwork isn't necessarily about happiness and harmony; even teams that have some interpersonal friction can excel with effective leadership and team players who are committed to strong results. As the teamwork experts Andy Boynton and Bill Fischer put it, "Virtuoso teams are not about getting polite results." •Destructive Conflict:is destructive if it diverts energy from more important issues, destroys the morale of teams or individual team members, or polarizes or divides the team. can lead to win-lose or lose-lose outcomes, in which one or both sides lose, to the detriment of the entire team. If you approach conflict with the idea that both sides can satisfy their goals to at least some extent (a win-win strategy), you can minimize losses for everyone. For a win-win strategy to work, everybody must believe that (1) it's possible to find a solution that both parties can accept, (2) cooperation is better for the organization than competition, (3) the other party can be trusted, and (4) greater power or status doesn't entitle one party to impose a solution. Group dynamics are the interactions and processes that take place within a team. Productive teams tend to develop clear norms, informal standards of conduct that members share and that guide member behavior. •Conflict Resolution Skills: •Proactive behavior-Deal with minor conflict before it becomes major conflict. In team settings, conflict between two people can spread if it isn't addressed early. •Communication-Get those directly involved in a conflict to participate in resolving it. These participants should choose their words and nonverbal gestures carefully in order to maintain focus on the problem at hand and to avoid further inflaming an already uncomfortable situation. •Openness-Get feelings out in the open before dealing with the main issues. •Research-Seek factual reasons for a problem before seeking solutions. •Flexibility-Don't let anyone lock into a position before considering other solutions. •Fair play-Insist on fair outcomes; don't let anyone avoid a fair solution by hiding behind the rules. •Alliance-Get opponents to fight together against an "outside force" instead of against each other. Overcoming Resistance: Apply the active listening skills. Let people express their reservations about the change Make sure the other party knows you are listening, too, by choosing your nonverbal gestures carefully and by expressing interest in and sympathy for their concerns. Listening can unveil legitimate issues that you have failed to consider. Recognize that your primary goal is not to win the argument but rather to build a relationship that can lead to solving the dilemma at hand. Regardless of your authority to force the change, relying on force alone creates resentment and probably fails to get the level of emotional agreement needed for true success. Ask questions to make sure you understand the resistance and to confirm your understanding of it, then acknowledge the other party's concerns. the next step is to move toward a resolution through collaborative effort. Resisters will be more likely to listen to your reasoning after you've shown a willingness to listen to theirs, so calmly explain again why the change is in the organization's best interests. Even if you pursue the original plan without modification, those who initially resisted will now be more likely to cooperate and contribute.

Understanding Why Listening is Such a Complex Process

•The Unique Challenges of Listening •Choices and Behaviors that Affect Listening Quality •Fact, some 80% of top executives say listening is the most important skill needed to get things done in the workplace. Today's younger employees place a high premium on being heard, so listening is becoming even more vital for managers. •Follow these steps the listen: •Receiving-Start by physically hearing the message and acknowledging it. Physical reception can be blocked by noise, impaired hearing, or inattention. Some experts also include nonverbal messages as part of this stage because these factors influence the listening process as well. •Decoding-Next step is to assign meaning to the words and phrases, which you do according to your own values, beliefs, ideas, expectations, roles, needs, and personal history. Decoding is also influenced by the circumstances, the speaker's tone, facial gestures, and other nonverbal signals. •Remembering-Before you can act on the information, you need to store it for future processing. Incoming messages must first be captured in short-term memory before being transferred to long-term memory for more permanent storage. •Evaluating. The next step is to evaluate the message by applying critical thinking skills to separate fact from opinion and evaluate the quality of the evidence. •Responding. After you've evaluated the speaker's message, you react. If you're communicating one-on-one or in a small group, the initial response generally takes the form of verbal feedback. If you're one of many in an audience, your initial response may take the form of applause, laughter, or silence. Later, you may act on what you have heard. •Fact is:People typically listen at no better than a 25% efficiency rate, remember only about half of what's said during a 10-minute conversation, and forget half of that within 48 hours. Furthermore, when questioned about material they've just heard, they're likely to get the facts mixed up. The primary goal of content listening is to understand and retain the information in the speaker's message. Because you're not evaluating the information at this point, it doesn't matter whether you agree or disagree, approve or disapprove—only that you understand. Try to overlook the speaker's style and any limitations in the presentation; just focus on the information. The goal of critical listening is to understand and evaluate the meaning of the speaker's message on several levels: the logic of the argument, the strength of the evidence, the validity of the conclusions, the implications of the message, the speaker's intentions and motives, and the omission of any important or relevant points. If you're skeptical, ask questions to explore the speaker's point of view and credibility. Be on the lookout for bias that could color the way the information is presented, and be careful to separate opinions from facts. The goal of empathic listening is to understand the speaker's feelings, needs, and wants so that you can appreciate his or her point of view, regardless of whether you share that perspective. By listening with empathy, you help the individual vent the emotions that prevent a calm, clear-headed approach to the subject. No matter what mode they are using at any given time, effective listeners try to engage in active listening, making a conscious effort to turn off their own filters and biases to truly hear and understand what the other party is saying. They ask questions to verify key points and encourage the speaker through positive body language.

Conducting Virtual Meeting

•Virtual Meeting Systems -Telepresence -Holograms -Teleconferencing Virtual meetings are meetings in which people join in from two or more locations and connect via some form of communication technology. Such meetings are common in business today, so it's important to know how to run a virtual meeting and how to get the most out of one as a participant. Chances are you'll also participate in online seminars, often referred to as webinars.

Use Nonverbal Communication Effectively

•When You're Talking •When You're Not Talking •When You're Listening •Be observant, but don't assume that you can "read someone like a book." Nonverbal signals are powerful, but they aren't infallible, particularly if you don't know a person's normal behavioral patterns. For example, contrary to popular belief, avoiding eye contact and covering one's face while talking are not reliable clues that someone is lying. Even when telling the truth, most people don't make uninterrupted eye contact with the listeners, and various gestures such as touching one's face might be normal behavior for particular people. Moreover, these and other behaviors may be influenced by culture (in some cultures, sustained eye contact can be interpreted as a sign of disrespect) or might just be ways of coping with stressful situations. •Also consider the nonverbal signals you send when you're not talking—the clothes you wear, the way you sit, the way you walk. •Improving Nonverbal Communication Skills •Understand the roles that nonverbal signals play in communication, complementing verbal language by strengthening, weakening, or replacing words. •Note that facial expressions (especially eye contact) reveal the type and intensity of a speaker's feelings. •Watch for cues from gestures and posture. •Listen for vocal characteristics that can signal the emotions underlying the speaker's words. •Recognize that listeners are influenced by physical appearance. •Be careful with physical contact; touch can convey positive attributes but can also be interpreted as dominance or sexual interest. If there is any doubt, don't touch. •Pay attention to the use of time and space. Work to make sure your nonverbal signals match the tone and content of your spoken communication. Paying attention to nonverbal cues makes you a better speaker and a better listener. When you're talking, be more conscious of the nonverbal cues you could be sending. Also consider the nonverbal signals you send when you're not talking—the clothes you wear, the way you sit, the way you walk. When you listen, be sure to pay attention to the speaker's nonverbal cues. If something doesn't feel right, ask the speaker an honest and respectful question; doing so may clear everything up, or it may uncover issues you need to explore further.

Collaboration Arrangements

•Writer-Editor Relationships-simplest collaboration is when one person reviews the work of another, which happens quite often in business. •Full Collaboration-involves working together from planning the message to final production. This sort of partnership can bring together a diverse range of talents, insights, and experiences, not to mention extra minds and hands to get the work done.

Tips for Success in Virtual Team Environments

● Keep teams as small as possible. Even more so than with co-located teams, virtual teams can run into trouble if their size grows larger than 10 people or so. ● Use the best collaboration technology available. The tools can range from something as simple as text messaging up to elaborate collaboration platforms (see page 43). ● Clarify the purpose of each tool. Make sure that each kind of communication, such as schedule updates, task assignments, and urgent messages, is conveyed via one designated channel. ● Take special care with isolated members. If most of the team is co-located and a few members are remote, assign responsibility to someone in the local team for keeping remote members in the loop. ● Don't rely solely on written communication. Pick up the phone or initiate video chats to maintain a more personal connection.

Choices and Behaviors That Affect Listening Quality

● Poor self-management. Communication suffers if listeners fail to monitor and manage their emotions during a conversation. During the hectic workday or when emotions are running high, listening calmly and mindfully can be a challenge. However, these are the times when it is most important to exhibit emotional intelligence, including the ability to recognize when your emotions might be getting in the way. ● Idle brain power. Your brain can process language three or four times faster than people typically speak, which means your brain has a lot of extra processing capacity while you're listening. If you don't take active steps to keep focused, your mind will inevitably wander. ● Ineffective listening style. Even when listeners are actively engaged in conversations, the exchange can still suffer if they don't use the best style of listening for the situation at hand. See "Adapt Your Listening Style to the Situation" on page 55. ● Barriers to physical reception. Before you can listen to someone, you obviously need to be able to hear the other party speak. Missing even a single word can lead to confusion and misunderstanding. Poor hearing can originate on the speaker's side (such as when someone mumbles), on the receiver's side (such as when someone is listening to music during a conversation), or in the surrounding environment (such as when other people in an open-plan office are talking). ● Flawed recall. Remembering information during a conversation is challenging because you need to store information you have just received while continuing to process new incoming information. This problem gets even more pronounced when the speaker is rambling. •One reason listeners' minds tend to wander is that people think faster than they speak. Most people speak at about 120 to 150 words per minute, but listeners can process audio info at up to 500 words per minute or more. Your brain has a lot of free time whenever you're listening, & if left unsupervised, it'll find a thousand other things to think about. Make the effort to focus on the speaker & use the extra time to analyze & paraphrase what you hear or to take relevant notes. •Overcoming interpretation barriers can be difficult because you may not even be aware of them. Selective perception leads listeners to mold messages to fit their own conceptual frameworks. Listeners sometimes make up their minds before fully hearing the speaker's message or engage in defensive listening—protecting their egos by tuning out anything that doesn't confirm their beliefs or their view of themselves. •Even with good intentions, you can still misinterpret incoming messages if you & the speaker don't share enough language or experience. When listening to a speaker whose native language or life experience is different from yours, try to paraphrase that person's ideas. Give the speaker a chance to confirm what you think you heard or to correct any misinterpretation. •If the info you hear will be important to use later, write it down or otherwise record it. If you do need to memorize, you can hold info in short-term memory by repeating it silently or organizing a long list of items into several shorter lists. •Four techniques can help to store info in long-term memory: •(1) Associate new info with something closely related (such as the restaurant in which you met a new client). •(2) Categorize the new info into logical groups (such as alphabetizing a list of names). •(3) Visualize words and ideas as pictures. •(4) Create mnemonics such as acronyms or rhymes. •Overcoming Barriers to Effective Listening •Lower barriers to message reception whenever you can (such as avoiding interrupting speakers by asking questions or by exhibiting disruptive nonverbal behaviors). •Avoid selective listening by focusing on the speaker and carefully analyzing what you hear. •Keep an open mind by avoiding any prejudgment and by not listening defensively. •Don't count on your memory; write down or record important information. •Improve your short-term memory by repeating information or breaking it into shorter lists. •Improve your long-term memory by using association, categorization, visualization, and mnemonics.

Types of teams

A team is a unit of two or more people who share a mission and the responsibility for working to achieve a common goal. Team members have a shared mission and are collectively responsible for their work.

Professional Attire

Business Formal-This means tailored suits in conservative colors, with shoes, accessories, and grooming to match. This style is usually restricted only to the most formal occasions or among top-level executives and high-profile professionals. Business Professional-This style is still based around suits or coordinated sets of jackets with skirts or trousers, but the overall vibe is slightly freer—and less expensive. Business Casual-This is the style adopted in more relaxed offices in a variety of industries and professions. In general, it means slacks or skirts, with nice-looking button up shirts, blouses, and sweaters. Casual-This category is perhaps the most difficult to pin down. In one company it might mean nice jeans and a button-up shirt, but in another it might be shorts, sandals, and tank tops. •1 Smooth and Finished: Choose well-tailored clothing that fits well; it doesn't have to be expensive, but it does have to fit and be appropriate for business. Keep buttons, zippers, and hemlines in good repair. Select shoes that are comfortable enough for long days but neither too casual nor too dressy for the office; keep shoes clean and in good condition. Make sure the fabrics you wear are clean, are carefully pressed, and do not wrinkle easily. Choose colors that flatter your height, weight, skin tone, and style; sales advisors in good clothing stores can help you choose. •2 Elegant and Refined: Choose form-fitting (but not skin-tight) clothing—not swinging or flowing fabrics, frills, or fussy trimmings. Choose muted tones and soft colors or classics, such as a dark blue suit or a basic black dress. If possible, select a few classic pieces of jewelry (such as a string of pearls or diamond cuff links) for formal occasions. Wear jackets that complement an outfit and lend an air of formality to your appearance. Avoid jackets with more than two tones; one color should dominate. •3 Crisp and Starched: Wear blouses or shirts that are or appear starched. Choose closed top-button shirts or button-down shirt collars, higher-neckline blouses, or long sleeves with French cuffs and cuff links. Wear creased trousers or skirts with a lower hemline •4 Up-to-the-Minute Trendy: Supplement your foundation with pieces that reflect the latest styles. •Add a few pieces in bold colors but wear them sparingly to avoid a garish appearance. Embellish your look with the latest jewelry and hairstyles but keep the overall effect looking professional.

Chapter 2 Vocabulary

Collaboration-Working together to meet complex challenges. Team-A unit of two or more people who share a mission and the responsibility for working to achieve a common goal. When teams are successful, they can improve productivity, creativity, employee involvement, and even job security. Cross Functional-pulling together people from a variety of departments who have different areas of expertise and responsibility. The diversity of opinions and experiences can lead to better decisions, but competing interests can cause tensions that highlight the need for effective communication. Problem-Solving teams(Cross Functional)-Teams that assemble to resolve specific issues and then disband when their goals have been accomplished. Task Force (Cross Functional)-A form of problem-solving teams, often with members from more than one organization. Committees-Formal teams that usually have a long life span and can become a permanent part of the organizational structure. Typically deal with regularly recurring tasks, such as an executive committee that meets monthly to plan strategies and review results. Participative management-An effort to involve employees in the company's decision making. GroupThink-Situation in which peer pressure individual team members to withhold contrary or unpopular opinions. Hidden Agenda-Private, counterproductive motives, such as a desire to take control of a group. Group Dynamics-Interactions and processes that take place among the members of a team. Norms-Informal standards of conduct that group members share and that guide member behavior. influenced by several factors: the roles team members assume, the current phase of team development, the team's success in resolving conflict, and the team's success in overcoming resistance. Self-Oriented Roles (Classified as Dysfunctional)-Unproductive team roles in which people are motivated mainly to fulfill personal needs. Examples: Controlling: Dominating others by exhibiting superiority or authority. Withdrawing: Retiring from the team either by becoming silent or by refusing to deal with a particular aspect of the team's work. Attention seeking: Calling attention to oneself and demanding recognition from others. Diverting: Focusing the team's discussion of topics of interest to the individual rather than of those relevant to the task. Team-Maintenance Roles (Classified as Functional) -Productive team roles directed toward helping everyone work well together. Examples: Encouraging: Drawing out other members by showing verbal and nonverbal support, praise, or agreement. Harmonizing: Reconciling differences among team members through mediation or by using humor to relieve tension. Compromising: Offering to yield on a point in the interest of reaching a mutually acceptable decision. Task-Oriented Roles (Classified as Functional)-Productive team roles directed toward helping a team reach its goals. Examples: Initiating: Getting the team started on a line of inquiry. Information giving or seeking: Offering (or seeking) information relevant to questions facing the team. Coordinating: Showing relationships among ideas, clarifying issues, and summarizing what the team has done. Procedure setting: Suggesting decision-making procedures that will move the team toward a goal. Content Listening-Listening to understand and retain the speaker's message. Critical Listening-Listening to understand and evaluate the meaning of the speaker's message. Empathic Listening-Listening to understand the speaker's feelings, needs, and wants, so that you can appreciate his or her point of view. Active Listening-Making a conscious effort to turn off filters and biases to truly hear and understand what someone is saying. Constructive Feedback-Critique that focuses on the process and outcomes of communication, not on the people involved. Destructive Feedback-Criticism delivered with no guidance to stimulate improvement. Content Management System-Computer systems that organize and control the content for websites and can include features that help team members work together on webpages and other documents. Wiki-Special type of website that allows anyone with access to add new material and edit existing material. Shared Workspaces-Online "virtual offices" that give everyone on a team access to the same set of resources and information. Unified Communication-A single system of communication that integrating voice and video calling, voice and video conferencing, instant messaging, real-time collaboration software, and other capabilities. Minutes-Written summary of the important information presented and the decisions made during a meeting. Nonverbal Communication-Information sent and received, both intentionally and unintentionally, without using written or spoken language. Parliamentary Procedure-A time-tested method for planning and running meetings; the best-known to this procedure is Robert's Rules Of Order. Selective Listening- Listening to only part of what a speaker is saying; ignoring the parts one doesn't agree with or find interesting. One of the most common barriers to effective listening. If your mind wanders, you may stay tuned out until you hear a word or phrase that gets your attention again. But by that time, you're unable to recall what the speaker actually said; instead, you remember what you think the speaker probably said. Virtual Meetings-Meetings that take place online rather than in person.

Resolving conflict in teams

Decide if the conflict is worth addressing. If the conflict is minor or will disappear on its own (such as when a temporary team disbands), it might make more sense to live with it. ● Examine your own beliefs and behaviors. If you are involved in a conflict that you want to resolve, examine your own stance before taking any action. You might be contributing to the conflict in ways you hadn't considered. ● Identify where the conflict truly originates. As you have probably experienced in your personal life, conflicts aren't always about what they appear to be about; the real difference may lie below the surface. For example, two team members might be arguing about work methods when their real conflict is deeper. They could have different cultural priorities, for instance, such as the importance of group harmony versus individual career success. ● Establish common ground. Figure out what everyone does agree on, and then use that foundation to build a solution. For example, if people disagree about the team's goals, dig deeper and find out if they agree about the company's overall goals and strategies. If they agree at that level, you can use that to launch a discussion about how to shape team goals that support the company's goals. ● Choose a strategy for resolving the differences. You have four basic choices here. (1) You can avoid the circumstances that create conflict, such as not assigning people who don't get along to the same tasks. Avoidance doesn't solve the underlying conflict, of course, but it can be the most efficient solution in some cases. (2) One side can choose to accommodate or sacrifice for the good of the organization or to maintain harmony in a relationship. If two people disagree about the best way to approach a project, one might decide to accept and support the other's approach. (3) The two sides can choose to compromise, with both sides giving up something. Balanced compromise is one of the hallmarks of successful teams. (4) Both sides can choose to collaborate on a new solution that satisfies everyone's needs and expectations—a win-win strategy. Collaboration in this sense can be a rewarding experience because it makes conditions better for everyone and gives a team or group the satisfaction of a shared accomplishment. •Choose a strategy for resolving the difference -Avoid-must believe greater power or status doesn't entitle one party to impose a solution. -Accommodate-must believe the other party can be trusted, -Compromise-must believe it's possible to find a solution that both parties can accept Collaborate-must believe cooperation is better for the organization than competition,

Figure 2.6 Effective Meeting Agenda: Condensed

Figure Caption: Agenda formats vary widely depending on the complexity of the meeting and the presentation technologies that will be used. One good approach is to first distribute a detailed planning agenda so that presenters know what they need in order to prepare, then create a simpler display agenda such as this PowerPoint slide to guide the progress of the meeting. Note how the agenda includes the time limit for each topic. Long description: The details of the agenda shown in the slide are as follows: •9:00 to 9:15: Introductions: Irene Belden •9:15 to 10:00: General transition costs: Kip Selbach •10:00 to 10:15: Break •10:15 to 11:00: Information systems: Summer Bowman •11:00 to 11:45: Marketing and sales: Ed Delahanty •11:45 to 12:00: Wrap-up: Irene Belden.

Figure 2.5 Effective Meeting Agenda

Figure Caption: Agenda formats vary widely depending on the complexity of the meeting and the presentation technologies that will be used. One good approach is to first distribute a detailed planning agenda so that presenters know what they need in order to prepare, then create a simpler display agenda such as this PowerPoint slide to guide the progress of the meeting. Note how the agenda includes the time limit for each topic. Long description: The figure lists the following: Merger Issues Brainstorming Session Location: Building C, Saratoga room Date: August 8 Time: 9:00 to 12:00 Facilitator: Irene Belden Objectives • Identify/confirm all major issues and problems in each functional area • Identify any cross-functional issues • Give functional managers information they need to formulate action plans Prestudy: Please download and read Merger Brainstorming Session Prestudy.docx Agenda items Time slot: 9:00 to 9:15; Topic: Introductions: Please be prepared to briefly describe your role on the transition team. Discussion leader: Irene Belden Time slot: 9:15 to 10:00; Topic: General transition costs: Key items identified so far are severance packages, infrastructure investments, and service contracts. Discussion leader: Kip Selbach Time slot: 10:00 to 10:15; Topic: Break Time slot: 10:15 to 11:00; Topic: Information systems: Key issues are migration to cloud computing and choice of internal communication platform. Discussion leader: Summer Bowman Time slot: 11:00 to 11:45; Topic: Marketing and sales: Key issues are brand integration, sales force realignment, and quota and commission questions. Discussion leader: Ed Delahanty Time slot: 11:45 to 12:00; Topic: Wrap up: Last call for questions and concerns; we want to make sure functional managers go away with every significant issue in hand so they can develop concrete action plans. Discussion leader: Irene Belden Please send any questions to [email protected]

Figure 2.3 Collaboration on Mobile Devices

Figure Caption: Mobile connectivity is transforming collaboration activities, helping teams and work groups stay connected no matter where their work takes them. For example, this team was able to discuss and edit a press release using their tablets in different locations. An important aspect of mobile collaboration and mobile communication in general is unified communication.

Figure 2.2 Shared Online Workspaces

Figure Caption: Shared online workspaces give employees instant access to all the files they need, from company reports to website content.

Business Etiquette in Social Situations

Get to know the customs of other cultures when it comes to meeting new people. For example, in North America, a firm handshake is expected when two people meet, whereas a respectful bow of the head is more appropriate in Japan. If you are expected to shake hands, be aware that the passive "dead fish" handshake creates an extremely negative impression for many people. If you are physically able, always stand when shaking someone's hand. Generally speaking, the lower-ranking person is introduced to the senior-ranking person, without regard to gender. Start by choosing foods that are easy to eat. Avoid alcoholic beverages in most instances, but if drinking one is appropriate, save it for the end of the meal. Leave business documents under your chair until entrée plates have been removed; the business aspect of the meal doesn't usually begin until then. Don't discuss politics, religion, or any other topic likely to stir up emotions. Don't complain about work, don't ask deeply personal questions, avoid profanity, and be careful with humor—a joke that entertains some people could easily offend others. Etiquette is particularly important when you represent your company in public.

Leading and Contributing to Efficient Meetings

Keep the Discussion on Track-A good meeting draws out the best ideas and information the group has to offer. Good leaders occasionally need to guide, mediate, probe, stimulate, summarize, and redirect discussions that have gotten off track. Follow Agreed-on Rules-The larger the meeting, the more formal you need to be to maintain order. Formal meetings use parliamentary procedure, a time-tested method for planning and running effective meetings. The best-known guide to this procedure is Robert's Rules of Order. Encourage and Moderate Participation-You may discover that some participants are too quiet and others are too talkative. Draw out nonparticipants by asking for their input. For the overly talkative, you can say that time is limited and others need to be heard. Participate Actively-Make a point to contribute to the progress of the meeting and the smooth interaction of participants. Use your listening skills and powers of observation to size up the interpersonal dynamics of the group, then adapt your behavior to help the group achieve its goals. Speak up if you have something useful to say, but don't talk or ask questions just to demonstrate how much you know about the subject at hand. Don't Interrupt Use Mobile Devices Respectfully-Tweeting key points from a convention speech or using your phone or tablet to jot down essential ideas and follow-up questions can be productive and respectful ways to use a device during a meeting. Checking Facebook or working on unrelated tasks is not. If you intend to use your device to take notes during a meeting, consider letting the meeting leader know that's what you're doing. Close Effectively-At the conclusion of the meeting, verify that the objectives have been met or arrange for follow-up work, if needed. Summarize the general conclusion of the discussion and any actions that need to be taken. Make sure all participants have a chance to clear up any misunderstandings.

Figure 2.7 Effective Meeting Minutes

Meeting minutes should record all the information that participants may need to refer to later. Depending on the circumstances, you might want to include information that anyone who wasn't able to attend can review to get a summary of key discussion and decision points. Long description: The figure shows the following: Employee Onboarding Update March 16 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Meeting called by: Alex Gardner Type of meeting: Status update Facilitator: Jessica Knowdell Note taker: Frank Isbell Attendees: Alex Gardner, Frank Isbell, Jessica Knowdell, Steve Ladew, Ally Lawson, Bill Swarback, Jessie Tannehill, Toni Von Fricken, Dale Williams Minutes Agenda item: New orientation presentation Presenter: Toni Von Fricken Discussion: Toni reports that the new slide presentation is complete and will be test-run with a group of volunteers from HR on March 30. Steve offered to convert the slides to a video and post on the intranet. Action items: Test-run new orientation presentation; fine-tune as needed. Person responsible: Toni VF; Deadline: April 2 Action items: Convert finished slides to video and post on employee intranet; Person responsible: Steve L; Deadline: April 10 Agenda item: Update employee handbook and improve access Presenter: Jessica Knowdell Discussion: Team reached agreement that a wiki is the best platform for hosting the handbook. We decided on a three-level access plan: Level 1: Access open to all HR employees, but new posts and edits must be approved by division HR directors to ensure compliance (for all policy-related documents and regulatory forms) Level 2: Access open to all HR employees, with immediate posting and editing allowed (for all non-policy documents, HR event updates, wellness bulletins, and similar items) Level 3: Access open to all employees, with immediate posting and editing allowed (for all employee social clubs, charity events, and similar items) Action items: Discuss wiki plan with intranet platform vendor; Person responsible: Jessica K; Deadline: April 5 Action items: Vendor to design access controls; Person responsible: Jessica K (vendor contact); Deadline: April 20 Action items: Announce new wiki to employee base; Person responsible: Dale W, Jessica K; Deadline: May 1 Agenda item: Brainstorm ideas for mentor matching program Presenter: Ally Lawson Discussion: Ally presented research on mentoring programs, including best practices and pitfalls. Alex will bring up issue of volunteer vs. mandatory mentoring at May executive council. The text in the footer reads: Meeting minutes, March 16, Employee Onboarding Update

Figure 2.8 Capturing Key Decisions and Discoveries from a Meeting

Meeting tools such as the MeetingBooster system help teams and other groups capture decisions and discoveries from meetings and put this information to productive use. Long description: The minutes of the meeting also shows a section labeled "call to order" which includes the description of the presenter.

Checklist of Improving Meeting Productivity

Prepare carefully. •Make sure the meeting is necessary •Decide on your purpose •Select participants carefully •Choose the venue and the time •Establish and distribute a clear agenda Lead effectively and participate fully. •Keep the meeting on track •Follow agreed-on rules •Encourage participation •Participate actively •Close effectively Put the results to effective use. •Distribute meeting minutes to participants and other interested parties •Make sure task assignments are clearly communicated.

Disadvantages of teams

Teams need to be aware of and work to counter the following potential disadvantages: •Groupthink- Teams afflicted with groupthink can be so focused on protecting group harmony that they oversimplify problems, ignore info that threatens consensus, and fail to consider risks and negative consequences. Like other social structures, business teams can generate tremendous pressure to conform. Occurs when peer pressure causes individual team members to withhold contrary opinions and to go along with decisions they don't really believe in. The consequences of groupthink can range from bland, unimaginative work to outright disasters. •Hidden Agendas-such as a desire to take control of the group, to undermine someone else on the team, or to pursue a business goal that runs counter to the team's mission, or to pursue an incompatible goal. •Cost- Aligning schedules, arranging meetings, and coordinating individual parts of a project can eat up a lot of time and money. Overload- Some companies have embraced collaborative work approaches to such an extent that they're overloading employees with team assignments. Moreover, as a company's best contributors gain a reputation for helping others and getting things done, they often find themselves assigned or invited to even more team efforts. As a result, team activities can take up so much of a person's day that individual responsibilities get pushed to nights and weekends, leading to exhaustion and lower productivity.

Stages of team development

Teams typically evolve through several phases on their way to becoming productive. Figure 2.1 shows the popular model proposed by Dr. Bruce Tuckman, which identifies four or five phases a new team goes through as it evolves: •Forming. The group comes together, and various members begin to establish themselves in specific roles. In some cases, one person is given the formal role of team leader, but in others an informal leader may emerge as the members establish their roles. •Storming. As team members begin to discuss their positions and become more assertive in establishing their roles, disagreements and uncertainties may arise. Much of the conflict may be constructive as team members share ideas for meeting the team's goals. •Norming. As conflicts are resolved, the team begins to take on a cohesive personality with clear behavioral norms, such as expectations of civil behavior and mutual dependability. •Performing. With a cohesive, distinct personality and norms to guide behavior, the group is ready to perform its task. •Adjourning. When temporary teams accomplish their goal, the fifth and final step is to adjourn, or disband, the team. This phase may involve some post-project analysis in which members assess how well the team performed and compile advice for future teams. Long Description: The details of the five phases listed in the chart are as follows: Forming: • Team comes together • Members begin to establish themselves in specific roles • If team goal isn't already defined, team works to define Storming: • Conflict can emerge • Disagreements and uncertainties natural in this phase • Constructive conflict can help, but destructive conflict should be addressed Norming: • Behavioral norms become clear • Expectations for individual performance and group interaction emerge • Group begins to enforce those norms Performing: • Team begins to work productively • Work can be done individually or collaboratively • If conflict emerges, team may spend some time storming and re-norming Adjourning: • Temporary teams disband at this point • Team may engage in a post-project analysis of success or failure • Team may record discoveries and advice for future teams.

2.4 typical meeting agenda

The agenda title clearly identifies the scope of the meeting. The clear and concise outline format identifies the topics that will be addressed and the order of discussion, which helps participants plan questions and suggestions. Establishing a time limit for each section helps keep the meeting on track and ensures that time will be available for every topic.

Three Styles of Listening

The primary goal of content listening is to understand and retain the information in the speaker's message. Because you're not evaluating the information at this point, it doesn't matter whether you agree or disagree, approve or disapprove—only that you understand. Try to overlook the speaker's style and any limitations in the presentation; just focus on the information. The goal of critical listening is to understand and evaluate the meaning of the speaker's message on several levels: the logic of the argument, the strength of the evidence, the validity of the conclusions, the implications of the message, the speaker's intentions and motives, and the omission of any important or relevant points. If you're skeptical, ask questions to explore the speaker's point of view and credibility. Be on the lookout for bias that could color the way the information is presented, and be careful to separate opinions from facts. The goal of empathic listening is to understand the speaker's feelings, needs, and wants so that you can appreciate his or her point of view, regardless of whether you share that perspective. By listening with empathy, you help the individual vent the emotions that prevent a calm, clear-headed approach to the subject. No matter what mode they are using at any given time, effective listeners try to engage in active listening, making a conscious effort to turn off their own filters and biases to truly hear and understand what the other party is saying. They ask questions to verify key points and encourage the speaker through positive body language.

Business Etiquette in the Workplace

Workplace etiquette includes a variety of behaviors, habits, and aspects of nonverbal communication. •Respect other people's time-such as showing up for work and meetings on time. •Don't interrupt-people in conversations or in meetings. •Use professional language-Watch your language. You might be comfortable with profanity in casual conversation, but it is out of place in a professional environment. •Pay attention to cleanliness-Avoid using products with powerful scents. Many people are bothered by these products, and some are allergic to them. •Avoid eating at your desk-desk if possible, particularly in open-plan offices. Some foods have strong smells, and no one wants to listen to you eat. •Keep the noise level down-This is a huge concern in open-plan workspaces, where people are separated only by short cubicle walls and sometimes not even that. Keep your voice down, avoid having meetings in your cubicle, and don't play music at a level that disrupts others. (Remember that you can bother others even if you're wearing earbuds or headphones.) •Respect other people's personal space-Knock before entering offices, and don't enter someone's cubicle without being invited. •Don't gossip-Not only is gossip a waste of time, it's often disrespectful to others. •Don't come to work when sick •Avoid discussing potentially emotional issues-In general, avoid discussing religion, politics, or other potentially emotional issues, unless your company encourages such discussions.

Table 2.5 Five Elements of Active Listening

You may not be able to control some factors, such as conference room acoustics or poor phone reception. You can control other factors, however, such as not interrupting speakers and not creating distractions that make it difficult for others to pay attention. And don't think you're not interrupting just because you're not talking. Such actions as texting or checking your watch can interrupt a speaker and lead to communication breakdowns. Selective listening is one of the most common barriers to effective listening. If your mind wanders, you may stay tuned out until you hear a word or phrase that gets your attention again. But by that time, you're unable to recall what the speaker actually said; instead, you remember what you think the speaker probably said. Overcoming interpretation barriers can be difficult because you may not even be aware of them. As Chapter 1 notes, selective perception leads listeners to mold messages to fit their own conceptual frameworks. Listeners sometimes make up their minds before fully hearing the speaker's message, or they engage in defensive listening—protecting their egos by tuning out anything that doesn't confirm their beliefs or their view of themselves.

Guidelines for Collaborative Writing

team members differ in writing styles, work habits, and personality traits. However you structure a project, follow these tips: •Goals are clear and agreed on •Determine how work will be done-Map out how the work will be done, including who will take the lead on each task and which systems and tools will be used. •Take advantage of each person's strengths-Structure the assignments so that each person can lend his or her greatest strengths to the effort. •Establish clear and frequent checkpoints- so the team can verify that each task is coming along as expected and adjust plans if needed. •Appreciate different writing styles-If something works, support it, even if it's not the way you would say it. •Select collaborators carefully. Whenever possible, choose a combination of people who together have the experience, information, and talent needed for each project. •Agree on project goals before you start. Starting without a clear idea of what the team hopes to accomplish inevitably leads to frustration and wasted time. •Give your team time to bond before diving in. If people haven't had the opportunity to work together before, make sure they can get to know each other before being asked to collaborate. •Clarify individual responsibilities. Because members will be depending on each other, make sure individual responsibilities are clear. •Establish clear processes. Make sure everyone knows how the work will be managed from start to finish. •Avoid composing as a group. The actual composition is the only part of collaborative communication that does not usually benefit from group participation. Brainstorming the wording of short pieces of text such as headlines and slogans can be an effective way to stimulate creative word choices. For longer projects, however, it is usually more efficient to plan, research, and outline together but assign the task of writing to one person or divide larger projects among multiple writers. If you divide the writing, try to have one person do a final revision to ensure a consistent style. •Make sure tools and techniques are ready and compatible across the team. Even minor details such as different versions of software can delay projects. •Check to see how things are going along the way. Don't assume that everything is working just because you don't hear anything negative. Successful collaboration on writing projects requires a number of steps, from selecting the right partners and agreeing on project goals to establishing clear processes and avoiding writing as a group.

Online Etiquette

•Avoid Personal Attacks-The anonymous and instantaneous nature of online communication can cause even level-headed people to strike out in blog postings, social networks, and other media. •Stay Focused on the Original Topic-If you want to change the subject of an email exchange, a forum discussion, or a blog comment thread, start a new message. •Follow Correct Grammar and Spelling-Sending careless, acronym-filled messages that look like you're texting your high school buddies makes you look like an amateur. •Use Virus Protection and Keep it Current-Sending or posting a file that contains a computer virus puts others at risk. •Watch your language and keep emotions under control-A single indiscretion could haunt you forever. •Avoid multitasking while using IM and other tools-You might think you're saving time by doing a dozen things at once, but you're probably making the other person wait while you bounce back and forth between IM and your other tasks. •Don't waste other's time with sloppy or incomplete messages-Doing so is disrespectful. •Never assume privacy-Assume that anything you type will be stored forever, could be forwarded to other people, and might be read by your boss or the company's security staff. •Be careful of online commenting mechanism-For example, many blogs and websites now use your Facebook login to let you comment on articles. If your Facebook profile includes your job title and company name, those could show up along with your comment. •Respect boundaries of time and virtual space-For instance, don't start using an employee's personal Facebook page for business messages unless you've discussed it beforehand, and don't assume people are available to discuss work matters around the clock, even if you do find them online in the middle of the night. •Don't present opinions as facts, and support facts with evidence-This guideline applies to all communication, of course, but online venues in particular seem to tempt people into presenting their beliefs and opinions as unassailable truths. •Use difficult-to-break passwords on email, Twitter, and other accounts-If someone hacks your account, it can create spam headaches—or worse—for your contacts and followers. •Ask if this is a good time for an IM chat-Don't assume that just because a person is showing as "available" on your IM system that he or she wants to chat at this moment. •Don't use "Reply All" in email unless everyone can benefit from your reply-If one or more recipients of an email message don't need the information in your reply, remove their addresses before you send.

Mobile device etiquette

•Avoid obnoxious or inappropriate ringtones •Mute phones during meetings •Don't be loud in open spaces •Don't talk right next to someone else •Limit personal calls while at work •Don't make calls in restrooms or other inappropriate places •Avoid texting when others are with you •Limit voice recognition use if it disrupts others •Selecting obnoxious ringtones, talking loudly in open offices or public places, using your phone right next to someone else, making excessive or unnecessary personal calls during work hours, invading someone's privacy by using your phone's camera without permission, taking or making calls in restrooms and other inappropriate places, texting during a meal or while someone is talking to you, allowing incoming calls to interrupt meetings or discussions. •Virtual assistants, such as the Siri voice recognition system in Apple iPhones, raise another new etiquette dilemma. From doing simple web searches to dictating entire memos, these systems may be convenient for users, but they can create distractions and annoyances for other people. •At one extreme, the venture capitalist Ben Horowitz fines his employees if they even look at a mobile device while an entrepreneur is pitching a business plan because he considers it disrespectful to people making presentations. Make sure you understand the situation in your workplace. Your mobile phone habits send a signal about the degree of respect you have for those around you. Like every other aspect of communication, your mobile device habits say a lot about how much respect you have for the people around you. Selecting obnoxious ringtones, talking loudly in open offices or public places, using your phone right next to someone else, making excessive or unnecessary personal calls during work hours, invading someone's privacy by using your phone's camera without permission, taking or making calls in restrooms and other inappropriate places, texting during a meal or while someone is talking to you, allowing incoming calls to interrupt meetings or discussions—these are all disrespectful choices that reflect negatively on you. In general, older employees, managers, and customers are less tolerant of mobile device use than younger people are, so don't assume that your habits will be universally acceptable. Virtual assistants, such as the Siri voice recognition system in Apple iPhones, raise another new etiquette dilemma. From doing simple web searches to dictating entire memos, these systems may be convenient for users, but they can create distractions and annoyances for other people.

telephone etiquette

•Be conscious of how your voice sounds-Don't speak in a monotone; vary your pitch and inflections so people know you're interested. Slow down when conversing with people whose native language isn't the same as yours. •Be courteous when you call someone-Identify yourself and your organization, briefly describe why you're calling, and verify that you've called at a good time. Minimize the noise level in your environment as much as possible. For important or complicated conversations, plan what you want to say before calling. •Convey a professional attitude when answering calls-Answer promptly and with a smile so that you sound welcoming. Identify yourself and your company (some companies have specific instructions for what to say when you answer). Establish the needs of your caller by asking, "How may I help you?" If you know the caller's name, use it. If you can't answer the caller's questions, either forward the call to a colleague who can or advise the caller on how to get his or her questions resolved. If you do forward a call, put the caller on hold and call the next person yourself to verify that he or she is available. •End calls with courtesy and clarity-Close in a friendly, positive manner and double-check all vital information such as meeting times and dates. •Use voicemail to help callers-Record a brief, professional-sounding outgoing message for regular use. When you will be away or unable to answer the phone for an extended period, record a temporary greeting that tells callers when you will respond to their messages. If you don't check your messages regularly or at all, disable your voicemail. Letting messages pile up for days or weeks without answering them is extremely thoughtless. •Be considerate when leaving messages-Retrieving voicemail messages can be a chore, so be thoughtful about leaving them. Unless voicemail is the best or only choice, consider leaving a message through other means, such as text messaging or email. If you do leave a voicemail message, make it as brief as possible. Leave your name, number (don't assume the recipient has caller ID), reason for calling, and times you can be reached. State your name and telephone number slowly so the other person can easily write them down; repeat both if the other person doesn't know you.

Technologies for Collaborative Communication

•Collaboration Systems-often take advantage of cloud computing, a somewhat vague term that refers to on-demand capabilities delivered over the Internet, rather than through conventional on-site software. -Content Management Systems-These tools range from simple blogging systems to more extensive enterprise systems that manage web content across an entire corporation. Many systems include workflow features that control how pages or documents can be created, edited, and published. -Wikis-from the Hawaiian word for quick. Public wikis (Wikipedia is the best known) allow any registered user to edit pages; private wikis are accessible only with permission. A key benefit of wikis is the freedom to post new or revised material without prior approval. -Shared Online Workspaces- may see some of these workspaces referred to as intranets (restricted-access websites that are open to employees only) or extranets (restricted sites that are available to employees and to outside parties by invitation only). Many intranets have now evolved into social networking systems that include a variety of communication and collaboration tools, from microblogging to video clip libraries. For example, the performance troupe Blue Man Group uses a social intranet to help its 500 employees plan, stage, and promote shows all over the world. -Social Network- Some companies use them to form virtual communities or communities of practice that link employees with similar professional interests throughout the company and sometimes with customers and suppliers as well. Such communities are similar to teams in many respects, but one major difference is in the responsibility for accumulating organizational knowledge over the long term, beyond the duration of any specific project. For example, the pharmaceutical company Pfizer has a number of permanent product-safety communities that provide specialized advice on drug safety issues to researchers throughout the organization. Can also help a company maintain a sense of community even as it grows beyond the size that normally permits extensive daily interaction. Example: To encourage the sense of community among its expanding workforce, Zappos uses social networking tools to track employee connections and encourage workers to reach out and build relationships. A supportive work environment is a top priority of Zappos. -Workgroup Messaging Systems -Private Networks •Collaboration via Mobile Devices- Another layer of options for collaborative writing and other communication projects, particularly when used with cloud computing. Today's mobile systems can do virtually everything that fixed-web collaboration systems can do, from writing on virtual whiteboards to sharing photos, videos, and other multimedia files. Let's workers participate in online brainstorming sessions, seminars, and other formal or informal events from wherever they happen to be at the time. Helpful during the review and production stages of major projects, when deadlines are looming and decisions and revisions need to be made quickly. Unified Communication is a part of this. By minimizing or eliminating the need to manage multiple communication systems and devices, unified communication promises to improve response times, productivity, and collaboration efforts. •A I-Enabled Collaboration •The simplest tools are software features such as commenting (which lets colleagues write comments in a document without modifying the document text) and tracking changes (which lets one or more writers propose changes to the text while keeping everyone's edits separate and reversible). The widely used Adobe Acrobat digital document system (PDFs) also has group review and commenting features, including the option for live collaboration. groupware or collaboration platforms- A set of broader technologies. Let people communicate, share files, review previous message threads, work on documents simultaneously, and connect using social networking tools. Also help companies capture and share knowledge from multiple experts, bringing greater insights to bear on tough challenges. Simple Software Tools: The simplest tools are software features such as commenting (which lets colleagues write comments in a document without modifying the document text) and tracking changes (which lets one or more writers propose changes to the text while keeping everyone's edits separate and reversible). The widely used Adobe Acrobat digital document system (PDFs) also has group review and commenting features, including the option for live collaboration. Content Management Systems: Writing for websites often involves the use of a content management system, which organizes and controls website content and can include features that help team members work together on webpages and other documents. Shared Online Workspaces: are online "virtual offices" that give everyone on a team access to the same set of resources and information. You may see some of these workspaces referred to as intranets (restricted-access websites that are open to employees only) or extranets (restricted sites that are available to employees and to outside parties by invitation only). Social Network and Virtual Communities: Social networking technologies are redefining teamwork and team communication by helping erase the constraints of geographic and organization boundaries. Some companies use social networks to form virtual communities or communities of practice that link employees with similar professional interests throughout the company and sometimes with customers and suppliers as well. Collaboration via Mobile Devices: Collaboration apps for mobile devices support nearly all the features of computer-based platforms.

Giving and Responding to Constructive Feedback

•Constructive feedback focusing on process and outcomes of communication. Sometimes called constructive criticism. •Destructive feedback is little more than complaining. For example, "This proposal is a confusing mess, and you failed to convince me of anything" is destructive feedback. The goal is to be more constructive: "Your proposal could be more effective with a clearer description of the manufacturing process and a well-organized explanation of why the positives outweigh the negatives." When giving feedback, avoid personal attacks and give the person clear guidelines for improvement. When you receive constructive feedback, resist the understandable urge to defend your work or deny the validity of the feedback. Collaborative communication often involves giving and receiving feedback about writing efforts. Constructive feedback, sometimes called constructive criticism, focuses on the process and outcomes of communication, not on the people involved. In contrast to constructive feedback, destructive feedback is little more than complaining or bullying. For example, "This proposal is a confusing mess, and you failed to convince me of anything" is destructive feedback. The goal is to be helpful: "Your proposal could be more effective with a clearer description of the manufacturing process and a well-organized explanation of why the positives outweigh the negatives." When giving feedback, avoid personal attacks and give the person clear guidelines for improvement.

Preparing for Meetings

•Define the Meeting's Purpose- Meetings can focus on exchanging information, reaching decisions, or collaborating to solve problems or identify opportunities. Whatever your purpose, define the best possible result of the meeting (such as "we carefully evaluated all three product ideas and decided which one to invest in"). Use this hoped-for result to shape the direction and content of the meeting. •Select Participants- The rule here is simple: Invite everyone who really needs to be involved, and don't invite anyone who doesn't. For decision-making meetings, for example, invite only those people who are in a direct position to help the meeting reach its objective. The more people you have, the longer it'll take to reach consensus. Meetings with more than 10 or 12 people can become unmanageable if everyone is expected to participate in the discussion and decision making. •Choose Time and Venue- Online meetings are often the best way—and sometimes the only way—to connect people in multiple locations or to reach large audiences. For in-person meetings, review the facility and the seating arrangements. Is theater-style seating suitable, or do you need a conference table or some other layout? Pay attention to room temperature, lighting, ventilation, acoustics, and refreshments; these details can make or break a meeting. If you have control over the timing, morning meetings are often more productive because people are generally more alert and not yet engaged with the work of the day. •Set the Agenda- The success of a meeting depends on the preparation of the participants. Distribute a carefully written agenda to participants, giving them enough time to prepare as needed. A productive agenda answers three key questions: (1) What do we need to do in this meeting to accomplish our goals? (2) What issues are of greatest importance to all participants? (3) What information must be available in order to discuss these issues? The first step in preparing for a meeting is to make sure the meeting is really necessary. Meetings can consume hundreds or thousands of dollars of productive time while taking people away from other work, so don't hold a meeting if some other form of communication (such as a blog post) can serve the purpose as effectively. ●● Define your purpose. Meetings can focus on exchanging information, reaching decisions, or collaborating to solve problems or identify opportunities. Whatever your purpose, define the best possible result of the meeting (such as "we carefully evaluated all three product ideas and decided which one to invest in"). Use this hoped-for result to shape the direction and content of the meeting. ●● Select participants for the meeting. The rule here is simple: Invite everyone who really needs to be involved, and don't invite anyone who doesn't. For decision-making meetings, for example, invite only those people who are in a direct position to help the meeting reach its objective. The more people you have, the longer it will take to reach consensus. Meetings with more than 10 or 12 people can become unmanageable if everyone is expected to participate in the discussion and decision making. ●● Choose the venue and the time. Online meetings (see page 50) are often the best way—and sometimes the only way—to connect people in multiple locations or to reach large audiences. For in-person meetings, review the facility and the seating arrangements. Is theater-style seating suitable, or do you need a conference table or some other layout? Pay attention to room temperature, lighting, ventilation, acoustics, and refreshments; these details can make or break a meeting. If you have control over the timing, morning meetings are often more productive because people are generally more alert and not yet engaged with the work of the day. ●● Set the agenda. The success of a meeting depends on the preparation of the participants. Distribute a carefully written agenda to participants, giving them enough time to prepare as needed (see Figure 2.4 on the next page). A productive agenda answers three key questions: (1) What do we need to do in this meeting to accomplish our goals? (2) What issues are of greatest importance to all participants? (3) What information must be available in order to discuss these issues?

Tips for Successful Virtual Meetings

•Establish well-defined task and goal-Make sure the meeting has a well-defined task so that it steadily moves toward a goal and discourages people to fill the time with unrelated tasks. •Provide pre-study materials in addition to agenda-Provide prestudy materials as needed, in addition to the agenda. Let participants know what will be expected of them. •Assign people to specific roles-For large meetings, assign people to specific roles, such as a facilitator who guides the discussion, a technical specialist who can help people if they experience difficulties with their connections without interrupting the meeting, and someone to record the minutes. •Ensure up-to-date software tools-Make sure everyone has up-to-date versions of whatever software tools you plan to use. •Introduce group members-If all the participants don't know each other, the facilitator should perform introductions or ask people in turn to introduce themselves. •Explain how to ask questions-If the system doesn't offer a way for people to virtually "raise their hands" to ask a question, the facilitator should explain how to pose questions. •Log in on time-Meeting systems often announce or signal as each person checks in, and it's highly disruptive when latecomers log in after the meeting has started. •Be present, mentally and emotionally-Staying present shows respect for others, and it could save you from embarrassment if you get called on unexpectedly. •Mute audio input when not speaking-Mute your audio input if you need to cough or otherwise make noise. Most systems have a microphone icon or mute button you can press. •Reduce noise from typing and keyboard use-If you type to take notes, make sure noise from your keyboard won't distract others. If necessary, mute your audio while typing. •Summarize agenda item before moving on-As you work through each agenda item, summarize what has been discussed and ask if anyone has questions or comments. •Periodically check and include each person in the group-As the facilitator, periodically check in with each person, if feasible. For instance, if someone hasn't spoken in a while, you might address a person by name and ask, "Does that work for you?" or "Do you have anything to add?"

Recognizing Nonverbal Communication

•Facial Expression-Your face is the primary vehicle for expressing your emotions; it reveals both the type and the intensity of your feelings. Your eyes are especially effective for indicating attention and interest, influencing others, regulating interaction, and establishing dominance. •Gesture and Posture-The way you position and move your body expresses both specific and general messages, some voluntary and some involuntary. Many gestures—a wave of the hand, for example—have specific and intentional meanings. Other types of body movement are unintentional and express more general messages. Slouching, leaning forward, fidgeting, and walking briskly are all unconscious signals that can reveal whether you feel confident or nervous, friendly or hostile, assertive or passive, powerful or powerless. •Vocal Characteristics-Voice carries both intentional and unintentional messages. A speaker can intentionally control pitch, pace, and stress to convey a specific message. For instance, compare "What are you doing?" and "What are you doing?" Unintentional vocal characteristics can convey happiness, surprise, fear, and other emotions (for example, fear often increases the pitch and pace of your speaking voice). •Personal Appearance-People respond to others on the basis of their physical appearance, sometimes fairly and other times unfairly. Although an individual's body type and facial features impose some limitations on appearance, you can control grooming, clothing, accessories, piercings, tattoos, and hairstyle. To make a good impression, adopt the style of the people you want to impress. Many employers also have guidelines concerning attire, body art, and other issues, so make sure you understand and follow them. •Touch-Touch is an important way to convey warmth, comfort, and reassurance—as well as control. Touch is so powerful, in fact, that it is governed by cultural customs that establish who can touch whom and how in various circumstances. Even within each culture's norms, however, individual attitudes toward touch vary widely. A manager might be comfortable using hugs to express support or congratulations, but his or her subordinates could interpret those hugs as a show of dominance or sexual interest. Touch is a complex subject. The best advice: When in doubt, don't touch. •Time and Space-Like touch, time and space can be used to assert authority, imply intimacy, and send other nonverbal messages. For instance, some people try to demonstrate their own importance or disregard for others by making other people wait; others show respect by being on time. Similarly, taking care not to invade private space, such as standing too close when talking, is a way to show respect for others. Keep in mind that expectations regarding both time and space vary by culture.

COMMUNICATING ACROSS CULTURES Whose Skin Is This, Anyway?

•Generational differences in the workplace: Few are quite as visible as body art: tattoos, piercings (other than ear lobes), & hair dyes in unconventional colors. Survey data from the Pew Research Center, people younger than 40 are much more inclined than those older than 40 to display some form of body art. People 26 to 40 yrs old are four times more likely to have tattoos than people who are 41 to 64 yrs old. •Profound Differences: No surprise that in many workplaces body art has become a contentious issue between employees wanting to express themselves & employers wanting to maintain particular standards of professional appearance. Employment law attorney Danielle S. Urban notes, the issue gets even more complicated when religious symbolism is involved. •So far: Most companies seem to be relying on the judgment of their employees & managers, rather than enforcing strict guidelines. Many seem to accept that tastes & norms are changing & that body art has become a widespread form of self-expression rather than a mode of rebellion. Starbucks, which used to require employees to hide tattoos under long sleeves, recently revised its policy to allow employees to display tattoos everywhere except on their faces. Semiconductor giant Intel even featured photos of employee tattoos in its online technology newsletter. However: Job seekers & active employees are still advised to be discreet, however, particularly with facial piercings & large, visible tattoos. One recent survey about 1/3 of employers said they'd be less likely to promote an employee with visible piercings or tattoos. The nonverbal signals you think you're sending might not be the signals a manager receives—or wants to receive.

Advantages of teams

•Increased info and knowledge-By pooling the experience of several individuals, a team has access to more info & experience. •Learning opportunities-Teams that bring together people with various work specialties give members the chance to learn from each other. •Boldness-People who might hesitate to take calculated risks on their own can be more willing to make bold moves as part of the team. •Accountability-Participating in teams creates a built-in sense of accountability to others. •Trust building-Working closely in teams helps people develop trust in their colleagues. •Broader range of viewpoints-Diverse teams can bring a variety of perspectives that improve decision making. •Buy-in for solutions the team creates-Those who participate in making a decision are more likely to support it and encourage others to accept it. •Improved performance-Effective teams can be better than top-performing individuals at solving complex problems. •A sense of community in good times and bad-Being on a team helps individuals share in the celebration of successes and provides emotional support during challenging periods. •Increased diversity of views-Team members can bring a variety of perspectives to the decision-making process—as long as these diverse viewpoints are guided by a shared goal. •Increased acceptance of a solution-Those who participate in making a decision are more likely to support it and encourage others to accept it. •Higher performance levels-Working in teams can unleash new levels of creativity and energy in workers who share a sense of purpose and mutual accountability. Effective teams can be better than top-performing individuals at solving complex problems. Effective teams can pool knowledge, take advantage of diverse viewpoints, increase acceptance of solutions the team proposes, and achieve higher performance. When teams are successful, they can improve productivity, creativity, employee involvement, and even job security. Teams are often at the core of participative management, the effort to involve employees in the company's decision making.

The Art Of Professionalism

•Just as in athletics and other team efforts, being a team player in business is something of a balancing act. You need to pay enough attention to your own efforts and skills to make sure you're pulling your own weight. You need to pay attention to the overall team effort to make sure the team succeeds. Remember that if the team fails, you fail, too. •Great team players know how to make those around them more effective, whether it's by lending a hand during crunch time, sharing resources, removing obstacles, making introductions, or offering expertise. The ability to help others improve their performance is one of the key attributes executives look for when they want to promote people into management. •Showing loyalty to your organization and protecting your employer's reputation—one of the most important assets any company has. Pros don't trash their employers in front of customers or in their personal blogs. When they have a problem, they solve it; they don't share it.

Communicating effectively in teams

•L O 2.1 Describe the characteristics of effective teams, outline five steps for resolving team conflict, and offer advice on working in virtual teams. •Cemex-Mexican company Cemex is one of the world's largest producers of concrete & its two primary components, cement & aggregates (crushed stone, sand, & gravel). Has teamwork challenges on a global scale, with 44,000 employees in more than 50 countries. After period of worldwide expansion beginning in the 1990s, the century-old company now operates quarries, cement plants, & other facilities on every continent except Antarctica. •Success-1st, architects & builders continue to push the envelope by creating designs that require concrete with new performance & handling qualities. 2nd, Cemex's ability to operate profitably depends on running efficient operations, from raw material extraction to processing to transportation. 3rd, the production & distribution of concrete-related products have significant environmental impacts, including the acquisition & consumption of heating fuels required by high-temp cement kilns. •Staying competitive & profitable & to minimize the environmental effects of its operations, knew it needed to accelerate the pace of innovation. •Response-comprehensive online collaboration platform called Shift, which combines social networking, wikis, blogs, a Twitter-like microblogging system, social bookmarking, videoconferencing, a trend-spotting tool called Shift Radar, & more. Custom mobile app lets employees access the system wherever their work takes them. Many companies that've implemented social platforms struggle to get employees to change ingrained behaviors & use the new tools. By getting top-level executives on board early, Cemex achieved nearly universal adoption, with 95% of employees using Shift & forming more than 500 online communities based on technical specialties & shared interests. •Payoffs- launching a new global brand of ready-mix concrete in one-third the expected time, nearly tripling the company's use of renewable energy, and reducing carbon dioxide emissions by almost 2 million metric tons. •Finally- Shift has lived up to its name by shifting the entrenched hierarchical culture of a large, old-school company to a more agile and responsive social business that is better prepared to face the future in its highly competitive markets. As Gilberto Garcia, Cemex's innovation director, puts it, social collaboration "can make a big company look like a small company" by connecting people and ensuring the free exchange of ideas. •Task forces & Problem-solving teams- are often cross-functional, pulling together people from a variety of departments who have different areas of expertise & responsibility. The diversity of opinions & experiences can lead to better decisions, but competing interests can cause tensions that highlight the need for effective communication. •Committees-typically deal with regularly recurring tasks, such as an executive committee that meets monthly to plan strategies and review results. •Successful (teams)-can improve productivity, creativity, employee involvement, and even job security. Collaboration—working together to solve complex problems—is an essential skill for workers in nearly every profession.

Collaborating on Communication Efforts

•L O 2.2 Offer guidelines for collaborative communication, explain what it means to give constructive feedback, and identify major collaboration technologies. When a team collaborates on reports, websites, presentations, and other communication projects, the collective energy and expertise of the various members can produce results that transcend what each individual could do alone. However, collaborating on team messages requires special effort and planning.

Making Your Meetings More Productive

•L O 2.3 List the key steps needed to ensure productive meetings. Well-run meetings can help companies solve problems, develop ideas, and identify opportunities. Meetings can also be a great way to promote team building through the experience of social interaction. You can help ensure productive meetings by preparing carefully, conducting meetings efficiently, and using meeting technologies wisely.

Improving Your Listening Skills

•L O 2.4 Explain why listening is such a complex communication process, and describe three steps to becoming a better listener. Your long-term career prospects are closely tied to your ability to listen effectively. In fact, some 80 percent of top executives say listening is the most important skill needed to get things done in the workplace. Companies whose employees and managers listen effectively are able to stay informed, up to date, and out of trouble. Conversely, poor listening skills can cost companies millions of dollars per year as a result of lost opportunities, legal mistakes, and other errors.

Improving Your Nonverbal Communication Skills

•L O 2.5 Explain the importance of nonverbal communication, and identify six major categories of nonverbal expression. •Nonverbal signals play a vital role in communication because they can strengthen a verbal message (when the nonverbal signals match the spoken words), weaken a verbal message (when nonverbal signals don't match the words), or replace words entirely. Nonverbal communication can supplement or even replace verbal messages (those that use words).

Developing Your Business Etiquette

•L O 2.6 Explain the importance of business etiquette, and identify five key areas in which good etiquette is essential. •Etiquette expert Cindy Post Senning points out, "The principles of respect, consideration, and honesty are universal and timeless." •The financial industries tend to be more formal than high-tech firms, for instance, and sales and executive positions usually involve more formal expectations than positions in engineering or manufacturing. Etiquette is an essential element of every aspect of business communication. You can get by in almost every situation by remembering to be aware of your effect on others, treating everyone with respect, and keeping in mind that the impressions you leave behind can have a lasting effect on you and your company.

Becoming a Better Listener

•Minimize the Barriers to Effective Listening-External barriers to listening are any factors that impede physical hearing or concentration. External barriers are anything in the environment or communication channel that makes it difficult to hear the other party or focus on what is being said. Internal barriers are listener behaviors, thoughts, and emotions that hinder one's ability to understand, interpret, or accept what someone else is saying. •Adapt Your Listening Style to the Situation-You can use three distinct styles: content listening, critical listening, and empathic listening (see Table 2.4). Note that all three of these are forms of active listening. •Listen actively-Active listening is making a conscious effort to engage with other people and to turn off your internal filters and biases in order to truly hear and understand what they are saying. Put yourself in an open and positive state of mind. Keep yourself engaged. Respect silence, pay attention to nonverbal signals, take thoughtful notes.

Putting Meeting Results to Productive Use

•Minutes -Summary of important information presented and decisions made -Include responsibilities as assigned Aspects of the minutes: One person is usually assigned to keep notes as the meeting progresses and then shares them afterward. Specific format isn't important. What's important-Responsibilities assigned during the meeting. Typical Elements- A list of those present & invited but absent. Time meeting started & ended. All major decisions reached. All tasks assigned to meeting participants. All subjects that were deferred to a later meeting. Objective summary of important discussions. Names of those who contributed major points. Any handouts, slides, or supporting documents can be attached to the minutes when they are distributed.

Benefits and Challenges of Virtual Teamwork

•Multiple studies show that successful virtual teams can be more effective, more engaged, and more productive than co-located teams. •However -Virtual teams rely on technology -Interpersonal communication is constant challenge -Distance and separation Miss out on random interaction ●Virtual teams rely on technology, so any limitations in the tools (such as a videoconferencing system with poor video or audio connections) will affect team performance. ● Interpersonal communication is a constant challenge in virtual environments. Teams play an important social role in many cases, for instance, and long-distance team members can develop a sense of emotional isolation and the feeling of being "out of the loop." ● Distance and separation can foster an "us versus them" mentality between geographic factions in a team. ● Virtual teams often miss out on the random interactions that co-located teams experience, such as members running into one another while getting coffee or otherwise crossing paths in the office.