Business Communications Final

What does the research tell us about how audiences respond to organizational frameworks?

-A presentation organized with a configural framework usually requires more audience engagement than one organized with a linear framework does. The speaker is not solely responsible for the message. Rather, the listener must also actively construct and create meaning. -A speaker using the nonlinear framework does not spell out his or her purpose and main points for audience members. Instead, listeners must rely on what they already know about the speaker and the topic to interpret the presentation. -Speakers explore issues from a variety of tangential views or examples. Links among main points may not be made explicitly. Direction is only implied. -Finally, configural organizational patterns often rely more on speaker self-disclosure through personal examples and the act of drawing out comments and participation from audience members. Research indicates that the growing preference for this form of evidence may be a by-product of the growing popularity of interactive media such as blogs and social networking sites. These forms of communication encourage us to be more self-expressive and to appreciate others' self-expression in all kinds of communication situations.

Characteristics of good stories relevant to the business and professional speaking context

-A topic of interest and significance to listeners. -A plot that plays out over time, reflecting the complexity of situations and problems. -Elements of drama that make the story vivid and interesting. Often, the drama emerges not from the story's content but from the way the speaker tells the story and the language she or he uses. -A definable beginning, middle, and end. -An appropriate setting. -Characters that are interesting and easy for listeners to relate to. -A conflict, which at some point climaxes, and then, typically, is resolved. The resolution is realistic to listeners.

What are the learning outcomes important to employers (Table 15.2)?

-Ability to effectively communicate orally -Ability to work effectively with others in teams -Ability to effectively communicate in writing -Ethical judgement and decision-making -Critical thinking and analytical reasoning skills -Ability to apply knowledge and skills to real-world settings

(8)-Step Listening Plan

-Be mindful of your self-talk -Mentally prepare to listen -Concentrate and commit to listen -Look like you're ready to listen -Encourage others to talk -Search actively for meaning -Make an effort to keep listening actively -Suspend judgement -Be prepared to be amazed

How do you assess your audience's willingness to change?

-Because all people want the freedom to control how they think, feel, and behave, they may be motivated to rebel when their established beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors are threatened by persuasion. This resistance to change is known as psychological reactance. -Speakers can counteract psychological reactance by using preventative strategies to address three different kinds of audiences: those who agree with your position, those who disagree with your position, and those who are neutral or undecided about your position. -The preventative strategies used for each type of audience focus on convincing the audience there is something wrong with the way things are, and change will meet an existing need. -Preview your story with one simple statement that lists your main points.

Impression Formation Strategies

-Carefully assess the person you are presenting yourself to. -Be honest about who you are. -Consider the physical setting or context of the encounter. -Use all available communication channels to get your positive qualities across. -Look closely for subtle feedback messages. -Make the effort to change another person's negative impression of you if you feel the benefits of doing so outweigh the difficulty of the process.

What strategies will help you influence your audience?

-Conceal your intent. -Don't ask for too much. -Avoid inflammatory phrases. -Use a two-sided message with refutation. -Inoculate against counterarguments. -Keep objections to a minimum. -Combine reason with emotion. -Use fear appeals when appropriate. -Repeat your message.

Transformational leadership and leaders

-Contribute to Team's work -Communicate Effectively -Keeps team on track -Expect Quality -Have Relevant Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

What are the strategies for approaching a professor to work on his/her research program or a research idea of your own?

-Decide on what type of research you would like to conduct, and on what topic. -Search for academic articles written in that subject area using your library's journal databases. -Draft a one-page research summary on your topic that highlights not only the basic assumptions of this area of research, but what you intend to contribute to it with your research program. -Find a professor in your department to approach for an independent study. -Research reveals that one of the best ways to establish a connection with a faculty mentor is to ask directly. Visit his or her office hours and discuss your hopes of becoming involved in a research project. Or, send an email to indicate your interest and set up a time to meet.

What are the steps to creating a business document?

-Determine your audience and objectives. -Compile facts, supporting data, and other research materials. -Develop a logical organizational structure. -Write a draft of the document. -Revise the document until it is clear and concise.

General guidelines for using sensory aids effectively

-Don't overuse sensory aids. Use them only to enhance your presentation by highlighting and clarifying important points, adding interest, and increasing information retention, and the like. -Remove sensory aids from sight when you no longer need them. -Never turn your back to your audience; always maintain eye contact. Don't read your speech from your sensory aids. -Thoroughly rehearse with your sensory aids. -Be prepared for technical difficulties.

Types of support available to speakers and how to evaluate them

-Facts and Data -Stories and Examples -Beware pseudoscience -Relevant Evidence -Recent Evidence -Credible Evidence

Assess the strengths and weaknesses of the available media

-First, does the medium allow for instant feedback? When the message may be unclear or equivocal, instant feedback is important because it allows communicators to more quickly arrive at shared understanding. -Second, does the medium allow the communicator to send multiple cues—such as facial expressions, tone of voice, and verbal inflection? When communicators detect such cues, they are better able to determine whether their messages are being perceived accurately. -Third, does the medium allow communicators to use natural language, similar to what they would use in a face-to-face conversation? E-mail allows communicators to be fairly conversational, while text messaging relies on a lot of acronyms and symbols. The more ambiguous or complex the message is, the more important it is to engage in normal, natural conversation. -Finally, does the medium have personal focus and qualities? Messages are always transmitted and interpreted more accurately and clearly when communicators can express emotion and feeling.

Monroe's Motivated Sequence

-Gain the audience's attention. -Identify unfulfilled needs. -Propose a solution that satisfies those needs. -Visualize what satisfaction will mean. -Identify specific actions.

Good Listeners

-Good listeners focus their full concentration on the communicator. -Good listeners use their bodies to communicate openness and receptivity. -Good listeners use facial expressions to communicate interest.

What should be accomplished in the introduction to an informative presentation? What are the strategies for doing so?

-Identify Your Specific Purpose and Thesis Statement -Establish and demonstrate your credibility with your topic. -Compel your audience to listen actively. -Preview your presentation. (Emotional Appeals, Can Do Attitude, Repetition, and Amazing Facts)

What are the five strategies for maximizing the effectiveness of the body of your informative presentation?

-Keep it Simple -Keep it Concrete -Be Repetitive and Redundant -Elicit Active Responses -Use Familiar and Relevant Examples -Use Transitions and Signposts

Sender Responsibility

-Know what content you want to communicate before you actually say it. -Carefully consider the way the message should be communicated. -Ensure that the message is appropriate for the context or occasion. -Design the message with the particular receivers in mind. -Design your message with your receiver's listening style in mind. -Be mindful about the possible implications of the message.

Receiver Responsibility

-Make an effort to listen. -Consider the physical and social context of the message. -Give the sender a fair hearing. -Provide the sender with feedback. -Manage your response to the message being communicated.

Poor Listeners

-Poor listeners are easily distracted, allowing their attention to wander. -Poor listeners use their bodies to close off exchanges. -Poor listeners might look bored, unhappy, or preoccupied, showing disinterest in both the communicator and the message.

The factors that make teams work effectively

-Provide Organizational Support -Define Team Objectives -Establish Ground Rules -Facilitate Collaboration, Disagreement, and Trust -Define Standards for Performance -Push for Commitment -Pause and Reflect

Types of presentations appropriate for the business and professional speaking context

-Sales Presentations and Proposals -Briefings -Team Presentations -Specialized Business Presentations

Non-Verbal Strategies

-Smile and make eye contact. -Dress appropriately to fit in. -Gesture to illustrate and emphasize, and avoid inappropriate or distracting gestures. -Recognize the implications of time. -Consider that how you say something is as important as what you say. -Use your good posture to communicate confidence. -Show respect for other people's personal space. -Touch judiciously and appropriately.

Factors that impact speaker credibility

-Speak clearly about your own experiences, knowledge, or expertise, but also be sure to use the opinions, research findings, claims, and experiences of other experts to demonstrate that your ideas are supported by a diverse group of authorities. -The way you present yourself also affects your credibility. -Credibility also depends on your physical appearance and what you wear.

Verbal Strategies

-Speak to be understood by speaking simply, avoiding unnecessary jargon and acronyms, and using clear and specific language. -Speak to show strength by using power language, animated and intense language, concrete examples, and the active voice. -Speak to include rather than exclude by using bias-free language. Use the terms others use to identify themselves, don't mention group membership unnecessarily, use parallel labels, and avoid masculine terms as generics. -Speak to stimulate others' interest in you by using verbal immediacy strategies to encourage positive feelings and perceptions of closeness and inclusion.

Benefits of organizing

-Speakers who organize their presentations effectively are able to stay on course and engage their listeners. -In addition, organized presentations are associated with perceptions of greater speaker credibility. -If you just discuss your ideas randomly, with no organization at all, audience members won't be able to follow along, and they'll conclude that you don't know what you are talking about!

How to use PowerPoint effectively, steps/guidelines for creating and formatting slides

-Start by preparing your presentation outline so that you can organize the introduction, main points, and conclusion of your presentation. -Create brief, simple headlines for your slides that correspond with your main points. -Create a storyboard from your outline to evaluate the flow of your ideas and to determine whether your story is cohesive. -Once your headlines are in place, develop the content for each slide, making sure that your slideshow doesn't simply repeat everything in your presentation. -Allow plenty of white (unfilled) space. -Limit your use of animations. -Use high-quality graphics. -Use a visual theme for your file, but avoid preloaded templates. -Use sans serif fonts that are easy to read and see from a distance. -Think outside the box when creating your layout.

The factors that make teams fail

-Team members don't know what to do. -Employees and managers mistrust teams. -Team training is expensive, is time consuming, and takes effort. -The team lacks urgency. -Team members have other priorities. -One bad apple can spoil the team.

How do you decide whether you want to influence attitudes, beliefs, or behaviors?

-To change attitudes, a speaker must influence others to feel more positive or negative about an issue. -To change beliefs, a speaker must influence others to think or believe something is true or not true. -To change behaviors, a speaker must motivate others to take or commit to some kind of action. Deciding whether you want to influence your audience's attitudes, beliefs, or behaviors also helps you determine your specific purpose and thesis statement for your persuasive presentation.

How do you select the right medium for work-related communication?

-Understand Your Goals and the Nature of Your Message -Consider the Characteristics of Your Audience -Assess the Strengths and Weaknesses of the Available Media -Ensure the Dynamic Interplay among Your Audience, Media, and Message

Features of speaking context that should be analyzed prior to speaking

-What is the size of the audience? -What is the presentation schedule and how much time is available to speak? -What is the seating capacity and physical arrangement of the room? -What will the sound and lighting be like? -What other characteristics should you consider?

Influence of Self-Talk in Listening

-What you bring to an encounter influences your ability to listen. Perhaps nothing is more critical to understanding another person than the personal experiences and histories that you and that person bring to an interaction. What you each bring to the table—who you are, what you know, and what you think about yourselves—affects how you interpret and make sense of what you hear. -Knowing that self-talk influences how you interpret what you hear, you probably would choose to engage in positive self-talk during that hypothetical performance appraisal situation. When you engage in positive self-talk, you are more likely to seek understanding, be open to criticism, and make the suggested changes in how you work. -With negative self-talk, on the other hand, you are likely to listen to the appraisal from a defensive perspective, selectively perceiving everything your supervisor says as personal attacks rather than as recommendations for improvement.

What criteria should you use for determining whether to include sensory aids in your presentation and when to do so?

-Will one or more sensory aids clarify something critical to my presentation? -Will sensory aids make the presentation more interesting or engaging? -Will sensory aids increase audience retention? -Will sensory aids save time? -Will sensory aids help explain the topic?

What characteristics distinguish a group from a team?

A group of people becomes a team when they share a common purpose or goal. Unlike groups, team members are carefully chosen for the particular and complementary skills that allow the team to achieve or complete complex goals and tasks.

Active Listening(Good Listeners)

Active listening is the process of making a conscious effort to pay full attention to and comprehend the message being communicated. When you listen actively, you not only increase your ability to understand the message, but you also encourage the sender's enthusiasm and appreciation.

Audience Analysis

Audience analysis requires the systematic gathering of information about your intended audience: Who are these people? Why are they here? What are they interested in? What stake do they hold in the reason you are speaking? What challenges do they face that you could potentially help them with? These can be complex questions to answer in the business environment, where personal interests, politics, and scarce resources can all affect how audience members anticipate and receive your presentation.

What are the goals of business writing?

Business writing is the preparation of any print or online document designed to support a business enterprise or help it grow. These may be written for internal or external readers. Examples include memos, letters, brief reports, proposals, and blogs.

Communication Gone Wrong

Common barriers to effective business communication are ethical dilemmas; self-interest; communication apprehension; incompetence; ineffective use of new media; determining when face-to-face communication is best; being interculturally sensitive; and managing stress, burnout, and information overload.

Communication Competency

Communication competence is one's ability to "choose among available communicative behaviors to accomplish one's goals during an encounter." More specifically, to be a strategic, competent communicator, you must know what is appropriate in a given situation, have the skills to enact the appropriate communication strategy, and be motivated to do so.

Patricia Sias Findings

Communication researcher Patricia Sias found that when organizational members form positive relationships with one another and with external stakeholders (such as their customers and clients), they tend to obtain higher-quality information than people with weaker or fewer relationships do. And, as these employees feel more and more connected to an accurate and helpful information network, they feel more satisfied with and committed to their organizations.

Identify digital natives versus digital immigrants

Digital Natives- A person born or brought up during the age of digital technology and therefore familiar with computers and the Internet from an early age. Digital Immigrants- A person born or brought up before the widespread use of digital technology.

Challenges of Communicating in the Digital Age

Even though the Internet, smartphones, social networking sites and apps, Skype, and Facetime make communication a more convenient task, these and other digital media can create problems if we do not use them appropriately. Similarly, although digital communication media make working with people all over the globe possible, we aren't necessarily prepared to work with those people if we lack cultural sensitivity. And, at the end of the day, if we're still both physically and psychologically connected to work through our communication devices, our personal lives are bound to suffer. We are much more likely to experience stress, burnout, and information overload as a result of this constant connection than people who can leave work behind from time to time.

What undergraduate experiences will help distinguish you on the job market?

Experiential learning is one of the most critical ways that you can distinguish yourself as an undergraduate student. Experiential learning, a learning process in which students develop knowledge and skills from direct experiences outside of a traditional academic setting,1 can encompass opportunities such as internships, study abroad experiences, alternative breaks, service-learning (each of these are defined and explained in detail in forthcoming sections of this chapter), volunteering, student organization leadership and campus involvement, working on faculty research projects, and student employment. Experiential learning has long been praised by those in the academic field for its ability to connect knowing and applying the information you learn in your courses.

What is persuasion? How is it different from informing?

In a persuasive presentation, a speaker's primary purpose is to advocate some sort of change in attitudes, beliefs, or behaviors. Persuasive presentations often provide new information to help influence others, but persuasive speaking differs from informative speaking in that the purpose of informing is to teach, and the purpose of persuading is to advocate.

What is the appropriate tone, style, and layout for the following?: Letters: Evaluating formal written communication Memos: Brief and concise written internal communication Brief Reports: Updates on organizational issues Formal Reports: In-depth accounts of business issues Blogs

Letters- Tone, style, and visual layout are important considerations when writing business letters. Business letters are written on a continuum from informal to formal. Writers should, in most cases, avoid an overly formal or contrived style. Writers should select a format and use it consistently throughout the letter. When transmitting a letter using e-mail or other digital media, construct an appropriate subject line. Memos- Memos are brief, informal, and usually digital forms of written communication. Memos are the most common kind of document in business and professional settings. Brief Reports- Brief reports are designed to provide up-to-date information on day-to-day organizational activities. Examples include progress and periodic reports. Formal Reports- Formal reports may rely on original research, historical or archived data, or a combination of both. Organization and format are very important due to the length of formal reports. Blogs- Multiauthored blogs are contributed by a wide variety of sources and are usually professionally edited. Readers can comment on blog entries. Blogs are used in business to develop relationships with customers and to promote products, services, or ideas. Blogs are written in a conversational, familiar tone and style. Blogs are an excellent way to drive traffic to a website and encourage a connection between external stakeholders and the organization.

How is social media writing different from other forms of strategic business writing?

Like blogging, social media writing is different from other forms of business writing. Status updates and tweets express a thought and need to excite or interest readers in as few as 140 characters.

What is the purpose of the conclusion to an informative presentation? What are some strategies for an effective conclusion?

Like the introduction or beginning to a speech, the conclusion should signal the end of the speech and review the main points and then provide some kind of memorable statement that leaves the audience thoughtful, interested, and aroused. -Signal the End of Your Story and Summarize Your Points -Compel Your Audience to Remember You and Your Message

Linear organization vs. configural organization

Linear- Linear frameworks involve a clear and fact-based approach that follows a straightforward pattern—such as previewing main points, discussing one point at a time, and summarizing each point. Configural- The configural approach is relatively indirect, relies on speaker self-disclosure, and asks audience members to impose their own structure and meaning onto a presentation.

Members' and leaders' roles in team effectiveness

Members- Team members can make a difference by contributing to the team's work, communicating effectively with teammates, keeping the team on track, demanding quality, and bringing with them special talents and skills important to the task. Leaders- Team leaders can make a difference by communicating a vision, stimulating and challenging members, providing support, and modeling good behaviors.

What are the communication competencies in Table 15.1, and how is each defined? What are some example abilities of each? (NOTE: Although you might not have as much coursework dedicated to these, they are critical to employers and for successful employment—regardless of your major!)

Oral Communication Skills- The process of verbally expressing information or ideas. Includes the ability to... -Communicate effectively in interpersonal, group, or public settings. -Communicate effectively across various channels (e.g., face-to-face and mediated interactions). -Actively listen. -Ask good questions. -Be persuasive. -Articulate and express ideas. Obtain relevant information. Written Communication Skills- The process of expressing information or ideas using the written word. Includes the ability to... -Determine appropriate tone and writing style for an audience. -Write with brevity and clarity. -Create/edit written reports. -Write using plain language. Critical Thinking Skills- The objective analysis and evaluation of an issue in order to form a judgment Includes the ability to... -Understand the logical connection between ideas. -Interpret and apply information to a given problem. -Connect various pieces of information to influence a decision. -Evaluate the credibility and utility of information as it relates to a given problem or issue. -Be aware of your own thinking process to eliminate bias. -Make decisions and solve problems effectively. Data Analytic Skills- The ability to utilize data to test a hypothesis, support decision-making, or challenge assumptions. Includes the ability to... -Collect reliable and valid data in ways consistent with the scientific method. -Analyze data using both descriptive and inferential statistics. -Interpret findings to offer conclusions and make recommendations. -Use data analytic software such as Excel or SPSS to analyze quantitative data. Organizational Skills- The ability to effectively coordinate mental and physical tasks to meet demands in a set time frame. Includes the ability to... Effectively time manage. -Allocate resources (e.g., money, labor) to achieve a task. -Be a leader. -Adapt in the face of crises or unexpected circumstances

Passive Listening(Poor Listeners)

Passive listening is what most people do. They receive messages on autopilot, without exerting much, if any, effort and without concern for what is being communicated. People listen passively for any number of reasons, ranging from boredom, disinterest, and apathy to fatigue and illness.

Best Way for Candidates to Interview

Prepare for the Interview -Develop a personal profile -Develop a professional profile -Do your research -Anticipate the questions -Practice your answers -Make a list of questions to ask Make a good first impression Sell yourself Check for a good fit End the interview Follow-Up after the interview

Best Way to Interview Candidates

Prepare for the Interview -Develop an Ideal Applicant Profile -Generate a list of questions(Interview Protocol; reliable and valid questions) -Become familiar with the candidate's profile -Facilitate the conversation -Conclude on a positive note

Impression Formation

Presentation of self is the strategy of creating and sending verbal and nonverbal messages that tell others about the kind of person you are. The way you speak, dress, and behave communicates information about your personal qualities and your inner nature. From this information, others construct interpretations, understandings, and impressions about what they think you are really like. Similarly, as others form first impressions about you, you are forming your own impressions about them.

What are sensory aids?

Sensory aids are supporting devices that appeal to one or more of the five senses and highlight or enhance the content of a presentation.

How do you find and successfully apply to a graduate program that's right for you?

Similar to the tips provided above for finding a paid internship or job, graduate school exploration calls on you to use your available resources. In this case, setting up a time to meet with a professor who you have had for multiple classes or an academic advisor is a good idea. Choose someone to speak to that knows you well, and with whom you can be honest about your priorities in selecting a graduate school.

Strategic Communication

Strategic communication involves setting communication goals and then enacting verbal and nonverbal communication behaviors, including listening, consistent with predetermined objectives. Strategic communication is an important approach to understand and practice with coworkers, superiors, clients, customers, and other third parties (such as vendors, prospective customers, community leaders, government officials) that you communicate with relative to your work.

What kinds of criteria do employers use for selecting interns? (NACE study)

The applicant's field of study, a high GPA, and prior leadership experience. Additionally, the ability to work in a team was the most heavily favored competency sought in potential interns.

What are the documented benefits of internships?

The benefits of participating in an internship program last far beyond your hire date as well: NACE found that employees who had interned with their employer were outpacing their colleagues who had not interned. In fact, employees who completed an internship with their employer prior to being hired were more likely to be with the company at both the one- and five-year benchmarks in a longitudinal study. In terms of your academic studies, internships have been shown to help students perform better in their coursework across various subjects, including business, art, and social sciences.

Linear Communication

The linear model of communication illustrates the most basic components of the human communication process. This model characterizes communication as a simple process in which a sender transmits a message to a receiver.

Simultaneous Communication

This more inclusive model shows that the sender and the receiver are undergoing the same kind of experience at the same time, or simultaneously. It implies that their exchange is a transaction, or an activity that mutually influences each of them in some way.