Business Communications: Ch. 1-6

Understand how to overcome typical barriers to organizational communication

- *Downward information flow* 1. Smaller operating units and work teams 2. Management speaks directly to employees - *Upward information flow* 1. Hiring communication coaches to train employees 2. Asking employees to report customer complaints 3. Encouraging regular meetings with staff 4. Providing a trusting, nonthreatening environment in which employees can comfortably share their observations and ideas with management 4. Offering incentive programs that encourage employees to collect and share valuable feedback - *Horizontal information flow* 1. Training employees in teamwork and communication techniques 2. Establishing reward systems based on team achievement rather than individual achievement 3. Encouraging full participation in team functions

Explain how to generate ideas and organize information to show relationships

- *Ideas:* 1. May be generated by brainstorming --A technique that involves encouraging a group of people to unleash "out-of-the-box" ideas, which are then grouped into outlines 2. Ideas for simple messages may be organized in a quick scratch list of topics 3. More complex messages may require an outline - *To prepare an outline:* 1. Divide the main topic into three to five major components 2. Break the components into subpoints consisting of details, illustrations, and evidence - *Organizing information:* 1. Direct strategy --With the main idea first --This strategy is useful when audiences will be pleased, mildly interested, or neutral 2. Indirect strategy --Places the main idea after explanations --This strategy is useful for audiences that will be unwilling, displeased or hostile

Explain the advantages and challenges of workforce diversity

- A diverse workforce can benefit: 1. Consumers --Better able to read trends and response to diverse customer base 2. Work teams --More creative and effective solutions 3. Business organizations --Fewer discrimination lawsuits, etc. - However, diversity can also cause discord among identity groups 1. Business communicators should be aware of and sensitive to differences in the communication techniques of men and women

Understand the powerful effects of globalization and the major trends fueling it

- A shrinking domestic market - The domestic workforce is becoming increasingly diverse as immigrants from other cultures continue to settle in North America 1. Globalized markets free of trade barriers - You can expect to be doing business with people from around the world 2. Advancements in transportation technology - Making the world smaller and more intertwined 3. Communication and information technologies - Extend the global reach of business 4. These trends are giving rise to new middle classes in emerging economies

- Describe significant trends in today's dynamic, networked work environment - Recognize that social media and other new communication technologies require excellent communication skills, particularly in an uncertain economy

- Businesspeople need to have strong communication skills to make decisions, exchange information effectively, and stay connected across time zones and vast distances - Trends affecting today's workers include: 1. New communication technologies such as social media 2. Expectations of around-the-clock availability 3. Global competition 4. Flattened management hierarchies - Lines of communication are shorter, decision makers can react more quickly to market changes 5. Team-based projects - Teamwork is a reality in business; workers must collaborate and share information 6. Diverse workforce - The workplace in the US is becoming increasingly diverse with growing numbers of women, minorities, and older workers 7. Mobile or virtual office operating practically 24/7/365 - Teleworking from remote locations and nonterritorial workspaces are impossible without the productive use of communication technologies

Assess how social media affects intercultural communication

- Communicating in social networks, people tend to seek out those who are like them - The extent to which they reach out across boundaries depends on whether they are outgoing or introverted

- Define culture - Name its primary characteristics

- Culture is the complex system of values, traits, morals, and customs shared by a society - Significant characteristics of culture include the following: 1. Culture is learned 2. Cultures are inherently logical --The rules in any culture reinforce that culture's values and beliefs 3. Culture is the basis of self-identity and community 4. Culture combines the visible and invisible --Unspoken and often unconscious rules are determined by our beliefs and values, etc. 5. Culture is dynamic --Cultures can change

Analyze ethics in the workplace

- Ethics describes standards of right and wrong prescribing what people should do --These standards consist of rights, obligations, and benefits to society --They include virtues such as fairness, honesty, loyalty, and more --Ethical standards rise to a level higher than the law

Grasp the complexities of ethics across cultures, including business practices abroad, bribery, prevailing customs, and methods for coping

- In doing business abroad, business-people should expect to find differing views about ethical practices - Although deciding whose ethics should prevail is tricky, the following techniques are helpful: 1. Broaden your understanding of values and customs in other cultures 2. Avoid reflex judgments regarding the morality or corruptness of actions 3. Look for alternative solutions, refuse business if the options violate your basic values, and conduct all relations as openly as possible 4. Don't rationalize shady decisions 5. Resist legalistic strategies 6. Apply a five-question ethics test when faced with a perplexing ethical dilemma

Apply techniques for successful oral and written interactions across cultures

- In improving oral messages: 1. Use simple English 2. Speak slowly 3. Enunciate clearly 4. Observe eye messages 5. Encourage accurate feedback 6. Accept blame 7. Listen without interrupting 8. Smile 9. Follow up important conversations in writing - To improve written messages: 1. Try to accommodate the reader in organization, tone, and style 2. Use short sentences and short paragraphs 3. Observe titles and rank 4. Avoid ambiguous expressions 5. Strive for clarity 6. Use correct grammar 7. Cite numbers carefully

Examine critically the internal and external flow of communication in organizations through formal and informal channels

- Internal and external office communication has accelerated thanks to new communication technologies. --E-mail --IM --Company intranets --Corporate websites --Audio and video podcasting --Videoconferencing --Web chats 1. Internal communication - Includes exchanging ideas and messages with superiors, coworkers, and subordinates 2. External communication - Involves customers, suppliers, government agencies, and the public 3. Formal channels of communication - Follow an organization's hierarchy of command - Three directions: Downward, upward, horizontally --Message originates with executives and flows down through managers to supervisors and finally to lower-level employees 4. Informal channels of communication - The grapevine --Delivers unofficial news--both personal and organizational--among friends and coworkers

Explain the importance of effect media choices

- Media richness and social presence are concepts that help classify the communication media most suitable to avoid ambiguity in a given workplace interaction - From least effective to most: 1. Unaddressed documents 2. Written, addressed 3. Audio 4. Video 5. Face-to-face

Understand how effective nonverbal communication can help you advance your career

- Nonverbal communication takes many forms including: 1. Eye contact 2. Facial expressions 3. Posture 4. Gestures 5. Use of time, space, and territory - To improve your nonverbal skills: 1. Establish and maintain eye contact 2. Use posture to show interest 3. Reduce or eliminate physical barriers 4. Improve your decoding skills 5. Probe for more information 6. Avoid assigning nonverbal meanings out of context 7. Associate with people from diverse cultures 8. Appreciate the power of appearance

Recognize proofreading problem areas, and apply effective techniques to catch mistakes in both routing and complex documents

- Proofreaders must be especially alert to: 1. Spelling 2. Grammar 3. Punctuation 4. Names 5. Numbers 6. Document format - Routine documents may be proofread immediately after completion: 1. They may be read line by line on the computer screen or, better yet, from a printed draft copy --More complex documents, however, should be proofread after a breather 2. You should read from a printed copy, allow adequate time, reduce your reading speed, and read the document at least three times --For word meanings, for grammar and mechanics, and for formatting

Apply Phase 2 of the 3-x-3 writing process, which begins with formal and informal research to collect background information

- Researching --Collecting information using formal or informal techniques 1. Informal research for routine tasks may include: - Looking in the company's digital and other files - Talking with your boss - Interviewing the target audience - Conducting informal surveys 2. Formal research for long reports and complex problems may involve: - Researching electronically or manually - Investigating primary sources - Conducting scientific experiments

Understand the importance of teamwork in today's digital-era workplace

- Teams are important because: 1. Better decisions 2. Faster response 3. Increased productivity 4. Greater buy-in 5. Less resistance to change 6. Improved employee morale 7. Reduced risks - Virtual teams are groups of people who work independently with a shared purpose across space, time, and organization boundaries using technology --Can collaborate with workers in other areas - Teams typically go through four stages of development: --Forming --Storming --Norming --Performing

Summarize the 3-x-3 writing process and explain how it guides a writer

- The 3-x-3 writing process helps writers create efficient and effective messages - A writing process helps a writer by providing a systematic plan describing what to do in each step of the process 1. Phase 1 (prewriting) involves: - Analyzing the message - Anticipating the audience - Considering ways to adapt the message to the audience 2. Phase 2 (drafting) involves: - Researching the topic - Organizing the material - Drafting the message 3. Phase 3 (revising) includes: - Editing - Proofreading - Evaluating the message

Enhance readability by understanding document design including the use of white space, margins, typefaces, fonts, numbered and bulleted lists, and headings

- The most readable messages have: 1. Ample white space 2. Appropriate side margins 3. Ragged-right (not justified) margins 4. Serif typefaces (fonts with small features at the ends of strokes, such as Times New Roman, Century, and Palatino) are often used for body text - Sans serif typefaces (clean fonts without small features, such as Arial, Helvetica, and Tahoma) are often used for headings and signs 5. Numbered and bulleted lists provide high "skim value" in messages 6. Headings add visual impact and aid readability in business messages as well as in reports

Address approaches for improving communication among diverse workplace audiences

- To promote harmony and communication in diverse workplaces: 1. Many organizations develop diversity training programs 2. You should understand and accept the value of differences 3. Don't expect conformity 4. Make fewer assumptions about others 5. Look for common ground

Draft effective paragraphs using three classic paragraph plans and techniques for achieving paragraph coherence

- Typical paragraphs follow one of three plans: 1. Direct paragraphs - Topic sentence followed by supporting sentences --Useful to define, classify, illustrate, and describe 2. Pivoting paragraphs - Limiting sentence followed by a topic sentence and supporting sentences --Useful to compare and contrast 3. Indirect paragraphs - Supporting sentences followed by a topic sentence --Build a rationale and foundation of ideas before presenting the main idea - Paragraphs are more coherent when the writer links ideas by 1. Sustaining a key thought 2. Dovetailing sentences --When an idea at the end of one sentence connects with an idea at the beginning of the next 3. Using pronouns effectively --We, they, he, she, it, this, that, these, those 4. Employing transitional expressions --Enable the reader to anticipate what's coming - Paragraphs with eight or fewer lines look most attractive

Ethics: Choose the tools for doing the right thing

- When faced with a difficult decision, the following questions serve as valuable tools in guiding you to do the right thing: 1. Is the action legal? 2. Would you do it if you were on the opposite side? 3. Can you rule out a better alternative? 4. Would a trusted advisor agree? 5. Would your family, friends, employer, or coworkers approve?

Discuss effective practices and technologies for planning and participating in face-to-face meetings and virtual meetings

- Workplace meetings are called only when urgent two-way communication is necessary 1. Leaders should start the meeting on time and keep the discussion on track 2. Conflict should be confronted openly by letting each person present his or her views fully 3. Leaders should summarize what was said, end the meeting on time, and distribute minutes afterwards 4. To participate actively, attendees should arrive early, come prepared, have a positive attitude, and contribute respectfully - In virtual meetings people who cannot be together physically connect with technology --Such meetings save travel time, trim costs, and reduce employee fatigue 1. Audioconferencing enables people to use an enhanced speakerphone to confer with others by telephone 2. Videoconferencing combines video and audio for real-time interaction in special telepresence rooms 3. Web conferencing enables participants to share documents and converse in real time

- Analyze the purpose of a message - Anticipate its audience - Select the best communication channel

1. *Analyze the purpose of a message* - Decide why they are creating a message and what they hope to achieve --Although many messages only inform, some must also persuade 2. *Anticipate its audience* - Communicators visualize both the primary and secondary audiences --Helps them choose the most appropriate language, tone, and content for a message - Senders should remember that receivers will usually be thinking, What's in it for me?(WIIFM) 3. *Select the best communication channel* by considering: - The importance of the message - The amount and speed of feedback required - The necessity of a permanent record - The cost of the channel - The degree of formality desired - The confidentiality and sensitivity of the message - The receiver's preference and evel of technical expertise

Employ expert writing techniques such as incorporating audience benefits, the "you" view, conversational but professional language, a positive and courteous tone, bias-free language, plain language, and vigorous words

1. *Audience benefits* - Involves looking for ways to shape the message from the receiver's, not the sender's view 2. *The "you" view* - Skilled communicators look at a message form the receivers perspective applying the "you" view without attempting to manipulate 3. *Conversational but professional language* 4. *Positive and courteous tone* - Tells what can be done rather than what can't be done --The project will be successful with your support rather than The project won't be successful without your support - A courteous tone means guarding against rudeness and avoiding sounding preachy or demanding 5. *Bias-free language* - Writers should also avoid language that excludes, stereotypes, or offends people (lady lawyer, spry old gentleman, and confined to a wheelchair) 6. *Plain language* - Plain language, familiar terms, strong verbs, and concrete nouns improve readability and effectiveness 7. *Vigorous words*

Explain the five key dimensions of culture

1. *Context* - Low-context --Depend little on the context of a situation and shared experience to convey their meaning - High-context --Much is left unsaid because the listener is assumed to be already "contexted" and does not require much background information 2. *Individualism* - An attitude of independence and freedom from control --Low-context cultures value more 3. *Time orientation* - Some cultures time may be perceived as unlimited and never-ending resource to be enjoyed while other cultures consider time a precious commodity to be conserved 4. *Power distance* - Measures how people in different societies cope with inequality--how they relate to more powerful individuals - High power --Subordinates expect formal hierarchies... - Low power --Subordinates consider themselves as equals of their supervisors 5. *Communication style* - Low-context --Words are very important - High-context --Place more emphasis on the surrounding context than on the words describing a negotiation

Complete business messages by revising for conciseness, which includes eliminating flabby expressions, long lead-ins, there is/are and it is/was fillers, redundancies, and empty words, as well as condensing for microblogging

1. *Eliminating flabby expressions* - As a general rule, at a later date, at this point in time 2. *Excludes opening fillers* - There is, there are 3. Redundancies - Basic essentials 4. *Empty words* - In the case of, the fact that 5. Especially important in revising *microblogging* messages as short as 140 characters

Improve your writing techniques by emphasizing important ideas, employing the active and passive voice effectively, using parallelism, and preventing dangling and misplaced modifiers

1. *Emphasizing important ideas* - You can emphasize an idea by making it the sentence subject, placing it first, and removing competing ideas 2. Effective sentences use the *active and passive voice* strategically - Active voice: --The subject is the doer of the action (She hired the student) --Most sentences should be in the active voice - Passive voice: --The subject receives the action (The student was hired) --Useful to de-emphasize negative news, to emphasize an action rather than the doer, and to conceal the doer of an action 3. *Parallelism* - A skillful writing technique that uses balanced construction (jogging, hiking, and biking rather than jogging, hiking, and to bike) 4. *Avoid dangling modifiers and misplaced modifiers* - Dangling: sitting at my computer, the words would not come - Misplaced: I have the report you wrote in my office

Explain how you can contribute positively to team performance

1. *Open discussion of conflict* - Prevents group-think, a condition that leads to faulty decisions 2. *In resolving conflict:* - You should listen - Understand the other's point of view - Show a concern for the relationship - Look for common ground - Invent new problem-solving options - Reach a fair agreement 3. *Successful teams are:* - Small - Diverse - Able to agree on their purpose, procedures, and method of conflict resolution - Use good communication techniques - Collaborate rather than compete - Accept ethical responsibilities - Share leadership

Explain and apply active listening techniques

1. *While listening to supervisors on the job* - Take notes - Avoid interrupting - Ask pertinent questions - Paraphrase what you hear 2. *When listening to colleagues and team-mates* - Listen critically to recognize facts - Listen discriminately to identify main ideas and to understand logical arguments 3. *When listening to customers* - Defer judgement - Pay attention to content rather than form - Listen completely - Control emotions - Give affirming statements - Invite additional comments 4. Keys to building powerful listening skills include: - Controlling external and internal distractions - Becoming actively involved - Separating facts from opinions - Identifying important facts - Refraining from interrupting - Asking clarifying questions - Paraphrasing - Taking advantage of lag time - Taking notes to ensure retention - Being aware of gender differences

Understand the goals of ethical business communicators

1. Abiding by the law 2. Telling the truth 3. Labeling opinions 4. Being objective 5. Communicating clearly 6. Using inclusive language 7. Giving credit

Improve clarity in business messages by keeping the ideas simple, dumping trite business phrases, dropping cliches, avoiding slang and buzzwords, rescuing buried verbs, and controlling exuberance

1. Apply the KISS formula: Keep It Short and Simple 2. Avoid foggy, indirect, and pompous language 3. Do not include: - Trite business phrases --As per your request, enclosed please find, pursuant to your request - Cliches --Better than new, beyond a shadow of a doubt, easier said than done - Slang --Snarky, lousy, bombed - Buzzwords --Optimize, paradigm shift, incentivize 4. Also avoid burying nouns - To conduct an investigation rather than to investigate, to perform an analysis rather than to analyze --Converting a verb into a noun lengthens the sentence, saps the force of the verb, and muddies the message 5. Do not overuse intensifiers that show exuberance - Totally, actually, very, definitely --These words can emphasize and strengthen meaning, but overusing them makes your messages sound unbusinesslike

Improve your competitive advantage by developing professionalism and business etiquette skills

1. Avoiding speech habits that make you sound uneducated, crude, or adolescent 2. Use polite words 3. Express sincere appreciation and praise 4. Writing carefully worded e-mails and other messages 5. Having a businesslike e-mail address 6. Good voice mail, cell phone, and telephone manners 7. Be selective in sharing personal information with work colleagues 8. Avoid criticizing people 9. Respect coworkers' space 10. Rise above others' rudeness 11. Be considerate when sharing space 12. Choose the high road in conflict 13. Disagree agreeably

Discuss strategies for enhancing intercultural effectiveness

1. Building cultural self-awareness 2. Curbing Ethnocentrism - Ethnocentrism refers to the belief that one's own culture is superior to all others and and holds all truths 3. Understanding generalizations and stereotypes 4. Being open-minded - Practice empathy 5. Saving face - Some cultures are more concerned with preserving social harmony and saving face

Compose the first draft of a message using a variety of sentence types and avoiding sentence fragments, run-on sentences, and comma splices

1. Choose a quiet environment to compose the first draft of a message 2. Compose quickly but plan to revise 3. Employ a variety of sentence types including: - Simple (one independent clause) - Complex (one independent and one dependent clause) - Compound (two independent clauses) - Compound-complex (two independent clauses and one dependent clause) 4. Avoid: - Fragments (broken-off parts of sentences) - Comma splices (joining two clauses improperly) - Run-on sentences (fusing two clauses improperly) 5. Remember that sentences are most effective when they are short (20 or fewer words)

Understand why writing skills are vital in a digital workplace embracing social media

1. Communication technology has provided unprecedented mobility --Workers are increasingly expected to be plugged in after hours and where they may travel 2. Ever since the digital revolution swept the workplace, most workers write their own messages and increasingly new communication channels such as social media 3. Because messages today travel more rapidly, more often, and to greater numbers of people than ever before so excellent writing skills are particularly important

- Understand how teams approach collaborative writing projects - What collaboration tools support team writing?

1. During Phase 1 (prewriting): - Teams usually work together in brainstorming and working out their procedures and assignments 2. During Phase 2 (drafting): - Individual members research and write their portions of the project report or presentation 3. During Phase 3 (revising): - Teams may work together to combine and revise their drafts - Teams may use digital collaboration tools such as: 1. E-mail 2. Instant messaging 3. Texting 4. Wikis 5. Word processing functions such as Track Changes 6. Web conferencing 7. Google Docs 8. Other software to collaborate effectively

Evaluate a message to judge its effectiveness

1. Encourage feedback from the receiver so that you can determine whether your communication achieved its goal 2. Try to welcome any advice from your instructor on how to improve your writing skills

Recognize and avoid ethical traps

1. The false necessity trap - People act from the belief that they are doing what they must do 2. The doctrine-of-relative-filth trap - Unethical actions sometimes look good when compared with worse behavior by others 3. The rationalization trap - People try to explain away unethical actions by justifying them with excuses 4. The self-deception trap - Applicant for jobs often fall into this 5. The ends-justify the means trap - Taking unethical actions to accomplish a desired goal

Understand the nature of communication and its barriers in the digital age

1. The sender: - Encodes (selects) words or symbols to express an idea in a message 2. It travels: - Verbally over a channel (such as an e-mail, website, tweet, letter, or smartphone call) - Or is expressed nonverbally with gestures of body language --"Noise" such as loud sounds, misspelled words, or other distractions, may interfere with the transmission 3. The receiver: - Decodes (interprets) the message - May respond with feedback, informing the send of the effectiveness of the message - Miscommunication may be caused by barriers such as: 1. Bypassing --When people miss each other with their meanings 2. Differing frames of reference --You bring your own biases and expectations to any communication situation 3. Lack of language skills 4. Distractions

Explain how communication skills fuel career success

1. Workers today write more, not less 2. Excellent oral and written communication skills are the top qualities that employers seek 3. Communication skills are critical to job placement, performance, career advancement, and organizational success - Especially in a recession, excellent communication skills can set you apart from other candidates

- Identify the tools for success in the hyperconnected 21st-century workplace - Appreciate the importance of critical-thinking skills in the competitive job market of the digital age

Tools for success in the digital workplace include: 1. Being a knowledge worker - You must learn to think critically and develop opinions backed by reasons and evidence --Critical-thinking skills are important in the digital workplace you are learning to think, read, and ask questions in a networked world, accessed with electronic devices on the go. --Information flows at a great speed, across various media, and in many directions. - Knowledge workers who communicate well tend to find employment and advance even in a tough market 2. Being flexible and willing to engage in lifelong learning - Technologies and procedures are constantly evolving

Reflect on nonverbal intercultural communication

1. We can minimize nonverbal miscommunication by recognizing that meanings conveyed by body language such as eye contact, posture, gestures, use of time, space, and territory are largely culture dependent 2. Becoming aware of your own nonverbal behavior and what is conveys is the first step in broadening your intercultural competence