Business communication essentials : a skills-based approach

Business Communication Essentials: A Skills-Based Approach
Title Page
Copyright
Contents in Brief
Contents
Real-Time Updates—Learn More
Preface
Dedication
Prologue
PART 1: Business Communication Foundations
	Chapter 1: Professional Communication in Today’s Digital, Social, Mobile World
		LEARNING OBJECTIVES
		Communication Matters . . .
		Understanding Why Communication Matters
			COMMUNICATION IS IMPORTANT TO YOUR CAREER
			COMMUNICATION IS IMPORTANT TO YOUR COMPANY
			WHAT MAKES BUSINESS COMMUNICATION EFFECTIVE?
		Communicating as a Professional
			UNDERSTANDING WHAT EMPLOYERS EXPECT FROM YOU
			COMMUNICATING IN AN ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT
			ADOPTING AN AUDIENCE-CENTERED APPROACH
		Exploring the Communication Process
			THE BASIC COMMUNICATION MODEL
			THE SOCIAL COMMUNICATION MODEL
		The Mobile Revolution
			THE RISE OF MOBILE AS A COMMUNICATION PLATFORM
			HOW MOBILE TECHNOLOGIES ARE CHANGING BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
		Committing to Ethical Communication
			DISTINGUISHING ETHICAL DILEMMAS FROM ETHICAL LAPSES
			MAKING ETHICAL CHOICES
		Communicating in a World of Diversity
			THE ADVANTAGES AND CHALLENGES OF A DIVERSE WORKFORCE
			KEY ASPECTS OF CULTURAL DIVERSITY
			ADVICE FOR IMPROVING INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION
		Using Technology to Improve Business Communication
			KEEPING TECHNOLOGY IN PERSPECTIVE
			USING TOOLS PRODUCTIVELY
			GUARDING AGAINST INFORMATION OVERLOAD
			RECONNECTING WITH PEOPLE FREQUENTLY
		Chapter Review and Activities
		Test Your Knowledge
		Apply Your Knowledge
		Practice Your Skills
		Expand Your Skills
		Improve Your Grammar, Mechanics, and Usage
		Endnotes
	Chapter 2: Collaboration, Interpersonal Communication, and Business Etiquette
		LEARNING OBJECTIVES
		Communication Matters . . .
		Communicating Effectively in Teams
			ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF TEAMS
			CHARACTERISTICS OF EFFECTIVE TEAMS
		Collaborating on Communication Efforts
			GUIDELINES FOR COLLABORATIVE WRITING
			TECHNOLOGIES FOR COLLABORATIVE WRITING
			GIVING—AND RESPONDING TO—CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK
		Making Your Meetings More Productive
			PREPARING FOR MEETINGS
			CONDUCTING AND CONTRIBUTING TO EFFICIENT MEETINGS
			PUTTING MEETING RESULTS TO PRODUCTIVE USE
			USING MEETING TECHNOLOGIES
		Improving Your Listening Skills
			RECOGNIZING VARIOUS TYPES OF LISTENING
			UNDERSTANDING THE LISTENING PROCESS
			OVERCOMING BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE LISTENING
		Improving Your Nonverbal Communication Skills
		Developing Your Business Etiquette
			BUSINESS ETIQUETTE IN THE WORKPLACE
			BUSINESS ETIQUETTE IN SOCIAL SETTINGS
			BUSINESS ETIQUETTE ONLINE
			BUSINESS ETIQUETTE USING MOBILE DEVICES
		Chapter Review and Activities
		Test Your Knowledge
		Apply Your Knowledge
		Practice Your Skills
		Expand Your Skills
		Improve Your Grammar, Mechanics, and Usage
		Endnotes
PART 2: The Three-Step Writing Process
	Chapter 3: Planning Business Messages
		LEARNING OBJECTIVES
		Communication Matters . . .
		Understanding the Three-Step Writing Process
		Analyzing the Situation
			DEFINING YOUR PURPOSE
			DEVELOPING AN AUDIENCE PROFILE
		Gathering Information
			UNCOVERING AUDIENCE NEEDS
			PROVIDING REQUIRED INFORMATION
		Selecting the Best Combination of Media and Channels
			THE MOST COMMON MEDIA AND CHANNEL OPTIONS
			FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN CHOOSING MEDIA AND CHANNELS
		Organizing Your Message
			DEFINING YOUR MAIN IDEA
			LIMITING YOUR SCOPE
			CHOOSING BETWEEN DIRECT AND INDIRECT APPROACHES
			OUTLINING YOUR CONTENT
			BUILDING READER INTEREST WITH STORYTELLING TECHNIQUES
		Chapter Review and Activities
		Test Your Knowledge
		Apply Your Knowledge
		Practice Your Skills
		Expand Your Skills
		Improve Your Grammar, Mechanics, and Usage
		Endnotes
	Chapter 4: Writing Business Messages
		LEARNING OBJECTIVES
		Communication Matters . . .
		Adapting to Your Audience: Being Sensitive to Your Audience’s Needs
			ADOPTING THE “YOU” ATTITUDE
			MAINTAINING STANDARDS OF ETIQUETTE
			EMPHASIZING THE POSITIVE
			USING BIAS-FREE LANGUAGE
		Adapting to Your Audience: Building Strong Relationships
			ESTABLISHING YOUR CREDIBILITY
			PROJECTING YOUR COMPANY’S IMAGE
		Adapting to Your Audience: Controlling Your Style and Tone
			CREATING A CONVERSATIONAL TONE
			USING PLAIN LANGUAGE
			SELECTING ACTIVE OR PASSIVE VOICE
		Composing Your Message: Choosing Powerful Words
			BALANCING ABSTRACT AND CONCRETE WORDS
			FINDING WORDS THAT COMMUNICATE WELL
		Composing Your Message: Creating Effective Sentences
			CHOOSING FROM THE FOUR TYPES OF SENTENCES
			USING SENTENCE STYLE TO EMPHASIZE KEY THOUGHTS
		Composing Your Message: Crafting Coherent Paragraphs
			CREATING THE ELEMENTS OF A PARAGRAPH
			DEVELOPING PARAGRAPHS
		Writing Messages for Mobile Devices
		Chapter Review and Activities
		Test Your Knowledge
		Apply Your Knowledge
		Practice Your Skills
		Expand Your Skills
		Improve Your Grammar, Mechanics, and Usage
		Endnotes
	Chapter 5: Completing Business Messages
		LEARNING OBJECTIVES
		Communication Matters . . .
		Revising Your Message: Evaluating the First Draft
			EVALUATING YOUR CONTENT, ORGANIZATION, AND TONE
			EVALUATING, EDITING, AND REVISING THE WORK OF OTHER WRITERS
		Revising to Improve Readability
			VARYING SENTENCE LENGTH
			KEEPING YOUR PARAGRAPHS SHORT
			USING LISTS AND BULLETS TO CLARIFY AND EMPHASIZE
			ADDING HEADINGS AND SUBHEADINGS
		Editing for Clarity and Conciseness
			EDITING FOR CLARITY
			EDITING FOR CONCISENESS
		Producing Your Message
			DESIGNING FOR READABILITY
			DESIGNING MESSAGES FOR MOBILE DEVICES
		Proofreading Your Message
		Distributing Your Message
		Chapter Review and Activities
		Test Your Knowledge
		Apply Your Knowledge
		Practice Your Skills
		Expand Your Skills
		Improve Your Grammar, Mechanics, and Usage
		Endnotes
PART 3: Brief Business Messages
	Chapter 6: Crafting Messages for Digital Channels
		LEARNING OBJECTIVES
		Communication Matters . . .
		Digital Channels for Business Communication
			MEDIA CHOICES FOR BRIEF MESSAGES
			COMPOSITIONAL MODES FOR DIGITAL MEDIA
			CREATING CONTENT FOR SOCIAL MEDIA
			OPTIMIZING CONTENT FOR MOBILE DEVICES
		Social Networks
			BUSINESS COMMUNICATION USES OF SOCIAL NETWORKS
			STRATEGIES FOR BUSINESS COMMUNICATION ON SOCIAL NETWORKS
		Information and Media Sharing Sites
			USER-GENERATED CONTENT SITES
			CONTENT CURATION SITES
			COMMUNITY Q&A SITES
		Email
			PLANNING EMAIL MESSAGES
			WRITING EMAIL MESSAGES
			COMPLETING EMAIL MESSAGES
		Instant Messaging and Text Messaging
			UNDERSTANDING THE BENEFITS AND RISKS OF IM
			ADAPTING THE THREE-STEP PROCESS FOR SUCCESSFUL IM
		Blogging and Microblogging
			UNDERSTANDING THE BUSINESS APPLICATIONS OF BLOGGING
			ADAPTING THE THREE-STEP PROCESS FOR SUCCESSFUL BLOGGING
			MICROBLOGGING
		Podcasting
		Chapter Review and Activities
		Test Your Knowledge
		Apply Your Knowledge
		Practice Your Skills
		Expand Your Skills
		Improve Your Grammar, Mechanics, and Usage
		Endnotes
	Chapter 7: Writing Routine and Positive Messages
		LEARNING OBJECTIVES
		Communication Matters . . .
		Strategy for Routine Requests
			STATING YOUR REQUEST UP FRONT
			EXPLAINING AND JUSTIFYING YOUR REQUEST
			REQUESTING SPECIFIC ACTION IN A COURTEOUS CLOSE
		Common Examples of Routine Requests
			ASKING FOR INFORMATION OR ACTION
			ASKING FOR RECOMMENDATIONS
			MAKING CLAIMS AND REQUESTING ADJUSTMENTS
		Strategy for Routine Replies and Positive Messages
			STARTING WITH THE MAIN IDEA
			PROVIDING NECESSARY DETAILS AND EXPLANATION
			ENDING WITH A COURTEOUS CLOSE
		Common Examples of Routine Replies and Positive Messages
			ANSWERING REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION OR ACTION
			GRANTING CLAIMS AND REQUESTS FOR ADJUSTMENT
			PROVIDING RECOMMENDATIONS AND REFERENCES
			SHARING ROUTINE INFORMATION
			ANNOUNCING GOOD NEWS
			FOSTERING GOODWILL
		Chapter Review and Activities
		Test Your Knowledge
		Apply Your Knowledge
		Practice Your Skills
		Expand Your Skills
		Improve Your Grammar, Mechanics, and Usage
		Endnotes
	Chapter 8: Writing Negative Messages
		LEARNING OBJECTIVES
		Communication Matters . . .
		Using the Three-Step Writing Process for Negative Messages
			STEP 1: PLANNING NEGATIVE MESSAGES
			STEP 2: WRITING NEGATIVE MESSAGES
			STEP 3: COMPLETING NEGATIVE MESSAGES
		Using the Direct Approach for Negative Messages
			OPENING WITH A CLEAR STATEMENT OF THE BAD NEWS
			PROVIDING REASONS AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
			CLOSING ON A RESPECTFUL NOTE
		Using the Indirect Approach for Negative Messages
			OPENING WITH A BUFFER
			PROVIDING REASONS AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
			CONTINUING WITH A CLEAR STATEMENT OF THE BAD NEWS
			CLOSING ON A RESPECTFUL NOTE
		Sending Negative Messages on Routine Business Matters
			MAKING NEGATIVE ANNOUNCEMENTS ON ROUTINE BUSINESS MATTERS
			REJECTING SUGGESTIONS AND PROPOSALS
			REFUSING ROUTINE REQUESTS
			HANDLING BAD NEWS ABOUT TRANSACTIONS
			REFUSING CLAIMS AND REQUESTS FOR ADJUSTMENT
		Sending Negative Employment Messages
			REFUSING REQUESTS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS
			REFUSING SOCIAL NETWORKING RECOMMENDATION REQUESTS
			REJECTING JOB APPLICATIONS
			GIVING NEGATIVE PERFORMANCE REVIEWS
			TERMINATING EMPLOYMENT
		Sending Negative Organizational News
		Responding to Negative Information in a Social Media Environment
		Chapter Review and Activities
		Test Your Knowledge
		Apply Your Knowledge
		Practice Your Skills
		Expand Your Skills
		Improve Your Grammar, Mechanics, and Usage
		Endnotes
	Chapter 9: Writing Persuasive Messages
		LEARNING OBJECTIVES
		Communication Matters . . .
		Using the Three-Step Writing Process for Persuasive Messages
			STEP 1: PLANNING PERSUASIVE MESSAGES
			STEP 2: WRITING PERSUASIVE MESSAGES
			STEP 3: COMPLETING PERSUASIVE MESSAGES
		Developing Persuasive Business Messages
			FRAMING YOUR ARGUMENTS
			BALANCING EMOTIONAL AND LOGICAL APPEALS
			REINFORCING YOUR POSITION
			ANTICIPATING OBJECTIONS
			AVOIDING COMMON MISTAKES IN PERSUASIVE COMMUNICATION
		Common Examples of Persuasive Business Messages
			PERSUASIVE REQUESTS FOR ACTION
			PERSUASIVE PRESENTATION OF IDEAS
			PERSUASIVE CLAIMS AND REQUESTS FOR ADJUSTMENTS
		Developing Marketing and Sales Messages
			PLANNING MARKETING AND SALES MESSAGES
			WRITING CONVENTIONAL MARKETING AND SALES MESSAGES
			WRITING PROMOTIONAL MESSAGES FOR SOCIAL MEDIA
			CREATING PROMOTIONAL MESSAGES FOR MOBILE DEVICES
			MAINTAINING HIGH ETHICAL AND LEGAL STANDARDS
		Chapter Review and Activities
		Test Your Knowledge
		Apply Your Knowledge
		Practice Your Skills
		Expand Your Skills
		Improve Your Grammar, Mechanics, and Usage
		Endnotes
PART 4: Longer Business Messages
	Chapter 10: Understanding and Planning Reports and Proposals
		LEARNING OBJECTIVES
		Communication Matters . . .
		Applying the Three-Step Writing Process to Reports and Proposals
			ANALYZING THE SITUATION
			GATHERING INFORMATION
			SELECTING THE RIGHT COMBINATION OF MEDIA AND CHANNELS
			ORGANIZING YOUR INFORMATION
		Supporting Your Messages with Reliable Information
			PLANNING YOUR RESEARCH
			LOCATING DATA AND INFORMATION
			EVALUATING INFORMATION SOURCES
			USING YOUR RESEARCH RESULTS
		Conducting Secondary Research
			FINDING INFORMATION AT A LIBRARY
			FINDING INFORMATION ONLINE
			DOCUMENTING YOUR SOURCES
		Conducting Primary Research
			CONDUCTING SURVEYS
			CONDUCTING INTERVIEWS
		Planning Informational Reports
			ORGANIZING INFORMATIONAL REPORTS
			ORGANIZING WEBSITE CONTENT
		Planning Analytical Reports
			FOCUSING ON CONCLUSIONS
			FOCUSING ON RECOMMENDATIONS
			FOCUSING ON LOGICAL ARGUMENTS
		Planning Proposals
		Chapter Review and Activities
		Test Your Knowledge
		Apply Your Knowledge
		Practice Your Skills
		Expand Your Skills
		Improve Your Grammar, Mechanics, and Usage
		Endnotes
	Chapter 11: Writing and Completing Reports and Proposals
		LEARNING OBJECTIVES
		Communication Matters . . .
		Writing Reports and Proposals
			ADAPTING TO YOUR AUDIENCE
			DRAFTING REPORT CONTENT
			DRAFTING PROPOSAL CONTENT
		Writing for Websites and Wikis
			DRAFTING WEBSITE CONTENT
			COLLABORATING ON WIKIS
		Illustrating Your Reports with Effective Visuals
			CHOOSING THE RIGHT VISUAL FOR THE JOB
			DESIGNING EFFECTIVE VISUALS
		Completing Reports and Proposals
			PRODUCING FORMAL REPORTS AND PROPOSALS
			DISTRIBUTING REPORTS AND PROPOSALS
		Chapter Review and Activities
		Test Your Knowledge
		Apply Your Knowledge
		Practice Your Skills
		Expand Your Skills
		Improve Your Grammar, Mechanics, and Usage
		Endnotes
	Chapter 12: Developing and Delivering Business Presentations
		LEARNING OBJECTIVES
		Communication Matters . . .
		Planning a Presentation
			ANALYZING THE SITUATION
			SELECTING THE BEST MEDIA AND CHANNELS
			ORGANIZING A PRESENTATION
		Developing a Presentation
			ADAPTING TO YOUR AUDIENCE
			CRAFTING PRESENTATION CONTENT
		Enhancing Your Presentation with Effective Visuals
			CHOOSING STRUCTURED OR FREE-FORM SLIDES
			DESIGNING EFFECTIVE SLIDES
			INTEGRATING MOBILE DEVICES IN PRESENTATIONS
		Completing a Presentation
			FINALIZING YOUR SLIDES
			CREATING EFFECTIVE HANDOUTS
			CHOOSING YOUR PRESENTATION METHOD
			PRACTICING YOUR DELIVERY
		Delivering a Presentation
			OVERCOMING ANXIETY
			HANDLING QUESTIONS RESPONSIVELY
			EMBRACING THE BACKCHANNEL
			GIVING PRESENTATIONS ONLINE
		Chapter Review and Activities
		Test Your Knowledge
		Apply Your Knowledge
		Practice Your Skills
		Expand Your Skills
		Improve Your Grammar, Mechanics, and Usage
		Endnotes
PART 5: Employment Messages and Job Interviews
	Chapter 13: Building Careers and Writing Résumés
		LEARNING OBJECTIVES
		Communication Matters . . .
		Finding the Ideal Opportunity in Today’s Job Market
			WRITING THE STORY OF YOU
			LEARNING TO THINK LIKE AN EMPLOYER
			RESEARCHING INDUSTRIES AND COMPANIES OF INTEREST
			TRANSLATING YOUR GENERAL POTENTIAL INTO A SPECIFIC SOLUTION FOR EACH EMPLOYER
			TAKING THE INITIATIVE TO FIND OPPORTUNITIES
			BUILDING YOUR NETWORK
			SEEKING CAREER COUNSELING
			AVOIDING MISTAKES
		Planning Your Résumé
			ANALYZING YOUR PURPOSE AND AUDIENCE
			GATHERING PERTINENT INFORMATION
			SELECTING THE BEST MEDIA AND CHANNELS
			ORGANIZING YOUR RÉSUMÉ AROUND YOUR STRENGTHS
			ADDRESSING AREAS OF CONCERN
		Writing Your Résumé
			KEEPING YOUR RÉSUMÉ HONEST
			ADAPTING YOUR RÉSUMÉ TO YOUR AUDIENCE
			COMPOSING YOUR RÉSUMÉ
		Completing Your Résumé
			REVISING YOUR RÉSUMÉ
			PRODUCING YOUR RÉSUMÉ
			PROOFREADING YOUR RÉSUMÉ
			DISTRIBUTING YOUR RÉSUMÉ
		Chapter Review and Activities
		Test Your Knowledge
		Apply Your Knowledge
		Practice Your Skills
		Expand Your Skills
		Improve Your Grammar, Mechanics, and Usage
		Endnotes
	Chapter 14: Applying and Interviewing for Employment
		LEARNING OBJECTIVES
		Communication Matters . . .
		Submitting Your Résumé
			WRITING APPLICATION LETTERS
			FOLLOWING UP AFTER SUBMITTING A RÉSUMÉ
		Understanding the Interviewing Process
			THE TYPICAL SEQUENCE OF INTERVIEWS
			COMMON TYPES OF INTERVIEWS
			INTERVIEW MEDIA
			WHAT EMPLOYERS LOOK FOR IN AN INTERVIEW
			PREEMPLOYMENT TESTING AND BACKGROUND CHECKS
		Preparing for a Job Interview
			LEARNING ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION
			THINKING AHEAD ABOUT QUESTIONS
			BOOSTING YOUR CONFIDENCE
			POLISHING YOUR INTERVIEW STYLE
			PRESENTING A PROFESSIONAL IMAGE
			BEING READY WHEN YOU ARRIVE
		Interviewing for Success
			THE WARM-UP
			THE QUESTION-AND-ANSWER STAGE
			THE CLOSE
			INTERVIEW NOTES
		Following Up After an Interview
			FOLLOW-UP MESSAGE
			MESSAGE OF INQUIRY
			REQUEST FOR A TIME EXTENSION
			LETTER OF ACCEPTANCE
			LETTER DECLINING A JOB OFFER
			LETTER OF RESIGNATION
		Chapter Review and Activities
		Test Your Knowledge
		Apply Your Knowledge
		Practice Your Skills
		Expand Your Skills
		Improve Your Grammar, Mechanics, and Usage
		Endnotes
APPENDIX A: Format and Layout of Business Documents
	First Impressions
		PAPER
		CUSTOMIZATION
		APPEARANCE
	Letters
		STANDARD LETTER PARTS
		ADDITIONAL LETTER PARTS
		LETTER FORMATS
	Envelopes
		ADDRESSING THE ENVELOPE
		FOLDING TO FIT
		INTERNATIONAL MAIL
	Memos
	Reports
		MARGINS
		HEADINGS
		PAGE NUMBERS
	Endnotes
APPENDIX B: Documentation of Report Sources
	Chicago Humanities Style
		IN-TEXT CITATION—CHICAGO HUMANITIES STYLE
		BIBLIOGRAPHY—CHICAGO HUMANITIES STYLE
	APA Style
		IN-TEXT CITATION—APA STYLE
		LIST OF REFERENCES—APA STYLE
	MLA Style
		IN-TEXT CITATION—MLA STYLE
		LIST OF WORKS CITED—MLA STYLE
APPENDIX C: Correction Symbols
	Content and Style
	Grammar, Mechanics, and Usage
	Proofreading Marks
Handbook of Grammar, Mechanics, and Usage
	Diagnostic Test of English Skills
	Assessment of English Skills
	Essentials of Grammar, Mechanics, and Usage
	1.0 Grammar
		1.1 NOUNS
		1.2 PRONOUNS
		1.3 VERBS
		1.4 ADJECTIVES
		1.5 ADVERBS
		1.6 OTHER PARTS OF SPEECH
		1.7 SENTENCES
	2.0 Punctuation
		2.1 PERIODS
		2.2 QUESTION MARKS
		2.3 EXCLAMATION POINTS
		2.4 SEMICOLONS
		2.5 COLONS
		2.6 COMMAS
		2.7 DASHES
		2.8 HYPHENS
		2.9 APOSTROPHES
		2.10 QUOTATION MARKS
		2.11 PARENTHESES AND BRACKETS
		2.12 ELLIPSES
	3.0 Mechanics
		3.1 CAPITALIZATION
		3.2 UNDERSCORES AND ITALICS
		3.3 ABBREVIATIONS
		3.4 NUMBERS
		3.5 WORD DIVISION
	4.0 Vocabulary
		4.1 FREQUENTLY CONFUSED WORDS
		4.2 FREQUENTLY MISUSED WORDS
		4.3 FREQUENTLY MISSPELLED WORDS
		4.4 TRANSITIONAL WORDS AND PHRASES
	Practice Session Answers
Answer Keys
Index