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Professional Communication - Chapter Exercise

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Current, fast-paced, & interesting – Just like business itself.

The business world is evolving rapidly, and you deserve a textbook that keeps pace. Business Communication: In Person, In Print, Online presents innovative content that refl ects the variety of communication technology used in today’s workplace. The text moves beyond describing new media to helping you use social media and other emerging communication technologies. With engaging examples and an innovative, visual format, this edition grabs your attention and makes you want to read.

Business Communication: In Person, In Print, Online, 8e

• Refl ects how people communicate in business today.

• Illustrates principles with current, real-world examples.

• Engages readers with creative visuals and an accessible writing style.

• Reinforces learning and promotes skill-building with a variety of online resources.

Business Communication: In Person, In Print, Online

33168_00_fm_pi-xxxiii_SE.indd i33168_00_fm_pi-xxxiii_SE.indd i 13/12/11 2:35 PM13/12/11 2:35 PM

Copyright 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s).

Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it.

Refl ects How People Communicate in Business Today

Business Communication: In Person, In Print, Online prepares you for challenging situations you will face in the digital workplace. Effective, accurate written and oral communication skills are still paramount. But in today’s competitive business environment, you need to be more than a successful communicator; you need to use communication to differentiate yourself.

Prepares You for Today’s Digital Workplace

Get more familiar with communicating through social media.

g y p

• Sending important information in a meeting • Providing instant reminders24

Social Media Perhaps the more interesting technologies for communication are social media. Web 2.0, which encourages online interaction, has opened the door for people to participate on the web. This is quite different from the one- way communication of the early Internet, when companies would post brochure-like websites for people to consume.

The real value of social media for companies is the opportunity to con- nect with people online. Social media is about the conversation. To promote interaction, companies use 2.0 technologies, for example, blogs, wikis, video, and social networking sites. These tools are used on the Internet (for the public), on a company’s intranet (for employee access only), and on extranets (private networks for people outside the company, e.g., custom- ers or franchisees). Examples of social media are shown in Figure 6.

For many companies, social media focuses on user-generated content (UGC), also called consumer-generated media (CGM). This content can be blog entries, product reviews, videos, or other messages posted about a company. As we discussed earlier in the Glassdoor example, this content isn’t always positive. In Chapter 7, we’ll explore how to respond to negative online comments.

The Fortune Global 100 companies are using social media actively. Seventy- nine percent are using at least one of four main social platforms—Twitter, videos, Facebook, and blogs—to communicate with customers.25 Of these tools, Twitter is the most frequently used.26 As a student, you may not be excited about Twitter (the average Twitter user is 39 years old),27 but this has proved useful for companies,

Companies use social media to have a conversation with internal and external audiences.

After introducing a few examples here, we’ll discuss social media— and other technologies—where relevant throughout the book. For example, we’ll explore wikis for team communication; social networking for interpersonal communication; email, blogs, and instant messaging for written communication; user- generated content for customer communication; and video for oral presentations.

as we’ll discuss later. The Fortune Global 100’s frequency of social media activity is shown in Figure 7.28

Blogs Companies use blogs to connect with employees and customers. Successful blogs are updated regularly with news or commentary, and many encourage inter- activity through comments, email subscriptions, and RSS (Really Simple Syndica- tion) feeds to share news and other content.

Wegmans, a regional supermarket, has an active blog called “Fresh Stories” to educate and engage customers—and keep them coming back. The blog includes videos, photos, and posts by CEO Danny Wegman. In one recent post, the CEO wrote,

With the spring season upon us (we hope! It’s been a cold April in the Roches- ter area), I wanted to kick off the season with a fresh story from the farm. I’m hoping you’ll start sharing your growing stories and questions as we experi- ence this new season together!29

With a blog, a CEO can build direct relationships with customers and personal- ize the company, particularly with a conversational style such as Danny Wegman’s.

The Wegmans blog also allows open comments, which are not always positive. Following the earthquake and tsunami disasters in Japan, one customer wrote,

Visit the author’s blog at www.bizcominthenews .com for current communication examples.

Figure 7 How Fortune

Learn how to listen to and engage online audiences.

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new content

• Move from diversity to inclusion.

• Adapt communication to multicultural and international audiences.

• Participate in online (web) meetings and videoconferences.

• Create PowerPoint® “decks” and represent ideas using creative graphics.

• Manage your online reputation.

New Content Helps You:

Understand how to communicate ethically and avoid legal consequences of communication.

front of a jury about the content of this email I am about to send?’ If the answer is anything other than an unqualifi ed ‘yes,’ it is not an email that should be sent.”40

You might ask yourself the same question for all communications related to your company.

ETHICS AND COMMUNICATION Beyond the legal requirements, companies will expect you to communicate ethi- cally. Consider this situation: Brian Maupin, a Best Buy employee, posted videos about the company on YouTube.41 His fi rst cartoon video, which received over 3.3 million views within two weeks, mocked a customer of “Phone Mart,” desperate for the latest version of the iPhone (Figure 12).

Before Maupin was invited back after being suspended, he created another video poking fun at the company’s policies. This interaction, between the store employee and the woman who “run[s] the ethics department” at the corporate offi ce, illustrates gray areas in communication ethics—and the importance of social media policies.

Was Maupin’s behavior ethical? Most corporate executives would consider the videos disparaging to the company. Although Maupin didn’t expect the videos to be such a huge success, he still publicly disagreed with sales policies, questioned loyalty to a top Best Buy supplier (Apple), and insulted customers. Things worked

Communicate ethically.

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Ethics in Communication

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Maupin: How is it any business of Phone Mart’s what I do in my spare time?

Head of Corporate Ethics Department: If it hurts us or one of our Phone Mart partners, like Apple, then it hurts all the Phone Mart employees and stockholders, and we must take action to protect the company from these attacks, James Cameron.

You iPhone4 vs HTC Evo tinywatchproductions

tinywatchproductions 4,707,322 views

Figure 12 Best Buy Employee Posts a Video

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• Use email, instant messaging, and texting effectively at work.

• Respond to customer comments and complaints online.

• Answer behavioral interview questions and prepare for a case interview.

New Content Helps You:

Delete Junk Reply Reply All Forward Print

From:

To:

Subject: Need More Detailed Bio by FridayUses a clear, specific subject line.

Uses a greeting that is standard within

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Includes a simple, standard closing.

Uses a professional signature line.

Includes information that is useful to complete

the request.

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Gives a rationale for the deadline.

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Figure 12 Well-Written Email

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See Chapter 12, Employment Communication, for tips on phone and video interviews.

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Thanks for at least using my name.

They really care what I think.

Wow! You really read my review!

Reply Delete Block User

“What TO Do” – A simple and personal thank you

Figure 13 Yelp’s Advice to Managers for Responding to a Positive Customer Post

The Plymouth manager’s response (at the bottom of Figure 12) could be more substantive, but her response is brief and funny. For informal social media interac- tions, this works just fi ne to connect with the writer and other prospective custom- ers. Considering the reviewer’s casual post, it might look odd for the manager to respond with something longer and more formal.

Yelp offers the example in Figure 13 with good advice for responding to posi- tive feedback online. For an authentic approach, personalize the response: provide a photo and your own name (not just the company’s name), mention the writer’s name, thank the writer for the post, address specifi c comments from the post, and offer solutions or other ways to stay in touch.

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Illustrates Principles with Current, Real-World Examples Business Communication: In Person, In Print, Online is interesting to read. Principles and skills come alive with many examples of communication at work. You’ll learn how companies use communication to their advantage—and how companies struggle with communication.

Sample annotated letters, emails, blog posts, and other messages illustrate what works well and what could be improved.

cashiers to not ask me 50 times to barrassing to the company, at least the ty to respond, as someone did quickly: nce at the checkout. Our cashiers have me of them have done so on their own. t War- rs also

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Figure 8 Kevin Smith’s Tweet About Southwest Airlines

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Figure 9 Southwest’s Response to Kevin Smith

CITIES SERVED: DAILY DEPARTURES: HEADQUARTERS: EMPLOYEES:

CONNECT WITH SWA ELSEWHE

MOST RECENT RECOGNITION

• Examples are integrated right into the paragraph text, such as Best Buy’s suspension of an employee for a video posted on YouTube, Toyota’s response to safety recalls, McDonald’s adaptation to interna- tional markets, Google’s strategy for hiring, and more.

FREE SHIPPING

Personalizes the message to a select group of

customers.

Uses the indirect plan to provide history and context

for the decision.

Explains the Chapter 11 decision.

Uses headings to address customers’ questions.

Uses a conversational style and a personal approach

from the company’s leader.

Highlights customers’ most prevalent concerns.

Reassures customers with a positive, forward-looking

tone

FREE SHIPPING

Figure 12 Borders Updates Reward Customers During the Bankruptcy Process

the paragraph f l

Figure 10 McDonald’s India Website

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Companies customize their websites in other ways, too. Site navigation for high-context cultures, for example, might include subtle guidance and new pages opening in several new browser windows. This strategy allows the user to select new entry points for further exploration. But for low-context cultures, which tend to have more linear thought patterns, navigational cues may be more explicit, and new pages will open within the current window, to allow the user to go back and forth easily.23

We all interpret events through our own mental fi lter, and that fi lter s based on our unique knowledge,

experiences, and perspectives. For example, the language of time is as different among cultures as the lan- guage of words. Americans, Canadi- ans, Germans, and Japanese are very time conscious and precise about appointments; Latin American and Middle Eastern cultures tend to be more casual about time. For example, f your Mexican host tells you that he

or she will meet with you at 3:00, it’s most likely más o menos (Spanish for more or less”) 3:00.

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• A companion blog, BizCom in the News (www.bizcominthenews.com), spotlights communication issues that make headlines. Browse stories by chapter or by topic, and access stories on the book’s Facebook page (www.facebook.com/bizcominthenews).

Illustrates Principles with Current, Real-World Examples

• Expanded end-of-chapter exercises include six new company scenarios that help you develop skills that will transfer to the workplace. For example, Aggresshop prepares you to respond to a customer complaint on the company’s blog and select the appropriate channel to communicate organizational change.

CHAPTER 1 Understanding Business Communication 33

Aggresshop Imagine you work for Aggresshop, an upscale women’s clothing boutique with 16 stores throughout the United States. At www.cengagebrain.com, you’ll fi nd Aggresshop’s company blog for customers and employees.

As you’ll read in the scenario, Aggresshop is experiencing many customer com- plaints about its sales associates’ overly aggressive techniques (two posts are shown below). The CEO decides to change the sales compensation structure to address this issue.

On the blog, you’ll see examples of several communication concepts discussed in Chapter 1: directions of communication, communication media, barriers to communica- tion, and ethics in communication. This scenario will also help you learn to do the following:

• Respond to customer complaints on a company blog.

• Communicate a change internally.

• Tailor message content and tone for different audiences and communication channels.

To help you practice your business communication your instructor may assign the

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Current, fast-paced, & interesting – Just like business itself.

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• Engaging model documents help you learn the many types of writing—both in print and online. Models provide marginal callouts with detailed writing instructions.

CHAPTER 12 Employment Communication 417

Chooses present tense verbs to describe current

responsibilities.

Includes relevant skills and hobbies (optional).

Starts with educational background, most relevant for a graduating student.

Education Moraine Valley Community College, Palos Hills, IL • Associate in Science Degree (A.S.), 3.8 G.P.A.,

Expected Graduation 2012 • Dean’s List All Semesters • Coursework: International Business, Fundamentals of

Accounting, Business Mathematics, Financial Accounting, Computer Applications in Accounting

The American International University in Rome Study Abroad, High School Program, Summer 2010 • Lived with a host family for three weeks • Studied Italian and Introduction to Business

Management

Employment Moraine Valley Community College Teaching Assistant, Computer Applications in Accounting, (2011-present) • Assist professor with grading 150 papers each semester • Hold daily office hours for students • Provide tutoring on challenging course material

Lakewatch Apartments Property Accountant (2009-2012) • Processed all accounts payable including taxes,

mortgages, and monthly bills • Maintained cash receipt journals for various properties • Processed and deposited rental income • Maintained general ledger and reconciled all bank

statements • Produced special reports for the partners and investors

Other • Notary Public, State of Illinois • Proficient in Peachtree and Microsoft Word, Excel,

and Outlook • Proficient Italian • Hobbies include guitar, tennis, model airplanes

Highlights experience to differentiate his candidacy.

Uses a simple, creative design; includes clear

contact information and a professional email address.

Marcus C. Benini

Uses bold type to emphasize job title, which is more

important than the names of this applicant’s employers.

Chooses past tense verbs to describe previous

experience.

Figure 4 Sample Résumé 1 (Chronological)

E N

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Creative visuals enhance your learning experience and aid in retention.

Engages with Creative Visuals & an Accessible

Writing Style With strong visual appeal, this edition encourages you to read. Where appropriate, content is presented visually— in tables and graphics. Written in a professional, conversational style, Business Communication: In Person, In Print, Online aids comprehension and refl ects business writing in companies today.

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Reinforces Learning & Promotes Skill-Building with a Variety of Innovative Digital Resources

The eighth edition of Business Communication: In Person, In Print, Online integrates the most advanced new technology for effi cient and effective study opportunities.

CengageNOW™ is an integrated, online learning system that gives you more control over your success. This innovative, intuitive tool combines the best of current technology to help you plan and study more effectively.

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Ober / Newman Business Communication: In Person, In Print, Online 8eNewman / Ober Business Communication: In Person, In Print, Online 8e

digital tools

• A diagnostic Personalized Study Plan helps you identify troublesome concepts and creates individualized study plans for better class preparation and grades.

• With CengageNOW you also get PowerPoint® slides, videos, digital fl ash

cards, games, and an integrated ebook to make studying business communication more effective and convenient.

CengageNOW:

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Innovative Digital Resources

CourseMate is a unique website, created to support this text, to make course concepts come alive with interactive learning, study, and exam preparation tools. CourseMate delivers what you need, including an interactive eBook, quizzes, videos, KnowNOW!, Career Transitions interactive tool, and more!

• Pretests

• Posttests

• PowerPoint study slides

• Flash cards

• Multimedia company scenarios

• BizComInTheNews.com

Through CourseMate,

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Ober / Newman Business Communication: In Person, In Print, Online 8e

digital tools Newman / Ober Business Communication: In Person, In Print, Online 8e

Helpful tools including fl ash cards, crossword puzzles, and videos are at your fi ngertips!

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Business Communication: In Person, In Print, Online 8e www.cengagebrain.com

Find free resources and more at CengageBrain.com

Buy, Download orRENT

TEXTBOOKS and save

up to60% on

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Business Communication In Person, In Print, Online

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Business Communication In Person, In Print, Online

AMY NEWMAN Cornell University

SCOT OBER Ball State University

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This is an electronic version of the print textbook. Due to electronic rights restrictions, some third party content may be suppressed. Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. The publisher reserves the right to remove content from this title at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it. For valuable information on pricing, previous editions, changes to current editions, and alternate formats, please visit www.cengage.com/highered to search by ISBN#, author, title, or keyword for materials in your areas of interest.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this work covered by the copyright herein may be reproduced, transmitted, stored, or used in any form or by any means graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including but not limited to photocopying, recording, scanning, digitizing, taping, web distribution, information networks, or information storage and retrieval systems, except as permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Library of Congress Control Number: 2011941238

ISBN-13: 978-1-111-53316-8

ISBN-10: 1-111-53316-4

South-Western 5191 Natorp Boulevard Mason, OH 45040 USA

Cengage Learning products are represented in Canada by Nelson Education, Ltd.

For your course and learning solutions, visit www.cengage.com Purchase any of our products at your local college store or at our preferred online store www.cengagebrain.com

Back Cover Icons: © iStockphoto.com/Giorgio Magini

Business Communication: In Person, In Print, Online 8e Newman Ober

Vice President of Editorial, Business: Jack W. Calhoun

Publisher: Erin Joyner

Acquisitions Editor: Jason Fremder

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xvii

Brief Contents PART 1

FOUNDATIONS OF BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

1 Understanding Business Communication 2

2 Team and Intercultural Communication 36

3 Interpersonal Communication Skills 70

PART 2 DEVELOPING YOUR BUSINESS WRITING SKILLS

4 The Writing Process 104

5 Revising Your Writing 140

PART 3 WRITTEN MESSAGES

6 Neutral and Positive Messages 180

7 Persuasive Messages 208

8 Bad-News Messages 248

PART 4 REPORT WRITING

9 Planning the Report and Managing Data 284

10 Writing the Report 324

PART 5 ORAL AND EMPLOYMENT COMMUNICATION

11 Oral Presentations 366

12 Employment Communication 412

REFERENCE MANUAL A LANGUAGE ARTS BASICS 468 B FORMATTING BUSINESS DOCUMENTS 503 C COMMON TYPES OF BUSINESS REPORTS 524 D GLOSSARY 532

Index 536

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xix

Contents

Part 1 FOUNDATIONS OF BUSINESS COMMUNICATION 3

1 Understanding Business Communication 2 Communicating in Organizations 4 The Components of Communication 5

The Communication Model 5 Directions of Communication 7

Communication Barriers 10 Verbal Barriers 10 Nonverbal Barriers 12

Communication Media Choices 13 Traditional Communication Channels 14 Technology-Based Communication Media 14 Choosing Communication Media 18 Convergence of Communication Media 19

Potential Legal Consequences of Communication 20 Ethics and Communication 21

What Affects Ethical Behavior 22 Ethics Pays 22 Framework for Ethical Decision Making 23 Communicating Ethically 24

Introducing the 3Ps (Purpose, Process, Product) Model 24

The 3Ps In Action: An Ethical Decision from the Movie Up in the Air 25 The 3Ps In Practice: Media Choices in the Movie Up in the Air 26 Summary 27 Exercises 27 Company Scenario: Aggresshop 33 Notes 34

2 Team and Intercultural Communication 36 Work Team Communication 38

The Variables of Group Communication 38 Initial Group Goals 38 Giving Constructive Feedback 39 Con� ict Resolution 40 The Ethical Dimension of Team Communication 41

Collaboration on Team Writing Projects 42 Applying Strategies for Team Writing 42 Commenting on Peers’ Writing 43 Using Technology for Work in Teams 44

Intercultural Communication 45 Cultural Differences 46 Group-Oriented Behavior 49 Strategies for Communicating Across Cultures 50

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Contentsxx

Diversity Within the United States 51 The Value of Diversity 51 Ethnicity Issues in Communication 53 Gender Issues in Communication 54 Communicating with People with Disabilities 56 Communicating Across Generations 58

The 3Ps In Action: Addressing Disrespectful Comments 59 The 3Ps In Practice: Tailoring a Message to Different Audiences 60 Summary 61 Exercises 61 Company Scenario: Dewey, Wright, and Howe 68 Notes 69

3 Interpersonal Communication Skills 70 Nonverbal Communication 72

Body Movement 72 Physical Appearance 73 Voice Qualities 73 Time 74 Touch 74 Space and Territory 74

Listening 75 The Value of Listening 75 The Problem of Poor Listening Skills 76 Keys to Better Listening 77

Using Social Media to Build Business Relationships 79 Engaging Customers Online 79 Engaging Employees Online 81

Communicating by Voice and Text Messaging 82 Business Meetings 84

Determining the Meeting Format 84 Planning the Meeting 87 Facilitating the Meeting 90 Participating in the Meeting 90 Following Up the Meeting 91

The 3Ps In Action: Listening to Customers 93 The 3Ps In Practice: Planning a Meeting 95 Summary 96 Exercises 96 Company Scenario: In the Loop Soup Kitchen 102 Notes 103

Part 2 DEVELOPING YOUR BUSINESS WRITING SKILLS 105

4 The Writing Process 104 An Overview of the Writing Process 106 Audience Analysis 107

Who Is the Primary Audience? 107 What Is Your Relationship with the Audience? 107

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Contents xxi

How Will the Audience Likely React? 108 What Does the Audience Already Know? 108 What Is Unique About the Audience? 108 Example of Audience Analysis 109 Ethical Persuasion 110

Planning 110 Purpose 110 Content 111 Organization 112

Drafting 114 Letting Go 115 Overcoming Writer’s Block 116 Writing for Different Media 117

Revising 123 Revising for Content 123 Revising for Style 124 Revising for Correctness 124

Proofreading 124

The 3Ps In Action: Responding to the Embarrassing Sign at a National Fast-Food Restaurant 126 The 3Ps In Practice: Announcing Writing Skills Workshops 128 Summary 129 Exercises 129 Company Scenario: Writeaway Hotels 137 Notes 138

5 Revising Your Writing 140 What Do We Mean by Style? 142 Choosing the Right Words 142

Write Clearly 142 Write Concisely 147

Writing Effective Sentences 151 Use a Variety of Sentence Types 151 Use Active and Passive Voice Appropriately 152 Use Parallel Structure 153

Developing Logical Paragraphs 154 Keep Paragraphs Uni� ed and Coherent 155 Control Paragraph Length 157

Creating an Appropriate Tone 158 Write Con� dently 158 Use a Courteous and Sincere Tone 159 Use Appropriate Emphasis and Subordination 160 Use Positive Language 162 Stress the “You” Attitude 163

The 3Ps In Action: Revising Content for an Entertainment Company Website 166 The 3Ps In Practice: Revising an Email to Employees 167 Summary 168 Exercises 168 Company Scenario : Writeaway Hotels 178 Notes 179

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Contentsxxii

Part 3 WRITTEN MESSAGES 181

6 Neutral and Positive Messages 180 Types of Neutral and Positive Messages 182 Planning a Neutral or Positive Message 182 Organizing a Neutral Message 182

Major Idea First 183 Explanation and Details 184 Friendly Closing 185

Sending Instant Messages for Neutral Messages 186 When to IM at Work 186 How to IM at Work 187

Responding to a Neutral Message 187 Composing Goodwill Messages 190

Recognition Notes 191 Congratulatory Notes 191 Thank-You Notes 191 Sympathy Notes 193

Addressing Customer Comments Online 194 Deciding Whether to Respond 194 Responding to Positive Reviews 195 Anticipating Customer Needs Online 196

The 3Ps In Action: Responding to a Request for Information 198 The 3Ps In Practice: Responding to Online Feedback 199 Summary 200 Exercises 200 Company Scenario: In the Loop 206 Notes 207

7 Persuasive Messages 208 Planning Persuasive Messages 210 Analyzing Your Audience 210

Knowing Your Audience 210 Applying Persuasion Principles 211

Writing a Short Persuasive Message 214 Determining How to Start the Message 214 Justifying Your Idea or Request 217 Dealing with Obstacles 219 Motivating Action 219

Writing a Sales Letter 220 Selecting a Central Selling Theme 220 Gaining the Reader’s Attention 222 Creating Interest and Building Desire 223 Motivating Action 227

Writing and Responding to Negative Customer Feedback 228 Writing Customer Complaint Letters and Online Reviews 230 Responding to Negative Feedback 232

The 3Ps In Action: A Sales Letter to Automobile Customers 235 The 3Ps In Practice: Requesting a Visit to Another Dealership 237

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Contents xxiii

Summary 238 Exercises 238 Company Scenario: PersuadeCafé 245 Notes 246

8 Bad-News Messages 248 Planning the Bad-News Message 250

Organizing to Suit Your Audience 251 Justifying Your Decision 255 Giving the Bad News 257 Closing on a Pleasant Note 258

Composing Bad-News Replies 259 Rejecting an Idea 260 Refusing a Favor 261 Refusing a Customer Request 261

Announcing Bad News 263 Bad News About Normal Operations 264 Bad News About the Organization 266 Bad News About Jobs 267

The 3Ps In Action: Rejecting an Idea to Spin Off a Company Division 269 The 3Ps In Practice: Announcing the Close of a Division 271 Summary 272 Exercises 272 Company Scenario: Aggresshop 280 Notes 282

Part 4 REPORT WRITING 285

9 Planning the Report and Managing Data 284 Who Reads and Writes Reports 286 Finding Sources for Your Report 286

Identifying Types of Data 288 Searching for Relevant Sources 289 Evaluating Sources of Information 289

Collecting Data Through Questionnaires 293 Constructing the Questionnaire 294 Writing the Cover Letter or Email 297

Displaying Quantitative Information 298 Constructing Tables 299 Preparing Charts 303

Interpreting Data 309 Making Sense of the Data 309 Considering the Ethical Dimension 311

The 3Ps In Action: Displaying Nutritional Information 312 The 3Ps In Practice: Developing a Questionnaire about Dessert Items 313 Summary 314 Exercises 314 Company Scenario: PersuadeCafé 322 Notes 323

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Contentsxxiv

10 Writing the Report 324 Planning the Report 326

Selecting a Report Format 326 Organizing the Report 329 Outlining the Report 334

Drafting the Report 336 Drafting the Body 336 Drafting Supplementary Sections 339

Developing an Effective Writing Style 342 Tone 342 Pronouns 343 Verb Tense 343 Emphasis and Subordination 343 Coherence 344

Documenting Your Sources 346 Why We Document Sources 346 What Has to Be Documented 346 How to Document Sources 347 Distortion by Omission 348

Refi ning Your Draft 349 Revising 349 Formatting 350 Proofreading 350

The 3Ps In Action: Interpreting Data for Consumers 352 The 3Ps In Practice: Writing an Executive Summary for a PowerPoint Report 353 Summary 354 Exercises 354 Company Scenario: PersuadeCafé 364 Notes 365

Part 5 ORAL AND EMPLOYMENT COMMUNICATION 367

11 Oral Presentation 366 The Role of Business Presentations 368 Planning the Presentation 368

Purpose 369 Audience Analysis 370 Delivery Method 372

Organizing the Presentation 374 The Opening 374 The Body 376 The Ending 378 Humor in Business Presentations 378

Planning Team and Online Presentations 379 Team Presentations 379 Online Presentations 380

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Contents xxv

Developing Visual Support for Business Presentations 381 Creating Presentation Slides 381 Using Presentation Slides 388 Using Video 390 Creating and Using Handouts 390

Practicing and Delivering the Presentation 391 Practicing the Presentation 391 Delivering the Presentation 392

The 3Ps In Action: Giving Feedback to a Speaker 396 The 3Ps In Practice: Preparing for a TED Conference Presentation 398 Summary 399 Exercises 399 Company Scenario: PersuadeCafé 409 Notes 410

12 Employment Communication 412 Putting Your Best Self Forward 414 Preparing Your Résumé 414

Résumé Length 414 Résumé Format 418 Résumé Content 420 Résumés on the Web 428

Writing Cover Letters and Inquiry Emails 431 Cover Letters 431 Inquiry Emails 435

Preparing for a Job Interview 437 Researching the Organization 437 Practicing Interview Questions 437 Managing a Video or Phone Interview 441 Preparing Your Own Questions 441 Dressing for Success 442

Conducting Yourself During the Interview 443 Following Up Throughout the Process 445 Practicing Business Etiquette 448

Meeting and Greeting 448 Dining 449 Giving Gifts 451 Managing Your Online Reputation 451 Working in an Of� ce 452

The 3Ps In Action: Sending a Thank-You Note 454 The 3Ps In Practice: Writing a Résumé 456 Summary 457 Exercises 457 Company Scenario: Bank on Me 463 Notes 465

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Contentsxxvi

REFERENCE MANUAL 467

A Language Arts Basics 468 LAB 1: Parts of Speech 468

Application 471 LAB 2: Punctuation—Commas 472

Commas Used Between Expressions 473 Commas Used After Expressions 474 Commas Used Before and After Expressions 474 Application 476

LAB 3: Punctuation—Other Marks 478 Hyphens 478 Semicolons 479 Colons 480 Apostrophes 481 Periods 482 Quotation Marks 482 Italics (or Underlining) 483 Ellipses 483 Application 484

LAB 4: Grammar 485 Complete Sentences 486 Modi� ers (Adjectives and Adverbs) 486 Agreement (Subject/Verb/Pronoun) 487 Case 488 Application 489

LAB 5: Mechanics 490 Abbreviations 491 Capitalization 491 Numbers 492 Spelling 493 Word and Paragraph Division 494 Application 495

LAB 6: Word Usage 496 Application 501

B Formatting Business Documents 503 Formatting Letters and Memos 503

Letter and Punctuation Styles 503 Stationery and Margins 503 Required Letter Parts 503 Optional Letter Parts 505 Memo Header Format 506

Formatting Primarily Text Reports 506 Margins 516 Spacing and Fonts 516 Report Headings 516 Headers, Footers, and Page Numbers 516

Formatting Reports in Presentation Software 516 Documenting Sources 517

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Contents xxvii

C Common Types of Reports 524 Periodic Reports 524

Routine Management Reports 524 Compliance Reports 524 Progress Reports 524

Proposals 524 Project Proposals 525 Research Proposals 525

Policies and Procedures 528 Policy 528 Procedure 528

Situational Reports 530

D Glossary 532

Index 536

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xxix

Introducing Amy Newman

Amy Newman specializes in business communication at the Cornell Uni- versity School of Hotel Administra- tion. As a senior lecturer, she teaches two required communication courses: a freshman business writing and oral communication class and an upper- level persuasive communication class. Amy also teaches an elective, Corpo- rate Communication, which focuses on communication strategy, crisis communication, and social media.

Amy was an adjunct instructor at Ithaca College; Milano, The New School for Management and Urban Policy in New York City; and eCornell, where she taught classes online. She has won several awards for excellence in teach- ing and student advising and grants to develop technology-based learning solutions.

Amy’s research focuses on social media and other communication tech- nologies. She has published articles and delivered presentations about instant messaging, email, and social media. Her current work examines hospitality managers’ perspectives on social media and the ethical implications of social media participation.

Prior to joining Cornell, Amy spent 20 years working for large companies, such as Canon, Reuters, Scholastic, and MCI. Internally, she held senior-level manage- ment positions in human resources and leadership development. As an external consultant, Amy worked to improve communication and employee performance in hospitality, technology, education, publishing, fi nancial services, and entertain- ment companies.

A graduate of Cornell University and Milano, Amy is co-author of Business Communication: In Person, In Print, Online, 8e. Amy has developed several multimedia company scenarios to accompany the book and maintains a blog, BizCom in the News.

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xxxi

Acknowledgments

Kate Archard, University of Massachusetts, Boston

Fiona Barnes, University of Florida Christina Bergenholtz, Quinsigamond

Community College David Bolton, University of Maryland Dominic Bruni, University of Wisconsin,

Oshkosh Marilyn Chalupa, Ball State University Cindi Costa, Mohave Community College Melissa Diegnau, Riverland Community

College Peggy Fisher, Ball State University

Jorge Gaytan, North Carolina, AT&T Bill Graham, Seton Hall University Valerie Gray, Harrisburg Area Community

College Mary Groves, University of Nevada, Reno Gloria Lessman, Bellevue University Karen Messina, SUNY Orange Bill McPherson, Indiana University-Purdue Jean Anna Sellers, Fort Hays State University Stacey Short, Northern Illinois University Lynn Staley, University of Missouri, St. Louis Sanci C. Teague, Western Kentucky

Community and Technical College

Lisa Barley, Eastern Michigan University Lia Barone, Norwalk Community College Carl Bridges, Arthur Andersen Consulting Annette Briscoe, Indiana University Southeast Mitchel T. Burchfi eld, Southwest Texas

Junior College Janice Burke, South Suburban College Leila Chambers, Cuesta College G. Jay Christensen, California State

University, Northridge Cheryl Christiansen, California State

University, Stanislaus Connie Clark, Lane Community College Miriam Coleman, Western Michigan

University

Anne Hutta Colvin, Montgomery County Community College

Doris L. Cost, Metropolitan State College of Denver

L. Ben Crane, Temple University Ava Cross, Ryerson Polytechnic University Nancy J. Daugherty, Indiana University-

Purdue University, Indianapolis Rosemarie Dittmer, Northeastern

University Gary Donnelly, Casper College Graham N. Drake, State University of New

York, Geneseo Kay Durden, The University of Tennessee

at Martin

Business Communication: In Person, In Print, Online was inspired by my teaching and learn- ing from students at Cornell, and I am grateful for how they have shaped my thinking about business communication and who I am as an instructor. I thank my faculty col- leagues for their extraordinary support and guidance in my teaching and professional development: Judi Brownell, Daphne Jameson, David Lennox, Craig Snow, and Maria Loukianenko Wolfe. I also extend my sincere thanks to Cornell Student Services staff Curtis Ferguson and Molly deRoos for their input on chapter content.

Throughout the revision process, I have consulted many colleagues, friends, and family for valuable feedback on book content and, when needed, a sympathetic ear: Joshua Bronstein, Daniel Meyerson, Laura Newman, Crystal Thomas, and my wonder- ful, encouraging husband, Ed Marion. I dedicate this book to my mother, who passed the year before publication and who taught me my fi rst word: hot.

Several research assistants contributed to this edition and its supplements. With- out their help, the book would not have the currency and life that I intended: Katie Satinsky, Grace Lee, Abigail Needles, and Zachary Ruben.

The following instructors participated in the editorial review board for the eighth edition. Throughout each stage of the revision process, they offered creative input that shaped the chapter content and dynamic design. I thank each of them for their valu- able feedback and suggestions:

I would also like to acknowledge the following reviewers for their thoughtful contribu- tions on previous editions:

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xxxii Acknowledgments

Laura Eurich, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs

Mary Groves, University of Nevada, Reno Phillip A. Holcomb, Angelo State University Larry R. Honl, University of Wisconsin,

Eau Claire Kristi Kelly, Florida Gulf Coast University Margaret Kilcoyne, Northwestern State

University Michelle Kirtley Johnston, Loyola University Alice Kinder, Virginia Polytechnic Institute

and State University Emogene King, Tyler Junior College Richard N. Kleeberg, Solano Community

College Patricia Laidler, Massasoit Community College Lowell Lamberton, Central Oregon

Community College E. Jay Larson, Lewis and Clark State College Kimberly Laux, Saginaw Valley State

University Michael Liberman, East Stroudsburg

University Julie MacDonald, Northwestern State University Marsha C. Markman, California Lutheran

University Beryl McEwen, North Carolina A&T State

University Diana McKowen, Indiana University,

Bloomington Maureen McLaughlin, Highline Community

College Sylvia A. Miller, Cameron University Billie Miller-Cooper, Cosumnes River College Russell Moore, Western Kentucky University Wayne Moore, Indiana University of

Pennsylvania Gerald W. Morton, Auburn University of

Montgomery Danell Moses, Western Carolina University,

Cullowhee, NC

Jaunett Neighbors, Central Virginia Community College

Judy Nixon, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

Rosemary Olds, Des Moines Area Community College

Richard O. Pompian, Boise State University Rebecca Pope-Ruark, Elon University Karen Sterkel Powell, Colorado State

University Seamus Reilly, University of Illinois Carla Rineer, Millersville University Jeanette Ritzenthaler, New Hampshire

College Betty Robbins, University of Oklahoma Joan C. Roderick, Southwest Texas State

University Mary Jane Ryals, Florida State University Lacye Prewitt Schmidt, State Technical

Institute of Memphis Jean Anna Sellers, Fort Hays State

University Sue Seymour, Cameron University Sherry Sherrill, Forsyth Technical

Community College John R. Sinton, Finger Lakes Community

College Curtis J. Smith, Finger Lakes Community

College Craig E. Stanley, California State University,

Sacramento Ted O. Stoddard, Brigham Young University Vincent C. Trofi , Providence College Deborah A. Valentine, Emory University Randall L. Waller, Baylor University Maria W. Warren, University of West Florida Michael R. Wunsch, Northern Arizona

University Annette Wyandotte, Indiana University,

Southeast Betty Rogers Youngkin, University of Dayton

Several business communication instructors devoted time and energy to making this edition a success. Because of their professionalism and creativity, the eighth edition will provide an enhanced teaching and learning experience for adopters. Maria Loukianenko Wolfe developed innovative activities to create valuable instructor’s guides that en- hance class interaction and learning. Elizabeth Christensen of Sinclair Community College and David Lennox of Cornell wrote a comprehensive test bank to reinforce stu- dents’ learning. In addition, I value the excellent contributions of Karen Howie, North- western Michigan College, who developed digital content for the CourseMate website.

Finally, I am grateful to the inspiring team at Cengage Learning. It is a true pleasure to work with this team and their staff, who nurtured the book from a list of ideas to printed copy and every step along the way:

Erin Joyner, Publisher, Business and Computers Jason Fremder, Acquisitions Editor Michelle Lockard, Marketing Manager Cliff Kallemeyn, Content Project Manager Mary Emmons, Senior Developmental Editor John Rich, Media Editor Stacy Shirley, Senior Art Director

Amy Newman

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Business Communication In Person, In Print, Online

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Stimulus (1) Filter (1) Message (1) Medium (1) Destination (1) Directions of Communication (1) The Formal Communication Network (1) Downward Communication (1) Understanding Business Communication (1) Upward Communication (1) Lateral (or Horizontal) Communication (1) The Informal Communication Network

(1) Communication Media Choices (1) Communication Barriers (1) Verbal Barriers (1) Nonverbal Barriers (1) Potential Legal Consequences of Communication (1) What Affects Ethical Behavior (1) Framework for Ethical Decision Making

Chapter 1

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

After you have fi nished this chapter, you should be able to

Identify the components of communication.

Identify the major verbal and nonverbal barriers to communication.

Describe criteria for choosing communication media.

Avoid potential legal consequences of communication.

Communicate ethically.

The Learning Objectives (LOs) will help you learn the material. You’ll see references to the LOs throughout the chapter.

“You can set up an iChat, but you don’t know how people think.”

— RYAN BINGHAM, GEORGE CLOONEY’S

CHARACTER IN UP IN THE AIR

us (1) Filter (1) Message (1 Directions

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Foundations of Business Communication Part 1

Chapter Introduction: Communication in the Movie Up in the Air

In the movie Up in the Air, Anna Kendrick’s character, Natalie, proposes videoconferencing as a way to reduce travel costs. It’s an innovative suggestion, but not appropriate for her company’s work — to communicate to employees that their job has been

eliminated (a nice way of saying, “You’re fired”). A more experienced

employee at the company, played by George Clooney, thinks the idea

is ridiculous.

Most reasonable people would agree. People prefer to receive bad

news in person.1,2 As technology is increasingly used for communica-

tion, choosing the right media is more important than ever.

Despite the research — and common sense — the persuasive Natalie gets

a chance to prove herself and trains company employees to deliver

the bad news by video. Spoiler alert: The system doesn’t work out too

well in the end. And poor

Natalie gets a taste of

her own medicine when her

boyfriend breaks up with

her via text message.

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PART 1 Foundations of Business Communication4

COMMUNICATING IN ORGANIZATIONS Walk through the halls of any organization—a start-up company, a Fortune 500 giant, a state government offi ce, or a not-for-profi t organization—and what do you see? Managers and other employees drafting emails, attending meetings, reading articles online, writing reports, conducting interviews, talking on the phone, and making presentations. In short, you see people communicating.

People in organizations work together to achieve a common goal that can only be reached through communication. Groups of people must interact in order to communicate their ideas, needs, expertise, and plans. Communication is how people share information, coordinate activities, and make better decisions. Under- standing how communication works in companies and how to communicate competently will make you more effective in every aspect of business.

But many employees lack the communication skills required by their employ- ers. Consider these recent research fi ndings:

• Employees are “ill prepared” for the workforce, according to a recent study of employers, shown in Figure 1. More than 31% of respondents found a “high need” for written and oral communication skills (and other topics covered in this book, such as ethics, professionalism, diversity, and teamwork), but do not offer training.3

• In a 2010 study, communication was ranked as the top skill employers seek in job candidates. Employers also noted analytical skills, the ability to work in a team, technical skills, and a strong work ethic as important qualifi cations.4

• “People who cannot write and communicate clearly will not be hired and are unlikely to last long enough to be considered for promotion,” reports The College Board, based on a survey of human resource directors.5

• The College Board also reports that one-third of employees in U.S. blue-chip companies write poorly, and companies spend as much as $3.1 billion each year on remedial writing training.6

• On a more positive note, companies that are considered highly effective communicators had 47% higher returns to shareholders than companies considered the least effective communicators. This study, by Towers Watson, a global professional services fi rm, calls communication “a leading indicator of fi nancial performance and a driver of employee engagement.”7

• Employees who are happy with how their company communicates diffi cult decisions are twice as likely to be motivated to work for the company and four times as likely to recommend their company.8

Communication is necessary for an organization to achieve its goals.

Figure 1 Employees “Ill Prepared” for Workforce

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CHAPTER 1 Understanding Business Communication 5

Clearly, good communication skills are crucial to your success in an organiza- tion. Competence in writing and speaking will help you get hired, perform well, and earn promotions. If you decide to go into business for yourself, writing and speaking skills will help you fi nd investors, promote your product, and manage your employ- ees. These same skills will also help you achieve your personal and social goals.

It’s no wonder that, according to Mark H. McCormack, chairman of Interna- tional Management Group and best-selling author of What They Don’t Teach You at Harvard Business School, “People’s written communications are probably more revealing than any other single item in the workplace.”9

Communication is the pro- cess of sending and receiving messages—sometimes through spoken or written words, and sometimes nonverbally through facial expressions, gestures, and voice qualities. If someone sends a message to you, and you receive it, communication will have taken place. However, in this example, only if you under- stand Chinese will the commu- nication have been successful.10

THE COMPONENTS OF COMMUNICATION How does communication happen among people and throughout an organiza- tion? In this section, we’ll discuss the communication model (or process) and the directions of communication within a company.

The Communication Model

The communication model consists of fi ve components: the stimulus, fi lter, mes- sage, medium, and destination. Ideally, the process ends with feedback to the sender, although feedback is not necessary for communication to have taken place. Consider the example of a company opening a new store in Los Angeles, California. Imagine that you are the VP, business development, and need to announce this decision to all employees. Other stakeholders—for example, customers, investors, and suppliers— will have to be informed too, but let’s use the example of internal communication here. Figure 2 shows how communication might happen in this situation.

The Stimulus For communication to take place, there fi rst must be a stimulus, an event that cre- ates within an individual the need to communicate. This stimulus can be internal or external. An internal stimulus is simply an idea that forms within your mind. External stimuli come to you through your sensory organs, for example, your eyes and ears. A stimulus for communicating in business might be an email message you just read, a bit of gossip you heard over lunch, or even the hot air generated by an overworked heating system (or colleague!).

The Filter If everyone had the same perception of events, your job of communicating would be easier; you could assume that your perception of reality was accurate and that others would understand your motives and intent. But each of us has a unique perception of reality, based on our individual experiences, culture, emotions at the

Communication is sending and receiving verbal and nonverbal messages.

Identify the components of communication.

Step 1: A stimulus creates a need to communicate.

Step 2: Our knowledge, experience, and viewpoints act as fi lters to help us interpret (decode) the stimulus.

Communication is successful only when you understand the message. These Chinese symbols mean crisis.

International Communication

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01 3

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PART 1 Foundations of Business Communication6

moment, personality, knowledge, socioeconomic status, and a host of other vari- ables. Each variable acts as a fi lter in shaping a person’s unique impressions of reality.

Once your brain receives a message, you interpret the message and decide how to respond. Our example of open- ing a new store would probably be re- ceived positively. But how do you think employees reacted to Starbucks’ deci- sion to close 900 underperforming stores in 2008 and 2009? If you worked at one of those stores, you would have been concerned about losing your job, but if you were an investor, you might have been happy about the news, believing that Starbucks was making a smart business decision.

The Message Whether a communication achieves the sender’s objectives depends on how well you construct the message (the information to be communicated). The purpose and content of your message may be clear, but communication success also

The brain attempts to make sense of the stimulus.

Step 3: We formulate (encode) a verbal or nonverbal response to the stimulus.

Figure 2 Internal Communication Process: Opening a New Store

Starbucks’ investors and employees reacted differently to the news that 900 underperforming stores were closing.

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Stimulus As the VP, business development, you and the rest of the management team decide at a monthly meeting to open a new store in Los Angeles. The company wants to expand into a new market and has research that indicates Los Angeles is a good choice.

Filter You interpret this stimulus (the information about the new store) and decide whether and how to communicate it. Most likely, you perceive the store opening as good news—more revenue—and want employees to be excited about it.

Medium Because employees are dispersed around the country, you decide an email is the best way to communicate the news quickly and consistently. You also create a page on the company’s intranet site for employees to get more information, �nd updates, and ask you questions.

Destination Next, employees receive your messages (which creates a new stimulus for them). At this point, you hope for the best: that the messages achieved their objectives.

Employees may be too busy to pay attention to the news, or they may delete the email without reading it. Noise is any distraction during the communication process.

Message Next, you create a message—the information to be communicated. Knowing your audience of employees, you tailor the message to what is important to them (for example, new job opportunities).

Noise Noise Employeees may bee be too bub usy to paus ay attentionay t th h y delete tthe emailth l withoutl w reading ire t Noiset

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chooicee. excited about it. more information,

SSS i l Fil M di D i iMMM

, �nd updates, and ask you questions.

Feedback Employees may respond to the news by asking questions through the intranet page. As the VP, business development, you’ll want feedback to make sure your message was received as you intended and to see what follow-up communication you may need.

Feedback

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CHAPTER 1 Understanding Business Communication 7

depends on how well you know your audience (who receives your communication) and how much you adapt your message to the audience.

The Medium Once the sender has encoded a message, the next step in the process is to transmit that message to the receiver. At this point, the sender must choose the medium— how the message is transmitted. Oral messages might be transmitted through a staff meeting, individual meeting, telephone conversation, voice mail, podcast, conference call, videoconference, or even less formally, through the company grapevine. Written messages might be transmitted through an email, a report, a blog post, a web page, a brochure, a bulletin board notice, or a company newsletter. Nonverbal messages might be transmitted through facial expressions, gestures, or body movement. As we’ll discuss later in this chapter, choosing the right medium for your audience, message, and objectives is critical to the success of your communication.

The Destination The message is transmitted and then enters the sensory environment of the receiver (the destination or audience), at which point control passes from the sender to the receiver. Once the message reaches its destination, you have no guar- antee that communication will actually occur. Your audience may misinterpret your message or miss it entirely. Assuming your message is transmitted, it then becomes the source, or stimulus, for the next communication episode, and the process begins again.

The Dynamic Nature of Communication Although these components are presented in steps, you probably know from your own experience that communication is not a linear, static process. Rarely does communication fl ow neatly from one stage to the next with the senders and receivers easily identifi ed at any given point.

Two or more people often send and receive messages simultaneously. For ex- ample, the look on your face when you receive a message may send a new message to the sender that you understand, agree with, or are baffl ed by the message being sent. And your feedback may prompt the sender to modify his or her intended message. The model helps us understand each step of the process—but communi- cation is far more complicated than presented here.

Directions of Communication

For an organization to be successful, communication must fl ow freely through formal and informal channels.

The Formal Communication Network Three types of communication make up an organization’s formal communication network: downward, upward, and lateral. Information may be transmitted in these directions, which we’ll illustrate with Starbucks’ organization chart, shown in Figure 3.11

Downward Communication Downward communication is the fl ow of informa- tion from managers to their employees (people who report to them). From the Starbucks organization chart, we could assume that Howard Schultz, as CEO and president, communicates downward to his direct reports. When Starbucks decided to close stores, for example, he would have communicated this message to Cliff

Step 4: We select the form of the message (medium).

Step 5: The message reaches its destination and, if successful, is perceived accurately by the receiver.

Communication is not a linear, static process.

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PART 1 Foundations of Business Communication8

Burrows (president, Starbucks Coffee U.S.), who would then have communicated the bad news to his direct reports: Jim McDermet, Paul Twohig, and the others. This is called cascading communication, where information fl ows from one level in an organization down to another.

Employees have many justifi able complaints about their managers’ communi- cation. A Florida State University study proves the adage “Employees don’t leave a company; they leave a manager.”12 Some of the disappointing results are shown in Figure 4.

Another issue with downward communication is that managers assume their employees receive and understand their messages. From our discussion on fi lters—and probably from your own experience—you know this isn’t always the case. Employees pay attention to their manager’s messages, but managers need

Jim McDermet SVP, Northeast Atlantic Division

Paul Twohig SVP, Southeast Plains Division

Cos LaPorta SVP, Western Paci�c Division

Chris Carr SVP, Northwest

Mountain Division

Cliff Burrows President, Starbucks

Coffee U.S.

John Culver President, Starbucks Coffee International

Annie Young-Scrivner Chief Marketing Of�cer

Troy Alstead EVP, Chief Financial

Of�cer and Chief Administrative Of�cer

[and others]

Howard Schultz CEO & President

Figure 3 Starbucks’ Organization Chart

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31% 27% 23%

My supervisor gave me the “silent treatment” in the past year.

My supervisor made negative comments about me to other employees or managers.

My supervisor blames others to cover up mistakes or to minimize embarrassment.

Figure 4 In FSU Study, Employees Rate Their Supervisors

Source: Barry Ray, “Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Boss?” Florida State University News, December 4, 2006.

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CHAPTER 1 Understanding Business Communication 9

feedback from employees to determine whether their messages are received as intended.

Upward Communication Upward communication is the fl ow of information from lower-level employees to upper-level employees or managers. Upward com- munication provides upper management with feedback about their communica- tion, suggestions for improving the business, and information needed for decision making. Encouraging employees to voice their opinions and concerns is one of the most important parts of a manager’s job.

In the Starbucks example, Troy Alstead, as chief fi nancial offi cer, probably gave oral and written fi nancial reports to Howard Schultz to tell him which stores were underperforming. Lower-level employees may have expressed their frustration about the closings through formal upward communication channels, for example, during team meetings.

Lateral (or Horizontal) Communication Lateral communication (also called horizontal communication) is the fl ow of information among peers within an or- ganization. Through lateral communication, employees create a more cohesive work unit by coordinating work, sharing plans and activities, negotiating differ- ences, and developing interpersonal support. At Starbucks, managers responsible for closing a store probably communicated with each other to coordinate messages and timing—and perhaps to console each other during the process.

Lateral communication can be challenging in an organization because you’re trying to infl uence people but have no management authority over them. This is particularly diffi cult when the lateral communication is cross-functional—across different departments, divisions, or branches. In these situations, you’ll need to rely on your relationship-building and persuasive communication skills to rally support and accomplish your goals.

The Informal Communication Network The informal communication network (or grapevine) transmits information through unoffi cial channels within the organization. Employees share what’s hap- pening in the company in person (while eating in the cafeteria or refi lling their coffee cup) and online (on social networking sites and blogs).

Without good formal communication, the grapevine will take over. People need information, particularly when they fear change that may affect them: layoffs, benefi t cuts, or organizational restructurings. Although the grapevine is surpris- ingly accurate (75% to 90% according to some studies),13 managers who let the grapevine function as employees’ main source of information miss out on the chance to convey their own messages.

Websites such as Glassdoor provide a public forum for current and former em- ployees to voice their opinions about companies. As you can imagine, employ- ees posted negative comments during the layoffs at Starbucks. This is potentially embarrassing for a company, but there’s little management can do about the site—or any informal communication network.

Rather than trying to eliminate the grapevine (a futile effort), competent man- agers pay attention to it and act promptly to counteract false rumors. They use the formal communication network (meetings, email, the intranet, and newsletters) to ensure that all news—positive and negative—gets out to employees as quickly and as completely as possible. Savvy managers also identify key infl uencers in an organization to get accurate messages infused into the grapevine.

The free fl ow of information within the organization allows managers to stop rumors and communicate their own messages to employees. However, managers face additional challenges at work: verbal and nonverbal barriers to communication.

The informal communication network transmits information through unoffi cial channels within the organization.

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PART 1 Foundations of Business Communication10

International Communication

COMMUNICATION BARRIERS Considering the complexity of the communication process and the many com- munication channels, your messages may not always be received exactly as you intend. As we discussed in the section about communication fi lters, your messages may not be received at all, or they may be received incompletely or inaccurately. Some of the obstacles to effective and effi cient communication are verbal; others are nonverbal.

Verbal Barriers

Verbal barriers are related to what you write or say. They include inadequate knowledge or vocabulary, differences in interpretation, language differences, in- appropriate use of expressions, overabstraction and ambiguity, and polarization.

Inadequate Knowledge or Vocabulary Before you can communicate an idea, you must fi rst have the idea and know enough about it. Assume, for example, that you’re John Culver, president, Star- bucks Coffee International. In your role, you’ll need to inform international em- ployees of the U.S. store closings. The decision may not affect international stores directly, but employees should be aware of the move and should hear the rationale from you—not public news organizations. You know all of the background infor- mation and are ready to announce the change to staff. Or are you?

Have you analyzed your audience? Do you know whether international em- ployees already know about the closings, so you can decide how much background information to include? Do you know how much detail about the decision to pro- vide? Employees should know why these 900 stores were selected, but do they need to see the fi nancial performance of each? How personal should your com- munication be? Are international employees worried about their own jobs? Should you reassure them about the company’s plans in other countries, or would that just worry them more? The answers to these questions will be important for you to achieve your communication objectives.

Differences in Interpretation Sometimes senders and receivers attribute different meanings to the same word or attribute the same meaning to different words. When this happens, miscom- munication can occur.

Every word has both a denotative and a connotative meaning. Denotation re- fers to the literal, dictionary meaning of a word. Connotation refers to the subjec- tive, emotional meaning that you attach to a word. For example, the denotative meaning of the word plastic is “a synthetic material that can be easily molded into different forms.” For some people, the word also has a negative connotative meaning—“cheap or artifi cial substitute”—or they associate the term with its en- vironmental impact. For other people, the word means a credit card, as in “He used plastic to pay the bill.”

Most interpretation problems occur because people ascribe different connota- tive meanings to a word. Do you have a positive, neutral, or negative reaction to the terms broad, bad, aggressive, workaholic, corporate raider, head-hunter, golden para- chute, or wasted? Are your reactions likely to be the same as everyone else’s? Some terms cause an emotional reaction that turns off the receiver and could harm your relationship.

Language Differences International businesspeople say that you can buy in your native language anywhere in the world, but you can sell only in the local language. Most

Identify the major verbal and nonverbal barriers to communication.

You must know enough about both your topic and your audience to express yourself precisely and appropriately.

A word’s denotation defi nes its meaning; its connotation indicates our associations with the word.

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CHAPTER 1 Understanding Business Communication 11

communication between U.S. or Canadian fi rms and international fi rms is in English; in other cases, an interpreter (for oral communica- tion) or translator (for written com- munication) may be used. But even with such services, problems can occur.

To ensure that the intended meaning is not lost in translation, important documents should fi rst be translated into the second language and then retranslated into English. Of course, communication diffi cul- ties arise even among native English speakers. A British advertisement for Electrolux vacuum cleaners dis- played the headline “Nothing Sucks like an Electrolux.” Copywriters in the United States and Canada would never use this wording!

Inappropriate Use of Expressions The intended meaning of an expression differs from its literal interpretation. Ex- amples of expressions include slang, jargon, and euphemisms.

• Slang is an expression, often short-lived, identifi ed with a specifi c group of people. Business has its own slang, such as 24/7, bandwidth, bottom line, strate- gic � t, and window of opportunity. Using slang that your audience understands serves as a communication shortcut. But issues arise when the sender uses slang that receivers don’t understand, either because they’re excluded from a group or because of language differences.

• Jargon is the technical terminology used within specialized groups—sometimes called “the pros’ prose.” Technology, for example, has spawned a whole new vocabulary. Do you know the meaning of these common computer terms?

Use slang, jargon, and euphemisms cautiously.

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Poor translations can result in unintended meanings, as shown in this sign in China.

OS FAQ JPEG retweet

POS Trojan horse VoIP AI

SEO hacker followers spam

thumbnail HTML patch CAD

As with slang, the problem is not in using jargon—jargon provides a very precise and effi cient way of communicating with those familiar with it. The problem comes when we use jargon just to impress others, which can alienate people.

• Euphemisms are expressions used instead of words that may be offensive or inappropriate. Sensitive communicators use euphemisms when appropriate; for example, some consider “passed away” more pleasant than “died.”

Euphemisms, like slang and jargon, shouldn’t be overused. Euphemisms for fi ring people have become a corporate joke; now companies downsize, right- size, smartsize, rationalize, amortize, reduce, redeploy, reorganize, restructure, offshore, outsource, and outplace. In the movie Up in the Air, George Clooney’s character advises Natalie, the new hire, “Never say ‘fi red.’” Instead, she says,

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PART 1 Foundations of Business Communication12

“You’ve been let go.” On a website, employ- ees posted memorable expressions that managers used to tell them they were fi red (see Figure 5).14

Overabstraction and Ambiguity An abstract word identifi es an idea or a feeling instead of a concrete object. For example, com- munication is an abstract word, but newspaper is a concrete word, a word that identifi es something that can be seen or touched. Abstract words are necessary to describe things you cannot see or touch, but we run into diffi culty when we use too many abstract words or when we use too high a level of abstraction. The higher the level of abstraction, the more diffi cult it is for the re- ceiver to visualize exactly what the sender has in mind. For example, which sentence commu-

nicates more information: “I acquired an asset at the store” or “I bought a printer at Fletcher Electronics”?

Ambiguous terms such as a few, some, several, and far away, may be too broad for business communication. What does ASAP (as soon as possible) mean to you? Does it mean within the hour, by the end of the day, or something else? A more specifi c deadline, for example, January 20 at 3:00 p.m., will improve your chances of getting what you need when you need it.

Polarization Not every situation has two opposite and distinct poles—usually we can see gray areas. Of course, there are some true dichotomies. You are either human or nonhu- man, and your company either will or will not close an offi ce. But most aspects of life involve more than two alternatives.

Is a speaker telling the truth or lying? What the speaker says may be true, but she may selectively omit information and give an inaccurate impression. Most likely, the answer lies somewhere in between. Likewise, you are not necessarily either tall or short, rich or poor, smart or dumb. Competent communicators avoid inappropriate either/or logic and instead make the effort to search for middle- ground words to best describe a situation.

When we talk about verbal barriers to communication, let’s remember that what you do not say can also cause issues in communication. What if you congratulated only one of the three people after a company presentation? How would the other two presenters feel—even though you said nothing negative about their performance? Or suppose you tell one of them, “You really did an outstanding job this time.” The pre- senter’s reaction might be, “What was wrong with my performance last time?”

Nonverbal Barriers

Not all communication diffi culties are related to what you write or say. Some are related to how you act. Nonverbal barriers to communication include inappropri- ate or confl icting signals, differences in perception, inappropriate emotions, and distractions.

Inappropriate or Con� icting Signals Suppose a well-qualifi ed applicant for an auditing position submits a résumé with a typographical error or shows up to an interview in jeans. When verbal and nonverbal signals confl ict, we tend to believe the nonverbal messages because they are more diffi cult to manipulate than verbal messages.

The word transportation is abstract; the word car is concrete.

Thinking in terms of all or nothing limits our choices.

What you do not say may also communicate a message.

People will usually believe what we do rather than what we say.

“We’re going to make a few changes

around here, and one of them is you.”

“I was �red from my second post-high- school job working for a dry cleaning establishment. My boss actually said,

‘You’re not dry cleaning material.’”

Figure 5 Euphemisms Used to Fire Employees

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CHAPTER 1 Understanding Business Communication 13

Many nonverbal signals vary from culture to culture—both within the United States and internationally. What is appropriate in one context might not be appropriate in another. We’ll explore this further when we discuss intercultural communication in the next chapter.

Differences in Perception Even when they hear the same presentation or read the same report, people of different ages, socioeconomic backgrounds, cultures, and so forth may form very different perceptions. How people perceive a message contributes to the mental fi lter we discussed earlier.

When employees receive an email from the company president, they’ll prob- ably react differently based on their experience, knowledge, and points of view. One employee may be so intimidated by the president that he accepts everything the president says, whereas another employee may have such negative feelings about the president that she believes nothing the president says.

Inappropriate Emotions In most cases, a moderate level of emotional involvement intensifi es the communi- cation and makes it more personal. However, too much emotional involvement can be an obstacle to communication. For example, excessive anger can create an emo- tionally charged environment that makes reasonable discussion impossible. Like- wise, prejudice (automatically rejecting certain people or ideas), stereotyping (placing individuals into categories), and boredom all hinder effective communication. These emotions tend to close your mind to new ideas and cause you to reject or ignore in- formation that is contrary to your prevailing belief. Keeping an objective, open mind is important for effective communication—and for you to develop as a person.

Distractions Environmental or competing elements that hinder your ability to concentrate can affect communication. Such distractions are called noise, which you saw in the communication model (Figure 2). Examples of en- vironmental noise are poor acoustics, extreme temper- ature, uncomfortable seating, or even your coworker’s body odor. Examples of competing noise are too many projects, meetings, or emails.

Communication technologies themselves can cause distractions. Can you watch TV, text, and IM all at the same time? You may think you’re good at multi- tasking, but a Stanford University study concludes the opposite: “Heavy multitaskers are lousy at multitask- ing.”15 Another study conducted at the University of London’s Institute of Psychiatry found that “an average worker’s functioning IQ falls 10 points when distracted by ringing telephones and incoming emails.”16

Competent communicators try to avoid verbal and nonverbal barriers that might cause misunderstandings. They also choose the best communication media for their messages.

COMMUNICATION MEDIA CHOICES As a business communicator, you have many options (channels or media) through which you can communicate a message. The real challenge is deciding which medium to use for your communication.

It’s typically better to rely on logic instead of emotions when communicating.

Information overload is an increasingly serious issue at work.

Describe criteria for choosing communication media.

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Multitasking may diminish your ability to communicate effectively.

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PART 1 Foundations of Business Communication14

Communication Technologies

Traditional Communication Channels

Traditional forms of oral and written communication still exist in all organizations today.

Traditional Written Communication Organizations still print slick, colorful brochures; in- ternal newsletters for employees without computer access; fi nancial statements for customers who don’t choose the online option; solicitation letters; and peri- odicals such as magazines, journals, and newspapers. Complex reports also may be printed because they’re diffi cult to read on a computer screen.

How much longer will some of these print commu- nications exist? It’s hard to say. In an offi ce environment today, you’ll likely receive few interoffi ce memos and postal letters. These communications are considered more offi cial and formal, so you may receive important information about your pay or benefi ts, or you may send your cover letter and résumé through the mail, but not much else. Many companies no longer have printed let- terhead with the company’s name and logo; when you print a memo or letter, you’ll insert the logo from a digi- tal fi le. You may receive a report that you’ll print, but it will probably come as an email attachment.

Traditional Oral Communication Fortunately, people do still meet in person. Face-to-face meetings are the most personal form of business communication and the best choice for building rela- tionships. Traditional meetings include one-on-one (individual), small group (team), or large group gatherings.

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