Dear Class:
As part of your participation grade, you will need to add a two paragraph comment on the reading for that week. I had considered assigning you questions, but decided to make it more open ended. I am looking for you to address information that you learned from the reading or that you particularly disagree with regarding the reading. It can be on any chapter for a test that is upcoming. This particular section of the blog will end on June 30th, as that is your last test. Make sure to save a copy of your own blogs as they roll through the four 1/2 weeks, as you will need to send them in total to me on 8/4.
Here are the reading due dates:
July 3rd - Chapters 1,3,4,5 (again, you can write on any chapter)
July 10th - 2,9,10,12,13
July 17th - 2,9,10,12,13
July 24th - 7,8,11
July 29th - 7,8,11
Please make sure that your comment closes with your class name so that I can follow who wrote it (first names are fine). Just add your writing to the "Comments" section of this blog.
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ReplyDeleteI have found, as per Chapter 3, that my space and territory vary by the area in which I live. It states that the intimate zone is 18 inches around the person, but New York City is so crowded, with people bumping into you on the subway and sitting pressed against you, that there must be a different scale in these areas. I also did not realize that we allow business to be conducted in the personal zone of 18 inches to 4 feet, as people commonly state "It's not personal. It's business." Perhaps there is some confusion between the two.
In Ch. 2, I was amazed by the statistics on employers who read employee e-mails: 36%, and 70% believe they have a right to read them. It is true that e-mails can be used in court, so they really are not personal. And if the average number of e-mails for business users is 48 per day, no wonder telephone calls have dropped - people are writing instead.
I really enjoyed the first few chapters of this textbook because the majority of the information regarding communication, the writing process, and presentation was just reiterated from my favorite college class, public speaking. I love public speaking so I was really excited to see that this material was being reviewed. These topics are important no matter what your major and I have found them to be very useful in my everyday life. My favorite thing that was learned was in Chapter 1 where the author discussed interpretation and the differences in language, slang, and jargon. It was so interesting to me and entertaining at the same time. It just goes to show what a huge vehicle communication is and how careful we have to be when using it. I found it so crazy that so many words and phrases have SUCH DIFFERENT meanings and connotations in different cultures.
ReplyDelete-Jennie Cumbie
Also, I learned plenty I didn't know and found "Planning Meetings" in Chapter 3 to be beneficial. It was so surprising to me to see the list of things needed to be considered when planning a business meeting. When attending one, it seems like a piece of cake, but I guess the planning behind the scenes is something you take for granted when you aren't the one doing the planning.
ReplyDelete-Jennie Cumbie
Something that stood out to me was from Chapter 3, discussing the effects of nonverbal communication. I think that too often people are not even aware of the impressions they give to the people around them without even having to say a word. You can be the most friendly person in a room, but those around you would never know it if you are sitting with your arms crossed and a scowl on your face.
ReplyDeleteI also found it interesting from chapter 1 that the highest complaint from dissatisfied employers was the lack of skill in written communication. With such different forms of communication, and so much slang and shorthand being used with the various technologies today, people are placing less emphasis on being gramatically correct and proper in their written communications on a more daily basis.
-Brooke Brandel
The first chapters have really related to communication issues that employees face in today's job market. For instance, the employer checking emails and phone logs. Also, the facebook articles were another example of how careful employees need to be with their social networks. Although utilities like facebook can be really essential for personal marketing and communication, it is important to remember that what is posted on there can be viewed by other employees and employers. With this in mind it is extremely important to monitor our reputations on paper and online and to remember that professionalism is key in order to succeed in the work environment of today.
ReplyDeleteAlso I agree with the previous poster, that Public speaking and public appearance is extremely important in the professional market. The book really focuses on making a professional and educated statement about yourself when you are out in the workplace. Dress and communication play a huge role in this presentation. It is important to consider what word choice you use around people you don't know. I would also add that you should always keep in mind that you may not know always know people's background. Therefore, jokes or statements that may not be offensive to you could be extremely offensive to them. In the job market it is important to be politically correct. The book shows how all these factors play a role in how you are perceived in the workplace.
-Kelly Walker
I found the content explaining the importance of nonverbal communication to be interesting. I know that nonverbal communication is important, but I never realized exactly how important it was. The exercise on page 51 where we were asked to say the same statement but emphasize a different word each time just showed how important voice quality can be. Also, as Americans, we tend to think that every one sees the world just as we do. I forget sometimes that different cultures put more value on different aspects of communication. In the United States, eye contact and punctuality are important. In other countries, they may not be. The rest of the chapter was common knowledge I thought. It was, however, still important to review.
ReplyDeleteChapters 4 and 5 provided a review on the writing process. These chapters also provided tips on how to make writing clear and more effective. I found the tips on recovering from writer's block particularly important because that is one of the major problems I encounter when I write. I am a perfectionist when I am writing a paper, even when it is just the first draft. Chapter 4 says just to remember your purpose and write freely. The next time I get writer's block, I think I am going to try to apply some of these tips. Another thing that was brought to my attention was that I learned all of the things in chapters 4 and 5 probably back in middle school, however, I have never reviewed them since. Remembering the stages and these tips will greatly enhance my writing skills.
-Elizabeth Shuler
The readings discuss the importance of communicating. In Chapter 1 it states that communication is a major key to success. I also learned the components of communication from Chapter 1. Components: Stimulus, Filter, Message, Medium, and Destination. Appropriate use of expression was also addressed no slang. I like the content in Chapter 3 it talked about the importance of your physical appearance as well as nonverbal communication.
ReplyDeleteThese first few chapters were really helpful because they were refreshers of a lot of material i had learned a long time ago and forgot about. It talked about the Writing Process and how to proofread. Those are crucial elements in writing anything. Also, some other information about how to use passive and active voice in order for a person to appropriately understand what message you are trying to say. That it is best to use postive words and use a courteous and sincere tone when writing too.
ReplyDeleteAll of these chapters were basically talking about communication. How other countries communicate that it is normally different from the way we communicate in the US. The first several chapters also really reiterated as a whole how to professionally write something and how to communicate with all types of people. That is extremely important in the workforce, being able to communicate properly no matter the circumstance is. In chapter 3, it talks about how the aspects of nonverbal communication and how your physical appearance and body movement among other things are extremely important in communicating with others.
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ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteIn chapter 1 I understood exactly what the author meant when they were discussing the differences in language and slang terms. I personally have a lot of friends and family that live up north and often times they are confused by words I use such as “y’all”. There is also a variety of words used to describe the same thing. For example people up north typically call soft drink “pop”, while southern refer to it as “coke”. It is also amazing how the same words can have much different meanings depending on the culture.
ReplyDeleteChapter 3 formed an interesting discussion about the importance of nonverbal communication. Many people judge people by their nonverbals. Often times how you say something is more important than what you say. You can be very educated about a topic but if you act unsure or hesitant people will lose interest and believe you don’t actually know what you are talking about. Also people can learn a lot about you by how you act when you aren’t talking. They can discover that you are caring, self-centered or confused just by the nonverbal communication that you show.
I like Chapter 2 so because it explains the concepts of working in groups, mainly for constructing a paper, but could be use for any group meetings for anything in my opinion. I have always been a person that loves a heated debate over something so for them to stress that conflict in these meeting should NOT be avoided, that was nice to learn. It says just to make sure you stay on the issues and not make it personal. Feedback is also really important in any situation because no feedback is worse than negative feedback, because with no feedback you do not know what to correct. When working in groups, especially in college, I have noticed it is when your group does not want to meet on a regular basis or some members are not present is when you tend to not do as well. They state that meeting regularly over the course of a project can really help in creating the finish project. It also stresses over being comfortable with diversity and not reject any good ideas due to it.
ReplyDeleteIn chapter 5 it teaches how to use words to create a meaningful message but still have something to separate your writings from others. It says use words that accurately describe what you are going for, and do the research to discover if they are actually accurate; such as putting a day in with the date then discovering later that it was actually the wrong day for that date. These errors can make someone appear to be ignorant just because they did not put the two seconds in to check that. It also states to use familiar words so the reader will not have to look them up just so they can understand it. This really makes since because if that word was important, and the user did not look up the word, then the whole sentence or even paper was pointless. These are things that most writers do that can be annoying for the reader so they should be corrected.
-Joshua Partridge
English 304-04
While reading these chapters, there were many things that stuck out to me. The first one that stuck out was learning how to communicate. I just finished an internship in a corporate office and whenever I needed to e-mail a co-worker I continuously found myself writing many drafts in order to make sure it sounded appropriate. I had to make sure I did not use any slang and that the receiver of the e-mail on the other side was able to interpret what I was saying the way I wanted them to.
ReplyDeleteAnother topic I found appealing was learning about the nonverbal communication. When I was going through HR for my internship, I had to sign a document, which stated that I agreed to maintain business dress, be on time, and a few other rules in order to show my respect for the company. I feel that spending time on one’s appearance shows one’s enthusiasm and excitement for coming into work everyday.
Testing.
ReplyDeleteI felt that this section of reading was extremely beneficial to college students and really anyone entering the job market. In today's society especially finding a job and keeping it is EXTREMELY competitive and with the things taught in Chapters 12 and 13, it makes it easier for someone to go into an application process and interview way more prepared.
ReplyDeleteIn Chapter 12, the authors did an excellent job in teaching how to conduct a thorough job search by first doing a self-analysis. This is something I hadn't really thought of and is probably something lots of people look over when searching for a career. Also, the authors showed how to correctly and professionally prepare a resume. These are 2 things that people have to know in order to be prepared for the real world. Not only is the application process important, but just as important is the interview process which is outlined in Chapter 13. After being impressive on paper (resume), you have to impress the employer(s) even more through an interview. These 2 chapters are so critical and I felt that they really help prepare us for the competitive job market.
-Jennie Cumbie
ReplyDeleteIn chapter 2 I thought it was interesting that a group can actually become too cohesive. One of the variables of group communication is conformity, but when the group begins to have excessive conformity groupthink occurs. This discourages new ideas and information. As a result everyone agrees and new good ideas are not brought to the table. I never thought it was possible to have a group that was too productive and unified.
ReplyDeleteIn chapter 9 it talked about how to construct a good questionnaire. I was unaware of the steps that should be taken to ensure unbiased results. I never thought about how the wording of a question could influence a person to one side. The examples in the book showed how neutral questions offer more valid responses. When personal questions are asked, such as salary, it is best to make sure that the respondents know the questionnaire is anonymous. I guess it is only logical that someone would be more honest under these terms.
In chapter 10, the texts discusses how to organize an effective report. I found the section about organizing by importance to be interesting. Every year that I have taken an English course, I have been taught to present the most important reason for writing first, followed by the less important reasons. In this section, the book mentions another way. It says to list all the reasons that would not work or that are not important first. Thus, leaving your reason the only one that would make sense. This, to me, seems a little bit difficult and I'm not certain it is something I would try.
ReplyDeleteIn chapter 2, communicating with people that have disabilities is discussed. This is something that is not often thought about, but is very important. I am looking into a career that will provide me the opportunity to work with the hearing impaired. This section reminded me that I will need to speak slowly because many people who have lost their hearing read lips. Also, I did not know that people who are in wheelchairs view their wheelchair as an extension of their personal space. This is also something that is important to know. Most likely, all of us will be in a place where we will come into contact with people with disabilities. This section is a helpful reminder of how to act.
-Elizabeth Shuler
On chapter 3 I thought that the listening part is very important and probably most of the people don't really care or pay attention about it. It is really hard to focus where the environment is noisy and people don't really care about what the speaker is saying. I do agree with what the book says that people may not listen or pay attention because they have not been taught how to listen compare to reading and writing.
ReplyDeleteIn this chapter I agree with the pshysical appereance, that gives a better impression to employees specially if they are going to an appointment or trying to get hire for a new job. The first impression is very important and the way you talk during an interview is huge when considering an employee for a new job.
Carlos Alvarez.
In chapter 2 in variables of group communication that I think is vital in work teams is giving constructive feedback. When working in groups they have to be able while working through any problem is to have the ability to give constructive feedback. It is also important to give both negative and positive feedback.
ReplyDeleteAny person that is giving feedback has to be descriptive, find the right way to be heard and understood, avoid using labels, don't have to exaggerate, and speak for yourself. I think this is an important think that is being explained in this chapter when talking about team communication.
Carlos Alvarez.
There are many interesting points that I had never thoughts of in the readings. In chapter three I was surprised at how much thought and effort needed to go into setting up, and planning a meeting. So much preparation is needed, from the seating charts to the time it is held. I found the diagrams and description of the types of tables needed for different types of meetings especially interesting. After reading chapter three I began thinking about the meetings I attend weekly for my sorority. I realized how much work our officers must put in for our weekly meetings and have a new found appreciation for them.
ReplyDeleteI also found chapter one informative with is description of jargon, slang, euphemisms and polarization. I always thought that jargon and slang was the same thing. I didn’t realize that jargon was used for specialized groups. It’s also interesting that slang can and will be interpreted so differently into different languages. I also was unaware that when someone omits something that is important it is called polarization.
In chapter two I found al of the tips about working in groups especially interesting. I think that sometimes it can be hard working in groups because of the different problems that can arise. After working in groups and on teams I have noticed things like social loafing, conflict, and groupthink. I also never thought about how the number of people in a group can affect the group dynamics. I found it helpful to know two to seven members accomplish the most work. I also found the topic of ethnocentrism interesting. I think that when in a group people often don’t take other peoples backgrounds and cultures into consideration. People often believe that their own cultures are superior. It would solve a lot of problems within a group if people remembered to keep an open mind.
ReplyDeleteIn chapter nine I think the section on data and the Internet is important to look at. Often when I read and article or information off of the Internet I automatically assume it’s true, when this is not the case. It is sometimes hard to decifer which web sites have valid information and which do not. Evaluating the quality of Internet resources checklist is something that I will use the next time I am collecting data off of the Internet. It is important to take into consideration authority, accuracy, objectivity, and currentness when looking at a website.
I thought chapters 12 and 13 were extremely helpful for college students. I have been overwhelmed before when trying to create a resume that will sell my ability and prepare for job interviews. It is important that as students we are not only given knowledge in our future fields, but also given knowledge on how to sell our abilities to the companies we want to work for.
ReplyDeleteIn particular, I found chapter 13 helpful because it discussed the interview process in depth, starting with dress and self preperation and continuing with how to examine the interview afterwards and apply that information to making a better resume and interview experience the next time. Also, it explained how to write an interview follow up letter which I had never heard of before, but it seemed to be a good idea and the text demonstrated a professional setup. Overall, I am glad I encountered this material as I learned much that I will be able to apply in the near future when looking for a job.
-Kelly Walker
I thought the information about group work was an attention grabber. It difficult to work in group with other sometimes, especially when there are strong personalities involved. I have noticed some of the things mentioned in the book about working in group such as groupthink. I find it easier for me to work alone. Also was I found to be interesting was the info about the Internet and being able to determine which information is really accurate. Take Wikipedia for example Wikipedia can be reliable in some ways, but it also can have some false facts on its website being that anybody can go in and add information that has not been researched or proven. Also I like that I learned how to write up my resume’, and also what happens to during a interview I think that information will be very useful to me when I graduate and get out into the world.
ReplyDeleteChaunta Scott English 304-04
From the reading, I found it very interesting to read about writing a business report in chapter 10. Throughout high school and my first year at Clemson, my projects have consisted of either an essay or a power point. I believe that it is necessary to have the skills to write an appropriate business report since that is the best way to inform, analyze, or recommend in the corporate workplace. Writing a five-paragraph essay to explain something might not go very far.
ReplyDeleteAdditionally, I enjoyed reading chapter 12. I found it very informative about how I should go about finding a career after I graduate and the steps I would need to take to accomplish any goals I had. It was also helpful to learn about how to create a resume appropriately, and that there is a such thing as an application letter that explains why you want the job and your qualifications for it. Learning about the interview and how to prepare for one in Chapter 13, helped me to feel comfortable about what to expect once I graduate. Reading these chapters gave me information that I will use in my future and when searching for a career.
In the reading on Chapter 10 I liked how it went into detail of how to write in the business world. It is important to know how to write letters and any other type of business writing. There is a difference in business writing and nonbusiness style. So it is important to know the difference between each of them. They are fundamentally the same but the lay out is slightly different. Most reports in the business style are in forms like a manuscript, memo, or letter not like a research paper. So it was good how this chapter went into detail on the essentials you need to know for business writing.
ReplyDeleteAlso, Chapter 11 was a helpful reminder of the proper way to give an oral presentation. There is truly so much that goes into giving an oral presentation that having all of the key elements like analysis of the audience. You make sure you really know who you are speaking to and that you are effectively getting your point across. It talks about how to properly use visual aids in a presentation and how to deal with stage fright which is something many people deal with.
Natalie Morris
Planning a career is a crucial time in everyone's life. It is important to really think about what type of career field would be best for my personality. After thinking about this then researching companies including salaries, locations, job discriptions, ect can be useful to determine what company would be a good fit. With any type of adult job companies, it is not like a part-time summer job where you just apply online. A well planned, correctly formated resume with the proper content is in need. Chapter 12 goes in to great detail on creating a resume that will place one on a path to successfully landing a great career that is wanted, or at least getting an interview for it.
ReplyDeleteThe second part in landing a great desired career is preparing for the job interview. In Chapter 13, it gives beneficial knowledge on how to do this step. One would not take a life changing test without studying for it first, which can be the same as researching the company you are interviewing for. It really stands out when you know a lot about the company during the interview, such as important people in the company. Then it tells how to practice for the interview, such as preparing sample questions and practicing questions they may ask you. It is common knowledge that you do not go to an interview in blue jeans and a tee shirt, so you must dress up in a suit or some sort of formal business attire.
- Joshua Partridge
In chapter nine, the use of visual aids is discussed. The chapter outlines how to use each type of visual aids effectively and how to interpret them. This is an important skill to have when reading reports. This past semester in biology, we were asked to use different types of visual aids in our formal lab report. This outline would have been especially helpful in choosing the right type of aid. This chapter also talks about the dangers of visual aids. Sometimes they can distract the reader from the actual information that is being presented. Visual aids are basically used to back up your points, not make them. This is very important to know when writing and reading a report.
ReplyDeleteChapter Thirteen is a very important chapter. Everyone, at some point or another, will have to go in for an interview. This is a very nerve-racking experience and being prepared is key. The Practice Interview Questions were, in my opinion, the most important part of the Preparing for a Job Interview section. If you can answer these questions confidently and completely, your interview will most probably go smoothly. In fact, I wish I had a copy of these before I was interviewed! This section goes on to say that the person conducting the interview looks at how you react to the questions and how you communicate your answers. This is also a good thing to remember. One other thing that caught my attention was the text says to record your answers into a tape recorder. I would have never thought of that. I have heard of practicing while looking at yourself in the mirror, but never that. It is good advice. You hear how you will sound to your potential employer.
-Elizabeth Shuler
In Chapter 2, I found it interesting to see the differences in genders while communicating. When looking at the chart that's given, it's very easy to see that they're totally right. While women are more polite and would rather give the compliment, men tend to blame external faults and are a more likely to criticize than compliment. These are distinct differences that are commonly overlooked. Although we don't usually realize they exist, we have to take them into consideration when communicating with the opposite gender.
ReplyDeleteIn Chapter 13, I used the practice interview questions as a basis to give myself some experience. This is extremely useful because the interview process is where most people have their biggest problems. I have always thought of it as just being able to think quickly on your feet, but after seeing these practice questions, I know it can be more than that and can actually take a little rehearsal. Although you don't want to go into your interview sounding like a robot, these questions are good to go over just to settle your nerves before going into an interview.
-Jennie Cumbie
Chapter 10 went into great detail about how to write a business report. It describes when it is acceptable to use manuscripts, memos or letters. It was also useful to learn about the different organizations you can use for a report. Reports can be organized based on time, location, importance, or criteria. It said sorting reports by criteria is the most common form. This makes sense because a business person is going to be busy and wants the most important facts to be mentioned up front; they don’t want to have to search extensively to find the facts.
ReplyDeleteChapter 12 provided me with additional information about what to include in my resume. It talks about common things like length and format of a resume but also goes into what should be included. Job objective, education, work experience are typically included in a resume, but for me this created a problem since I haven’t had many jobs. This is where I found out that I could list skills that would qualify me for the job. I have done a lot of volunteer work and activities as a result of being a student athlete that I feel would help me to gain an edge over other competition.
Chapter 2 was very helpful because i really talked about communicating in the business world. Many different cultures speak and communicate in different ways so its important that you know how certain people communicate so that you don't offend anyone. Even in the US there are many different cultures that you should be aware of. This chapter also talks about an important topic, ethical behavior. It talks about to make decisions and work in the business world while being ethically responsible. Also communicating on the computer it is important to know the do's and don'ts of how to communicate properly through emails.
ReplyDeleteChapter 13 is a very important chapter. It talks about how to prepare for a job interview. Being prepared for an interview makes a huge difference into if you are going to be hired or not. Also it talks about other important things to know like dining etiquette, giving gifts, and meeting and greeting etiquette. This things are very important to know because you don't want to seem unprofessional if you are meeting someone for the first time because a first impression really means a lot. Also some more do's and don't on around the office which are also important things to know
Natalie
The chapters for this week were really helpful in explaining how to get your dream job, but I thought it was good that the authors took the time to let students know that they should also investigate to discover what they want to do. So often as college students we have no idea what we want as a future career and the text gave resources for self discovery. There are also many jobs available that we would have limited knowledge of, as students, without exploring different fields.
ReplyDeleteOnce you have found what you feel the best job for you would be it is important to encorporate the experience you have to make it seem like you have been preparing for this job all your life. I found the resume process extremely enlightening because it explains how an applicant can make any job reveal experience that you have seem relevent to the job you are trying to get. Also, it showed things I would not have known to include on a resume such as activities like sports. I think these chapters were important in helping students discover not only what options there are, but how to achieve your goals once you determine them.
Kelly Walker
In chapter nine I thought that is really important what it is said in the book about interpreting the data. But most importantly how we analyze the data, and make sure that it make sense and that it would solve your problem. Sometimes we don't analyze the data as we should in order to know that we have all the information that we need, or to make sure that we understand what is being said.
ReplyDeleteIt is important that when we gather data and information that we know what we got, that your are familiar with it, because it would not make sense to start making charts, tables and other visual aids if the data is irrelevant, incomple, inaccurate or does not makes sense.
Carlos Alvarez
I believe communication is an important aspect of life and that many people pay more attention to the way a message is communicated more than the information itself to make a decision. Learning about the appropriate uses of communication media helps me to decipher when it is proper to use e-mail and when it is better to use the telephone, written message, or communicate face to face. I should not use a company IM to ask my boss an intricate question about a project, but I should rather telephone him or her.
ReplyDeleteAdditionally, I found it practical to learn about giving constructive feedback. If I was giving feedback, I would be concerned about how to let the person know what they need to do better, without hurting their feels, and keeping them motivated to make a change. By using the five guidelines in the book (be descriptive, acoid using labels, don’t exaggerate, speak for yourself, and use I statements) I feel that I would be able to achieve just that.
In Chapter 7, I found it very helpful to learn how to effectively persuade. In the textbook, the author is teaching how to persuade in business writing but this advice and knowledge can be extended further into our everyday lives. In jobs in retail while trying to sell a product or even in a corporate office trying to pitch an idea, this way of rhetoric comes in handy.
ReplyDeleteI especially liked the part where the author told you not to suggest the idea but state the idea and make them believe it's the only option. If the idea is simply suggested, the listener or reader might consider it but also consider the alternative. When persuading, your objective should be to bring the audience over to your side and agree with the point you're making. I really think that chapter 7 is extremely beneficial and is great for anyone, not just someone in the business world.
-Jennie Cumbie
In Chapter 7 I found it interesting that when writing a persuasive report, it is often useful to include obstacles. I would think that if I presented an obstacle to the reader, that they would immediately reject my proposal. However in the book it says that my request is reasonable despite the obstacle. Although it says to mention the obstacles, a lot of time should not be devoted to showing them. They should be briefly covered in your report.
ReplyDeleteIn Chapter 8 it talks about ending a bad news letter on a positive note. I would have never thought to do this. If I was writing someone a letter about something negative, I would not hesitate to end my letter with a saying like “Again, I am sorry we are unable to grant your request”. However the book says even when something like that is written with a positive purpose that it will carry a negative overtone.
Chapter seven talks about persuasion. I found the part about grabbing the reader’s attention particularly helpful. In class, teachers ask for your opening paragraph to hook the reader. These lines and examples of what one could say are very useful. It goes on to say that if you are requesting an action, to wait until you have the reader’s attention to do so. After that, make it easy. Provide a toll-free number or an order blank. Also, offer incentives for people who respond in a timely fashion. These are all good things to know, especially when going into the business world.
ReplyDeleteChapter eleven was about making oral presentations. This is very important because we will all have to give some type of presentation, whether in class or otherwise, at some point in our lives. The part that discussed using humor in business presentations was informative. I did not know that using humor makes the audience’s recall better. It also helps the speaker bond with the audience. However, it is good advice not to try it if you have never done it before in front of an audience.
-Elizabeth Shuler
Chapter 8 talks about how to deliver bad news in a "good" way. This is something that no one wants to hear but it has to be done at some point. It talks about how to indirectly or directly break bad news to someone. Being able to give evidence in order to justify your bad news is something that is important so that the person will know that ther is a legitimate reason for th actions that are taking place. It also refers to how to end on a pleasant note with someone when you have to break bad news to someone. In this chapter it also tells you how to write an effective bad news email. SOmetimes it is easier to email someone with bad news than dealing with it face to face.
ReplyDeleteOn another note Chapter 7 talks about how to persuade someone through emails, letters, and memos. In today's world it is so much easier and more time efficient to email someone or do something of that nature then have to set up a meeting etc.Especially if the person isn't near where you are, say if they were in a different state. So being able to effectively persuade someone into accepting an offer or move forward with your plan is something that is very crucial. There are some major things thatare needed to effectively persuade somone in a nonverbal way such as having attention getting opening and having plenty of evidence so that you can support your topic and it will help to persuade the person a little easier.
Natalie
Chapter 11 talks about how to make oral presentations. This is an important chapter because being able to make oral presentations be effective is an important task to accomplish in the business world. Some of the big things that need to be considered is how to organize the presentation and planning how to execute the presentation properly. Also knowing how to do team presentations well is also something important to know because a lot of times in the business world you have to know how to work well with a team and do presentations and projects together. An important part of a presentation is being able to use visual aids correctly which can ruin a presentation if they aren't used properly. So this chapter is extremely important to know about.
ReplyDeleteIn Chapter 8, it talks about to deliver bad news in the best way. It is something that no one really likes to do but there is actually certain ways to deliver that type of news. There are a few ways to do it, you can take a direct plan which is presenting the bad news immediately or an indirect plan which is buffering the bad news. I would say most people would probably like to buffer the bad news so that you are more likely to not hurt someones feelings. It is also nice to have evidence in order to justify your answer so that the person will know the reasoning behind the decision you are making.
Joshua Partridge
In chapter 7 it discussed persuasion and how persuasion is pretty much motivating someone to do a certain thing. You have to know who your target audience is and sort of cater to them in order to get them "on your side" so to speak. Persuasion is necessary to get people to come around who otherwise is opposed to certain things. The Chapter also discussed types of persuasive requests such as selling an idea and requesting a favor and also things you can possible do to gain your audience/reader's attention.
ReplyDeleteIn Chapter 8 it talks about how to give bad news. The book displays a pie chart of percentages for the best day for bad news Friday is the best day for bad news with 39% and Monday is the next day with 24%. The chapter discussed direct plans which is to give the bad news immediately and indirect plan buffer the bad news. I think that it is better to go ahead and tell someone about the bad news as soon as you find out don't waste time trying to find a way to sugar coat it because it could come out worse. It also discusses a sort of nice way to reject an idea or refuse a favor. To me there is not really a nice way to do either those things the person is going to be offended, but I shouldn't ask someone for a favor through an email I believe you should talk face to face.
Along with the other chapters in the book, I found reading chapters 7 and 8 very beneficial. It is useful to learn how to write a persuasive message, whether it is asking for a favor or promoting an idea. This is knowledge that I can use during my college and professional career, or at home. I can use it if I need to persuade a professor to give me a better grade on an assignment, or to persuade my father to take my sister and I on a vacation.
ReplyDeleteLearning how to plan a bad-news letter was another piece of knowledge I found necessary to learn about. As it said in the book, at some point in our lives, we will be both the sender and recipient of bad news. Bad news is not something that one can ignore, especially now during the recession as companies are presenting bad news daily. There will always be bad news that needs to be reported whether we like it or not and it is important to be able to present it in an appropriate fashion.
In chapter 7 it discussed persuasion and how persuasion is pretty much motivating someone to do a certain thing. You have to know who your target audience is and sort of cater to them in order to get them "on your side" so to speak. Persuasion is necessary to get people to come around who otherwise is opposed to certain things. The Chapter also discussed types of persuasive requests such as selling an idea and requesting a favor and also things you can possible do to gain your audience/reader's attention.
ReplyDeleteIn Chapter 8 it talks about how to give bad news. The book displays a pie chart of percentages for the best day for bad news Friday is the best day for bad news with 39% and Monday is the next day with 24%. The chapter discussed direct plans which is to give the bad news immediately and indirect plan buffer the bad news. I think that it is better to go ahead and tell someone about the bad news as soon as you find out don't waste time trying to find a way to sugar coat it because it could come out worse. It also discusses a sort of nice way to reject an idea or refuse a favor. To me there is not really a nice way to do either those things the person is going to be offended, but I shouldn't ask someone for a favor through an email I believe you should talk face to face.
Chaunta Scott English 304
I agree with previous posters about the chapter 7 persuasion topic, and would also add my thoughts on how important this knowledge is. It is so vital when attempting to be a successful business person to be able to persuade people to see your point. In any endevour you will have a certain way in which you want to go about doing things, and it will be beneficial if you can show others your message so they can help you. Also, I thought the chapter showed how to use persuasion intelligently so that you did not come across as, pushy or over selling.
ReplyDeleteI also thought the chapter on bad news was helpful, and again I agree with what my classmates posted. I would also add that it is another important issue in success. The more authority you have the more responsibility you have and along with that comes the idea of giving bad news. I have always found it really difficult to give bad news for example quitting a job, and I tend to wait until the last minute and then embelish the reasoning. It is so much more professional to establish a reason for your decision with evidence, and clearly and time effectively present your bad news. Although it is never something I will want to do, I found it extremely helpful to know how when the situation arises.
Kelly Walker
I also agree with previous classmates about persuasion in chapter 7. In order to be great in the business environment, a business person has to be able to pursuade others to do as you want. Persuasion motivates someone to believe something or to do something that he or she would not otherwise done.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what is said in the book; the essence of persuasion is overcoming initial resistance, the reader may resist your efforts for many numbers of reasons.
It is important that when we try to persuade someone that we have a proposal, an strategy, as well as motivating that person while you are trying to persuade him/her.
I agree with the previous post about bad news that is so much professional to stablish a reason for your decision with evidence, clearly and time effectively presenting bad news.
Carlos Alvarez.
In chapter 11 talks about visual aids during presentations. I think that visual aids like, videos, charts, slides are important when making a presentation because it helps when trying to persuade your audience. It helps the audience to understand the topic specially if it has complex things or statistical material. It has been shown that presenters that uses visuals aids in their presentations successfully persuaded 67% of their audience, while those who did not use any visual aids persuaded only 50% of their audience.
ReplyDeleteThat can tell us how much it helps to use visual aids, because sometimes you could be saying something but the audience won't get your message, and by having something visual while you are presenting something could help to clearly understand what the speaker is trying to say.
Carlos Alvarez.
In Chapter 8 I found it surprising that when refusing favor, one should give the refusal in the first paragraph. I figured that they first paragraph would serve as an introduction that lightens the mood before you drop the bad news. However it is more courteous to say it upfront. The book says to buffer the news and give logical reasoning for declining the favor. If you do not do this you may cause tension in the relationship as a result of a poorly written note.
ReplyDeleteIn Chapter 11 it talks about how to appropriately use humor in a business presentation. I found this interesting because earlier it said that you should not use humor in a written report, but it is okay to use it in an oral presentation. It goes into detail about how to present jokes effectively and how to incorporate them smoothly into a presentation. I thought all of this information was useful since I have a good sense of humor.
Often times, we as students, have to turn down the ideas of our peers. This is never an easy task. Most of the time it ends with someone feeling a sense of rejection and maybe even like their ideas do not matter. Chapter eight gives an overview of how to reject someone’s idea while sparing their feelings at the same time. The main thing to remember is that the person who proposed this idea invested a lot of his or her personal time and effort on the idea. When their idea is rejected, it comes as a surprise. It is important not to discourage this person from presenting their future ideas, so rejecting one idea in the correct way is key. Reasons must be given for the rejection. A lot of times the person that came up with the idea is oblivious to the reasons why this idea would not work. Once you present them with your reasons, be sure to clarify that this was a business decision, it is nothing personal. These guidelines are very helpful even to a person my age that is not in the business world yet. We work on group projects sometimes during class. Knowing how to turn down an idea without hurting someone’s feelings is a good thing to know.
ReplyDeleteI took a Public Speaking course over Maymester. We discussed a lot of the things mentioned in chapter eleven. When planning a speech, you should not just start writing, but you should decide what is the main point you want to get across to the audience. As you write, you should keep this purpose in mind. This chapter also talks about the delivery method. In my Public Speaking course, I tried using outlines and notes like this book says. I just found myself using my notes as a crutch. Inside of looking at the audience, I would read straight off of my paper. I did much better when I just practiced and practiced and practiced and memorized my speech. I think notes and outlines would definitely work for some people, but for me, memorization works best.
-Elizabeth Shuler
ADDITIONAL POST
ReplyDeleteJob searching is one thing that all of us are going to have to do in the very near future. Chapter 12 gives some great advice on how to make this process a little easier. In order to know what I am best suited for, I must analyze myself. This is something one might want to do before they decide on a major. If you figure out you do not want to be a business person, but you graduated with a degree in Business Management, you might end up back in school trying to obtain a degree in something else. After you analyze yourself, it is a good idea to get an unbiased opinion from a person employed in the career field you are looking into. In high school, the school system gave us one day every school year (called Shadow Day) to go out and observe a professional in our area. This was a great experience. I always thought I wanted to be a surgeon, but after I observed I changed my mind. Good thing I observed because I could have wasted valuable time and money on becoming a surgeon only to find out that it was not for me. Networking is also very important when searching for a job. A lot of times it is your family or friends that can help you get a job.
Chapter one talks about Business Communication. This may sound silly, but I did not know that verbal communication consisted of both oral communication and written communication. Oral tends to be more temporary, while written is more permanent. With verbal communication, there is more than one way to get a point across to others. Any questions can be solved on the spot and nonverbal clues can be used. With written communication, the point must be put across correctly the very first time the message is sent. Written communication is important because it documents what a company has done.
-Elizabeth Shuler
I think Chapter 12 talks about things that we need to pay attention in order to decide what we want to be and where we really want to work. We must put consderable time, effort, and thought into getting a job if we want to have a rewarding and fullfilling work life. It is the same if we are going to an internship,new job, coming back from a vacation, etc.
ReplyDeleteOnce we graduate we need to decide what we want to do and perform a soul-searching to decide exactly what we have to do, therefore later in our life we will have no regrets about the decision that we have made. We need to think about our ife, interests, things you are better at, and the experiences that have given us the most satisfaction. Research is something that could help us make a better decision when searchin for a job, as well as networking with people that has more experience.
Carlos Alvarez.
While reading chapter 11, I agreed one hundred percent with all of the advice it gave. From personal experience, I find that the more I rehearse a presentation I need to give, the more confident I am when I go to present it. I also found it interesting that when ideas are presented with humor, the audience not only retains more of the information, but also can remember it for longer.
ReplyDeleteWhat comes with being a college student is the opportunity to become the audience for multiple presentations. As the book mentioned, I paid more attention to the presentations with visual aids, versus those with none. Additionally, I found it very distracting if the slides had too much information on them, whether it was too many words or visuals. What also bugs me about presentations is when a visual goes unexplained. It confuses me because I don’t know whether that was an important piece of information, or something there to make the project look pretty.
In Chapter 7 it discusses a writer’s credibility. The more trustworthy you are, the more trustworthy the message will appear. I would trust someone who has a PhD or someone who doesn’t even have a high school diploma. You many gain credibility by supplying convincing evidence, such as facts and statistics. The chapter also touches on organizing a persuasive request. One type of persuasive request in a direct plan which is present the major idea first the direct plan is meant for a superior. You can also use an indirect plan which is meant to gain the reader’s attention first, this type is used for writing to subordinates and also when strong persuasion is needed.
ReplyDeleteThe tips in Chapter 11 were very helpful. I have always had problems with presenting oral projects. The chapter even talks about using humor in your business presentation, it states that humor can be used if it is appropriated and if you are adept at telling humorous stories. It also says that you can personalize humorous stories to fit your specific purpose or situation. My favorite part is probably when it mentions video presentations because I am a very visual person. It states that you must control the noise level in the room; you should make sure your camera batteries are charged as well as think in terms of how the audience will be viewing the presentation. Visual aids was also a topic of discussion, it says that the aids should be used only as needed and not to overdo it. I have a problem I love pictures and graphs so much that I put so much extra when sometimes with a certain project less in more.
Chaunta Scott; English 304
In Chapter 7 it discusses a writer’s credibility. The more trustworthy you are, the more trustworthy the message will appear. I would trust someone who has a PhD over someone who doesn’t even have a high school diploma. You many gain credibility by supplying convincing evidence, such as facts and statistics. The chapter also touches on organizing a persuasive request. One type of persuasive request in a direct plan which is present the major idea first the direct plan is meant for a superior. You can also use an indirect plan which is meant to gain the reader’s attention first, this type is used for writing to subordinates and also when strong persuasion is needed.
ReplyDeleteThe tips in Chapter 11 were very helpful. I have always had problems with presenting oral projects. The chapter even talks about using humor in your business presentation, it states that humor can be used if it is appropriated and if you are adept at telling humorous stories. It also says that you can personalize humorous stories to fit your specific purpose or situation. My favorite part is probably when it mentions video presentations because I am a very visual person. It states that you must control the noise level in the room; you should make sure your camera batteries are charged as well as think in terms of how the audience will be viewing the presentation. Visual aids was also a topic of discussion, it says that the aids should be used only as needed and not to overdo it. I have a problem with this because I love pictures and graphs so much that I put so much extra when sometimes with a certain project less in more.
Chaunta Scott
Chapter 11 is my favorite chapter in this entire textbook. That is probably because of my love for public speaking and knowing that you cannot get enough advising in this area. I think one important part the author pointed out was the fact of establishing your credibility during a presentation. This is something that could be easily overlooked, but it is essential to include. Trust in the person presenting and giving them the credibility they deserve is all based on whether or not that person discusses why they actually are experience enough to get their opinion.
ReplyDeleteAnother thing I really liked about Chapter 11 was something I'd never heard before, throughout communications classes in high school and college. Of course, we have been taught to end on a positive and upbeat note that is going to leave people wanting to convert and/or stay on "your side" but a good way that Toastmasters International puts it is to "Get up, speak up, shut up, and sit down." That rule of thumb definitely helps keep advice for presenters short and sweet.
-Jennie Cumbie
In Chapter 11 it talks about making oral presentations. This was a very good chapter for me because I like to talk to people but I'm not that great at making presentations. Just some of the general tips they give you are helpful and make sense in giving a presentation. For example, adding a little humor in your presentation helps liven up the mood. This chapter also talks about knowing the audience you are presenting to is important so you can kind of gear your presentation around the people you will be talking to. Also establishing creditability with your listeners is important because you want them to believe what you are saying, so let data say it all, people like to see facts. It also talks about how important the ending of the presentation is. This is the last opportunity to achieve the objection you are trying to accomplish. "So add punch to your ending".
ReplyDeleteIn this Chapter it also talks about how to work on a team while doing a presentation. It isn't always easy to work on a team but listening to each other and rehearsing the presentation is important in succeeding in your presentation. An important thing is know how to do is to properly prepare visual aids. Something to keep in mind is to not use to many visual aids because it can take away from the presentation by havin to many. Also if you don't keep the aids clear and simple the audience could easily become overwhelmed or bored by the visual aids. Another big idea is practicing your presentation. Video taping your rehearsal is a good thing to do so that you can see your body language and you can see different things you may need to change.
Natalie Morris
Chapter 7 was all in my opinion about the art of persuasion. It goes over good points on how to organize a persuasion to optimize the success rate of the arguement. It made a good point by talking about how to write the opening section and how to really grasp the readers attention. Since this is not like a typical paper special wording and phrasing must be used. It goes over what style of writing you must use depends on the target audience. For example when writing to your superior you should use a more direct writing style. It also goes over sales letters, which in my personal opinion sales should be done in person, but sometimes on paper is a required resort.
ReplyDeleteChapter 8 goes over how to break bad news to people. It shows the different ways on how to do it such as memos, letters, and emails. Although they are all similar, there are some different formats that should be used. Bad news is not always directed to someone that you will work with on a day to day basis. Declining a sale or rejecting an idea of someone outside the company would be a good example to use an email or a letter. While a memo would be good for internal company bad news.
Joshua Partridge
I noticed that the public speaking from chapter 11 and the persuasion from chapter 7 could go hand in hand. It is important to be a great public speaker when you want your point to be made and you want people to agree with you. Historically, there have been people with brilliant ideas who could not convey their message, and people with horrible plans who got millions to follow them. It is all in how you persuade and whether you can spread your message to many people effectively.
ReplyDeleteI also thought that the amount of preparation that goes into public speaking was amazing. You would think that you could write your speech and practice it a few times, but the text suggests that you video yourself and critique yourself. It was also really helpful to know about visual aids, and when I took public speaking this was a serious focus. It can be boring to make a power point, but it is even more boring to watch a wordy and bland colored presentation.
For my additional posting, I thought it would be interesting to consider some of the additional readings we have done this year. I thought that the article about reproducing old ideas for security was interesting. It is true that as students we are given a basic format, and often papers that we write will follow the exact format that successful papers we have written previously do. Also, we are not able to be innovative when we repeat old ideas simply because they are successful. Eventually we will have to be creative, and venture outside of our comfort zone to be successful employees.
ReplyDeleteI also thought that the article about skipping class was very relevent. When I was a freshman I had eight o'clock classes everyday, and my professor would start off each class by saying, "Yes it is early, but you are the only people in the world who would pay ten thousand dollars for a ticket and not go to the show." It really does show that college students are often not focused on why they are really here. I have to admit that often the extra few hours of sleep is really tempting, but it is not worth the drop in the grade that you will receive for not being present.
Extra Post
ReplyDeleteChapter 9 had a lot of information in it about business reports. The book says that business reports are generally aim to inform, analyze, or recommend. One of the most important things to do with a report is to define the report so that you can then collect data for it. You can receive data through primary or secondary data. Secondary data would be like books, brochures, journals, etc. Primary data is something that your collected yourself. Something that is important to consider when writing a report. When you are collecting data make sure that it is something that is recent so that your report is accurate and can be taken serious. There are other ways to collect data too, such as the internet and conducting questionnaires. However the most important thing is that the information is accurate and up to date.
There are other aspects of a business report that are important. Analyzing the data you have essential as well. There is a three-step process to analyze the data, look at each piece of data in isolation, look at each piece of data in combination with other pieces, and synthesize all the information collected. In order to make an effective report it is key to know what to do with the data you’ve collected.
Also, knowing how to use visual aids and charts is very important. Being about to have a good visual of your report can really make or break people’s opinion about the topic. It is essential that the visual aids are accurate, simple, easy to understand, and labeled properly.