MGT 350w part 1 Flashcards
part 1 chapter 1 to chapter 4
chapter 1 Succeeding in the Social and Mobile Workplace
Learning Outcomes
1
Describe how strong communication skills will improve your career outlook, strengthen your credibility, and help you succeed in today’s competitive digital age marketplace.
2
Confront barriers to effective listening, and start building your listening skills.
3
Explain the features of nonverbal communication, and recognize the importance of improving your nonverbal communication skills.
4
Name five common dimensions of culture, and understand how culture influences communication and the use of social media and communication technology.
5
Discuss strategies that help communicators overcome negative cultural attitudes and prevent miscommunication in today’s diverse, mobile, social-media-driven workplace.
nonverbal communication
All unwritten and unspoken messages, whether intended or not; silent signals conveyed by body language, gestures, eye contact, appearance, and other factors.
Your future employer will expect you to show professionalism and possess what are often referred to as ______ in addition to your technical knowledge.
soft skills
soft skills
Essential career attributes that include the ability to communicate, work well with others, solve problems, make ethical decisions, appreciate diversity, and display professionalism.
Social media and changing communication technologies
New communication technology is dramatically affecting the way workers interact. In our always-connected world, businesses exchange information by e-mail, instant messaging, text messaging, voice mail, powerful laptop computers, netbooks, and smartphones as well as other mobile devices. Satellite communications, wireless networking, teleconferencing, and videoconferencing help workers conduct meetings with associates around the world. Social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube as well as blogs, wikis, forums, and peer-to-peer tools help businesspeople collect information, serve customers, and sell products and services. Figure 1.4 illustrates many technologies you will encounter in today’s workplace.
Anytime, anywhere availability and nonterritorial offices.
High-speed and wireless Internet access has freed millions of workers from nine-to-five jobs in brick-and-mortar offices. Flexible working arrangements allow them to work at home or on the road. Meet the work shifter, a telecommuter or teleworker who largely remains outside the territorial office. The anytime, anywhere office the work shifter needs requires only a smart mobile device and a wireless connection.Footnote If the self-employed are factored in, teleworkers now represent almost 30 percent of the U.S. working adult population.Footnote To save on office real estate, some industries provide “nonterritorial” workspaces, or “hot desks.” The first to arrive gets the best desk and the corner window.Footnote At the same time, 24/7 availability has blurred the line between work and leisure, so that some workers are always on duty.
Flattened management hierarchies
To better compete and to reduce expenses, businesses have for years been trimming layers of management. This means that as a frontline employee, you will have fewer managers. You will be making decisions and communicating them to customers, to fellow employees, and to executives.
Heightened global competition.
Because many American companies continue to move beyond domestic markets, you may be interacting with people from many cultures. To be a successful business communicator, you will need to learn about other cultures. You will also need to develop intercultural skills including sensitivity, flexibility, patience, and tolerance.
Renewed emphasis on ethics.
Ethics is once again a hot topic in business. The Great Recession of 2007–2009 was caused largely, some say, by greed and ethical lapses. With the passage of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, the U.S. government now requires greater accountability. As a result, businesses are eager to regain public trust by building ethical corporate cultures. Many have written ethical mission statements, installed hotlines, and appointed compliance officers to ensure strict adherence to their high standards and the law.
Overcoming Barriers to Effective Listening
Physical barriers. Psychological barriers Language problems Nonverbal distractions Thought speed Faking attention Grandstanding
part 1 the importance of communication skills to your career
Surveys of employers and recruiters continually rank written communication skills as a top skill set sought in applicants. Why are communication skills increasingly important?
A. Because advancements in technology have increased the number of messages being exchanged and the scope of the audiences who might receive these messages B. Because failing education systems don’t teach useful information C. Because shifting demographics increase the demand for a global workforce
Answer: A
Because advancements in technology have increased the number of messages being exchanged and the scope of the audiences who might receive these messages.
Explanation:
Communication is defined as the act of exchanging information through a common medium. The medium used in professional settings can be oral and written. It involves a sender, a message, and a receiver. Effective communication is when feedback is received for a message sent.
Communication skills are becoming more important in the workplace because the volume of messages being exchanged has increased due to technological advancements.
Also the Chanel’s being used are on the increase, so proficiency in using various tools is valued.
Advancements in technology have increased the number of messages being exchanged, and these advances have also increased the potential scope of the audience, making strong written communication skills more important than ever.
An outgoing voice mail message with background music, odd sounds, or joke messages is unprofessional. Professional messages should state your name, phone number, and brief instructions for leaving a message.
Read the following scenario, and determine if Leanne is presenting herself in a professional manner.
When Mr. Lakely, a recruiter for United Health, calls job applicant Leanne Pufall to schedule a second-round interview, he reaches Leanne’s voice mail, which has an offensive joke message.
A. Leanne’s message is unprofessional. B. Leanne’s message is professional.
A. Leanne’s message is unprofessional.
An outgoing voice mail message with background music, odd sounds, or joke messages is unprofessional. Professional messages should state your name, phone number, and brief instructions for leaving a message.
Read the following scenario, and determine if the message is professional.
Message sent from a BlackBerry mobile device to a new manager:
You rock Mr. O! I’m totes excited about the new account.
This message sent from a BlackBerry mobile device to a client is:
Unprofessional Professional
Unprofessional
Explanation:
Writing messages with incomplete sentences, errors, and IM slang is unprofessional. Employer sand clients appreciate standard English and professionalism
Read the following questions, and identify the business trend illustrated in the example.
Yvette looks over her notes about conversational customs in Europe, and then she carefully plans what time she’ll place a business call to Zurich.
A. Heightened global competition B. Flattened management hierarchies C. Self-directed work groups and virtual teams
A. Heightened global competition
As American companies move beyond domestic markets, it is becoming more important to develop intercultural communication skills. Other cultures often have different views of how business is conducted, and successful cross-cultural communications requires not just knowledge of customs, but also intercultural sensitivity, flexibility, and patience.
Wordsmith, a small newsletter-writing company, has just installed a new server that will host newsletters online as wikis. Cho, the CEO, is excited about broadening Wordsmith’s client base.
A. Nonterritorial offices B. Changing communication technologies C. Emphasis on ethics
B. Changing communication technologies
A wiki, an innovative communication technology, allows multiple users to create and edit pages collaboratively.
Your company is restructuring, and two layers of management have been eliminated. You now report directly to the national sales manager instead of a regional sales manager.
A. Flattened management hierarchies B. Changing communication technologies C. Nonterritorial offices
Flattened management hierarchies
Many companies are choosing to tighten their organizations by trimming layers of management and reorganizing teams so that they work more closely and efficiently with one another.
To boost company recognition, Bob, the president of StreetLife Entertainment, makes daily blog entries.
Changing communication technologies Nonterritorial offices Emphasis on ethics
Changing communication technologies
不确定
Blogs allow customers to stay current on company news and events. They also allow company personnel to make announcements quickly and economically.
The new cereal product development team included a project manager located at headquarters in Chicago, a marketing specialist in the Los Angeles office, and a research and development (R&D) team in Kansas.
Heightened global competition Flattened management hierarchies Self-directed work groups and virtual teams
Self-directed work groups and virtual teams
Businesses today often employ cross-functional teams of peers in disparate, sometimes far-flung, locations. These teams gather information, share solutions, implement decisions, and manage conflict.
如今，企业经常在不同甚至有时分布很远的地方雇用跨职能的同行团队。 这些团队收集信息，共享解决方案，执行决策和管理冲突。
The increasingly technological nature of the Information Age workplace makes written communication skills more critical than ever for
career advancement and organizational success
Herb Calalang manages a local roofing company. Herb often returns client phone calls in his car when he and his employee are listening to rowdy talk radio shows.
Herb’s behavior is unprofessional. Herb’s behavior is professional.
Explanation:
Unprofessional -
It refers to the person , who is not serious about his or her work , is referred to as unprofessional person.
The person tends to take the work for granted .
And , often does not do the work seriously and tries to do work just for sake of money or job .
Hence , from the given scenario of the question,
The behavior of Herb’s shows him to be an unprofessional.
Read the following scenario, and determine if the message is professional.
Message sent from a BlackBerry mobile device to a client:
Jack, are you available this evening? I’d like to touch base on the Smith project. Best, Katie
This message sent from a BlackBerry mobile device to a client is:
Unprofessional Professional
professional
Line workers at a Virginia steel mill developed a new process that made the line safer. It went through only one level of management before it was approved by the vice president of operations.
Changing communication technologies Self-directed work groups and virtual teams Flattened management hierarchies
Flattened management hierarchies
Teresa, an HR manager at a telecommunications company, has been asked to review the company’s policies for hiring contractors to ensure those policies comply with the company’s ethical mission statement.
Heightened global competition Renewed emphasis on ethics Flattened management hierarchies
Renewed emphasis on ethics
Seasonal fruits and vegetables are shipped from Chile and sold in the United States along with domestically grown produce.
Heightened global competition Flattened management hierarchies Emphasis on ethics
Heightened global competition
As part of a plan to emphasize a dynamic corporate culture at the Gagnier and Morris advertising company, Beth has done away with traditional cubicles and replaced them with open-area, nonterritorial workspaces, or “hot desks.”
Nonterritorial offices Emphasis on Ethics Heightened global competition
Nonterritorial offices
You work for an automotive parts distributor based in Ohio that is expanding operations in China. Management and operations employees that will be working with the Chinese division have been taking classes on Chinese culture and business customs.
Heightened global competition Self-directed work groups and virtual teams Changing communication technologies
Heightened global competition
As American companies move beyond domestic markets, it is becoming more important to develop intercultural communication skills. Other cultures often have different views of how business is conducted, and successful cross-cultural communications requires not just knowledge of customs, but also intercultural sensitivity, flexibility and patience.
Today’s workplace requires all employees, even hourly workers, to create reports and exchange messages. These messages should be
clear and concisely written
Today’s fast-paced, technologically enhanced Information Age workplace requires messages to be clear and concisely written.
Linda Scarpino works for a telecommunications company in the sales department where she regularly communicates with clients. Linda often works from home and uses her home e-mail address, thecutetwin@hotmail.com, to communicate with her clients.
Linda’s e-mail address is unprofessional.
Using e-mail addresses that do not promote a professional image undermines your image and that of your company. Do not use e-mail addresses that are cute, suggestive, or similar to chatroom user names.
Read the following scenario, and determine if the message is professional.
Message sent from a BlackBerry mobile device to a client:
R U going 2 B in this PM need 2 chat
This message sent from a BlackBerry mobile device to a client is:
Unprofessional Professional
Unprofessional
Yvette’s team was reorganized to be cross-functional, and each member is now expected to collaborate on every step of the process for updating her company’s website, including generating content, encouraging traffic through SEO optimization, and tracking the website’s hits.
New work environments Increasingly diverse workforce Self-directed work groups and virtual teams
Self-directed work groups and virtual teams
Many companies are creating cross-functional teams to empower employees and boost involvement in decision making.
Sean works remotely analyzing statistical data for Azod Software Company. Occasionally, his virtual team will schedule a face-to-face meeting, and he will drive in to the regional office.
Heightened global competition Flattened management heirarchies Nonterritorial offices
Nonterritorial offices
Modern technology creates new work environments (for example, people can telecommute).
You work for an auto manufacturer designing brake systems, but you do not have a dedicated team. Instead, you move from project to project, joining a new team and project when your current project is concluded.
Self-directed work groups and virtual teams Innovative communication technologies Nonterritorial offices
Answer:
C: Self-directed work groups and virtual teams.
Explanation:
SDWT (Self-directed work groups and virtual teams) are the groups in offices who possess different skills, and even aren’t working on the same project which that they don’t have same purpose as you have but still they are in your team.
Since, there is not any dedicated team for my project, I am just moving into other teams for every new project I am going into self-directed work groups and virtual teams.
Increasingly, organizations are capitalizing on knowledge and skill resources by forming project-based teams. These teams are asked to solve a particular problem and then disbanded once they have accomplished their objectives.
Bob works for Cash’n’Carry, a payday loan company. He has been asked to develop an ethical mission statement to reassure customer concerns regarding predatory lending practices.
Renewed emphasis on ethics Flattened management hierarchies Nonterritorial offices
Renewed emphasis on ethics
Following the banking crisis and other abuses by the finance sector, businesses are eager to regain public trust by building ethical environments. This includes creating and adhering to ethical mission statements.
After a gas pipeline explosion that destroyed homes and injured dozens of people, Pacific Power Company publicly unveiled a new mission statement with a greater focus on safety and corporate accountability.
Heightened global competition Changing communication technologies Renewed emphasis on ethics
Renewed emphasis on ethics
Highly public meltdowns of companies like Enron and Worldcom, combined with the housing market and credit market crash of 2008 and the resulting recession, were largely blamed on corporate greed, irresponsibility, and setting profits above all else. The public has taken notice, and, as a result, there has been a renewed emphasis on ethics in the business world. With the passage of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, the U.S. government requires higher levels of accountability. The ability to create concise messages highlighting ethical responsibility is now more valuable than ever in the workplace.
part 2 2. Developing Better Listening Skills
Choose the best description of the barrier listed.
Language problems
We pretend to pay attention and find it hard to remember what was said.
We respond unfavorably to unfamiliar jargon and “charged” words.
We “tune out” others’ ideas that run counter to our own preconceived thoughts.
We respond unfavorably to unfamiliar jargon and “charged” words.
Language problems become listening barriers when we respond unfavorably to unfamiliar jargon and “charged” words.
Choose the best description of the barrier listed.
Nonverbal distractions
We don’t listen due to our reaction to unusual clothes, speech, or mannerisms. We find it difficult to listen because we sense what the speaker is about to say. We respond unfavorably to unfamiliar jargon and “charged” words.
We don’t listen due to our reaction to unusual clothes, speech, or mannerisms.
Nonverbal distractions become listening barriers when we don’t listen due to our reaction to unusual clothes, speech, or mannerisms.
You can counter the effects of physical barriers by
controlling your surrounding
When possible, remove competing sounds and establish a quiet place for listening.
You can improve your listening if you
concentrate on what speaker are saying
The best way to improve your listening skills is to stop talking and let others explain their views.
Read the following scenario, and answer the questions that follow.
Diane is part of a recently restructured team. Diane previously held a supervisory role in a different division; however, due to a company merger, she is now a new member of a team with no formal hierarchy. In meetings, Diane is often distracted by the fact that she is no longer leading the team, and she doesn’t think her new coworkers really “get the big picture.” Diane finds herself just waiting for breaks in the conversation to make her points and ideas heard. When others are talking, she is often bored and inattentive, thinking about other tasks she needs to accomplish.
Identify the listening barriers. Check all that apply.
Nonverbal distractions Faking attention Psychological barriers Thought speed Grandstanding
Identify tips that would help Diane listen more effectively to her team. Check all that apply.
Raise her hand Establish a receptive mind-set Capitalize on lag time Hold her fire Control her surroundings
Psychological barriers
Thought speed
In meetings, Diane is encountering psychological barriers—she has preconceived notions of the qualifications of her coworkers and dwells on past situations, not on current issues. In addition, she is letting thought speed interfere with her listening ability.
hold her fire,
capitalize on lag time
Establish a receptive mind-set
Diane can improve her listening and productivity by establishing a receptive mind-set to foster positive communication, by capitalizing on lag time to review main points, and by holding her fire, or forcing herself to listen to the speaker’s entire argument.
Overcoming Barriers to Effective Listening
Physical barriers. You cannot listen if you cannot hear what is being said. Physical impediments include hearing disabilities, poor acoustics, and noisy surroundings. It is also difficult to listen if you are ill, tired, or uncomfortable.
Psychological barriers. Everyone brings to the communication process a unique set of cultural, ethical, and personal values. Each of us has an idea of what is right and what is important. If other ideas run counter to our preconceived thoughts, we tend to tune out speakers and thus fail to receive their messages.
Language problems. Unfamiliar words can destroy the communication process because they lack meaning for the receiver. In addition, emotion-laden, or charged, words can adversely affect listening. If the mention of words such as bankruptcy or real estate meltdown has an intense emotional impact, a listener may be unable to focus on the words that follow.
Nonverbal distractions. Many of us find it hard to listen if a speaker is different from what we view as normal. Unusual clothing or speech mannerisms, body twitches, or a radical hairstyle can cause enough distraction to prevent us from hearing what the speaker has to say.
Thought speed. Because we can process thoughts at least three times faster than speakers can say them, we can become bored and allow our minds to wander.
Faking attention. Most of us have learned to look as if we are listening even when we are not. Such behavior was perhaps necessary as part of our socialization. Faked attention, however, seriously threatens effective listening because it encourages the mind to engage in flights of unchecked fancy. Those who fake attention often find it hard to concentrate even when they want to.
Grandstanding. Would you rather talk or listen? Naturally, most of us would rather talk. Because our own experiences and thoughts are most important to us, we often want to grab the limelight in conversations. We may fail to listen carefully when we are just waiting politely for the next pause so that we can have our turn to speak.
Building Solid Listening Skills
Stop talking. The first step to becoming a good listener is to stop talking. Let others explain their views. Learn to concentrate on what the speaker is saying, not on what your next comment will be.
Control your surroundings. Whenever possible, remove competing sounds. Close windows or doors, turn off TVs and smartphones, and move away from loud people, noisy appliances, or engines. Choose a quiet time and place for listening.
Establish a receptive mind-set. Expect to learn something by listening. Strive for a positive and receptive frame of mind. If the message is complex, think of it as mental gymnastics. It is hard work but good exercise to stretch and expand the limits of your mind.
Keep an open mind. We all sift through and filter information based on our own biases and values. For improved listening, discipline yourself to listen objectively. Be fair to the speaker. Hear what is really being said, not what you want to hear.
Listen for main points. Heighten your concentration and satisfaction by looking for the speaker’s central themes. Congratulate yourself when you find them!
Capitalize on lag time. Make use of the quickness of your mind by reviewing the speaker’s points. Anticipate what is coming next. Evaluate evidence the speaker has presented. Don’t allow yourself to daydream. Try to guess what the speaker’s next point will be.
Listen between the lines. Focus both on what is spoken and what is unspoken. Listen for feelings as well as for facts.
Judge ideas, not appearances. Concentrate on the content of the message, not on its delivery. Avoid being distracted by the speaker’s looks, voice, or mannerisms.
Hold your fire. Force yourself to listen to the speaker’s entire argument or message before responding. Such restraint may enable you to understand the speaker’s reasons and logic before you jump to false conclusions.
Take selective notes. In some situations thoughtful notetaking may be necessary to record important facts that must be recalled later. Select only the most important points so that the notetaking process does not interfere with your concentration on the speaker’s total message.
Provide feedback. Let the speaker know that you are listening. Nod your head and maintain eye contact. Ask relevant questions at appropriate times. Getting involved improves the communication process for both the speaker and the listener.
part 3. Improving Your Nonverbal Communication Skills
Complete the following sentence with the most appropriate choices.
In American culture, good eye contact reveals_____ and _____
speaker’s sincerity, confidence, and truthfulness
North American culture values eye contact and accepts eye contact as an expression of trust and sincerity.
In North American culture, what does leaning toward a speaker suggest? Check all that apply.
Interest Attention Fear Distrust Anxiety
Interest
Attention
In North American culture, leaning toward a speaker connotes interest and attention. Pulling away from a speaker indicates mistrust, fear, or anxiety.
Complete the following sentence with the most appropriate choices.
If your boss spends a significant amount of time listening to your ideas, he or she most likely thinks you_________ . Likewise, if your boss steps away from you as you explain your ideas, he or she probably_______ .
Complete the following sentence with the most appropriate choices.
Sloppy e-mail messages and inappropriate dress __________ .
have good ideas
isn’t interested
Time orientation reveals attitudes and personalities. If your boss spends a significant amount of time listening to your ideas, he or she most likely finds them interesting. If your boss moves away from you, he or she is probably not interested in what you have to say.
undermine your credibility
A sloppy e-mail message undermines your professional credibility and signals to the receiver that he or she is unimportant because you didn’t take care in the preparation of the message. You can build professional credibility by taking the time to prepare well-organized, professional messages and by being well groomed. A professional appearance signals to coworkers, superiors, and clients that you are well prepared and that you take your work seriously.
Mr. Youngher arrives at his interview for a community relations internship with Bethlehem Electric in Chicago five minutes late and in a rumpled suit. When he is introduced to the chief marketing officer, Mr. Youngher moves in close as they shake hands and winks. The executive takes a step back.
Read the following scenario and answer the question.
How could Mr. Youngher have improved his chances at making a positive impression at his interview?
A. He should have been well groomed and punctual, and he should have respected the cultural norms regarding territory and space in North American culture.
B. He should have been on time and handed the marketing executive his résumé rather than winking.
C. He should have been well groomed, punctual, and slightly more aggressive with the marketing executive. It is important to make a lasting impression.
He should have been well groomed and punctual, and he should have respected the cultural norms regarding territory and space in North American culture.
To have had a more successful interview, Mr. Youngher should have been aware of the message his nonverbal cues were sending. He should have been on time, well groomed, and respectful of the personal space of the marketing executive.
What Is Nonverbal Communication?
Nonverbal communication includes all unwritten and unspoken messages, whether intended or not. These silent signals have a strong effect on receivers.
Eye Contact
The eyes have been called the windows to the soul. Even if they don’t reveal the soul, the eyes are often the best predictor of a speaker’s true feelings. Most of us cannot look another person straight in the eyes and lie. As a result, in North American culture, we tend to believe people who look directly at us. Sustained eye contact suggests trust and admiration; brief eye contact signals fear or stress. Good eye contact enables the message sender to see whether a receiver is paying attention, showing respect, responding favorably, or feeling distress. From the receiver’s viewpoint, good eye contact, in North American culture, reveals the speaker’s sincerity, confidence, and truthfulness.
Facial Expression
The expression on a person’s face can be almost as revealing of emotion as the eyes. Experts estimate that the human face can display over 250,000 expressions.Footnote To hide their feelings, some people can control these expressions and maintain so-called poker faces. In North America, however, most of us display our emotions openly. Raising or lowering the eyebrows, squinting the eyes, swallowing nervously, clenching the jaw, smiling broadly—these voluntary and involuntary facial expressions can add to or entirely replace verbal messages.
Posture and Gestures
An individual’s posture can convey anything from high status and self-confidence to shyness and submissiveness. Leaning toward a speaker suggests attentiveness and interest; pulling away or shrinking back denotes fear, distrust, anxiety, or disgust. Similarly, gestures can communicate entire thoughts via simple movements. However, the meanings of some of these movements differ in other cultures. Unless you know local customs, they can get you into trouble. In the United States and Canada, for example, forming the thumb and forefinger in a circle means everything is OK. But in parts of South America, the OK sign is obscene.
Time
How we structure and use time tells observers about our personalities and attitudes. For example, when Warren Buffett, industrialist, investor, and philanthropist, gives a visitor a prolonged interview, he signals his respect for, interest in, and approval of the visitor or the topic to be discussed. On the other hand, when David Ing twice arrives late for a meeting, it could mean that the meeting has low priority to David, that he is a self-centered person, or that he has little self-discipline. These are assumptions that typical Americans might make.
Space
How we order the space around us tells something about ourselves and our objectives. Whether the space is a bedroom, a dorm room, or an office, people reveal themselves in the design and grouping of their furniture. Generally, the more formal the arrangement, the more formal and closed the communication style. An executive who seats visitors in a row of chairs across from his desk sends a message of aloofness and a desire for separation. A team leader who arranges chairs informally in a circle rather than in straight rows conveys her desire for a more open exchange of ideas.
Territory
Each of us has a certain area that we feel is our own territory, whether it is a specific spot or just the space around us. Your father may have a favorite chair in which he is most comfortable, a cook might not tolerate intruders in the kitchen, and veteran employees may feel that certain work areas and tools belong to them. We all maintain zones of privacy in which we feel comfortable. Figure 1.5 categorizes the four zones of social interaction among Americans, as formulated by anthropologist Edward T. Hall.Footnote Notice that North Americans are a bit standoffish; only intimate friends and family may stand closer than about 1.5 feet. If someone violates that territory, North Americans feel uncomfortable and may step back to reestablish their space. In the workplace be aware of the territorial needs of others and don’t invade their space.
Eye Appeal of Business Documents
Sloppy e-mails send a nonverbal message that you are in a terrific hurry or that you do not care about the receiver. Envelopes—through their postage, quality, and printing—can suggest that the messages they carry are routine, important, or junk mail. Letters and reports can look neat, professional, well organized, and attractive—or just the opposite. In succeeding chapters you will learn how to create business documents that send positive nonverbal messages through their appearance, format, organization, readability, and correctness.
Mastering Nonverbal Skills
Establish and maintain eye contact. Remember that in North America appropriate eye contact signals interest, attentiveness, strength, and credibility.
Use posture to show interest. Encourage interaction by leaning forward, sitting or standing erect, and looking alert.
Reduce or eliminate physical barriers. Move out from behind a desk or lectern; arrange meeting chairs in a circle.
Improve your decoding skills. Watch facial expressions and body language to understand the complete verbal and nonverbal messages being communicated.
Probe for more information. When you perceive nonverbal cues that contradict verbal meanings, politely seek additional cues (I’m not sure I understand, Please tell me more about . . ., or Do you mean that . . .?).
Interpret nonverbal meanings in context. Make nonverbal assessments only when you understand a situation or a culture.
Associate with people from different cultures. Learn about other cultures to widen your knowledge and tolerance of intercultural nonverbal messages.
Appreciate the power of appearance. Keep in mind that the appearance of your business documents, your business space, and yourself sends immediate positive or negative messages to others.
Observe yourself on video. Ensure that your verbal and nonverbal messages are in sync by recording and evaluating yourself making a presentation.
Enlist friends and family. Ask friends and family members to monitor your conscious and unconscious body movements and gestures to help you become a more effective communicator.
part 4. Understanding How Culture Affects Communication
Globalization has changed the nature of work. To communicate effectively in a global marketplace, you must understand the basic dimensions of culture: individualism, formality, communication style, and time orientation. The following examples describe a dimension of culture. Identify which dimension is described in each case.
In North America, people value individual action and personal responsibility.
Individualism Power distance Time orientation Communication style
.
North Americans value explicit communication and clearly articulated messages.
Individualism Time orientation Context Communication style
.
Two barriers prevent people from successfully understanding and accepting people from other cultures: ethnocentrism and stereotypes. Fortunately, these barriers may be overcome by developing tolerance.
Choose the best answer for each of the following.
Ethnocentrism:
Reveals fundamental differences between people of different ethnicities Is only found in North American culture Causes us to judge others by our own values
Causes us to judge others by our own values
when applied to individuals in professional settings, stereotypes:
Help the sender understand the receiver Cause misunderstandings and misconceptions Illuminate differences in professional expectations
Cause misunderstandings and misconceptions
What do tolerance and flexibility in the multiethnic workplace require?
Endurance Diversity training Empathy
.
Although most international business is conducted in English, levels of comprehension can vary. How can you enhance your oral communication skills in international environments? Check all that apply.
Listen without interrupting. Discourage feedback. Speak loudly and slowly. Smile when appropriate. Observe eye messages. Assign blame. Check frequently for comprehension.
.
Writing or speaking in an intercultural business world can be challenging. However, many techniques exist for improving your communication skills.
Kate is drafting an e-mail to a business partner in Spain.
Attached, you should find three charts and two graphs. I have scheduled the first conference call for 18.10.09 and the next for 20.10.09.
What has she done to make her writing more easily understood? Check all that apply.
Contractions are not used. Conversational idioms are used to enhance readability. Humor is used to be friendly. The sentences are shortened using acronyms. The sentences are short. The date format matches local styles.
.
Communicators in low-context cultures (such as those in North America, Scandinavia, and Germany) depend little on _____
the context of a situation and shared experience to convey their meaning.
low-context cultures
A culture in which communicators tend to be logical, analytical, and action oriented; messages are explicit; Swiss, German, and American cultures are considered low-context.
high-context cultures
Cultures such as those in Asian, Arabian, and South American countries whose members tend to be intuitive and contemplative, relying on unwritten social rules.
An attitude of independence and freedom from control characterizes individualism. Members of low-context cultures, particularly North Americans, tend to____
value individualism
They believe that initiative and self-assertion result in personal achievement. They believe in individual action and personal responsibility, and they desire much freedom in their personal lives.
Members of high-context cultures are more collectivist. They emphasize membership in ______
They typically resist independence because it fosters________
organizations, groups, and teams; they encourage acceptance of group values, duties, and decisions.
competition and confrontation instead of consensus
Business decisions are often made by all who have competence in the matter under discussion. Similarly, in China managers also focus on______
the group rather than on the individual, preferring a consultative management style over an autocratic style.
In North America, people value individual action and personal responsibility.
individualism
North Americans value explicit communication and clearly articulated messages.
context
North Americans operate in a low-context culture. Messages are expected to be explicit, and listeners rely exclusively on the written or spoken word rather than non-verbal context cues.
Two barriers prevent people from successfully understanding and accepting people from other cultures: ethnocentrism and stereotypes. Fortunately, these barriers may be overcome by developing tolerance.
Ethnocentrism:
Reveals fundamental differences between people of different ethnicities
Is only found in North American culture
Causes us to judge others by our own values
causes us to judge others by our own values
When applied to individuals in professional settings, stereotypes:
Help the sender understand the receiver
Cause misunderstandings and misconceptions
Illuminate differences in professional expectations
Cause misunderstandings and misconceptions
What do tolerance and flexibility in the multiethnic workplace require?
Endurance Diversity training Empathy
Empathy
While tolerant, flexible attitudes in the workplace may be fostered by diversity training, empathy—seeing the world through another’s eyes—is the key component.
Although most international business is conducted in English, levels of comprehension can vary. How can you enhance your oral communication skills in international environments? Check all that apply.
Listen without interrupting. Discourage feedback. Speak loudly and slowly. Smile when appropriate. Observe eye messages. Assign blame. Check frequently for comprehension.
.Listen without interrupting.
Smile when appropriate.
Observe eye messages.
Check frequently for comprehension.
Some of the ways you can enhance comprehension are observing eye messages, checking frequently for comprehension, listening without interrupting, and smiling when appropriate.
Writing or speaking in an intercultural business world can be challenging. However, many techniques exist for improving your communication skills.
Kate is drafting an e-mail to a business partner in Spain.
Attached, you should find three charts and two graphs. I have scheduled the first conference call for 18.10.09 and the next for 20.10.09.
What has she done to make her writing more easily understood? Check all that apply.
Contractions are not used. Conversational idioms are used to enhance readability. Humor is used to be friendly. The sentences are shortened using acronyms. The sentences are short. The date format matches local styles.
Contractions are not used.
The sentences are shortened using acronyms.
The sentences are short.
The date format matches local styles.
When citing dates in your intercultural correspondence, be sure you are using the date format common to the recipient’s culture. Short sentences also help to improve the clarity of your message. Kate wrote out “I have,” instead of using the contraction “I’ve,” which helps the reader understand what has been written.
Time Orientation
North Americans consider time a precious commodity. They correlate time with productivity, efficiency, and money. Keeping people waiting for business appointments is considered a waste of time and also rude.
In other cultures time may be perceived as an unlimited resource to be enjoyed.
Power Distance
In high-power-distance countries, subordinates expect formal hierarchies and embrace relatively authoritarian, paternalistic power relationships.
In low-power-distance cultures, however, subordinates may consider themselves as equals of their supervisors. They confidently voice opinions and participate in decision making. Relationships between high-powered people and those with little power tend to be more democratic, egalitarian, and informal.
Communication Style
People in low- and high-context cultures tend to communicate differently with words. To Americans and Germans, words are very important, especially in contracts and negotiations. People in high-context cultures, on the other hand, place more emphasis on the surrounding context than on the words describing a negotiation. A Greek may see a contract as a formal statement announcing the intention to build a business for the future. The Japanese may treat contracts as statements of intention, and they assume changes will be made as projects develop. Mexicans may treat contracts as artistic exercises of what might be accomplished in an ideal world. They do not necessarily expect contracts to apply consistently in the real world. An Arab may be insulted by merely mentioning a contract; a person’s word is more binding.Footnote
Ethnocentrism
The belief in the superiority of one’s own culture; judging others by one’s own values.
Stereotypes
An oversimplified behavioral pattern applied to entire groups.
When applied to individual business communicators, however, such stereotypes may create____
misconceptions and misunderstandings.
Tolerance
A willingness to learn about and practice beliefs and practices different from one’s own; being open-minded and receptive to new experiences.
empathy
The ability to share another person’s experiences and emotions; thinking of how the receiver feels and is likely to respond.
which is defined as trying to see the world through another’s eyes. It means being less judgmental and more eager to seek common ground.
One way of promoting greater understanding is ____
to work toward a common goal.
Getting along well with others is always a good policy, but doubly so in the workplace. Some job descriptions now include statements such as _____
Must be able to interact with ethnically diverse personnel.
When you have a conversation with someone from another culture, you can reduce misunderstandings by following these tips:
Use simple English. Speak in short sentences (under 20 words) with familiar, short words. Eliminate puns, sport and military references, slang, and jargon (special business terms). Be especially alert to idiomatic expressions that can’t be translated, such as face the music and hit a home run.
Speak slowly and enunciate clearly. Avoid fast speech, but don’t raise your voice. Overpunctuate with pauses and full stops. Always write numbers for all to see.
Encourage accurate feedback. Ask probing questions, and encourage the listener to paraphrase what you say. Don’t assume that a yes, a nod, or a smile indicates comprehension or agreement.
Check frequently for comprehension. Avoid waiting until you finish a long explanation to request feedback. Instead, make one point at a time, pausing to check for comprehension. Don’t proceed to B until A has been grasped.
Observe eye messages. Be alert to a glazed expression or wandering eyes. These tell you the listener is lost.
Accept blame. If a misunderstanding results, graciously accept the responsibility for not making your meaning clear.
Listen without interrupting. Curb your desire to finish sentences or to fill out ideas for the speaker. Keep in mind that North Americans abroad are often accused of listening too little and talking too much.
Smile when appropriate. The smile is often considered the single most understood and most useful form of communication. In some cultures, however, excessive smiling may seem insincere.
Follow up in writing. After conversations or oral negotiations, confirm the results and agreements with written messages—if necessary, in the local language.
When you write to someone from a different culture, you can improve your chances of being understood by following these suggestions:
Consider local styles and conventions. Learn how documents are formatted and how letters are addressed and developed in the intended reader’s country. Decide whether to use your organization’s preferred format or adjust to local styles.
Observe titles and rank. Use last names, titles, and other signals of rank and status. Send messages to higher-status people; avoid sending copies to lower-rank people.
Hire a translator. Engage a professional translator if (a) your document is important, (b) your document will be distributed to many readers, or (c) you must be persuasive.
Use short sentences and short paragraphs. Sentences with fewer than 20 words and paragraphs with fewer than 8 lines are most readable.
Avoid ambiguous wording. Include relative pronouns (that, which, who) for clarity in introducing clauses. Stay away from contractions (especially ones such as Here’s the problem). Avoid idioms (once in a blue moon), slang (my presentation really bombed), acronyms (ASAP for “as soon as possible”), abbreviations (DBA for “doing business as”), jargon (input, bottom line), and sports references (ballpark figure, slam dunk). Use action-specific verbs (buy a printer rather than get a printer).
Cite numbers carefully. In international trade learn and use the metric system. In citing numbers, use figures (12) instead of spelling them out (twelve). Always convert dollar figures into local currency. Spell out the month when writing dates. In North America, for example, March 5, 2019, might be written as 3/5/19, whereas in Europe the same date might appear as 5.3.19.
North Americans are uncomfortable with silence.
communication style
If you have an ethnocentric view of the world, you hold which expectation?
You expect to attend diversity workshops to broaden your horizons. You expect that people from other cultures will think and act differently than you do. You expect the rest of the world to follow your customs and share your values.
You expect the rest of the world to follow your customs and share your values.
Which of these is not an example of tolerance in the workplace?
Making decisions based on difference Accepting difference Listening empathetically
Making decisions based on difference
Although most international business is conducted in English, levels of comprehension can vary. How can you enhance your oral communication skills in international environments? Check all that apply.
Use simple English. Speak slowly and enunciate clearly. Correct mispronunciations. Accept blame. Follow up with a phone call. Speak loudly and slowly. Observe eye messages.
Use simple English.
Speak slowly and enunciate clearly.
Accept blame.
Observe eye messages.
Shen is faxing several associates in Indonesia.
I have attached the contract for you’re review. Please review this ASAP.
What can he do to improve the clarity of what he wrote? Check all that apply.
Use longer sentences. Use correct grammar. Use casual language. Write out acronyms. Consider local styles. Use the recipient’s full name.
Use correct grammar.
Write out acronyms.
Consider local styles.
This message has a grammar mistake: “You’re” should be “your.” It also contains an acronym (ASAP) that might not be understood in Indonesia. Also, this message is very direct and is not well suited for a high-context culture.
South Americans sometimes speak with extravagant or poetic language.
Individualism Power distance Time orientation Communication style
Communication style
Ethnocentrism is:
The belief in the superiority of one’s own culture Being open to many cultures and attitudes The study of ethnic diversity in the workplace
The belief in the superiority of one’s own culture
Teresa has written a letter to a potential customer in Denmark.
Thank you for giving my team the opportunity to present our proposal for the opening of eleven new stores in Copenhagen; we’d like to meet again to discuss the details further.
How would you improve this sentence so it is clearer? Check all that apply.
Make the sentence shorter. Do not capitalize names of cities. Add a comma after the first two words of the sentence. Write out the contraction. Cite numbers using figures instead of spelling them out. Include more ambiguity.
Make the sentence shorter.
Write out the contraction.
Cite numbers using figures instead of spelling them out.
Include more ambiguity.
part 5. Capitalizing on Workforce Diversity
As diversity grows in both society and the workplace, interacting and communicating with your coworkers will present specific challenges and rewards. It is important to be sensitive to the diverse backgrounds of your coworkers and to understand how to navigate an increasingly diverse workplace.
Which of the following are appropriate strategies for communication in diverse workplaces? Check all that apply.
Make fewer assumptions. Work with others like you. Learn about your cultural self. Develop healthy bias. Use stereotypes to understand others. Build on similarities. Seek training.
Make fewer assumptions.
Learn about your cultural self.
Build on similarities.
Seek training.
Read the following scenarios, and choose the best answer for the following questions.
At a team meeting, your manager addresses some of the discord between your team members and suggests that your team should work individually instead of as a group. She asks if anyone has an opinion on the subject. You know that there are often tough times when working in a group, but in the end your team always produces great results.
What could you say to convince your manager to keep your team working together?
You don’t wish to work alone because you would have to stay at work longer. If she would just eliminate all of the males in the group, everyone would work better together. Diverse teams made up of people with different experiences are better able to create competitive advantages in the marketplace.
Diverse teams made up of people with different experiences are better able to create competitive advantages in the marketplace.
You are the head of HR for a growing toy company. Several managers have shared with you that there is an increasing incidence of verbal arguments between members of your diverse workforce. They ask you to produce a list of topics to cover for a discussion with the employees on improving workplace communication.
What would be the best list of topics to be covered?
How to avoid conflicts at all costs; Making fewer assumptions; How to conform How do you fit into your diverse workforce? Finding common ground; Assumptions and why you are always right; The glass ceiling: Why women are better employees than men Understanding the value of diversity; Diversity awareness scenarios; How do you fit into your diverse workforce?
Understanding the value of diversity; Diversity awareness scenarios; How do you fit into your diverse workforce?
The following suggestions can help you find ways to improve communication and interaction:
Seek training. If your organization is experiencing diversity problems, awareness-raising sessions may be helpful. Spend time reading and learning about workforce diversity and how it can benefit organizations. Look upon diversity as an opportunity, not a threat. Intercultural communication, team building, and conflict resolution are skills that can be learned in diversity training programs.
Understand the value of differences. Diversity makes an organization innovative and creative. Sameness fosters an absence of critical thinking called groupthink. Michael Roth, president of Wesleyan University, believes that “homogeneity kills creativity” and threatens democracy and learning: “We know that diversity is a powerful hedge against the ‘rationalized conformity’ of groupthink.”Footnote Diversity can be a powerful antidote.
Learn about your cultural self. Begin to think of yourself as a product of your culture, and understand that your culture is just one among many. Take any opportunity to travel or study abroad, if possible. You will learn much, not only about other cultures but also about your own. Try to stand outside and look at yourself. Do you see any reflex reactions and automatic thought patterns that are a result of your upbringing? These may be invisible to you until challenged by difference. Be sure to keep what works and yet be ready to adapt as environments change. Flexibility is an important survival skill.
Make fewer assumptions. Be careful of seemingly insignificant, innocent workplace assumptions. For example, don’t assume that everyone wants to observe the holidays with a Christmas party and a decorated tree. Celebrating only Christian holidays in December and January excludes those who honor Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and the Lunar New Year. Moreover, in workplace discussions don’t assume anything about others’ sexual orientation or attitude toward marriage. For invitations, avoid phrases such as managers and their wives. Spouses or partners is more inclusive. Valuing diversity means making fewer assumptions that everyone is like you or wants to be like you.
Build on similarities. Look for areas in which you and others not like you can agree or at least share opinions. Be prepared to consider issues from many perspectives, all of which may be valid. Accept that there is room for various points of view to coexist peacefully. Although you can always find differences, it is much harder to find similarities. Look for common ground in shared experiences, mutual goals, and similar values. Concentrate on your objective even when you may disagree on how to reach it.
- Grammar/Mechanics Checkup 1: Nouns
Identify whether the bold term is an abstract or concrete noun.
Linda created a speadsheet to keep track of the team’s progress.
Abstract noun Concrete noun
Concrete noun
Determine whether the bold term is a proper or common noun.
Madden Publishing is located downtown.
Proper noun Common noun
common noun
Which of the following are correctly spelled plural nouns? Check all that apply.
bosses Faxes programes CPA’s copiers companys
bosses
Faxes
copiers
Collective nouns may be considered singular or plural depending on their action.
Choose the appropriate verb for the bold noun in the following sentence.
The staff members ______ (are / is) sharply divided.
Choose the correct noun form to complete the sentence.
Chiara has given many _____ (speeches/speechs) on how to work with difficult people.
are
speeches
Concrete nouns refer to people, places, and things while abstract nouns refer to ideas and concept. The main difference between a concrete noun and an abstract noun is_____
that concrete nouns refer to the things you can perceive through your five senses and abstract nouns refer to things that cannot be experienced through the five senses.
A proper noun names a special person, place, thing or idea. It is always ____. A common noun names any person, place, thing or idea. A common noun is more general and less specific. A common noun is not capitalized. It is important to learn the differences between proper and common nouns.
capitalized
chapter 2
1. Understanding the Communication Process
Communication is the transmission of information and meaning from one individual or group to another. The central objective of communication is to transmit meaning. The communication process is generally defined in five steps: sender has an idea, sender encodes the idea in a message, message travels over a channel, receiver decodes the message, and feedback travels to sender.
Complete the sentence with the most appropriate choice.
The process of translating ideas into words that will convey meaning is referred to as _____ .
Complete the sentence with the most appropriate choice.
The ____ is the medium over which a message is transmitted.
Identify the appropriate step in the communication process.
John begins to draft a message to his boss.
Message travels over channel Feedback travels to sender Receiver decodes message Sender has an idea Sender encodes message Identify the appropriate step in the communication process. Lincoln makes notes about questions he has on a benefits update memo from HR. Sender has an idea Feedback travels to sender Receiver decodes message Sender encodes message Message travels over channel Identify the appropriate step in the communication process. Crystal Jenkins writes a recommendation report.
Sender encodes message Sender has an idea Feedback travels to sender Message travels over channel Receiver decodes message
.
- The Basics of Business Writing
Writing in a business environment differs from other types of writing. In professional settings, written messages and oral presentations should be purposeful, economical, and audience oriented.
Identify the correct business writing objective for the following description.
Identify the problem you are trying to solve or the information you are trying to convey, and then develop a strategy to address that need.Audience oriented
Economical
Purposeful
Persuasive
Identify which of the objectives of business writing is not being met in the following message.
Hi Leslie. Do you think we need to order more printer paper? Do you want to meet for lunch today? I’m going to check and then let you know, unless you have time to check yourself.
Economical Audience oriented Purposeful
True or False: Business messages should stretch ideas to make the message appear longer.
True False Which of the following are qualities of successful business writing? Check all that apply. Focused on the writer’s thought process Focused on the concerns of the audience Purposeful Entertaining Following a systematic plan for the preparation of an e-mail, memo, letter, or oral presentation will make the composition process easier and will help you create more effective business messages. The writing process for business messages includes prewriting, drafting, and revising. Which of the following are steps involved in the revising phase of the writing process? Check all that apply. Drafting Editing Proofreading Analyzing Evaluating Researching The first phase of the writing process is prewriting. Identify the step in the prewriting process that corresponds with the following description. You are writing a memo to staff members outlining the solution to a lingering problem. You consider the appropriate tone and word choice to win approval for your solution. Adapting Analyzing Anticipating The second phase of the writing process is when you draft your message. Choose the appropriate step in the drafting phase to complete the sentence. Mr. Hernandez has asked you to make a presentation on the new HR benefits package options. Last week you researched the benefits options and created an outline for your presentation. You sit down at your desk and begin to create your presentation visuals and talking points. This step in the writing process is the phase. Revising is the third stage of the writing process. Identify the step in the revision process that corresponds with the following description. As you read through the draft of your message, you consider whether parts of your message should be rearranged to make your point more effective. Evaluating Editing Proofreading Spending the appropriate amount of time on the writing process is important. Choose the correct answer to complete the following sentence about the writing process. Experts suggest that of your time should be spent on the revising phase.
.
chapter 2
After identifying the purpose of your message, you should select the most appropriate communication channel. When determining the most effective channel for your message, which of the following should you consider? Check all that apply.
Necessity of a permanent record How long it will take to write the message Amount of effort involved Importance of the message Receiver’s preference and level of technical expertise Importance of the font choice Degree of formality desired
Necessity of a permanent record
Receiver’s preference and level of technical expertise
Importance of the message
Degree of formality desired
When selecting the channel for your message, you should consider the importance of the message, the amount and speed of feedback and interactivity required, the necessity of a permanent record, the cost of the channel, the degree of formality desired, the confidentiality and sensitivity of the message, and the receiver’s preference and level of technical expertise.
Marjan is working on a team completing a recommendations report. She has gathered and sorted customer survey data, and now she needs to share it with the team for comments and corrections. Marjan is preparing to e-mail the data to her teammates.
Marjan should post the data on the team wiki. Marjan has chosen the correct channel. Marjan should call a face-to-face meeting.
Marjan should post the data on the team wiki.
Which of the following are appropriate questions to ask when profiling your audience? Check all that apply.
How does my secondary audience differ from my primary audience? Should I expect a neutral, positive, or negative response to my message? What is my relationship with the audience? Can I get someone else to transmit this message? What position does the audience hold in my organization?
How does my secondary audience differ from my primary audience?
Should I expect a neutral, positive, or negative response to my message?
What is my relationship with the audience?
What position does the audience hold in my organization?
You must be aware of who your audience members are in order to address the issues that interest them most. Consider your relationship with the audience (a colleague, a superior, someone you’ve never met) relative to your position.
What do your audience members already know about your topic? If they don’t know much, give them enough information to understand your point. If they already understand, focus on your main points. What people know depends on their education, their location, and their values. Understanding these variables will help you predict whether they’ll agree or disagree with your ideas. If you think they’ll disagree, you’ll need to persuade them.
Pay attention to secondary audiences. When you send an message, your addressee may not be the only person who reads it. Always consider who else may see the message you’re writing to ensure it makes sense to all potential readers.
Why is it important to identify the purpose of your message before you start writing? Check all that apply.
To establish goodwill
To impress your boss
To determine how to present your message
To impress your associates
To determine how to present your message
Congratulations! You are now the proud owner of the Dynamo Voice Mail System. For initial setup, press “1.” The automated system will guide you through the steps necessary to set your personal away message and organize your voice mail folders. To access your messages, press “2.” To delete messages, press “3.” To exit the system, press “9.” For more help, or to speak to a customer service representative while you’re logged on to the Dynamo system, press the “*” key.
What is the primary purpose of this message?
To respond to a customer complaint
To provide customer service
To explain how to set up a voice mail system
To sell a voice mail system
What is the secondary purpose of this message?
To maintain the customer’s goodwill To offer a guarantee of service To sell more voice mail systems
To explain how to set up a voice mail system
To maintain the customer’s goodwill
The primary purpose is to provide setup information to a customer who has just purchased a new voice mail system.
Because the customer has already purchased the voice mail system, there’s a good chance that the customer already has goodwill toward the company. Dynamo needs to capitalize on that goodwill by reinforcing it with clear and simple directions on the use of its product. Maintaining customers’ goodwill is very important, not just in writing but in business in general.
Your staff uses expense accounts for job-related travel. The accounting department has changed the way such expenses are handled. You need to inform your staff about the new process for reimbursement. How can you explain the new process in a way they will be able to refer to later?
Memos provide a formal written record of your message for an internal audience. Use memos when feedback is unnecessary, when the message isn’t urgent, and when you don’t need nonverbal cues.
As you first begin the composition process, which of the following questions should you ask yourself?
Why am I sending this message? What do I hope to achieve by sending this message? Should this be an e-mail or a memo? Will the audience listen to me? Do I really want to write this message?
What do I hope to achieve by sending this message?
Why am I sending this message?
Marianna is writing a letter to a customer informing him that Flannery Electronic will not be able to replace his defective stereo because the warranty has expired.
Marianna has chosen the correct channel.
Your satisfaction is important to us. Please share your thoughts and comments on how we can improve your dining experience.
Audience focused
Which of the following selections effectively use the “you” view. Check all that apply.
Your satisfaction is important to us. Please complete the customer satisfaction survey. Your name will be automatically entered in the raffle if you attend the annual company BBQ. We received your letter regarding your CRB2 home entertainment center. We will ship your order on Saturday. Thank you for shopping with us.
.
Your satisfaction is important to us. Please complete the customer satisfaction survey. Your name will be automatically entered in the raffle if you attend the annual company BBQ.
chapter 2
5. Improving Tone and Clarity
If you take the wrong strategic approach, you will fail.
Take the right approach, or you’ll certainly fail. Don’t make the wrong choice, or you will mess up your strategy. Correct With the correct strategic approach, you will succeed.
Positive language is reader focused and avoids alienating readers by using words such as blame, complaint, criticism, defective, failed, mistake, and neglected.
The flight attendants Correct are well prepared in case of an emergency.
Points:
1 / 1
The chair of the committee must submit this or her Correct vote last.
Bias-free language does not promote stereotypes and does not use language that prefers one gender more than the other.
For each pair of the following sentences, identify the selection that best uses plain English and familiar words.
For each pair of the following sentences, identify the selection that best uses plain English and familiar words.
Correct When filling out an online purchase order, complete the form fully before you click “Send.” Incomplete order forms will not be processed.
When you are preparing to complete a PO form online, include all pertinent PO information regarding your department before you select “Send.” Failing to comply with this request may result in lost data and potential complications in your order.
Points:
1 / 1
Correct The director of customer service was unaware that accounting had automated billing.
The director of customer service, who was recently promoted, was not aware of the fact that accounting had made the switch to an automated invoice generation process.
The effective use of plain English improves clarity by using precise words and active voice with strong verbs and by avoiding jargon and wordy sentences.
chapter 3
Which questions should you ask yourself in order to avoid frustration and inaccurate messages? Check all that apply.
Should I begin research at the library? What will happen if the receiver does not take action? What action should the receiver take? How should the sender contact the receiver? What does the receiver need to know about this topic?
What does the receiver need to know about this topic?
What is the receiver to do?
How is the receiver to do it?
When must the receiver do it?
What will happen if the receiver doesn’t do it?
Your division has been asked to compile a recommendation for the price point for an innovative software application. You need to know how much customers will be willing to pay and under what circumstances.
Conduct a scientific experiment.
The best way to determine how much customers would be willing to pay and under what circumstances would be to conduct a scientific experiment.
You are preparing a comprehensive white paper on telecommunication practices in your industry. You need some background information on the history of Internet use in professional environments.
Access traditional sources and electronic sources.
During your first day on the job, you are asked to respond to a customer inquiry regarding an extended warranty. The best informal information gathering technique for this situation would be to:
Check company files
You are asked to compose a job description for the position of director of sales for SaveWell. This is a position you once held, so you are familiar with the requirements and qualifications. Before beginning to write, you look in the files for past descriptions and check with your supervisor about details to include.
Informal Research
While working for an international development agency, you must develop a presentation about primary and secondary education in the Middle East, a topic you are not familiar with.
Formal. On the Internet, find statistics gathered by the United Nations showing the dropout rates of students by gender and age. Request that certain reports be sent to you, so you can examine the data yourself.
Once you have collected data for a message, you’ll need to find a way to organize it. Well-organized messages group similar ideas together, allowing readers to see relationships and follow arguments. You can use two primary techniques for organizing your information: a scratch list and an outline.
Scratch lists and outlines give you a chance to ____________
organize your thoughts before writing
Answer the question based on the following scratch list. The Boston Hotel High-end linens 600-thread-count sheets Coffeemaker and selected teas Imported beer Fresh-squeezed juices Affordability Food and drink Double-thick bath towels Silk pillowcases Raw silk curtains with gold embellishments $100/night four-star rooms Free snacks, shampoo, and conditioner Free wireless Internet There are three main categories of amenities indicated in the scratch list: high-end linens, affordability, food and drink. Which of the following indicate three examples of supporting details for the main categories of amenities?
High-end linens; free wireless Internet; free snacks, shampoo, and conditioner $100/night four-star rooms, silk pillowcases, imported beer Affordability, coffeemaker and selected teas, food and drink
$100/night four-star rooms, silk pillowcases, and imported beer are all supporting details. They are specific examples within the subcategories affordability, high-end linens, and food and drink.
Using a direct opening strategy______
sets a proper frame of mind
Explanations and details follow the direct opening. What’s important is getting to the main idea quickly. This direct method, also called frontloading, has at least three advantages:
Saves the reader’s time. Many of today’s businesspeople can devote only a few moments to each message. Messages that take too long to get to the point may lose their readers along the way.
Sets a proper frame of mind. Learning the purpose up front helps the reader put the subsequent details and explanations in perspective. Without a clear opening, the reader may be thinking, “Why am I being told this?”
Reduces frustration. Readers forced to struggle through excessive verbiage before reaching the main idea can become frustrated and begin to resent the writer. Poorly organized messages create a negative impression of the writer.
Which of the following is a situation that might call for an indirect strategy? Check all that apply.
You need to fire your receptionist. You need to inform your team that the upcoming project will be a challenge. You need to convince your coworkers to adopt a new software program that they don’t understand. You want to schedule a meeting to update your boss on a client meeting. You are sending a past-due notice on an account.
Indirect strategy
An organizational pattern in which the main idea comes later in a message, after the details, explanation, or evidence.
The indirect strategy works best with audiences who are uninterested, unwilling, displeased, or perhaps hostile. An indirect opening works well with bad news, sensitive news, and certain types of persuasive messages.
You need to fire your receptionist.
You need to convince your coworkers to adopt a new software program that they don’t understand. You are sending a past-due notice on an account.
Which of the following is a situation that might call for an indirect strategy?
When trying to save the reader time Facilitates a fair hearing When writing to emphasize the writer’s concerns
Facilitates a fair hearing
The indirect strategy has these benefits:
Respects the feelings of the audience. Bad news is always painful, but the trauma can be lessened by preparing the receiver for it.
Facilitates a fair hearing. Messages that may upset the reader are more likely to be read when the main idea is delayed. Beginning immediately with a piece of bad news or a persuasive request, for example, may cause the receiver to stop reading or listening.
Minimizes a negative reaction. A reader’s overall reaction to a negative message is generally improved if the news is delivered gently.
his approach works well with three kinds of messages:
bad news,
ideas that require persuasion, and
sensitive news, especially when being transmitted to superiors.
There are three major benefits of using an indirect opening with messages of a sensitive nature or unwilling recipients: it respects the feelings of the audience by softening the impact of the message, it When seeking to facilitate a fair hearing by delaying the main point, and it minimizes a negative reaction by delivering the news gently.
You are going on a business trip to Singapore to deliver a proposal to a potential client. You have finished proofing the last part of the presentation, and you need your coworker to doublecheck the statistics in your presentation before you go.
Indirect Direct
Direct
This situation would require you to send a direct message because it is a routine request. Good business communicators always proofread their messages carefully before delivering them.
Your bonuses will be in your next paycheck. The sales department exceeded its goals this month. Congratulations!
In this message, the _____ organizational pattern is used.
direct
This message is direct because it places the most important information at the beginning. This approach works best because people want to know whether or not they received a bonus; they do not want to wait until the end of the message to find out. The audience’s reaction to this message will certainly be positive. Therefore, it is not necessary to use an indirect approach.
Outlines give you a chance to organize your thinking before determining word choice and sentence structure. Which of the following will help you create a more effective outline?
Check all that apply.
Put the main idea in the title Include 3 to 5 major components Use one subpoint per main idea Combine subpoints whenever possible Use evidence to support subpoints Avoid illustrations when supporting subpoints
Put the main idea in the title
Include 3 to 5 major components
Use evidence to support subpoints
When making an outline, define the main topic in the title. Divide the main topic into major components or classifications (preferably 3 – 5). Break the components into subpoints. If there is a single item under a subpoint, combine it with the main time above or below it. Make each component exclusive and use details, illustrations, and evidence to support each subpoint.
To help organize your thoughts before writing, you should _____
use a scratch list or outline
Preparing a scratch list or an outline before you begin writing helps you arrange your thoughts before you get bogged down in word choice and sentence structure. In the end, this will help make your message more organized and easy to follow.
Which of the following is a situation that might call for an indirect strategy? Check all that apply.
You want to congratulate your boss on his promotion to division manager. You need to reschedule a standing meeting with your staff. You are giving an employee a formal performance warning. You are writing to your division to inform them of a mandatory furlough. You want to convince your very old-fashioned boss to implement casual Fridays.
You are giving an employee a formal performance warning.
You are writing to your division to inform them of a mandatory furlough.
You want to convince your very old-fashioned boss to implement casual Fridays.
You have just been offered a promotion that your friend and coworker, Neha, has been hoping for. Neha knows that you had a scheduled meeting with your boss today and sends you an e-mail asking how your meeting went. You know Neha will be upset when she hears the news of your promotion; however, she is a good friend, and you need to be honest and tell her in your response e-mail.
Indirect Direct
Indirect
ou would choose an indirect message because this is a sensitive situation. Your friend and coworker will very likely be upset that she was passed over for the promotion. As you draft your e-mail, you will need to be sensitive to her feelings.
Your report scores are due to Sam, senior project manager, by 2:00 p.m. on Friday. These reports don’t require a lot of time and last year were impeccably written. I know you will do a great job.
In this message, the ____ organizational pattern is used.
direct
This message is direct because it places the most important details first: the time and day the project is due and who should receive it. Use an indirect message for bad news, sensitive news, or ideas that require persuasion.
part 4
—used sparingly—can be an effective way to emphasize explanatory information.
dashes
You can also improve your messages through stylistic emphasis in sentence structure and word choice. Which of the following stylistic devices can be used to achieve emphasis? Check all that apply.
Label the main idea. Position important ideas in the middle of the sentence. Give important information the spotlight. Use passive voice. Avoid general words.
Achieving Emphasis Through Style
Use vivid, not general, words. Vivid words are emphatic because the reader can picture ideas clearly.
Label the main idea. If an idea is significant, tell the reader.
Place the important idea first or last. Ideas have less competition from surrounding words when they appear first or last in a sentence.
Give the important idea the spotlight. Place the main idea in a simple sentence or in an independent clause.
While we are unable to renew your contract for the upcoming year, we hope to have the position reposted once the funds are available.
De-emphasize Emphasize
To de-emphasize an idea, such as bad news, try one of the following stylistic devices:
Use general words to de-emphasize harsh words or bad news.
Subordinate the bad news. Place the bad news in a dependent clause connected to an independent clause that contains something positive.
When you compose messages, you may use the active or passive voice to convey meaning. Most business messages use the active voice. Which of the following are instances when you would use the passive voice in a business message? Check all that apply.
To de-emphasize negative news To conceal the doer of an action To emphasize the sender not the reader To emphasize an action instead of the recipient of an action
passive voice is useful to
emphasize an action rather than a person,
de-emphasize negative news, and
conceal the doer of an action.
Strategic use of white space improves document readability. Which of the following techniques employ white space? Check all that apply.
Using bulleted and numbered lists
Breaking paragraphs into shorter chunks
Using justified alignment
Using headings
Using bulleted and numbered lists
Breaking paragraphs into shorter chunks
Using headings
Business letters and memos usually have margins of 1 to 1.5 inches and are usually aligned on the left.
Margins and alignment can provide important visual relief and improve the readability of a document. Business documents are most readable with left-aligned and ragged-right margins that are 1 to 1.5 inches. Some formal documents use justified margins (both left and right alignment). Center alignment is appropriate only for headings.
A WIDE variety of typefaces are available for business writers. Different typefaces suggest different purposes and occasions.
True or False: This selection uses both serif and sans serif typefaces.
False
This selection uses a san serif typeface and font styles such as capitalization, italics, and boldface. Font styles help show emphasis by drawing the reader’s attention to specific words or phrases, but they do not comprise different typefaces.
Headings are important for visual impact and readability. Which of the following sentences about headings are true? Check all that apply.
Headings should always be in boldface.
Headings interfere with the flow of a document.
Documents may contain main headings, subheadings, and category headings.
Documents may contain main headings, subheadings, and category headings.
Headings help writers organize information and help readers absorb information. Headings increase the readability and skim value of a document by providing quick previews or reviews. Documents may have several different levels of headings including main headings, subheadings, and category headings. Headings may be found in e-mails, letters, and memos, but they are most commonly encountered in reports.
I want to inform you of an opportunity that you could be a part of.
Developing parallelism Reducing wordy noun phrases Eliminating redundancies
You want your reader to grasp the core of your message immediately. Avoid expressions that repeat meaning and include unnecessary words.
Eliminating redundancies
A WIDE variety of typefaces are available for business writers. Different typefaces suggest different purposes and occasions.
True or False: This selection uses a serif typeface.
True False
False
This selection uses a san serif typeface and font styles such as capitalization, italics, and boldface. Font styles help show emphasis by drawing the reader’s attention to specific words or phrases, but they do not comprise different typefaces.
Checking punctuation before sending your massage is important. When you proofread for punctuation errors make sure that introductory clauses are followed by commas, that compound sentences put commas before coordinating conjungations, and that semicolons and colons are used corectly.
his selection contains three misspelled words and one comma error.
The bold words in the paragraph have been corrected. Additionally, the second sentence was missing a comma after the introductory clause. The comma has been added between errors and make.
Checking punctuation before sending your message is important. When proofreading for punctuation errors, make sure that introductory clauses are followed by commas, that compound sentences put commas before coordinating conjunctions, and that semicolons and colons are used correctly.
What proofreading techniques should you use for both routine and complex documents? Check all that apply.
Print your document and check for typos, misspellings, and grammatical errors. Depending on the length of your document and your time constraints, revising more than once is a good idea.
Print a copy of the document.
Check for typos, misspellings, and grammatical errors.
Read one line at a time from a screen.
Read from a printed copy.
This is to inform you that I will be leaving work early today.
Keep it short and simple. Eliminate long lead-ins.
Long, complex, or important documents demand careful proofreading. Apply the previous suggestions but also add the following techniques:
Print a copy, preferably double-spaced, and set it aside for at least a day. You will be more alert after a breather.
Allow adequate time to proofread carefully. A common excuse for sloppy proofreading is lack of time.
Be prepared to find errors. One student confessed, “I can find other people’s errors, but I can’t seem to locate my own.” Psychologically, we don’t expect to find errors, and we don’t want to find them. You can overcome this obstacle by anticipating errors and congratulating, not criticizing, yourself each time you find one.
Read the message at least twice—once for word meanings and once for grammar and mechanics. For very long documents (book chapters and long articles or reports), read a third time to verify consistency in formatting.
Reduce your reading speed. Concentrate on individual words rather than ideas.
For documents that must be perfect, enlist a proofreading buddy. Have someone read the message aloud, spelling names and difficult words, noting capitalization, and reading punctuation.
Use the standard proofreading marks shown in Appendix C to indicate changes.
What do you want your message to convey to your audience? Check all that apply.
Evaluate what you have written to be sure that it attracts the reader’s attention. Is it clear enough to convince the reader of your purpose? A message that has a feeling of superiority or bluntness will be off-putting to the audience. Technology can help you limit your words, but that is not what is of interest to the audience
Evaluate what you have written to be sure that it attracts the reader’s attention. Is it polished and clear enough to convince the reader that you are worth listening to? How successful will this message be? Does it say what you want it to? Will it achieve its purpose? How will you know whether it succeeds?
Purpose
Clarity
Professionalism
Polish
chapter 1 practice
The best way to judge the success of your communication is____
through feedback. For this reason you should encourage the receiver to respond to your message. This feedback will tell you how to modify future efforts to improve your communication technique.
Remember that everything you write, whether for yourself or someone else, takes the place of a ___
personal appearance.
