Best practices in business writing and communication
- 1. Best Practices in Business Writing and Communication Jaymie Brain ORG 536 – Contemporary Business Writing and Communication Colorado State University – Global Campus Dr. Robert Olszewski November 19, 2013
- 2. Introduction Good business relationships are contingent upon effective communication What is effective communication? (Condron, 2012)
- 3. Effective Communication Communication: The process of exchanging information Effective: Successful in producing desired intent or results Effective + Communication = Exchanging information to successfully produce a desired intent or result (Definition: Communication, 2013; Definition: Effective, 2013; Condron, 2012)
- 4. Barriers to Communication Barriers block, distort, or alter the information Shannon’s Communication Model Barriers to Communication Message Listener Perceived Sender Intended Feedback Examples of barriers: Non-assertive behavior Task-preoccupation Anger or frustration Personal bias Team diversity Organizational structure Interruptions By identifying barriers and applying countermeasures, people can effectively (Fitchard, 2007) communicate
- 5. Ethical business communication Ethics is a corporate and individual concern Channels Written Verbal Electronic Visual / In-Person Originators Teams Committee Members Subject Matter Experts Individuals External Communication Corporate Announcements Press Releases Alignment Documents Mission Statements Confidentiality Agreement Code of Conduct Code of Ethics Disconnect between internal and external communications Internal Communication Legal Documents Informal Messages (DeCay, 2011)
- 6. Formal & Informal Channels Formal Communication • Supported arguments • Main points fully evolved • Thorough • Limited emotions • Written in third person Informal Communication • Exploratory • Speculative • Writer-based • Emotional • First person narrative Internal or external communication may be formal or informal (Johnson, Donohue, Atkin, & Johnson, 1994)
- 7. Intercultural business communication From individuals or groups within or between countries in a business environment from different cultures Considerations: • Directness • Openness • Individualism vs. collectivism • National, corporate, and business cultures • People are members of more than one culture • Corporate policy • Individual preferences (Varner, 2000)
- 8. Intercultural business communication The ability to communicate, negotiate and effectively work with people from other cultures is vital to business. To foster understanding: • Maintain formality • Show respect • Communicate clearly • Be inclusive • Limit use of slang, acronyms, and emotions (Varner, 2000)
- 9. Writing tips for the business professional The Avoid List • Common grammatical errors • Jargon • Unnecessary use of long words or sentences • Oversimplifying (Coster, 2010; Guffrey & Loewy, 2012)
- 10. Writing tips for the business professional The audience is the most important factor in business writing. Knowledge level? Relationship? Interest level? Possible reactions? Know the audience (Guffrey & Loewy, 2000)
- 11. Writing tips for the business professional Use a writing process (Guffrey & Loewy, 2012)
- 12. Writing tips for the business professional Business messages should be Purposeful Economical Audience Oriented Persuasive Remember PEAP (Guffrey & Loewy, 2012)
- 13. Writing tips for the business professional The Do List • BLUF - Bottom Line Up Front • Clarity • Use plain English • Limit emotions • Active Voice • Simple, clear, and concise language (Coster, 2010; Guffrey & Loewy, 2012)
- 14. Positive and negative messages Is the coach conveying a positive or negative message? How about this coach?
- 15. Positive and negative messages Actions speak louder than words…the technique of reading people is an art. Body language can • Repeat the message being said • Contradict what words are saying • Substitute for verbal message • Accent or make the message stronger Over 65% of all communication is non-verbal. (Shukla, 2009)
- 16. Positive and negative messages Positive messages • Convey more information • Are more pleasant to read • Tells what is and what can be done (Guffrey & Loewy, 2012 ; Shukla, 2009)
- 17. Positive and negative messages Delivering good news: • Open with a clear message • React to the conversation • Close with tasking, action request, or a thank you (Guffrey & Loewy, 2012 ; Shukla, 2009)
- 18. Positive and negative messages When delivering bad news: • Explain position clearly and completely • Maintain professionalism • Convey empathy and sensitivity (Guffrey & Loewy, 2012 ; Shukla, 2009)
- 19. Positive and negative messages Direct or Indirect Strategy • Use a direct strategy for news that is not damaging or that may be overlooked • Use an indirect strategy for news that is personally upsetting, may provoke a hostile reaction, or is unexpected (sandwich approach) Sandwich Approach Buffer Bad News Closing (Guffrey & Loewy, 2012 ; Shukla, 2009)
- 20. Electronic messages and digital media • Efficient and quick • Select most effective channel, not most preferred channel • Maintain professionalism • Reach global audience in seconds (Guffrey & Loewy, 2012)
- 21. Choosing Communication Channels Channel Best Use Blog When one person needs to present information Email When feedback is necessary Face to Face For a rich, interactive medium; used for persuasive and bad news Face to Face – Group When group decisions are important. Fax When a written record and speed is important across international boundaries Instant Message When online and need a quick response Letter When a written record or formality is required Memo Written record to clearly explain policies and procedures Phone Call When delivering or gathering information quickly Report or Proposal When delivering considerable data, internal or external Voice Mail Message To leave important or routing information for the receiver Video or Audio Call When members are geographically dispursed Wiki (Guffrey & Loewy, 2012) When digital information must be maid available to otherss
- 22. Business Presentations • • • • • • The Steps Know the audience Know the material Write the speech Build the presentation Rehearse & refine Deliver the Presentation Strike a balance between boring and flashy (Guffrey & Loewy, 2012)
- 23. Business reports, plans and proposals Purpose is to • Solve Problems • Provide services • Sell Products Framework • Identify purpose in first paragraph • Define and discuss goals • Organize findings • Discuss actions, resolution, or recommendation (Guffrey & Loewy, 2012)
- 24. Key Concepts A successful business writer must: • Know the audience • Understand the demand for good writing • Know the end state and the path • Be explicit, clear, and concise • Be interesting • Organize thoughts • Select tone and channel for best results • Prewrite, write, revise (Guffrey & Loewy, 2012)
- 25. Additional Resources • For more information – Essentials of Business Communications – Shockingly effective presentations – Competent Speaker Evaluation Sheet
- 26. References Condron, F. (2012). The 30 best business practices of all time. Profit, 31(2), 33. Coster, H. (2010, May 3). Ten tips for better business writing. Forbes. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/2010/05/03/better-business-writing-leadership-careers-tips.html DeKay, S. H. (2011). Doing what’s right: Communicating business ethics. Business Communication Quarterly, 74(3), 287-288. doi:10.1177/1080569911413813 Guffrey, M.E. & Loewy, D. (2012).Essentials of business communicaton, 9th edition. Mason, Ohio: Cengage Learning. Johnson, J., Donohue, W. A., Atkin, C. K., & Johnson, S. (1994). Differences between formal and informal communication channels. Journal of Business Communication, 31(2), 111-122. Fitchard, K. (2007). Shannon’s specter. Telephony, 248(9), 32-36. Koury, F. (2011). PUT IT IN WRITING. Smart Business Indianapolis, 8(7), 4. Matthews, M. (2008, March). ARA are a great way to showcase best practice. Chartered Accountants Journal. Polito, J. M. (2013). Effective Communication during difficult conversations. Neurodiagnostic Journal, 53(2), 142152. Stone, D., Patton, B., & Heen, P. (2010). Difficult conversations: How to discuss what matters most. New York, NY: Penguin Books. Varner, I. I. (2000). The theoretical foundation for intercultural business communication: A conceptual model. Journal of Business Communication, 37(1), 39-57. Yates, K. (2008). Becoming an ROI builder: Delivering effective employee communication. Employment Relations Today (Wiley), 35(1), 19-23. doi:10.1002/ert.20184