Business Communication for Success

Business Communication for Success

[AUTHOR REMOVED AT REQUEST OF ORIGINAL PUBLISHER]

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA LIBRARIES PUBLISHING EDITION, 2015. THIS EDITION ADAPTED FROM A
WORK ORIGINALLY PRODUCED IN 2010 BY A PUBLISHER WHO HAS REQUESTED THAT IT NOT RECEIVE
ATTRIBUTION.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN
Business Communication for Success by University of Minnesota is licensed under a Creative Commons
Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.
Contents

Acknowledgements vii
Part I. Chapter 1: Effective Business Communication

Part II. Chapter 2: Delivering Your Message

Part III. Chapter 3: Understanding Your Audience

Part IV. Chapter 4: Effective Business Writing

Part V. Chapter 5: Writing Preparation

Part VI. Chapter 6: Writing

Part VII. Chapter 7: Revising and Presenting Your Writing

Part VIII. Chapter 8: Feedback in the Writing Process

Part IX. Chapter 9: Business Writing in Action

Part X. Chapter 10: Developing Business Presentations

Part XI. Chapter 11: Nonverbal Delivery

Part XII. Chapter 12: Organization and Outlines

Part XIII. Chapter 13: Presentations to Inform

Part XIV. Chapter 14: Presentations to Persuade

Part XV. Chapter 15: Business Presentations in Action

Part XVI. Chapter 16: Intrapersonal and Interpersonal Business Communication

Part XVII. Chapter 17: Negative News and Crisis Communication

Part XVIII. Chapter 18: Intercultural and International Business Communication

Part XIX. Chapter 19: Group Communication, Teamwork, and Leadership

Acknowledgements
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Acknowledgements | vii
PART I
CHAPTER 1: EFFECTIVE BUSINESS
COMMUNICATION
Communication leads to community, that is, to understanding, intimacy and mutual valuing.
–Rollo May
I know that you believe that you understood what you think I said, but I am not sure you realize that what you
heard is not what I meant.
–Robert J. McCloskey, former State Department spokesman

Introductory Exercises

1. Write five words that express what you want to do and where you want to be a year from now.
Take those five words and write a paragraph that clearly articulates your responses to both “what”
and “where.”
2. Think of five words that express what you want to do and where you want to be five years from
now. Share your five words with your classmates and listen to their responses. What patterns do
you observe in the responses? Write a paragraph that addresses at least one observation.

Communication is an activity, skill, and art that incorporates lessons learned across a wide spectrum of human
knowledge. Perhaps the most time-honored form of communication is storytelling. We’ve told each other stories
for ages to help make sense of our world, anticipate the future, and certainly to entertain ourselves. The art of
storytelling draws on your understanding of yourself, your message, and how you communicate it to an audience
that is simultaneously communicating back to you. Your anticipation, reaction, and adaptation to the process will
determine how successfully you are able to communicate. You were not born knowing how to write or even how
to talk—but in the process of growing up, you have undoubtedly learned how to tell, and how not tell, a story out
loud and in writing.
You didn’t learn to text in a day and didn’t learn all the codes—from LOL (laugh out loud) to BRB (be right
back)—right away. In the same way, learning to communicate well requires you to read and study how others
have expressed themselves, then adapt what you have learned to your present task—whether it is texting a
brief message to a friend, presenting your qualifications in a job interview, or writing a business report. You
come to this text with skills and an understanding that will provide a valuable foundation as we explore the
communication process.
Effective communication takes preparation, practice, and persistence. There are many ways to learn
communication skills; the school of experience, or “hard knocks,” is one of them. But in the business
environment, a “knock” (or lesson learned) may come at the expense of your credibility through a blown
presentation to a client. The classroom environment, with a compilation of information and resources such as
a text, can offer you a trial run where you get to try out new ideas and skills before you have to use them
to communicate effectively to make a sale or form a new partnership. Listening to yourself, or perhaps the

Chapter 1: Effective Business Communication | 1

comments of others, may help you reflect on new ways to present, or perceive, thoughts, ideas and concepts.
The net result is your growth; ultimately your ability to communicate in business will improve, opening more
doors than you might anticipate.
As you learn the material in this text, each part will contribute to the whole. The degree to which you attend to
each part will ultimately help give you the skills, confidence, and preparation to use communication in furthering
your career.

2 | Chapter 1: Effective Business Communication

PART II
CHAPTER 2: DELIVERING YOUR MESSAGE
Good communication is as stimulating as black coffee and just as hard to sleep after.
–Anne Morrow Lindbergh

The meanings of words are not in the words; they are in us.
–S. I. Hayakawa

Getting Started

Introductory Exercises

1. Can you match the words to their meaning?

___ 1. phat A. Weird, strange, unfair, or not acceptable

___ 2. dis B. Something stupid or thoughtless, deserving correction

___ 3. wack C. Excellent, together, cool

___ 4. smack D. Old car, generally in poor but serviceable condition
___ 5. down E. Insult, put down, to dishonor, to display disrespect
___ 6. hooptie F. Get out or leave quickly
___ 7. my bad G. Cool, very interesting, fantastic or amazing

___ 8. player H. To be in agreement

___ 9. tight I. Personal mistake
___ 10. jet J. Person dating with multiple partners, often unaware of each other

2. Do people use the same language in all settings and contexts? Your first answer might be “sure,”
but try this test. For a couple of hours, or even a day, pay attention to how you speak, and how
others speak: the words you say, how you say them, the pacing and timing used in each context.
For example, at home in the morning, in the coffee shop before work or class, during a break at
work with peers or a break between classes with classmates all count as contexts. Observe how
and what language is used in each context and to what degree they are the same or different.

Answers

1. 1-C, 2-E, 3-A, 4-B, 5-H, 6-D, 7-I, 8-J, 9-G, 10-F

Successful business communication is often associated with writing and speaking well, being articulate or
proficient with words. Yet, in the quote above, the famous linguist S. I. Hayakawa wisely observes that meaning
lies within us, not in the words we use. Indeed, communication in this text is defined as the process of

Chapter 2: Delivering Your Message | 3

understanding and sharing meaning (Pearson & Nelson, 2000). When you communicate you are sharing meaning
with one or more other people—this may include members of your family, your community, your work
community, your school, or any group that considers itself a group.
How do you communicate? How do you think? We use language as a system to create and exchange meaning
with one another, and the types of words we use influence both our perceptions and others interpretation of
our meanings. What kinds of words would you use to describe your thoughts and feelings, your preferences in
music, cars, food, or other things that matter to you?
Imagine that you are using written or spoken language to create a bridge over which you hope to transport
meaning, much like a gift or package, to your receiver. You hope that your meaning arrives relatively intact, so
that your receiver receives something like what you sent. Will the package look the same to them on the receiving
end? Will they interpret the package, its wrapping and colors, the way you intended? That depends.
What is certain is that they will interpret it based on their framework of experience. The package represents
your words arranged in a pattern that both the source (you) and the receiver (your audience) can interpret. The
words as a package try to contain the meaning and deliver it intact, but they themselves are not the meaning.
That lies within us.
So is the package empty? Are the words we use empty? Without us to give them life and meaning, the answer is
yes. Knowing what words will correspond to meanings that your audience holds within themselves will help you
communicate more effectively. Knowing what meanings lie within you is your door to understanding yourself.
This chapter discusses the importance of delivering your message in words. It examines how the
characteristics of language interact in ways that can both improve and diminish effective business
communication. We will examine how language plays a significant role in how you perceive and interact with the
world, and how culture, language, education, gender, race, and ethnicity all influence this dynamic process. We
will look at ways to avoid miscommunication and focus on constructive ways to get your message delivered to
your receiver with the meaning you intended.

References

Pearson, J., & Nelson, P. (2000). An introduction to human communication: Understanding and sharing. Boston,
MA: McGraw-Hill.

4 | Chapter 2: Delivering Your Message

PART III
CHAPTER 3: UNDERSTANDING YOUR
AUDIENCE
Your mind is like a parachute. It works best when it’s open.
–Anonymous

To see an object in the world we must see it as something.

–Ludwig Wittgenstein

You will either step forward into growth or you will step back into safety.
–Abraham Maslow

Getting Started

Introductory Exercises

1. In order to communicate with others, you need to know yourself. Please complete a personal
inventory, a simple list of what comes to mind in these five areas:

• Your knowledge: What is your favorite subject?

• Your skills: What can you do?
• Your experience: What has been your experience writing to date?
• Your interests: What do you enjoy?
• Your relationships: Who is important to you?

2. To be a successful communicator, it is helpful to be conscious of how you view yourself and others.
Please consider what groups you belong to, particularly in terms of race, ethnicity, or culture. Imagine
that you had to communicate your perception of just one of these groups. Please choose five terms from
the list below, and indicate the degree to which you agree or disagree that the term describes the group
accurately.

Chapter 3: Understanding Your Audience | 5

 Term Describes the Group Accurately

1—Strongly 2—Somewhat 3—Neither agree nor 4—Somewhat 5—Strongly

disagree disagree disagree agree agree

Independent

Dependent
Hardworking

Lazy
Progressive

Traditional

Sophisticated
Simple
Creative
Practical

Introductory Exercises (cont.)

3. Now consider a group that you have little or no contact with. Please choose five terms (the same
ones or different ones) and again indicate how accurately they describe the group. How do your results
compare with those in Exercise 2?1

4. Please find the hidden message2:

Figure 3.1

6 | Chapter 3: Understanding Your Audience

 5. Connect the dots by drawing four straight lines, making sure not to lift your pen from the paper or
retrace lines3.

Figure 3.2 Nine-Dot Problem

Communicating involves the translation of your thoughts and ideas to words. Speaking or writing involves
sharing your perspective with others. If you talk to yourself, the action is a reflection of the communication
process, but you play the role of audience. In your head, you may make sense of your words and their meaning,
but when I hear what you said, what you meant may escape me. I might not “get it” because I don’t know you,
your references, your perspectives, your word choices, or your underlying meaning and motivation for speaking
in the first place. In this chapter we’ll discuss perspectives, and how people perceive information, as we learn
how communication is an imperfect bridge to understanding. It requires our constant attention, maintenance,
and effort.
Knowing your audience involves understanding others, and their perspectives, to see if they understand your
words, examples, or the frames of reference you use to communicate your experiences, points, and conclusions.
Ask yourself when you last had a miscommunication with someone. No doubt it was fairly recently, as it is for
most people.

Chapter 3: Understanding Your Audience | 7

 It’s not people’s fault that language, both verbal and nonverbal, is an imperfect system. We can, however,
take responsibility for the utility and limitations of language to try to gain a better understanding of how we
can communicate more effectively. As a communicator, consider both the role of the speaker and the audience
and not only what and how you want to communicate but also what and how your audience needs you to
communicate with them in order to present an effective message.

Figure 3.3 Solution to Introductory Exercise 5 (the “Nine-Dot Problem”)

Take, for example, the word “love.” Yes, we recognize those four little letters all in a row, but what does it really
mean? You can use it to describe the feelings and emotions associated with your mother, a partner, or perhaps
your dog. Or you might say you love chocolate cake. Does your use of the word in any given context allow the
audience to get any closer to what you mean by this word, “love”? The key here is context, which provides clues
to how you mean the word and what its use means to you. The context allows you to close the gap between
your meaning of “love” and what the receiver, or audience, has in their range of understanding of the same word.
Your experiences are certainly different, but through clues, contexts, and attempts to understand each other’s
perspectives, we can often communicate more effectively.
This gives rise to an issue: how do I deal with twenty or twenty-five “perspectives” in a classroom or a reading
audience of infinite size and try to narrow the gap with each audience member? Before we tackle this question,
let’s first follow the advice given by the character Polonius in Shakespeare’s Hamlet: “To thine own self be true.”
This relates to the notion that you need to know yourself, or your perspective, before you can explore ways

8 | Chapter 3: Understanding Your Audience

to know others and communicate more effectively. You will examine how you perceive stimuli, choosing some
information over others, organizing the information according to your frame of reference, and interpreting it,
deciding what it means to you and whether you should remember it or just ignore it and move on. We can
recognize that not everyone tunes in to the same music, trends in clothing, or even classes, so experiences or
stimuli can have different meanings. Still, we can find common ground and communicate effectively.

1
Adapted from Gudykunst, W. (1994). Ethnocentrism scale and instructions. In Bridging differences: Effective
intergroup communication (2nd ed., pp. 98–99). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
2
Adapted from McLean, S. (2003). The basics of speech communication. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
3
Adapted from McLean, S. (2003). The basics of speech communication. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Chapter 3: Understanding Your Audience | 9

PART IV
CHAPTER 4: EFFECTIVE BUSINESS WRITING
However great…natural talent may be, the art of writing cannot be learned all at once.
–Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Read, read, read…Just like a carpenter who works as an apprentice and studies the master.
–William Faulkner
You only learn to be a better writer by actually writing.
–Doris Lessing

Getting Started

Introductory Exercises

1. Take a moment to write three words that describe your success in writing.
2. Make a list of words that you associate with writing. Compare your list with those of your
classmates.
3. Briefly describe your experience writing and include one link to something you like to read in
your post.

Something we often hear in business is, “Get it in writing.” This advice is meant to prevent misunderstandings
based on what one person thought the other person said. But does written communication—getting it in
writing—always prevent misunderstandings?
According to a Washington Post news story, a written agreement would have been helpful to an airline
customer named Mike. A victim of an airport mishap, Mike was given vouchers for $7,500 worth of free travel.
However, in accordance with the airline’s standard policy, the vouchers were due to expire in twelve months.
When Mike saw that he and his wife would not be able to do enough flying to use the entire amount before
the expiration date, he called the airline and asked for an extension. He was told the airline would extend the
deadline, but later discovered they were willing to do so at only 50 percent of the vouchers’ value. An airline
spokesman told the newspaper, “If [Mike] can produce a letter stating that we would give the full value of the
vouchers, he should produce it” (Oldenburg, 2005).
Yet, as we will see in this chapter, putting something in writing is not always a foolproof way to ensure accuracy
and understanding. A written communication is only as accurate as the writer’s knowledge of the subject and
audience, and understanding depends on how well the writer captures the reader’s attention.
This chapter addresses the written word in a business context. We will also briefly consider the symbols,
design, font, timing, and related nonverbal expressions you make when composing a page or document. Our
discussions will focus on effective communication of your thoughts and ideas through writing that is clear,
concise, and efficient.

Chapter 4: Effective Business Writing | 11

References

Oldenburg, D. (2005, April 12). Old adage holds: Get it in writing. Washington Post, p. C10. Retrieved from
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A45309-2005Apr11.html.

12 | Chapter 4: Effective Business Writing

PART V
CHAPTER 5: WRITING PREPARATION
Before you write, think.
–William Arthur Ward

Getting Started

Introductory Exercises

1. Identify a career you are interested in pursuing and do an online search for information about it,
taking note of the number of results returned and a couple of the top ten sources. Compare your
results with those of your classmates.
2. Visit your college or university library. Familiarize yourself with the resources available to
business writers and choose one resource that you find especially valuable. Write a short
summary of the resource to share with your classmates, explaining why you chose this resource.
3. In a business setting, describe some circumstances where it would it be appropriate to send a
message by instant messaging, or by e-mail, or in a printed memo. Ask some colleagues or
coworker what they consider the best option and why, and share the results with the class.

No matter who you are, you were not born speaking English (or any other language), and were certainly not born
writing. You learned to speak and to write and, like all humans, your skill in speaking and writing can continue to
improve and adapt across your lifetime. The awareness of this simple fact should encourage you. If your writing
has been well received in the past, congratulations. It may be that your skill in producing college-level essays
has served you well. Still, the need for learning to produce clear, concise business writing may be a new skill for
you. Even seasoned professional business communicators find it a challenge to present complex and dynamic
relationships in a way that the audience can grasp at a glance, on a first read, or with minimal effort. If your
writing has not been as well received in the past as you would like, this chapter will help you see the process
from a perspective where attention to specific steps can lead to overall success.
In addition to your previous experiences, you will necessarily draw on the writing of others as you prepare
for your writing effort. If you have ever fallen asleep on your textbook, you know that trying to absorb many
pages of reading in a single session is not the best strategy for studying. In the same way, as you prepare to
write a business document, you know that using the first search result listed on Google or Yahoo! is not the best
strategy for success. You may be tempted to gather only the information that is most readily available, or that
which confirms your viewpoint, but you will sell yourself short and may produce an inferior piece of writing.
Instead, you need to determine the purpose of your writing project; search for information, facts, and statistics
to support your purpose; and remain aware of information that contradicts the message you are aiming to
convey. Think of it as an exercise program. If you only do the easy exercises, and nothing else, you may develop
a single muscle group, but will never gain real strength. What kinds of skills, or strengths, will you need in order
to write well enough to succeed in your career? Solid research skills combined with effective preparation for

Chapter 5: Writing Preparation | 13

writing involve a range of skill sets that require time and practice. The degree to which you make the extra effort
will pay dividends throughout your career.

14 | Chapter 5: Writing Preparation

PART VI
CHAPTER 6: WRITING
Although I usually think I know what I’m going to be writing about, what I’m going to say,
most of the time it doesn’t happen that way at all. At some point I get misled down a garden
path, I get surprised by an idea that I hadn’t anticipated getting, which is a little bit like
being in a laboratory.
–Lewis Thomas

Getting Started

Introductory Exercises

1. Match each statement in the left column with the most appropriate mode of communication in the
right column, and note why.

___ 1. Need the sales figures for the last month available in three
A. Text message or instant message (IM)
days
___ 2. Inform department employees of face-to-face (F2F) meeting
B. E-mail
next month
___ 3. International client requests price quote C. Fax

___ 4. Assigned to investigate partnership with supplier to

D. Report
codevelop a new product
___ 5. Need to inform employee of a discrepancy in their expense
E. Proposal
report
___ 6. Need to facilitate meeting with two department managers F. Face-to-face (F2F) meeting,
from two distinct time zones. interpersonal interaction
___ 7. Need to follow up with customer post sale G. F2F meeting, group or team
H. Meeting (mediated), teleconference or
___ 8. Need to contact new prospective customer
videoconference

There are no right or wrong answers to this matching exercise, but there are strengths and weaknesses
associated with each mode. Does the information need to be received as soon as possible? Will the
document require time and preparation? Will the result be comprehensive and require visual
representation of data, trends, and their relationships(s)? Associate each statement with what you
consider the most appropriate model of communication and note why. Discuss your responses with your
classmates.

Chapter 6: Writing | 15
 Introductory Exercises (cont.)

2. These sentences focus on some of the most common errors in English. Can you fill in the blanks
correctly?

16 | Chapter 6: Writing
 The office will _______ Attendance is required for all
1. accept or
applications until 5 p.m. on the accept employees _______ except
except
31st. supervisors.
To _______ the growth of A lack of water has a
2. affect or
plants, we can regulate the affect predictable _______ on effect
effect
water supply. most plants.
Please order 2,000 imprinted
Charge them to my account
3. e.g. or i.e. giveaways (_______, pens or e.g. i.e.
(_______, account #98765).
coffee mugs)
The department surpassed
_______ my opinion that
4. its or it’s _______ previous sales its It’s
we reached peak oil in 2008.
record this quarter.
The doctor asked him to
Please _______ the report
5. lay or lie lay _______ down on the lie
on the desk.
examination table.

6. pressure
We need to _______ the It might be possible to
or pressurize pressure
liquid nitrogen tanks. _______ him to resign.
pressurize
The _______ reason for the
7. principle It’s the basic _________ of
principle trip is to attend the sales principal
or principal farming: no water, no food.
meeting.
Regardless
8. regardless _______ of what we do, gas _______ of your beliefs, (irregardless is
or prices are unlikely to go back Regardless please try to listen with an not a standard
irregardless down. open mind. word; see your
dictionary)
If we can cut our costs,
9. than or This year’s losses were worse
than _______ it might be then
then _______ last year’s.
possible to break even.
Karen misplaced the report,
_______ type of marketing
Which _______ caused a delay in which
10. that or data did you need?
making a decision.
which
There are several kinds of data
that
_______ could be useful.

__________ strategic
The report is _________, in
there advantage depends on a wide Their
11 there the top file drawer.
distribution network.
their, or
they’re __________ planning to
attend the sales meeting in They’re
Pittsburgh.

Customers need _______ After sales meeting, you

drive slower if they want to to should visit customers in the too
12. to too, or save gas. Pittsburgh area _______.
two In fact, the _______ of you
should make some customer two
visits together.
The sales manager tried to
13. He would be the best person to
speak dynamically, but the
uninterested make a decision, since he isn’t
disinterested sales reps were simply uninterested
or biased and is relatively
_______ in what he had to
disinterested _______ in the outcome.
say.

Chapter 6: Writing | 17
 14. who, __________ going to pay
__________ truck is that? Whose Who’s
whom, for the repairs?
who’s, or __________ will go to the To __________ should we
whose Who whom
interview? address the thank-you note?

_______ going to learn how

15 your or My office is bigger than
your to avoid making these You’re
you’re _______ cubicle.
common mistakes in English.

If all the world is a stage then you, as a business writer, must be the script writer, correct? Actually, those who
employ you, specify your job duties, manage the business, and designate which problems you are to solve are
more like the script writers, directors, and producers. So what role does that leave you as a business writer?
Actor. You may not be seen “on stage” by the suppliers you write, the departments you inform with your reports,
or the customers you serve, but your writing represents you and your organization. As an actor must learn his
or her lines, you too must learn the role of a business writer within the context of your business or organization.
It may well be that you are allowed a degree of improvisation and creativity when you interpret your role, or it
could be the case that many of the written documents you will produce follow a standard template, much like
a script, that designates your lines before the writing process begins. Knowing your place on stage and how it
relates to your business is an important aspect of business writing best not ignored.
This chapter focuses on several strategies for success when it comes to the creative process of writing, and
your awareness of these skills will prove invaluable as your responsibility increases and your ability to shape
documents develops. Never lose sight of the fact that each document exists with a universe of relationships and
interaction; it does not stand alone. Also remember that what you write today, particularly if you “publish” it
on the Internet, will be there for years to come. Always consider how your words will represent you and your
organization when you are not there to clarify, defend, or correct them. Your audience will have expectations of
you, as will your employer, and as an effective business writer you know that one key to success is meeting these
expectations.
Creative writing for exposition, narration, and self-expression is an important part of writing, but in the
business context you have a role, job duties, and responsibilities both internal and external to your organization.
Your mastery of clear and concise writing will directly affect the interpretation, and misinterpretation, of your
message. Your goal remains to reduce misunderstandings through the effective and efficient use of words in
business documents, and the well-known mandate to “Omit needless words” stands true. Up to this point you
have been preparing to write, but now the moment has come for performance.

References

Strunk, W., Jr., & White, E. B. (1979). The elements of style (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Macmillian.

18 | Chapter 6: Writing
PART VII
CHAPTER 7: REVISING AND PRESENTING
YOUR WRITING
I’m not a very good writer, but I’m an excellent rewriter.
–James A. Michener

Half my life is an act of revision.

–John Irving

Getting Started

Introductory Exercises

1. Find an article you read online and review it, noting at least one area that would benefit from
revision. Please share your results with classmates.
2. Exchange draft revisions of a document prepared for a class or work assignment with a classmate
or colleague. Note at least one strength and one area for improvement, Provide feedback to the
writer.

One of the hardest tests to pass is the one of peer review. In the academic environment, professors conduct
research, learn lessons, and share their findings by contributing articles for professional journals. Each academic
journal article undergoes peer review, or evaluation by colleagues in the same field as the professor who wrote
the article. These evaluations, often conducted by leaders in each field, do not only consider the value of the
writer’s findings. They also evaluate the mechanics of the document (spelling and grammar) and its presentation,
organization, and design. The first time a scholar submits an article for peer review, he or she can expect
rejections and liberal use of the red pen.
You may not experience such a rigorous and vigorous review of your writing, but in many ways the world
of business is equally challenging. Academic publications ultimately value solid findings that contribute to the
field or discipline. Business writing ultimately values writing that produces results or outcomes in environments
where you do not have the luxury of controlling the variables, designing the context, or limiting the scope of your
inquiry. Your business document will be evaluated by people you never met or even anticipated would read it,
and errors will have a negative impact on its performance.
In every career, industry, and profession, today’s business climate is a results-oriented environment.
Regardless of what you write, there exists the possibility, even probability, that misunderstandings and
miscommunications can and will occur. Although you will not always have control over the importance of the
ideas you are assigned to communicate in your writing, there is one thing you can control: errors. If you avoid
mistakes, both in the document itself and in the way your audience interprets your message, your document will
have its best chance of success. To this end a thorough revision is an important part of your writing process.
As you review and evaluate documents, those written by you and others, you will need to keep in mind the

Chapter 7: Revising and Presenting Your Writing | 19

three goals of being correct, clear, and concise. Next you will have to focus on effectiveness and efficiency,
recognizing that in a climate of increasing demands and limited resources like time, you need to get it right the
first time.
The environment of a business writer can be stressful, but it can also be rewarding. Recognition from your
peers—suppliers, internal department colleagues, or customers—can make it all worthwhile. Still, the reward in
terms of acknowledgement may come in the form of silence. When your document clearly meets expectations
and accomplishes its goal, the outcome may be the absence of error or misinterpretation, a rare occasion that
often goes unheralded. As a business writer you need to value your work and note what works. When it does,
take pride in your hard work in effort. You may not always be celebrated for your error-free documents that
communicate concepts and ideas clearly, but know that they are successful, and their success is your success.

20 | Chapter 7: Revising and Presenting Your Writing

PART VIII
CHAPTER 8: FEEDBACK IN THE WRITING
PROCESS
Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfills the same function as pain in
the human body. It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things.
–Winston Churchill

Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complain but it takes character and self control to be
understanding and forgiving.
–Dale Carnegie

He has a right to criticize, who has a heart to help.

–Abraham Lincoln

Speaking is silver, listening is gold.

–Turkish proverb

Getting Started

Introductory Exercises

1. Find a news Web site that includes a forum for reader comments on the articles. Read an article
that interests you and the comments readers have posted about it. Please share your results with
classmates.
2. Interview a colleague, coworker, or someone in a business or industry you are involved or
interested in. Ask them how they receive feedback about their work. Please share your results
with classmates.
3. Review a document (online or offline) and create at least two different examples of how a reader
may respond to the content and presentation. Please share your results with classmates.

The feedback loop is your connection to your audience. It’s always there, even if you haven’t noticed it. In today’s
business environment, across a variety of careers and industries, people are taking serious note of the power of
feedback. How does a viral marketing campaign take off? How does an article get passed along Twitter? How
does a movie review, and its long list of discussion thread comments, influence your viewing decisions? How do
Wikipedia, the Global Business Network, or customer book reviews on Amazon.com impact us, alter our views,
or motivate us to write?
“The feedback loop provides you with an open and direct channel of communication with your community, and
that represents a never-available-before opportunity” (Powel, 2009). The feedback on what you write has never
been as direct and interactive as today’s online environment can provide, and the need to anticipate, lead, listen,

Chapter 8: Feedback in the Writing Process | 21

and incorporate lessons learned has never been greater. This chapter examines feedback in its many forms and
how it can and will have an impact on what you write, and how you write it.
What you write does not exist in a vacuum, unaffected by the world around it. It may be that what you write
is read by a relatively small group of readers, or by a large target audience who may have only read a few of your
messages. Either way, what you write is part of the communication process, and it makes an impact whether you
know it or not.
This chapter recognizes the writing process and its components with an emphasis on feedback. Do you know
the difference between indirect and direct feedback? Are you aware of effective strategies to elicit valuable
feedback? How do you know if the feedback is valid? To what extent, and in what ways, should you adapt
and adjust your writing based on feedback? These are central questions in the writing process, and any skilled
business writer recognizes the need for improvement based on solid feedback. You may not always enjoy
receiving feedback, but you should always give it due thought and consideration. Failure to change and adapt has
many unfortunate consequences (Johnson, 1998). It is up to you to seek good information and to separate the
reliable from the unreliable in your goal of improving your business writing.

References

Johnson, S. (1998). Who moved my cheese? An amazing way to deal with change in your work and in your life. New
York, NY: Penguin Books.
Powel, J. (2009). 33 million people in the room: How to create, influence, and a run a successful business with
social networking. Upper Saddle River, NJ: FT Press/Pearson Education.

22 | Chapter 8: Feedback in the Writing Process

PART IX
CHAPTER 9: BUSINESS WRITING IN ACTION
If you call failures experiments, you can put them in your résumé and claim them as
achievements.
–Mason Cooley

Volunteer—not so you can build your résumé, but so you can build yourself.
–Author Unknown

Getting Started

Introductory Exercises

1. Review the different kinds of common business communication writing covered by the main
headings in this chapter. Make a note of which kinds of documents you have produced in the past
and which you have not. For example, have you written many memos but not a business report?
Share and compare with classmates.
2. Conduct an online search for job descriptions associated with your chosen career and think about
what tasks are accomplished in a typical day or week. If possible, also talk to someone who is
employed in that career. Note the kinds of writing skills that are involved in carrying out job duties
or tasks. Share your results with the class.

Business communication in written form requires skill and expertise. From text messages to reports, how you
represent yourself with the written word counts. Writing in an online environment requires tact and skill, and an
awareness that what you write may be there forever. From memos to letters, from business proposals to press
releases, your written business communication represents you and your company: your goal is to make it clear,
concise, and professional.

Chapter 9: Business Writing in Action | 23

PART X
CHAPTER 10: DEVELOPING BUSINESS
PRESENTATIONS
It usually takes me more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech.
–Mark Twain

Being in the right does not depend on having a loud voice.

–Chinese Proverb

Getting Started

Introductory Exercises

1. Complete the following self-inventory by brainstorming as many items as you can for each category.
Think about anything you know, find interesting, or are involved in which relates to the topics below.
Have you traveled to a different city, state, or country? Do you have any projects in other classes you find
interesting? List them in the questions below.

• What do you read?

• What do you play or do for fun?
• What do you watch (visual media)?
• Where do you live or have you lived?
• What places have you visited (travel)?
• Whom do you know?
• What’s important to you?
• If you could change one thing in the world, what would it be?

Choose your three favorite categories from the list above and circle them. Then ask a friend what they
would be most interested in hearing about. Ask more than one friend, and keep score of which item
attracts the most attention. Make sure you keep track of who likes which category.

Introductory Exercises (cont.)

2. What do you know about the world?

1. What is the most populous country on the planet?

Chapter 10: Developing Business Presentations | 25

 2. The United States is home to more foreign-born residents than any other country. Which country
has the next-highest number of foreign-born residents (Bremner, J., et. al., 2009)?

3. As of 2008, what percentage of the world’s population lived in an urban setting?

4. The world’s population was about 6.5 billion in early 2009. In what year is this figure expected to
double to 13 billion (Rosenberg, M., 2009)?

Answers: 1. c, 2. a, 3. c, 4. c.

Mark Twain makes a valid point that presentations require preparation. If you have the luxury of time to prepare,
take full advantage of it. Speeches don’t always happen when or how we envision them. Preparation becomes
especially paramount when the element of unknown is present, forcing us to improvise. One mistake or misquote
can and will be quickly rebroadcast, creating lasting damage. Take full advantage of the time to prepare for
what you can anticipate, but also consider the element of surprise. In this chapter we discuss the planning and
preparation necessary to prepare an effective presentation. You will be judged on how well you present yourself,
so take the time when available to prepare.
Now that you are concerned with getting started and preparing a speech for work or class, let’s consider
the first step. It may be that you are part of a team developing a sales presentation, preparing to meet with a
specific client in a one-on-one meeting, or even setting up a teleconference. Your first response may be that a
meeting is not a speech, but your part of the conversation has a lot in common with a formal presentation. You
need to prepare, you need to organize your message, and you need to consider audience’s expectations, their
familiarity with the topic, and even individual word choices that may improve your effectiveness. Regardless
whether your presentation is to one individual (interpersonal) or many (group), it has as its foundation the act
of communication. Communication itself is a dynamic and complex process, and the degree to which you can
prepare and present effectively across a range of settings will enhance your success as a business communicator.
If you have been assigned a topic by the teacher or your supervisor, you may be able to go straight to the
section on narrowing your topic. If not, then the first part of this chapter will help you. This chapter will help
you step by step in preparing for your speech or oral presentation. By the time you have finished this chapter,
you will have chosen a topic for your speech, narrowed the topic, and analyzed the appropriateness of the topic
for yourself as well as the audience. From this basis, you will have formulated a general purpose statement and
specific thesis statement to further define the topic of your speech. Building on the general and specific purpose
statements you formulate, you will create an outline for your oral presentation.
Through this chapter, you will become more knowledgeable about the process of creating a speech and
gain confidence in your organizational abilities. Preparation and organization are two main areas that, when
well developed prior to an oral presentation, significantly contribute to reducing your level of speech anxiety.
If you are well prepared, you will be more relaxed when it is time to give your speech. Effective business
communicators have excellent communication skills that can be learned through experience and practice. In this
chapter we will work together to develop your skills in preparing clear and concise messages to reach your target
audience.

References

Bremner, J., Haub, C., Lee, M., Mather, M., & Zuehlke, E. (2009, September). World population highlights:

26 | Chapter 10: Developing Business Presentations

Key findings from PRB’s 2009 world population data sheet. Population Bulletin, 64(3). Retrieved from
http://www.prb.org/pdf09/64.3highlights.pdf.
Rosenberg, M. (2009, October 15). Population growth rates and doubling time. About.com Guide. Retrieved from
http://geography.about.com/od/populationgeography/a/populationgrow.htm.

Chapter 10: Developing Business Presentations | 27

PART XI
CHAPTER 11: NONVERBAL DELIVERY
The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn’t said.
–Peter F. Drucker

But behavior in the human being is sometimes a defense, a way of concealing motives and
thoughts.
–Abraham Maslow

Electric communication will never be a substitute for the face of someone who with their
soul encourages another person to be brave and true.
–Charles Dickens

Getting Started

Introductory Exercises

1. It’s not just what you say but how you say it. Choose a speech to watch. Examples may include
famous speeches by historical figures like Martin Luther King Jr. or Winston Churchill, current
elected officials, or perhaps candidates for local and state office that may be televised. Other
examples could be from a poetry slam, a rap performance, or a movie. Watch the presentation
without sound and see what you observe. Does the speaker seem comfortable and confident?
Aggressive or timid? If possible, repeat the speech a second time with the sound on. Do your
perceptions change? What patterns do you observe?
2. Invasion of space. When someone “invades” your space, how do you feel? Threatened, surprised,
interested, or repulsed? We can learn a lot from each other as we come to be more aware of the
normative space expectations and boundaries. Set aside ten minutes where you can “people
watch” in a public setting. Make a conscious effort to notice how far apart they stand from people
they communicate. Record your results. Your best estimate is fine and there is no need to
interrupt people, just watch and record. Consider noting if they are male or female, or focus only
on same-sex conversations. When you have approximate distances for at least twenty
conversations or ten minutes have passed, add up the results and look for a pattern. Compare
your findings with those of a classmate.

In the first of the Note 11.1 “Introductory Exercises” for this chapter, we focus on how a speaker presents ideas,
not the ideas themselves. Have you ever been in class and found it hard to listen to the professor, not because
he or she wasn’t well informed or the topic wasn’t interesting or important to you, but because the style of
presentation didn’t engage you as a listener? If your answer is yes, then you know that you want to avoid making
the same mistake when you give a presentation. It’s not always what you say, but how you say it that makes

Chapter 11: Nonverbal Delivery | 29

a difference. We sometimes call this “body language,” or “nonverbal communication,” and it is a key aspect of
effective business communication.
How do you know when your boss or instructors are pleased with your progress (or not)? You might know from
the smiles on their faces, from the time and attention they give you, or perhaps in other nonverbal ways, like a
raise, a bonus, or a good grade. Whether the interaction takes place face-to-face, or at a distance, you can still
experience and interpret nonverbal responses.
Sometimes we place more emphasis on nonverbal aspects of communication that they warrant. Suppose you
have just gotten home from your first date with Amanda and you feel it went very well. How soon should
afterward should you call Amanda? There are lots of advice columns, informal rules and customs, and friends
with opinions to offer you suggestions, but you know what is right for you. You also know that texting her at five
o’clock the next morning might be a bit early. You may choose to wait until a coffee break around 10 a.m. to send
a short text message, and realize that you might not get a response until later that afternoon.
Does the lack of an immediate response have any meaning? Does it mean Amanda is less interested in you than
you are in her? While you might give it more attention than it deserves, and maybe let it weigh on your mind and
distract you from other tasks, the time interval for responding may not have as much intentional meaning as you
think. It might mean that Amanda has a different sense of time urgency than you do, or that she simply didn’t
receive your message until later.
Timing is an important aspect of nonverbal communication, but trying to understand what a single example of
timing means is challenging. Context may make a difference. For example, if you have known someone for years
who has always responded promptly to your e-mails or texts, but now that person hasn’t responded in over a
day, you may have reason for concern. That person’s behavior doesn’t match what you are familiar with, and this
sudden, unexplained change in the established pattern may mean that you need to follow up.

30 | Chapter 11: Nonverbal Delivery

PART XII
CHAPTER 12: ORGANIZATION AND OUTLINES
Speech is power; speech is to persuade, to convert, to compel.
–Ralph Waldo Emerson

Getting Started

Introductory Exercises

1. Please read the following paragraph and rearrange the sentences in logical order:

A. I saw “The Day After Tomorrow” recently. B. The Northern Seas got very cold, very quickly.
C. People in the United States fled to Mexico. D. Have you ever seen a movie you just couldn’t
forget? E. Soon it was hailing, snowing, and raining all around the world. F. In the movie there was
a scientist who forecast a sudden change in the climate. G. They were declared illegal aliens and
not allowed in the country. H. The film made me think about global warming and global politics. I.
The U.S. president forgave their debts, and the Mexican president allowed U.S. citizens to cross the
border.

2. Consider the following words and find at least two ways to organize the words into groups.

◦ Knife
◦ Fork
◦ Spoon
◦ Corkscrew

Answers

1. D, A, F, B, E, C, G, I, H
2. Table service (knife, fork, spoon), sharp implements (knife, fork, corkscrew), Tools (all). Can you
think of any other organizational principles by which to group these items?

In earlier stages of preparation for a speech, you have gained a good idea of who your audience is and what
information you want to focus on. This chapter will help you consider how to organize the information to cover
your topic. You may be tempted to think that you know enough about your topic that you can just “wing it” or go
“freestyling.” Your organization might be something like this: “First, I’ll talk about this, then I’ll give this example,
and I’ll wrap it up with this.” While knowledge on your topic is key to an effective speech, do not underestimate
the importance of organization. You may start to give your speech thinking you’ll follow the “outline” in your
mind, and then suddenly your mind will go blank. If it doesn’t go blank, you may finish what was planned as
a five-minute speech with three minutes remaining, sit down, and then start to remember all the things you

Chapter 12: Organization and Outlines | 31

intended to say but didn’t. To your listeners, your presentation may have sounded like the first of the Note 12.1
“Introductory Exercises” for this chapter—a bunch of related ideas that were scattered and unorganized.
Organization in your speech is helpful both to you and to your audience. Your audience will appreciate hearing
the information presented in an organized way, and being well organized will make the speaking situation much
less stressful for you. You might forget a point and be able to glance at your outline and get back on track.
Your listeners will see that you took your responsibility as a speaker seriously and will be able to listen more
attentively. They’ll be able to link your key points in their minds, and the result will be a more effective speech.
An extemporaneous speech involves flexibility and organization. You know your material. You are prepared
and follow an outline. You do not read a script or PowerPoint presentation, you do not memorize every single
word in order (though some parts may be memorized), but you also do not make it up as you go along. Your
presentation is scripted in the sense that it is completely planned from start to finish, yet every word is not
explicitly planned, allowing for some spontaneity and adaptation to the audience’s needs in the moment. This
extemporaneous approach is the most common form used in business and industry today.
Your organization plan will serve you and your audience as a guide, and help you present a more effective
speech. If you are concerned with grades, it will no doubt help you improve your score as well. If you work in a
career where your “grades” are sales, and a sales increase means getting an “A,” then your ability to organize will
help you make the grade. Just as there is no substitute for practice and preparation, there is no substitute for
organization and an outline when you need it the most: on stage. Do yourself and the audience a favor and create
an outline with an organization pattern that best meets your needs.
In the 1991 film What about Bob? a psychiatrist presents the simple idea to the patient, played by actor Bill
Murray. If the patient takes whatever he needs to do step by step, the process he once perceived as complex
becomes simple. In this same way, your understanding of giving business presentations will develop step by
step, as the process and its important elements unfold. Read and reflect on how each area might influence your
speech, how it might involve or impact your audience, and how your purpose guides your strategies as you plan
your speech.
If you take it step by step, presenting a speech can be an exhilarating experience not unlike winning a
marathon or climbing a high peak. Every journey begins with a first step, and in terms of communication, you’ve
already taken countless steps in your lifetime. Now we’ll take the next step and begin to analyze the process of
public speaking.

32 | Chapter 12: Organization and Outlines

PART XIII
CHAPTER 13: PRESENTATIONS TO INFORM
After all, the ultimate goal of all research is not objectivity, but truth.
–Helene Deutsch

Getting Started

Introductory Exercises

1. Please make a list of five activities you have participated in recently. Choose one and create a time
order list, from start to finish, of at least five major steps involved in accomplishing the activity.
2. From the list of five activities above, please consider which of the activities the audience (or your
class) has probably had the least experience with. Now make a list from that activity of at least
three things you would explain to them so that they could better understand it. From that new
list, consider how you might show those three things, including visual aids.

Storytelling is a basic part of human communication. You’ve probably told several short stories just today to
relate to friends what the drive to school was like, how your partner has been acting, what your boss said to
a customer, or even what your speech teacher did in class. With each story you were sharing information, but
is sharing the same as informing? At first you might be tempted to say “sure,” but consider whether you had
a purpose for telling a friend about another friend’s actions, or if the words you used to discuss your boss
communicated any attitude.
At some point in your business career you will be called upon to teach someone something. It may be a
customer, coworker, or supervisor, and in each case you are performing an informative speech. It is distinct from
a sales speech, or persuasive speech, in that your goal is to communicate the information so that your listener
understands. For example, let’s say you have the task of teaching a customer how to use a remote control (which
button does what) to program a DVD/R to record. Easy, you say? Sure, it’s easy for you. But for them it is new, so
take a moment and consider their perspective. You may recommend this unit versus that unit, and aim for a sale,
but that goal is separate from first teaching them to be successful at a task they want to learn to perform. You
may need to repeat yourself several times, and they may not catch on as fast as you expect, but their mastery
of the skill or task they want to learn can directly lead to a sale. They will have more confidence in you and
in themselves once they’ve mastered the task, and will be more receptive to your advice about the competing
products available.
While your end goal may be a sale, the relationship you form has more long-term value. That customer may
tell a friend about the experience, show their family what they learned, and before you know it someone else
comes in asking for you by name. Communicating respect and focusing on their needs is a positive first step. The
informative speech is one performance you’ll give many times across your career, whether your audience is one
person, a small group, or a large auditorium full of listeners. Once you master the art of the informative speech,
you may mix and match it with other styles and techniques.

Chapter 13: Presentations to Inform | 33

PART XIV
CHAPTER 14: PRESENTATIONS TO PERSUADE
We are more easily persuaded, in general, by the reasons that we ourselves discovers than
by those which are given to us by others.
–Pascal

For every sale you miss because you’re too enthusiastic, you will miss a hundred because
you’re not enthusiastic enough.
–Zig Ziglar

Getting Started

Introductory Exercises

1. Please list three things that you recently purchased, preferably in the last twenty-four hours—the
things can be items or services. Decide which purchase on your list stands out as most important
to you and consider why you made that purchase decision. See if you can list three reasons. Now
pretend you are going to sell that same item or service to a friend—would the three reasons
remain the same, or would you try additional points for them to consider? Compare your results
with a classmate.
2. Please think of one major purchase you made in the past year. It should be significant to you, and
not a daily or monthly purchase. Once you made the purchase decision and received the item (e.g.,
a car), did you notice similar cars on the roads? Did you pay attention to details like color,
modifications, or reports in the popular press about quality? Did you talk to your friends about it?
What kind of information did you pay attention to—information that reinforced your purchase
decision, or information that detracted from your appreciation of your newly acquired
possession? Discuss your responses with classmates.

No doubt there has been a time when you wanted something from your parents, your supervisor, or your
friends, and you thought about how you were going to present your request. But do you think about how often
people—including people you have never met and never will meet—want something from you? When you watch
television, advertisements reach out for your attention, whether you watch them or not. When you use the
Internet, pop-up advertisements often appear. Living in the United States, and many parts of the world, means
that you have been surrounded, even inundated, by persuasive messages. Mass media in general and television
in particular make a significant impact you will certainly recognize.
Consider these facts:

• The average person sees between four hundred and six hundred ads per day—that is forty million to fifty
million by the time he or she is sixty years old. One of every eleven commercials has a direct message about
beauty (Raimondo M., 2010).

Chapter 14: Presentations to Persuade | 35

 • By age eighteen, the average American teenager will have spent more time watching television—25,000
hours—than learning in a classroom (Ship, J., 2005).
• An analysis of music videos found that nearly one-fourth of all MTV videos portray overt violence, with
attractive role models being aggressors in more than 80 percent of the violent videos (DuRant, R. H., 1997).
• Forty percent of nine- and ten-year-old girls have tried to lose weight, according to an ongoing study
funded by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (Body image and nutrition: Fast facts., 2009).
• A 1996 study found that the amount of time an adolescent watches soaps, movies, and music videos is
associated with their degree of body dissatisfaction and desire to be thin (Tiggemann, M. and Pickering, A.
S., 1996).
• Identification with television stars (for girls and boys), models (girls), or athletes (boys) positively correlated
with body dissatisfaction (Hofschire, L. J. and Greenberg, B. S., 2002).
• At age thirteen, 53 percent of American girls are “unhappy with their bodies.” This grows to 78 percent by
the time they reach seventeen (Brumber, J. J., 1997).
• By age eighteen, the average American teenager will witness on television 200,000 acts of violence,
including 40,000 murders (Huston, A. C., et al., 1992).

Mass communication contains persuasive messages, often called propaganda, in narrative form, in stories and
even in presidential speeches. When President Bush made his case for invading Iraq, his speeches incorporated
many of the techniques we’ll cover in this chapter. Your local city council often involves dialogue, and persuasive
speeches, to determine zoning issues, resource allocation, and even spending priorities. You yourself have
learned many of the techniques by trial and error and through imitation. If you ever wanted the keys to your
parents’ car for a special occasion, you used the principles of persuasion to reach your goal.

References

Body image and nutrition: Fast facts. (2009). Teen Health and the Media. Retrieved from
http://depts.washington.edu/thmedia/view.cgi?section=bodyimage&page=fastfacts.
Brumberg, J. J. (1997). The body project: An intimate history of American girls. New York, NY: Random House.
DuRant, R. H. (1997). Tobacco and alcohol use behaviors portrayed in music videos: Content analysis. American
Journal of Public Health, 87, 1131–1135.
Hofschire, L. J., & Greenberg, B. S. (2002). Media’s impact on adolescent’s body dissatisfaction. In D. Brown, J.
R. Steele, & K. Walsh-Childers (Eds.), Sexual Teens, Sexual Media. NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.
Huston, A. C., et al. (1992). Big world, small screen: The role of television in American society. Lincoln: University
of Nebraska Press.
Raimondo, M. (2010). About-face facts on the media. About-face. Retrieved from http://www.about-face.org/
r/facts/media.shtml.
Ship, J. (2005, December). Entertain. Inspire. Empower. How to speak a teen’s language, even if you’re not one.
ChangeThis. Retrieved from http://www.changethis.com/pdf/20.02.TeensLanguage.pdf.
Tiggemann, M., & Pickering, A. S. (1996). Role of television in adolescent women’s body: Dissatisfaction and
drive for thinness. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 20, 199–203.

36 | Chapter 14: Presentations to Persuade

PART XV
CHAPTER 15: BUSINESS PRESENTATIONS IN
ACTION
Personnel directors have described their needs in prospective employers as follows:
“Send me people who know how to speak, listen, and think, and I’ll do the rest. I can train people in their
specific job responsibilities, as long as they listen well, know how to think, and can express themselves well
(Seiler and Beall, 2009).”
“For better or worse, our culture relies on quotations—literary passages, Bible verses, movie lines, song lyrics,
catchphrases, proverbs—to transmit the wit and wisdom of the past and the present and to lend resonance to
our everyday discourse. Perhaps the most important are the political quotes, the sound bites, slogans, zingers
and bloopers that can win or lose elections and shape our arguments and opinions. —Fred R. Shapiro (Shapiro,
2008).”

Getting Started

INTRODUCTORY EXERCISES

1. Prepare a short summary of your experience in public speaking. Include one example and one goal
you would like to set for yourself for improvement. Share and compare with classmates.
2. Who is your favorite speaker? Write a brief introduction for them and include why you find them
particularly talented. Share and compare with classmates.

No matter what career you pursue or what level of success you achieve, on some occasions you will certainly
find it necessary to introduce yourself or another speaker, accept an award, serve as master of ceremonies
at a meeting, or make a comment to the media. Each task requires preparation and practice, and a solid
understanding of the roles and responsibilities associated with the many activities you may perform as a
successful business communicator. In this chapter we explore many of these common activities with brief
discussions and activities to prepare you for the day when the responsibility falls to you.

References

Seiler, W., & Beall, M. (2000). Communication: Making connections (4th ed., p. 7). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
Shapiro, Fred R. (2008, July 21). Quote…misquote [Commentary]. New York Times Magazine. Retrieved from
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/21/magazine/27wwwl-guestsafire-t.html?pagewanted=all

Chapter 15: Business Presentations in Action | 37

PART XVI
CHAPTER 16: INTRAPERSONAL AND
INTERPERSONAL BUSINESS
COMMUNICATION
Identity is the essential core of who we are as individuals, the conscious experience of the self inside.
–Kauffman

Getting Started

Introductory Exercises

1. Define yourself in five words or less.

2. Describe yourself in no less than twenty words and no more than fifty.
3. List what is important to you in priority order. List what you spend your time on in rank order.
Compare the results.

What are you doing? This simple question is at the heart of an application that allows user to stay
hyperconnected. Before we consider the social media and its implications on business communication, let’s first
examine the central question Twitter asks its users to address in 140 characters or less.
What are you doing right now? Are you reading, learning, or have you already tuned out this introduction and
skipped over to Twitter to see what your friends are up to? We often define ourselves through action, but the
definition doesn’t work very well. When you are a newborn baby, your actions represented a small percentage
of your potential—now that you’re older, you are more than an eating machine that requires constant care and
feeding—but what are you? A common response may be “human,” but even that can be challenging to define. If
we say humans are the tool makers and then note that several nonhuman species from primates to otters make
and use tools, where does that leave us? You could say that a human has two arms, two legs, or two eyes, but
not everyone has these, so the definition fails yet again. You may want to say that you can communicate, but we
don’t all speak the same language, and communication is a universal process across species. You may be tempted
to respond to the question “what are you?” by saying something along the lines of “I think, therefore I am”—but
what is thinking, and are humans the only species with the ability to think? Again, defining yourself through your
ability to think may not completely work. Finally, you may want to raise the possibility of your ability to reason
and act, recall the past, be conscious of the present, and imagine the future; or your ability to contemplate the
abstract, the ironic, even the absurd. Now we might be getting somewhere.
What does the word “party” mean to you? Most cultures have rituals where people come together in a common
space for conversation and sharing. Such gatherings often include food, music, and dancing. In our modern
society, we increasingly lack time to connect with others. It may be too expensive or time-consuming to travel
across the country for Thanksgiving, but we may meet on Skype and talk (audio/video) at relatively little or no

Chapter 16: Intrapersonal and Interpersonal Business

Communication | 39
cost. Some of your instructors may have traveled to a designated location for a professional conference each
year, seeing colleagues and networking; but in recent years time, cost, and competition for attention has shifted
priorities for many. We may have two (or three or four) jobs that consume much of our time, but you’ll notice
that in the breaks and pauses of life people reach for their cell phones to connect. We instant message (IM), text
message, tweet, e-mail, and interact. As humans, we have an innate need to connect with each other, even when
that connection can (and does) sometimes produce conflict.
When we ask the question, “What are you doing?” the answer invariably involves communication;
communication with self, with others, in verbal (oral and written) and nonverbal ways. How do we come to this
and how does it influence our experience within the business environment? How do we come to enter a new
community through a rite of initiation, often called a job interview, only to find ourselves lost as everyone speaks
a new language, the language of the workplace? How do we negotiate relationships, demands for space and time,
across meetings, collaborative efforts, and solo projects? This chapter addresses several of these issues as we
attempt to answer the question, “What are you doing?” with the answer: communicating.

40 | Chapter 16: Intrapersonal and Interpersonal Business Communication

PART XVII
CHAPTER 17: NEGATIVE NEWS AND CRISIS
COMMUNICATION
You don’t hear things that are bad about your company unless you ask. It is easy to hear
good tidings, but you have to scratch to get the bad news.
–Thomas J. Watson Sr.

One day, today, is worth two tomorrows.

–Anonymous

Getting Started

Introductory Exercises

1. Write a brief description of an experience when someone shared negative news with you in
person or in writing. How was it presented? How was it delivered? How did it make you feel? After
all this time, how do you still feel about it? Share your response and compare with classmates.
2. Write a brief description of an experience when you shared negative news with someone in
person or in writing. How did you present it? How did you deliver it? How did you feel, and what
was your perception of how it was received? How do you feel about it now? How do you perceive
the recipient of the negative news may feel about it today? Share your response and compare with
classmates.
3. Locate the emergency plan where you work or go to school. What would you do in the case of an
emergency? Discuss with classmates.
4. Can you think of one company that has had a scandal, a major problem, or a crisis in the last year?
Indicate the company and your perception of how the situation was handled. Discuss with
classmates.
5. Find five examples of press conferences and create a table with the product or service and the
message.
6. From Introductory Exercise 5, add a third and fourth column to your table, noting whether you
thought the message was effective or ineffective.

Communication is constant, but is it always effective? In times of confusion or crisis, clear and concise
communication takes on an increased level of importance. When an emergency arises, rumors can spin out
of control, emotions can run high, feelings can be hurt, and in some cases lives can tragically be lost. In this
chapter we will examine several scenarios in which negative news is delivered or received, and examine ways
to improve communication. We will conclude with a discussion of a formal crisis communication plan. Whether
you anticipate the necessity of being the bearer of unpleasant or bad news, or a sudden and unexpected crisis
occurs, your thoughtful preparation can make all the difference.

Chapter 17: Negative News and Crisis Communication | 41

PART XVIII
CHAPTER 18: INTERCULTURAL AND
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS
COMMUNICATION
We should never denigrate any other culture but rather help people to understand the relationship between their
own culture and the dominant culture. When you understand another culture or language, it does not mean that
you have to lose your own culture.
–Edward T. Hall
I’ve been traveling all over the world for 25 years, performing, talking to people, studying their cultures and
musical instruments, and I always come away with more questions in my head than can be answered.
–Yo-Yo Ma

Getting Started

Introductory Exercises

1. Find a film where one person overcomes all obstacles. Make notes of your observations on how he
or she approaches the world, solves problems, and rises triumphant
2. Find a film where a group of people overcomes obstacles through joint effort. Make notes of your
observations on how they approach the world, solve problems, and rise triumphant.
3. Consider a culture with which you have had little interaction. Write down at least five terms to
describe that culture.

As a professional in the modern business community, you need to be aware that the very concept of community
is undergoing a fundamental transformation. Throughout the world’s history—until recently—a community was
defined by its geographic boundaries. A merchant supplied salt and sugar, and people made what they needed.
The products the merchant sold were often produced locally because the cost of transportation was significant.
A transcontinental railroad brought telegraph lines, shipping routes, and brought ports together from coast to
coast. Shipping that once took months and years was now measured in days. A modern highway system and
cheap oil products allowed for that measurement unit to be reduced to days and minutes. Just in time product
delivery reduced storage costs, from renting a warehouse at the port to spoilage in transit. As products sold, bar
code and RDIF (radio frequency identification) tagged items instantly updated inventories and initiated orders at
factories all over the world.
Communication, both oral and written, linked communities in ways that we failed to recognize until economic
turmoil in one place led to job loss, in a matter of days or minutes, thousands of miles away. A system of
trade and the circulation of capital and goods that once flowed relatively seamlessly have been challenged by
change, misunderstanding, and conflict. People learn of political, economic, and military turmoil that is instantly

Chapter 18: Intercultural and International Business

Communication | 43
translated into multiple market impacts. Integrated markets and global networks bind us together in ways we are
just now learning to appreciate, anticipate, and understand. Intercultural and international communication are
critical areas of study with readily apparent, real-world consequences.
Agrarian, industrial, and information ages gave way to global business and brought the importance of
communication across cultures to the forefront. The Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Thomas Friedman calls
this new world “flat,” (Friedman, T., 2005) noting how the integration of markets and community had penetrated
the daily lives of nearly everyone on the planet, regardless of language or culture. While the increasing ease
of telecommunications and travel have transformed the nature of doing business, Friedman argues that “the
dawning ‘flat world’ is a jungle pitting ‘lions’ and ‘gazelles,’ where ‘economic stability is not going to be a feature’
and ‘the weak will fall farther behind’” (Publishers Weekly, 2009). Half of the world’s population that earn less
than $2 (USD) a day felt the impact of a reduction in trade and fluctuations in commodity prices even though
they may not have known any of the details. Rice, for example, became an even more valuable commodity than
ever; to the individuals who could not find it, grow it, or earn enough to buy it, the hunger felt was personal and
global. International trade took on a new level of importance.
Intercultural and international business communication has taken on a new role for students as well as career
professionals. Knowing when the European and Asian markets open has become mandatory; so has awareness
of multiple time zones and their importance in relation to trade, shipping, and the production cycle. Managing
production in China from an office in Chicago has become common. Receiving technical assistance for your
computer often means connecting with a well-educated English speaker in New Delhi. We compete with each
other via Elance.com or oDesk.com for contracts and projects, selecting the currency of choice for each bid as
we can be located anywhere on the planet. Communities are no longer linked as simply “brother” and “sister”
cities in symbolic partnerships. They are linked in the daily trade of goods and services.
In this chapter, we explore this dynamic aspect of communication. If the foundation of communication is
important, its application in this context is critical. Just as Europe once formed intercontinental alliances for
the trade of metals—leading to the development of a common currency, trade zone, and new concept of nation-
state—now North and South America are following with increased integration. Major corporations are no longer
affiliated with only one country or one country’s interests but instead perceive the integrated market as team
members across global trade. “Made in X” is more of a relative statement as products, from cars to appliances
to garments, now come with a list of where components were made and assembled and what percentage
corresponds to each nation.

Figure 18.1

44 | Chapter 18: Intercultural and International Business Communication

 With modern manufacturing, “Made in X” is more of a relative statement.

Pixabay – CC0 public domain.

Global business is more than trade between companies located in distinct countries; indeed, that concept is
already outdated. Intercultural and international business focuses less on the borders that separate people
and more on the communication that brings them together. Business communication values clear, concise
interaction that promotes efficiency and effectiveness. You may perceive your role as a business communicator
within a specific city, business, or organization, but you need to be aware that your role crosses cultures,
languages, value and legal systems, and borders.

References

Friedman, T. (2005). The world is flat: A brief history of the twenty-first century. New York, NY: Farrar, Straus, and
Giroux.
Publishers Weekly. (2009). The world is flat: A brief history of the twenty-first century [Starred review].
Retrieved from http://www.thomaslfriedman.com/bookshelf/the-world-is-flat.

Chapter 18: Intercultural and International Business Communication | 45

PART XIX
CHAPTER 19: GROUP COMMUNICATION,
TEAMWORK, AND LEADERSHIP
Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision. The ability to direct individual
accomplishments toward organizational objectives. It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon
results.
–Andrew Carnegie
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only
thing that ever has.
–Margaret Mead

Getting Started

Introductory Exercises

1. List the family and social groups you belong to and interact with on a regular basis—for example,
within a twenty-four-hour period or within a typical week. Please also consider forums, online
communities, and Web sites where you follow threads of discussion or post regularly. Discuss
your results with your classmates.
2. List the professional (i.e., work-related) groups you interact with in order of frequency. Please also
consider informal as well as formal groups (e.g., the 10:30 coffee club and the colleagues you often
share your commute with). Compare your results with those of your classmates.
3. Identify one group to which you no longer belong. List at least one reason why you no longer
belong to this group. Compare your results with those of your classmates.

As humans, we are social beings. We naturally form relationships with others. In fact, relationships are often
noted as one of the most important aspects of a person’s life, and they exist in many forms. Interpersonal
communication occurs between two people, but group communication may involve two or more individuals.
Groups are a primary context for interaction within the business community. Groups may have heroes, enemies,
and sages alongside new members. Groups overlap and may share common goals, but they may also engage in
conflict. Groups can be supportive or coercive and can exert powerful influences over individuals.
Within a group, individuals may behave in distinct ways, use unique or specialized terms, or display symbols
that have meaning to that group. Those same terms or symbols may be confusing, meaningless, or even
unacceptable to another group. An individual may belong to both groups, adapting his or her communication
patterns to meet group normative expectations. Groups are increasingly important across social media venues,
and there are many examples of successful business ventures on the Web that value and promote group
interaction.
Groups use words to exchange meaning, establish territory, and identify who is a stranger versus who is a

Chapter 19: Group Communication, Teamwork, and

Leadership | 47
trusted member. Are you familiar with the term “troll”? It is often used to identify someone who is not a member
of an online group or community; does not share the values and beliefs of the group; and posts a message in
an online discussion board to initiate flame wars, cause disruption, or otherwise challenge the group members.
Members often use words to respond to the challenge that are not otherwise common in the discussions, and
the less than flattering descriptions of the troll are a rallying point.
Groups have existed throughout human history and continue to follow familiar patterns across emerging
venues as we adapt to technology, computer-mediated interaction, suburban sprawl, and modern life. We need
groups, and groups need us. Our relationship with groups warrants attention on this interdependence as we
come to know our communities, our world, and ourselves.

48 | Chapter 19: Group Communication, Teamwork, and Leadership