MGT 3213 – Organizational Communications

Process for Planning and Preparing Spoken and Written Messages STEP 1 STEP 2 STEP 3 STEP 4 STEP 5 STEP 6 STEP 7 Consider the applicable contextual forces Determine the purpose & select an appropriate channel & medium Envision the audience Adapt the message to the audience’s needs & concerns Organize the message Prepare the first draft Revise & proofread for accuracy & desired impact

Step one: Consider the applicable contextual forces Organizational Culture “A pattern of shared basic assumptions that the group learned as it solved its problems of external adaptation and internal integration and which has worked well enough to be taught to new members as the correct way to perceive, think, and feel in relation to these problems.” Socialization Not just behaviors, communication too

Step one: Consider the applicable contextual forces Characteristics of organizational culture Innovation and risk taking Attention to detail Outcome orientation People orientation Team orientation Aggressiveness Stability

Step one: Consider the applicable contextual forces Physical Social Chronological Cultural Environmental

Step two: Determine the purpose & select the channel & medium What is the central idea of your message? Get information Answer a question Accept an offer Deny a request Sell or get support for a product or idea Apologize What do you hope to accomplish with the message?

Step two: Determine the purpose & select the channel & medium Two-way, face-to-face (group meeting, one-on-one) Two-way, not face-to-face (phone, ) One-way, not face-to-face (letter, memo)

Step two: Determine the purpose & select the channel & medium SituationChannel/Justification Tell a customer damaged merchandise will be replaced Notify a sales rep of job termination Inform employees of a new Internet usage policy Telephone or face-to-face: Lends importance to the message; more personal Routine matter; mass distribution

Step two: Determine the purpose & select the channel & medium Considerations richness vs leanness need for interpretation speed of establishing contact time required for feedback cost amount of information conveyed need for permanent record control over the message

Step three: Envision the audience Anticipating how the audience will interpret and respond to your message Put yourself “in their shoes” Why is this step important? Allows you to avoid miscommunication! Maximizes the effectiveness of your message

Step three: Envision the audience Gather AS MUCH INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE about the audience of your message Age Economic level Education/occupational background Needs and concerns of the audience Culture Rapport Expectations If nothing else, imagine how you would react if you were the one receiving the message If you can only choose one of these items, which one should you pick?

Step three: Envision the audience Situation Tell a customer damaged merchandise will be replaced Notify a sales rep of job termination Inform employees of a new Internet usage policy

Step three: Envision the audience Also ask, what type of audience am I addressing? Managers: Just the facts, be as concise as possible (or have good executive summaries) Experts: Use standard technical terms, don’t exaggerate or overstate your claims Nonexperts: Avoid jargon, use lots of definitions and explanations International/multicultural: Avoid slang, colloquialisms, culture-specific says (e.g. “under the weather”)

Step four: Adapt the message to the audience Try to be receiver-centered Does the message address the receiver’s needs and concerns? Will the receiver perceive the ideas to be fair, logical, and ethical? Are the ideas expressed clearly and concisely (to avoid the embarrassment of miscommunication)? Does the message promote positive relationships? Is the message sent promptly? Is the message professional, high quality?

Focus on Receiver’s View Point “I” or Sender-centered “You” or Receiver-centered I want to congratulate you on your award. Congratulations! You are the Employee of the Year. I am interested in ordering... Please send me... (You is the understood subject.) I give you permission to take an extra day of vacation. You earned an extra day of vacation because of your performance.

The power of words Why did Kentucky Fried Chicken change its name to “KFC”? Why is the corn industry lobbying the FDA to change the name of high-fructose corn syrup to corn sugar? Richard Weaver

Communicating to convey goodwill What is goodwill? The ability to create and maintain positive, productive relationships An intangible asset arising from the reputation of its business and its relations with its customers How do you do this? Be nice Be honest Be fair Be ethical Establish trust

Building & protecting goodwill Use euphemisms cautiously What are some examples of euphemisms? Sanitation worker = garbage collector Correctional facility = prison Double-speak, corporate speak Above-board = ? Peer management = ? Rightsize = ?

Building & protecting goodwill Avoid condescending or demeaning expressions Bean counter = ? Spin doctor = ? Ambulance chaser = ? Shrink = ? Use connotative tone cautiously “harped on” vs. discussed “dealt with” vs. handled or managed Use bias-free language Defamatory remarks

Step five: Organize the message Make an outline! Benefits of outlining your message: Encourages accuracy and brevity Permits concentration on one phase at a time Saves time in structuring ideas Provides a psychological lift Facilitates appropriate emphasis of ideas

Step five: Organize the message Sequence Time Space Familiarity Importance Value