Business Communication Workshop

Course Coordinator: Ayyaz Qadeer

Lecture # 7

We have discussed…….

• How have market globalization and cultural diversity contributed to the increased importance of intercultural communication?

• What is the relationship between culture and subculture?

• What are the four basic characteristics of culture? How do high-context cultures differ from low-context cultures?

• In addition to the contextual differences, what other categories of cultural differences exist?

• What four principles apply to ethical intercultural communication?

We have discussed…….

• What is ethnocentrism, and how can it be overcome in communication? Why is it a good idea to avoid slang and idioms when addressing a multicultural audience?

• What are some ways to improve oral skills when communicating with people of other cultures?

• What is the way of translation when preparing a message in another language?

The Three-Step Writing Process

You should be able to….

• Describe the three-step writing process.• Clarify why explaining your purpose carefully is

important.• Justify the importance of audience analysis.• Outline the ways to collect relevant information

informally.• Define media richness and list factors to

consider when choosing proper channel and medium.

• Discuss how to establish good audience relationships.

The Three-Step Writing Process

1. Plan 2. Write 3. Complete

Explain the three steps of the writing process:

The Three-Step Writing ProcessPlanning

Analyze: Study your purpose, lay out your writing schedule, and then profile your audience.

Investigate: Gather infor5mation through formal or informal research methods.

Adapt: Choose the right channel and medium; then establish a good relationship with your audience.

WritingOrganize: Define your

main idea, limit the scope, group your points, and choose the direct or indirect approach.

Compose: Control your style through level of formality and conversational tone. Choose your words carefully so that you can create effective sentences and paragraphs.

The Three-Step Writing Process

CompletingRevise: Evaluate content and review readability,

editing and rewriting for conciseness and clarity. Produce:Use effective design elements and suitable

delivery methods. Proofread: Review for errors in layout, spelling and

mechanics.

Define Your Purpose

1. What is the difference between ageneral purpose and a specific purpose?

2. What is credibility? 3. What four questions should you

ask yourself when trying to decide whether to proceed with the message?

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2. Analyze Your AudienceSee your message from your receivers’ point of view: their

needs, interests, attitudes, even their culture.

• Views, mental, filters, needs, and cultureOne person, member of group, laborer, superior, colleague, subordinate, woman or man, longtime or new customer, young, middle-aged, ….

• You audience even affects the choice of medium…

Develop an Audience Profile

Identify your primary audience

Determine audience size

Determine audience composition

Gauge your audience’slevel of understanding

Estimate your audience’sprobable reaction

Collecting Information Informally

• Consider others’ viewpoints• Browse through files• Chat with supervisors or colleagues• Ask your audience for input

What Does YourAudience Need?

• Have you provided all the required information? (Ask who, what, when, where, why, and how.)

• Is the information accurate?• Is the information ethical?• Is the information pertinent?

Select Appropriate Channel and Medium

What should you consider when deciding upon a channel and medium?

What is meant by media richness?• Verbal, vocal, visual • Feed back and personal interaction When would you choose a rich medium? Think of instances when you would use each of the

following:– Video broadcast– Memo– Face-to-face meeting

Let’sDiscuss

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Oral Media

• Oral communication includes face-to-face conversations, phone calls, speeches, presentations, and meetings.

• Your choice of medium would depend on audience, location, message importance, and the need for nonverbal feedback.

Written Media

• Written communication includes letters, memos, and reports.

• A form letter, memo, or boilerplate message is often used for routine communication.

• Reports and proposals are factual documents distributed to insiders and outsiders.

Electronic Forms

Voice mail

Teleconferencing

Video tape Web site Computer conferencing

Faxing

E-mail

What are advantages and disadvantages of each of the following? When would

you use each of the following?

Let’sDiscuss

Let’sDiscuss

Let’sDiscuss

Let’sDiscuss

Audience: Establishing a Good Relationship

• Think about who you are and who your audience is. (Be yourself.)

• Use the “you” attitude in all your messages.

• Always emphasize the positive.• Establish your credibility.• Be polite. • Use bias-free language.• Project the company’s image.

Biases in Language

Give specific examples of how you can eliminate these biases:

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Age

Gender

Disability

Racial andethnic

Test Your Knowledge

• What are the three steps in the writing process?

• What two types of purposes do all business messages have?

• What do you need to know in order to develop an audience profile?

• How can you test the thoroughness of the information you include in a message?

Let’sDiscuss

• What is media richness and how is it determined?

• What is the “you” attitude and how does it differ from an “I” attitude?

• Why is it important to establish your credibility when communicating with an audience of strangers?

Let’sDiscuss Test Your

Knowledge continued

• How does using bias-free language help communicators to establish a good relationship with their audiences?

• What are the main advantages of oral communication? Of written media?

• What is boilerplate, and how is it used?

Let’sDiscuss

Test Your Knowledge continued

Thank You