Professional Communication in a

1 Digital, Social, Mobile World

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After studying this chapter, you will be able to COMMUNICATION CLOSE-UP AT

Explain the importance of effective communication to Dabur

your career and to the companies where you will work. India's fourth-largest fast moving consumer goods (FMC6)

2Explain what it means to communicate as a profes- company, Dabur India Limited, was founded by Dr. S.
K. Burman, a West Bengal-based physician. Dr. Burman
SIonal in a businesS Context.
Was a name well known in the medical fraternity for having
introduced Ayurvedic cures for malaria and cholera. His
3 Describe the communication process model and the
ways social media are changing the nature of business medicines became popular and people started calling him

CommunIcation. "Daktar meaning "trusted doctor.

Although Dabur was initially started as a family-based

4 Outine the challenges and opportunities of mobile enterprise, it is now a highly professional business entity. It

communication in business. is one of the most trusted names in India and the largest
manutacturer of Ayurvedic medicines in the world. It

5 general guidelines for using communication

List four manufactures more than 380 popular products, across 21
technology effectively. categories. In 2015-16, Dabur generated revenues in excess

its market capitalization was more than T501

Define ethics, explain the difference between an ethical of R84 billion and
billion. Currently, Dabur's main goal is to use the immense
dilemma and an ethical lapse, and list six guidelines for
potential of online technology and incorporate modern digital
making ethical communication choicesS.
its prOcesses.
strategies to create brand visibility and rebuild
With online retail giants, Such as Snapdeal, Amazon,
and Flipkart, having already established themselves through
a strong network of distributors and warehousing facilities,
Dabur started using an innovative online platform to reach
out to its Customers. The firm collaborated with some
online grocery stores, such as BigBasket and Grofers
Additionally, it worked toward improving its websites so
that they were more informative and user-friendly. From its
initial three websites, it is now down to a single website that
into the company. The firm also launched its
provides insight
channels, NewU and DaburUveda.com, in an effort to reach
out to geographically dispersed customers. Over the last few
years, Dabur has been actively involved in transforming its
perception into a "young. modern, and socially conscious
organization."
In a continued eftort to associate more with
its customers, Dabur has launched a portal named
mybeautynaturally.com. The potal aims at customer
engagement and relationship building. The company also

sells some of its popular products through popular onine

portals; for example, it sells Chyavanapravash on Amazon.

3
 Communication
Foundations of Business
PART 1 Understanding the

to some estimates, it wll be around 11% by the year 2019

Such a strategy has helped Dabur give its products a more
contemporary and modem look, which has resuted ina Judging by the trends of the online sector, most of the big
better conect with the youth. Dabur 's online grocery stores names offline will be forced to become members of the
have proved to be a huge hit, resulting in better returns. online mediums. The Reliance Group is one such example
Regular and constant consumption is the key featureof In 2009, it started selling FMCGs under the name "Reliance

FMCG products, consequently, making them popular Fresh, but later came up with reliancefreshdirect.com, an
objects in horizontal maketplaces. online portal for selling its products. Dabur has adapted
In 2015-16, Dabur achieved a 13% growth rate even very well to the changes in the external environment and
after facing some operational issues. Through online sales, has achieved this through a digital transtormation of its
Dabur has given itself a strong opportunity for creating high core processes, mainly sales and distribution. With the
Visibility and brand rebuilding. Currently, the retail sector is a e-commerce market set to grow even further, Dabur seems
mere 29% of the entire e-commeroe industry. but according to be on course to attain further
efficiency.

Understanding Why
Communication Matters
LEARNING OBJECTIVE Whether it's as simple as a smile or as ambitious as Dabur's digital and social media
TExplain the importance of program (profiled in the chapter-opening Communication Close-Up), communication
effective communication to your is the process of building credible and visible connect by transferring information and
career and to the companies meaning between senders and receivers, using one or more media and communication
where you will work.
channels. The essence of communication is sharing-providing data, information,
insights, and inspiration in an exchange that benefits both you and the people with
Communication is the process whom you are communicating. As Figure 1.l indicates, this sharing can happen in a
of transferring information variety of ways, including simple and successful transfers of information, negotiations in
and meaning between senders which the sender and receiver arrive at an agreed-on meaning, and unsuccessful
and receivers. attempts
in which the receiver creates a ditferent message than the one the sender intended.
You will invest a lot of time and energy in this course
developing your commu
nication skills, so it's fair to ask whether the effort will be worthwhile. This section
outlines the many ways in which good communication skills are critical for your
career and for any company you join.

cOMMUNICATION IS IMPORTANT TO YOUR CAREER

Ambition and great ideas Improving your communication skills may be the single most important step you can
aren't enough; you need take in your career. You can have the greatest ideas in the world, but they're no good to
to be able to communicate your company or your career if you can't express them clearky and persuasively Some
with people to succeed in jobs, such as sales and customer support, are primarily about communicating. In fields
bus1ness.
such as engineering or finance, you often need to share complex ideas with executives,
customers, and colleagues, and your ability to connect with people outside your field
can be as important as your technical expertise. If you have the entrepreneurial urge,
you will need to communicate with a wide range of audiences-from investors, bank-
ers, and government regulators to employees, customers, and business partners
Thechanging nature of employment is putting new pressure on communica-
tion skills, too. Many companies now supplement their permanent work forces with
independent contractors who are brought on for a short period or even just a single
project. Chances are you will spend some of your career as one of these freelanc
ers, working without the support network that an established company environ-
ment provides. You will have to "sell yourself" into each new contract, communicate
 32 PART 1 Understanding the Foundations of Business Communication

Governments around the world are takino .

Transparency requirements.
that and other parties know who is behind the
help ensure consumers

tion they particularly

receive. when appears online.
it The European Union
instance, outlaws a number of online marketing tactics, including " or
for "fake blogs." in which an employee oraa paid agent posing as an
hort
indepe
dent consumer posts positive stories about a company's products
States, FTC guidelines require bloggers and other social media users who revi
In the

products to disclose it they receive compensation for writing reviews, Iew

If have any doubts about the legality ot a message you intend to

vou

ute, ask for advice from your

distrih
company's legal department. A small dose of Cau
tion can prevent huge legal headaches ana protect your
company's reputation in th.
marketplace.

COMMUNICATION CHALLENGES AT Dabur

ASSume that you have been recruited by the social media did what was supposed to be done? Was the
response
epartment at Dabur and will be working with 10 other reflective of the excellent levels of customer satistaction
Communication experts. Your task is to constantly monitor that
the company boasts of? If
you were the custorner, wOuld
vanous posts on Dabur 's ofticial Facebook page and other
you be happy with the resolution?
Customer-created forums on Facebook that discuss the
TEAM CHALLENGE: Collect a team of individuals and
Customer service issues of the company. You are
supposed
to keep an eye, respond to complaints and critically analyze at least 15 different Facebook posts fromn
queries, and, at the official Facebook
times, intiate some conversations too. Using page of Dabur. Examine them based
the insights on critical factors, such as grammar, language
gained in this chapter, address these fwo communication suitabilty,
chalenges. understandability, and the "you" attitude. Then, pick upa
Dabur competitor and select an equal number of
INDIVIDUAL CHALLENGE: Search for
recent Facebook
a
posts from
its official Facebook
conversation between a Dabur customer and some page. Examine it exactly in the same
manner and compare the results. How do
executive from the social media they stand? Does
department regarding Dabur fare better or worse? Does Dabur engage with its
a complaint.
Critically review the manner in which the CUustomers more,
complaint was addressed. Do you think that the executive
answer promptly, and resolve complaints
quickly? Summarize the findings with suitable
examples.
 Collaboration, Interpersonal
2 Communication, and Business
Etiquette
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After studying this chapter, you will be able to COMMUNICATION CLOSE-UP AT
1LIst the advantages and disadvantages of working in Airtel
teams. descnbe the characteristics of effective teams,
with more than 183 milion subscribers, Artel was the
and highlight four key issues of
larges
group dyrnamics. cellular service provider in India at the end of May 2012
According to the subscriber base, it was the third- largest
2 Offer guidelines ftor collaborative communication
mobile operator after China Mobile and China Unicom Airtel
dentity major collaboration technologies, and explain nas its roots in Bharti Telecom Lirnited. FOunded in 1986, the
how to give constructive feedback.
Company IS Considered the first in India to offer push-button
telephones when the country was still using rotary phones
3 the key steps needed to ensure productive tean
It has also introduced India's first fax machines and cordless
meetings
telephones in the early 1990s.
4ldentty the major technologies used to enhance or In 1992, Airtel was awarded a contract to build a
replace in-person meetings. cellular phone network in Delhi. In 1996. the firm extended
the cellular service to the state of Himachal Pradesh. In
5 ldentty three major modes of listening, describe the
listening prOcess, and explain the problem of selective
1999, Bharti Enterprises acquired JT Hoidings. extending
its cellular operations to the states of Karnataka and
istening Andhra Pradesh. Bharti acquired Skycell Communications.
Chennai, in the year 2000, and Spice Cell, Kolkata. in
6Explain the importance of nonverbal communication,
2001. Bharti Enterprises went public in 2002. and the
and identity Six major categories of nonverbal
Company was listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange and
expression. the National Stock Exchange of India. In 2003, Bhart
introduced the brand name, Airtel. under which its cellular
7Explain the importance of business etiquette, and phone operations were to operate. In 2004, Bharti began
Identify four key areas in which good etiquette is
operations in Rajasthan through its acquisition of Hexacom
essential.
and in 2005, the company expanded to Andaman and
Nicobar, allowing it to start voice services throughout
India. In 2009, Sri Lanka became the first international
destination where Airtel launched its mobile network
Airtel introduced the concept of a unique "AlR culture."
which is Similar to a culture statement that aims to capture
the company's HR strategy: "Our values are imbibed
in what we do and how we do it. To further explain
the statement, the firm came up with three elements:
Alive-implying that the Airtel employees are alive to the
Customers' needs. Ihis means that the passion of energy
drives them and they possess a can-do attitude. The
company holds the tirm beliet that a way of doing things
exists for everything, and that they will not take a "no" for
an answer. The second element is Inclusive-which implies
that the company is well aware of the fact that its primary

39
 Cormmunication
Foundations of Business
40 PART 1 Understanding the

Respectful-where the company's employees aare a

is
and. therefore, it d honesty
virtues of hurility and honesty, whh
IS to serve varied communities,
made aware of the
OUSiness

diverse customer
S imperative to 'align employees to their are considered to be of utriost importance in Custo
stomer
in tems of working. anticipating. adapting. and
groups
that ennich their lives The third
elerment service
Oelhvenng solutions

Communicating Effectively in Teams

The three elements -Aliue, Inclusue, and Respectful introducing the unique
LEARNING OBJECTIVE
culture" at Airtel (profiled in the chapter-opening Communication Close.
"AIR
TList the advantages and
disadvantages of working
illustrate how collaboration, interpersonal communication, and business etiau
quete
n teams, describe the can lead to success. Collaboration working together to meet complex challenwr
nges-
charactenstics of eftective is a prime skill expected in a wide range of protessions. No matter what career path
teams and highlight four key you pursue, it's a virtual guarantee that yOu will necd to collaborate in at least som
sSues of group dynamics
Some
of your work activities. Your communication skills will pay off handsomely in the
thee
interactions hecause the productivity and quality of collaborative efforts depen
Collaboration working pend
together to solve complex
heavily on the communication skills of the professionals involved.
problems-Is an cssential skill A team is a unit of two or more people who share a mission and the responsibil.
tor workers in nearly cvery ity for working to achieve a common goal. Problem-solving teams and task force
protcssion. assemble to resolve specitic issues and then disband when their goals have been accom
plished. Such teams are oftencross-functional, pulling together people from a variey
leam members have a shared of departments who have different areas of expertise and responsibility. The diversity
missaon and are collectively of opinionsandexperiences can lead to better decisions, but competing interests Can
responsible for their work.
cause tensions that h1ghlight the need tor ettective communication. Committees are
formal teams that usually have a long lite span and can become a permanent part of
theorganizational structure. Committees typically deal with regularly recurring tasks,
such as an executive committee that meets monthly to plan strategies and review
results.

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF TEAMs

When teams are successful, they can improve productivity, creativity, employee
involvement, and even job security' Tcams are often at the core of
participative management, the effort to involve employees in the company's decision
making. A successful team can provide a number of advantages:
Fffective teams can pool Increased information and knowledge. By pooling the experience of several ind:
knowledge, take advantage of viduals, a team has access to more intormation.
diverse viewpoints, increasc
Increased diversity of views. Team
acceptance of solutions the members can bring a varicty of perspectives
to the decision-making process-as long as these diverse viewpoints are guided
team proposes, and achieve
by a shared goal."
higher pertormanc.
Increased acceptance of a solution. Those who participate in making a decision
are more likely
support it and encourage others to accept
to

Higher performance levels. Working in teams can unleash new levels of creativity
and energy in workers who share a sense of purpose and mutual accountability
Efective teams can be better than top-performing individuals at solving complex
problems.
Although teamwork has many advantages, it also has a number of potential dis
advantages. At the worst, work1ing in teams can be a frustrating waste of time. Teams
 CHAPTER 2 Collaboration, Interpersonal Communication, 41
and Business Etiquette

ETHICS DETECTIVE

Solving the Case of the Missing Team

When the company president assembled the team to find Disappointment turned to dismay as you and your
creative solutions to the company's cash tlow problems,
teammates watched from the back of the conference
tew people thought it would succeed. Through plenty of Mucller
room. deftly compressed your 60-minute presen
hard work. howeer. you and your colleagues have found tation down to 20 miutes, and the board showered him
new sources of investment capital. Now it's time to pres-
never introduced any of the
with praise. However, he
ent your accomplishments to the board of directors, and
other
team members, so your potential moment in the sun passed
your entire team has becn looking forward to this meeting without recognition.
for wecks. Because appear1ng im tront of the board can
be a major carcer boost, the team planned to present the ANALYSIS
results together, giving cach person a few minutes in the 1. Did Mueller behave unethically by not introducing
limelight. you and your colleagues to the board? Explain your
However. Jackson Mucller, the chief financial offi- answer.
cer and leader ot your team, had a surprise for you this 2. Later, you complain to a colleaguc that by stressingg
morning. He'd received word at the last minute that the my team" so often, Mueller actually made the pre-
board wanted a short, concise presentation, and he said sentation all about hinm, not the team. But one of your
the best way to comply was with a single presenter. No colleagues argues that the team's assignment was to
one was happy about the change, but Mueller is the high- solve the problem, not to score career points with the
est-ranking employee on the team and the only one with board, so that goal shouldn't have been such a top
experience presenting to the board. priority Explain why you agree or disagre.

and business leaders necd to be aware of and work to counter the following potential
disadvantages:
Groupthink. Like other social structures, business teams can generate tremendous Teams need to avoid the nega-
pressure to contorm with accepted norms of behavior. Groupthink occurs when tive impact of groupthink,
peer pressure causes individual team members to withhold contrary or unpopular hidden agendas, excessive
opinions. Teams afflicted with groupthink can be so focused on protecting group cots, and employee overload.
harmony that they oversimplity problems, ignore intormationthat threatens con-
sensus, and fail to consider risks and negative consequences.
Hidden agendas. Some team members may have a hidden agenda--a private, coun
terproductive motive, such as a desire to take control of the group, to undermine
someone else on the team, or to pursue a business goal that runs counter to the
team's mission.
Cost. Aligning schedules, arranging meetings, and coordinating individual parts
of a project can eat up a lot of time and money
Overload. Some companies have embraced collaborative work approaches to such
an extent that they're overloading employees with team assignments. Moreover,
as a company's best contributors gain a reputation tor helping others and getting
things done, they often find themselves assigned or invited to even more team
efforts. As a result, team activities can take up so much of a person's day that
individual responsibilities get pushed to nights and weekends, leading to exhaus-
tion and lower productivity"

Eftective teams have a clear

CHARACTERISTICS OF EFFECTIVE TEAMS sense ot purpose, open and
honest communication, con-
The most efective have clear objective and shared sense have
teams a
of purposc,
strong sense of trust in each other, communicate openly and honestly, reach decisions
a sensus-based decision making,
creativity, and effective conflict
by consensus, think creatively, know how to resolve contlict, and believe that their resolution.
 CHAPTER 2 Collaboration, Interpersonal Communication, and Business Etiquette 65

mak ing cxcessive or unnecessary personal calls during work hours, invad1ng
COne's privacy by using your phonc s camera without permission, taking or mak-
alls in restrooms and other inappropriate places, texting during a meal or while
Ing
some
mcone is talking to you, allowIng incoming calls to interrupt meetings or discus-
ons
sIons
thewe are all dhsrespectul chowes that reflect negatively on you."In general
Virtual assistants and other
older employecs, managers, and customers are less tolerant of mobile device use than
vounger pcople are, so don't asume that your habits will be universally mobile phone vnce teatrures
can annoy and disrupt the
aceptable.
workplace and social settings
Virtual assistants, such as the Siri voice recognition system in Apple iPhones, raise
it not used with respect tor
ther new etiquette dilemma. From doing simple web searches to dictating entire others.
memos, these systems may be convenient for users, but they can create distractions
and annovances tor other people. " As with other publie behaviors, think about the

MOBILE APP
cffect you have on others betore using these technologies.
Locale can "geofence your
Note that expectations and policies regarding mobile device use vary widely
smartphone, automatically
from company to company. At one extreme, the venture capitalist Ben Horowitz
changing settings based on your
fines his emplovees it they even look at a mobile device while an entrepreneuris
location-Such as actvating
pitching a business plan because he considers it disrespectful to people making silent mode when you arrive at
presentations. Not all bosses are quite so strict, but make sure you understand your office.
the situation in your workplace.

COMMUNICATION CHALLENGES AT Airtel

You have been hired by the advertising division of Airtel in mind that the advertisements have to be highily creative.

India and ill be joining a team of 15 communication of the kind that no competitor has come up with.

launch
experts given the responsibility to create and TEAM CHALLENGE: OCollect a team of individuals and work

advertisement campaigns for the company. Using the on a comprehensive communications strategy for Airtel's
in this chapter, address the following two 4G service. You need to cover all possible media, such
insights gained
as print, electronic, outdoor, and digital. First, discuss the
challenges.
INDIVIDUAL CHALLENGES: Your first major task is to create various media, their probable reach, the costs involved. and
their effectiveness. Then, prepare a time-bound action plan.
an ad campaign for Aitel>'s upcoming 4G service that will
be launched in New Delhi. You have to create a blueprint starting two monthsbefore the launch. The company wishes
to spend the maximum on the electronic and digital media.
for a print media ad campaign for the entire National Capi
tal Region (NCR). Part of the task is to ensure maximum
What wil your team suggest? DisCuSS reasons for and
Do you have a revolutionary idea that
reach within budgetary constraints. You can review previous against the proposal.
advertisement activities of the company for inspiration. Keep can do wonders for the campaign?
 68 PART 1 Understanding the Foundations of Business Communicatiorn

emphasize important topics, show approval,

Test Your Knowledge reservations, regulate the How of conversation. expre
invite a colleague to continue with a comment2
o review chapter content related to each question, refer to
the indicated
[LO.
Learning Objective. 31, LO-6]
2-13. Why do you think people are more likely to enps
2-1. How can organizations and employees benefit from
in rude behaviors during online communicationth
sCcessful reamwork? |LO.1 than
during in-person communication? [LO-7|
22. What is groupthink, and how can it affect an
zation? |LO-1||
organi- 2-14. You're giving your first major presentation at yo
your
the people in
25. How can emplovees and companies take advantage new job and you notice at least halt he
of social nctworking technologies to promote team- small conference room are looking at their mob.

work? |LO-21 devices more than they are look1ng at you. H

should you handle the situation? |LO-7]
4.hat isparliamentary procedure? |LO.3|
2-5.What are the advantages of virtual meetings? |LO-4)
26. What are the main activitics that make up the listen-
ingprocess? |LO-S] Practice Your Skills
2-7. How docs content listening differ from eritical listen-
ing and cmpathic listening? |LO-5] 2-15. Message for Analysis: Planning Meetings |LO-3|
2-8. What are the six major categories of nonverbal com- A project lcader has made notes about covering the
munication? |LO-6] following items at the quarterly budget meeting. Pre.
2.9, Why do mobile devices present unique ctiquette chal- pare a formal agenda by putting these items into a
logical order and rewriting, where necessary, to give
lenges |L0-7]
phrases a more consistent sound.

Budget Committee Meeting to be held on De

Apply Your Knowledge cember 12, 2018, at 9:30 a.m., and we have allot-
To review chapter content related ted one hour for the meeting
to cach question, refer to
the indicated Learning Objective. .I will call the meeting to order.
Real estate director's report: A closer look at cost
2-10. You head up the interdepartmental design review
overruns on Greentree site. (10 minutes)
team for a manufacturer of high-performance motor
The group will review and approve the minutes
cvcles, and things are not going wel. The design engi
from last quarter's meeting. (5 minutes)
ncers and marketing strategists kcep arguing about
. I will ask the finance director to report on actual
which should be a higher priority, pertormance or
versus projected quarterly revenues and expenses.
aesthetics, and the accountants say both groups
(15 minutes)
are driving up the cost of the new model by adding
I will distribute copies of the overall divisional
too many new features. Everyone has valid points
budget and announce the date of the next budget
to make, but the team is bogging down in conflict.
Explain how you could go about resolving thestale meeting
Discussion: How can we do a better job of antici
mate. |LO0-1]
pating and preventing cost overruns? (20 minutes)
2-11. You and another manager in your company disagree
about whether employees should be encouraged to Meeting will take place in Conference Room 3,
with WebEx active for remote employees.
create online profiles on I.inkedln and other business
What additional budget issues must be consid
oriented social networking websites. You say these
ered during this quarter?
connections can be valuable to employees by helping
them meet their peers throughout the industry and
valuable to the company by identifying potential sales
Exercises
leads and business partners. The other manager says
Each activity is labeled according to the primary skill or
that encouraging employees to become better known
in the industry will only make it easier for competi- skills you will need to use. To review relevant chapter co
In
tors to lure them away with enticing job offers. Write tent, you can reter to the indicated Learning Objective.
in
a brief email message that outlines your argunment. some instances, supPporting intormation will be tound
(Make up any intormation you need about the com- another chapter, as indicated.
pany and its industry) |L.0-2 2-16. Collaboration: Working in Teams |LO-1). ILO-2] ln
2-12. How can nonverbal communication help you run a teams assigned by your instructor, prepare a 10-min
of
meeting? How can it hclp you call a meeting to order, ute presentation on the potential disadvantages
 CHAPTER 2
Collaboration, Interpersonal 69
Communication, and Business EtIaue
bcial media for busiess communication.
ng
t h e presentation Is ready, discuss how effective abilhty to engage members in a meaningful discus
(3) the group's dynamics, and (4) the group's
theteam
was using the criteria of (a) having a clear Ston,
obyective and a share sense of purpose. (b} commu listening skills.
b. How did group members make decisions? Drd
openly and honestly, (c) reaching decisions
they vote? IDid they reach decisions by consen
by conscnsus, (d)thinkingcreatively, and (e) knowing sus? Did those with dissenting opinions get an
how conflict. Be prepared to discuss
to resolve
your opportunity to voice their objections?
the rest of the class.
findings with c. How well did the individual partic1pants
17. Negotiation and onflict Resolution: Resolving
listen? How could you tell
Conticts; Communication Ethics: Providing Ethical
d. Did any participants change their
eadership |LO-11, Chapter 1 During team meetings, expressed
views or their votes during the meeting?
one membet constantiy calls tor votes or decisions
Why might that have happened?
hetore all thc members have voiced their views. As
c. Did you observe any of the communication
the leader, you asked this member privately about barriers discussed in Chapter 1? ldentify them.
is hehavior. He replied that he is trying to move the . Compare the notes you took during the
team toward its goals, but you are concerned that
with those of your classmate. What
meeting
he is really try1ng to take control. How can you deal differences do you notice? How do you ac-
with this situation without removing the member
count for these differences?
trom the group?
218. Collaboration: Collaborating on Writing Projects; 2-21. Collaboration: Leading Meetings |LO-3], Chapter
Media Skills: Blogsing |LO-2) In this project you will
conduct research on your own and then merge your
3 Every month, each employec in your department
Is expected to give a brief oral presentation on the
results with those of the rest of your team. Search status of his or her project. However, your depart
Twitter for messages on the subject of workplace ment has recently hired an employee who has a severe
safety (You can use Twitter's advanced search func- speech impediment that prevents people from under-
tion or use the "twitter.com site qualifier on a regu- standing most of what he says. As the department
lar search eng1ne.) Compile at least five general safety manager, how will you resolve this dilemma? Please
tips that apply to any office setting, and then meet explain.
with your team to select the five best tips from all 2-22. Collaboration: Using Collaboration Technologies
those the team has collected. Collaborate on a blog LO-4) In a team assigned by your instructor, use
post that lists the team's top five tips. Zoho (free for personal use) or a comparable system
2-19. Communication Etiquette: Etiquette in the Work to collaborate on a set of directions that out-ot-town
place, Participating in Meetings [LO-3], [LO-7] In visitors could use to reach a specitic point on your
group meetings, some of your colleagues have a habit campus, such as a stadium or dorm. The team should
of interrupting and arguing with the speaker, taking choose the location and the mode(s) ot transporta-
credit for ideas that aren't theirs, and shooting down tion involved. Be creative-brainstorm the best ways
ideas they don't agree with. As the newest person in to guide first-time visitors to the selected location
the group, you're not sure if this is accepted behavior in using all the media at your disposal.
this company, but it concerns you both personally and 2-23. Interpersonal Communication: Listening Actively
professionally. Should you go with the flow and adopt LO-S] For the next several days, take notes on your
their behavior or stick with your own communication listening pertormance during at least a halt-dozen
sty le, even though you might get lost in the noise? In situationsin class, during social activities, and at
for your class work, if applicable. Reterring to the traits of ettective
Two-paragraph email message post
or

blog, cxplain the pros and cons of both approaches. listeners in Table 2.3, rate yourself on these positive
220. Collaboration: Participating in Meetings |LO-3] With listening habits using aluays, frequently, occasion
a classmate, attend a local community or campus ally, or never. In a report no longer than one page,

meeting where you can observe a group discussion, summarize your analy sis and identity specitic areas
vote, or take other group action. Take notes indh in which you can imprOve your listening skills.
2-24. Nonverbal Communication: Analyzing Nonverbal
VIdually during the meeting and, afterward, work
together to answer the following questions. Signals |LO-6| Select a business letter and envelope
you have received at work or home. Analyze their
a. What is your evaluation of this meeting? appearance. What nonverbal messages do they send?
ln your Are these messages consistent with the content of
answer, consider (1) the leader's ability to ciearly
articulate the meeting's goals, (2) the leader's the letter? If not, what could the sender have done to
 98 PART 1 Understanding the Foundations of Business
Communication

mesage welcoming employees recently transf

Test Your Knowledge to your department trom the company's Hone
eview chapter content related to cach questuon, reter t
branch. These employees, all of whom are
the indu ated I earning Obiectne Kong natives, speak English, but your boss asb

W h a t are the potenual adv antages of a diversC woTk° to review his message for clarity. What uld ye
the
tore? IO1| suggest your boss change in tollowing cmail mne
sage? Why? Would you consider this message
-2 What is ultural compctence? |LO2
s-5. What is cthnoentrism, and how can it be overcome
audicnce centered? Why or why not? (Hint Do *Some

quick rescarch on Hong Kong to identify the

n communication? |LO-2
English that people there are ikely to speak.) le of
S. How do high-context cultures differ
tet cultures? |LO-3
fromn low-con
Iwanted to welcorne you ASAP to our ittle family here n
55. In add1tion to contextual difterences, what other cat-
the States. It's high time we shoOK hands n person and nrs
cgories of cultural ditterences exIst? |LO-3| just across the sea I'm pleased as punch about getting to
S6 How docs a sense of humor come in handy during
know you all, and I for one will do my level best to sllyou
intereulrural communication? |LO.4]
on America.
H o w can the CGolden Rule cause problenms in intercul-
tural communication? |LO-4
-8. What steps can vou take to help someone from
Exercises
another culture adapt to vour culture? |LO-5]
Each activity is labeled according to the
primary skill o
skills you will need to use. To review relevant chapter con.
tent, you can refer to the indicated Learning Objective. In
Apply Your Knowledge some instances, supporting intormation will be found in
related to cach question, refer to another chapter, as indicated.
To review chapter
the indicated
content

Learning Objcctive. 3-15. Intercultural Communication: Recognizing Cultural

3-9. Make a list of the top five priorities in your lite (tor Variations LO-1, ILO-3, [LO-4] Rcview the dei
Cxample, fame, wealth, family, spirituality, peace of nitions of the generations on page 82. Based on your
mind, individuality, artistic expression). Compare year of birth, to which generation do you belong
vour list with the priorities that seem to be valued Do you feel a part of this generation? Why or why
in the culture in which you are
currently living. (You not? If you were born outside the United States,
can be as broad or as narrow as you like in defining do the generational boundaries seem accurate to
Culture tor this exercise, such as overall U.S. culture you? Now consider the biases that you might have
the culture in your college or university) Do your
or
regarding other generations. For example, if you ar
a member of Generation Y, what do you think about
personal priorities align with the culture's priorities?
It not, how might this disparity affect your commu- the Baby Boomers and their willingness to embrace
nication with other members of the culture? |LO-2] new ideas? Identiky several of
your generational
3-10. How does making an effort to avoid assumptions con- biases that could create friction in the workplace.
tribute to the practice of cultural pluralism? [LO-2] Summarize your responses to these questions in a
3-11. Why is it important to understand your own culture post on your class blog or an email message to your

when attempt1ng to communicate with people from instructor.

other cultures? |LO-4] 3-16. Interecultural Communication: Adapting to Culrural
3-12. Think about the last three movies or television shows Variations |LO-4| You are a new manager at K &
set in the United States that you've watched. In what Brick, a masonry products company that is now run
ways would these entertainment products be helpful by the two sons of the man who founded it 50 year
or
unhelpful for people from other countries trying ago. For ycars, the co-owners have invited the man
to learn about U.S. culture? |LO-5) agement team to a wilderness lodge tor a combina
3-13. How can helping someone adapt to your culture help tion of outdoor sports and annual business planning
you gain a better understand of it yourself? |LO-5]| meetings. You don't want to miss the event, but you
know that the outdoor activities weren't designed
tor someone like you, whose physical impairments

Practice Your skills prevent participation in the sporting events. Dratt

a

short email message to the rest of the management

3-14. Message for Analysis: Adapting to Cultural Differ team, suggesting changes to the annual event that
ences |LO-5] Your boss wants to send a
brief email will allow all managers to participate.
 CHAPTER3 Communication Challenges in a Diverse, Global Marketplace 99

a.17. Intercultural Communication: Writing for Multiple limitations of free online translation services such as
Language Audiences |LO-5] Reading English-lan Google Translate. Enter a sentence from this chap
guage content written by nonnative English speakers ter, such as "It gets even more daunting when you
can be a good reminder of the challenges of com- add the challenges of communication among medical
municating in anotheT language. The writing can be
staff and between patients and their caregivers, which
confusing or even amusing at first glance, but the key often takes place under stressful circumstances.
to remember here is that your writing might sound First, translate the sentence from English to Span
just as confusing or amusing to someone else if your ish. Next, copy the Spanish version and paste it into
roles were reversed. the translation entry box and hack-translate it from
ldentity a company that is based in a non- Now repeat this test for another
English.
Spanish to
English-speaking country but that includes English- language. Did the sentence survive the round trip
language text on its website. (The advanced search Does it still sound like normal business writing when
capabilities of your favorite search engine can help translated back into English?
vou locate websites trom a (a) What are the implications for the use of automared
particular country) Study
the language on this site. Does it sound as though translation services for international correspondence
it was written by someone adept at English? If the (b) Would you feel comfortable using an online tool
first site you've found does have writing that sounds such as this to translate an important business message
narural to a native US. English speaker, find anorher (c) How might you use this website to sharpen your
company whose website doesn't. Select a section of intercultural communication skills? Summarize your
text (at least several sentences long) and rewrite it to findings in a bricf report.
sound more "American."Submit the original text and 3-21. Intercultural Communication: Speaking with Mul
vour rewritten version to your instructor. tiple-Language Audiences; Media Skills: Podcasting
-18. Intercultural Communication:Writing for Multiple LO-51, Chapter 7 Your company was one of the
Language Audiences; Collaboration: Team Projects first to use podcasting as a business communication
LO-5]. Chapter 2 With a team assigned by your tool. Executives frequently record messages (such
instructor, review the Facebook pages of five com- as monthly sales summaries) and post them on the
panies and look for words and phrases that might be company's intranet; employees from the 14 offices
confusing to a nonnative speaker of English. If you in Europe, Asia, and North America then dow nload
(or someone on the team) are a nonnative speaker, the files to their musie players or other devices and
explain to the team why those word choices could listen to the messages while riding the train to work,
be confusing. Choose three sentences, headlines, eating lunch at their desks, and so on. Your boss asks
company slogans, or other pieces of text that con- you to draft the opening statement tor a podcast that
tain potentially confusing words and rewrite them to will announce a revenue drop caused by intensive
minimize the chances of misinterpretation. As much competitive pressure. She reviews your script and
as possible, try to retain the tone of the original- hands it back with a gentle explanation that it needs
although you may find that this is impossible in some to be revised for international listeners. Improve the
instances. Use Google Docs to compile the original following statement in as many ways as you can:
selections and your revised versions, then email the
Howdy, comrades. Shouldn't surprise anyone that we took
documents to your instructor.
a beating this year, gven the insane pncing moves our
3-19. intercultural Communication: Speaking with Mul-
knucklehead competitors have been mak1ng. I mean, how
tiple-Language Audiences; Collaboration: Team those clowns can keep turning a profit is beyond me, what
Projects |LO-5), Chapter 2 Working with two other
with steel costs stil going through the roof and labor costs
students, prepare a list of 10 examples of slang (in
heating up-even in countnes where everybody goes to find
your own language) that might be misinterpreted
or
cheap labor-and haardous waste disposal regs adding to
misunderstood dur1ng a business conversation with
operating costs, too.
someone from another culture. Next to cach exam-
ple, suggest other words you might use to convey the
same message. Do the alternatives mean exactly the
same as the original slang or idiom? Submit your list Expand Your Skills
of original words and suggested replacements, with
an explanation of why each replacement is better Critique the Professionals
than the original. Find an online business documentsuch as a company web-
-20. Intercultural Communication: Writing for Mulüple- page, blog post, Facebook Into tab, or Linkedin profile
Language Audiences |LO-5] Explore the powers and that you believe commits an intercultural communication