Communication Essay Assignment (Read Carefully)

Unit V

Lesson 1: Writing Professional Messages

Introduction

We all communicate through formal and informal channels in various situations, and each mode

of communication can be more or less rich in its ability to send information effectively. For

example, consider the best channel to send messages such as a company announcement or a

letter of resignation. Messages such as these should be written and sent through a formal channel

so that the sender receives the notification, and a record of the notification can be retained.

Writing Professional Messages

Writing professional messages involves four steps:

a. planning the message, b. organizing the message, c. writing the message, and d. proofreading the message.

Before writing a message, careful planning is a necessity. In advance, it must be determined who

the audience is, what feedback is expected, and what outcomes are expected.

Planning Your Message

What is the purpose of the message? Is the message designed to persuade others to take action or

simply share information? Additionally, will the message achieve its purpose if part of the

process is to explain a difficult concept? In every case, part of the planning is to consider if

writing a message is the best way to communicate or whether it would be better to deliver the

message through another medium, perhaps orally.

Once the reason for writing the message is clear, the next step is to determine the support needed

to make and refine each point until it is very specific. Part of this process is to consider the best

methods that will ensure the message will be successful. For example, if the message is asking

for changes to be made, ensure that the timing is right for such a move. Is it practical to ask for

the company to spend money at this time? For example, if the message asks for the purchase of

more equipment, part of the planning must be an analysis of whether or not the timing is right

and if the company can afford to make such a purchase. If the company is experiencing a

financial downturn, then the message will be a waste of time and might even be viewed as

presumptuous or the presenter as out of touch with current trends in the company’s financial

status.

The planning for any message must always consider the people who will read the message. If the

message is going to only a select few people in the local community, it will be worded

differently from a message going to people located in other states or countries. For example, read

the following simple message and note the ambiguous possible interpretations: “We are not quite

there yet.” This message can be decoded as, “Good going; we are almost at our target,” or it

could be decoded, “This is nowhere close to complete” (Meyer, 2014). Good communication

means that a writer must choose words that will be familiar to the reader. This is an impossible

task without knowing a great deal about the target audience.

One of the first steps in successful communication is to gather enough information or do some

research and seek out information that is necessary for the message to be effective. Why is using

research an important skill to master? Bringing in support material from a reliable source to

support your thesis or argument in any communication is a foundation of good writing. Showing

that others have the same perspective and beliefs that are the foundation of a particular message

will always enhance credibility and help present the writer and his or her company as a group of

well-informed professionals. You also need to incorporate information from credible sources to

support your particular viewpoint as you answer questions at the end of each unit in this class.

Whether writing academically or in a business setting, the basis is the same: Present your ideas

clearly, and use information from a credible source to support all claims. For example, if an

employee asks his or her boss to replace current desktop computers with laptops, the message

could be enhanced by supporting the request with research and data showing not only why the

upgrade would be advantageous but that the timing would be beneficial as well. One particularly

useful piece of information might compare current computers to those in an updated system.

Perhaps provide a list of important features, include information on how the new system would

improve work efficiency, and add a list of prices for the upgrade. By providing sources

supporting the suggestion, all necessary information for the boss to make an informed decision is

in place, and the chances of success are greatly enhanced.

Hypothetically, if one were preparing a report about the unique behaviors of the sea angel snail,

he or she would certainly want to let the audience know where the information came from. If the

report is able to cite credible sources on this topic, the facts will be better received and more

believable than if the document provided only personal opinions about this unique sea creature or

if the sources were generic, perhaps from Wikipedia, rather than being obtained from an expert

on the subject.

If an employee is asked to respond to a request for information, he or she may have to ask

questions or do some research before providing an answer. For example, if someone requests

information about the services your company provides, always ask questions that will narrow the

scope of the primary inquiry, such as which particular services the person might be interested in.

Use the who, what, where, when, and how approach so that the response to the individual will be

of value. In other words, before the best answer to his or her inquiry can be supplied, several

questions must be answered in order to establish a clear path to the best and most fulfilling

answer.

Those who are tasked to write reports for their companies must research diligently to ensure that

the information provided in writing, graphs, and charts is accurate and up-to-date. Always gather

the most recent information from annual reports, industry experts, customer surveys, and other

input media, such as focus groups, simply by carrying out the research and asking direct

questions.

Columbia Southern University uses American Psychological Association (APA) style academic

writing techniques to help students support their viewpoints on various topics. The in-text

citations showing quoted or paraphrased material from specific sources will point the reader to

the full reference listing on a references page at the end of the essay, showing the reader where to

go to find the full information on the topic if the reader wishes to pursue the information.

Organizing a Message

If an employee goes through the process of gathering information for one type of report or

another, after he or she carefully explores all of the information gathered and selects the most

effective material, it is time to consider how to structure the message. The first objective of all

messages is that they will be fully understood. An unorganized message will cause confusion,

and even the most important ideas might not be understood. If the point of the correspondence is

that the message will be received and processed, especially negative messages, the audience

must be of paramount concern. For any audience to receive and benefit from a message, the

sender must organize and present the ideas logically. Each idea must be clearly identified,

discussed, and communicated to the recipient. All messages must flow coherently in order for the

information to be decoded accurately.

Another very important factor to consider is time. A busy person has little time to read messages,

and a well-structured message will help the person to go through the message quickly yet

understand each idea that is presented. For example, do not repeat the same point in different

ways. Developing a strong and consistent structure also helps in the composition and production

phases of the message.

There are several ways to organize messages Four patterns that are commonly used are

chronological, comparison/contrast, emphasis, and cause and effect.

Chronological: A chronologically arranged message is structured in a time-order system. This

structure divides ideas into specific categories and ensures that the topics are in sequence. This

structure can use bullet points to help the reader grasp the ideas more succinctly. Another helpful

structure is verbal cues—using demonstrative words, such as first, next, and finally—that are

indicative of a sequence and order.

Comparison/contrast: A comparison/contrast structure uses similarities or differences to help

present a set of ideas clearly. For example, a presenter might compare products or services that

are being offered over a period of time and show how the products or services have been

improved. Alternatively, one might decide to show a contrast between a particular product and

the product of a competitor.

Emphasis: One excellent way to emphasize products and services is by providing examples to

demonstrate their usefulness. This particular methodology highlights ideas clearly and

emphasizes points that best appeal to customers.

Cause and effect: The cause and effect method is used with a strong focus on why something

happened. In such messages, the emphasis is on the causes of a particular problem followed by a

carefully explicated discussion of what happened as a result.

There are times when the solution to a complex problem might call for the employment of more

than one pattern in a single message. This is most common in messages that consist of more than

one paragraph. A report is a good example of this not uncommon phenomenon. Quite often, a

report might use a chronological approach and then later follow with comparison/contrast to

explain a set of similarities and differences. Another common use of emphasis is a trailing or

follow-up paragraph that is used to ensure that the reader fully understands a point previously

stated. Finally, cause and effect can be employed very effectively to dramatize the main issue or

point in a report or other communication.

Writing a message: At all times a writer, presenter, or speaker must consider the potential

audience. When writing a message to business stakeholders, all ideas must be set out clearly.

Each idea must be expressed in a single emphatic paragraph. Each paragraph, then, must contain

sufficient information supporting the idea. A paragraph should rarely contain more than six

sentences. As a result, word choice becomes of great importance. You have to choose words that

can relay your message briefly but accurately.

Always use words that are specific and familiar to the reader. For example, instead of referring to

human capital, use more explicit words such as people or employees. Likewise, use words that

express ideas without being too wordy. For example, “We are committed to providing,” should

simply be “We provide.” Many people are told, either in the military or education, about the

KISS rule, meaning “keep it simple, stupid,” and if we all embraced that comical acronym, our

communications would immediately become much more effective.

For the same reasons, avoid replacing a simple verb with a longer phrase. For example, do not

write that we are going to have to “make a decision.” Simply write that we have to “decide.”

Keep your messages as brief as possible; succinct is an excellent word for this effort, without

losing the essence of the message that you are communicating.

Redundancies should also be avoided. A writer or speaker does not have to use the phrase “a

personal friend” since family and friends are always personal. Writing about returning to a city,

region, or country, there is no need to write “return back.” When bad events happen, they are

always serious, so there is no need to write about a “serious disaster.” This common and

unconscious habit we are all guilty of is mocked by such absurd expressions as “hanged to

death,” “violently executed,” “bad criminal,” or “young child.” Sometimes, we simply are not

thinking when we write and speak, but that is why revision and editing are so absolutely critical

to our work.

Common redundancies heard at work include the following:

 Added bonus

 Advance planning

 Circulate around

 Close proximity

 Fewer in number

 Final outcome

 Join together

 Major breakthrough

 Past experience

 Still continues

 Sum total (Brockway, 2012)

Good communications, written or oral, always avoid clichés—expressions that were once

popular but used so often that people now consider them to be boring and unimportant. For

example, the phrase “a diamond in the rough” describes a person who will do extremely well in

the future. It is better to speak directly and plainly in a professional situation and avoid clichés

altogether.

Common clichés heard at work include the following:

 Ace in the hole

 Back against the wall

 Busy as a bee

 Calm before the storm

 Death and taxes

 Ear to the ground

 Field this one

 Goes without saying

 Hold a candle to

 I beg to differ

 Jury is still out

 Knuckle down

 Live and learn

 Mark my words

 No guts, no glory

 On thin ice

 P’s and q’s

 Rags to riches

 Read my lips

 Squeaky wheel gets the grease

 Take one for the team

 Think outside of the box

 Under the gun

 When in doubt, punt

 Whole nine yards

 20/20 hindsight (Hayden, n.d.)

Likewise, avoid buzzwords when possible. Buzzwords are those words that are new and popular

in certain settings. They can be used to demonstrate that the speaker is up on current trends.

Buzzwords can actually be useful in some cases, such as an interview. However, it is imperative

that the speaker not overuse buzzwords or use them too late in their life cycle because, by then,

the words have simply turned into clichés and have the opposite effect, making the speaker seem

as if he or she is an outsider. It can even make the speaker seem out of touch or worse—obsolete

(Thill & Bovee, 2015).

Jargon should be used only when communicating with people in your field. For example,

medical personnel use jargon when writing to or speaking with each other but must revert to

familiar words when writing to or speaking with patients. Referring to a TIA is acceptable when

communicating with people in the medical field, but when advising a patient, it is better to

explain that you mean “signs of a stroke.” Every field has its own unique terminology, and it is

always best to be considerate of an audience, and when in doubt, err on the side of avoiding

jargon. If the audience is mixed, then using the jargon immediately followed by a parenthetical

explanation of the term can be satisfactory to both audiences.

Proofreading your message: One fundamental and immutable law of communication is that we

must proofread our messages before sending them. When an employee sends out messages with

errors, customers/clients are led to believe that the company’s products/services will also have

flaws. As a result, there is always the risk that customers will take their business to the

company’s competitors.

Without exception, check every word to ensure it is spelled correctly, and, likewise, check to

ensure all communications are grammatically correct. Misplaced commas or semicolons can not

only change the meaning of a message but also send an unintended message that the company is

careless, if not incompetent.

Sending messages: Another critical consideration is the selection of the best mode for the

delivery of every communication: e-mail, text, face-to-face, or other. The medium selected for

communications is very important not only in relation to timeliness or reaching someone in-

between meetings but also in relation to the message it implicitly sends about company

organization, priorities, and consistency.

Review:

1. We all communicate through formal and informal channels in various situations, and each mode of communication can be more or less rich in its ability to send information

effectively.

2. Part of the planning of writing a message is to consider if writing a message is actually the best way to communicate or whether it would be better to deliver the message

through another medium, perhaps orally.

3. The first objective of all messages is that they will be fully understood; therefore, it must be organized.

4. At all times a writer, presenter, or speaker must consider the potential audience.

5. One fundamental and immutable law of communication is that we must proofread our messages before sending them.

6. Another critical communication consideration is the selection of the best mode for the delivery of every communication.

Check for Understanding

(Answer Key is found after the Review.)

1. Which is NOT one of the key steps in writing professional messages? a) Planning b) Discussing c) Organizing d) Proofreading

2. What is one of the fundamental considerations during the planning stage of a professional message?

a) Audience b) Cost c) Arrival time

3. The best choice of words for a professional message is those words which demonstrate knowledge and sophistication, even if the receiver must look them up.

a) True b) False

4. The first and most important aspect of any and every professional message is that it reflects well on the company that is sending it.

a) True b) False

5. Proofreading professional messages is just as important as their construction. a) True b) False

Answer Key

1. B - While discussing aspects of any piece of correspondence is not a bad idea, discussing is not one of the key four steps. Writing is the other traditional step that was left out of

the choices.

2. A - A knowledge of the audience, singular or plural, is of paramount consideration in knowing what to say and how to say it.

3. B – False: When creating professional messages, select words which will be familiar to the recipient.

4. B – False: The single priority of any professional message is that it be completely understood by any and all recipients. If the message fails in that respect, nothing else

matters.

5. A – True: It might be the case that proofreading for perfection is more important than any other step in the cycle of professional messages. Any piece of correspondence that leaves

an office containing errors reflects poorly on the company.

References

Brockway, L. H. (2012). 34 redundant, repetitive, and superfluous phrases. Retrieved from http://www.prdaily.com/Main/Articles/34_redundant_repetitive_and_superfluous_phrases_12 417.aspx

Hayden, L. (n.d.). Left-brain - right brain /creativity program. Retrieved from http://suspense.net/whitefish/cliche.htm

Meyer, E. (2014). How to say “This is crap” in different cultures. Retrieved from

https://hbr.org/2014/02/how-to-say-this-is-crap-in-different-cultures

Thill, J. V., & Bovee, C. L. (2015). Excellence in business communication (11th ed.). Upper

Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.