Planning Spoken and Written Messages

Chapter 3 Planning Spoken and Written Messages

Process for Planning and Preparing Spoken and Written Messages

Step 1a: Determine the Purpose of the Message Whatdo you hope to accomplish with the message?

Step 1b: Select a Channel Telephone or face-to-face: Lends importance to the message; more personal Telephone or face-to-face: Lends importance to the message; more personal Email: Routine matter; mass distribution

Step 2: Envision the Audience What should you learn about your audience?

Your Turn • What are the results of not understanding the characteristics of the audience? • Give an example of a communication situation in which audience needs were not understood or addressed.

Step 3: Adapt the Message to the Audience receiver’s • Focus on the ________ point of view • Communicate ________ and __________ • Build and protect ________ • Use ____________ language • Use ______, informal words • Project a positive, ______ tone • Write ________ ethically responsibly goodwill contemporary simple tactful concisely

Adapting: Focusing on Receiver’s Viewpoint Congratulations! You are the Employee of the Year. Please send me . . . (You is the understood subject.) You earned an extra day of vacation because of your performance.

State information as truthfully and fairly as possible Do not exaggerate facts Express ideas understandably Support viewpoint with facts Respect and preserve receiver’s self-worth Design honest graphics Adapting: Communicating Ethically and Responsibly

Use ___________ cautiously Avoid _____________ or demeaning expressions Use __________ tone cautiously Use _______ language appropriately Use ________ language Adapting: Building and Protecting Goodwill euphemisms condescending connotative specific bias-free

Adapting: Using Contemporary, Easily Understood Language • Eliminate outdated expressions • Eliminate clichés • Choose simple, informal words

Eliminate redundancies Use active voice Include only relevant details Eliminate clichés Do not restate ideas Tighten using prefixes, suffixes, and compound adjectives Adapting: Writing Concisely

Adapting: Projecting a Positive, Tactful Tone positive • State ideas using _______ language • Avoid using ______ person when stating negative ideas • Use _______ voice to convey negative ideas • Use __________ mood to de-emphasize negative ideas • Include a ________ idea in the same sentence with a ________ one second passive subjunctive positive negative

Your Turn • Give examples of how each of the following factors can cause you to miss the mark in communicating effectively: • Distractions • Misrepresentation • Withholding of information • Emotions and attitudes • Time pressures

Step 4: Select an Appropriate Outline

Planning Spoken and Written Messages