Instructor’s Manual to Accompany
BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
Developing Leaders for a Networked World (2e)
By Peter W. Cardon
Chapter 7:
Email and Other Traditional Tools for Business Communication
Teaching Note
Hello Fellow Instructor,
We certainly have a tough task to prepare our students well to communicate effectively with the many available communication tools.
This is the first of two chapters about technology. Our students live a world of technology-mediated communication, and the workplace they will enter requires them to communicate professionally with many emerging forms of communication tools. This chapter focuses primarily on traditional communication tools, such as emails and phones.
I often hear business communication instructors talk about the struggles of teaching a “tech-savvy” generation. I think we are the perfect people to teach about using technology. Using the tools requires professional judgment about building workplace relationships effectively and getting work tasks done. We can help this “tech-savvy” generation to use various communication tools wisely.
Please contact me anytime – to share your experiences, your ideas, and your reactions.
Best of wishes,
Peter W. Cardon, MBA, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Center for Management Communication
University of Southern California
Email:
Twitter: @petercardon
Facebook: facebook.com/cardonbcomm
Web: cardonbcom.com
Chapter 7 Summary and PowerPoint Notes
/ SLIDE 7-1/ SLIDE 7-2
This chapter covers the following topics: tradeoffs of richness, control, and constraints with a communication channel; writing effective emails; emotion in online communications; effective texting in the workplace; digital message overload; and effective phone conversations and videoconferences.
/ SLIDE 7-3
LO7.1 Explain the trade-offs associated with richness, control, and constraints when choosing a communication channel.
LO7.2 Apply principles for writing effective emails.
LO7.3 Explain how to handle emotion effectively in online communications.
LO7.4 Describe strategies for effective texting in the workplace.
LO7.5 Describe strategies for managing digital message overload.
LO7.6 Explain principles for effective phone conversations and videoconferences.
/ SLIDE 7-4
For nearly two decades, email has been the primary written business communication tool. In Table 7.1, you can see that in a recent study, it ranked second in effectiveness among communication channels for coordinating work. Even with so many emerging communication tools, email remains the channel of choice.
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Strategically selecting a communication channel means that you choose the one that is best able to meet your work objectives. In many of your working relationships, you’ll use many communications channels—email, social media, calls, face-to-face conversations—on a daily or weekly basis. Strategically choosing a communication channel involves three basic considerations related to their limitations: richness, control, and constraints. Richness involves the numbers of cues available and the level of immediacy—that is, how quickly someone is able to respond and give feedback.
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Control refers to the degree to which communications can be planned and recorded, thus allowing strategic message development. Planning implies that the communication can be tightly drafted, edited and revised, rehearsed, and otherwise strategically developed before delivery. Permanence refers to extent to which the message can be stored, retrieved, and distributed to others. Control may be your primary concern for many important communications.
/ SLIDE 7-7
Constraints refer to the practical limitations of coordination and resources. Coordination deals with the effort and timing needed to allow all relevant people to participate in a communication. Resources include the financial, space, time, and other investments necessary to employ particular channels of communication. A meeting of ten corporate employees who fly in from different cities is a high-constraint communication that requires extensive coordination and resources.
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The distinctions between spoken and written business messages mirror the relative benefits and weaknesses of synchronous and asynchronous communications. Synchronous communication occurs in real time; the individuals involved give immediate responses to one another and engage in turn-taking. Asynchronous communication does not occur in real time. Individuals involved in such communication can pay attention to and respond to communications at a time of their choosing. Most successful working relationships depend on both synchronous and asynchronous communication.
/ SLIDE 7-9
Email communication is the primary form of written business communication. Most analysts expect it to be the primary tool for at least the next five to ten years in most companies. Writing effective emails involves applying principles of writing style discussed in Chapters 5 and 6. It also involves adapting to the unique characteristics of email.
/ SLIDE 7-10
In this section, we explain basic principles for using emails effectively, including the basic components that ensure ease of reading.
/ SLIDE 7-11
Then, we focus on managing emotion and maintaining civility in electronic communications.
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Email communication has few constraints (low cost, little coordination) and high control (the writer can think emails out carefully, and they provide a permanent record). Yet because it is not a rich form of communication, it is rarely appropriate for sensitive or emotional communication tasks. It is also inefficient for facilitating discussions.
/ SLIDE 7-13
In all written communication, ensuring ease of reading is critical. It is even more critical in emails and other digital messages. Simply put, your readers are unlikely to read your message unless you make it easy for them. Use the following tips to ensure ease of reading in your emails:
· Provide a short descriptive subject line.
· Keep your message brief yet complete.
· Clearly identify expected actions.
· Provide a descriptive signature block.
· Use attachments wisely.
/ SLIDE 7-14
Compare the ease of reading in the less-effective and more-effective examples of emails in Figures 7.1 and 7.2. Think about how quickly a reader can process the information.
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Compare the ease of reading in the less-effective and more-effective examples of emails in Figures 7.1 and 7.2. Think about how quickly a reader can process the information.
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Since email communication is so convenient, some people overuse and even abuse it. With business professionals sending and receiving hundreds of emails each week, they often experience information overload and email fatigue. You can engender goodwill by writing emails that are professional, relevant, easy to read, and other-oriented. To show your respect for others when sending email, consider the following advice:
· Select message recipients carefully.
· Provide timelines and options.
· Be careful about using the priority flag.
· Let others know when you will take longer than anticipated to respond or take action.
· Avoid contributing to confusing and repetitive email chains.
/ SLIDE 7-17
Most business professionals expect fast responses to emails. Of course, what seems like a quick response to one person may seem like a delayed response to another. One recent study of business professionals found that nearly all business professionals expect an email response within one day (see Figure 7.3). Younger professionals are more likely to expect a response immediately. The majority of business professionals in all age groups expect a response within one to two hours. If you choose not to check your emails more than a few times a day, let others know how soon to expect replies.
/ SLIDE 7-18
Email communication is typically considered fairly formal. Since so many more people can potentially see an email than would ever see a hard copy of a message, having high standards is even more important. Generally, you are better off erring on the side of too much formality as opposed to too much casualness. Consider the following recommendations:
· Avoid indications that you view email as casual communication.
· Apply the same standards of spelling, punctuation, and formatting you would for other written documents.
· Use greetings and names.
/ SLIDE 7-19
In the absence of face-to-face communications, emails tend to elicit either the neutrality effect or the negativity effect. The neutrality effect means that recipients are more likely to perceive messages with an intended positive emotion as neutral. That is, the sender may wish to express enthusiasm about an event, but the receiver decodes the information without “hearing” the enthusiasm. The negativity effect means that recipients are more likely to perceive messages that are intended as neutral as negative. The effects of emotional inaccuracy due to the neutrality and negativity effects can lead to conflict escalation, confusion, and anxiety.
/ SLIDE 7-20
Two characteristics of asynchronous electronic communications can lead to feelings of anger and frustration. First, people often feel comfortable writing things they would not say in person. In some cases, this sense of online freedom leads to flames, which are emails or other digital communications with “hostile intentions characterized by words of profanity, obscenity, and insults that inflict harm to a person or an organization.” The second aspect of asynchronous electronic communications that can lead to anger and frustration is cyber silence, which is nonresponse to emails and other communications. During the nonresponse stage, message senders often misattribute explanations for the silence. They sometimes wonder if message recipients are purposely avoiding or even ignoring them. As the length of time between messages increases, they often experience more frustration and anger.
/ SLIDE 7-21
Civility is important in electronic communications. Cyber incivility is the violation of respect and consideration in an online environment based on workplace norms. Active incivility involves direct forms of disrespect (i.e., being condescending, demeaning, saying something hurtful). Passive incivility involves indirect forms of disrespect (i.e., using emails for time-sensitive messages, not acknowledging receipt of emails, not replying to emails). Cyber incivility has been shown to reduce job satisfaction and organizational commitment.
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The steps that you can take to address uncivil emails constructively include reinterpretation and relaxation. Reinterpretation involves adjusting your initial perceptions by making judgments and evaluations that are more objective and fact-based and less personal. When people are distressed, they often make extreme, subjective, and overly personal judgments. By reinterpreting the event, you allow yourself to take the communication less personally. Relaxation involves releasing and overcoming anger and frustration so that you can make a more rational and less emotional response. People use a variety of methods to alleviate the physiological impact of anger, including counting to ten, taking time-outs, engaging in deep breathing, and looking for the humor in the situation.
/ SLIDE 7-23
In the example shown in Figure 7.6, Jaclyn expresses frustration with a conversation she had with Haniz. Jaclyn, perhaps unwisely, fired off an angry email (see the bottom message), and Haniz responded (the top message). Whether or not Jaclyn was correct about Haniz’s approach to developing the website, email is rarely an effective communication channel to air complaints or to discuss emotionally charged issues.
/ SLIDE 7-24
Another action that you can take to constructively address uncivil emails is defusing. Defusing involves avoiding escalation and removing tension in order to focus on work objectives. To defuse the situation when you receive an uncivil email you can try the following:
1. Focus on task-related facts and issues in your reply.
2. Focus on shared objectives and agreements.
3. Express interest in arranging a time to meet in person.
4. If meeting is not possible, attempt to establish a richer channel of communication than email.
/ SLIDE 7-25
Email is rarely an effective communication channel to air complaints or to discuss emotionally charged issues. Figure 7.7 presents a more effective response from Haniz to this exchange.
/ SLIDE 7-26
Texting is a relatively new and undeveloped form of communication in the workplace, and attitudes toward it vary significantly. Many professionals consider texting in the workplace as impersonal, uninteresting, rude, intrusive, or inadequate. In contrast, other professionals associate texting in the workplace with the qualities of being warm and personal, nice, fun, inviting, and helpful. Texting, therefore, requires a lot of judgment.
/ SLIDE 7-27
As you text with colleagues and other contacts, consider the following tips:
· Evaluate the meta message of a text.
· Use texts for simple and brief messages, not for conversations.
· Make sure your tone is positive, supportive, and appropriately fun.
· Don’t ask questions you can get answers to yourself.
· Be careful about abbreviated language, emoticons, and acronyms.
/ SLIDE 7-28
Texts can be a particularly effective way to send quick notes of support, congratulations, and appreciation to close colleagues (see Figure 7.8). Figure 7.9 shows how texting styles can be mismatched. Haniz uses complete sentences, whereas Jaclyn uses abbreviated language. To communicate better, Jaclyn might consider adopting more standard language conventions to match Haniz’s style and Haniz might consider using some nonstandard language conventions.
/ SLIDE 7-29
When texting in the workplace, you should consider the following tips:
· Avoid sarcasm and jokes in most cases.
· Avoid rescheduling meeting times or places.
· Consider turning off sound alerts for incoming texts/emails.
· Identify yourself.
· Clearly end the texting exchange.
· Avoid personal texts during work hours.
· Avoid sending texts after work hours.
· Establish rules with your colleagues for texting in meetings.
· Manage your emails and texts to avoid distractions.
/ SLIDE 7-30
Texting and other forms of short messaging are increasingly common during meetings in some organizations. Texting can be used to prompt team members about topics to cover, give quick updates as needed to team leaders, ask for information from colleagues or clients outside of the meeting, and assist teammates in a variety of ways (see Figure 7.10). Some organizations’ cultures encourage this, whereas others strictly discourage it. So, pay attention to the culture of texting at your company. Of course, even where texting is encouraged in meetings, it can also be abused (see Figure 7.11).
/ SLIDE 7-31
A variety of research about the brain shows that it is not hardwired to multitask effectively. In most business positions, however, you need to respond to others as soon as possible. How can you stay responsive to others yet focus enough to achieve peak performance in your work tasks? Consider the following guidelines:
· Check digital messages just two to four times each day at designated times.
· Turn off message alerts.
· Use rich channels such as face-to-face and phone conversations to accomplish a task completely.
· Reply immediately only to urgent messages.
· Avoid unnecessarily lengthening an email chain.
· Use automatic messages to help people know when you’re unavailable.
/ SLIDE 7-32
Compared to less rich channels, such as email, phone calls generally allow business professionals to connect more deeply, resolve problems more quickly, make important decisions better, and manage conflict more effectively. Keep in mind the following guidelines for one-to-one calls in the workplace:
· Schedule and plan for your phone calls.
· Ensure quality audio.
· Open with a warm greeting and use your caller’s name.
· After brief small chat, direct the conversation to the issues at hand.
· Speak with a pleasant, enthusiastic voice.
/ SLIDE 7-33
Also follow these guidelines for one-to-one calls in the workplace:
· Share conversation time equally.
· Apply the rules of active listening and avoid multitasking.
· Take notes on important points and summarize next steps at the end of the call.
· Close with appreciation.
· Follow up on agreements.
/ SLIDE 7-34
Like other forms of business communication, think ahead about your key discussion topics and points. Many phone conversations are much like meetings, so consider sending an invitation with an agenda to your conversation partner (see Figure 7.12 for an example). For less formal conversations, at least plan your purpose and major points to cover. Out of respect for your conversation partner’s time, let them know roughly how long the call will take.
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Many professionals often don’t follow through on commitments they make to each other on calls. This happens most often when neither person documents the content and agreements of their conversation. Consider sending a message within a few hours of your call while the conversation is still fresh in your minds (see Figure 7.13 as an example). This dramatically improves the likelihood that you will accomplish your shared objectives.
/ SLIDE 7-36
You’ll also have the opportunity to participate in conference calls. Sometimes you’ll have video and other times you won’t. You’ll sometimes use high-end videoconferencing platforms and other times use web conferencing tools such as Google Hangouts and Skype. Many of the tips that were discussed for one-to-one calls apply, as do the guidelines for effective virtual meetings discussed in Chapter 3. In addition, consider the following tips:
· Practice using the technology before the group call.
· Use your webcam effectively.
· Use interactive tools wisely.
· Start the call with purpose and take charge.
· Follow the guidelines of effective virtual meetings.
/ SLIDE 7-37
After studying chapter 7, you should understand the following topics: tradeoffs of richness, control, and constraints with a communication channel; writing effective emails; emotion in online communications; effective texting in the workplace; digital message overload; and effective phone conversations and videoconferences.
Suggested Approaches and Solutions to Learning Exercises