Handbook for Effective, Professional Communication by Vonhof, S - Article Example

Literature Review Name Course Name and Code Instructor’s Name Date Article 1 Introduction Communication is vital for the survival of human beings since it is through communicating that we get to understand others and get to build relationships with others. Many articles have been written to explain communication, how to improve it, its components and types. Below is a review on the newsletter ‘Supporting a healthy organization: Effective communication’ volume 12, issue 1, authored by Employee Assistance Program (EAP) in the winter of 2010. Summary The author aims at giving employees as well as the management of any organization important tips of effective communication so as to avoid misunderstandings and promote teamwork among employees. Communication is used in organizations for exchange of ideas between employees, customers and suppliers. It is also used in passing on important information in the organization. Poor communication results in misunderstandings which can severe relationships among people and in organizations it can contribute to the downfall of the organization (EAP, 2010). To achieve effective communication in any organization, there are six basic tips that can be followed. To begin with, it is important to be clear both in writing and speaking and avoids use of vague terms. To speak and write clearly, one should use good diction, go straight to the point and avoid using complicated language. Secondly, effective communication entails passing across your message in a warm and friendly manner so as to make the recipients feel respected and valued. When using electronic communication such as email, it is always advisable to use courteous words such as thank you, please and kindly among others. Another important tip for effective communication is to listen carefully and avoid interruptions when someone is communicating to you. Listening does not only entail focusing on the words but also on the speaker’s nonverbal language like body language and facial expressions. When listening, it is important to nod or smile and ask questions so as to get a clear understanding of the message being passed on. However, it is difficult to understand the emotions in electronic communication since such channels use brief and formal way of communicating that in most cases sounds commanding and authoritative. Moreover, effective communication entails thinking through the issue at hand before responding so as to avoid misunderstandings, confusion and regret (EAP, 2010). Asking questions for clarifications is also advised. Furthermore, this newsletter recognizes that it is always good to speak positively so as to attract the attention of the audience. Using positive sentence structure and good language will encourage others to use the message passed on for the success of both the organization and its employees. The sixth tip in effective communication is creating a connection between the speaker and the audience. This includes finding a common ground such as sharing personal experiences and common interests so as to create a bond of trust. This newsletter also gives tips on effective emailing since it has been discovered that with the changing technology, email is the most preferred professional communication channel but I most cases people do not follow emailing etiquette. The first emailing tip is to create a good subject that is meaningful and reflects the content of your message. A good subject will be able to catch the recipient’s attention. Secondly, it is advisable to avoid sending emails to a large group of recipients since the more recipients there are the less likely each will respond to the email. If it is necessary to send an email to a large group it is important to use ‘the blind carbon copy’ so as to keep the recipients’ addresses private(EAP, 2010). Thirdly, an email should be short and right on point so as to send a stronger message. Use of short words and active verbs is advisable. When responding to an email, it is also good to quote the email you are replying to so as to make it easy for the recipients to figure out the response quickly without going trough much trouble. Open-ended questions should not be used in emailing since the purpose of emailing is to save time and long responses have no place in emailing. Another emailing tip is to ensure that the tone reflect in your message is respectful, polite and friendly. Use of caps is interpreted as yelling and can make the recipient lose interest in the email. Finally, it is good to avoid replying to angry mails as this can severe existing relationships. In professional emailing, it is also advisable to include your name, title, contacts and website for legitimacy purposes. Critique The overall intention of the author is to provide readers with ideas on becoming good communicators especially in the business world. Using simple language in communication is really important since people understand better when simple words statements are used. Beating around the bush before delivering a message makes the audience lose patience and interest and may even get bored and ‘switch off’ and end up missing the intended message. For example, if a manager wants to give out his company’s environmental management plan but first starts with giving a historical overview of its financial performance, his audience might get bored in the process and miss the main message. Moreover, I agree with the author’s opinions that listening actively, using positive statements as well as thinking carefully before responding can make one a good communicator. It is not always possible to please everyone in the organization when communicating as some of them do not respect others. The question is: how do you communicate warmly to a person who bullies you around? In addition, it is also sometimes impossible to make a connection through sharing personal experiences when communicating. In all organizations, the focus is on increasing the organization’s output and sharing of personal information in most cases wastes time. So I tend to disagree with the author’s opinion that making a connection through sharing personal experiences makes one a good communicator. Article 2 Introduction The faculty of Forest and Natural Resources Management of the State University if New York published a handbook in 2008 entitled ‘Handbook for effective, professional communication’ with the aim of equipping students with skills for good communication especially during the presentation of their projects. The handbook acknowledges that effective communication is a valuable skill for any professional. It gives the basic components of and considerations for effective, professional communication. Summary The handbook starts with giving an outline of the components of and considerations for communication which include author, audience, purpose, topic and occasion. The meaning of effective communication according to this handbook is that it is the passing of a message from one person to another where there is no misinterpretation or misunderstanding. In other words, it entails sending the intended message that is received and understood by the recipient (The Foundation Coalition, n.d). To communicate professionally entails being courteous and respectful while at the same time you are being competent. When communicating, it is also important to consider such factors as ‘level of formality and detail, importance, time frame and the necessity of a response (Vonhof, 2008) As an author, it is important to consider the audience you are going to present the paper so as to be able to edit and adjust your work to suit the audience. Personal needs such as habit and style should also be considered when preparing to present a paper. Moreover, as an author, it is important to prepare effectively so as to make a good presentation. The audience determines the level of formality and intimacy to be used in professional communication. When communicating with friends and family, one uses informal language unlike when presenting a paper or report that requires one to use formal language. The composition of the audience also affects the way one communicates. For example, when presenting to children it is important to use simple terms that can easily be understood by children. It is also important to use gender neutral language to avoid stereotyping and bias (Vonhof, 2008). Furthermore, one should consider the purpose and intention of the communication. Communication can be use for persuasion, amusement or informing but the latter is his purpose of professional communication. The intention is closely linked to the audience, for example, when speaking with friends one may have the intention of entertaining them whereas when speaking to seniors especially during class presentations the intention is to inform. The topic of the communication is also important and in any communication process, it should be introduced to the audience early in the communication process. The final component of and consideration of communication is the circumstances that prompt the communication. The occasion will affect the level of formality, the intention and the tone used in communication (Vonhof, 2008). There are two methods of communication that are oral and written communication. Written communication is further subdivided into electronic mail, memoranda, letters, reports and papers (Vonhof, 2008). Electronic communication includes email and is appropriate for short and rapid communications. When sending an email it is important to consider the audience and occasion; to use polite language; include a message subject; greet the recipient appropriately, use clear language and be brief; use proper English; and respond to messages after reading them clearly. Memoranda are used to communicate specific information in departments and organizations. Just like emails, memoranda should be short, clear and brief and should use a courteous, professional tone. Letters are also another form of written communication that can be use to communicate with people outside the organization. They should have complete addresses of the recipient, have a subject, and contain a formal greeting such as ‘Dear’, be clear and brief and should have a formal closing and sender’s signature. The other types of written communication are reports and papers hat are in most cases use in academic institutions for assignments. A report includes an introduction, a literature review, methods and materials, results, discussion, conclusions and a bibliography. On the other hand papers should be clearly written with a clear flow and connection of ideas and the grammar should be correct. The other method of communication is oral communication that can be done through telephone communications, interviews and presentations. Professional telephone conversations should be formal and the tone should be courteous. If the person being contacted is not available it is advisable to leave a voicemail informing them to call back. Interviews are in most cases done when recruiting workers in an organization so as to gauge their eligibility. Interviews are also used by students when collecting information for their research projects. Presentations are also another form of oral communication that can either be informal or formal. When doing a presentation, it is important to consider your audience, dress appropriately, prepare well by practicing and arrange your ideas clearly. Finally there is another method of communication that is graphic communication that includes maps, graphs, tables and charts that need to interpret so as to get the information they bear. Graphic communication is in most cases used to present statistical data. Critique The author has clearly outlined the methods of communication that are written and oral communication. The author further explains the different types of written communication that include electronic, letters, memoranda, reports and papers. However, the author has limited herself to the academic field especially when discussing about reports and papers. It should be noted that in organizations such as Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs), reports and pares are important for measuring the performance of such organizations. On the other hand, oral communications such as presentations are also used by other organizations especially in conferences. Additionally, phone conversations are core to businesses especially between them and suppliers and customers. References Doumont, J. (2002). The Three Laws of Professional Communication. Professional Communication, IEEE Transactions, 45(4), 291-296 EAP. (2010). Supporting a healthy organization. Effective communication, 12 (1) The Foundation Coalition (n.d). Effective Interpersonal/Intrateam Communication. Retrieved from http://www.foundationcoalition.org Vonhof, S. (2008). Handbook for effective, professional communication. Retrieved from http://www.esf.edu/fnrm/documents/FNRM_Communications_Handbook2008.pdf Read More