Automating Google Workspace (GWS) & more with Apps Script
Portfolio assign nicoleskoumal-final
1. Best Practices in Business Writing
and Communication
Presented by Nicole Skoumal
2. Effective and Ethical Business
Communication
Effective communication is one of the most desired
skills of employers today.
“A whopping 98 percent of employers surveyed said
they consider communication skills to be essential”
(Palmer, 2012).
Reading, writing and listening are all necessary
skills.
Nonverbal communication skills are essential as
well.
3. The Communication Process and Challenges
Sender
has idea
Sender
encodes
idea in
messag
e
Messag
e travels
over
channel
Receiver
decodes
messag
e
4. Writing Skills
Writing skills are highly desired by employers.
Technology allows fast communication.
“Among people with a two- or four-year college
degree, those in the highest 20 percent in writing
ability earn, on average, more than three times what
those with the worst writing skills make” (Guffey,
2011).
5. Global Competition, Tight Economy, and
Flat Management Structures
Many factors add to the
need for more effective
communication skills.
Global competition
makes it difficult to
stand out.
Flattened management
structures demand
higher communication
skills from employees.
6. Teams & Technology Changes
Teams are being utilized more than ever in the
workplace.
For teams to be effective everyone must have
communication skills.
Teams are using more technology tools and
employees need to understand these methods.
Because of technology advances, employees are
expected to communicate anytime and anywhere.
8. Ethical Communication
Ethics is a description of the values and principles
that are standards for right and wrong.
Ethics in business must be clearly defined and
complied with by employees.
Ethics in communication is essential for businesses
and business writing.
9. Ethical Challenges
When situations arise that present ethical challenges
employees should consider the following:
Is the action legal?
How would you see the problem from the opposite side?
What are alternate solutions?
Can you discuss the problem with someone whose advice
you trust?
How would you feel if family, friends or your employer
learned of the action?
10. Professionalism in the Workplace
Employers are looking at
multiple criteria for
employees including “soft
skills”
Soft skills include the
ability to work with teams
and exercise proper
business etiquette.
11. Intercultural Business Communication
Increasingly diverse workforce.
Culture must be considered when operating in other
countries.
To target business firms may need to adapt or adjust
to cultural context.
Context, formality, communication style, and time
orientation need to be observed and understood.
12. Writing Tips for the Business Professional
Business writing should be
Purposeful: solve problems and convey info
Persuasive: message should be believed and accepted
Economical: clear but concise
Audience oriented: see the problem from audience
perspective
Your writing should appeal to the audience, be
conversational and courteous.
13. Writing Tips for the Business Professional
(cont’d)
Prewriting
Writing
Revising
• Prepare to write
• Analyze and
anticipate
audience
reaction
• Adapt your
message to the
audience
• Research
• Organize the
message and
information
• Composing your
message
• Proofread
• Correct errors
• Rearrange if
necessary
• Evaluate to
decide if the
message is
effective
14. The Use of Electronic and
Digital Media
Electronic media used today can include email,
instant message, texting, chats, podcast and
social media.
These tools allow for more immediate flow of
information.
There are many benefits to electronic media, but
rules of business writing still apply.
15. The Use of Electronic and
Digital Media (contd)
Email messages are one of the most frequently used
communication channels.
Email may be in direct or indirect format.
Email should be composed of:
subject line, opening, body and closing.
The writing should be professional including:
Using correct case, spelling, grammar and tone.
16. Positive Messages
Follow the 3x3 writing process
Uses for positive messages may be:
Business letter, requests, response to request,
instructions and claims.
Goodwill messages:
Used to express thanks, answer or respond,
or to convey sympathy
17. Negative Messages
Negative messages need to be formatted to accomplish
specific goals which include:
Providing a clear explanation.
Conveying a professional image for yourself and/ or your firm.
Being sensitive and empathetic to the situation.
Fairness.
Maintaining the relationship.
Follow the 3x3 writing process.
Choose to use Direct or Indirect.
Direct: the news may be overlooked, is not too damaging, or if
it is preferred by the receiver.
Indirect: the news is unexpected, threatens relations, or the
news will be upsetting or generate hostility. The indirect
method provides a buffer and may be better suited for these
situations.
18. Negative Messages (cont’d)
Negative messages should:
Start with a positive statement or information.
Include some type of compliment and appreciation.
Show agreement with facts or common knowledge
applicable to the situation.
Provide facts and information regarding the message
being delivered.
Show understanding.
An apology should be included in negative
messages.
Convey empathy and close with positive or pleasant
information.
19. Business Presentations
To prepare and effective presentation one must:
Know the purpose and audience.
Organize the content to be impactful.
Be organized and capture attention.
Summarize and Conclude.
Other Tips:
Build Rapport with the audience.
Use nonverbal communication such as action and
animation.
Include visual aids and reference notes while
speaking.
20. Business Presentations (cont’d)
Design an effective power
point or slide show for your
presentation.
Present information in a
readable, understandable
format.
Keep text concise.
Make the presentation
visually appealing .
Include graphics, animation,
and color.
21. Business Presentations (cont’d)
Keep the audience engaged and prepare handouts
for following along.
Rehearse and be prepared for questions.
Conclude the presentation with confidence and
appreciation.
22. Business Reports
Formal business reports are prepared as a product
of research and analysis resulting in conclusions or
recommendations.
A formal report should be prepared based on a work
plan that involves data research and analysis.
Business reports should be proofread and evaluated
to determine if the report achieves the purpose.
The report may study a problem and if so the
recommendations should present solutions to this.
23. Business Reports (cont’d)
A formal report should contain:
Cover, title page, transmittal, letter, table of contents, list
of exhibits or illustrations, executive summary,
introduction, body, conclusion, recommendations, works
cited, and an appendix.
If the report is informal some of these may be omitted or
excluded.
24. Business Plans
A business plan is a form The pieces that should
of a proposal for starting be included:
a business and obtaining transmittal
financing or backing.
executive summary
The plan will outline what mission statement,
your specific business
table of contents,
proposal is.
description of the
company
product description,
market analysis
operation management
financial analysis
appendix.
25. Business Proposals
A business proposal is an offer made that is intended
to solve a problem.
The problem may be solved utilizing the product or
service that is being offered.
The proposal should include an introduction, the
background or purpose, the proposal (inc budget
and staff), budget and a request for the
authorization.
If the proposal is formal an RFP may also be
included as well as a transmittal, executive summary,
title page and table of contents.
26. Conclusion
Business writing is essential, and can take many
forms including:
Electronic communication, positive and negative messages,
reports, plans and proposals.
Global competition, ethics and technology must be
considered for effective communication.
Teams are more frequently used in business and
should be understood.
Writing and Professionalism should be understood
and follow best practices.
Effective presentations will help to convey messages
and should be utilized if possible.
Notes de l'éditeur
Not only is communication essential, it is being demanded as a required skill set by employers. Statistics and studies show that it is one of the highest required demands.The skills are not writing alone, but the entire communication skill set including listening and reading. In addition, nonverbal skills are now being considered essential for employers. These nonverbal skills include understanding business etiquette, working with teams, and communication in a global environment.
The basic communication process includes the sender having an idea, choosing a media and encoding the message, the message travelling to the receiver and the receiver decoding the message. The receiver may also send feedback or a reply back through the same process. Many challenges can be found and encountered during this process and need to be mitigated. Challenges include: “noise”, bypassing, or a misunderstanding or misuse of words, language challenges, and other distractions such as typos or emotional communication. Communication skills needed today are also focused on interactive, mobile and instant situations.
Writing skills are essential in business today. Technology and digital communication tools have changed the way we communicate. Faster communication still needs to follow the traditional rules and employees need to have strong writing abilities. When people have stronger writing skills they are also more likely to earn more than those with lesser writing skills.
The economy in America is now diversified with global firms and employers. This diversification and increase in competition has made it more difficult for perspective employees to stand out. One way to stand out is to have more effective communication skills. The change in many organizational structures to a more flat or horizontal structure has created the need for employees to communicate more directly with higher level management and supervisors. Traditionally this communication had more levels to go through and could be refined.
Teams are becoming more widely utilized in organizations. By utilizing teams firms can pull together the employees which possess the needed skills to complete the tasks and projects. Teams make more effective work due to faster response times, increased morale and reduced risks for employees due to decisions being made by multiple individuals who can take responsibility and be accountable. Because of the need to work together, communication skills are essential. The fast paced environment of business does not allow for communication training once teams are formed, instead employers are seeking workers who already possess these skills. Smartphones, video conferencing, instant messaging, are all commonplace technologies in the workplace today. These tools allow for “virtual teams” which may exist with employees in different physical and geographic locations. Workers today are more connected and required to communicate on the go or at a moment’s notice. This requires strong communication skills and efficient writing.
In creating effective teams the process of forming, storming, norming and performing should be observed. In the forming stage team members get to know their teammates, begin to discover similarities and form bonds and develop relationships and trust. The storming phase is when roles begin to be defined among the members, this phase includes more conflicts and hopefully, the emergence of a leader and more clearly defined positions. Norming is when work takes place and there is progress and flow. This stage shows the beginnings of results on work product and tasks. In the performing stage the team grows and becomes productive. Results are produced and tasks are accomplished. Generally a team will be disbanded after work is completed or a project is finished. A new team will be assembled and go through the process again for other projects or assignments.
Businesses are increasingly paying attention to ethics and what it means for their firms. Because of the financial crisis, and multiple situations which called into questions unethical behaviors, firms are now required to adhere to more standards and regulations of behaviors that constitute ethics.Employees will generally be expected to know, understand and sign off on a firm’s code of ethics or ethical policies. This will include communication standards and policies. Laws prescribe acceptable behaviors but firms should also have policies for situations where ethics and communication may present challenges.
When an ethical challenge presents itself, the checklist of questions should be used to determine the best action: Is the action legal?How would you see the problem from the opposite side?What are alternate solutions?Can you discuss the problem with someone whose advice you trust?How would you feel if family, friends or your employer learned of the action?This can also be used in conjunction with the firm’s ethics code or if possible a board of ethics or manager.
Soft skills are now more than ever sought by employers. Soft skills include: listening skills, the ability and skills to participate on teams, skills in working in a diverse environment, and an understanding of proper business etiquette.
Today's workforce combines many different cultures, languages and customs. It is essential for employees to have communication skills which can work effectively in this environment. To function in the global business environment firms need to adjust and adapt to the cultures of those that they do business with. Certain things may be acceptable or not in other countries that firms may operate in. Countries may be high or low context, have different levels of formality, and varying communication styles. To do business or operate firms need to understand and be sensitive to these differences.
The steps to follow for the writing process are prewriting, writing and revising. You will need to identify your purpose and select the channel you will use to communicate you message. The anticipated response or perspective of the audience should be a factor in deciding how you will convey your message.
Positive message should follow the 3x3 writing – prewriting, writing and revising. Positive messages should be used for letters and memos, requests, delivering and receiving instructions, and to file claims. The purpose of positive messages is generally to express thanks, answer or respond to requests and to convey sympathy or gratitude.
Negative messages need to follow the 3x3 writing process, however the formatting must be more adapted to the news. The news needs to be delivered in such a way to give an explanation, remain professional, be sensitive and fair. The Direct or Indirect method choice is more important for negative messages. If the news is not too damaging the direct method may be appropriate. If the negative message is unexpected, will create hostility or may damage the relationship then the indirect method should be utilized.
A business plan is a form of business writing that outlines the plan for a new or changing business. The plan is what will be presented to investors or other key players when starting a business. The plan should include specific elements such as an executive summary, a market analysis, a description of the product and company and also a financial analysis. The plan is a proposal of sorts to gain interest and provide information, ultimately to secure financial backing or other support for the new business.