BCEN 3510 Business Communication

1. BCEN 3510Business Communication Chapter 1 Effective and Ethical Communication at Work

2. Chapter 1 • Why You Need to Build Career Skills • Obtain a job • Merit promotion(s) • More effective employee

3. Chapter 1 • What Employers Expect • Ability to communicate • Being able to think critically • Competent to make decisions • Continue to learn

4. Chapter 1 • Trends That Affect You in the Workplace • Global competition • Flattened management hierarchies • Team-based management • Communication technology • New work environments • Increasingly diverse workforce • Emphasis on ethics

5. Chapter 1 • Communication Model • Idea formation • Sender (encodes) • Medium • Receiver (decodes) • Feedback

6. Chapter 1 • Factors That Shape Understanding • Communication climate • Context and setting • Background, experience • Knowledge, mood • Values, beliefs, culture

7. Chapter 1 • Barriers That Create Misunderstandings • Bypassing • Differing frames of reference • Lack of language skills • Poor listening skills • Emotional interference • Physical distractions

8. Chapter 1 • Overcoming Barriers That Cause Misunderstandings • Recognize that communication is imperfect • Adapt message to the receiver • Improve your language and listening skills • Question your preconceptions • Encourage feedback

9. Chapter 1 • Organizational Communication • Functions • Internal • External • New Emphasis • Interactive • Mobile • Instant • Forms • Oral • Written • Delivery • Electronic • Hard Copy

10. Chapter 1 • Communication and Formal Channels • Written channels • Memos, letters • Annual report • Company newsletter • Bulletin board postings • Orientation manual

11. Chapter 1 • Communication and Formal Channels • Oral channels • Telephone • Face-to-face conversation • Company meetings • Team meetings

12. Chapter 1 • Communication and Formal Channels • Electronic channels • E-mail • Instant/text messaging • Voicemail • Videoconferencing • Blogging • Social networks • Wikis • Microblogging • Web chat

13. Chapter 1 • Formal Channels of Information Flow • Upward • Downward • Horizontal(lateral) • Informal Channels of Information Flow • Grapevine • Effective usage • Ineffective usage

14. Chapter 1 • Obstacles to Flow of Organizational Information • Lack of trust, turf wars, fear of reprisal • Uneven reward systems • Closed communication climate • Little official communication • Top-heavy organizational structure • Long lines of communication • Filtering, prejudice, ego involvement

15. Chapter 1 • Surmounting Obstacles to Effective Communication • Encourage open, trusting environment • Flatten the organizational structure • Provide more information through formal channels • Train managers and employees in effective communication • Establish hotline and ombudsman programs • Establish fair reward system for individual & team members • Encourage full participation in teams

16. Chapter 1 • Ethical Behavior • Traps to Avoid • False necessity trap—convincing yourself there is no other choice • Doctrine of relative filth—comparing your behavior to another’s • Rationalization trap—justifying unethical actions with excuses • Self-deception trap– persuading yourself that a lie is not really a lie • Ends-justify-the-means trap—using unethical means to accomplish a goal

17. Chapter 1 • Goals of Ethical Business Communicators • Abide by the law • Tell the truth • Label opinions • Be objective • Communicate clearly • Use inclusive language • Give credit

18. Chapter 1 • Tools for Doing the Right Thing • Is the action you are considering legal? • How would you see the problem if you were on the other side? • What are alternative solutions? • Can you discuss the problem with someone you trust? • How would you feel if people you care about learned of your action?