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Professional Communication: The Corporate Insider’s Approach. Chapter Eleven Memos: Relaying the Voice of Management. Genres of Communication. Genres of organizational communication are characterized by Substance—social motives, themes, and topics - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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Professional Communication: The Corporate Insider’s
Approach
Professional Communication: The Corporate Insider’s
Approach
Chapter ElevenMemos: Relaying the Voice of
Management
11-2
Genres of CommunicationGenres of Communication
Genres of organizational communication are characterized by
• Substance—social motives, themes, and topics
• Form—observable physical and linguistic features
11-3
History of the MemoHistory of the Memo
Memos established a place in American industry due to an increasing need for
• Control• Documentation• Less expensive,
streamlined communication
11-4
Commission on Economy and Efficiency
Commission on Economy and Efficiency
President Taft’s 1912 Commission on Economy and Efficiency declared that the essential elements of a memo are
• Date• Person or office originating the
communication• Person to whom letter is sent• Body of the communication• Signature
11-5
Problems with MemosProblems with Memos
• Incompatibility—mistaking memos for e-mail
• Not acting one’s age—giving in to basic faults of professional communication
• Generally misbehaving—making memos try to do the work of other forms of communication
• Staying out late—confusing retrievability with permanence
11-6
Challenges of MemosChallenges of Memos
• Ensuring correct placement of emphasis; using the memo in support of management direction
• Maintaining proper voice to reinforce the one-directional nature of memos
• Setting a final stamp on a question or problem; not opening an avenue for discussion or debate
11-7
Key Questions for MemosKey Questions for Memos
• Is the memo doing the work of a memo?
• Is the memo stating or reinforcing policy, practices, or behaviors?
• Is the memo doing the right job?
• Is the memo stating a fixed position?
• Is the memo providing a short-term remedy to a problem?
11-8
Essence of Memo StyleEssence of Memo Style
• Purpose• Reinforce corporate
expectations• Provide reminders of rules and
protocols• Ensure managerial context
• Directions—Primarily downward• Tone—Managerial, authoritative• Style—Terse, businesslike
11-9
Memos, at their most fundamental heart, are a narrative translation of a policy statement.
11-10
Elements of a Policy StatementElements of a Policy Statement
• Policy• Requirements• Responsibilities• References
The same structure, tone, and style are the fundamentals of all effective memos.
11-11
Memos—The LessonsMemos—The Lessons
• Primary Uses—Request compliance, remind, provide critical information with management perspective
• Expectations—Adherence to request, follow-up for clarification only
• Audience—Internal, generally downward
• Style—Terse, businesslike
11-12
Memos—The LessonsMemos—The Lessons
• Length—One to two pages• Breadth—Single topic• Accountability—Author has
authority to propose and enforce
• Format—Standard internal correspondence format
• Retrievability—Represents an official corporate document
11-13
Memos—The LessonsMemos—The Lessons
Potential Problems:• Incompatibility of purpose• Stylistic problems• Use of memos to the work of other
document types• Hiding behind a memo when
direction interaction is needed• Issuing a memo when a document
with greater permanence is needed