ssignment W3: Identifying Areas for Personal Improvement (50 points)

See Evaluation Exercise 6.6 on pages 195-196 in your textbook. This is also the Connect Self-Assessment or this week. In your response, address three areas of writing you want to improve. For each area of improvement, identify why you want to improve and what actions you can take to improve your writing in that area.

TY WITH STY CREATING EFFECTIVE BUSINESS MESSAGES CHAPTER SIX 195 Key Terms conclusions, 177 indirect, 180 priorities, 175 deductive, 180 inductive, 180 tone, 185 direct, 180 meta messages, 190 values, 175 facts, 177 positions, 177 Discussion Exercises 6.1 Chapter Review Questions (LO6.1, LO6.2, LO6.3, LO6.4, LO6.5) B. What does he say distinguishes long-form writing from other forms of writing in the workplace? What are the benefits of A. Describe each of the three components in the AIM planning long-form writing? process for business messages: audience analysis, idea C. He suggests many people are burning out. What do you think development, and message structuring. he's referring to as the cause? What do you think he suggests B. Explain the general nature of excellence in business thinking are the solutions? and how it applies to the idea development stage of planning messages. 6.3 Worst Words to Use at Work? Displaying Confidence with C. Discuss basic considerations in the audience analysis stage of Words (LO6.5) planning messages In a Forbes magazine article called "Worst Words to Say at Work," D. Describe the nature of framing for business messages. business consultant and psychotherapist Linda Durre listed nine E. Explain common types of logical inconsistencies in business words or phrases that show someone is not confident. These messages. phrases, according to Durre, cause others to perceive you as F. Discuss the importance of achieving positive and other-oriented undependable and untrustworthy. To read the article, go to www. eau tone in business messages. forbes.com/2010/04/26/words-work-communication-forbes-woman- egin as leadership-career.html. Then respond to whether you agree with her 6.2 Ideas in Action Discussion Questions (LO6.1, LO6.2, LO6.3, perspectives about the following words that she refers to as "the LO6.4, LO6.5) worst words to say at work": try; whatever; maybe/I don't know; I'll Read the comments and advice of Jason Fried in the Ideas in get back to you; if; yes, but . . .; I guess; and we'll see. Action feature. Respond to the following questions: A. What does Fried say about assessing writing in the hiring process? Why does he think writing skills are so important? Evaluation Exercises 6.4 Evaluating Latisha's Proposal for a New PPL Policy (LO6.2, by your instructor. Select a message that contains at least three or LO6.3, LO6.4, LO6.5) four paragraphs. Evaluate the message in the following ways: Based on the completed message from Latisha in Figure 6.6, answer A. How effectively are facts and conclusions written? the following questions: B. How effectively is the message targeted to its audience? A. How effectively is this message framed? Would you suggest any Do you have any suggestions for how it could have been better changes? adapted for the audience? B. How effective is the business logic? Would you suggest any C. Does it have any logical inconsistencies? Explain. changes? D. Does the message portray a positive tone? Other-orientation? C. How effective is the tone? Would you suggest any changes? Describe your viewpoint with examples. 6.5 Evaluating a Business Message (LO6.2, LO6.3, LO6.4, LO6.5) 6.6 Self-Assessment of Approach to Writing (LO6.2, LO6.3, Choose a business message to evaluate. You could find a recent let- LO6.4, LO6.5) or ead ter you have received from a business, go to a website and choose a Evaluate yourself with regard to each of the practices listed in the message for customers or stockholders, or use a message specified table below. Circle the appropriate number for each.TH STYLE 196 PART THREE PRINCIPLES FOR BUSINESS MESSAGES 3 Before sending important 2 (Sometimes) (Usually) (Always) written messages, I . . . (Rarely/Never) 4 Make sure I gather all the facts. Think carefully about what the facts mean. Take time to think about what my audience wants and needs. w w w w a NNNN Spend time envisioning how my audience will respond. AD Think about how the gist of my message could be captured in one short statement. Map out the main supporting ideas for my primary message. N Check the message for logical consistency. w w w w - - - - Make certain the tone is positive (as appropriate). NNNN Ensure that the tone is other-oriented. Reread the message to make sure everything is correct. Add up your score and consider the following advice: audience. You are inconsistent, however. Focus on preparing 35-40: You are a strategic writer. You nearly always think carefully for all important messages. carefully about the strength of your message and its intended Under 25: You are a casual writer. You rarely take enough time to influence on your audience. Keep up the great work. think carefully about your written messages. Even if you are a 30-34: You are a careful writer. You have many good gifted and savvy writer, at some point your lack of preparation habits in writing preparation. Identify the areas where you will harm your work achievements. Make a habit of spending need to improve. By preparing slightly more in these areas, more time in the preparation stage asking questions about how to you will become a powerful, strategic writer in the construct your message to appropriately influence your audience. workplace . Once you've completed the short assessment, write about three 25-29: You are a somewhat careful writer. Sometimes and in areas of writing preparation in which you intend to improve. De- some ways you are careful about your writing. You occasionally scribe specific steps you will take to improve and benchmarks for ask the right questions about getting your message right for your checking your progress. Application Exercises 6.7 Avoiding Logical Errors (LO6.4) E. Because just 5 percent of Jim's employees are selected for the For each of the following sentences, identify what you consider to training program, your acceptance in the program shows that be logical inconsistencies. Explain whether these inconsistencies you have great leadership potential. relate to unsupported generalizations, faulty cause/effect claims, F. We encourage you to apply for the training program so that you either/or logic, slanting the facts, or exaggeration. Then revise the avoid staying in the same position without making career progress sentences to eliminate the logical inconsistencies. G. Restaurant managers make approximately $35,000 to $40,000 A. Jim's Old Fashioned Burgers provides the best management per year. The annual salary has grown at approximately 5 percent training program in the industry. per year during the past three years, far outpacing income growth for restaurant managers at Mcdonald's or Burger King. So reaching B. The training consists of five stages: manager-in-training, the restaurant manager stage places you in a better economic second assistant manager, first assistant manager, restaurant position than you would be in at competing restaurants. manager, and regional director. The training places you on the fast track to success; advancing from one stage to the next 6.8 Displaying a Can-Do, Confident Tone (LO6.5) takes from as few as three months up to just two years. C. Many trainees eventually become upper-level executives, For each of the following items, rewrite the sentences to achieve a showing that hands-on training is better than getting a better can-do, confident tone. business degree. A. Even though I do not have any supervisory experience, I think D. Eventually, approximately 10 percent of trainees become I have excellent leadership skills. regional directors. Employees from this elite group are those B. I have excellent leadership skills and will certainly increase who show perseverance and determination to reach their profitability as I am promoted through the ranks of the professional goals. training program