LECTURE FIVE

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LECTURE FIVE

• Essentials of Written Managerial Communication

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PRINCIPLE ONE Choose Words Precisely

• DENOTIVE - Word has a common meaning.
• Malapropism - Confusing one work for another
• Allegory or Alligator Immoral or Immortal
• CONNOTATIVE - Words meaning is subjective.
• Euphemism (Intended positive connotation)
• Slim or Slender versus Skinny or Scrawny
• Friendly Fire
• Surgical Air Strike
• LANGUAGE IS FLUID NOT STATIC

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EXERCISE

• Create Symbols for the Following Words
• BEER, STUDY, YOU, CAN, PIZZA, PUB, AT, NO, I,
  MEET, ME, HAVE, FOR, (Also create a method to
  communicate time)

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PRINCIPLE TWOUse Short Rather Than Long Words

• The goal is clarity and understanding not a
  chance to show how smart you are.(Page 115)

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PRINCIPLE 3Use Concrete Rather Than Abstract
Words

• Concrete Specific at lower rung
• General at the higher rungs

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PRINCIPLE 4Economize on the Use of Words

• Avoid Wordiness.
• Break old writing habits.
• Avoid use of old models of organizational writing.

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PRINCIPLE 5AVOID OVERUSED OR HACKNEYED PHRASES
OR JARGON

• Hackneyed
• At your earliest convenience
• Pursuant to
• Thank you in advance
• Jargon
• Check your skills handout

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PRINCIPLE 6 Use Positive Words That Convey
Courtesy

• Minimize negative information
• State information positively
• Check page 122

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PRINCIPLE 7Use a Conversational Style

• Everyday business language (face to face
  communication with receiver)
• Check your understanding of receiver (knowledge,
  expertise, interests, culture, and value system)

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PRINCIPLE 8Keep Sentence Relatively Short

• Most effective business sentences are between 15
  to 20 words long.
• Sentences express one main point

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PRINCIPLE 9Prefer Active Voice to the Passive
Voice

• Subject - Verb - Object
• David Leeper directed the meeting. (A)
• The meeting was directed by David Leeper (P)

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PRINCIPLE 10Develop Effective Paragraphs

• One Main Idea Per Paragraph
• Determine if Deductive or Inductive
• If Deductive - Present main idea in lst sentence
• If Inductive - Begin with details then main idea
• Use a Variety of Sentence Structures
• Emphasize Important Points
• Keep Paragraphs Short (See page 128)

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PRINCIPLE 11DEVELOP COHERENCE

• Create a smooth flow between sentences
• Transitions can be created by
• Repeating Key Words
• Use pronouns and synonyms to avoid repetition
• Use transitional words or phrases (See Page 129)

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PRINCIPLE 12Edit and Rewrite

• Read what was written
• Exam for clarity, concreteness, and
  conversational tone
• Determine grammatical accuracy
• Check organization to assure coherence
• Accept that multiple drafts are necessary

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EDIT

• BECAUSE
• Writer is Lazy
• Writer does not know right from wrong
• Writer is on a tight deadline
• Look for Plain English terms
• Eliminate Unneeded Words
• Explain Abbreviations and Acronyms

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EDITING (Continued)

• Eliminate Jargon
• Eliminate Unnatural Phrases
• Use Small Words
• Use Active Instead of Passive Verbs
• Use a Fog Index

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FINAL CHECK

• Proper or Effective Word Choice
• Correct Spelling and Grammatical Errors
• Correct Sexist Errors
• Gender Pronouns
• Recast into Plural (Individuals, Their, They)
• Avoid Certain Gender Terms (Lady)
• Substitute for man or mankind (Humans)
• Substitute non Sexist terms (Business person)
• Use Current Job Title