Best Practices in Business Writing and Communication

Kristi L. Woods

Colorado State University-Global Campus

Contemporary Business Writing and Communication

ORG 536

Brian Neff PhD

Introduction

This presentation will incorporate components that promote the Best Practices in Business Writing and Communications.

Topics detailing these components include:

• Effective and Ethical Business Communication

• Professionalism in the Workplace

• Intercultural Business Communication

• Writing Tips for the business professional

• Using Electronic Messages and Digital Media

• Positive and Negative messages

• Business Presentations

• Business Reports, Plans and Proposals

Effective and Ethical Business Communications

• Effective Communication skills are critical in the workplace.

• Ethical communication reinforces an ethical workplace (Ethisphere, 2012).

• Encompasses critical thinking skills.

• Is learned rather than inherited.

(Guffey &Loewy, 2011)

Best Practices: Effective and Ethical Communications Skills

Focuses on behavior.

Establishes accountability among employees

Is practiced, not merely communicated.

Keeps ethics as the basis of corporate culture.

(Leila Trapp, 2011)

Additional Best Practices

• Effective ethical communication builds organizational culture

• Training reinforces ethical values and messages

• Ethical communication is best as a practice, not rhetoric

• (Federwisch,2007)

Best Practices: Professionalism in the

Workplace Uses combination of technical and soft skills

Promotes team building

Emphasizes listening skills

Business Etiquette

(Guffey & Loewy, 2011)

Best Practices: Professionalism in Workplace

• Teams and Groups are formed to increase productivity

• Facilitates better decision making

• Teams fully engage in problem solving

(Guffey & Loewy, 2011)

Best Practices: Professionalism in the

Workplace• Listening skills are vital

• A continual area of employee development.

• Listening must be relevant involving proper vocabulary

• Employ facts and active involvement

• Seek clarification for understanding.

(Grognet & Van Duzer, 2003)

Best Practices: Intercultural Business Communication

• Incorporates a global vision

• Is Influenced by Global Markets

• Embraces global facilitation

• Encourages competition

(Chitakornkijsil, 2010)

Best Practices Intercultural

Business Communication

Communication within Intercultural workgroups

impacts work culture

This reduces workplace biases

Increases tolerance

(Guffey & Loewy, 2011)

Best Practices: Intercultural Business Communication

• Speaking phrases in foreign languages

• Be observant in eye contact

• Speak slowly and enunciate words

• Verify understanding

• Listen actively

• Establish and reinforce ethical values

(Guffey & Loewy, 2011)

Best Practices: Writing Tips for the Business Professional

• Involves writing that has a purpose

• Is Persuasive to the audience

• Is organized and processed

• Uses the precise channel to deliver information

• (Guffey & Loewy, 2011)

Best Practices: Writing Tips for The Business Professional

• Avoid using jargon or slang

• Use simple words

• Check correct usage of subjects and verbs

• Short declaratives sentences work best

(Adams, 2014)

Best Practices: Writing Tips for the Business Professional

• Make the reader the essential focus

• Doing this allows tailoring the message to the appropriate audience

• Also shapes the purpose of the message.

(Christie, 2005)

Best Practices: Using Electronic Messages and

Digital Media

• Businesses rely heavily on electronic messages to communicate with employees.

• Embrace social media and digital media to establish customer base and interaction

• Allows employees to remain connected at all times

(Guffey & Loewy, 2011)

Best Practices: Using Electronic Messages and

Digital Media

• Use the subject line in email wisely and succinctly

• Indicate why the email is being written

• Make requests using courteous language

• Be direct with information

• Organize the information in orderly fashion

• Request action politely and specifically

(Guffy & Loewy, 2011)

Best Practices: Using Electronic Messages and

Digital Media• Be familiar with company

policy regarding texting and messaging

• Do not use texting to send confidential/sensitive information

• Use proper grammar and etiquette

• Never text while driving.

(Guffey & Loewy,2011)

Best Practices: Positive and Negative Messages

Positive Messages

• Focus on using a process to be effective

• Key in on what needs to be conveyed

• Determine if the message is necessary

• Identify the proper communication channel

• Is considerate of the reader’s time

(Guffey & Loewy, 2011)

Best Practices: Positive and Negative Messages

Effectively Conveying Negative Messages

• Avoid inflammatory and abusive language

• Refrains from careless language

• Conveys empathy and sensitivity

(Guffey & Loewy, 2011)

Best Practices: Business Presentation

• Dress Professionally

• Speak Clearly

• Know the audience

• Use Visual aids and handouts

• Interact with audience

• Obtain feedback to evaluate effectiveness

• (Guffey & Loewy, 2011)

Best Practices: Business Presentations

• Know the goal/purpose of the presentation

• Determine if the focus of the presentation is to inform or effect change

• Support the purpose by using between 3- 5 main points

(Kaye, 2009).

Best Practices: Business Reports, Plans and Proposals

• Effective Business Reports contain information designed to help facilitate decisions

• Generally outline details of an end result

• Are more detailed and lengthy and targeted towards a more formal audience.

(Guffey & Loewy 2011)

Best Practices: Business Reports Plans and Proposals

• Business plans focus on a product or service being provided

• Business proposals may be solicited or unsolicited

• Discuss options to solve a problem or improve processes

• Also used to generate sales

• (Guffey & Loewy, 2011)

Conclusion

This presentation has provided components that promote the Best Practices in Business Writing and Communications. Topics detailing these components were as follows:

• Effective and Ethical Business Communication

• Professionalism in the Workplace

• Intercultural Business Communication

• Writing Tips for the business professional

• Using Electronic Messages and Digital Media

• Positive and Negative messages

• Business Presentations

• Business Reports, Plans and Proposals

References• Adams, S. (2014). 10 Tips For Better Business Writing. Forbes.Com, 1.Retrieved from https://eds-a-ebscohost-

com.csuglobal.idm.oclc.org/ehost/detail?vid=3&sid=fd738434-b9fc-41ae-adb5-5d96ef286f6b%40sessionmgr4003&hid=4210&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=buh&AN=95843147

•  

• Chitakornkijsil, P. (2010). INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION CHALLENGES AND MULTINATIONAL ORGANIZATION COMMUNICATION. International Journal Of Organizational Innovation, 3(2), 6-20. Retrieved from https://eds-a-ebscohost-com.csuglobal.idm.oclc.org/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=9dffb89e-cde3-4f8b-a840-b7d2674c395f%40sessionmgr4004&vid=5&hid=4210

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• Christie, G. (2005). Golden rules of writing well. Chartered Accountants Journal, 84(8), 63. Retrieved from https://eds-a-ebscohost-com.csuglobal.idm.oclc.org/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=fd738434-b9fc-41ae-adb5-5d96ef286f6b%40sessionmgr4003&vid=7&hid=4210

•• Grognet, A. & Van Duzer, C. (2003) Listening Skills in the Workplace. Retrieved from

http://www.springinstitute.org/Files/listeningwkplc.pdf

•  

• Guffey, M & Loewy, D. (2011) Business Communications: Process and Product (7th Ed.). Independence, KY. Cengage Learning.

•  

• Ethisphere institute to host second-annual "best practices in ethics communications workshop" at the new york stock exchange. (2013, Sep 12). Business Wire Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1432641649?accountid=38569

•  

• Federwisch, A. (2007, April) Toward An Ethical Culture: Characteristics of an Ethical Organization. Retrieved from http://www.scu.edu/ethics/practicing/focusareas/business/organization.html

References (Continued)

• Kaye, S. (2009). it's showtime! how to give effective presentations. Supervision, 70(9), 13-15. Retrieved from https://eds-a-ebscohost-com.csuglobal.idm.oclc.org/ehost/detail?vid=2&sid=2eda4862-78bb-4ee9-b35d-70ee23952e9d%40sessionmgr4003&hid=4210&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=buh&AN=48189742

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Leila Trapp, N. N. (2011). Staff Attitudes to Talking Openly About Ethical Dilemmas: The Role of Business Ethics Conceptions and Trust. Journal Of Business Ethics, 103(4), 543-552. doi:10.1007/s10551-011-0879-9 Retrieved from https://eds-a-ebscohost-com.csuglobal.idm.oclc.org/ehost/detail?vid=2&sid=a2ba10f0-5fcd-49b0-b48a-a631a6dfaa0c%40sessionmgr4005&hid=4105&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=bth&AN=66440559