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Excellence in Business Communication, 12th Edition Class Notes

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    CONTENTS Preface ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ... i i i Customer Service ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ iv Changes and Improvements in the 12 th Edition ................................ ................................ ..................... 1 Online Communities and Resources for Business Communication Instructors ................................ ...... 6 An Unsurpassed Instructional Resource Package ................................ ................................ ................. 9 General Teaching Guides ................................ ................................ ................................ ..................... 12 Course Planning Guide ................................ ................................ ................................ .................. 13 Introducing the Course to Students ................................ ................................ .......................... 14 Conducting the Class ................................ ................................ ................................ .............. 15 Grading and Evaluating Students ................................ ................................ ............................ 17 Cooperative Learning Guide for Groups and Small Teams ................................ ............................. 19 Working with Cooperative Learning Groups ................................ ................................ ........... 19 Working in Dyads ................................ ................................ ................................ ................... 20 Working with the Jigsaw Process ................................ ................................ ............................ 20 Collaborative Writing Guide ................................ ................................ ................................ ......... 22 Preparing Students for Collaborative Writing ................................ ................................ .......... 22 Assigning Short - Term Projects ................................ ................................ ................................ 24 Undertaking a Long - Term Project ................................ ................................ ........................... 26 Evaluating Collaborative Projects ................................ ................................ ............................ 31 Service Learning Guide 1: Use Service Learning t o Add Real - World Writing Experience t o Your Course ................................ ................................ ................................ ..... 35 What Is Service Learning? ................................ ................................ ................................ 35 Example Project: Grant Research and Writing Assistance ................................ ................. 35 How to Incorporate Service Learning Into Your Course ................................ .................... 35 Service Learning Guide 2: Real Clients, Real Management, Real Failure: T he Risks and Rewards of Service Learning ................................ ................................ .............. 37 Diagnostic Tests of English Skills ................................ ................................ ................................ . 40 Answers ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .. 40 English Skills Test A ................................ ................................ ................................ .............. 41 English Skills Test B ................................ ................................ ................................ ............... 44 More P ractice in G rammar M echanics, and U sage ................................ ................................ ......... 47 Chapter Guides (non - sequential, chapter - specific paging) Part 1 : Understanding the Foundations of Business Communication Chapter 1: Professional Communication in a Digital, Social, Mobile World Chapter 2: Collaboration, Interpersonal Communication, and Business Etiquette Chapter 3: Communication Challenges in a Diverse, Global Marketplace Part 2 : Applying the Three - Step Writing Process Chapter 4: Planning Business Messages Chapter 5: Writing Business Messages Chapter 6: Completing Business Messages Part 3 : Crafting Brief Messages Chapter 7: Crafting Messages for Digital Channels Chapter 8 : Writing Routine and Positive Messages

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    ii Chapter 9 : Writing Negative Messages Chapter 1 0 : Writing Persuasive Messages Part 4 : Preparing Reports and Presentations Chapter 1 1 : Planning Reports and Proposals Chapter 1 2 : Writing Reports and Proposals Chapter 1 3 : Completing Reports and Proposals Chapter 1 4 : Developing and Delivering Business Presentations Part 5 : Writing Employment Messages and Interviewing for Jobs Chapter 1 5 : Building Careers and Writing Résumés Chapter 1 6 : Applying and Interviewing for Employment Appendix A: Format and Layout of Business Documents Appendix B: Documentation of Report Sources Appendix C: Correction Symbols

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    iii PREFACE Successful business communicators spend years on the job before they learn to consistently prepare effective messages. Obviously, you cannot give students that much practice in one school term. But the more practice you can give them, the closer they will be to achieving success on the job . To help you tailor a course to the needs of your students, we have designed a comprehensive package of learning materials. We hope that you take advantage of the complete package. Together, the elements provide a rich and varied learning experience. This manual is divided into five parts :  Changes and Improvements in the 12 th Edition lists the major changes in this edition, follow ed by specific changes within each chapter.  Online Communities and Resources for Business Communication Instructors itemizes the many online resources the authors have created for adopters of Excellence in Business Communication . We invite you to join one or more of the online communities and interact with your peers.  An Unsurpassed Instructional Resource Package acquaints you with the elements available in our comprehensive package of learning materials.  The General Teaching Guides provide tools and advice for conducting a course in business communication.  The Chapter Guides provide information to supplement the chapters in the textbook , including comprehensive lecture notes and suggested solutions to student questions and activities. We wish to thank George Dovel for his efforts in the preparation of this manual .

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    1: Professional Communication in a Digital, Social, Mobile World 1 - 1 Chapter Guides This section provides information about the chapters in the textbook and suggested solutions and answers for the activities. Each Chapter Guide includes the following items:  Chapter overview  Chapter outline  Lecture notes organized by Learning Objective , with class discussion questions in selected sections  Answers to highlight box questions  Answers to Apply Your Knowledge questions  Answers to Practice Your Skills activities  S olutions to cases (complete example solutions for short - message cases ; solution guidelines for long - message cases ) Part 1: Understanding t he Foundations o f Business Communication The first three chapters give students a general understanding of why good communication skills are important in business, how today’s communication is enhanced through technology (particularly the revolution s in social media and mobile communication) , why effective interpersonal communication can be difficult, how communication is used in teams, and how it can overcome intercultural barriers. As you present this material, try to stimulate students to personalize basic concepts. Encourage them to think abou t their own careers and the communication skills they’ll need to be successful. Ask members of the class who have work experience to comment on the communication requirements and challenges they have encountered. Chapter 1: Professional Communication in a Digital, Social, Mobile World Chapter 1 emphasizes the importance of effective communication, explains what it means to communicate in a professional context, d escribe s the communication process model and the ways social media are changing the nature of business communication , o utline s the effects of the mobile revolution, advises students on how to use communication technology effectively, and offers guidance for making ethical choices as a business communicator.

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    1: Professional Communication in a Digital, Social, Mobile World 1 - 2 CHAPTER OUTLINE Understanding Why Communication Matters Communication Is Important to Your Career Communication Is Important to Your Company What Makes Business Communication Effective? Communicating as a Professional Understanding What Employers Expect from You Communicating in an Organizational Context Adopting an Audience - Centered Approach Exploring the Communication Process The Basic Communication Model Barriers in the Communication Environment Inside the Mind of Your Audience How Audiences Receive Messag es How Audiences Decode Messages How Audiences Respond to Messages The Social Communication Model The Mobile Revolution The Rise of Mobile as a Communication Platform How Mobile Technologies Are Changing Business Communication Using Technology to Improve Business Communication Keeping Technology in Perspective Guarding Against Information Overload Using Technological Tools Productively Reconnecting with People Committing to Ethical and Legal Communication Distinguishing Ethical Dilemmas from Ethical Lapses Ensuring Ethical Communication Ensuring Legal Communication Applying What You’ve Learned Learning Catalytics is a “ bring your own device ” student engagement, assessment, and classroom intelligence system. It allows instructors to engage students in class with real - time diagnostics. Students can use any modern, web - enabled device (smartphone, tablet, or laptop) to access it. For more information on using Learning Catalytics in your course, contact your Pearson Representative.

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    1: Professional Communication in a Digital, Social, Mobile World 1 - 3 L ECTURE N OTES Section 1: Understanding Why Communication Matters Learning Objective 1: Explain the importance of effective communication to your career and to the companies where you will work . Communication is the process of transferring information and meaning between senders and receivers , using one or more written, oral, visual, or electronic media . The essence of communication is sharing — data, information, insights, and inspiration . Communication Is Important to Your Career I mproving your communication skills may be the single most important step you can take in your career. Even great ideas won’t go anywhere without great communication. As you take on leadership and management roles, communication becomes even more important. If you learn to write well, speak well, listen well, and recognize the most appropriate way to communicate in any situation, you’ll gain a major advantage that will serve you throughout your career. Communication Is Important to Your Company Effective communication helps businesses in numerous ways :  Closer ties with important communities in the marketplace  Opportunities to influence conversations, perceptions, and trends  Increased productivity and f aster problem solving  Better financial results and higher return for investors  Earlier warning of potential problems  Stronger decision making  M ore persuasive marketing messages  Greater employee engagement What Makes Business Communication Effective? Stakeholders are groups affected in some way by the company’s actions: customers, employees, shareholders, suppliers, neighbors, the community, the nation, and the world. W hen communication breaks down, the results can range from time wasting to tragic. To make your communication efforts as effective as possible, focus on making them practical , factual , concise , clear , and persuasive .

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    1: Professional Communication in a Digital, Social, Mobile World 1 - 4 Section 2: Communicating as a Professional Learning Objective 2: Explain what it means to communicate as a professional in a business context . I f you don’t have a lot of work experience yet , meeting the expectations of a professional environment might require some adjustment. Professionalism is the quality of performing at a high level and conducting oneself with purpose and pride. Professionalism can be broken down into six distinct traits:  S triving to excel  B eing dependable and accountable  B eing a team player  D emonstrating a sense of etiquette  M aking ethical decisions  M aintaining a positive outlook Understanding What Employers Expect from You Today’s employers expect you to be competent at a wide range of communication tasks:  Organizing ideas and information logically and completely  Expressing ideas and information coherently and persuasively  Actively listening to others  Communicating effectively with people from diverse backgrounds and experiences  Using communication technologies effectively and efficiently  Following accepted standards of grammar, spelling, and usage  Communicating in a civilized manner  Communicating ethically, even when choices aren’t crystal clear  Managing your time wisely and using resources efficiently  Using critical thinking , evaluat ing evidence completely and objectively in order to form logical conclusions and make sound recommendations Communicating in an Organizational Context In the formal communication network, ideas and information flow along the lines of command in three directions; downward, upward and horizontally . In the informal communication network, often referred to as the grapevine or the rumor mill, communication occurs outside the formal network; social media now play a huge role.

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    1: Professional Communication in a Digital, Social, Mobile World 1 - 5 Adopting an Audience - Centered Approach An audience - centered approach involves understanding and respecting the members of your audience and making every effort to get your message across in a way that is meaningful to them. Also known as adopting the “you” attitude, in contrast to messages that are about “me” (the sender). Etiquette encompasses the expected norms of behavior in any particular situation. Section 3 : Exploring the Communication Process Learning Objective 3 : Describe the communication process model and the ways social media are changing the nature of business communication . E ven well - intentioned communication efforts can fail. B y understanding communication as a process with distinct steps, you can improve the odds that your messages will reach their intended audiences and produce their intended effects. The Basic Communication Model By viewing communication as a process, you can identify and improve the skills you need to be more successful:  The sender has an idea.  The sender encodes the idea as a message.  The sender produces the message in a medium.  The sender transmits the message through a channel.  The audience receives the message.  The audience decodes the message.  The audience responds to the message.  The audience provides feedback . Considering the complexity of this process , it should come as no surprise that communication efforts often fail to achieve the sender’s objective. Barriers in the Communication Environment Messages can be disrupted by a variety of communication barriers:  Noise and distractions , including multitasking  Competing messages  Filters , both human and technological  Channel breakdowns

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    1: Professional Communication in a Digital, Social, Mobile World 1 - 6 Class discussion question: Think back to a time you experienced a communication breakdown in a personal or social setting (something you’re comfortable discussing with the class). Did you figure out why the breakdown occurred? Was it related to cultural differences, emotional factors, technology, or some other identifiable cause? How might you avoid similar breakdowns in the workplace? Everyone in an organization can help minimize barriers and distractions. Take steps to insulate yourself from distractions, including disconnecting from constant message feeds and updates. Inside the Mind of Your Audience For an audience member to receive a message, the receiver has to :  Sense the presence of a message .  Select it from all the other messages clamoring for attention .  Perceive it as an actual message . Five habits to increase the chances that your messages will be sensed, selected, and perceived:  Consider audience expectations .  Ensure ease of use .  Emphasize familiarity .  Practice empathy .  Design for compatibility . A received message doesn’t mean anything until the recipient decodes it and assigns meaning to it. There is no guarantee that the receiver will assign the same meaning that the sender intended. Audiences tend to extract the meaning they expect to get from a message. Culture plays a huge role in how messages are decoded. Individual beliefs and biases influence the meaning that audiences extract from messages. Selective perception occurs when people distort threatening or confusing information to make it fit their perceptions of reality. Differences in language and usage influence received meaning. Individual thinking styles affect message decoding.

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    1: Professional Communication in a Digital, Social, Mobile World 1 - 7 Audience members will respond in the way you’d like them to if :  They remember the message long enough to act on it.  They are able to respond as you wish.  They are motivated to respond. The Social Communication Model The basic communication model shows how a single idea moves from one sender to one receiver. In a larger sense, it also helps represent the traditional nature of much business communication, which was primarily defined by a publishing or broadcasting mindset. In contrast to the publishing mindset, this new social communication model is interactive and conversational . Customers and other groups are now empowered through social media , which transform passive audiences into active participants in the communication process by allowing them to share content, revise content, respond to content, or contribute new content . The social communication model changes business communication in profound ways:  Customers and other stakeholders participate in, influence, and often take control of conversations in the marketplace.  They rely on each other for information about products, offer technical support, and even participate in group buying using social tools.  S ocial media tools can increase the speed of communication, lower communication costs, improve access to pockets of expertise, and boost employee satisfaction. A hybrid approach is emerging in which some communications follow the traditional approach and others follow the social approach. Class discussion question: Is it ethical for social media users to “gang up” on a company after a single customer complains about poor service or a faulty product? What if the company made a rare mistake, but the social media uproar creates the impression that the company routinely disappoints customers? Section 4: The Mobile Revolution Learning Objective 4 : Outline the challenges and opportunities of mobile communication in business. S ome experts predict that mobile communication will change the nature of business and business communication even more than social media have . F irms on the leading edge of the mobile revolution are working to integrate mobile technology throughout their organizations .

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    1: Professional Communication in a Digital, Social, Mobile World 1 - 8 The Rise of Mobile as a Communication Platform Mobile is now the primary Internet - a ccess technology for millions of people. Mobile has become the primary communication tool for many business professionals, including a majority of executives under age 40. Continuous , intimate m obile connectivity can start to resemble a continuous stream of conversations that never quite end, which influences the way businesses need to interact with their stakeholders . Companies that work to understand and embrace mobile, both internally and externally, stand the best chance of capitalizing on this monumental shift in the way people communicate. How Mobile Technologies Are Changing Business Communication Mobile necessitates some obvious changes in communication practices, such as the need to deal with smaller screens and different input methods. Many users expect websites to be mobile friendly, so many companies are adopting a mobile - first approach, in which they design to fit the needs of mobile users. This typically involves simplifying screen designs and changing navigation controls to accommodate touch - based swiping maneuvers. Other changes brought about by mobile are often deeper and sometimes more subtle:  Mobile users expect to have immediate access to information and the ability to stay connected to their various social and business networks .  Constant or radical connectivity is a mixed blessing, as it can prevent people from healthy disengagement from work.  Mobi le users are often multitasking, which means they are distracted and therefore getting through to them is more challenging.  Mobile communication has put pressure on traditional standards of grammar, punctuation, and writing in general .  Mobile devices can serve as sensory and cognitive extensions .  Mobile devices create a host of security and privacy concerns ; e.g., employees who want to use their personal devices for business - network access.  Mobile tools can enhance productivity and collaboration .  Mobile apps can assist in a wide variety of business tasks .  Mobile connectivity can accelerate decision making and problem solving .  With mobile capabilities such as cameras, accelerometers, and GPS, the communication experience can be made more engaging.

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    1: Professional Communication in a Digital, Social, Mobile World 1 - 9 Section 5 : Using Technology to Improve Business Communication Learning Objective 5 : List four general guidelines for using communication technology effectively . Today’s businesses rely heavily on technology to facilitate the communication process. To use communication technology effectively, you need to :  Keep technology in perspective .  G uard against information overload and information addiction .  U se technological tools productively .  D isengage from the computer frequently to communicate in person . Keeping Technology in Perspective Remember that technology is simply a tool, a means by which you can accomplish certain tasks. Technology is an aid to interpersonal communication, not a replacement for it. Technology has business value only if it helps deliver the right information to the right people at the right time. Guarding Against Information Overload The overuse or misuse of communication technology can lead to information overload, in which people receive more information than they can effectively process. Information overload makes it difficult to discriminate between useful and useless information, lowers productivity, and amplifies employee stress both on the job and at home. As a recipient, use the filtering features of your communication systems to isolate high - priority messages that deserve your attention; be wary of subscribing to too many feeds; focus on the information you truly need to do your job. As a sender, reduce information overload by making sure you don’t send unnecessary messages; indicate the priority of messages to help receivers know how to react to them. Using Technological Tools Productively In the “information technology paradox,” information tools can waste as much time as they save. Inappropriate web use not only distracts employees from work responsibilities but can also leave employers open to lawsuits . Social media can expose confidential information or damage a firm’s reputation in the marketplace. Employers need clear policies that are enforced evenly for all employees.

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    1: Professional Communication in a Digital, Social, Mobile World 1 - 10 Knowing how to use tools efficiently can make a big difference in your productivity. Managers need to guide and train their employees in productive use of information tools. Reconnecting with People Even the best technologies cannot truly match the rich experience of person - to - person contact. Reconnect in person, or at least over the phone, from time to time in order to maintain positive working relationships. Section 6 : Committing to Ethical and Legal Communication Learning Objective 6 : Define ethics , explain the difference between an ethical dilemma and an ethical lapse, and list six guidelines for making ethical communication choices . Ethics are the principles of conduct that govern behavior within a society . Ethical communication :  Includes all relevant information  Is true in every sense  Is not deceptive in any way Examples of unethical communication include :  Plagiarism  Omitting essential information  Selective misquoting  Misrepresenting numbers  Distorting visuals  Failing to respect privacy or information security needs The widespread adoption of social media has increased the attention given to the issue of transparency . Class discussion question: Have you ever contributed to “social media outrage” (using your social media accounts to boost the anger about a contemporary issue by forwarding it, liking it, etc.) without stopping to think who might’ve originated the message or what the originator’s m otives might’ve been?

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    1: Professional Communication in a Digital, Social, Mobile World 1 - 11 Distinguishing Ethical Dilemmas from Ethical Lapses An ethical dilemma involves making a choice when the alternatives aren’t completely wrong or completely right :  Two conflicting alternatives that are both ethical and valid  Two alternatives that lie somewhere in the vast gray area between right and wrong An ethical lapse is a clearly unethical choice . Ensuring Ethical Communication To ensure ethical communication, three elements need to be in place and work in harmony:  Ethical individuals  Ethical company leadership  The appropriate policies and structures to support employee s’ efforts to make ethical choices A code of ethics is an explicit written policy of ethics guidelines that helps employees determine what is acceptable. Ethics audits monitor ethical progress and point out any weaknesses that need to be addressed. Every employee has the responsibility to communicate in an ethical manner. In the absence of clear guidelines , ask yourself the following questions about your business communication effort s:  Have I defined the situation fairly and accurately?  What is my intention in communicating this message?  What impact will the message have on those who receive it or who might be affected by it?  Will the message achieve the greatest possible good while doing the least possible harm?  Will the assumptions I’ve made change over time? That is, will a decision that seems ethical now seem unethical in the future?  Am I comfortable with my decision? Would I be embarrassed if it were printed in tomorrow’s newspaper or spread across the Internet ? Ensuring Legal Communication In addition to ethical guidelines, business communication is also bound by a wide variety of laws and regulations, including the following areas:  Promotional communication. Marketing specialists need to be aware of the many laws that govern truth and accuracy in advertising.  Contracts. A contract is a legally binding promise between two parties, in which one party makes a specified offer and the other party accepts.

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    1: Professional Communication in a Digital, Social, Mobile World 1 - 12  Employment communication. A variety of local, state, and federal laws govern communication between employers and both potential and current employees.  Intellectual property. In an age when instant global connectivity makes it effortless to copy and retransmit electronic files, the protection of intellectual property (IP) has become a widespread concern.  Financial reporting. Finance and accounting professionals who work for publicly traded companies must adhere to stringent reporting laws.  Defamation. Negative comments about another party raise the possibility of defamation, the intentional communication of false statements that damage character or reputation. (Written defamation is called libel ; spoken defamation is called slander . )  Transparency. To help audiences make informed decisions, various laws now require communicators to disclose financial relationships and other factors that could influence the presentation of their messages. Class discussion question: Should companies be allowed to advertise to children who are too young to make fully - informed choices? If there should be a cutoff age, what should it be and how would it be enforced? HIGHLIGHT BOX: THE ART OF PROFESSIONALISM Maintaining a Confident, Positive Outlook 1. Yes, employees do have an ethical obligation to maintain a positive outlook on the job, because doing so helps ensure that they perform to expectations — which is what they are being paid for. In addition, their behavior and attitude on the job affects the performance of other employees. However, they also have an ethical obligation to keep the company’s best interests in mind, and there are times when doing so can mean sharing negative news, raising legitimate concerns, confronting problems, and even whistle blowing if need be. 2. Students should be able to suggest a variety of ways to lift their spirits, including reminding themselves that a positive frame of mind makes the workday easier and faster, refocusing their minds on near - or far - term objectives (e.g., simply completing an unwelcome task to get it off their plates or thinking how completing that task is a step in the direction they want to go), or interacting with colleagues or customers in a positive way that momentarily takes the focus off work and reminds one of the huma n value in business interaction. HIGHLIGHT BOX: DIGITAL + SOCIAL + MOBILE: TODAY’S COMMUNICATION ENVIRONMENT It’s All Fun and Games — and Effective Business Communication 1. Refer students to the coverage of communication ethics in “ Committing to Ethical and Legal Communication . ” They should conclude that gamification is ethical if it doesn’t distort or hide information audiences need in order to make informed decisions. For example, if a personal finance game app offered by a bank or credit card company minimize d the negative consequences of credit risk in such a way that it prompted consumers to make unwise decisions, this could be considered

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    1: Professional Communication in a Digital, Social, Mobile World 1 - 13 unethical. This question can also be a good entry point for a larger discussion about the ethics of persuasive communication. 2. Student answers will vary. ON THE JOB: SOLVING COMMUNICATION DILEMMAS AT JETBLUE 1. JetBlue emphasizes a friendly, open style of communication with its customers, even those occasional customers who make unrealistic demands or expect special treatment. Unfortunately, you’ve learned that some of the company’s customer service representatives have been letting their emotions get in the way when dealing with these difficult customers. Several customers have complained about rude treatment. You’re sensitive to the situation because you know customer service can be a difficult job, particularly in a social media environment where consumers are empowered to broadcast any disappointment they may feel. However, having a reputation for hostile customer service could spell doom for the company, so you need to communicate your concerns immediately. Which of the following sentences would be the best way to begin an email mess age to the customer service staff? a. No. This implies that everyone in the customer service department is guilty of providing poor service. b. No. Like (a), this implies that everyone is guilty; its tone is also overly harsh and threatening, particularly when raising this issue for the first time. c. No. While this option doesn’t blame everyone, its accusatory tone will immediately put everyone on the defensive. d. Yes. This positive and sympathetic introductory statement ( a buffer , explored in the negative message chapter ) creates a communication environment that is conducive to problem solving, rather than finger pointing. 2. The culture in your office is conscientious and professional but with a generally informal “vibe.” However, as with any company, individual employees vary in how closely their own styles and personalities fit the corporate culture. For example, the new accounting manager in your organization tends to communicate in a formal, distant style that some company old - timers find off - putting and impersonal. Several of these people have expressed concerns that the new manager “doesn’t fit in,” even though she’s d oing a great job otherwise. How should you respond? a. No. These people aren’t just complaining ; they’re expressing concern about the future of the company’s culture. A company is more than just the sum of its various job functions; the people in those roles also need to work together in some degree of harmony. Therefore, the people raising this issu e believe they have a valid concern. b. No. Demanding that someone change her personal communication style is only going to generate confusion and resentment. Moreover, the company might eventually lose a valuable employee if the manager decides she can’t fit in. c. Yes. Newcomers can often benefit from a helpful introduction to a company’s culture. The manager might simply be communicating in a style that was expected in her previous employment. d. No. If her style is causing concern, ignoring the situation isn’t going to make it go away.

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    1: Professional Communication in a Digital, Social, Mobile World 1 - 14 3. A false rumor has begun circulating among JetBlue employees that the company plans to replace its social media team with an automated “bot” system that will answer tweets and email messages using artificial intelligence. Members of the social media team are worried about their jobs, and other employees are worried that customers will miss the human touch if customer service representatives are replaced by a computer. How should you respond to the rumor? a. No. What should employees be expected to believe if the only messages they receive are conflicting rumors coming through the grapevine? Moreover, grapevines are unpredictable; you can’t be sure that your message would get through undistorted. And finally, the choice of medium itself would send a message — that the company didn’t care enough to bother sending out an official message. b. Yes. This is a potential crisis that requires both immediate attention and careful handling to calm people’s fears. Face - to - face communication provides the best way to interact with the audience, answering their questions and addressing their fears. c. No. A blog posting is too passive for a message of this importance, and it doesn’t offer the rich nuances of face - to - face contact that are important when audiences are upset. d. No. Ignoring the rumor would be a huge mistake. Productivity will immediately fall as people begin worrying more about their jobs than about their work, and some will likely leave the company as well. 4. A passenger whose luggage didn’t arrive on his flight from Boston to San Francisco is sending a string of angry tweets from the baggage claim at the San Francisco airport, accusing JetBlue of everything from lying to stealing his luggage. He is including the @JetBlue handle in every tweet, so his rants are showing up in the timelines of the company’s followers on Twitter — all 1.9 million of them. How should you respond? a. No. b. No. c. No. Even if Twitter complied, this is a strong - arm tactic that many would consider unethical to boot. And even if it were an acceptable response, it would not be a wise response. The customer would probably set up another Twitter account within minutes and magnify his original complaint with the justifiable outrage that JetBlue was trying to silence him — a story angle that would surely resonate across social media and probably get picked up by conventional media as well. d. Yes. This approach acknowledges the customer frustration, which is paramount to resolving any highly - charged situation like this. In addition, it attempts to move the discussion into private channels so that the problem isn’t on nonstop public display. Lastly, interacting with the customer in person may help defuse the situation further by putting a human face on the company and forcing the customer to interact with another human being in person.

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    1: Professional Communication in a Digital, Social, Mobile World 1 - 15 APPLY YOUR KNOWLEDGE 1.1. Visit MyBCommLab for suggested answers. [LO - 1] AACSB: Written and oral communication 1.2. Visit MyBCommLab for suggested answers. [LO - 2 ] AACSB: Written and oral communication 1.3. Students will learn more about writing and formatting messages for mobile devices in subsequent chapters, but they can answer this question by using what they’ve learned in this chapter about effective communication and the basic communication process. Their answers should address the needs for concise messages and clear, simple designs that display well on small screens. [LO - 4 ] AACSB: Information technology 1.4. The answer is a definite yes. Communication technology has three potential shortcomings that can and do hamper communication. First, technologies such as email and instant messaging are unable to convey the full richness of human communication, particularly nonverbal signals. For instance, email messages can come across as blunt or overly harsh simply because the medium lacks a practical and effective way to convey emotional nuances. Second, technology can’t replace human planning and oversight. Spellcheckers that correct spelling but “approve” p oor word choices or nonsensical phrases are a common example of this flaw. Third, even the best technologies are rarely 100 percent reliable, and if people come to depend on technological channels too heavily, they can be cut off from one another whenever these systems fail. [LO - 5 ] AACSB: Information technology 1.5. Visit MyBCommLab for suggested answers. [LO - 6 ] AACSB: Written and oral communication PRACTICE YOUR SKILLS Message for Analysis : Analyzing Communication Effectiveness [LO - 1] AACSB: Written and oral communication Students will recognize this document as ineffective because it presents so many barriers to effective communication. The blog :  Creates emotional barriers right from the first sentence (accusing employees of lying and cheating, later calling them names), preventing readers from perceiving the intended message  Presents a restrictive and authoritarian attitude, reflecting an environment that discourages open communication and thus discourages employee candor  Expresses bias or prejudice (in the slur against women employees)  Reflects the author’s anger and defensiveness (“I simply have no choice”)  Assumes bad intentions on the part of the employees, underlining the lack of audience - centered thinking  Uses vague, confusing language (More than three times during what period? Will have to answer to the author for what specific penalties?)

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    1: Professional Communication in a Digital, Social, Mobile World 1 - 16  Polarizes workers by inciting conflict between “punctual” employees and others Exercises 1.6. Look for information about students’ majors, hobbies, likes, dislikes, and future career plans. The email message s, blog posts, or social networking updates will give you an idea of the level of your students’ writing , in addition to help ing you learn more about your students. [LO - 1] AACSB: Written and oral communication 1.7. This question provides a good opportunity to discuss the advantages and limitations of utilizing social media for business communication. Students should be encouraged to explain how the content of their messages reflects the demands of a social communicat ion model and medium. [LO - 1] AACSB: Information technology 1.8. This exercise reveals how well students translate the chapter material into a practical analysis of business communication — the first step to crafting more effective messages of their own. Look for descriptions of specific communication elements, such as so lid logical argumentation, persuasive emotional appeals, successful integration of audio and video components, or an audience - centric message. [LO - 1] AACSB: Written and oral communication 1.9. In completing this exercise, students should recognize the often - significant differences between how they prioritize their own personal and professional qualities and how a prospective employer might prioritize them. [LO - 2 ] 1.10. This message needs to communicate the importance of the situation without preemptively offending anyone (since there have been no instances of etiquette mistakes and only a general concern about them). The first paragraph could provide the general manager with a brief overview of the situation, describing how customers come in contact with production personnel and explaining the potential damages to sales that could result from etiquette mistakes. The second paragraph could then follow with an explanation o f how etiquette training would minimize the risk of lost sales. Depending on the circumstances and the writer's relationship with the recipient, the message might also propose a solution, such as adapting the sales department's etiquette training course fo r re - use in the production department. [LO - 2 ] AACSB: Written and oral communication 1.11. Before writing the report, the team will want to know : a. The audience’s culture (so that cultural biases can be avoided) b. The audience’s level of knowledge about the subject (so that the report’s style, content, organization, and tone will address that level) c. The environment in which the report will be received (to compensate for any noise interference) d. Whether the report will be read directly by the intended audience or will first pass through several layers of gatekeepers (so that anticipated distortions can be minimized before the report is read and summarized by gatekeepers)

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    1: Professional Communication in a Digital, Social, Mobile World 1 - 17 e. The audience’s gender and family status (because childcare may be viewed from a different perspective by men, women, parents, and nonparents) [LO - 2 ] AACSB: Interpersonal relations and teamwork 1.12. Regarding the issue of employee blogs and information that is critical of an employer, a much stronger case can be made for placing such restrictions than for not doing so. Publicly - aired criticism of internal company matters is likely to cause harm to the company (by scaring away potential customers, employees, or investors, for instance) while probably doing little or nothing to resolve whatever situations a blogger might be upset a bout. In fact, an argument can be made that criticizing one’s own employer in public is unethical, since employees are paid to further the company’s interests, not their own. If they are unhappy in their jobs, they have a responsibility to either work to improve the situation through appropriate channels or to find other employm ent. [LO - 2 ] AACSB: Information technology 1.13. This exercise challenges students to apply their understanding of the communication process. Ask them to be specific about how they encoded and transmitted the idea they wanted to share; also ask them to explain exactly how they knew whether the message ha d been accurately decoded. Students might identify such barriers as a difference in perception due to differences in age, background, culture, or language; a lack of credibility, precision, congeniality, or control; a lack of information about the audience; a misunderstanding caused by unfocused, incoherent, or sloppy communication; a miscommunication resulting from one party being sidetracked or constantly bringing up unnecessary information; an inability to relate new information to existing ideas; or the noise from environmental d istractions, from the emotional states of the people involved, or from a person’s poor listening ability. [LO - 3 ] AACSB: Written and oral communication 1.14. Students should evaluate the websites using the criteria for effective business communication and the discussion of the audience - centered approach in the chapter . For example, a website that isn’t mobile friendly (meaning the presentation isn’t simplified for smaller screens and touch/swipe controls) doesn’t do a good job of meeting the needs of mobile users. [LO - 4 ] AACSB: Information technology 1.15. To improve the discussion that this exercise can generate, consider assigning different services to different students. The wide variety of services students will access can provide powerful evidence of how widespread the social communication model has bec ome. [LO - 5 ] AACSB: Information technology 1.16. Students should recognize that the boss’s request itself is potentially unethical, putting the employee in a situation of policing his or her colleagues — which will surely lead to circumstances in which the employee is forced to be disingenuous with colleag ues (e.g., not saying anything to a colleague who steals office supplies but then reporting the behavior to the boss). The employee would want to consider the following in a discussion with the boss: the uncomfortable situation this request will create for the employee ; the effect this informal assignment would have on

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    1: Professional Communication in a Digital, Social, Mobile World 1 - 18 workplace dynamics ; the damage to the employee’s career prospects or ability to work with others if colleagues find out about such reporting ; and last but not least, the fact that asking employees to spy on one another is a misguided way to solve a problem (e.g., ethics training and making employees aware of the costs of their decisions would be a much more enlightened approach). [LO - 6 ] AACSB: Ethical understanding and reasoning 1.17. The ethics of each situation may be decided as follows: a. Keeping quiet about the possible environmental hazard would be an ethical lapse that could possibly affect lives if not wildlife. b. Stretching the truth, even “a bit,” is never ethical. c. Helping a friend would be ethical, unless “privileged” information were being conveyed without permission. d. Using allocated funding for bogus purchases is unethical. It would be better to justify the need for next year’s budget than to preserve it by cheating. [LO - 6 ] AACSB: Ethical understanding and reasoning 1.18. Students should be able to identify dozens of potential violations of Cisco’s Code of Conduct. Three examples include entering into or sustaining a business relationship that creates a conflict of interest with an employee’s professional responsibilities a t Cisco, providing financial information that is not accurate or not objective, and discussing confidential information with an outside party who is not bound by a nondisclosure agreement. Opportunities to report or discuss ethical concerns include contact ing the company’s Ethics Program Office, the General Counsel, or the Audit Committee. [LO - 6 ] AACSB: Ethical understanding and reasoning ASSISTED GRADING QUESTIONS (accessed i n MyBCommLab) 1.28. Visit MyBCommLab for suggested answers. [LO - 3] AACSB: Written and oral communication 1.29. Visit MyBCommLab for suggested answers. [LO - 4] AACSB: Information technology

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    2: Collaboration, Interpersonal Communication, and Business Etiquette 2 - 1 C hapter 2: Collaboration, Interpersonal Communication, and Business Etiquette Chapter 2 explores multiple aspects of interpersonal communication: communicating in teams, collaborating on communication efforts , making meetings more productive , using meeting technologies, and improving the skills involved in listening, nonverbal communication, and business etiquette. CHAPTER OUTLINE Communicating Effectively in Teams Advantages and Disadvantages of Teams Characteristics of Effective Teams Group Dynamics Assuming Team Roles Allowing for Team Evolution Resolving Conflict Overcoming Resistance Collaborating on Communication Ef forts Guidelines for Collaborative Writing Technologies for Collaborative Writing Collaboration Systems Social Networks and Virtual Communities Collaboration via Mobile Devices Giving — and Responding to — Constructive Feedback Making Your Meetings Mo re Productive Preparing for Meetings Conducting and Contributing to Efficient Meetings Putting Meeting Results to Productive Use Using Meeting Technologies Improving Your Listening Skills Recognizing Various Types of Listening Understanding the Listening Process Overcoming Barriers to Effective Listening Improving Your Nonverbal Communication Skills Recognizing Nonverbal Communi cation Using Nonverbal Communication Effectively Developing Your Business Etiquette Business Etiquette in the Workplace B usiness Etiquette in Social Settings Business Etiquette Online Business Etiquette Using Mobile Devices

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    2: Collaboration, Interpersonal Communication, and Business Etiquette 2 - 2 Learning Catalytics is a “ bring your own device ” student engagement, assessment, and classroom intelligence system. It allows instructors to engage students in class with real - time diagnostics. Students can use any modern, web - enabled device (smartphone, tablet, or laptop) to access it. For more informa tion on using Learning Catalytics in your course, contact your Pearson Representative. LECTURE NOTES Section 1: Communicating Effectively in Teams Learning Objective 1: List the advantages and disadvantages of working in teams, describe the characteristics of effective teams, and highlight four key issues of group dynamics. Collaboration — working together to meet business challenges — has become a core job responsibility for roughly half the U.S. workforce. A team is a unit of two or more people who share a mission and the responsibility for working to achieve a common goal. Problem - solving teams and task forces assemble to resolve specific issues and then disband when their goals have been accomplished. Such teams are often cross - functional , pulling together people from a variety of departments who have different areas of expertise and responsibility. D iversity of opinions and experiences can lead to better decisions, but competing interests can create tension. Committees are formal teams that can become a permanent part of the organizational structure. Advantages and Disadvantages of Teams Teams are often part of participative management, the effort to involve employees in the company’s decision making . A successful team can provide advantages, such as :  Increased information and knowledge  Increased diversity of views  Increased acceptance of a solution  Higher performance levels Teams can also have disadvantages, such as :  Groupthink — occurs when peer pressures cause individual team members to withhold contrary or unpopular opinions  Hidden agendas — private, counterproductive motives that undermine someone else on the team

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    2: Collaboration, Interpersonal Communication, and Business Etiquette 2 - 3  Cost — aligning schedules, arranging meetings, and coordinating individual parts of a project can eat up a lot of time and money Characteristics of Effective Teams The most effective teams :  Have a clear objective and a shared sense of purpose  Communicate openly and honestly  Reach decisions by consensus  Think creatively  Know how to resolve conflict Ineffective teams :  G et bogged down in conflict  W aste time and resources pursuing unclear goals Two common reasons cited for unsuccessful teamwork are a lack of trust and poor communication. Group Dynamics Group dynamics are the interactions and processes that take place among members in a team. Productive teams tend to develop positive norms — informal standards of conduct that members share and that guide member behavior. Group dynamics are influenced by :  The roles assumed by team members  The current phase of team development  The team’s success in resolving conflict  The team’s success in overcoming resistance Team members can play various roles:  Self - oriented roles are played by those motivated mainly to fulfill personal needs ; these individuals tend to be less productive than other members .  Team - maintenance roles are played by those who help everyone work well together .  Task - oriented roles are played by those who help the team reach its goals . As teams grow and evolve, they generally pass through a variety of stages, such as these five:  Orientation  Conflict  Brainstorming

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    2: Collaboration, Interpersonal Communication, and Business Etiquette 2 - 4  Emergence  Reinforcement Another common model, proposed by Bruce Tuckman:  Forming  Storming  Norming  Performing  Adjourning Conflict in team activities can result from :  Competition for resources  Disagreement over goals or responsibilities  Poor communication  Power struggles  Fundamental differences in values, attitudes, and personalities Conflict is not necessarily bad. Conflict can be constructive if it :  Forces important issues into the open  Increases the involvement of team members  Generates creative ideas for the solution to a problem Conflict can be destructive if it :  Diverts energy from more important issues  Destroys morale of teams or individual team members  Polarizes or divides the team Destructive conflict can lead to win - lose or lose - lose outcomes in which one or both sides lose, to the detriment of the entire team. If you approach conflict with the idea that both sides can satisfy their goals to at least some extent (a win - win strategy ), you can minimize losses for everyone. For the win - win strategy to work, everybody must believe that :  It’s possible to find a solution that both parties can accept  Cooperation is better for the organization than competition  The other party can be trusted  Greater power or status doesn’t entitle one party to impose a solution

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    2: Collaboration, Interpersonal Communication, and Business Etiquette 2 - 5 Conflict can be resolved through :  Proactive management: deal with minor conflict before it becomes major conflict  Communication: get those involved with the conflict actively involved in resolution  Openness: g et feelings out into the open before dealing with main issues  Research: g et the facts before attempting a resolution  Flexibility: d on’t let anyone lock into a position before considering all possible solutions  Fair play: i nsist on a fair outcome that doesn’t hide behind rules  Alliance: u nite the team against an “outside force” instead of each other When attempting to overcome irrational resistance, try to :  Express understanding  Bring resistance out into the open  Evaluate others’ objections fairly  Hold your arguments until the other person is ready for them Class discussion question: Describe a time that you experienced some form of team conflict during a class project. What were the sources of conflict, and how did the team resolve it? How did the conflict affect the team’s work output? Section 2: Collaborating on Communication Efforts Learning Objective 2 : Offer guidelines for collaborative communication, identify major collaboration technologies, and explain how to give constructive feedback . When team s collaborate, the collective energy and expertise of the various members can lead to results that transcend what each individual could do otherwise. However, collaborating on team messages requires special effort. Guidelines for Collaborative Writing In any collaborative effort, team members coming from different backgrounds may have different work habits or priorities , for example :  A technical expert , to focus on accuracy and scientific standards  An editor , to be more concerned about organization and coherence  A manager , to focus on schedules, cost, and corporate goals Remember that the ways in which team members differ in writing styles and personality traits can complicate the creative nature of communication .

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    2: Collaboration, Interpersonal Communication, and Business Etiquette 2 - 6 To collaborate successfully, follow these guidelines:  Select collaborators carefully (if you have that option) .  Agree on project goals before you start .  Give your team time to bond before diving in .  Clarify individual responsibilities .  Establish clear processes .  Avoid composing as a group .  Make sure tools and techniques are ready and compatible across the team .  Check to see how things are going along the way . Technologies for Collaborative Writing Collaboration technologies range from simple features such as commenting and revision or change tracking to collaboration solutions such as content management systems that organize and control the content for many websites (particularly larger corporate sites). A wiki is a website that allows anyone with access to add new material and edit existing material . K ey benefits of wikis include :  S imple operation  F reedom to post new or revised material without prior approval This approach is quite different from a content management system in which both the organization of the website and the work flow are tightly controlled. Chapter 12 addresses wikis in more detail . Groupware is an umbrella term for systems that let people simultaneously :  Communicate  Share files  Present materials  Work on documents C loud computing expand s the ways in which geographically dispersed teams can collaborate . Shared workspaces are “virtual offices” that :  Give everyone on a team access to the same set of resources and information  Control which team members can read, edit, and save specific files  Often c an be set to a llow only one person at a time to work on a given file or document to avoid getting edits out of sync  May include presence awareness so teams can see who is available to interact

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    2: Collaboration, Interpersonal Communication, and Business Etiquette 2 - 7 The terms intranet (restricted internal website) and extranet (restricted, but with outside access for selected parties ) are still used in some companies. Social networking technologies are redefining teamwork and team communication by helping erase the constraints of geographic and organization boundaries. V irtual communities or communities of practice link employees with similar professional interests throughout the company and sometimes with customers and suppliers as well. Social networking can also help a company maintain a sense of community even as it grows beyond the size that normally permits a lot of daily interaction. Mobile brings a new dimension to collaboration by connecting employees and business partners who work part - or full - time outside conventional office environments. Giving — and Responding to — Constructive Feedback Constructive feedback, sometimes called constructive criticism , focuses on the process and outcomes of communication, not on the people involved . Destructive feedback delivers criticism with no guidance to stimulate improvement. When you give feedback, try to :  Avoid personal attacks  Give the person clear guidelines for improvement When you receive constructive feedback, try to :  Resist the urge to defend your work or deny the validity of the feedback  Disconnect emotion ally from the work and see it simply as something that can be ma d e better  Step back and consider the feedback before diving in to make corrections  Don’t assume that all constructive feedback is necessarily correct Section 3: Making Your Meetings More Productive Learning Objective 3 : List the key steps needed to ensure productive team meetings . Well - run meetings can help you :  Solve problems  Develop ideas  Identify opportunities

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    2: Collaboration, Interpersonal Communication, and Business Etiquette 2 - 8 Meetings are unproductive when they :  Wander off the subject  Lack an agenda  Run too long Preparing for Meetings To increase the productivity of meetings, prepare carefully:  Identify your purpose — whether you need an informational or a decision - making meeting.  Select participa nts whose presence is essential.  Choose the venue and time an d prepare the facility.  Set the agenda.  An effective agenda answers three questions:  What do we need to do in this meeting to accomplish our goals?  What issues will be of greatest importance to all participants?  What information must be available in order to discuss these issues? Conducting and Contributing to Efficient Meetings Ensure a productive meeting by :  Keeping the discussion on track  Following agreed - upon rules , including parliamentary procedure if appropriate  Encouraging participation  Participating actively  Closing effectively Putting Meeting Results to Productive Use The value of a meeting’s interaction and discovery usually doesn’t (or at least shouldn’t) end when the meeting ends. In formal meetings, one person is appointed to record the minutes. In small meetings, attendees often make their own notes on their copies of the agenda. The minutes of a meeting summarize :  The important information presented  The decisions made  The people responsible for follow - up action

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    2: Collaboration, Interpersonal Communication, and Business Etiquette 2 - 9 Section 4: Using Meeting Technologies Learning Objective 4: Identify the major technologies used to enhance or replace in - person meetings. Replacing in - person meetings with long - distance, virtual interaction can :  D ramatically reduce costs and resource usage  R educe wear and tear on employees  Give t eams access to a wider pool of expertise Virtual teams have members who work in different locations and interact electronically through virtual meetings . Basic teleconferencing involves three or more people connected by phone simultaneously. Videoconferencing combines live audio and video , letting team members see each other, demonstrate products, and transmit other visual information. More - advanced t elepresence systems create interaction so lifelike that participants can forget that the person “sitting” on the other side of the table is actually in another city. Web - based meeting systems combine the best of instant messaging, shared workspaces, and videoconferencing with other tools , such as virtual whiteboards , that let teams collaborate in real time. The benefits are compelling, but c onducting successful virtual meetings requires extra planning beforehand and mo re diligence during the meeting in order to overcome potential communication barriers. Section 5: Improving Your Listening Skills Learning Objective 5 : Identify three major modes of listening, describe the listening process, and explain the problem of selective listening . Effective listening :  Strengthens organizational relationships  Enhances product delivery  Alerts the organization to opportunities for innovation  Allows the organization to manage growing diversity  Gives you a competitive edge  Enhances your performance and influence within your company and industry

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