Learning Objectives

Chapter 1: Communicating at Work

1. Identify changes in the workplace and explain the importance of communication skills.
2. Describe the process of communication.
3. Discuss barriers to interpersonal communication and the means of overcoming those barriers.
4. Analyze the functions and procedures of communication in organizations.
5. Assess the flow of communication in organizations including barriers and methods for overcoming those barriers.
6. List the goals of ethical business communication and describe important tools for doing the right thing.

Chapter 2: Communicating in Small Groups and Teams

1. Discuss why groups and teams are formed and how they are different.
2. Describe team development, team and group roles, dealing with conflict, and methods for reaching group decisions.
3. Identify the characteristics of successful teams including an emphasis on workplace etiquette.
4. List techniques for organizing team-based written and oral presentations.
5. Discuss how to plan and participate in productive meetings.
6. Describe collaboration technologies used to facilitate meetings, manage projects, and make decisions.

Chapter 3: Workplace Listening in Small Groups and Teams

1. Explain the importance of listening in the workplace and describe three types of workplace listening.
2. Discuss the listening process and its barriers.
3. Enumerate ten techniques for improving workplace listening.
4. Define nonverbal communication and explain its functions.
5. Describe the forms of nonverbal communication and how they can be used positively in your career.
6. List specific techniques for improving nonverbal communication skills in the workplace.

Chapter 4: Communicating Across Cultures

1. Discuss three significant trends related to the increasing importance of intercultural communication.
2. Define culture. Describe five significant characteristics of culture, and compare and contrast five key dimensions of culture.
3. Explain the effects of ethnocentrism, tolerance, and patience in achieving intercultural proficiency.
4. Illustrate how to improve nonverbal and oral communication in intercultural environments.
5. Illustrate how to improve written messages in intercultural environments.
6. Discuss intercultural ethics, including ethics abroad, bribery, prevailing customs, and methods for coping.
7. Explain the challenge of capitalizing on workforce diversity, including its dividends and its divisiveness. List tips for improving harmony and communication among diverse workplace audiences.

Chapter 5: Writing Process Phase 1: Analyze, Anticipate, Adapt

1. Identify three basics of business writing, summarize Guffey’s 3-x-3 writing process, and explain how a writing process helps a writer.
2. Explain how the writing process may be altered and how it is affected by team projects.
3. Clarify what is involved in analyzing a writing task and selecting a communication channel.
4. Describe anticipating and profiling the audience for a message.
5. Specify six writing techniques that help communicators adapt messages to the task and audience.
6. Explain why communicators must adapt their writing in four high-risk areas.

Chapter 6: Writing Process Phase 2: Research, Organize, Compose

1. Apply Phase 2 of the 3-x-3 writing process, which begins with formal and informal methods for researching data and generating ideas.
2. Specify how to organize data into lists and alphanumeric or decimal outlines.
3. Compare direct and indirect patterns for organizing ideas.
4. Discuss composing the first draft of a message, focusing on techniques for creating effective sentences.
5. Define a paragraph and describe three classic paragraph plans and techniques for composing meaningful paragraphs.

Chapter 7: Writing Process Phase 3: Revise, Proofread, Evaluate

1. Apply Phase 3 of the 3-x-3 writing process, which begins with techniques to make a message clear and conversational.
2. Describe specific revision tactics that make a message concise.
3. Describe revision techniques that make a message vigorous and direct.
4. Discuss revision strategies that improve readability.
5. Recognize proofreading problem areas, and be able to list techniques for proofreading both routine and complex documents.
6. Evaluate a message to judge its success.

Chapter 8: Routine E-Mail Messages and Memos

1. Discuss how Guffey’s 3-x-3 writing process helps you produce effective e-mail messages and memos.
2. Analyze the structure and formatting of e-mail messages and memos.
3. Describe smart e-mail practices, including getting started; content, tone, and correctness; netiquette; reading and replying to e-mail; personal use; and other practices.
4. Write information and procedure e-mail messages and memos.
5. Write request and reply e-mail messages and memos.
6. Write confirmation e-mail messages and memos.

Chapter 9: Routine Letters and Goodwill Messages

1. Explain why business letters are written and how the three phases of Guffey’s 3-x-3 writing process relate to creating successful business letters.
2. Analyze the structure and characteristics of good business letters.
3. Write direct letters that request information and action as well as place orders for products and services.
4. Write letters that make direct claims.
5. Write letters that comply with requests.
6. Write letters that make adjustments.
7. Write letters of recommendation.
8. Write messages that generate goodwill.
9. Modify international letters to accommodate other cultures.

Chapter 10: Persuasive and Sales Messages

1. Apply the 3-x-3 writing process to persuasive messages.
2. Explain the components in a persuasive message and how to blend them effectively.
3. Write successful persuasive messages including requesting favours and actions, persuading within organizations, and writing complaint letters.
4. Plan and compose outstanding sales messages.
5. Describe the basic elements in persuasive press releases.

Chapter 11: Negative Messages

1. Describe the goals and strategies of business communicators in delivering bad news, including knowing when to use the direct and indirect patterns, applying the writing process, and avoiding legal problems.
2. Explain techniques for delivering bad news sensitively.
3. Identify routine requests and describe a strategy for refusing such requests.
4. Explain techniques for delivering bad news to customers.
5. Explain techniques for delivering bad news within organizations.
6. Compare strategies for revealing bad news in different cultures.

Chapter 12: Preparing to Write Business Reports

1. Describe business report basics, including functions, patterns, writing style, and formats.
2. Apply Guffey’s 3-x-3 writing process to business reports.
3. Understand where to find and how to use print and electronic sources of secondary data.
4. Understand where to find and how to use sources of primary data.
5. Recognize the purposes and techniques of documentation in business reports.
6. Illustrate reports with graphics that create meaning and interest.

Chapter 13: Organizing and Writing Typical Business Reports

1. Use tabulating and statistical techniques to sort and interpret report data.
2. Draw meaningful conclusions and make practical report recommendations.
3. Organize report data logically and provide cues to aid comprehension.
4. Prepare typical informational reports.
5. Prepare typical analytical reports.

Chapter 14: Proposals and Formal Reports

1. Discuss the components of informal proposals.
2. Discuss the special components in formal proposals.
3. Discuss the components of typical business plans.
4. Identify formal report components that precede the introduction as well as elements to include in the introduction.
5. Describe formal report components that follow the introduction.
6. Specify tips that aid writers of formal reports.

Chapter 15: Speaking with Confidence

1. Discuss two important first steps in preparing effective oral presentations.
2. Explain the major elements in organizing the content of a presentation, including the introduction, body, and conclusion.
3. Identify techniques for gaining audience rapport, including using effective imagery, providing verbal signposts, and sending appropriate nonverbal messages.
4. Discuss designing and using effective visual aids, handouts, and multimedia presentation materials.
5. Specify delivery techniques for use before, during, and after a presentation.
6. Explain effective techniques for adapting oral presentations to cross-cultural audiences.
7. List techniques for improving telephone, voice mail, and remote conferencing effectiveness.

Chapter 16: Employment Communication

1. Prepare for employment by identifying your interests, evaluating your assets, recognizing the changing nature of jobs, choosing a career path, and studying traditional and electronic job-search techniques.
2. Compare and contrast chronological, functional, and combination résumés.
3. Organize, format, and produce a persuasive résumé.
4. Describe techniques that optimize a résumé for today’s technologies, including preparing a scannable résumé, an inline résumé, and an e-portfolio.
5. Write a persuasive cover letter to accompany a résumé.
6. Write effective employment follow-up letters and other messages.
7. Evaluate successful job interview strategies.