Effective Workplace Communication: Think Before You Click and Chat

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1 Effective Workplace Communication: Think Before You Click and Chat Commission on the Status of Women Annual Conference October 6, 2010 Judy Grace, Ph.D School of Letters and Sciences

2 Tell Me Your Story On the blank 3x5 card, write a brief description of an issue you have with or communication in your office You can describe a situation or ask a question Do not put your name on these

3 Objectives Print vs. electronic (vs. voice) Plan, write, review, send Effective subject lines Mail-equette Common sense Channels of communication

4 Scriptor caveo Be careful the next time you hit "send" on a business because your message could wind up in your boss's hands, in front of a judge, or plastered in the newspaper. Nancy Flynn, executive director, epolicy Institute s send messages about your unit and your own performance impression management

5 Which Medium to Use >Does your receiver have a preference? Print Formal impression, for the record correspondence Legally required Distinguishing method Quick Free Voice Record of exchange Personal Informal No real record

Print Email Formal impression, for the record

6 Facilitates fast, convenient flow of information among users at various locations and across time zones Increases efficiency Reduces costs Reduces paper waste The way we do business.

7 Suitable for an from Work? That health insurance rates are going up next year That your supervisor is being replaced That your performance wasn t very good last year That you want your friend to meet you after work at P.F. Chang s That you are dating your ex-supervisor

supervisor is being replaced That your performance wasn t very good

8 Subject Lines Never leave blank-deleted Can be sorted into folders in Outlook Tells recipient which messages to read and when Captures attention (hook) Builds interest September requests for services September Requests for Services: Good News and Bad News Should not convey message or it won t be opened

(hook) Builds interest September requests for services September Requests

9 Which Subject Line? United Way Drive Launched Kitchen Duty Request What Ya Think? DNO: Out of Office Annual Fund Raising Effort Your Turn Request for Data File on Account #xxxx Opinion on Handling Complaint Judy- Whereabouts Tuesday Afternoon

10 Message Body Use a greeting convention and sets tone Titles? Names? Formal or informal? Pay attention to quality of writing Keep emotions under control never write when angry or upset with sender or message content Studies show that many employees do not want co-workers to show any emotion, positive or negative ( Remember to meet the needs of your audience/recipient Use a you attitude Be polite and conditional

or message content Studies show that many employees do not want co-workers to show any emotion, positive or

11 Reader s POV (You Attitude) What will be accomplished by reading this ? Focus on one main idea usually Sequence points based on anticipated reader reaction (buffers) Careful use of jargon and technical terms Graphic (font, bulleting) highlighting

12 Message Errors This is an invitation to arrange your schedule to attend a day-long meeting to discuss and finalize the 2011 budget on Friday, May 19 th at the Memorial Union, Alumni Room. Don t forget to bring your summary sheets. The BOM has reviewed your preliminary sheets and let you know what additional information is needed. Bring that to the meeting. We meet at 9 am in the Alumni Room.

Don t forget to bring your summary sheets.

13 AIDA Organizing the Body without Attention Interest Details Action Organization Beginning Middle End Bullets and other organizational clues Spandex

14 In response to your order dated November 2, 2010, I am pleased to inform you that we now have configured your electronic business card and you can link to our website to download it to your computer system at your convenience.

electronic business card and you can link to our website

15 Your electronic business card is ready for you to install. Don t bury main idea in long, wordy sentence.

16 When the 30 days have expired, the information will be deleted from our system, so do not delay. Please install your card prior to the expiration date to be sure you safely retrieve it before the information is deleted from our system. Excellence in Business Communication Thill and Bovee

Please install your card prior to the expiration date to be sure you

17 Revised We need your help in completing our 2011 budget request due to the administration. On Friday, Feb. 19, 2010, I ask you to attend an all-day working meeting on the budget. You will help us in this meeting if you can provide Lynn, our BOM, with the missing information identified in her last week by that Wednesday, Feb. 17 th. We will meet in the Memorial Union, Alumni Room, at 9 am with pastries provided. Lunch will be on your own from 12 noon until 1 pm. I am hopeful we can conclude by 3 pm. Thank you for helping us complete this task.

You will help us in this meeting if you can provide Lynn, our BOM, with the missing information identified in her email last week by that

18 Conversations and Oral Communication You ve chosen to respond (or initiate) a conversation A little planning will help Your needs Your colleague s needs

19 Framing Your Conversation Know your audience/colleague Conventions Preferences Timeliness Find a hook, motivator for listening POV WIIFM Prepares for requested action

20 Balancing Needs All communication is persuasion Meets their needs and time constraints Would it be better if I came back later? Close down the meeting if you lose control Be clear about request and ask for follow up at a reasonable time Be accountable State that you will check in before that time if there are last minute questions or follow up if not replied

Close down the meeting if you lose control Be clear about request and ask for follow up

21 Communication Annoyances Sending s that are not necessary Requesting return receipt Sending jokes, websites, etc. that are not relevant and then asking if you got the Forwarding on an without comment Forwarding an entire message that may contain inappropriate information/identification/commentary Pre-judging or misjudging the recipient's reaction Turn around time Reply to all Lack of context for Lack of purpose for response--what am I supposed to do? Talking about others s with colleagues

22 Good Luck Litigation is the No. 1 risk that employees face with employee ," said Nancy Flynn, executive director at the epolicy Institute in Columbus, Ohio. "People make inadvertent mistakes, and the opposing counsel is hoping there are smoking-gun s they can use against you." Fourteen percent of workplace is subpoenaed in lawsuits, she said. Drafting and enforcing an policy -- one that includes specifics on how long a company should keep -- is the best way to prevent employee from causing a problem, Flynn advised. 33,00.html Do you have a personal policy on ? Does your unit?

POLICY AND PROCEDURES OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS. Email Best Practices. Table of Contents

POLICY AND PROCEDURES OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS Email Best Practices Table of Contents PURPOSE...1 BACKGROUND...1 POLICY...1 RESPONSIBILITIES...2 PROCEDURES...2 REFERENCES...2 DEFINITIONS...3 EFFECTIVE