Business Communication Developing Leaders for a Networked World Peter Cardon 3e - Test Bank

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FALSE

The process of developing business messages is fairly straightforward: plan, write, and review. Distributing is not part of this process.

TRUE

The most important stage of creating effective business messages is planning.

TRUE

As you craft business messages, maintain a listener-centered approach. In the listener-centered approach to writing business messages, you seek as much input as reasonably possible from colleagues, clients, and customers.

FALSE

Values refer to enduring beliefs and ideals that individuals hold. Priorities involve ranking or assigning importance to things. Priorities of the readers tend to shift more often than their values.

FALSE

Many entry-level professionals have relatively low professional credibility because they are viewed as newcomers.

TRUE

Excellent business thinkers possess a number of characteristics. One of them is that they gather information from a variety of sources.

TRUE

Facts are statements that can be relied on with a fair amount of certainty and can be observed objectively. Conclusions are statements that are reasoned or deduced based on facts. Positions are stances that you take based on a set of conclusions. In the workplace, you will often make recommendations, which are a type of position.

TRUE

The art of creating effective frames involves capturing your primary message in a short, memorable statement of 15 words or less.

FALSE

Most business arguments employ a direct, or deductive, approach. In other words, they begin by stating the primary message, which is typically a position or recommendation.

TRUE

The inductive, or indirect, approach is often effective when delivering bad news.

FALSE

Strong analogies bolster arguments, but to build well-reasoned business positions, you should avoid weak analogies. Weak analogies lead to inaccurate conclusions and recommendations.

FALSE

To build well-reasoned business positions, you should avoid either/or logic, which tends to close off important alternative ways of problem solving.

TRUE

As with slanting, exaggeration impacts readers’ perception of your overall credibility as well as the credibility of the message because it makes the claims sound unbelievable.

FALSE

Readers judge a message partially by its tone—the overall evaluation the reader perceives the writer to have toward the reader and the message content. Readers will judge your message based on how positive and concerned they think you are.

FALSE

The subject of a sentence almost always becomes the focus or emphasis. Generally, place the focus on your reader (you-voice), your shared interests with the reader (we-voice), or simply the business issue at hand (impersonal voice).

TRUE

While writing business messages, one should find ways to avoid terms that unnecessarily focus on differences. This increases the positivity of business messages.

TRUE

In content and form, a business message should show that you have the interests of your audience in mind. Therefore, avoid any sense of self-centeredness.

TRUE

Typically, readers sense tone over an entire message. The guidelines for choosing appropriate subjects for your sentences influence tone—for good or bad—over the entirety of a paragraph or message.

TRUE

Meta messages are the overall but often underlying messages people take away from a communication or group of communications. Meta messages are encoded and decoded as a combination of content, tone, and other signals.

FALSE

The term “argument” unnecessarily implies contention and difference of opinion.

In order to create an effective business message, during the planning stage you should understand the needs of the audience, generate the best of ideas to address a business issue and identify the primary message and key points.

In order to create an effective business message, during the drafting stage you should set a positive and other-oriented tone, make the message easy to read, and make the message easy to navigate.

In order to create an effective business message, during the reviewing stage you should ensure that the communication is fair, consider whether your message is effective, and remove any distractions.

Expert business writers not only produce more effective written communications, but they also do so more quickly than average writers. Their secret is to devote a much higher percentage of their time to the planning and reviewing stages.

As you craft business messages, it is advisable that you maintain a listener-centered approach. In the listener-centered approach, you seek as much input as reasonably possible from colleagues, clients, and customers. You ask them about their opinions, preferences, and areas of expertise. Pat did not do this, instead drawing primarily on her own opinions and expertise.

The AIM planning process unleashes your best thinking and allows you to deliver influential messages.

The first step in the AIM planning process for developing influential messages is analyzing the needs of your audience. This includes envisioning both reader benefits and reader constraints.

The information gathering step of the AIM planning process includes clearly identifying key questions and problems.

Values refers to enduring beliefs and ideals that individuals hold.

Priorities involve ranking or assigning importance to things, such as projects, goals, and tasks. Priorities tend to shift more often than values.

For many messages, identifying reader benefits and constraints is the single most important planning step.

Values refer to enduring beliefs and ideals that individuals hold.

Priorities involve ranking or assigning importance to things, such as projects, goals, and tasks. Priorities tend to shift more often than values.

To break out of a reputation as an inexperienced newcomer one should attend a lot of meetings to get to know as many colleagues as possible.

Excellent business thinkers possess a number of characteristics. First, they clearly and precisely identify and articulate key questions and problems. Second, they gather information from a variety of sources. Third, they make well-reasoned conclusions and solutions. Fourth, they remain open to alternatives to approaching and reasoning about the business problem—that is, they are mentally flexible.

Excellent business thinkers possess a number of characteristics. First, they clearly and precisely identify and articulate key questions and problems. Second, they gather information from a variety of sources. Third, they make well-reasoned conclusions and solutions. Fourth, they remain open to alternatives to approaching and reasoning about the business problem—that is, they are mentally flexible.

Excellent business thinkers possess a number of characteristics. First, they clearly and precisely identify and articulate key questions and problems. Second, they gather information from a variety of sources. Third, they make well-reasoned conclusions and solutions. Fourth, they remain open to alternatives to approaching and reasoning about the business problem—that is, they are mentally flexible. Will’s ability to explain complex issues clearly marks him as the best choice.

To remain competitive and profitable, businesses constantly need to identify and overcome problems. The first step in problem solving is identifying business problems. This involves understanding an organization’s business objectives and related challenges. It involves asking many questions from a lot of angles.

Facts are statements that can be relied on with a fair amount of certainty (most things are not absolutely certain in the business world) and can be observed objectively.

Analyzing a business problem typically involves uncovering relevant facts, making conclusions, and taking positions.

Anita needs to complete the third step of the AIM planning process, which is message development. The first task of message development is framing the primary message.

In a business message, the purpose of a call to action is to elaborate on the initial position or recommendation. It offers specific steps to be taken.

Most business arguments employ a direct, or deductive, approach. In other words, they begin by stating the primary message, which is typically a position or recommendation. Then they lay out the supporting reasons. Most business messages conclude with a call to action.

Most business arguments employ a direct, or deductive, approach. In other words, they begin by stating the primary message, which is typically a position or recommendation.

In the direct, or deductive, approach, the primary message is stated first. It is typically a position or recommendation. It is followed by the supporting reasons. In the indirect, or inductive, approach, the supporting reasons are provided first, followed by the primary message.

In all messages, whether they use a deductive approach or an inductive approach, the importance of framing and arranging supporting ideas to accentuate the main idea remains the same.

When using the indirect, or inductive, approach the supporting reasons are provided first, followed by the primary message. This is a common method for delivering bad news.

To build well-reasoned business positions, one should avoid unsupported generalizations. This issue boils down to providing supporting facts for your claims. Roberto failed to do this.

As you make sense of business issues, you will often try to identify analogies with other organizations, people, or things. Strong analogies serve to bolster your arguments. However, weak analogies may lead to inaccurate conclusions and recommendations. Calvin made an analogy to a completely dissimilar business, so it was weak.

As you make sense of business issues, you are often trying to identify causes and effects. The ability to precisely predict effects is always tricky. In this case, Jorge failed to provide any facts proving that the choice of shipping company was the cause of the increased orders.

One of the main characteristics of critical thinking is to remain flexible and open to alternative explanations and options. The claim that there is only one way to solve a business issue is unconvincing. Salina does not discuss alternative ways to improve order tracking, so her proposal does not succeed.

Readers will judge your message based on how positive and concerned they think you are.

Slanting means only presenting those facts that are favorable to your position. To maintain your credibility, avoid slanting in all cases.

Ansel is guilty of slanting the facts, or presenting only those facts that are favorable to your position.

One of your primary goals as a communicator is to express your messages in ways that respect and inspire others. Readers judge a message partially by its tone—the overall evaluation the reader perceives the writer to have toward the reader and the message content.

One of your primary goals as a communicator is to express your messages in ways that respect and inspire others.

Business communicators should aim at projecting positivity and concern for others in all business messages.

In order to make business messages more positive you should use diplomatic, constructive terms related to your relationships and interactions.

In order to make business messages more positive you should focus on actions you can accomplish and demonstrate a realistic optimism. At the same time, be careful not to exaggerate or set unrealistic expectations.

Focusing on the positive traits of products and services, rather than their negative traits, increases the positivity of business messages.

In order to make business messages more positive you should focus on actions you can accomplish and demonstrate a realistic optimism.

In content and form, a business message should show that you have the interests of the audience in mind, so any form of self-centeredness should be avoided.

I-voice amplifies the self-centered tone; whereas the repeated use of we-voice and you-voice amplifies a tone that reflects other-orientation.

In content and form, your message should show that you have the interests of your audience in mind. Therefore, avoid any display of self-centeredness, such as extensive use of the I-voice.

In content and form, a business message should show that you have the interests of the audience in mind. The subject of a sentence almost always becomes the focus or emphasis. So rather than focusing on the I-voice, the focus of a business message should be on your reader (you-voice), your shared interests with the reader (we-voice), or simply the business issue at hand (impersonal voice).

The business world can be a hectic, deadline-filled environment. In many situations you will want fast responses. If you show consideration for others’ time as well as for their sense of autonomy, you will often achieve your intended results more effectively than if your words sound bossy and demanding.

Meta messages are the overall but often underlying messages people take away from a communication or group of communications.

Mixed signals occur when the content of a message conflicts with the tone, nonverbal communication, or other signals coming from the message’s author. Sending mixed signals is not only confusing, but it also frequently results in negative meta messages.

The contrast between average business writers and expert business writers is most intriguing. Expert business writers not only produce more effective written communications, but they also do so more quickly than average writers. Their secret is to devote a much higher percentage of their time to the planning and reviewing stages. In particular, they spend far more time planning than average or poor writers. They take the time to understand the business issues well, piece together great ideas, make sure the ideas meet the needs of their audiences, and structure their messages for greatest clarity and impact. Once they start drafting, the content is essentially in place.

The three components in the AIM planning process for business messages are audience analysis, information gathering, and message development. Audience analysis includes identifying benefits to others, recognizing their values and priorities, and anticipating their reactions. Information gathering involves identifying and analyzing the business problems at hand, and displaying excellence in business thinking. Message development involves identifying and framing your primary messages, choosing your key points, and selecting your call to action.

To break out of a reputation as an inexperienced newcomer, an entry-level professional like Liam should set up a time to talk with his boss. He should explain his growth in various areas and ask for the boss’s ideas about improving his professional reputation. He should also take on higher-responsibility projects. This will demonstrate to his colleagues that he is capable and dedicated. He should also ensure that he fits in with the corporate culture in terms of professional dress and communication style. Creating a professional blog about an area of the industry that he knows well could also help him demonstrate his credibility.

Excellent business thinkers possess a number of characteristics. First, they clearly and precisely identify and articulate key questions and problems. Second, they gather information from a variety of sources. Third, they make well-reasoned conclusions and solutions. Fourth, they remain open to alternatives to approaching and reasoning about the business problem—that is, they are mentally flexible. They can hold opposing views, avoid either/or thinking, avoid one-way linear thinking, and are open to nonconventional solutions. Finally, they are skilled at communicating with others to figure out and solve complex problems.

During the message development step of the AIM planning process, it is important to frame your primary message. The primary business message is the key idea or argument that you want your reader to consider. Framing the message means putting it into a simple, vivid statement of 15 words or less. This statement should capture the essence of your message and convey it to your reader. It is a chance to convey to your reader that you care about your topic.

Most business arguments employ a direct or deductive approach. In other words, they begin by stating the primary message, which is typically a position or recommendation. Then they lay out the supporting reasons. Most business messages conclude with a call to action. The call to action in many cases is a more detailed and elaborate version of the initial position or recommendation. Examples will vary but should have a primary message, such as “Wellness programs will increase our profitability” up front, followed by supporting evidence such as financial analysis or analogies to other companies who have implemented similar programs, and then a call to action stating what the writer wants the reader to do.

Henry’s analogy is weak because a small shipping company handles far fewer packages that the U.S. Postal Service. His managers could easily conclude that they do not need the type of system used by such a giant shipper. Weak analogies lead to inaccurate conclusions and recommendations and therefore should be avoided when writing business messages.

Mixed signals occur when the content of a message conflicts with the tone, nonverbal communication, or other signals coming from the message’s author. Sending mixed signals is not only confusing, but it also frequently results in negative meta messages. Even if a business message is well reasoned and justified, if readers perceive a selfish or manipulative tone, they may decode meta messages such as “I’m not being straight with you” or “I’m opportunistic.” In a job interview, an applicant may say the right things but, because of unprofessional dress, send meta messages such as “I’m not serious about this job” or “I don’t understand the culture of this company.”

The following techniques can be used to ensure that a business message is positive:

1. Display a can-do, confident attitude by focusing on actions you can accomplish and demonstrating a realistic optimism.
2. Focus on the positive rather than negative traits of products and services by emphasizing what products and services are, rather than what they are not.
3. Use diplomatic, constructive terms related to your relationships and interaction. This means finding ways to avoid terms that unnecessarily focus on differences and may imply opposing or even adversarial relationships or positions.