11. personal communications

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 11-1

Chapter 11

Communicating in Person, by Telephone, and in Meetings


• Improve your pronunciation.• “naturally” – not “natcherly”• “accessory” – not “assessory”• “don’t you” – not “doncha”

Using Your Voice as a Communication Tool


• Work on the quality of your voice.• Do you sound friendly, alert, or positive?• Do you sound angry, slow-witted, or

negative?



• Adjust the volume of your voice and your rate of speech.• Speak as loudly or softly as the occasion

demands.• Don’t make your listeners strain to hear you.• Don’t speak too rapidly.




• Use emphasis to express meaning.• Stress the words that require emphasis.• Use of a lower pitch and volume can make

you sound professional or reasonable.


Promoting Positive Workplace Relations

• Use correct names and titles.• Choose appropriate workplace topics.• Avoid negative remarks.• Listen and learn.• Give sincere and specific praise.


• Mentally outline your conversation.

• Use face-to-face communication.

• Focus on improvement (offer to help).

• Be specific; avoid broad generalizations.

• Focus on the behavior, not the person.

• Use “we” rather than “you.”

Offering Constructive Criticism on the Job


Offering Constructive Criticism on the Job

• Encourage two-way communication.

• Avoid anger, sarcasm, and a raised voice.

• Keep it private.


• Listen without interrupting.

• Determine the speaker’s intent.

• Acknowledge what you are hearing.

• Paraphrase what was said.

• If necessary, ask for more information.

• Agree—if the comments made are fair.

Responding Professionally to Workplace Criticism


Responding Professionally to Workplace Criticism

• Disagree respectfully and constructively—if you feel the comments made are unfair.

• Look for a middle position.


Common Conflict Response Patterns

• Avoidance/withdrawal

• Accommodation/smoothing

• Compromise

• Competition/forcing

• Collaboration/problem solving


Six-Step Procedure for Dealing With Conflict

1. Listen carefully. Understand the problem.

2. Understand the other point of view.

3. Show a concern for the relationship.

4. Look for common ground.

5. Invent new problem-solving options.

6. Reach an agreement based on what’s fair.


• Placing Calls• Plan a mini agenda.• Use a three-point introduction:

1. State your name.

2. State your affiliation.

3. Give a brief explanation of why you are calling.

• Be cheerful and accurate.• Bring it to a close.

Making Effective Telephone Calls


• Avoid telephone tag.• Leave complete voice-mail messages.




• Receiving Calls• Identify yourself immediately.• Be responsive and helpful.• Be cautious when answering calls

intended for others.• Take messages carefully.• Explain when transferring calls.


Practicing Courteous and Responsible Cell Phone Use

• Be courteous to those around you.

• Observe the rules for wireless-free areas.

• Speak in low, conversational tones.

• Take only urgent calls.

• Drive now, talk later.


• Planning a Meeting• Ask yourself whether a meeting is really

necessary. • Invite only key individuals.• Prepare an agenda (include topics, times,

and names).

Meetings


• Conducting a Meeting• Start the meeting on time. • Begin with an introduction that establishes

the goal and length of the meeting.• Provide the background of the problem(s),

suggest possible solutions.• Present a tentative agenda.

Meetings


• Establish ground rules.• Appoint a secretary, who will take minutes,

and a recorder, who will track ideas on a flipchart.

• Encourage participation by all, but avoid digressions.

• When the group reaches consensus, summarize and ask for confirmation.

Meetings


Meetings

• Concluding a Meeting and Following Up• End the meeting on time. • Summarize the results achieved.• Distribute minutes of the meeting a few

days later.• Remind group members of their follow-up

assignments.


End