Better Business Writing and Communication

Presented By Amanda R. McGrathORG 536 – Contemporary Business Writing and Communications

Colorado State University – Global CampusDr. Robert OlszewskiSeptember 28, 2014

Overview

• Effective and Ethical Communication• Professionalism in the Workplace• Intercultural Business Communication• Writing Tips for the Business Professional

Overview

• Electronic Messages & Digital Media• Positive and Negative Messages• Business Presentations• Business Reports, Plans and Proposals

Effective and Ethical Communication

• Definition of Ethics: rules of behavior based on ideas about what is morally good and bad (Merriam-Webster, 2014)

• There is No Universal Ethical Standard– Constantly evolving as individuals experience different

life events (Velasquez, Andre, Shanks & Meyer, 2010)– Is based on “well-founded standards of right and

wrong…” (Velasquez, Andre, Shanks & Meyer, 2010)

Effective and Ethical Communication

• Actions Commonly Accepted as Immoral (Velasquez, Andre, Shanks & Meyer, 2010)– Lying– Cheating– Stealing– Murder

• Effective Communication is Tailored to the Audience

Effective and Ethical Communication

• Choosing the Right MediumChannel Best Use

E-mail When you need feedback but not immediately. Lack of security makes it problematic for personal, emotional, or private messages.

Face-to-face conversation

When you need a rich, interactive medium. Useful for persuasive, bad-news, and personal messages.

Fax When your message must cross time zones or international boundaries, when a written record is significant, or when speed is important.

Instant message When you are online and need a quick response. Useful for learning whether someone is available for a phone conversation.

Letter When a written record or formality is required, especially with customers, the government, suppliers, or others outside an organization.

Phone call When you need to deliver or gather information quickly, when nonverbal cues are unimportant, and when you cannot meet in person.

Note. Adapted from Business communication: Process and product (7th ed.), p. 116, by Guffey, M., & Loewy, D. 2011, Independence, KY: Cengage Learning.

Professionalism in the Workplace

• Professional Image– Most favorably regarded traits

trustworthiness, caring, humility, and capability (Stark, 2005)

– It is important to manage your image, remain credible and authentic (Stark, 2005)

– Professional business attire prevents a sloppy appearance (Feloni and Nudelman, 2014)

Professionalism in the Workplace

• Tips to Control Your Image (Jannsen, 2009)– Search yourself online – Make online accounts private accounts– Ensure all voicemail/email automatic responses are

professional if using a personal account for business

Amanda McGrath

Intercultural Business Communication

• Changing Demographics– American population– Multinational businesses

• Cultural Communication Differences– Customs and courtesies – Cultural values

Intercultural Business Communication

• Fostering a Diverse Working Environment (McGrath, 2014)– Hiring, retaining, and promoting minorities– Minority community interaction– Hold management accountable for diversity efforts– Create a culture of belonging– Match diversity at all levels

Writing Tips for the Business Professional

• Use the 3-x-3 Writing Process (Guffey & Loewy, 2011)– Prewriting

• Analyze, Anticipate, Adapt– Writing

• Research, Organize, Compose– Revising

• Revise, Proofread, Evaluate

Writing Tips for the Business Professional

• Use Writing Resources Like the Ones Below:

• Purdue Online Writing Lab• APA Style• University of Illinois at Urbana-Champai

gn-The Center For Writing Studies

Electronic Messages & Digital Media

• Impact on Modern Businesses Professionals– Constantly connected – Work vs. personal communications

• Shorthand in the Business Arena– IM and text– Traditional business writing

Electronic Messages & Digital Media

• Social Media– Pros– Cons– Background checks

Positive and Negative Messages

• Using Social Media to Track Ups and Downs– What’s trending?– Hashtag to bashtag (Hill, 2012)

• Well Timed and Appropriate Delivery– Bad news only gets worse with time– Choose the appropriate venue and method

Business Presentations

• Used to Share Information• Keys to a Successful Presentation (McGrath, 2014)– Do your homework– Presentation Aesthetics– Present with Purpose– Engage you audience– Organization

Keys to a Successful Presentation

• Do Your Homework– Research your audience (Presentations: top tips, 2010)– Know your venue (Presentations: top tips, 2010)

• Presentation Aesthetics– Make all words visible from far side of the room

(Presentations: top tips, 2010)– Avoid distracting graphics (Presentations: top tips, 2010)

Keys to a Successful Presentation

• Present with Purpose– Use effective body language and enthusiasm (Presentations:

top tips, 2010)– Focus on crowd by not relying on notes (Presentations: top

tips, 2010)

• Engage you audience– Solicit feedback/participation (Guffey & Loewy, 2011)– Insert links and use special effects (Guffey & Loewy, 2011)

• Organization– Practice aloud and with an audience (Morgan, 2011)– Establish a logical path and flow (Morgan, 2011)

Business Reports, Plans and Proposals

• Purpose of Reports and Proposals– Share information or present data– Convince readers of a position

• Formatting– Professional reports and proposals follow a strict

framework– Essential elements– Optional elements

Formal vs. Informal Reports

Formal Writing Style Informal Writing StyleUse Theses, Research studies,

Controversial or complex reports (especially to outsiders)

Short, routine reports, Reports for familiar audiences, Noncontroversial reports, Most reports for company insiders

Effect Impression of objectivity, accuracy, professionalism, Fairness, Distance created between writer and reader

Feeling of warmth, personal involvement, closeness

Characteristics Traditionally, no first-person pronouns; use of third person (the researcher, the writer); increasingly, however, first-person pronouns and contractions are beginning to gain acceptance.Absence of contractions (can’t, don’t)Use of passive-voice verbs (the study was conducted), Complex sentences; long words, Absence of humor and figures of speech, Reduced use of colorful adjectives and adverbs, Elimination of “editorializing” (author’s opinions, perceptions)

Use of first-person pronouns (I, we, me, my, us, our), Use of contractionsEmphasis on active-voice verbs (I conducted the study), Shorter sentences; familiar words, Occasional use of humor, metaphors, Occasional use of colorful speech, Acceptance of author’s opinions and ideas

Note. Adapted from Business communication: Process and product (7th ed.), p. 353, by Guffey, M., & Loewy, D. 2011, Independence, KY: Cengage Learning.

Conclusion

• Effective and Ethical Communication• Professionalism in the Workplace• Intercultural Business Communication• Writing Tips for the Business Professional

Conclusion

• Electronic Messages & Digital Media• Positive and Negative Messages• Business Presentations• Business Reports, Plans and Proposals

References

• ethics. 2014. In Merriam-Webster.com. Retrieved August 19, 2011, from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ethics

• Feloni, R., & Nudelman, M. (2014, August 05). How to dress like a leader in any work environment. Retrieved from http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-dress-for-work-business-attire-2014-8

• Frenkel, K. A. (2014). The Rise of Business Texting. CIO Insight, 1-16. Retrieved from https://eds-b-ebscohost-com.csuglobal.idm.oclc.org/ehost/detail/detail?vid=2&sid=b6052ba1-56ab-44c2-881b-65e1c1d9bd87%40sessionmgr115&hid=109&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=buh&AN=94966442

• Guffey, M., & Loewy, D. (2011). Business communication: Process and product (7th ed.). Independence, KY: Cengage Learning.

• Hill, K. (2012, January 24). #mcdstories: When a hashtag becomes a bashtag. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/kashmirhill/2012/01/24/mcdstories-when-a-hashtag-becomes-a-bashtag/

References

• Jannsen, M. (2009). Social Networking and e-Professionalism. American Journal Of Health-System Pharmacy, 66(18), 1672.

• McGrath, A. (2014). The benefit of cultural diversity in the workplace. Unpublished manuscript, Colorado State University Global Campus

• Morgan, M. (2011, April 1). 9 quick tips for successful presentations from a steve jobs event. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/nickmorgan/2011/04/01/9-quick-tips-for-successful-presentations-from-a-steve-jobs-event/

• Plester, B., Wood, C., & Bell, V. (2008). Txt msg n school literacy: does texting and knowledge of text abbreviations adversely affect children's literacy attainment?. Literacy, 42(3), 137-144. doi:10.1111/j.1741-4369.2008.00489.x

• Presentations: top tips. (2010). Operations Management (1755-1501), 36(6), 40-41. Retrieved from https://eds-b-ebscohost-com.csuglobal.idm.oclc.org/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=7f0fd270-e822-4b70-aaa3-9c2c8f3cd013%40sessionmgr114&vid=12&hid=105

References

• Stark, M. (2005, June 20). Creating a positive professional image. Retrieved from http://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/4860.html

• Velasquez, M., Andre, C., Shanks, T., & Meyer, M. J. (2010). What is ethics?. Retrieved from http://www.scu.edu/ethics/practicing/decision/whatisethics.html