Building Goodwill

Question 1

What are 5 ways to create you-attitude?

Answer 1

1. Talk about the audience, not about yourself.
2. Refer to the audience’s request or order specifically.
3. Don’t talk about feelings expect to congratulate or offer sympathy.
4. In positive situations, use you more often then I. Use we when it includes the audience.
5. In negative situations, avoid the word you. Protect the audience’s ego. Use passive verbs to avoid assigning blame.

Question 2

What are 5 different ways to create a positive emphasis?

Answer 2

1. Avoids negative words and words with negative connotations.
2. Beware of hidden negatives.
3. Focus on what the audience can do rather than on limitations.
4. Justify negative information by giving a reason or linking it to an audience benefit.
5. Put the negative information in the middle and present it compactly.

Question 3

Reduce bias in business communications.

Answer 3

Bias-free language is fair and friendly; it complies with the law. It includes all members of your audience; it helps sustain goodwill.