Business Communication Chapter 3

1
Business CommunicationChapter 3

• Planning Spoken and Written Messages

2
Corporations Value Communication Capability

• Studies have determined that one of three
  employees in corporate America writes poorly
  companies invest more than 3 billion annually
  trying to train them to write better.
• Lets see what we can do to help you seize this
  opportunity by being part of the apt majority
  rather than the inept minority.

3
How To Prepare a Message

• What is the purpose of your communication? To
  seek support? To inform? To entertain? To
  persuade? To motivate?
• What is the appropriate channel for your
  communication? Written? Spoken? Electronic?
• Who is the audience? What is their age, economic
  level, education, occupation, culture?
• What are the surrounding circumstances?
• What are the needs and concerns of the audience?
  Beware your filters as you answer this question
  because you must get out of your head and into
  theirs before crafting your message.
• Routinely taking this approach over time will
  build trust with them.
• Now you are ready to craft a clear, honest and
  persuasive message!

4
Writing Process

• To make your audience feel important, take a
  you, not an I/me approach.
• Will the receiver(s) perceive your message as
  prompt and fair?
• Should you begin with a compliment? This can be
  useful, but be careful of insincerity.
• Is your communication truthful, honest and
  ethical, avoiding embellishment and exaggeration?
  Is your tone modest? Be conservative!
• Is your message clear, logical and supported?
  The sweat and selection necessary to write well
  will force you to become a better thinker.

5
Writing Tips

• Most business writing adapts to a circular
  approach
• State
• Support
• Summarize
• SSS a circle

6
Writing Tips

• Research broadly and deeply.
• Ponder and analyze.
• Select a position (the first S) Based on my
  research, I conclude.
• Burst write to spill out the position and
  supporting facts. Read what you have written.
• Now pretend you are verbally explaining it to a
  friend. Write down your spoken words.
• Extract a lead sentence of no more than 30 words
  summarizing your position.

7
Writing Tips

• Select supporting points explain each in a short
  sentence and arrange them under the lead
  statement in descending order of importance or
  another naturally related sequence.
• Write a final statement summarizing your entire
  argument.
• Write transitions smoothly connecting opening
  statement, supporting points and summary
  statement. Keep your words short, direct and
  Anglo-Saxon!
• Rewrite, polish and condense removing extra
  words.
• Do a final check of your and then-and then
  logic chain. Is it persuasive? Does your
  conclusion stand up?
• Proofread for syntax, grammar, spelling and
  punctuation.
• Rewrite! Rewrite! Rewrite!

8
Now Re-assess Before Sending or Presenting

• Is what you have written
• Supported with objective facts?
• Researched broadly enough? Faulty assumptions
  can lead the company astray and destroy your
  personal credibility.
• Undistorted by your personal filters?
• Tactfully expressed to avoid offending the
  audience and harming the companys reputation
  (avoid libel and slander and pay attention to
  tone)?
• Supported by honest graphics (does Mr. Picture
  match Mr. Word?)

9
Writing Tips

• Avoid connotative words and phrases that are
  nasty or imply other meanings in addition to
  their denotative meaning. They can make your
  message unclear or negative, generating reactions
  you dont want. Example gripe session for
  employee forum. Personal example I could use
  some of this on my garden.
• Be as specific as possible.
• Example complete the report by May 2 instead
  of as soon as possible.

10
Writing Tips

• Avoid biased language. For example, gender bias.
• Each employee must submit his completed health
  report. Oops! You just excluded 50 of the
  population.
• Each employee must submit a completed health
  report.
• waitress (server) foreman (supervisor)
• hostess (host) actress (actor)

11
Writing Tips

• Also be sensitive to age and ethnic-biased words
  and phrases
• Avoid outdated business expressions such as
  pursuant to your request (as you requested)
  enclosed please find (enclosed is) and other
  dusty oddities.
• Avoid cliches that undercut the sincere, genuine
  tone you should be trying to achieve.
• Avoid 50-cent Latin words when 10-cent
  Anglo-Saxon ones will do. Terminate (end),
  Procure (get) Remunerate (pay). Try to write
  in a conversational tone.
• Write concisely and economically I would have
  written a shorter book if I had had time. Mark
  Twain

12
Writing Tips

• Avoid redundancy exactly identical, past
  history, cash money, progress forward, the
  honest truth, pair of twins, personal
  opinion, best ever, severe crisis, etc.
• Use active, rather than passive, voice The
  document was prepared by Tom -- Tom prepared
  the document.
• Use strong, direct, action-oriented verbs.
• Every time you want to use the word that, ask
  yourself if you really need it.
• KEY TECHNIQUE Is this word/phrase necessary?
  Example She was a manager that was courteous.
  She was a courteous manager.
• If possible, call attention to the positive, not
  the negative.

13
Effectively Sequencing Ideas

• Why are you writing the message and what is its
  central idea?
• What is the receivers likely reaction
  positive, negative, neutral or uninterested? If
  negative or uninterested, you may want to present
  rationale first, building up to the central
  message (inductive rather than deductive
  sequencing).

14
Sequencing

• Time series of events or steps
• Space geographic areas
• Familiarity known to less known
• Importance order of importance
• Value order of monetary value