Best Practices in Business Writing and Communication

Veronica Russell

ORG 536, Business Communication

Colorado State University – Global Campus

Dr. Robert Olszewski

July 27, 2014

Introduction to Business Communication

“highly effective internal communication is the key to engagement”

(Work-life News brief, 2009)

Effective Business Communication

Communication is the transmission of information and meaning from one individual or group to another

(Guffey & Loewy, 2011)

What is effective communication?

Oral

Written

Electronic

Face-to-Face

Effective Channels of Communication

Excuse me, what did you say?

Oral Communication

• Ability to understand and give response effectively by listening

• Active listening skills

• Oral communication is the vital skill of interrelationship between sender and receiver

• The sense of processing information helps managers make better decisions

• Receiving, Interpreting, Remembering, Evaluating, Responding (Rane, 2011)

Written Communication

First know your audienceKnow what message you want to conveyOrganize documentsUse appropriate grammar and spelling

(Dumbrava & Koronka, 2008)

Formal vs Informal Communication

Formal Communication Informal Communication

Preplanned Face to face conversations

Structured Telephone calls

Preplanned Letters, Memos

Thorough Interactive

Formal Informa

l

(Brush, 1995)

Electronic Communication

Effective electronic communication is most powerful when:Messages are clear & conciseSubject line Ex. 6-25-14 Strategic Planning

MeetingUse simple questionsFollow up by calling or by speaking face-to-

face

(Hershkowitz-Coore, 2005)

Face to Face Communication

Wyatt (2009) explains that communicating face-to-face has a more effective delivery than internet, social media, and printed materials.

Best Practices of Ethical Business Communication

Companies should establish their value systemEducate their employees on business ethicsDevelop a code of ethicsAppoint teams of people to implement code of ethicsDaily monitor of ethical behaviorPractice a no tolerance of unethical behaviorContinuous improvement of ethical business conduct

(Ivanis, 2012)

Ethical Behavior

Doing what’s right!

Ivanis (2012) states that business ethics and culture should be implemented in all levels of society to help create ethical social responsibility

Personal ethics

Business ethics

Legal ethics

12

Communication Plan

Draft Communication Plan

Stakeholder Info Needed When How Who EvaluationExternal Full Brief Bi-weekly Face to Face

Statistical Data/Reports Conference Team Progression

Guiding Coallition Status / Issues / Actions WeeklyMonthly

Email, F2F Conference

Team Update Status

Employees Feedback Weekly Face to Face Resources AssignedManagers Overview Monthly Email, Confr. Team

Students Problems, Data, Improvement Outcomes

After DataCollection

Flyers, Interviews Discussion

Team Survey

Business department

Effective Communication Process

2-3 Weeks Prior to Pilot

Conference Staff, Team, VP President

Data Collection Review Progress Report

(Valackiene, 2010)

Moral Responsibility

Personal Ethics- Individuals belief, world views, upbringing

(Ivanis, 2012) Business Ethics-

Adherence to company policies and proceduresAppropriate use of equipment and technologyFair wages and good working conditions

(Pearson, 2012)

Legal Ethics-(Stevens, 2007) state that when ethics are embedded in the culture

of the organization it encourages more ethical behavior. Commitment to social responsibility can have a positive effect on profits

Workplace Professionalism

Be PoliteBe

Respectful Speak Clear

Follow dress code

Represent organizatio

n positively

(Castillo, 2012)

Intercultural Business Communication

The ability to work with people from other cultures is vital to international business

(Bargiala-Chiappini, 2003)

• Diverse Cultures• Understand Business

Environment• Work on Multinational Teams• Gain Respect, Credibility

(Ainsworth, 2013)

Capture Your Audience

Business Writing Tips:

Stick with the factsKnow your audienceWhat is the skill level of your audienceProvide sufficient feedback

(Weiss, 2001)

Writing Tips

Use simple language

Use active verbs

Don’t use jargons

Limit adverbs

(Forbes, 2014)

SP

EL

L

CH

EC

K

Effective Writing Tips

Prewrite material

Revise if needed

Write or Type

(Weiss, 2001)

Electronic Messages & Digital Media

Connect •Connect with the unconnected•Global audience

Efficient •Messages will be received in seconds•Faster than mailing a letter, or faxing

Positive outcome •Professional•New age technology=results

(Hoen, 2006)

Positive Messages

Electronic communication should be used for things that have a positive tone and attitude and with definition (Olivia, 2004).

Positive messages are short and to the pointInclude the facts and steps of actionReceived positively May expresses Who, What, When, Where and

Why (Olivia, 2004)

Negative Messages

Strategies for writing negative messages:Create a buffer, this prepares the reader for the negative

newsKnow your audienceBe sensitive Use words like regrettable, unfortunately, Due to

(Salemo, 1998)

CLOSING

BAD NEWS

BUFFER

Continued Strategies for Negative News

Direct Strategy is used when

Non damaging news

New policy

Directness(Guffey & Loewll, 2012)

Business Presentations

Know your audienceOpening attention grabberProvide efficient materialWrite presentationBuild design & layoutUse visual aidsReview & rehearseProofreadProvide handoutsDeliver Presentation (Guffey & Loewy,

2012)

Business Reports, Plans and Proposals

Proposals should have the following:

• Credibility building statement• Background and purpose• Main problem, need or opportunity• Proposal & Main Point

Proposals Continued

Paper layout:

BodyProblem\AnalysisProposal BenefitsPlan & ScheduleBudget\Cost Analysis

(Reave, 2002)

REFERENCES

Castillo, M. (2012). Practicing professionalism. Health Care Registration: The Newsletter for Health Care Registration Professionals, 21(12), 8-9.

Communication is key to engagement. (2009). Work-life News-brief & Trend Report, 6.

Dumbrave, G., & Koronka, A. (2008). Basic aspects of effective business writing. Annals

of the University of Petrosani Economics, 8(1), 171-176

Forbes. (2014). Forbes.com LLC. Retreived from

http://www.forbes.com/2010/05/03/better-business-writing-leadership-careers-

tips_slide_11.html

Griffith, S. (2014) Retrieved from http://sarahgriffith.hubpages.com/hub/What-is-Intercultural-Business-Communication

Guffey, E. & Loewy, D. (2011). Business communications process and product (7th Ed.) South Western Cengage.

References Continued

Hershkowitz-Coore, S. (2005). Email: toxic or terrific? Journal for Quality &

Participation, 28(2).

Hoen, F. (2006). Make yourself heard. Communication World, 23(2), 35.

Ivanis, M. (2012). Business ethics & moral responsibility of the modern

company. Conference Proceeding: International Conference of the Faculty of Economics Sarajevo (ICES), 507-525.

Manning, C.A., Waldman, M.R., Lindsey, W.E., Newberg, A.B. & Cotter-

Lockard, D., (2012). Personal inner values: A key to effective face to face business communication. Journal of Executive Education, 11(1), 37-65.

Olivia, R.A. (2004). Respecting your receiver. Marketing Management 13(3), 40-42.

References Continued

Pearson Education, Inc. (2012). Retrieved from

http://www.ftms.edu.my/images/Document/BUSS0

201%20-%20Business%20Ethics/Velasquez_C8.pdf

Reave, L. (2002). Promoting innovation in the workplace: The Internal Proposal Business Communications Quarterly, 65(4), 8-21.

Salemo, D. (1988). An interpersonal approach to writing negative messages. Journal of

Business Communication, 25(1), 41-51.

Stevens, B., (2007). Corporate ethical codes: Effective Instruments for

Influencing Behavior. Retrieved from

http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10551-007-9370-z#

Valackiene, A. (2010). Efficient Corporate Communication Decisions in Crisis

Management, Engineering Economics 21(1), 99-110.

Weiss, W.H. (2001). Writing clearly and carefully. Supervision, 62(12), 5.