McGraw-Hill/Irwin ©2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, All Rights Reserved

McGraw-Hill/Irwin Copyright © 2009 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, All Rights Reserved.

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Chapter 1Chapter 1Business Communication, Management & Success

TypesReasons/PurposesAudiencesBenefits & Costs Criteria

GoodwillTrendsConventionsAnalysis Problem Solving

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Types of Communication

Verbal Face-to-face Phone

conversations Informal meetings Presentations E-mail messages Letters

Nonverbal Computer graphics Company logos Smiles Size of an office Location of people

at meetings

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Reasons Managers Communicate To convey information To aid decision-making To create records To motivate employees To save money To send effective messages

Good writer$

earn more

Good communicators

make good managers

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Communication Purposes

All business communication has three basic purposes To inform (explain) To request or persuade (urge action) To build goodwill (make good image)

Most messages have more than one purpose

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Audiences

Internal Go to people inside organization Memo to subordinates, superiors, peers

External Go to people outside organization Letter to customers, suppliers, others

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Internal Audiences of Sales Manager – West

Sales manager

West

Sales manager Midwest

President

Sales manager

Int’l.

VP Marketing

VP SalesVP

ProductionVP Finance

VP Human Resources

District 1 manager

District 3 manager

District 2 manager

Sales repSales rep Sales repSales repSales rep

Sales manager

East

To superiors

To peers

To subordinates

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Organization’s External Audiences

Competitors Trade assns.

Distributors Wholesalers Franchisees Retailers Agents

Legislators Gov.

Employment agencies

OrganizatiOrganizationon

Customers Clients

Stockholders Investors Lenders

Subsidiaries

Suppliers

Media

Foreign governments and offices

Courts Special interest groups

General public Potential employees, stockholders, customers

Professional services

Unions

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Benefits & Costs

Effective writing Saves time Increases one’s productivity Communicates points more clearly Builds goodwill

Poor writing Wastes time Wastes effort Loses goodwill

Stiff, legal languageSelfish toneBuried main pointVague requestsMisused words

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Criteria for Effective Messages

Clear Complete Correct Saves receiver’s time Builds goodwill

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Goodwill = Positive Image

A goodwill message— Presents positive image of communicator

and their organization Treats audience as a person, not a

number Cements good relationship between

audience and communicator

432

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10 Business Trends

1. Technology

2. Focus on quality, customers’ needs

3. Entrepreneurship

4. Teamwork

5. Diversity

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10 Business Trends, continued…

6. Globalization and outsourcing

7. Legal and ethical concerns

8. Balancing work and family

9. Job Flexibility

10.Rapid rate of change

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Conventions

Conventions—widely accepted practices you routinely encounter

Vary by organizational setting Help people recognize, produce, and

interpret communications Need to fit rhetorical situation: audience,

context, and purpose

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Analyze Situations: Ask Questions

What’s at stake—to whom? Should you send a message? What channel should you use? What should you say? How should you say it?

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Solving Business Communication Problems

Gather knowledge Answer six analysis questions Brainstorm solutions Organize information to fit

Audiences Purposes Situation

Make document look inviting

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Solving Business Communication Problems, continued…

Revise draft for tone Friendly Businesslike Positive

Edit draft for standard English Names Numbers

Use replies to plan future messages

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Six Analysis Questions

1. Who are your audiences? What are relevant characteristics? How do listeners / readers differ?

2. What are your purposes? What must the message do? What must audience know, think, or do?

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Six Analysis Questions, continued…

3. What information must you include? List all required points De-emphasize or emphasize properly

To de-emphasize Bury in ¶ and message Write / speak concisely

To emphasize Place first or last in ¶ and message Add descriptive details

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Six Analysis Questions, continued…

4. How can you support your position? Reasons for your decision Logic behind your argument Benefits adapted to the audience

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Six Analysis Questions, continued…

5. What audience objections do you expect? Plan to overcome if possible De-emphasize negative information

6. What part of context may affect audience reaction?

Time of year Morale in organization Relationship between audience and

communicator

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Organize to Fit Audience, Purpose, Situation

1. Put good news first

2. Put the main point/question first

3. Persuade a reluctant audience by delaying the main point/question

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Make Message Look Inviting

Use subject line to orient reader Use headings to group related ideas Use lists for emphasis Number items if order matters Use short paragraphs—six lines max.

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Create Positive Style

Emphasize positive information Give it more space Use indented list to set it off

Omit negative words, if you can Focus on possibilities, not limitations

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Edit Your Draft Double-check these

details Reader’s name Any numbers First and last ¶

Spelling, grammar, punctuation

Always proofread before sending

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Use Response to Plan Next Message Evaluate feedback you get

If message fails, find out why If message succeeds, find out why

Success = results you want, when you want them