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1-2
Chapter 1: Solving Communication Problems in the Workplace
making—as well as the point that preparing any message of importance will require time, care, and
revision.
Still another possibility is the “message makeover” exercise. Present a poorly written message from a
real organization, with identifying details removed. A negative message is often the most relatable and
entertaining to students. (One option is a memo announcing layoffs.) This also gives you the
opportunity to discuss the importance of choosing the correct medium for the message. Ask students
what problems they find with the tone, writing style, and information included and how they would
improve these. Then present a well-written revision, explaining that this is the kind of writing they’ll
learn how to do in this course. This exercise helps students become aware of how much they already
know about identifying good versus bad writing, and also how much they stand to learn from the
course.
Connect provides instructors with a variety of ways to customize courses, create assignments,
determine grading policies, and receive student work. One of the tools Connect offers is the ability to
select and add interactive assignments to your course. Explanations of these assignments and how they
support the learning objectives have been integrated into the relevant topics in this instructor’s manual.
The following McGraw-Hill tools are also available to support your business communication instruction:
NEW SmartBook 2.0 personalizes learning to individual student needs, continually adapting to pinpoint
knowledge gaps and focus learning on topics that need the most attention. With SmartBook 2.0,
learning is more productive and takes the guess work out of what to study in a no-fail environment. The
result, students are better prepared for class and coursework. For instructors, SmartBook 2.0 tracks
student progress and provides insights that guide teaching strategies and advanced instruction focused
on a more dynamic class experience.
NEW Video Capture powered by GoReact embedded in Connect makes it simple for students to record
presentations and practice their oral communication skills essential in the business world. GoReact
streamlines instructors’ ability to provide personalized skill coaching anywhere students should
demonstrate their learning. GoReact allows instructors to easily provide feedback, assign grades, and
also share recordings with other students in cases where they evaluate their peers.
NEW Writing Assignment Plus tool delivers a learning experience that improves students’ written
communication skills and conceptual understanding with every assignment. Assign, monitor, and
provide feedback on writing more efficiently and grade assignments within McGraw-Hill Connect®.
Writing Assignment Plus gives you time-saving tools with a just-in-time basic writing and originality
checker.
Learning Objectives
LO1-1 Explain the importance of skillful communication to you and to your employer.
LO1-2 Explain the ways in which communication in the workplace is a form of problem solving.
LO1-3 Describe the communication skills that are needed in today’s workplace.
LO1-4 Define professionalism and its importance to communication in the workplace.
LO1-5 Describe the three main categories of business communication.
LO1-6 Define organizational structure and describe its influence on the organization's communication.
Copyright 2021 © McGraw Hill LLC. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw Hill LLC.
1-3
Chapter 1: Solving Communication Problems in the Workplace
LO1-7 Define organizational culture and describe the main factors that influence an organization's
culture.
LO1-8 Describe the contexts for each act of communication in the workplace.
LO1-9 Describe the steps of a problem-solving approach to business communication.
Key Terms
problem solving
heuristics
verbal literacy
visual literacy
interpersonal skills
computational thinking
interpretive skills
new media
social intelligence
cross-cultural competency
corporate social responsibility (CSR)
brand activism
professionalism
business etiquette
internal-operational communication
external-operational communication
personal communication
organization structure
genres
organizational culture
larger communication context
communicators’ relationship
organizational contexts
professional contexts
personal contexts
intertextual context
recursive process
Copyright 2021 © McGraw Hill LLC. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw Hill LLC.
1-4
Chapter 1: Solving Communication Problems in the Workplace
Problem-Solving Challenge
Students should consider the problem presented—being asked as a new hire to join a task force to find
the best internal communication solution for a software development company. Let students
brainstorm a list of potential answers to the question: What will you need to know about workplace
communication to do a good job on this team? Have them compare these answers with a list they create
after they have worked through this chapter. What did they learn?
Communication is important to you and to the organization you will work for. For you, good
communication skills can lead to advancement.
Your performance will be judged largely by your ability to communicate. The higher you advance, the
greater your need for communication skills will be.
For the organization for which you will work, communicating is important because it is a major part of
the work of the business. Communication is essential for organized activity. Much of the work done
involves the processing of information.
Unfortunately, many businesspeople do not communicate well. You might share highly publicized
communication blunders that companies have made, or ask students to share stories they may have
about how good or poor communication in a company had a significant result, either for a particular
communicator or for a company in general.
Multiple surveys find that communication skills are highly prized in job applicants (see the
Communication Matters box, “Take It from Today’s Executives: What You Can Do Is Even More
Important Than What You Know” for more information), along with such related traits as a strong work
ethic, an ability to work in a team, initiative, and the ability to apply what they know to workplace
problems. You can also ask the class in what ways they think the coronavirus pandemic may have
changed what employers now seek in a job candidate.
Ask students: Can you think of a time when you were part of an unsuccessful project at school or work
because of ineffective communication?
(Note: For online courses, you can create assignments via Connect in which students can respond to
questions posed during class.)
Almost no workplace problem can be solved without communication. But communication itself—
figuring out what to say or write, and how—is a form of problem solving. This means that, for most
situations, the business communicator will need to take a unique set of circumstances into account and
generate a unique solution that will achieve the desired business goals. Slide 1-6 provides demonstrates
how a routine scenario can require a problem-solving approach. You may ask students to consider what
type of questions they may ask in response to a customer complaint.
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1-5
Chapter 1: Solving Communication Problems in the Workplace
You can take this opportunity to explain the difference between well-defined workplace communication
problems (with a clear, definite answer) and ill-defined workplace communication problems (containing
unknown or unpredictable characteristics). You can show students Exhibit 1-1 or Slide 1-7. Have
students provide some examples of well-defined and ill-defined communication problems. During
discussion, emphasize the strategic nature of problem solving: It requires planning and making good
choices.
Most significant workplace communication problems are ill-defined—because they involve dealing with
people, who are complex and unique. To solve these problems requires developing a solution through
research, analysis, thinking, and decision-making.
● Research: to gather the relevant information about the participants and the context
● Careful analysis: to interpret the relevant information
● Thinking: to think of possible solutions
● Decision-Making: to pick the solution that will fit this situation best
You might ask your class how it’s possible that, when there’s no single “correct” answer to any business
communication problem, it’s still possible to say that some solutions are better than others. If you’re not
lucky enough to have a savvy student who “gets” this, you can make the point by showing them
different handlings of a simple business situation and discussing what makes some better than others.
This book aims to equip students with several heuristics, tools to think with, to help them meet any
communication challenge. Good problem solvers rely on guidelines, models, common scenarios, and
other aids to help them apply tested strategies to new problems.
Slide 1-9
Test Your Decision-Making Skills
Let the students consider the scenario presented on the slide: Two employees have reported sexual
harassment, but no formal policy is in place. As Director of HR, you need to announce a new sexual
harassment policy. What would be the best medium for this message? What features of the context—
for example, the number of males and females in the company, their rank of employment, the type of
business the company is, the culture of the company, the way employees are used to receiving
important message—could influence the choice of medium?
You may want to use Exhibit 1-6 to help the students determine their answers—that is, before they start
to consider structure and content, you can steer them through a process that includes brainstorming
and defining the problem, generating options and considering the possible audiences of the message,
and considering what prior knowledge and context should be considered before crafting the message.
Once they have moved through these steps, instructors can allow them to evaluate options by
discussing the structure and medium of a policy message and identifying the style and tone features of a
formal communication of this type.
Slide 1-10
Communication Skills
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Chapter 1: Solving Communication Problems in the Workplace
The scenario presented on this slide will help students consider how to use communication skills to work
successfully together with partners of very different backgrounds. This discussion is a good lead-in to the
types of communication skills discussed in the chapter. Exhibit 1-2 “Communication-Related Skills for
the 21st Century Workplace” offers a summary of the types of communication skills needed to success in
the workplace. In response to this scenario, you may look for students to offer discussion about the
types of interpersonal/collaboration skills that would be important for these colleagues to work
together. Cultural awareness and cross-cultural competency are also essential for success
communicating across cultures. Students may identify that social intelligence may be more difficult for
these colleagues, but developing the skills mentioned above will help.
Slide 1-11
Types of Communication Skills
Ask students to explain and give examples of how each of the following skill areas is involved in
communication.
Verbal literacy: The greater your vocabulary and familiarity with language, and the stronger your
knowledge of grammar and mechanics, the better you will be able to communicate with a variety of
people.
Visual literacy: Thanks to the Internet, readers are now used to graphics-rich content that is inviting and
easy to read. Studies have shown that visually enhanced text produces more effective learning than text
alone.
Interpersonal skills: Of particular interest to employers these days is employees’ ability to work on a
team. The respondents to the latest NACE survey ranked this trait second in terms of the skills they like
to see indicated in a résumé.
Analytical ability: Ask students what kind of thinking is especially valued by employers for processing
data. Besides interpreting data, what other interpretive skills are useful in figuring out business
solutions?
Media literacy: All the forms of communication that comprise what is known as new media require
employees with social intelligence. Ask students to talk about the analogy of the organization as a brain
with employees as sensors. What kinds of things do employees have to be aware of?
Cultural awareness: Different kinds of diversity impact the workplace and business communication in
different ways.
Ethics and social responsibility: Ethical scandals have hurt many businesses, and social responsibility has
become a buzzword and marketing strategy for many companies. Let students discuss the reasons
companies need to provide new transparency regarding their business practices. What are the pros and
cons of this situation? How does this play out in the individual worker’s performance? What impact does
that have on the workplace as a whole? The next slide focuses more on ethical awareness.
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1-7
Chapter 1: Solving Communication Problems in the Workplace
Expanded media literacy: How are apps, Skype, tweets, social networking, and virtual meetings
changing business? How are telecommuting situations, where your first meeting takes place over email
and you never meet in person, changing business interaction? How does this change “the stakes” of
your first email and subsequent emails? Is it really possible to form a professional relationship over
email? Have you ever experienced a business relationship like this? Was it successful? How would you
prepare for an online interview vs. an in-person one?
Increased globalism and diversity: Diversity can happen on many levels. Consider the differences
between a Baby Boomer who has been in a business for decades and a Millennial who was recently
hired into a similar position as the older employee. Does growing up with technology give the Millennial
an advantage in the workplace? Why or why not? How might being a digital native affect that person’s
view of doing business in the world? What might these two employees be able to gain from one
another?
Increased need for strong analytical skills: Your book mentions that many work tasks now require “the
ability to determine the deeper meaning or significance of what is being expressed” and that “high-value
work . . . has an imaginative component.” Do you agree? Can you recall a project at work where you
were required to add value through deep thinking and imagination, even if it was analyzing and
presenting a simple report?
Connect Exercise 1-1: Preparing for Success in the Workplace (Click & Drag and Multiple-Choice Keyboard
Navigable Alternate Version)
Summary: Today’s workplace requires employees to have many different skills. In this activity, students
will evaluate advice from various sources to determine whether the statements are useful for achieving
success in future employment. Students’ understanding of employer expectations will be tested.
Topic Tags: Criteria for Effective Business Communications; Skills Used by Effective Communicators;
Trends in Business Communication
Difficulty: Easy
Blooms: Understand
Follow-Up Activity: Students could be asked to correct any “bad advice” with helpful suggestions for
achieving success in the workplace, and offer their reasoning for those suggestions.
Students can take one of these quotes from the text and discuss its merits and ramifications. How true is
the statement? What’s the evidence? What’s your experience tell you? If the statement is true, what
does that mean for businesses? What does it mean for workers? If you think the statement is true,
consider anomalies in the marketplace that seem to give a contrary result—for instance, some
Copyright 2021 © McGraw Hill LLC. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw Hill LLC.
1-8
Chapter 1: Solving Communication Problems in the Workplace
companies have seemingly dishonest practices and yet still are thriving. How is that possible? Can you
give an example?
The Internet and social media have increased corporate visibility. Students can read the Communication
Matters box “CSR and Brand Activism: Not Just Empty Talk” and discuss the advantages and
disadvantages of corporate social responsibility and CEO activism. Some questions for students include
the following: Should CEOs take a public stand on divisive social issues? What are some recent incidents
of corporations or CEOs expressing opinions on a social or moral issue? Why do you think the company
made the decision to get involved? What was the result? Do you agree or disagree with their actions?
Professionalism comes into play in every business interaction. Remind students that professionalism is
the set of behaviors that’s expected of them as an employee when they’re in social situations, whether
with colleagues, superiors, or such outsiders as partners and customers.
Students can look at the Communication Matters box titled “How to Spot a Professional” and see how
many other behaviors they can add to that list.
Have students check out “How Professional Is This Email?” and share what they think about the level of
professionalism presented in that message. Remind them not to judge the actions of the person being
addressed, but to judge the text and tone of the email itself.
Let students discuss the possible factors that influence their assessment of this email. What about this
email is professional? What qualities, if any, seem less professional? Just from reading this email, what
conclusions would you draw about the nature of the working relationship between these two people?
Let students rework the email in two different ways (you could divide the class into two groups for this
exercise): 1) rewrite the email in a much more professional tone; 2) rewrite the email in a less
professional, friend-to-friend tone.
Despite all the changes we’ve seen in the last 25 years or so, most communications in business still fall
into one of three basic categories.
Internal-operational communication is all the communication that occurs in conducting work within the
business. It is the work done to carry out the operating plan (the business’s plan for doing whatever it
was formed to do).
It takes many forms—orders and instructions from superiors; oral exchanges between workers; written
reports, emails, messaging platforms, memos, proposals . . . and the list goes on.
Copyright 2021 © McGraw Hill LLC. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw Hill LLC.
1-9
Chapter 1: Solving Communication Problems in the Workplace
Much of it is conducted through the business’s computer network. (Here you can call attention to the
intranet example provided and discuss other contemporary communication media that businesses are
using internally.)
Slide 1-18 asks students to consider the style of internal-operational communication. Let them offer
adjectives to describe what they think is appropriate to this type of communication. You may ask them
to give examples from experiences they have had. The style of internal-operational communication is
conversational and pleasant without being too chummy. Internal-operational communication is also
professional without being stiff. Another style can be appropriate depending on the communication
situation—for example, a chat with a co-worker can be more casual, while a report to your boss can be
more formal. But, as explained in Chapter 1, internal messages should not lapse into profanity,
goofiness, or poor grammar.
External-operational communication is all the communicating businesses do with people and groups
outside the business. Because businesses are dependent on outside people and groups, external-
operational communication is necessary for success.
This category includes direct selling (sales presentations, advertising, public relations activities,
mailings), social media marketing, correspondence with other businesses, and communication with
external parties such as community representatives, nonprofit and/or government organizations, and
more.
Nowadays, much of this communicating is technology assisted. Ask students what types of computer-
assisted messages businesses are sending out these days, besides email, and for what purposes.
Personal communication is the exchange of information and feelings among the workers. Remind
students that this is an important type of communication in the workplace as it can help employees
build relationships.
People will talk when they come together. Much of this talk is personal. But explain to students that this
communicating can affect the workers’ attitudes—and thus their job performance.
Slide 1-20
Too much or too little personal communication, or the wrong type, can adversely affect productivity.
Ask students to discuss the types of personal communication that went/go on in a workplace they are
familiar with. Bring out the benefits and drawbacks, and see if you can draw some conclusions about
how much and what kind of personal communication is appropriate in a workplace or develop rules of
thumb for personal communication in business.
Slide 1-21
Organizational Structure
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1-10
Chapter 1: Solving Communication Problems in the Workplace
Referencing Exhibit 1-4, you can explain that the most formal structure is that of the traditional
hierarchical, or bureaucratic, organization. Formal structures have a rigid chain of command, clear
boundaries for each person's responsibilities, and highly restricted lines of communication.
At the other end of the spectrum is the organic or flat structure, which has few levels of authority and
reporting, loose boundaries around the different employees' responsibilities, and open channels of
interaction among the employees.
In between are many different configurations, the most common of which is the matrix structure, in
which employees report not only to their functional bosses (e.g., finance VP or IT director) but also to a
project supervisor.
It would be good to introduce students to the notion of genre or stable forms of communication within
organizations. This is discussed further in Chapter 4, but it would be good to note that the way a
message is composed and sent is often shaped by the expectations of those within an organization,
which are heavily influenced by the organization’ structure.
Slide 1-22
Organizational Culture
What is organizational culture? People coming together in an organization and spending many hours a
day there form a social world with its own goals, values, behaviors, and idiosyncrasies. Learning a
workplace’s culture is essential to successful communication in that environment.
Look at the following list of characteristics that help us understand organizational culture. Have students
discuss what some of these might tell them about a company’s culture, structure, or other factors. What
would they expect or what conclusions might they make about communication within that company
based on each of these factors?
These characteristics are translated to day-to-day workplace operations and communication in many
different ways. You can relay that if the company culture is formal—for example, you need to set up an
appointment to see the CEO, rather than dropping by his or her office—you can probably assume that
the communication will be formal as well (perhaps having strict communication channels you must
follow and not as much access to information). If the CEO is wearing jeans when you meet him or her—
now common in many industries, especially if the company is a start-up—you’ll probably find that the
company has an informal and conversational writing style, particularly internally and possibly externally.
For discussion, you can draw on students’ own experiences as employees and consumers to help them
understand the significance of these factors. Compare students’ experiences working for large and small
companies and companies in different industries. Get them to volunteer stories about the organizational
Copyright 2021 © McGraw Hill LLC. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw Hill LLC.
1-11
Chapter 1: Solving Communication Problems in the Workplace
culture of places where they’ve worked or shopped and to discuss how the culture probably influenced,
and was influenced by, the company’s communication practices.
You can reiterate that, as the chapter says, such official representations of a company’s values as their
mission and vision statements and their websites and other branding materials can give you a good
picture of the culture the company would like to have, or be perceived as having. But the “unofficial
culture”—what the employees really believe and what they’re really doing/saying behind closed doors—
is typically considered the true culture. When the company-sanctioned culture and the unofficial culture
are aligned, you often have success. When they aren’t, the company struggles more. You may ask
students if they’ve ever worked for an organization where the official culture was different from the
unofficial culture.
You may also want to ask students what they feel are “tip-offs” to a company’s culture. Invite them to
share their experiences with the characteristics provided in the Communication Matters feature titled
“How to Scope out an Organization’s Culture” or offer new characteristics to describe places in which
they have worked or are working.
You can also share the following signs of an organization’s culture recognized by researchers:
What kind of stories does the company tell about its past—the living history? What a culture chooses to
share says a lot about its values.
• Do they have certain “heroes” that they elevate (or even make fun of in a friendly way)
because they’ve had such an impact on the success of the company? This says a lot about the
professional contributions the company values.
• Do they have rituals? Burgers or happy hours on Friday? Battle of the bands every year?
Community clean-up day? When the company gives employees tickets to events are they tickets
to NASCAR or tickets to the ATP? This says a lot about the type of culture it is.
• Does the team seem like a cohesive group with shared values or are they “doing their own
thing” and confused about where the company is going?
Connect Exercise 1-2 (a-e): Learning to Communicate in a New Job (Case Analysis)
Summary: To be an effective communicator, students need to be aware of the “big picture” in which
communication takes place. This activity (which includes five questions based on the provided case)
tests students’ understanding of communication environments.
1-2-a
Difficulty: Easy
AACSB: Communication
Blooms: Apply
1-2-b
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1-12
Chapter 1: Solving Communication Problems in the Workplace
Difficulty: Medium
AACSB: Communication
Blooms: Analyze
1-2-c
Difficulty: Medium
Blooms: Apply
1-2-d
Difficulty: Medium
Blooms: Understand
1-2-e
Difficulty: Medium
Blooms: Apply
Follow-Up Activity: Based on the information provided in the activity, students could be asked to create
two versions of Sean’s email message to all employees about how to request computer help—an
ineffective version and an effective version.
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1-13
Chapter 1: Solving Communication Problems in the Workplace
Workplace communication brings many elements into play, in terms of both process and contexts.
Exhibit 1-5 in Chapter 1 shows how these elements relate to each other.
As the model shows, the business communication process involves two communicators trying to solve a
particular problem. For the purpose of solving the problem, the communicators occupy the same
sphere, which can be defined as their relationship. The sphere of their mutual relationship occurs within
the larger socioeconomic historical context.
It is important to point out that texts composed in professional settings draw on--and are shaped by--
other texts in a variety of ways. This may include other documents or communication exchanges,
collaboration with colleagues, or organizational professional communication practices (e.g. templates,
practices, traditions).
You can also point out that the communication process represented here is likely to be one exchange in
a larger problem-solving process, in which the two communicators work together to achieve business-
related goals through ongoing conversations.
Now we’ll take a closer look at the contexts in which business communication takes place.
The larger context includes the general business-economic climate; the language, values, and customs of
the surrounding culture; and events and trends that are going on during the time of the communication
exchange.
The relationship of the communicators also forms an important context for communication. Although
communication may be about moving information from point A to point B, it is also about interactions
between human beings. Perhaps the strongest influencing factors are the particular contexts that
comprise the relationship of the two communicators.
The contexts for each communicator must also be considered in order to create successful
communication. The organizational context—that is, the type and culture of the communicators’
organizations--will shape the participants’ communication choices. The professional roles they play
within their organizations will also influence how they communicate, as well as how they interpret
others’ communication. Finally, their personal contexts, as defined by all the factors that contribute to
make them who they are, will influence their communication.
As the text says, communication is not simply about moving information from point A to point B.
Anyone who neglects the specific contexts in which communication takes place is likely doomed to be
an unsuccessful communicator. Factoring these multiple contexts into communication decisions is a
large part of treating business communication as a problem-solving process.
Slide 1-24
Let students role-play the situation as described in the slide. Then discuss the different kinds of
communications that occurred and what contexts were influencing those different interactions.
(Encourage online students to role-play this situation with a friend and then report on the results.)
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1-14
Chapter 1: Solving Communication Problems in the Workplace
Slide 1-25
Now take a look at the actual communication process, as represented in the model. As you go through
the steps, you can point out that while these are in chronological order, the sender may need to revisit
an earlier step before moving forward. (For example, when students are preparing a message, they may
decide, even as late as when they’re drafting, that they need to rethink an earlier decision.) You can also
point out that the main goal of the message is for the recipient to interpret the message the way the
sender intended and to respond in the desired way. . If that goal isn’t achieved, the communication has
been, at least partially, unsuccessful.
To review, you may ask students to consider the “You Make the Call” question (“Think about a recent
communication situation that you handled that didn’t go well. Where did your problem-solving process
go wrong?”). Encourage students to consider all parts of the process and identify where and how they
may have misunderstood the communication problem.
Slide 1-26
The communication process you just reviewed is based on a larger problem-solving model, shown in this
slide. In other words, the communication process should be based on a problem-solving approach,
which typically includes these steps (Exhibit 1-6):
One way to reinforce these steps is to ask students to think of the questions that communicators may
need to ask in order to find an effective solution to their communication problem. You can ask students
to revisit the You Make the Call scenarios in Chapter 1 and identify questions that the communicator
needs to ask in order to effectively solve the problem.
Another fun exercise for illustrating this process in action is to divide the class up into two opposing
teams. Team 1 must recommend a surprising change to the syllabus to Team 2. Team 2 then has to
follow the process of responding to this recommendation as laid out in this model. Do they agree? Will
they propose a different recommendation and argue their case? Will they respond at all? If the class is
large, you may break it up into smaller competing groups. (You can also write this as an assignment
where a student must recommend and argue for a change to the syllabus and present that argument to
you, the instructor.)
Connect Exercises 1-3: The Business Communication Process (Click & Drag and Matching Keyboard
Navigable Alternate Version)
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1-15
Chapter 1: Solving Communication Problems in the Workplace
Topic Tags: Problem Solving and Business Communication; The Communication Process
Difficulty: Medium
AACSB: Communication
Blooms: Understand
Follow-Up Activity: Instruct students to choose three of the given scenarios and decide what would be
the next steps in the communication process for the people in those scenarios.
Slide 1-27
The last slide suggests the three key features of business communication: it’s about sharing information,
it’s about building relationships, and it’s about solving workplace problems. This would be a good
opportunity to emphasize that all business communication is crafted around audience with common
goals in mind.
For further instruction on using the right word, see “Using the Homophones Correctly” in the
“Grammar” section of LearnSmart Achieve.
Critical-Thinking Questions
1. Why do you think employers value transferable skills more highly now than in the past? What
changes in business over the last 20 years or so might account for this change? (LO1-1)
Changing technology and an increasingly connected global marketplace means that employees need to
be more adaptable and able to interact with a broader range of people and tools. Employees can be
trained fairly easily on new equipment or software—it’s much harder to train people to be good
communicators, to have good judgment, and to solve problems with critical and creative thinking.
Copyright 2021 © McGraw Hill LLC. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw Hill LLC.
1-16
Chapter 1: Solving Communication Problems in the Workplace
2. Find an example of artificial intelligence (AI) that is currently being used or developed. In what
ways is human help needed to make this technology work successfully? (LO1-1, LO1-2)
According to experts, any processes that can’t be completely automated will still need humans to make
decisions based on the information and results that artificial intelligence provides. The tasks that
humans will need to perform to use AI successfully include the following: the "ability to imagine new
ways of solving problems"; communication that requires more than data transfer; comprehension of the
bigger picture; the ability to use good judgment in cases where sufficient data can't be collected; the
ability to "tap into the human condition" to use humor and empathy, creativity, courage, conviction,
ethical reasoning, emotions, and integrity, as well as "taste, vision, and the ability to inspire.” Student
responses should include specific or general reference to these human functions.
3. “If there’s no definitive solution, then all ways of handling a workplace communication
problem are equally good.” Using the discussion of communication problem solving in this chapter,
explain why this statement is false. (LO1-2)
True, there are no guarantees that even the best-planned, most carefully designed message will
succeed. But one that is not well thought out and well executed will almost certainly fail.
Any act of communication will require the ability to imagine how the recipient is likely to respond to
different communication choices. Students should also consider the creativity aspect of the business
communication process in their response. Each student’s answer should be evaluated on its merits.
5. Think of a time when insufficient verbal skills on the part of someone in the workplace or in
the public sphere led to a negative result. What kind of wording mistake did this person make, and
what kind of damage did it cause? (LO1-O3)
6. Think of or find an example of a time when someone used a visual effectively to make a point.
Why does the visual work so much better than words, or words alone? (LO1-3)
Each student’s answer should be evaluated on its merits, but should include reference to the fact that
visuals are critical to conveying information, that research shows 80 to 85 percent of perception is
mediated through vision, and that visually enhanced text has been proven to generate more effective
learning than text alone.
7. Think back through your work history and any team projects you’ve been on, and identify
someone who, in your opinion, was a great team player. What qualities and skills made this person
skillful at working with others? (LO1-3)
Each student’s answer should be evaluated on its merits but should include some of the skills mentioned
in this chapter.
8. To get a feel for the importance of media literacy on the part of business communicators,
make a list of all the information technologies (devices, media platforms, and applications) that
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1-17
Chapter 1: Solving Communication Problems in the Workplace
you’ve used over the last two years. What kind of knowledge is required to be able to use these
technologies well? (LO1-3)
Each answer should be evaluated on its own merits. The answer to the question could include such
concepts as problem solving and social intelligence.
9. “People need to leave their cultures and values at the door when they come to work and just
focus on their jobs.” Discuss the possible merits and flaws of this attitude. (LO1-3)
The main flaw of this attitude is that business communication is still human communication, and
humans cannot divorce themselves entirely from their cultures and values when they walk through the
company door. Another flaw is that many employers value an employee’s ability to evaluate problems in
light of their cross-cultural competency—they want employees who are able to understand and
communicate with people from different cultural backgrounds. However, it’s important and worthwhile
for employees to remember that their words and actions will be perceived as a reflection of their
company. So, though they cannot “leave their cultures and values at the door,” they will need to be able
to assess in what ways their personal values do or do not line up with those of their employer, and
remember that the business environment is not the place for them to broadcast their own opinions with
no limits.
10. How might people’s definition of “professional behavior” depend on which industry or type of
company they’re in? (LO1-4)
The part of professional behavior that is concerned with business etiquette will change somewhat
depending on the industry. What is considered good manners, suitable conversation topics, and
appropriate attire can vary from one kind of workplace to another. But professional behavior also refers
to the concept of being “responsible, conscientious, and cooperative in every area of your work”—
values that will remain fairly consistent across industries.
11. “Never mix business with personal matters—it just leads to damaged relationships, poor
business decisions, or both.” In what ways might this be a fair statement? In what ways is it unwise
advice? (LO1-5)
The statement has merit in that getting too personally involved with a business associate can lead one
either to neglect the business goals or to risk damaging the personal relationship in the interest of
business. Furthermore, divulging personal information within such a relationship can sometimes be
damaging professionally. Developing a personal relationship just to exploit it for business reasons is also
not ethical. On the other hand, even in business contexts, people are still people. They cannot leave
their humanness at the door—and, arguably, business would not be rewarding and worthwhile if they
could. The good business communicator always remembers that communication is a human activity and
takes care to foster goodwill between the communicators.
12. Look again at the three types of organizational structures displayed in Exhibit 1-4. What would
be the advantages and disadvantages of each?) (LO1-6)
Students may mention that flat organizations may have more efficient communication, but they can lack
a clear chain of command. Also, these are often smaller organizations with less clear role definitions and
processes. Hierarchical organizations often have roles, processes, and communicative conventions that
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Chapter 1: Solving Communication Problems in the Workplace
are well-defined and clear. However, they may have much more rigid communicative and decision-
making structures, which can mean it takes more time for processes. Matrix organizations have the
ability to bring together different functional areas (e.g. marketing and engineering) so they are great for
collaboration, but sometimes roles are ill-defined and different prior knowledge can complicate
communication.
13. Describe the lines of communication in an organization, division, or department with which
you are familiar (preferably a simple one). In what ways do you think the organization’s structure has
determined who communicates with whom? Do you think these lines of communication are
successfully meeting the needs of the organization or do you think they need changing? (LO1-6)
14. As noted in this chapter, companies develop specific forms of communication, or genres, that
enable them to get their work done. In a place where you have worked or in another organization you
have been a member of, what were the main forms of communication with the employees or
members? To what extent were these uniquely adapted to the needs of the organization? (LO1-6)
15. Think of a place you have worked or an organization you know well. How would you describe
its culture? What role did the main factors that influence organizational culture play in creating this
particular culture? (LO1-7)
16. Think of a recent transaction you had with a businessperson or with a staff person at your
school. Describe the contexts of your communication, from the larger context (business-economic,
sociocultural, and historical) down to the personal (to the extent that you know them). How did these
likely influence the outcome of your communication? (LO1-8)
To get students thinking, you might invite those who have tried to argue a parking ticket or library fine
or to resolve a registration or payment problem to reflect on the contexts that helped determine the
nature and outcome of the communication.
17. Using this chapter’s discussion of communication, explain how two people reading or hearing
the same message can have a very different response. (LO1-8)
The explanations should note that our specific contexts give us different mental filters (storehouses of
experience, knowledge, biases, and priorities). Thus, when two people interpret a message through their
unique filters, the meanings given the message are likely to differ. For example, assume that John has
worked for companies in which the human resources department was poorly run, while Bill has seen
firsthand that well-run HR departments can make important contributions to the morale and bottom
line of a company. Their responses to a message announcing an additional hire in the HR department
would differ sharply.
18. Think of a current trend relating to social/political issues. In what ways is this trend likely
affecting organizations' communications? (LO1-8)
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Chapter 1: Solving Communication Problems in the Workplace
19. Let's say that you would like to ask your boss for funding to attend an online workshop that
costs $79. What communication options come to mind? What criteria would you use to decide which
one to choose? (LO1-9)
20. What information would help you solve the communication problem described in #17? How
would analysis and imagination help you develop a successful solution? (LO1-3, LO1-9)
Each answer should be evaluated on its merits but should include a discussion of the communication
situation from several angles. Responses can include a discussion of the communicators’ relationship
and their other particular contexts. These may include the organizational context (company culture and
expectations), the professional context (the specific demands of the profession), the personal context
(the experiences and perspectives of all communicators), or the intertextual context (how the
communication will influence and be influenced by other communications).
Skill-Building Exercises
1. Interview a successful professional in an area of business you’re interested in to find out how
they feel about the importance of communication skills. See how this person defines such
skills and their importance. Ask for a positive and a negative example of a time when
communication helped determine an important outcome. (LO1-1)
Each answer should be evaluated on its merits. It would be good for students to ask about the
communication environment/process that exists at the interviewee’s company.
2. You purchased two pairs of expensive shoes (or substitute another product) about six months
ago at a specialty store located 20 miles from where you live. One of the pairs needed to be
ordered from the manufacturer because the store did not have the color you wanted. The
manager told you that he would call you when that pair came in, but three months passed,
and you heard nothing. So you called the store and left a message. The manager called you
back to say that those shoes wouldn’t be available for another three months and asked if you
wanted to wait for them. You said yes—but then four more months passed, with no word
from him. You called again and left a message, but, so far, no one has called you back. Use
Exhibit 1-5 to help you decide how to use communication to solve this problem. Explain which
communication solution you think would be best and why. (LO1-2, LO1-8, LO1-9)
Each student should use critical thinking to consider what questions need to be asked to get at
the heart of this problem. Are there cultural differences that make the store manager avoid
talking on the phone? What are the lines of communication like at the store? Since the phone
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1-20
Chapter 1: Solving Communication Problems in the Workplace
calls have not achieved the desired effect, one could surmise that a letter might also provide
similar unsuccessful results. In this case, a personal visit might be necessary in order to make
your desires clearly known and to impress upon the management what you expect to happen.
You could also exchange further information, write down the manager’s name, and get the
name of the owner of the store. Often just collecting such information in an obvious way will
communicate the seriousness of your position and result in more attentive service.
3. Choose a certain regional culture, ethnicity, or generation—one different from your own—and
find out what values the people in this demographic are generally known for. Consult several
sources, and, if possible speak with someone in the group you choose. How might working or
doing business with a person from this group require you to adapt your own values and
communication style? (LO1-3)
The main things to encourage in this exercise are use of details and honesty. Help students
realize that there may be a downside to working with those unlike themselves—but that the
gains are usually greater.
4. Using the Internet, find a company that has a corporate social responsibility program and
study what the company’s website says about that program. What kind of image as a
corporate citizen is the company trying to project, and how? How convincing is this effort, in
your opinion, and why? (LO1-3)
The public face of almost any major company will have some kind of corporate responsibility
dimension. Look for evidence in the students’ responses that they have tried to analyze and
assess the bases on which the company claims (explicitly or implicitly) to be a good citizen. You
might ask students to attach or share sample web pages from the company to support their
observations.
5. Find an instance of brand activism on the Internet or social media, analyze it, and assess it.
What cause is the organization supporting? What makes its support "activism"? Did the
organization choose an appropriate cause to support? How big a risk do you think the
organization took in weighing in publicly on this issue? Do you think the benefits of this
activism outweighed or are outweighing the costs? (LO1-3)
Consider each student’s answer on its merits. A good answer will look beyond the issue itself to
focus on the implications for the CEO, brand, employees, and customers.
Consider each students’ answer on its merits. A good analysis may include some of the
following points: Game Day Communication is a small PR company that seems to have a
relatively flat organization. The employees listed on the “Team Roster” page have roles that do
not indicate a distinct hierarchy. There is a CEO, but otherwise, one would be hard pressed to
Copyright 2021 © McGraw Hill LLC. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw Hill LLC.
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Chapter 1: Solving Communication Problems in the Workplace
figure out the hierarchical structure from this page. Employee photos include fun candid shots
of employees not in a traditional formal work environment, which indicates that this company
has a much more laid-back culture than most. Their founder is a former ESPN anchor, and this
fact seems to have strongly shaped the company, as its work is primarily focused on sports and
entertainment. The website is organized into sections using sports metaphors such as “Team
Roster” and “GDC Fast Break,” which contributes to the informal effect..
Verh Communications seems to be a slightly larger PR firm. According to the “Team” section,
Vehr Communications seems to have a more hierarchical structure with more traditional roles
(e.g. CEO, Vice President, Senior Account Executive, Account Executive). Their “Work” section
highlights their work for large organizations including corporations (Cabela’s, Tiffany), banks
(Fifth Third Bank), colleges (Xavier University), and well-established non-profits in the Cincinnati
area (United Way of Greater Cincinnati, Cincinnati Zoo, Cincinnati Art Museum). Vehr has much
less diversity represented in their employees than Game Day. Also worth noting is the fact that
Vehr employee photos are much more traditionally professional: Employees are dressed in
business casual and are in office settings.
7. What do you think would be the most professional and effective way to handle these situations?
(LO1-4, LO1-5)
a. You’re the lead student employee of your school’s technology help desk. Each day, you field
questions from faculty, staff, and students about their email accounts, the Internet, and other
tech topics. The volume of calls and emails is high, so you’re worn pretty thin by the end of your
shift each day. Today, late in the day, you get an email from a faculty member expressing
interest in having her students design a tutorial to help faculty and students learn one of the
school’s tech tools better and asking which IT person would be best to contact about this idea.
You have no idea. How do you answer?
Consider each student’s answer on its merits. A good answer will include a polite explanation of
the student employee’s position and also some questions to clarify the skills the person is
looking for. The person could point out that their current role does not allow much time to
assess the skills of the other employees, but if the faculty member could reply with more
specifics about what role they will want the IT person to take, what software/systems will need
to be known, and what outcomes they expect, then that information would be helpful in talking
with the team (and any supervisors) to select the best person for the task.
b. You’re the chair of the employee volunteerism committee at your workplace. After three years
in this role, you’re ready to step down. At your latest meeting, one of the committee members
eagerly volunteered to be the next chair. The thing is, this person actually hasn’t done much of
the work, and you suspect that he wants the job just to make himself look good to the company’s
leaders. You didn’t say anything right then, but now the HR director, in whose area this
committee falls, has come to your desk to ask if the person who wants the job should be
appointed to it. What do you say?
Consider each student’s answer on its merits. Some students might suggest a bold response—
just being honest about their opinions of the person. However, the assessment of the potential
chair’s motives cannot necessarily be verified. A better response might be to stick to the facts:
Explain that the potential chair has not been present for much of the work of the committee
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Kit Biggs weighed seven pounds and eight ounces. He and his
mother are both doing fine, thanks. Biggs is doing O.Q., too. He's
got a new title now. Around his home, that is. He's First Mate in
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*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ORDEAL OF
LANCELOT BIGGS ***
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