Transcript We read quickly

Subject: Inappropriate Computer Usage
Recently, we discovered that some employees are making inappropriate use of the company’s
Internet and email systems. We wish to remind you that our company’s computer resources,
including hardware, software, email and the Internet, should only be used for company business.
As we recognize that there may be some confusion about what constitutes personal use of
company computers, here is a list of inappropriate activities:
•Forwarding of email chain letters
•Surfing the internet
•Downloading files containing pictures and applications
•Subscribing to personal news groups and Internet mailing list
Within the last few weeks, we have had to endure many server crashes and sluggish computer
response times because of inappropriate email and Internet usage. If these problems continue,
we will be forced to monitor or record employees’ computer usage. Violations of this policy may
result in disciplinary action—even termination for serious and repeat violations--or, in the case of
our consultants, a change in status.
I am sure that none of us knowingly want to harm the productivity of our company. If you have
any questions about computer usage, or would like further clarification of this policy, please
contact me at extension #4241.
MAIB 2001
Class 3: Organizational Structure and
Organizational Strategies in Business
Communication
LEVELS OF
COMMUNICATION
1.
2.
INTERNAL MESSAGES: for
recipients within the organization
EXTERNAL MESSAGES: directed to
recipients outside the organization
INTERNAL FORMS of
COMMUNICATION
Oral:
One-on-one conversation, telephone conversation,
interviews, group meetings, presentations,
televised speeches, teleconferences
Written:
E-mail, memo, fax, newsletter, informal reports,
formal reports
EXTERNAL FORMS OF
COMMUNICATION
Oral:
Networking: face-to-face and phone, public
relations, meetings, presentations
Written:
Fax, letters, reports, contracts, press releases
TIPS FOR SELECTING
COMMUNICATION MEDIUM
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Do you need a permanent record of this
communication? (historic, legal)
Will my receiver(s) be receptive to my
message?
Where and how large is the audience for my
message?
Is the message long or complex?
Is the message or the response urgent?
Is credibility a concern?
ORGANIZATIONAL
COMMUNICATION

Is concerned with the movement of
information within the company

Depends on the organizational
structure or design of an organization
FORMAL AND INFORMAL
CHANNELS
Formal Communication Channels
Management creates structures to control
individual and group behavior and to achieve
the organization’s goals
Informal Communication Channels
Develop as people interact within the formal,
imposed system, and social and
psychological needs emerge
BUREAUCRATIC
STRUCTURE
Rigid Formal Communication:
 Communication is dictated by procedures
manuals, job descriptions, organizational
charts, strict and exact rules and policies
Disadvantages:
 Distance leads to potential distortion of info
 Only the top can see the big picture
INTERNAL AUDIENCE
CHARACTERISTICS
Similarities
Differences
People are “insiders”
 Some shared
knowledge/info.
 Some shared
motivation/goals
 Shared organizational
structure


Organizational level
 Individual
expertise/knowledge
level
 Organizational
orientation
 Length of employment
STRATEGIC FORCES
INFLUENCING BUSINESS
COMMUNICATION

Legal and ethical constraints
 Diversity challenges
 Globalization
 Changing technology
 Team-oriented approaches
DIRECTIONS FOR
INTERNAL
COMMUNICATION FLOW
1.
2.
3.
DOWNWARD
UPWARD
HORIZONTAL
1. DOWNWARD
COMMUNICATION
From top to bottom (manager to employee):
 Teaching about job roles and skills
 Orienting to company’s goals and policies
 Evaluating job performance and success
 Eg. Briefings, instructions, explanations,
feedback, motivational pep talks
2. UPWARD
COMMUNICATION
Quality of feedback depends on quality of
downward communication:
 Quality of communication depends on
employee’s trust in the manager
 Informs management about problems and
successes of employees and policies
 Why or when would employees not
communicate with their managers?
3. HORIZONTAL
COMMUNICATION
Interactions between people/units on the same
hierarchical level
 This is the major channel for co-ordination
 Current emphasis on cross-functional work teams
promotes more horizontal communication
 A good manager will promote productive
interactions on the horizontal level
UPWARD/DOWNWARD
COMMUNICATION
Rewrite the following memo twice, changing style and tone to fit
the situation:
1) Rewrite it so that John is the team leader
2) Rewrite it so that Fred is John’s supervisor
To: John
From: Fred
Date: July 8, 2001
Subject: Monson Project Team
I am concerned about the team’s progress on the Munson Project. I feel we should be
further along than we are at this point. Perhaps you could visit with me sometime
tomorrow so we could talk about how to improve the team’s progress. I would really
appreciate hearing your perception of the problem.
ORGANIZING YOUR
DOCUMENTS
SUCCESSFULLY
REMEMBER THE THREE
PRINCIPLES BEFORE YOU
WRITE:

PURPOSE

AUDIENCE

MEDIUM
How do Readers Read?

We read opportunistically: we are time
and answer-driven (the “bottom-line”
approach)
 We read selfishly: to find only the
information that pertains to US and our
department
 We read quickly: to find the answers as
quickly and efficiently as possible
Answer Readers’ Questions
CONTENT:
 What’s the main issue here?
 Why should I care?
 What can be done?
 What should be done?
 What are the costs?
 What are the benefits?
 Why should I believe you?
ORGANIZATION:
 Where is the information I need?
A good document has three important
elements:
1. CONTENT
2. ORGANIZATION
3. LAYOUT
ORGANIZATION
Don’t organize your information to reflect your
thought processes; rather try to “manage” your
reader’s response
 Readers want the RESULTS of your thinking, not
the thinking itself
 Follow the 3-step “Army” approach to focus your
reader
 Organization should be determined by PURPOSE
and READER

PRINCIPLES OF
ORGANIZATION

Logical: classification or division according
to some key principle
 Order of importance (also pro-con/con-pro)
 Recommendation-rationale-implementation
 Problem-analysis-solution
SELECT PERSUASIVE
STRUCTURES ACCORDING TO
AUDIENCE
AUDIENCE

Interested
 Supportive
 Informed
ARGUMENT

One-sided
 Pro-con
 Deductive
 Descending
Approach style: Tell or Sell
SELECT PERSUASIVE
STRUCTURES ACCORDING TO
AUDIENCE
AUDIENCE

Unengaged
 Hostile
 Uninformed
ARGUMENT

Two-sided
 Con/pro
 Inductive
 Ascending
Approach style: Consult or Join
Use YOU-Oriented Writing
Speak from the reader’s point-of-view, not
the writer’s
 Emphasize what the reader wants to know
to show your concern
 Build goodwill through positive emphasis

1. Focus on What the Readers
receive, not on what You can
Do for Them

Identify reader benefits
ME-attitude: I have negotiated an agreement with Apex Renta-Car that gives you a discount on rental cars
YOU-attitude: As a Sunstrand employee, you can now get a
20% discount when you rent a new car from Apex
ME-attitude: We provide health insurance for all employees
YOU-attitude: You receive comprehensive health insurance as
a full-time UF employee
2. Give Specific Details and
Info. the Reader Needs

Refer to the reader’s details specifically to imply
involvement, and supply necessary details for
clarity
ME-attitude: We are shipping your order of September 21 this
morning
YOU-attitude: The two Corning Ware starter sets you ordered
will be shipped this afternoon and should reach you by
September 28
ME-attitude: Your order will be expedited soon
YOU-attitude: The desk chair you ordered should arrive
within the week
3. Omit your feelings, and Don’t
Forecast the Reader’s Feelings

Omit your feelings (except for
congratulations/condolences), and don’t tell
readers how they will react/feel
ME-attitude: We are happy to extend you a credit line of
$5,000
YOU-attitude: You can now charge up to $5,000 on your
American Express card
ME-attitude: You’ll be happy to hear that your scholarship
has been renewed
YOU-attitude: Congratulations! Your scholarship has been
renewed.
Change the Attitude in these
examples:
We require you to sign the order before we will
allow you to receive delivery
2. I am very pleased that I can offer my customers
these advantages
3. We are thrilled that we can open this restaurant in
this area
4. Before we can allow you to write checks on your
account, we request that you sign the enclosed
signature card
1.
Logical organization

Always begin with ideas the reader can
easily understand and accept
 Use the same system all the way through
 Work out a suitable layout and format to
help the reader
 Use tables, graphs, and pictures whenever
helpful and appropriate
 Make important items STAND OUT
THE PERFORMANCE
REVIEW
Goals of the Performance
Review
1.
To motivate and educate the
employee
1.
To protect the organization
Importance of Performance
Reviews

Serve to reinforce your corporate culture
and goals and clarify position
responsibilities
 Aid the employee to clarify job
requirements, improve performance, and
set new career goals
 Provide the basis for promotions and raises
VALUE OF REVIEWS FOR
EMPLOYEES
1.
2.
3.
Emphasize and clarify job requirements
Give employees feedback on their efforts
Develop guidelines for future efforts
Difficulties of the Performance
Review

The positive goal (to boost employee commitment
and performance) conflicts with the negative goal
(to defend the company against litigation)
 Managers and supervisors may be distanced from
the work events of the employee by time and place
 Employees are emotionally invested in the
assessments and may be defensive or hostile
Varieties of Performance
Reviews

Formal annual performance review/report: very
rigid process and product. Frequently seems
punitive rather than constructive
 “360 degree” reviews: give employees feedback
from multiple sources-- from above, below, and
horizontally
 More democratic and flexible evaluation:
employee plays a part in writing the review, and
document is designed collaboratively
Strategies for Writing an
Effective Performance Review

First clarify the GOALS of the review carefully:
informative and helpful to employees, OR
protective and legally binding for the company?
 Be very SPECIFIC and detailed, both for
credibility and clarification purposes (keep a
performance log that documents incidents
pertinent to an employee’s performance)
 Emphasize the IMPROVEMENT aspect of the
evaluation: state specifically some possible steps
for improvement
Potential Readers

You, as well as other managers and supervisors,
will read performance reviews to evaluate
employees and promote or demote accordingly
 Employees have a legal right both to read and
comment on the performance review in writing
 Human resources officials will probably read and
approve the document
 Lawyers, grievance officers, judges, and juries
become involved in litigious situations
Strategies for Successful
Performance Reviews

PURPOSE

CONTENT

TONE
PURPOSE
As long as the purpose of the performance review is
not focused on termination of the employee, then




Be action oriented and provide useful guidelines for the employees
Remember your role as mentor: you need to motivate and educate
employees so that they may become happier and more efficient
workers
Focus on problem resolution: suggest specific ways that the situation
or skill can be improved. Indicate how non-compliance will have an
impact on future effectiveness.
Discuss the performance review with the employee being evaluated
(perhaps even invite input during the writing process)
CONTENT






Base your performance review on the job description (gives
expectations for the position)
Do not focus simply on an employee’s traits (lazy, co-operative,
arrogant)
Focus on specific behaviors (averaged 14 customer service calls a day;
continued to shop on the internet and send personal e-mails despite
being warned on 2 specific dates to stop)
Explain the problems caused by the employee’s behavior rather than
attacking the behavior itself
Base the review on your top priorities: a long “laundry list” of
necessary changes will be demoralizing.
Close with an overall summary, or a friendly comment about future
success
USE SPECIFICS

Vague: John does not manage his time as well as
he should
 Better: John submitted 3 out of 5 of his monthly
reports 4 to 6 days after they were due
 Vague: Peter calls in sick a lot; his co-workers
say he is an alcoholic
 Better: Peter called in sick 10 days in the last 2
months. Co-workers state that his behavior at
business lunches is embarrassing and
unprofessional.
TONE and ORGANIZATION

Positive or neutral reviews should follow the
direct pattern; negative reviews should be more
indirect in their approach
 Emphasize improvement and future actions rather
than past transgressions
 Keep the tone objective and unbiased, and the
language nonjudgmental
 End, if possible, on a positive note