reflection

Module 10: Model Student-Written Self-Reflective Essay

Writing for Business Professionals

Date

The Business writing course has been a plethora of insight for the budding professional, but

beyond anything else, the biggest difficulty in this class is the core of its

teachings, communication. In today's rapid digital age, communication is so watered down and

minimal that the easiest mistakes occur out of things that could have been fixed in a quick

two-minute conversation. Written communication is often a destroyer of one's intent, and

clarity. So how do you attack and win at challenging communication? Read this essay for insight

on modern written communication, new age team work, and the power/ problems with several

eyes on the prize.

In this course, my professional writing skills improved immensely with three main

changes. I kept my writing to the point. In digital communication, unnecessary text gets drown

out quickly, and readers easily lose focus. To combat this problem, only write out your need to

know points, and facts. Otherwise, readers get lost. I always asked for clarification. Another

great trick to digital communication is asking when you aren’t totally sure, not only does

everyone receive the correct result, but teammates are always appreciate a job done right vs. a

job that has to be corrected. Courtesy is key to effective digital communication. The last thing

anyone wants is an angry message, and the last thing you want to do is accidentally write

one. AVOID BOLD TONES!!!!, slang, personal topics, and courteous digital communication

will follow suit nicely.

Another key skill I developed in this class was new age teamwork. By this I mean

working with people you’ll never meet face to face. One of the most difficult challenges of

digital age business is not conducting in person meetings, because of this errors and mistakes

are bound to happen. To avoid this mishap, team members on the same project clarified one

means of communication that everyone could use and be referred back to. My group used a

group text message thread for all of our planning and discussion. All of the information was

compiled in one area that could be easily reviewed. Everyone was included on what was going

on, and information was not lost in various means of communication. Other great sources for

digital work conversations are Email, or the app SLACK for business teams. Remember to keep

one method of communication for a group setting.

Finally, the most important thing I learned thought this course were unforeseen

challenges with digital groups and how to combat them. The first challenge I ran into was bail

out teammates. This problem was corrected by open communication. New teammates were

quickly found, and tasks were delegated within a matter of minutes. Another challenge I

noticed occur over time was that teammates got too comfortable and gradually the work quality

began to suffer. To combat this, I suggest occasionally switching up the roles that way each

member is constantly on their toes. At the end of the day, dedicated players propel others to

achieve great heights, so if you put in the effort, you’ll have a job well done.

Digital business communication can be a minefield to navigate, but with courteously

clear communication, central messaging hubs, and dedication, much can be achieved. Thank

you so much for your time throughout this course, I got a lot out of what I learned here.