FOR THE USE OF UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX STUDENTS AND FACULTY ONLY.
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION, SALE, OR REPRINTING.
ANY AND ALL UNAUTHORIZED USE IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED.
Copyright © 2014 by SAGE Publications, Inc.
Chapter Outline
Chapter Objectives
The Importance of Written
Communication 204
After studying this chapter, you should be able to:
Types of Written Communication
KEYS to Excellence in Written
Communication 229
Executive Summary
Discussion Questions
Terms to Remember
230
231
231
207
1. Understand the impact of written communication
on professional excellence
2. Understand the different indirect messages sent
with written communication
3. Identify different types of written communication
4. Utilize the KEYS approach to achieve
professional excellence regarding written
communication
FOR THE USE OF UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX STUDENTS AND FACULTY ONLY.
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION, SALE, OR REPRINTING.
ANY AND ALL UNAUTHORIZED USE IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED.
Copyright © 2014 by SAGE Publications, Inc.
chapter 9
Business and
Professional Writing
George Raab found out the hard way that there can be no
expectation of privacy for workplace e-mail accounts. Raab, a
former chief financial officer for the New York City Education Department, was caught
using his city e-mail account to line up a future job at a private firm and to manage his
real estate holdings, all while still employed by the city (Chapman & Monahan, 2011).
The city Conflict of Interest Board fined Raab $6,500 for misuse of city resources.
The ensuing investigation found other issues of corruption as well. Investigators also
concluded that Raab had paid a former colleague from a private firm upwards of
$375,000 to perform new-age hypnosis to boost morale in the Education Department.
The findings sparked a major controversy in the city and caused major problems for the
Education Department, as accusations of corruption were leveled at the entire office.
Even though Raab had left his position and paid the fine, the department was still left
to deal with a public relations disaster.
While most people today have private e-mail accounts, many jobs in the professional
workplace require that employees have another e-mail account with the company to
conduct business. Also, many companies require that employees sign an agreement
acknowledging that employee e-mails are the property of the company and can
be investigated at any time. This can become dangerous when employees misuse
workplace e-mail for personal reasons, or for anything not related to business. Even
electronic messages to other coworkers that are critical of a boss or the company in
203
204
FOR THE USE OF UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX STUDENTS AND FACULTY ONLY.
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION, SALE, OR REPRINTING.
ANY AND ALL UNAUTHORIZED USE IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED.
PART IV. EXCELLING IN THE WORKPLACE
Copyright © 2014 by SAGE Publications, Inc.
general can be damaging and possibly lead to job termination. That stories such as
Raab’s are still common in the news indicates that many people need to understand
how to communicate with writing in a professional manner.
Writing with professional excellence is another important aspect of succeeding in the
workplace. Many jobs will require that you communicate through writing as part of your
day-to-day responsibilities. It is important to note that e-mail is not the only medium
you are expected to be familiar with; business letters, memos, employee reviews, and
proposals or reports also carry the need to write effectively. In this chapter, you will
learn more about the types of written communication expected from you, as well as how
to be an effective writer at work.
I
n this chapter, we explore the importance of written communication as it connects to
professional excellence. All the chapters in this book have focused on human communication. We have spent a great deal of time emphasizing the importance of culture in the workplace, interpersonal relationships, team communication, leadership, and
communication and technology. These topics are essential to your study of business and
professional communication. Further, human relationships are essential as you enter, excel
in, and survive in your career. Yet our study of business and professional communication
is not complete without attention to written communication. In Chapter 4, we reviewed
a number of written communication essentials, such as cover letters and résumés, in the
process of getting the job. Now we will turn our attention to some basic principles for
excellence in all types of written communication. In addition, we will cover some specific
types of written communication that you are likely to encounter on the job. What types
of written communication skills do you think you may use on the job? What can you do
on the job regarding your written communication that will ensure professional excellence?
The Importance
p
of Written Communication
What would you do if you were hired for a new position that required you to communicate in a variety of styles and formats? Written communication can challenge professionals
entering a variety of positions, regardless of industry. We point this out because many
readers of this text may have some of the same concerns as Yolanda (discussed later in this
chapter). How do I select the correct format to get the message out? Is it appropriate for
me to send this document via e-mail? What tone should I strive for in this message? How
much detail about the new company initiative should I include in the press release? How
should the memo be organized? Indeed, these questions about written communication that
are emerging as you take this course may continue to present a challenge as you transition
into your career or excel as a professional.
Written communication is important for the following reasons: (1) Official documents,
memos, e-mail, and other forms of written communication reveal something about you as a
professional; (2) important policies, requests, and organizational procedures are conveyed
through written communication; (3) proposals, employee terminations, media relations,
FOR THE USE OF UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX STUDENTS AND FACULTY ONLY.
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION, SALE, OR REPRINTING.
ANY AND ALL UNAUTHORIZED USE IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED.
Chapter
Copyright © 2014 by SAGE Publications,
Inc. 9. Business and Professional Writing
and the like are achieved with written communication; and (4) written communication must
be present in order to achieve professional
excellence. To address these important topics,
let’s take a look at ways to strive for written
communication excellence.
Striving for Written
Communication Excellence
So how do you develop excellence in written communication? In this section, we review
some strategies that will help your development: message structure, message clarity, and
message presentation.
Written communication and organizational skills are critical in
managing large amounts of information in today’s business and
professional world.
Message Structure
The good news is, the principles you learned for developing an excellent presentation
are the same principles you need for developing excellent written communication. Excellent written communication begins with a clear general purpose, a clear specific purpose
or thesis, and clear organization. Begin by asking yourself, “What is the purpose of this
written communication? Am I presenting new information? Am I clarifying? Am I requesting? Am I persuading?” Once you have identified your general purpose, ask yourself, “What
is the key message I want my audience to take away from this e-mail, report, or memo?”
By answering this question, you will have identified your specific purpose or thesis statement. From there, you can begin organizing your message. We strongly recommend that
you develop an outline before you begin writing. This outline will help you determine
the organizational structure of your message. Remember this: Poor organization will lead
to ineffective communication. Simply put, if the reader cannot follow your message, the
reader cannot understand your message.
Message Clarity
Developing clear organization is the first step to message clarity. However, clear organization alone does not guarantee that your message will be clear. To maximize message
clarity, you must evaluate your audience and avoid generalities.
As with all forms of communication, excellence in written communication requires
you to evaluate your audience. Ask yourself, “Who will read this written document?” In
many cases, you will have both a primary audience—the person or persons the message
is addressed to—and a secondary audience—other readers who may need or use this
information. Keep all readers in mind as you draft your message. Consider details such as
the reader’s place in the organization (supervisor, employee, customer), his or her level of
understanding (both educational level and experience in your industry), and the amount
of interest and involvement with the topic at hand. This evaluation will help you determine
if jargon can be used and if background information is needed.
205
206
FOR THE USE OF UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX STUDENTS AND FACULTY ONLY.
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION, SALE, OR REPRINTING.
ANY AND ALL UNAUTHORIZED USE IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED.
PART IV. EXCELLING IN THE WORKPLACE
Copyright © 2014 by SAGE Publications, Inc.
Know Yourself Writing Startup Sheet
T following startup sheet will help you gain a better understanding of your own writing. Answer each question thoughtThe
fully, and then reflect on the results. How can this knowledge help you be a better communicator?
fu
Audience
1. Who is my primary reader/audience? Who else will be reading this?
__________________________________________________________________
2. Did I provide the necessary information?
__________________________________________________________________
3. How does the information relate to the reader/audience?
__________________________________________________________________
4. How does my reader/audience feel about this information/subject?
__________________________________________________________________
Purpose
5. The purpose of this written communication is to __________ so that my audience will ____________.
Delivery
6. What’s the best channel for this message? Hard copy? E-mail? Phone? In person?
7. When should I send this message?
Would you find the writing startup sheet useful in a professional setting? What types of written communication are you
the most concerned about?
Source: Adapted from Lindsell-Roberts (2004, p. 24).
Message clarity is also achieved by using specific language as opposed to general
language (Bly, 1999; Travers, 2012). General language is usually characterized as vague
statements that can easily be misunderstood, whereas specific language makes precise
references. For example, Dr. Jones could write the general statement that she has excellent
patient satisfaction scores, or she could make the specific, clearer claim that 97% of her
patients reported the highest level of satisfaction. During a reprimand, the manager could
write, “You need to return from lunch in a timely fashion.” But his message would be much
clearer if he specifically wrote, “You must return from lunch by 1:00 p.m.”
Message Presentation
In addition to considering message structure and message clarity, you must consider
message presentation. Unlike spoken communication, there is a lasting visual element to
FOR THE USE OF UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX STUDENTS AND FACULTY ONLY.
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION, SALE, OR REPRINTING.
ANY AND ALL UNAUTHORIZED USE IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED.
Chapter
Copyright © 2014 by SAGE Publications,
Inc. 9. Business and Professional Writing
your written communication. Message presentation refers to that visual component. Carelessly written communication will send the message that you are a careless employee or
leader. With spelling and grammar check, as well as good old-fashioned proofreading,
typos (mistakes in typing), misspellings (mistakes in spelling), and grammar errors
(sentence fragments, inappropriate use of punctuation, etc.) can be corrected. Just as a
typo on your résumé can lose you a job, a typo on a report can cause you to lose credibility. Misspellings, typos, and sending something to the wrong department are all roadblocks
to professional excellence. As the KEYS approach has taught you, know yourself. For some
of you, knowing yourself will mean realizing that you are not very good at editing your
own work. Many of us who are good at editing others’ work struggle to edit our own work.
If that is the case, get a colleague to proofread your document before sending it out.
To achieve professional excellence, your documents and e-mails should be typed in
black ink and should be legible. In addition, your typeface must be dark enough to read.
Documents with poor ink quality look unprofessional and are ineffective.
In addition to the preceding tips for written communication, we recommend using a
writing startup sheet—a list of questions that encourage the writer to think about audience, purpose, key issues, and delivery.
Types
yp of Written Communication
What types of written communication will you encounter as a professional? While the
various types of business letters, memos, e-mails, and the like depend on the industry you
work in, it’s important for you to be prepared and begin to form a toolbox from which to
work as a professional. In the sections that follow, we cover the following types of written communication: business letters, employee review letters, recommendation letters,
thank-you letters, memos, proposals and reports, planning documents, press releases,
and e-mail.
Business Letters
The business letter is
used to communicate formal matters in business, jurisprudence, or otherwise. You
will use this form of correspondence when you want to write a cover letter to
accompany your résumé, write a letter announcing business news to colleagues
outside your company, or notify vendors of a change in your ordering procedures.
(Bly, 1999, p. 21)
As you strive for professional excellence, remember that business letters, when not composed appropriately, can be ineffective and lead to miscommunication.
Have you ever received a letter that did not keep your attention? What reaction do you
have when your name is misspelled in a document? Review the following examples to help
you get started. To begin, we’ve included a basic business letter template, followed by an
actual example that includes a price quote for services (see Sample 9.1).
207
208
FOR THE USE OF UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX STUDENTS AND FACULTY ONLY.
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION, SALE, OR REPRINTING.
ANY AND ALL UNAUTHORIZED USE IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED.
PART IV. EXCELLING IN THE WORKPLACE
Copyright © 2014 by SAGE Publications, Inc.
Sample 9.1 Business Letter With Price Quote
XYZ Corporation
650 Wayward Avenue
Houston, TX 73850
(Letterhead)
September 23, 2012 (Date)
ABC Global Services (Address of the recipient)
PO Box 32555
Tyrone, PA 16801
Dear Mr. Stobbs, (Opening/greeting)
XYZ proposes to furnish all necessary labor, supervision, materials, tools, and equipment for the installation of
the electrical work for the above referenced project, as detailed herein, in accordance with our interpretations of the
intent of the design for the Lump Sum price of Fourteen Thousand Six Hundred Forty Nine Dollars and No Cents. . . .
$14,649.00.
Breakdown:
1. Labor:
2. Material:
$1,068.00
$13,581.00
Scope of work:
1. Furnish and install:
a. Battery Monitoring System
b. (1) Duplex Receptacle in computer room
c. (1) Cat 5E cable from UPS to computer room
Clarifications:
1. All work to be based on straight time first shift.
2. Due to rising cost of materials and/or labor, we reserve the right to adjust this proposal if not accepted within
thirty (30) days of the above date.
Respectfully yours, (Closing)
Cheryl Banks
Cheryl Banks
Project Manager
In addition to providing price quotes for services with business letters, you will also
communicate with other departments and businesses. Below is a downsizing letter
(Sample 9.2) used to inform other businesses about skilled employees available for employment due to company downsizing (e.g., layoffs, fired employees).
Employee Reviews
Written communication is central to providing feedback to employees regarding job performance. Employee reviews serve as a form of written communication used in business
FOR THE USE OF UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX STUDENTS AND FACULTY ONLY.
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION, SALE, OR REPRINTING.
ANY AND ALL UNAUTHORIZED USE IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED.
Chapter
Copyright © 2014 by SAGE Publications,
Inc. 9. Business and Professional Writing
Sample 9.2 Business Letter for Employee Downsizing
ABC Global Services
PO Box 32555
Tyrone, PA 16801
April 25, 2012
Dear Fellow Employer:
As you may know, Company ABC has announced a plan that will enhance workforce operations and safety.
Part of the plan has entailed restructuring the Company ABC workforce. This transition will better the business in
a competitive global market. As a result, about 400 dedicated and skilled employees will be separated and ready
for employment with your company as early as January. This workforce has been successful in producing the best
results in Company ABC history in areas such as productivity, quality, safety, and customer service.
These employees have extensive experience in a variety of areas and have been trained in Customer Service
Excellence, Team Work Efficiency, Statistical Process Control (SPC), and Employee Motivation Programs. This is a
world-class workforce. They are highly motivated, safety conscious, and have broad experience in a wide variety of
disciplines.
To assist our employees in their transition to new careers, we have established a Career Resource Center at the
Phoenix Community Center, which will be operational from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, for several months. If you have employment opportunities available, I encourage you to contact our Career Resource Center
by calling 814-444-1234. If we are not available, please leave a voice message or send an e-mail to TurnoverTeam@
CRC.com. We will be happy to assist you by sending résumés, posting job opportunities, and/or setting up interviews.
You can be assured that inquiries will be handled promptly and confidentially. Thank you for your consideration.
We look forward to assisting you in achieving your employment goals.
Sincerely,
Paul Stobbs
Paul Stobbs
Human Resources Director
and professional settings to provide feedback to employees about how they are performing on the job. These reviews are typically filed with personnel documents. Written communication related to employee reviews must be accurate and reflect actual employee
performance. Remember, this type of document should be utilized carefully to document
positive performance and areas for the employee to improve. If an employee is a candidate
for mandatory leave, an improvement plan, or termination, these review documents must
be used to document a pattern of employee performance. Further, employee review documents serve as a method of informing employees how to improve on the job.
Recommendation Letters
In addition to employee reviews, another type of letter that is commonplace across
industries and academic disciplines is the recommendation letter—a form of written
communication used to provide a documented reference for students and professionals.
209
210
FOR THE USE OF UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX STUDENTS AND FACULTY ONLY.
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION, SALE, OR REPRINTING.
ANY AND ALL UNAUTHORIZED USE IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED.
PART IV. EXCELLING IN THE WORKPLACE
Copyright © 2014 by SAGE Publications, Inc.
Your Communication Interaction Employee Review Letter
Read the passage below, and then answer the questions. As you read, think about ways the KEYS approach could help
you improve your communication interaction (in this case, written communication in the form of an annual evaluation) if
you were in Samantha’s position.
[COMPANY STATIONERY]
ANNUAL FACULTY REVIEW
March 1, 2012
Dr. Colt Holcomb, Assistant Professor of Communication
To:
Personnel Annual Review File
From: Samantha Newday, Chair
Richard Blue, Assistant Chair
Department of Communication
This review is for the 2012 calendar year. As per the College personnel policy, any additions or corrections to this
review may be added to the file by Dr. Holcomb.
*ACADEMIC PREPARATION
Dr. Holcomb earned his PhD from the University of Jackson in May 2005. His areas of specialization include
communication and new media.
*EXPERIENCE
Dr. Holcomb has been employed as an assistant professor of Communication since August of 2006.
*TEACHING
Dr. Holcomb taught during the Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters of 2012. Specifically, he taught COMM 5399:
Race, Gender, and Class in Media; COMM 3380: Media and Technology (two sections); COMM 3340: Public
Relations Techniques; COMM 3311: Nonverbal Communication; and COMM 1315: Public Speaking (five sections).
He also taught two sections of COMM 3330: Techniques of Persuasion, which were stacked for graduate credit with
COMM 5311. In addition, he supervised one graduate- and one undergraduate-directed individual study. Three of
these courses were new preparations for Dr. Holcomb.
As indicated by his overall instructor scores, all of Dr. Holcomb’s item scores were below the College goal of 4.0. His
overall instructor means ranged from 3.74 to 3.87. Dr. Holcomb is dedicated to teaching but has been receiving
A letter of recommendation is needed when a college/university or employer requests one,
and it’s something that many, if not all, of the readers of this text will need throughout
their careers. Your professors are asked to write many recommendation letters for current
and past students. Your careful preparation will help your professor write the best letter
FOR THE USE OF UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX STUDENTS AND FACULTY ONLY.
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION, SALE, OR REPRINTING.
ANY AND ALL UNAUTHORIZED USE IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED.
Chapter
Copyright © 2014 by SAGE Publications,
Inc. 9. Business and Professional Writing
below-average scores. Dr. Holcomb focuses on student learning as he designs his courses. His inclusion of service
learning in several of his courses increases his workload but enhances the student learning experience. His oral and
written student evaluations demonstrate that the students enjoy this approach despite challenging assignments. He
attributes the below-average instructor scores to course rigor.
*INSTITUTIONAL, COMMUNITY, AND/OR PROFESSIONAL SERVICE
In terms of professional service, Dr. Holcomb served on the editorial boards for Communication Teacher, Georgia
Speech Communication Journal, and Basic Communication Course Annual.
*SCHOLARLY/CREATIVE ACTIVITIES
Dr. Holcomb had a productive year in terms of scholarly activity. In the area of refereed journal articles, he had
three pieces in various stages of publication. His piece “Visual Communication Research” was published in Visual
Communication during 2012. He had a second article in press in Communication Monographs. Finally, he was
working on a revise and resubmit for an article in Human Communication Research.
Dr. Holcomb also remained active by presenting three papers and two panel presentations at the National
Communication Association’s Annual Conference in Chicago.
Dr. Holcomb exceeded his scholarship goals for 2012. For 2013, he plans to revise and resubmit his article for
Management Communication Quarterly.
*SUMMARY
Dr. Holcomb’s performance is average. His teaching evaluations are below the College goal. His service to the profession is acceptable. Dr. Holcomb’s scholarship is exemplary. He is scheduled to participate in a teaching development circle to try to improve his teaching evaluation scores.
Questions to Consider
1. Do you think this is an effective evaluation? Why or why not?
2. Is the feedback on this evaluation specific?
3. Does Samantha Newday give Dr. Holcomb clear information on future expectations or ways to improve?
4. How could the KEYS approach improve this communication interaction?
possible. You as a student must take responsibility and initiative in the letter-writing process. Although professors will vary in their preferences, Tables 9.1 and 9.2 offer some tips.
See Sample 9.3 for an example of a recommendation written by a professor for a student
applying for a professional position.
211
212
FOR THE USE OF UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX STUDENTS AND FACULTY ONLY.
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION, SALE, OR REPRINTING.
ANY AND ALL UNAUTHORIZED USE IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED.
PART IV. EXCELLING IN THE WORKPLACE
Copyright © 2014 by SAGE Publications, Inc.
Ethical Connection Andrea’s Trouble With Plagiarism
Please read the passage below, and answer the questions that follow.
Andrea is a graduate assistant in her final semester at the university. She has never been an excellent writer, and
her job required her to make significant contributions to an academic paper being published by the university.
When Andrea found her contributions to be entirely too short, she took large sections from another article, which
was already published, to meet the page requirements. While she did not simply copy and paste entire sections into
her paper, she made only trivial changes to the wording and did not give proper credit to the original article’s author.
Andrea was incredibly surprised when she was informed the university was letting her go. When she talked with the
head of her department, Dr. Jones, he said that he was familiar with the paper she got her information from and
considered it plagiarism since there were no citations. Dr. Jones also informed Andrea that it would be hard for her
to find employment at another university with a plagiarism charge on her record.
Questions to Consider
1. What ethical boundaries did Andrea cross by taking research from another paper?
2. Why would a charge of plagiarism hurt Andrea’s chances of finding another job at a university?
3. How could Andrea have avoided this outcome through the decisions she made about her writing?
4. Using the KEYS process, explain what steps Andrea could have taken to become a more effective writer.
Thank-You Letters
In our consulting practice, we encourage professionals at all levels across industries to set
a goal for using thank-you letters—written communication used to express appreciation
to coworkers and clients. With the intensity of e-mail, text messages, and all the information professionals manage, it’s easy to forget a simple thank you. Thank-you letters can
be sent via e-mail (which is great for delivery speed), but think about how impressive it is
to actually receive a handwritten note. We encourage you to keep professional thank-you
cards in your work area to write letters or notes of appreciation. In addition to thank-you
letters helping you achieve professional excellence on the job, they can also be used as
networking notes—a form of thank-you letter used to remind employers of your interview and to emphasize that you’re the right person for the job. In fact, employers often say
that a sincere thank-you letter can give a job candidate the edge over another competing
candidate. Review the example below (Sample 9.4), and set a goal to use thank-you letters
both on the job and to network for new jobs or promotions.
Memos
Other types of written communication used in professional settings are memos. The word
memo is short for memorandum and is typically a short note or update distributed in business. Memos should be reserved for communicating information that’s critically important.
The memo format we recommend is provided in Sample 9.5.
FOR THE USE OF UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX STUDENTS AND FACULTY ONLY.
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION, SALE, OR REPRINTING.
ANY AND ALL UNAUTHORIZED USE IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED.
Chapter
Copyright © 2014 by SAGE Publications,
Inc. 9. Business and Professional Writing
Table 9.1 Ten Reasons Letters Fail
1. Poor message. The message is poorly written.
2. Insensitive salutation. The salutation is too impersonal. For example, avoid “Hey” or
just jumping right into the message.
3. Too much on one page. People often try to fit too much on one page.
4. Lack of signature. Many people forget to sign their names on letters or to include their
names in e-mail messages.
5. Spelling errors. Spelling errors harm your credibility.
6. Grammatical errors. Grammatical mistakes harm your credibility.
7. Self-absorbed sender. The letter is focused on the sender, leading the reader to lose
interest. Try to focus on “we” instead of “me.”
8. Poor font choice. The reader should not be exposed to numerous font styles and
colors.
9. Tone. The tone is not conversational.
10. Long paragraphs. The paragraphs are too long, leading the reader to lose focus.
Source: Lindsell-Roberts (2004, p. 4).
Table 9.2 Tips for Obtaining a Recommendation Letter With Professional Excellence
A. Asking the professor to write a letter of recommendation
1) Ask the professor in person.
The important words above are
•
“ask”—No professor owes you a letter. You are requesting help from that person; make your statement
in the form of a request. Be willing to take “no” for an answer.
•
“in person”—Do not put the request under an office door or leave it in a mailbox or grab the professor
in the hallway or after class. Ask the professor to write a letter when he or she will have time to discuss
this with you, preferably during posted office hours.
2) Ask if the professor would be able to write you a favorable letter of recommendation.
•
If the professor cannot honestly write a favorable letter, you will want to find another person who will.
3) Ask if the professor would be able to write you a specific letter of recommendation.
•
If the professor does not know you well enough to be specific in his or her comments, the letter will not
do you much good anyway. Ask someone else.
B. Your responsibility: What you should do for the professor
1)
Allow ample time for the professor to write the letter.
•
At least 2 weeks should be allowed.
(Continued)
213
214
FOR THE USE OF UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX STUDENTS AND FACULTY ONLY.
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION, SALE, OR REPRINTING.
ANY AND ALL UNAUTHORIZED USE IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED.
PART IV. EXCELLING IN THE WORKPLACE
Copyright © 2014 by SAGE Publications, Inc.
(Continued)
2)
Provide the professor with all the relevant forms and instructions.
•
Put all materials in a large labeled envelope (including your name and phone number) so the materials
will not get lost.
•
If the organization provides a form for the letter, give the form to the professor.
•
If the organization provides general instructions for preparing letters, make a copy of the instructions
for the professor. Highlight the instructions.
•
Make sure the professor has the correct address, person/organization to whom the letter is
addressed (make sure all this is spelled correctly), and the deadline for submitting the letter. Some will
want this information electronically. Check with your recommender.
3) Type in all information you are responsible for providing.
•
Type your name and other information on all forms where needed (do not hand write—it looks tacky
and unprofessional).
4) Provide the professor with your résumé and statement of your goals.
•
In writing, remind the professor of your major(s) and minor(s), which classes you took from the
professor, term when you took the classes, and grades received in those classes.
•
Provide the professor with any information about your participation in the class, projects completed,
etc. Help the professor recall your class performance in as much detail as possible.
•
Remind the professor about teaching assistantships, internships, research projects, grants.
•
Provide the professor with information on some of your college activities, especially leadership positions
held and awards won.
•
Provide the professor with a statement of your career goals and/or reasons for choosing the university/
job for which you are applying.
5) Provide the professor with an addressed envelope for each recommendation.
•
Type the correct address on each envelope (ask for university envelopes if they are needed; some
professors will not need envelope types—just ask).
6) Make sure the professor has sent the letter of recommendation.
•
Politely check with the professor a few days before the deadline to make sure the letter has been completed
and sent. Don’t be shy about this—we do forget! It is your job to make sure the letter has been sent.
7) Follow up the recommendation with a thank-you letter to the professor.
•
Letters of recommendation take time, thought, and effort. Let the recommender know you appreciate
the effort made on your behalf.
C. Do students get copies of the letters of recommendation?
1)
Each professor will have a policy on giving students copies of the recommendations.
•
You may ask the professor what the policy is if you desire a copy.
2) Some professors will be willing to discuss their recommendations with you after they are written.
•
If you wish, you may ask the professor if he or she would be willing to discuss the recommendations
with you.
Source: Table adapted and reproduced with permission of © Dawn O. Braithwaite, updated 2002, Communication Studies,
Department University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Earlier version published in Association for School, College and University Staffing
Annual, Addison, IL, 1989.
FOR THE USE OF UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX STUDENTS AND FACULTY ONLY.
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION, SALE, OR REPRINTING.
ANY AND ALL UNAUTHORIZED USE IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED.
Chapter
Copyright © 2014 by SAGE Publications,
Inc. 9. Business and Professional Writing
Sample 9.3 Recommendation Letter
Matt Hicks, General Manager
Clear Channel of Dallas
501 Tupper Lane, Dallas, TX 78915
Dear Mr. Hicks,
I am writing to recommend to you Brad White as a member of your professional staff. I have known Brad as a
student in numerous courses at Coastal Wave College. I also have knowledge of his work ethic and dedication to
internships in our department as well as in part-time professional work. I would like to note that I choose not to inflate
letters of recommendation but rather reflect my honest evaluation of the applicant. With that, I honestly believe Brad
would make a good addition to your team.
Brad’s work as an undergraduate student has been solid and I believe reflects the type of progress one should
make when applying for professional positions. In fact, I have seen Brad’s work from a video-production project and
public relations campaign, as well as in community relations. His work is simply outstanding, which is proven by his
status as an honors graduate. There are only a few students in each class that hold this status. Beyond his proven
abilities in the classroom, Brad is the type of person who will go the extra mile in any professional position. He has
proven this with both his academic and professional experiences. If you have additional questions, please feel free
to call me at 587-222-1234.
Sincerely,
Molly Duncan
Molly Duncan, PhD
Assistant Professor of Communication
Coastal Wave College
Phone: 907-123-4567
As you can see, the four major elements of
the basic memo are “date,” “to,” “from,” and “re”
(regarding what topic). Remember to be careful
with memos in terms of frequency and topic. Frequent memos will come to be expected, leaving
important information ignored. Employees may
also respond negatively to the topics addressed
and the tone of a memo. To illustrate our point
regarding topic and tone in business memos,
review the case study of Yolanda’s use of memos
(in Step Back and Reflect on page 217) to see what
can go wrong with memos if used inappropriately.
Memos can also be used to communicate
process directives—descriptions of new policies/
procedures and changes to those that
are already in place. Process directives are
distributed to the employees or departments the
Saying thank you is something that is often neglected in our
fast-paced society. Those who give attention to expressing
appreciation in the form of electronic and handwritten notes
tend to have a professional edge over others.
215
216
FOR THE USE OF UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX STUDENTS AND FACULTY ONLY.
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION, SALE, OR REPRINTING.
ANY AND ALL UNAUTHORIZED USE IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED.
PART IV. EXCELLING IN THE WORKPLACE
Copyright © 2014 by SAGE Publications, Inc.
Evaluate the Professional Context Bonnie Needs a
Recommendation Letter
Read the following passage about Bonnie, and then answer the questions. As you read, focus on evaluating the professional context.
Bonnie found out about a new scholarship, and she needed to fill out the application as soon as possible. The only
problem was that she found out about it at the last minute, and a recommendation letter from a professor on campus
was required. She had taken Dr. Chang for several courses, so she felt it was okay to ask for a recommendation letter.
Bonnie had so many things going on and didn’t have time to make an appointment or call, so she dropped by during
Dr. Chang’s office hours. The following interaction took place regarding the letter:
Bonnie: Hi, Dr. Chang! I’m really in a bind. I need you to write me a recommendation letter today. I figured that since
your office hours were from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m., you would have time to get it done before your next class. I’m really in hurry,
and I figured I could count on you.
Dr. Chang: Bonnie, I actually have an appointment with another student about a project, and she’s about to come in
any minute.
Bonnie: Oh, that’s okay. I’ll just wait outside until you’re done with the other student. If you can get it done by 2:45 p.m.
that will work for me.
Dr. Chang: Unfortunately, I will not be able to get to the letter today. I really need more of a notice. I am more than happy
to help but would need some specific information about the scholarship and where to send the letter.
Bonnie was not happy about Dr. Chang’s response. What was she supposed to do? While we all have busy schedules
and encounter sudden deadlines that are out of our control, requesting a recommendation letter has to be done with
professional excellence at the core. Clearly, Bonnie was not successful in her approach to getting a letter from Dr. Chang.
Questions to Consider
1. Did Bonnie act appropriately given the professional context?
2. Was Dr. Chang’s behavior professional? Why or why not?
3. What can you learn from Bonnie’s experience?
4. How could the KEYS process help Bonnie improve her communication skills?
Sample 9.4 Thank-You Letter: On the Job
Dear Yolanda,
Thank you for all your hard work on the communication audit. Things have been really
challenging during this past quarter, and I just wanted to take a moment to express my
appreciation for your work ethic and commitment to Company ABC.
Warmest regards,
Virginia
Source: Lindsell-Roberts (2004).
FOR THE USE OF UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX STUDENTS AND FACULTY ONLY.
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION, SALE, OR REPRINTING.
ANY AND ALL UNAUTHORIZED USE IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED.
Chapter
Copyright © 2014 by SAGE Publications,
Inc. 9. Business and Professional Writing
Sample 9.5 Basic Memo
Date: ____________________
TO: ____________________
FROM: __________________
RE: _____________________
Source: Bly (1999).
Step Back and Reflect The Attitude Memo
Read the following passage, and answer the questions that follow.
Shannon:
Joel:
Shannon:
Joel:
Shannon:
Did you see that memo from Yolanda?
No, what’s going on?
She sent another memo about team attitude. The team is getting really annoyed.
Has anyone responded?
No, but I heard that several employees have been complaining.
Based on this brief conversation between Shannon and Joel, it seems that Yolanda has done some damage using
written communication. Yolanda is the assistant director of communication at Company ABC. Attitude and having
fun are really important to Yolanda, so she decided to communicate her standards of performance with the following
memo.
Date: October 20, 2012
TO: Communication Team
FROM: Yolanda Smith
RE: Team Attitude
I expect my team to showcase a positive attitude when working on projects. If you all have any questions about
attitude, see me in my office.
Yolanda sent out memos like this once a week. Her goal was to have a highly cohesive team, and she wanted to
be respected. However, things were not going very well. Her team seemed to get more and more negative and
unmotivated as each week passed.
Step Back and Reflect
1. What went wrong with Yolanda’s memo?
2. How would you respond if you received a memo like this at your job? How could Yolanda’s memo be improved?
3. How could she benefit from the KEYS process related to her written communication?
217
218
FOR THE USE OF UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX STUDENTS AND FACULTY ONLY.
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION, SALE, OR REPRINTING.
ANY AND ALL UNAUTHORIZED USE IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED.
PART IV. EXCELLING IN THE WORKPLACE
Copyright © 2014 by SAGE Publications, Inc.
directive impacts and are filed as official documents of organizational policy. Yolanda has
the task of writing a process directive for Company ABC. Her process directive is to be
placed inside a memo and distributed as an internal communication announcement to let
everyone know about a new company newsletter. The executive team wants to make sure
that everyone in the organization is informed about the newsletter. The goal is for employees to feel a sense of community in the workplace by being informed about Company ABC
activities. In addition to the employees knowing about the newsletter, Yolanda includes
specific information in the process directive regarding to whom information for the newsletter should be sent, as well as deadlines for submitting information (see Sample 9.6).
Sample 9.6 Process Directive Memo
[COMPANY LOGO]
PROCESS DIRECTIVE 126
Date:
TO:
FROM:
RE:
November 16, 2012
All Company ABC Employees
Yolanda Smith
Company ABC Quarterly Newsletter, Process Directive 126
Objective: To communicate important information from the Executive Team to the employees of Company ABC,
as well as to the community. The primary goals of the Company ABC Quarterly Newsletter are to
•
provide a newsletter to distribute information, both internally and externally, about plant operations and
employee news in a QUARTERLY format;
•
recognize employee social activities, retirements, and accomplishments;
•
communicate information from the Lead Team, Gain Sharing, Safety, Employee Social activities, etc.;
•
share the Company ABC Values with employee families and community leaders;
•
establish a positive impression of the business in the community and enhance the workplace culture.
Frequency: The Company ABC Newsletter has been designed and approved to be distributed electronically,
mailed to the employees’ homes, and mailed to community leaders in a QUARTERLY format.
Process: The Lead Team and Business Unit Managers will contribute information to Virginia Wolf to prepare for
distribution quarterly.
Newsletter Contact: Virginia Wolf will collect information for each section of the newsletter. Members of the
Executive Team should
•
send information to Virginia Wolf to prepare for distribution each quarter;
•
pay attention to activities, such as social clubs and activities, to be included;
•
support internal and external distribution of the newsletter;
•
respond to calls for information to be included in the newsletter.
Directive: Company ABC provides access to the Newsletter in both electronic and printed formats. Members
of the Executive Team and all Company ABC employees should support the distribution of the newsletter to institutionalize effective communication, enhance workplace culture, and build positive impressions of the business in
the community.
FOR THE USE OF UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX STUDENTS AND FACULTY ONLY.
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION, SALE, OR REPRINTING.
ANY AND ALL UNAUTHORIZED USE IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED.
Chapter
Copyright © 2014 by SAGE Publications,
Inc. 9. Business and Professional Writing
Clearly, Yolanda’s memo included specific information about the goals and processes of
the Company ABC Newsletter. With so many changes and new initiatives flying around in
an organization, effective written communication is a must. What if Company ABC started
a newsletter without informing the frontline employees and those in management about
what to expect?
Proposals and Reports
In addition to memos, proposals are also utilized in many business and professional settings to propose products and services to potential clients. The sample provided below is
a short proposal that describes the major components of a workforce communication
assessment—an inventory or evaluation of the communication practices of an organization (also known as a communication audit). The proposal in Sample 9.7 describes
what the client can expect from the communication assessment. Notice how the proposal
includes an objective and description of each component of the assessment (e.g., survey,
focus groups, recommendations, project completion, project hours).
Now that you have a basic understanding of how a short business proposal looks,
let’s review reports—written communication used to summarize research or assessment
Sample 9.7 Proposal for Services
WORKFORCE COMMUNICATION ASSESSMENT
COMPANY ABC
Prepared By
[INSERT NAME]
WORKFORCE COMMUNICATION ASSESSMENT
PART I: SURVEY
OBJECTIVE: Evaluate communication preferences of Company ABC workforce
DESCRIPTION:
1. Survey Planning with Company ABC Leadership Team
2. Workforce Communication Survey will be designed
3. Company ABC survey will
9
focus on communication effectiveness (best way to get the message out),
9
identify what is ineffective (communication channels that don’t work),
9
include areas in which the Leadership Team is interested,
9
e
valuate important factors related to employees’ on-the-job experience (satisfaction, morale,
managerial support, communication expectations),
9
be reviewed and approved by Leadership Team.
4. Workforce will be surveyed
5. Information from survey will be prepared and presented to Leadership Team
(Continued)
219
220
FOR THE USE OF UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX STUDENTS AND FACULTY ONLY.
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION, SALE, OR REPRINTING.
ANY AND ALL UNAUTHORIZED USE IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED.
PART IV. EXCELLING IN THE WORKPLACE
Copyright © 2014 by SAGE Publications, Inc.
(Continued)
PART II: FOCUS GROUPS
OBJECTIVE: Collect specific preferences about how to communicate effective messages at Company ABC
DESCRIPTION:
1. Focus Group Planning with Company ABC Leadership Team
2. Workforce Focus Groups will be designed
3. Company ABC Focus Groups will
9
collect specific information about employee communication needs,
9
identify specific ways to communicate effective messages at Company ABC,
9
include questions in which the Leadership Team is interested,
9
e
xplore specific factors related to employees’ on-the-job experience (satisfaction, morale, managerial
support, communication expectations).
4. Focus Groups will be conducted
5. Information from Focus Groups will be prepared and presented to Leadership Team
PART III: RECOMMENDATION
Based on the information collected from the surveys and focus groups, recommendations will be made to the
Company ABC Leadership Team. Information will be provided about how Company ABC can communicate
effectively during reorganization and as it moves forward.
PROJECT COMPLETION: Early January 2013
PROJECT HOURS: Not to exceed contract
findings to inform managers about important issues related to business (e.g., customer
service, employee satisfaction, employee morale). Remember that reports are used to
summarize both quantitative data (characterized by numbers, percentages, statistics, and
surveys) and qualitative data (characterized by actual words, phrases, responses to openended questions, and interviews). The report provided in Sample 9.8 is an example of what
could be presented at the completion of a workforce communication assessment. As you
see, this sample focuses on reporting focus-group data.
This focus-group report with recommendations, as well as other forms of research
about businesses and organizations, can lead to changes in business strategies. Once an
executive leadership team has had time to review recommendations made by a particular
department or outside consulting firm, it’s not uncommon to begin planning for the future
of the organization. The next section explores the role of planning documents as forms of
written communication.
Planning Documents
Once the organization knows its strengths and weaknesses, business leaders often engage
in strategic planning—the development of a plan that emphasizes goals, initiatives, strategies, and targets utilized to help employees strive for a shared vision and commitment to the
FOR THE USE OF UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX STUDENTS AND FACULTY ONLY.
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION, SALE, OR REPRINTING.
ANY AND ALL UNAUTHORIZED USE IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED.
Chapter
Copyright © 2014 by SAGE Publications,
Inc. 9. Business and Professional Writing
core values in an organization. What do planning documents
look like? Virginia has asked Yolanda to put together an internal communication plan (a plan that focuses on communication taking place inside the daily operations of any given
business) and an external communication plan (a plan that
focuses on communicating information about the organization
or business to citizens or employee families outside any given
business). Planning documents are forms of written communication usually presented with maps and other visual designs
to lay out a broader vision of where the company is going
and what specific strategies will be utilized in the near future.
Since Yolanda was struggling with her written communication
on the job, she asked Virginia to help her come up with some
basic planning documents for both the internal and external
communication plan at Company ABC. The two samples provided (Samples 9.9 and 9.10) are good starting points to help
employees understand components in both the internal and
external communication plans at Company ABC.
Press Releases
When an organization or business wants to make an
announcement to the community, it uses press releases—
forms of written communication used to send messages and
make announcements to a variety of media organizations,
including newspapers, radio, television news, and Internet
Written communication entails paying
special attention to confidential records and
information privacy.
Sample 9.8 Focus Group Report and Recommendations
(REMINDER: Reports like the one in this sample usually include an appropriate title page, table of contents, and
bibliography.)
Private and Confidential
Prepared for Company ABC by Strategic Communication Concepts, March 2012
Company ABC: Focus Group Report and Recommendations
Yolanda Smith,
Director of Communications
DATA COLLECTION INFORMATION
•
Number of Focus Groups: 10
•
Number of Focus Group Participants: 99
•
Length of Focus Group Interviews: 62–87 minutes
(Continued)
221
222
FOR THE USE OF UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX STUDENTS AND FACULTY ONLY.
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION, SALE, OR REPRINTING.
ANY AND ALL UNAUTHORIZED USE IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED.
PART IV. EXCELLING IN THE WORKPLACE
Copyright © 2014 by SAGE Publications, Inc.
(Continued)
OVERVIEW
The report that follows includes major themes and specific responses to the current communication, morale, safety,
and benefits at Company ABC. Hourly, salaried, and executive leadership employees participated in focus group
forums in which they discussed major topics connected to communication at Company ABC (communication about
change, workforce preferences on how to communicate/get the message out, morale, safety, and benefits). In order
to articulate a clear sense of the focus group responses, the report is organized as follows: (1) overall reaction and
tone, (2) communication, (3) safety, and (4) benefits/rewards and recognition. In addition, the report includes
recommendations regarding communication methods and strategies to support the future of Company ABC.
Thematic Analysis of Data
Overall Reaction and Tone
The overall reaction and tone in the focus group discussions were extremely negative. Focus group participants
all expressed dissatisfaction, low morale, and uncertainty about their jobs at Company ABC. The participants specified that they feel “in the dark” and that all they hear are rumors about people getting fired, big layoffs, and contract
negotiations. Lack of communication, job uncertainty, and poor working conditions were central themes in all 10
groups. The participants noted that this is the worst they have ever seen Company ABC in terms of morale. Themes
of job uncertainty, low morale, and poor communication were consistent across all groups. The themes are summarized with the following comments:
•
“We are completely in the dark about what is going on around here.”
•
[Insert other responses or comments.]
Communication
All 10 focus groups provided insight into specifics and/or priorities for improving communication. In doing so,
they addressed what is not currently working and what they would like to see in terms of improvement.
Communication About Change. All 10 groups were clearly confused about the direction of Company ABC, as
well as organizational changes.
•
“They tell us that change is coming, but we don’t know what that is. They intentionally keep us in the dark.”
•
[Insert other comments.]
Methods of Communication. All 10 groups noted methods of communication available but not used, such as
e-mail, technical tools, electronic message boards, bulletin boards, and memos. This theme was summarized with
the following comments:
•
“People do not use e-mail. There are over 1,100 employees here; only about 450 use e-mail.”
•
[Insert other comments.]
Overall, there was an agreement in all 10 groups that there are communication methods (mechanisms) available
at the plant that work but are simply not being used. Information is not current.
Safety
All 10 focus groups expressed major concerns about safety procedures and poor working conditions.
Safety Procedures and Workplace Conditions. In all 10 groups, discussions about safety focused on poor workplace conditions at Company ABC as demonstrated by the following comments:
FOR THE USE OF UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX STUDENTS AND FACULTY ONLY.
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION, SALE, OR REPRINTING.
ANY AND ALL UNAUTHORIZED USE IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED.
Chapter
Copyright © 2014 by SAGE Publications,
Inc. 9. Business and Professional Writing
•
“This place gives lip service to safety. They do not care about safety. The only thing they are interested in is
production.”
•
[Insert other comments.]
Benefits/Rewards and Recognition
Throughout the discussions, all 10 focus groups expressed major dissatisfaction with benefits and a lack of
reward/recognition at Company ABC. All 10 groups discussed a need for increased wages and more reward/
recognition. Of the 10 groups, 8 specifically discussed the need for more clarity when it comes to gain-sharing goals.
Benefits and Pay. All the focus groups made comments about their dissatisfaction with the benefits and pay at
Company ABC.
•
“We used to make a good living around here. Our health insurance has gone up, our copays are higher,
and the company has done nothing to offset our costs.”
•
[Insert other comments.]
Gain Sharing. All 10 focus groups expressed major dissatisfaction with gain sharing.
•
“They lie to us about gain sharing.”
•
[Insert other comments.]
Rewards and Recognition. Of the 10 focus groups, 9 expressed major concerns with the current reward and recognition of Company ABC employees. Interestingly, one focus group argued about reward and recognition. Several
participants believed that a paycheck should be enough incentive. The individuals who disagreed with the majority
contended that reward and recognition are never good enough for people and that someone will always complain.
However, the majority of focus group participants emphasized that reward and recognition need to be improved.
•
“The newsletter used to let us know who retired and who was new to the plant. They don’t inform us about
accomplishments or what’s going on. We are never recognized and are not appreciated.”
•
[Insert other comments.]
Recommendations
1. Bulletin Board Locations
*All locked bulletin boards need to be cleaned up. All old announcements need to be removed. There needs to
be a date and posting system in place. All messages approved for distribution should be monitored. After a designated period of time, messages/postings should be removed.
*Insert other recommendations.
2. Terminate Wide Distribution of Company ABC Daily Report
3. Replace Company ABC Daily With Company ABC Monthly Newsletter
*Company ABC must revive a monthly newsletter that is both distributed at work and mailed home so the
employees and families are exposed to the message. The newsletter should be made available at designated
locations at the plant.
*[Insert other recommendations.]
(Continued)
223
224
FOR THE USE OF UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX STUDENTS AND FACULTY ONLY.
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION, SALE, OR REPRINTING.
ANY AND ALL UNAUTHORIZED USE IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED.
PART IV. EXCELLING IN THE WORKPLACE
Copyright © 2014 by SAGE Publications, Inc.
(Continued)
4. Revive Use of Electronic Message Boards
*Company ABC must revive use of Electronic Message Boards.
*[Insert other recommendations.]
5. Emphasize Traditional Face-to-Face Communication
*There must be designated communication and team time.
*[Insert other recommendations.]
6. Train Leaders as Information Facilitators
*Team leads, managers, or those designated as leaders at Company ABC must be trained in effective oral communication and meeting facilitation.
*[Insert other recommendations.]
7. Town Hall Meetings Hosted by Executive Team
*After the Journey to Excellence plan moves forward, host town hall meetings about Company ABC.
*[Insert other recommendations.]
8. Craft a Message and Disseminate to Community
*Advertise positive message about Company ABC to external audience.
*[Insert other recommendations.]
9. Utilize Professional Communication and Marketing Consultants
*Administration should continue to seek outside professional communication/transition experts (e.g., Strategic
Communication Concepts, The Turnover Team) for technical assistance and advice.
*[Insert other recommendations.]
10. Develop Employee Orientation Program
*As Company ABC makes the transition, develop employee orientation program that can be first used with all
current employees who are onboard with the transition. The orientation should be required for everyone who is going
to stay and, of course, all new employees.
*[Insert other recommendations.]
11. Employee Development Series
*As Company ABC makes the transition, develop employee education series on topics that support the Company
ABC Values.
*[Insert other recommendations.]
Appendix A
Focus Group Participants
Total
Salaried
Hourly
Executive
41
58
3
Total = 99 participants
Executive Leadership representatives = 3 participants
FOR THE USE OF UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX STUDENTS AND FACULTY ONLY.
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION, SALE, OR REPRINTING.
ANY AND ALL UNAUTHORIZED USE IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED.
Chapter
Copyright © 2014 by SAGE Publications,
Inc. 9. Business and Professional Writing
Sample 9.9 Strategic Communication Plan, Internal
Information
Centers
Utilization of
E-mail and
Internet
Company
ABC
Newsletter
Strategic
Communication
Plan:
Internal
“New Day”
Employee
Orientation
Flyers:
Company ABC
“Update”
Communication
Meetings
Sample 9.10 Strategic Communication Plan, External
ABC
Scholarship
Programs
Community
Relations
Strategic
Communication
Plan:
Company
ABC
Newsletter
External
Distribution
External
External
Image
Campaign:
Billboards
Proactive
Media
Relations
Strategy
ABC
Corporate
Sponsorship
225
226
FOR THE USE OF UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX STUDENTS AND FACULTY ONLY.
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION, SALE, OR REPRINTING.
ANY AND ALL UNAUTHORIZED USE IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED.
PART IV. EXCELLING IN THE WORKPLACE
Copyright © 2014 by SAGE Publications, Inc.
Graphs, charts, and maps are integral to writing with
communication excellence.
reporters. Company ABC is experiencing
change on a number of levels. While the
company is laying off a number of frontline
employees, highly qualified managers and
team leaders are being hired to encourage
company efficiency and improved customer
service. Company ABC is also investing millions of dollars in a remodeling project that
makes the workplace cleaner and safer. The
task is to make the changes taking place at
Company ABC sound positive even though
many employees are getting laid off. Read
the sample press release (Sample 9.11),
and grade Yolanda’s effort. What changes
or edits, if any, could improve the press
release? What words did you identify that
are vague?
Sample 9.11 Sample Press Release
Company ABC Announces Modernization Plan
Company ABC said today that it is commencing a plan of optimization and modernization. The plan will feature an
extensive overhaul and optimization of the company’s workforce to improve productivity and coordinated capital
investments to modernize key processes and safety in the plant. Both will be accomplished while keeping the plant
at full production.
The workforce structure at Company ABC has been essentially unchanged since it was built in the early 1970s.
The company underwent its last major expansion in the late 1980s and since has received major upgrades only to
certain areas. As a result, the company will address all areas of operations to foster high-quality production in a safe
working environment and excellence in customer service.
In an effort to improve productivity in a globally competitive market, an assessment of the plant started in 2008.
An assessment team was formed to examine and evaluate every task performed in the company. The evaluation
revealed a tremendous amount of underutilized potential in our employees. The Management of Company ABC
developed an optimization plan to improve operation safety, productivity, and customer service. The optimization
plan will entail reductions, reassignment, and realignments at all levels. A transition plan that offers employees educational and business opportunities has been put into place.
Part of the optimization plan includes an influx of new investment capital to modernize equipment that will
improve processing efficiency, energy efficiency, product quality, safety, and customer service.
Our ultimate goal is to secure the long-term potential of this business and to become a serious competitor in the
global market.
Contact Information:
Yolanda Smith
Media and Community Relations Coordinator
ABC Company
215-999-0000
FOR THE USE OF UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX STUDENTS AND FACULTY ONLY.
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION, SALE, OR REPRINTING.
ANY AND ALL UNAUTHORIZED USE IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED.
Chapter
Copyright © 2014 by SAGE Publications,
Inc. 9. Business and Professional Writing
Sample 9.12 Proactive Media Writing
Company ABC in Compliance With Mercury Vapor Regulations
In recognition of a recent study released on the link between mercury exposure and cancer, Company ABC emphasizes its commitment to operations and community safety with assurance of state and federal environmental compliance. Company ABC understands the importance of medical and environmental research that helps educate
company operations that are safe for its workforce and community. While the recent study raises some important
discussion points for future research, the study does not substantiate any links between environmental pollutants
and autism. Further, the amounts of mercury vapors released from the plant are minimal according to state and
federal environmental regulations.
Realizing that some concern has been raised by one study, here is some information about the role of mercury
in our operations at Company ABC. Mercury is a naturally occurring metallic element found throughout the crust of
the earth in concentrations averaging about 0.5 ppm (1/2 of 1 part per million, equivalent to about 1/2 a teacup in
a railroad tank car). Normally, it is found compounded with sulfur as the mineral cinnabar. In the pure or metallic
form, it is a silver liquid at ordinary temperatures and for centuries was called “quicksilver.” It has long been used
in making pharmaceuticals, in the mining industry, and to treat fur and hides. The most common exposure most
people have to mercury is in dental fillings, called amalgams, which are about 50% mercury.
Bauxite, like most soils, contains trace amounts of mercury in amounts ranging up to about 1/2 part per million.
Each year, Company ABC processes about 3.8 million tons (about 7.7 billion pounds) of bauxite. Most of the mercury contained in the bauxite, typically 1,200 to 1,400 pounds per year, leaves the plant combined with the plant’s
main solid waste stream, bauxite residue, in the same solid mineral form in which it arrived. The residue is stored
in large surface impoundments. The plant has permits that actually allow it to emit up to about 60 pounds per year
into the air, but favorable plant chemistry stabilizes nearly all the material as a solid. Typically only 4 to 7 pounds per
year are released into the atmosphere either as metallic mercury vapor or as an oxide.
Company ABC continues to modernize the plant to improve processing efficiency, energy efficiency, product
quality, safety, and respect for the environment.
Our ultimate goal is to secure the long-term potential of this business and to become a serious competitor in the
global market.
For more information, please contact:
Yolanda Smith
Media and Community Relations Coordinator
ABC Company
215-999-0000
Proactive Media Writing
Obviously, press releases cover topics beyond workforce layoffs, bankruptcies, and corporate scandals. There are a number of positive things that organizations announce in press
releases (e.g., scholarship programs, donations, community events). Industries that impact
the environment and community safety (e.g., petrochemical facilities, oil refineries) are
often held to standards set by the federal government. If you work for an organization that
has the potential to harm people or the environment, it’s critical to be ready to respond to
news that can put your company in a negative light.
In addition to Yolanda writing the press release about the Company ABC Modernization and
Optimization Plan, she also needed to focus on proactive media writing—a form of written
227
228
FOR THE USE OF UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX STUDENTS AND FACULTY ONLY.
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION, SALE, OR REPRINTING.
ANY AND ALL UNAUTHORIZED USE IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED.
PART IV. EXCELLING IN THE WORKPLACE
Copyright © 2014 by SAGE Publications, Inc.
communication similar to a press release that emphasizes an
organization’s commitment to safety and compliance. There
are certainly other components to a proactive media strategy.
For example, oil refineries may choose to post billboards with
images of their employees helping kids in the community. Put
simply, if citizens in the community maintain a positive image
of an organization, they will not immediately think of the
potential harms brought on by the industry. Therefore, using
written communication as a proactive media strategy helps
the organization prepare for negative news that tarnishes the
organization’s reputation at the local, state, national, and perhaps even global levels. Read the sample proactive media
release (Sample 9.12), and grade Yolanda’s effort. Do you
think she does a good job at damage control? Remember,
written communication can make or break the image and
overall success of a company, regardless of industry.
E-mail
People working in businesses and professional organizations
increasingly rely on their e-mail systems to communicate with
Working from home can be valuable during
colleagues and accomplish their work (Khan & Khan, 2012;
difficult times, but think about the advantages
Kibby, 2005; Shipley & Schwalbe, 2008; Thompson, 2008).
and disadvantages of checking e-mail from your
Given how prevalent e-mail usage is and will continue to be
home computer—technology tends to blend our
in business and professional communication, we can’t emphapersonal and professional lives in many ways.
size enough how important it is to strive for written communication and professional excellence when using e-mail.
Indeed, written communication is just as important when composing e-mail messages as
it is with the other forms reviewed in this chapter. In the next chapter, you will learn about
other e-mail concerns such as privacy, surveillance, electronic aggression, and the like as
you strive for written communication and professional excellence. Table 9.3 provides a list
of tips for writing e-mail with professional excellence.
Table 9.3 TTips
ips for Writing E-mail With Professional Excellence
9 Avoid using ALL CAPS.
9 Avoid the use of graphics, colored backgrounds, and drawings.
9 Avoid the use of emoticons and acronyms.
9 Respond to e-mail in a timely fashion.
9 Don’t be informal.
9 Send only work-related e-mails (not personal e-mails) on the company computer.
9 Don’t use e-mail to replace important face-to-face conversations and phone calls.
9 Always proofread your e-mail messages and use spell-check.
9 Don’t send e-mail that you wrote while you were upset, mad, or intoxicated.
9 Send only e-mails that you are comfortable with everyone seeing (e-mails are not private).
Source: Bly (1999, pp. 27–29).
FOR THE USE OF UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX STUDENTS AND FACULTY ONLY.
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION, SALE, OR REPRINTING.
ANY AND ALL UNAUTHORIZED USE IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED.
Chapter
Copyright © 2014 by SAGE Publications,
Inc. 9. Business and Professional Writing
KEYS to Excellence in Written Communication
Remember George Raab, who did not exercise professional excellence while employed
for the City of New York? It is critical that you know how to use professional excellence
in writing, not only through electronic communication but in traditional writing as well.
When examining the first key, know yourself, determine
if you want to achieve professional excellence, and know
that part of that entails improving your written communication. Examine your strengths and weaknesses related
to all aspects of your written communication. Set a goal
to improve your written communication skills, and realize
that you need members of your team to edit your writing.
The next key, evaluate the professional context, is essential for you to become more audience centered and aware
of how you are coming across to other people in your
writing. Become more mindful of how your written communication sounds demanding and/or negative.
The third key, your communication interaction occurs,
makes you a more professional communicator in that you
can make better choices when using written communication. Start to think before sending out memos and e-mails,
and be much more mindful that your passion to perform
and motivate can impact your written communication.
When there is a need for a company announcement via
written communication, be careful to think about the best
way to get the message out. If there is a need for written
communication, engage in careful planning and editing of
the written message. As the message is sent, also communicate with members of your staff face-to-face to make sure
Be aware of how your written communication may
they understood.
come across depending on the topic. Sometimes
When you use written communication, engage in the
waiting, picking up the phone, or meeting facefourth key, step back and reflect. Become more reflective
to-face might be more effective than written
of written communication, and realize how it could be miscommunication.
understood and send the wrong signal. Ask yourself some
of the following questions as you step back and think
about your written communication: Was my memo
Know Yourself
response appropriate? Did my questions in the letter
sound negative? Did my team think it was rude when
Evaluate the Professional Context
I passed out the process directives printed in red?
Should I use all caps in my e-mail message? Is sending
Your Communication Interaction Occurs
a memo about attitude and productivity to everyone
Step Back and Reflect
inappropriate? The fourth phase also makes you more
thoughtful about all aspects of your written communication, not just when you send out a memo or write a letter. Your evaluation and reflection
can result in positive changes that other people can notice.
229
230
2
23
30
30
FOR THE USE OF UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX STUDENTS AND FACULTY ONLY.
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION, SALE, OR REPRINTING.
ANY AND ALL UNAUTHORIZED USE IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED.
PA
P
ART
RT IIV.
V. E
V.
XC
X
CE
CEL
ELLLI
LLI
LIN
NG
G IIN
N TH
HE W
WO
ORK
ORKPL
RKP
RK
PL
LCopyright
AC
A
CE
PART
EXCELLING
THE
WORKPLACE
© 2014 by SAGE Publications, Inc.
Executive Summary
Now that you have finished reading this chapter, you
can do the following:
Understand the impact of written communication
on professional excellence:
• Official documents, memos, e-mail, and other
forms of written communication reveal something about you as a professional (p. 204).
• Important policies, requests, and organizational procedures are conveyed through
written communication (p. 204).
• Proposals, employee terminations, media
relations, and the like are achieved with
written communication (p. 204).
• Written communication must be present to
achieve professional excellence (p. 205).
Understand the different indirect messages sent
with written communication:
• With spelling and grammar check, as well
as good old-fashioned proofreading, typos
(mistakes in typing), misspellings (mistakes
in spelling), and grammar errors (sentence
fragments, inappropriate use of punctuation, etc.) can be corrected. Just as a typo
on your résumé can lose you a job, a typo
on a report can cause you to lose credibility.
Misspellings, typos, and sending something
to the wrong department are all roadblocks
to professional excellence (p. 207).
Identify different types of written communication:
• The business letter is used to communicate formal matters in business, jurisprudence, or otherwise. You will use this form
of correspondence when you want to write
a cover letter to accompany your résumé,
write a letter announcing business news to
colleagues outside your company, or notify
vendors of a change in your ordering procedures (p. 207).
• Employee reviews serve as a form of written communication used in business and
professional settings to provide feedback to
employees about how they are performing
on the job (p. 208).
• The recommendation letter is a form of
•
•
•
•
written communication used to provide a
documented reference for students and professionals (p. 209).
Thank-you letters are written communication used to express appreciation to coworkers and clients (p. 212).
Proposals are also utilized in many business and professional settings to propose
products and services to potential clients
(p. 219).
Reports are written communication used
to summarize research or assessment findings to inform managers about important
issues related to business (p. 220).
Press releases are forms of written communication used to send messages and
make announcements to a variety of media
organizations, including newspapers, radio,
television news, and Internet reporters
(p. 221).
Utilize the KEYS approach to achieve professional
excellence regarding written communication:
• Know yourself. Determine that you want
to achieve professional excellence, and
know that part of that entails improving
your written communication. Examine
your strengths and weaknesses related to
all aspects of your written communication
(p. 229).
• Evaluate the professional context. This is
essential for you to become more audience
centered and aware of how you are coming across to other people in your writing.
Become more mindful of how your written
communication is sounding demanding
and negative (p. 229).
• Your communication interaction occurs.
Make yourself a more professional communicator in that you make better choices
when using written communication (p. 229).
• Step back and reflect. Become more reflective of written communication and how it
could be misunderstood and send the wrong
signal (p. 229).
FOR THE USE OF UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX STUDENTS AND FACULTY ONLY.
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION, SALE, OR REPRINTING.
ANY AND ALL UNAUTHORIZED USE IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED.
Chapter
Inc. 9. Business and Professional Writing
Copyright © 2014 by SAGE Publications,
Discussion Questions
1. Discuss an example of a time when you were offended by written communication. How did you respond?
Did you use written communication for your response, or did you respond in person?
2. Are there other forms of written communication not covered in this chapter that you have concerns about?
As a professional, what steps would you take if you were asked to use written communication with which
you were not familiar? Would you delegate the task to someone else? Would you be honest that you were not
comfortable with the project?
3. What steps do you or will you take on the job that will help you strive for professional excellence with written
communication? What strategies do you have, if any, that work for you?
4. Take a moment to reflect on your experiences with written communication. Have you ever been caught in
an e-mail or letter exchange that crossed the line from professional to uncivil? What can organizations do to
prevent uncivil written communication?
5. Some scholars are concerned about the negative impact of text messaging and other forms of technology
on written communication. Do you share this concern? Do you think technology encourages you to be less
professional in your written communication? Why or why not?
Terms to Remember
business letter (p. 207)
downsizing letter (p. 208)
employee reviews (p. 208)
external communication plan
(p. 221)
general language (p. 206)
grammar (p. 207)
internal communication plan
(p. 221)
memo (p. 212)
misspellings (p. 207)
networking notes (p. 212)
planning documents (p. 221)
press releases (p. 221)
proactive media writing (p. 227)
process directives (p. 215)
proposals (p. 219)
qualitative data (p. 220)
quantitative data (p. 220)
recommendation letter
(p. 209)
reports (p. 219)
specific language (p. 206)
strategic planning (p. 220)
thank-you letters (p. 212)
typos (p. 207)
workforce communication
assessment (p. 219)
writing startup sheet (p. 207)
Visit the Student Study Site at www.sagepub.com/keys2e to access the following resources:
• SAGE journal articles
• Video links
• Web resources
• Web quizzes
• eflashcards
231
Purchase answer to see full
attachment