Copyright 2014 Pearson Education Inc publishing as Prentice

Chapter 1 Understanding Business Communication in Today’s Workplace 1 -2

Learning Objectives After studying this chapter, you will be able to: • Define communication and explain the importance of effective business communication • Explain what it means to communicate as a professional in a business context • List four general guidelines for using communication technology effectively • Explain how cultural diversity affects business communication and describe the steps you can take to communicate more effectively across cultural boundaries • Define ethics, explain the difference between an ethical dilemma and an ethical lapse, and list six guidelines for making ethical communication choices 1 -3

Understanding Why Communication Matters 1 -4

Communicating Is Important to Your Career 1 -5

Communication Is Important to Your Company 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Important community ties Opportunities to influence Productivity and problem solving Improved financial results Warning of potential problems Better decision making Persuasive marketing messages Better employee engagement and, satisfaction and lower employee turnover 1 -6

What Makes Business Communication Effective? EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION: 1. Practical 2. Factual 3. Concise 4. Clear 5. Persuasive 1 -7

Communicating as a Professional • • • Strive to excel Be dependable and accountable Be a team player Demonstrate etiquette Make ethical decisions Maintain a positive outlook 1 -8

Understanding What Employers Expect From You • • Organizing ideas Expressing yourself Persuasive arguments Evaluating data Listening Understanding diversity Tech savvy • High-quality writing • Adapting your message • Business etiquette • Ethical • Confidentiality • Laws and regulations • Time management 1 -9

Committing to Ethical Communication • • • Omitting essential information Plagiarism Selective misquoting Misrepresenting numbers Distorting visuals Failing to respect privacy or information security needs 1 -10

Distinguishing Ethical Dilemmas from Ethical Lapses 1 -11

Communicating in a World of Diversity A broad and useful definition of diversity: All the characteristics and experiences that define each of us as individuals. 1 -12

The Advantages and Challenges of a Diverse Workforce 1 -13

Social Customs 1 -14

Differences – There can be a lot! Ability Gender Age Religious 1 -15

Advice for Improving Intercultural Communication AVOID: Ethnocentrism Stereotyping Assumptions TOLERATE: Differences Ambiguity Superficial factors LEARN: Respect for cultures Your own cultural biases To be flexible Be prepared to change your habits and attitudes; observe and learn – the more you know, the more effective you’ll be. 1 -16

Writing for Multilingual Audiences • Be brief and clear – use plain language • Avoid words with multiple meanings • Avoid slang, and abbreviations • Cite numbers carefully • Use short paragraphs • Use transitions generously 1 -17

Using Technology to Improve Business Communication 1 -18

Using Tools Productively 1 -19

Guarding Against Information Overload 1 -20

Reconnecting with People Frequently 1 -21

Learning Objectives: Check Your Progress 1. Define communication and explain the importance of effective business communication. 2. Explain what it means to communicate as a professional in a business context. 3. List four general guidelines for using communication technology effectively. 4. Explain how cultural diversity affects business communication and describe the steps you can take to communicate more effectively across cultural boundaries. 5. Define ethics, explain the difference between an ethical dilemma and an ethical lapse, and list six guidelines for making ethical communication choices. 1 -22