Business Communication Notes From Semester Exam Point Of

Business Communication Notes From Semester Exam Point Of View.Posted on April 23, 2011

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BUSINESS COMMUNICATION AND EXECUTIVE SKILLS

Good communication is as stimulating as black coffee and just as hard to

sleep after. Communication is a process by which information is transmitted

and understood between two or more people. It should include both

transference and the understanding of meaning.

Communication is the life blood of social as well as corporate world. We

exist because we communicate. Even our silence communicates a lot. We all

have a layman’s idea of what communication is , but let us try to understand

the concept fully so that we can use it effectively.

Communication is the process by which we exchange meanings , facts ,

ideas ,opinions or emotions with other people. It is an essential condition of

our existence and the most important activity of ours. The word

communication has been derived from Latin word “

communicare/communis’ that means to ‘share’ or ‘participate’ . Everybody

knows that most of the time , through speech or writing or any other means

like exchange of a common set of symbols , we are sharing information with

other human beings. It is , therefore , first and foremost a social activity.

Man as a social animal has to communicate.

Communication is an exchange of facts , ideas , opinions or emotions by two

or more persons.

General communication is different from business communication /

Administrative communication.

According to William Scott in his book organizational theory “

Administrative communication is a process which involves the transmission

and accurate replication of ideas ensured by feedback for the purpose of

eliciting actions which will accomplish organizational goals”

Communication is the process of sending and receiving messages. However

it is said to be effective only when the message is understood and when it

stimulates action or encourages the receiver to think in new ways.

OBJECTIVES OF COMMUNICATION

1. STRONGER DECISION MAKING

Your ability to communicate effectively increases productivity , both yours

and your organization.

2. INCREASED PRODUCTIVITY

With good communication skills , you can anticipate problems , make

decisions , co-ordinate work flow , supervise others , develop relationships

and promote products and services.

3. STEADIER WORK FLOW

Communication acts as tool for the effective work related flow of

information.

4. STRONG BUSINESS RELATIONSHIPS & ENHANCED PROFESSIONAL

IMAGE

You can shape the impressions you and your company make on colleagues ,

employees ,supervisors , investors ,and customers in addition to perceiving

and responding to the needs of these stakeholders(the various group you

interact with ) without effective communication , people misunderstand

each other and misinterpret information. Ideas misfire or fail to gain

attention and people and companies flounder.

5. CLEARER PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS

Your organizations need for effective reach of company name and public

promotions are based on effective promotional material such as

advertisements , bill boards , online add , posters etc are all communicated

for effective message delivery and meaning.

6. PROVIDE ADVICE

Giving advice is based on individual-oriented and work-oriented ,advice

should not given to the person for pinpointing his mistakes rather it should

be helpful for his improvement. Effective advice promotes understanding

and it can be a two way process if the subordinate staff given freedom.

7. PROVIDE ORDER

Order is an authoritative communication pattern and it is directive to

somebody always a subordinate to do something. Orders will be written and

oral orders , general and specific orders ,procedural and operational

orders , mandatory and discretionary order. Order should be clear and

complete ,execution should be possible and given in a friendly way.

8.SUGGESTION

Suggestion is supposed to be very mild and subtle form of communication.

Suggestions are welcomed for it is not obligatory to accept them , it can be

voluntary and anonymous and submitted through suggestion boxes.

9. PERSUASION

Persuasion may be defined as an effort ‘ to influence the attitudes ,

feelings ,or beliefs of others , or to influence actions based on those

attitudes , feelings , or beliefs. Persuasion can be done to others if you are

convinced , you do not impose , you are not rigid are prepared to meet half-

way and you can look at the situation from the other person’s angle also.

10. EDUCATION

Education is a very conscious process of communication ,it involves both

teaching and learning by which organizations provide to their employees in

the form of training. Education is given for management , employees and

outside public.

12. WARNING

If the employees do not abide by the norms of the organization warning is a

power communication tool and it can be general and specific. Specific

warning should be administered in private and after thorough investigation.

The aim of the warning should be the organization betterment.

13. RAISING MORALE AND MOTIVATION

Morale stands for mental health and it is a sum of several qualities like

courage , resolution , confidence .High morale and effective performance go

hand to hand. Motivation is a process that account for an individual

intensity, direction , and persistence of effort towards attaining a goal.

14. TO GIVE AND RECEIVE INFORMATION

Communication’s main idea is to give and receive information because

managers need complete , accurate and precise information to plan and

organize employee need it to translate planning in to reality. Information

will cover all aspects of the business.

15. TO PROVIDE COUNSELLING

Counseling is given to solve employees mental stress and improve the

employees productivity.

16. TO IMPROVE DISCIPLINE

Finally discipline is the foremost part of any business communication. The

various disciplinary codes are effectively communicated to employees

through disciplinary codes.

CHARACTERISTICS OF EFFECTIVE BUSINESS MESSAGES

Effective business messages have a common basic

characteristics

1. Provide practical information : Business messages usually describe

how to do something , explain why a procedure was changed , highlight the

cause of a problem or a possible solution , discuss the status of a project , or

explain why a new piece of equipment should be purchased.

2. Give facts rather than impression : Business messages use concrete

language and specific details. Information must be clear , convincing ,

accurate and ethical. You must present hard evidence ( not just opinion )

and present all sides of an argument before you commit to a conclusion.

3. Clarify and condense information : Business messages frequently use

tables , charts , photos , or diagrams to clarify or condense information , to

explain a process , or to emphasize important information.

4. State precise responsibilities : Business messages are directed to a

specific audience. Therefore , you must clearly state what is expected of , or

what you can do for, that particular audience.

5. Persuade others and offer recommendations : Business messages

frequently persuade employers , customers , or clients to purchase a

product or service or adopt a plan of action. To be effective , persuasive

messages must show readers just how a product , service or idea will

benefit them specifically.

COMMUNICATION PROCESS MODEL

PHASE 1

A person has an idea or thought which he wants to communicate to the

other person. Now the sender sends the message with a carefully selected

medium and channel. The sender encodes the idea (i.e) Written or spoken

word , facial expression , gesture. The message length,tone, and style all

depends on your audience and your personal style or mood. The sender

transmits the message to the receiver in a form of channel (i.e) Telephone ,

letter , memo , email , report , face to face exchange.

PHASE 2

The message will now enter in to the sensory world of the receiver. Sensory

world we mean all the noise that surrounds a person that the senses sight,

hearing, smell, taste, touch can detect.

PHASE 3

From this sensory world the receiver picks up the messages through his

senses. But receiver senses cannot detect all that exists in the world around

him. Just how much they can detect depends on a number of factors. One is

the ability of his senses. As you know not all eyes see equally well and not

all ears hear equally well. And so it is with the other senses. Another factor

is receiver mental alertness. There are times when he is keenly alert to all

that his senses can detect, and there are times when he is dull – in a stupor,

a daydream, or the like. Then there are the distractions “NOISES” that

occur around receiver at the moment. They can weaken, perhaps even

eliminate, the stimuli sent. Furthermore, receiver cultural background has

sensitized him more to some stimuli than to others. Yet another limiting

factor is the receiver will. In varying degrees, the mind is able to tune in or

tune out events in the sensory world. In a noisy room full of people for

example, the conversation of a single person can be selected and the other

voices ignored.

PHASE 4

When receiver senses pick up sender message, they relay it to his brain-that

is, as much or as little of the message as they detect. But the sender

message may not be all that receiver senses pick up. In addition to sender

message, his sensory world may contain outside sounds, movements of

objects, facial expression, and the like. In fact, this senses are continually

picking up messages from the world around him. Sender message is just the

primary one at the moment. The others are there, and they might interfere

with sender’s message.

PHASE 5

When sender message gets to receiver brain, it goes through a sort of

filtering or decoding process. Through that process the receiver brain gives

meaning to sender message. In other words, the message is filtered through

the contents of receiver mind. Those contents are made up of all receiver

knows. It includes all the cultural influences of his family , his organization

memberships, his social group, and such. In fact, it includes all receiver has

learned, experienced and thought throughout his life. Obviously , no two

people have precisely identical filters, for no two people have minds with

precisely the same contents. Because people’ filters differ, the meanings

they give to comparable message may differ. Thus, the meaning receiver

gives sender message may not be precisely the same as the one that

someone else would give it. And it may not be meaning sender intended.

PHASE 6

After his mind has given meaning to sender message, receiver may react to

the message. If the meaning he received is sufficiently strong, he may react

by communicating some form of response called feedback. This response

may be through words, gestures, physical actions or some other means.

PHASE 7

When receiver elects to communicate a response, through his mind he

determines the general meaning encoding that the response will take. This

process involves the most complex workings of the mind, and we know little

about it. There is evidence, however, that ability, here and throughout this

stage, is related to one’s intelligence and the extent that one permits the

mind to react. Receiver ability to evaluate filtered information and

formulate meaning also is related to his stage, is related to one’s

intelligence and the extent that one permits the mind to react. Receiver

ability to evaluate filtered information and formulate meaning also is related

to his ability with language. Ability with language equips one with a variety

of symbols, words and other ways of expressing meaning. And the greater

the number of symbols one possesses, the better one can be at selecting

and using them. Receiver ends this stage of the communication process by

forming a message. That is, he converts meaning in to symbols decodes

mainly in to words, and then he sends these symbols to sender. He may

send them in a number of ways: as spoken words, written words, gestures,

movements, facial expression, diagrams on paper etc.

PHASE 8

When receiver sends his message to sender, one cycle of the communication

process ends. Now a second cycle begins. Now the sender becomes the

receiver and receiver becomes the sender. The message enters receiver

sensory world. Her senses pick it up and send it through her nervous

system to her brain. There her unique mental filter influences the meaning

he gives to sender message. This filtered meaning also may bring about a

response. If it does, receiver, through her mind, selects the symbols for his

response. Then he sends them to sender, and another cycle of

communication begins. The process may continue, cycle after cycle, as long

as both sender and receiver want to communicate.

Although our description of the communication process illustrates face to

face, oral communication, it also fits written communication. But there are

some differences. Perhaps the most significant difference is that written

communication is more likely to involve creative effort. It is more likely to

be thought out, and it may even begin in the mind rather than as a reaction

to a message received. A second differences is the time between cycles. In

face to face communication, cycles occur fast, often in rapid succession. In

written communication, some delay occurs. How long the delay will be

varies. While instant and text messaging may be read within a few seconds

of sending, fax or email messages may be read within few minutes after

they are transmitted, letters in a few days, reports perhaps in days, weeks,

or months. Because they provide a record, written messages may

communicate over extremely long time periods. A third difference is that

written communication usually involves a limited number of cycles and oral

communication usually involves many. In fact, some written communication

is one cycle communication. That is a message is sent and received, but

none is returned.

FUNCTIONS OF COMMUNICATION

Communication serves four major functions within a group or

organization: Control, motivation, emotional expression, and

information. Communication acts tocontrol member behavior in several

ways. Organizations have authority hierarchies and formal guidelines that

employees are required to follow. When employees, for instance, are

required to first communicate any job related grievance to their immediate

boss, to follow their job description, or to comply with company policies,

communication is performing a control function. But informal

communication also controls behavior. When work groups tease or harass a

member who produces too much and makes the rest of the group look bad,

they are informally communicating with, and controlling, the member’s

behavior. Communication fosters motivation by clarifying to employees

what is to be done, how well they are doing, and what can be done to

improve performance if it’s subpar. We saw this operating in our review of

goal setting and reinforcement theories. The formation of specific goals,

feedback on progress toward the goals, and reinforcement of desired

behavior all stimulate motivation and require communication. For many

employees, their work group is a primary source for social interaction. The

communication that takes place within the group is a fundamental

mechanism by which members show their frustrations and feelings of

satisfaction. Communication, therefore, provides a release for the emotional

expression of feelings and for fulfillment of social needs. The final function

that communication performs relates to its role in facilitating decision

making. It provides theinformation that individuals and groups need to

make decisions by transmitting the data to identify and evaluate alternative

choices.

Common myths about communication:

� Words contain meaning . Untrue . In fact people attach meaning to words.

� Information equals communication. Untrue. What matters is the degree of

similarity between the message sent and the message received.

� Communication is a product you can control. Untrue everything said or

done conveys a message. Ex. Facial expression or cloths.

� Good speakers are good communicators. Untrue . Effective communicators

listen to the audience and express their thoughts clearly in an

understandable way.

Taking steps to establish effective communication :

� Increasing the awareness of communication

� Using and understanding verbal message

� Using and understanding non linguistic cues

� Listening and responding to other in a thought fuel way.

Attentive listening is crucial to effective listening :

Remember , Do not jump to conclusions before hearing what the other

person has to say.

Do not interrupt

Deep understanding of human interaction is essential.

Since interpersonal communication occurs whenever we interact with other

people. We learn interpersonal skills since birth.

We could enhance them with :

The 10 human relations commands :-

1. Speak to people

2. Smile at people

3. Call people by name

4. Be friendly and helpful

5. Be cordial

6. Be genuinely interested in people

7. Be generous with praise

8. Be considerate

9. Be alert

10. Have a good sense of humor.

Six rules of effective communication:

1) Organize your thoughts

2) Don’t think about it, think through it

3) Recognize that actions speak louder than words

4) Be concise

5) Always translate your message in to benefits for the other party

6) Listen carefully to the other party.

Effective communication strategies:

ì The result of the communication is the responsibility of the communicator

ì If you are not getting the result you want in communication try something

different. Communicate the message in others view point

ì Always focus weather your communication is successful in reaching the

receiver. No matter whether the message is right or wrong.

ì Communication can change reality and it is a effective tool for creating

trust.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

END!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

COMMUNICATION IN ORGANIZATIONAL SETTINGS

FORMS OF ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION

Whether an organization is large , small or virtual , sharing information

among its parts and with the outside world is the glue that binds the

organization together. When you join a company , you become a link in its

information chain. Whether you’re a top manager or an entry-level

employee , you have information that others need in order to perform their

jobs, and others have information that is crucial to you. To succeed

organization must share information with people both inside and outside the

company. It includes the internal and external structure through which

messages pass and the way information is presented , as well as the actual

content of the messages themselves. As you exchange information with

people inside and outside the organization you use a variety of formal and

informal forms of communication.

COMMUNICATION

FORMAL INFORMAL

INTERNAL EXTERNAL

Planned communication among with insiders ( letters , reports , memos , e-mail ) that follows the company’s chain of command

Planned communication with outsiders ( letters , reports , memos , speeches , websites and news release )

Casual communication among employees ( email , face-to-face conversations and phone calls that do not follow the company’s chain of command )

Casual communication with suppliers , customers , investors and other outsiders ( Face- to-face conversations , email and phone calls )

INTERNAL COMMUNICATION : It refers to the exchange of information

and ideas within an organization. As employee, you are in a position to

observe things that your supervisors and co-workers cannot see: a

customer’s first reaction to a product display , a supplier’s brief hesitation

before agreeing to a delivery date or a slowdown in the flow of customers.

Managers and co-workers need these little gems of information in order to

do their jobs. Internal communication helps employees do their jobs ,

develop a clear sense of the organization’s mission and identify and react

quickly to potential problems. To maintain a healthy flow of information

within the organization , effective communicators use both formal and

informal channels.

Formal internal communication network : The formal flow of

information follows the official chain of command. There are organizational

charts in many company’s which commands good communication flow. In

organization information flows down , up , and across the formal hierarchy.

Downward flow : Organizational decisions are usually made at the top and

then flow down to the people who will carry them out. Most of what filters

downward is geared towards helping employees do their jobs. From top to

bottom , each person must understand each message , apply it , and pass it

along.

Upward Flow : To solve problems and make intelligent decisions , managers

must learn what’s going on in the organization. Because they can’t be

everywhere at once, executives depend on lower-level employees to furnish

them with accurate , timely reports on problems , emerging trends ,

opportunities for improvement , grievances , and performance.

Horizontal flow : Communication also flows from one department to another

, either laterally or diagonally. This horizontal communication helps

employees share information and coordinate tasks , and it is especially

useful for solving complex and difficult problems.

Formal organization charts illustrate how information is supposed to flow.

In actual practice , however , lines and boxes on a piece of paper cannot

prevent people from talking with one another.

Informal internal communication : Every organization has an informal

communication network known as grapevine that supplements official

channels. As people go about their work , they have casual conversations

with their friends in the office. Although many of these conversations deal

with personal matters , about 80 percent of the information that travels

along the grapevine pertains to business. The informal communication

network carries information along the organization’s unofficial lines of

activity and power. The grapevine is an important source of information in

most organizations.

EXTERNAL COMMUNICATION: The external communication network

links the organization with the outside world of customers , suppliers ,

competitors , and investors , journalists , and community representatives.

Sometimes this external communication is carefully orchestrated –

especially during a crisis. At other times it occurs informally as part of

routine business operations.

Formal external communication : Companies use external

communication to create a favorable impression. Whether by letter ,

website , phone , fax , internet , or videotape , good communication is the

first step in creating a favorable impression. Carefully constructed letters ,

reports , memos , oral presentation , and websites convey an important

message to outsiders about the quality of your organization. Messages such

as statements to the press , letters to investors , advertisements , price

increase announcements and litigation updates require special care because

of their delicate nature. Therefore , such documents are often drafted by a

marketing or public relations team – a group of individuals whose sole job is

creating and managing the flow of formal messages to outsiders. The public

relations team is also responsible for helping management plan for and

respond to crises – which can range from environmental accidents or

sabotage situations to strikes , massive product failure , major litigation , or

even an abrupt change in management. To minimize the impact of any crisis

, expert communicators advise managers to communicate honestly , openly ,

and often. If handled improperly , a crises can destroy a company’s

reputation.

Informal external communication : Although companies usually

communicate with outsiders in a formal manner , informal contacts with

outsiders are important for learning about customer needs. As a member of

an organization , you are an important informal conduit for communicating

with the outside world. Every employee informally accumulates facts and

impressions that contribute to the organizations collective understanding of

the outside world. In the course of your daily activity you unconsciously

absorb bits and pieces of information that add to the collective knowledge

of your company. Top managers rely heavily on informal contacts with

outsiders to gather information that might be useful to their companies.

Much of their networking involves interaction with fellow executives. Many

top level employees recognize the fact that keeping constant touch with the

external real world , front line employees , customers by making a

opportunity to talk to them and getting feedback helps in organizational

improvement. Receiving feedback is considered to be the most important

aspect of communication.

FUNDAMENTALS OF BUSINESS WRITING

ADAPTATION AND THE SELECTION OF WORDS

CONSTRUCTION OF CLEAR SENTENCES AND PARAGRAPHS

WRITING FOR EFFECT

1. I. ADAPTATION AND THE SELECTION OF WORDS

The study of clear business writing logically begins with adaptation. By

adaptation we mean fitting the message to the specific reader. You should

form your message to fit that person’s mind. This process of adaptation

begins with visualizing what the reader imagine, what he feels, thinks and

such. In many business situations, adapting to your reader means writing on

a level lower than the one you would normally use. In writing to less

educated workers, for example you may need to simplification, for highly

educated people you may write differently. At times adapting to multiple

reader, if you write for one person in the group, you may miss the others. To

communicate with all of them, write for the lowest member of the group.

There fore adaptation is a basic rule which underlines all writing aspects.

SUGGESTIONS FOR SELECTING WORD

Selecting the write word is a part of a adaptation. Following are some

suggestions to help you select words. These suggestions stress simplicity

for three reasons (1) Many people tend to write at a difficult level (2) The

writer usually knows the subject better than the readers and (3) The results

of research based on writing skills support simplicity.

SUGGESTION FOR WORD SELECTION

Using familiar words to communicate related to the language that most of

us use in everyday conversation. Example Instead of using the terminate,

use end. Instead of using endeavor use try. At the same time the suggestion

to use familiar words does not rule out some use of more difficult words.

Difficult words are not all bad. Use them when they fit your needs and are

understood.

USE SLANG AND POPULAR CLICHES WITH CAUTION

At any given time in any society same slang words and clichés are in vogue.

Use popular slang and clichés when meaningful. Thus you should use such

expressions always only in informal communication with people who know

and appreciate them.

CHOOSE SHORT WORDS: Generally short words communicate better than

long words. Some times exceptions exist. You should concentrate on short

words and use long words with caution. Use a long word only when you

think you reader knows it.

USE TECHNICAL WORDS AND ACRONYMS WITH CAUTION

Every field of business, accounting, information systems, and finance has its

technical language. This language can be so complex that is some cases

specialized dictionaries are compiled. These words are useful when you

communicate with people inn your field. But they do not communicate with

outsiders. Use them with caution. Some examples – covered employment,

cerebral vascular accident, annuity, bob tail etc. These words are all well

known to people in special fields, but not to most outsiders. Initials

including acronyms should be used with caution too. Spell out and define as

needed.

SELECT WORDS WITH RIGHT STRENGTH AND VIGOR

In a way, words are like people, they have personalities some words are

strong and vigorous. Some are weak and dull and some fall between these

extremes. Good writers know these differences and they consider them

carefully. They use the words that do the best job of carrying the intended

meaning. As a rule, they make the stronger words stand out. To select

words wisely, you should consider shades of difference in meanings.

Example bear market is stronger than generally declining market; mother is

stronger than female parent. Sometimes weaker words serve your purpose

best. Verbs are the strongest words. Verbs are action words. Nouns are

second which are the doers of the action, heroes of the sentence. Adjectives

and adverbs are weak words. They involve judgment. Use them sparingly.

USE CONCRETE LANGUAGE

Good communication is marked by words that form sharp and clear

meaning in the mind. These are concrete words and you should prefer them

in your writing. They stand for things that exist in the real world: deck,

chair, and road. Abstract nouns on the other hand cover broad meanings –

concepts, ideas and the like. Their meaning is general, as in their example

administration, communication etc. Concreteness also involves how we put

words to gather. Exact or specific wordings are concrete, vague and general

wordings are abstract.

USE ACTIVE VOICE

While writing prefer the active voice than passive voice. In active the

subject does the action, in passive voice it receives the action. Active voice

is stronger and shorter.

Example: Passive voice: The result were reported in our JULY 9 letter

Active voice: we reported the result in our JULY 9 letter.

At times passive voice is better when the doer of the action is not important.

Passive voice helps avoid accusing the reader and passive voice is better

when the performer is not known. Your decision on whether to use active or

passive voice is not simply a matter of choice. It is also better when the

writer prefer not to name the performer.

SELECT WORDS FOR PRECISE MEANING:

Writing requires some knowledge of language. In fact, the greater your

knowledge of language, the better you are likely to write. You should study

language and learn the shades of the difference in meanings of other words.

Use correct idiom. By idiom we mean the ways things are said in a language

you can use idioms for certain reasons but violations of idiom rule affect the

reader.

SUGGESTIONS FOR NON DISCRIMINATORY WRITING:

By discrimination (or) discriminatory words we mean words that do not

treat all people equally and with respect. Avoid words that discriminate

against sex, race, nationality, age, sexual orientation or disability. We often

use discriminatory words without bad intent.

a) Use gender –neutral words : Avoid using masculine pronouns for both

sexes (he, his,him)

b) You can make the reference plural (their, them , they)

c) You can express neutral by ( he or she , he/she , you, they etc)

d) Avoid words suggesting male dominance ( Man-made to manufactured,

Businessman to business executive, salesman to sales executive)

e) Don’t use words which lower the status of women

f) Avoid words that stereotype by race, nationality, sexual orientation,

old age, disability.

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How to Write a Letter

The art of writing a letter takes practice, knowledge about proper form and

the ability to put into words the thoughts and feelings which are associated

with the letter. Learning to write a letter can be difficult, as there are

multiple types of letters which can written. To avoid the time that it may

take to learn to write each one of these letters, if you are able to learn to

write a basic letter that will help you to create letters for a variety of

occasions.

Parts of the Letter:

Your address

At the top of your letter, you will put your address, so the reader will know

where to send their reply to.

Date

Put the date on which the letter was written in the format Month Day Year

i.e. June, 15, 2009.

Inside Address

The inside address is only required for a business letter and will include the

address of the person you are writing to along with the name of the

recipient, their title and company name. If you are not sure who the letter

should be addressed to either leave it blank or try to put in a title, i.e.

“Director of Human Resources”.

The Greeting

The greeting will address the individual that the letter is being sent to. This

is usually completed in the form of “Dear Anne” or “Hey Anne”, for less

formal letters.

The Introductory Paragraph

The first paragraph and will generally outline the purpose for the letter and

the reason that the letter is being sent. This can address any issues that are

outstanding and is used to set the tone for the entire rest of the letter. In

this first paragraph, the summary of the letter can be found and the

intentions which will be displayed through the rest of the letter should be

outlined. From the first paragraph of the letter, the introductory paragraph,

the individual should be able to note the tone of the letter.

The Body

The body of the letter will expand upon the introductory paragraph and the

individual can extend their thoughts and feelings further when it comes to

the letter. The body of the letter can be anywhere from multiple pages for

personal letters, to one page or two pages for most business letters and

other types of proposals.

The Closing

In the closing of the letter, the individual will close the letter and finish any

thoughts that have been mentioned. The closing of the letter comes in

various forms from yours truly, for those individuals that are familiar with

one another, to a traditional sincerely which is a versatile closing that can

be used in a variety of letters detailing many situations.

The Presentation of the Letter

The presentation of the letter can be hand-written for less formal letters

that are addressed to friends and family members, especially thank-you

letters. In the case that you have illegible handwriting, you may want to

consider typing the letter in these cases, although proper etiquette dictates

against this type of behavior.

Formal letters which are written on behalf of businesses to or professional

contacts should remain typewritten and grammatical and spelling error

free. These types of letters should be legible and professional and therefore

typing the letter is one of the most effective ways to ensure that the letter

demonstrates a professional appearance through the entire course of the

letter, thereby creating a positive impression on the recipient of the letter.

As well as outward presentation, it is important to determine the tone which

will be written in the letter, including a professional tone or a tone that will

be taken with friends or family members in a more informal setting. The

tone should be established from the greeting of the letter, into the

introductory paragraph, throughout the entire body of the letter and even

into the closing statement and closing greeting of the letter. Read through

the letter once it has been completed to ensure that the tone remains the

same. The tone can be adjusted based on the language which is used

through the letter, as well as the greetings (familiar as opposed to formal).

Letter Writing Tips

· Always proofread your letter after writing it, check for sentence

structure, grammar, spelling mistakes…

· Proof read your letter again (and again) after you have revised it.

· Keep the recipient in mind, and write in a way that he/she can easily

understand the letter.

· Don’t use abbreviated dates, i.e. use November 19, 2004, and not

11/19/04

· Be respectful when you write, even if you are writing a letter of

complaint.

Business letter writing tips

· Be concise and keep to the point, but don’t leave out any important

information.

· Try to keep your letter short enough so that it fits on one page.

· If your letter is more than a page long, use another page, don’t use the

back of the page.

· If you have access to company (or personal) stationary with a letterhead

on it, use that instead of regular paper.

Business Letter Writing

Purpose of a Business Letter

A business letter (or formal letter) is a formal way of communicating

between two or more parties. There are many different uses and business

letters. Business letters can be informational, persuasive, motivational, or

promotional. Business letters should be typed and printed out on standard

8.5″ x 11″ white paper.

Elements of a Good Letter

The most important element of writing a good letter is your ability to

identify and write to your audience. If you are addressing your letter to the

department of human resources, avoid using highly technical terms that

only engineers would understand, even if your letter is addressed to an

engineering company, chances are that the personnel in human resources

does not have an engineering background.

The next element is that you make sure your present your objective in a

clear and concise manner. Don’t be vague about your objective, most people

will not have the patience to sit there and guess at the meaning of your

letter or the time to read a long-winded letter, just get to the point without

going into unnecessary details.

Another important element to remember is to remain professional. Even if

you are writing a complaint letter, remain polite and courteous, simply state

the problem(s) along with any other relevant information and be sure to

avoid threats and slander.

Business Email Writing

The following are some tips to help you when you are writing business

letters through email.

· A heading is not necessary in an email (your return address, their

address, and the date).

· Use a descriptive subject line.

· Avoid using an inappropriate or silly email, register a professional

sounding address if you don’t have one.

· Use simple formatting, keep everything flush with the left margin; avoid

special formatting and tabs.

· Keep your letter formal, just because it’s an email instead of a hard

copy is no excuse for informality (don’t forget to use spell check and

proper grammar).

· Try to keep your letter less than 80 characters wide, some email

readers will create line breaks on anything longer and ruin the

formatting.

· If possible avoid attachments unless the recipient has requested or is

expecting an attachment. If it is a text document, simply cut and paste

the text below your letter and strip off any special formatting.

· If the person’s name is unknown, address the person’s title i.e. Dear

Director of Human Resources

Business and Workplace Email Etiquette

Email etiquette is often a commonly overlooked part of the business and

professional world despite being an important part of conveying a

professional image. Emails written to friends and family will be less formal

and will not need to follow any particular guidelines or rules, but when

writing to someone at a professional level the following guidelines and rules

should be taken into account.

Guidelines and Rules of Email Etiquette

Use a descriptive subject line, avoid leaving it blank or putting an

irrelevant or general subject.

Address the recipient by name to add a personal touch to your letter.

DO NOT USE ALL CAPS!

Avoid over using punctuation marks!!!!!!!!!!!!

Avoid using abbreviations, such as IMHO (in my humble opinion) or TTYL

(talk to you later), not everyone is familiar with them.

Skip a line when starting a new paragraph, avoid using tabs to signify a

new paragraph, different email programs read tabs in different ways.

Avoid using HTML in your e-mails, not everyone can view it and it takes

away from the professional image of the letter.

If you are sending an attachment, make note of it and describe what the

attachment is for in the body, some people are very wary of attachments

due to the threat of computer viruses.

Keep your emails as concise as possible without leaving out any

important information.

Keep usage of quoted text to a minimum.

Always leave a signature line, don’t assume the person already knows

who you are.

Do not keep on sending the same message to the same person over and

over again, if they don’t respond after a few days, send them an e-mail

enquiring if they received your first email.

Use spell check and proof read and revise your letter after it’s done.

Use threads, if you get a message from someone and you are going to

respond, don’t send a new message, simply hit the reply option on your

email, this keeps the original subject line with “Re:” in front of it.

If you are sending out an email to a large private list don’t use CC:

(carbon copy) use BCC: (blind carbon copy) to protect the addresses of

the recipients.

Remember most emails are never completely private, there is always a

chance of someone else besides the intended recipient reading it, so

avoid writing any personal attacks which are unprofesional to begin with.

When reading emails treat them as if they are private messages (unless

you know you are allowed to share it with others).

When you receive a message reply to it as soon as you have time to

.

Business Letter Format

Block Format: Business Letter

Return Address Line 1 1Return Address Line 2Date (Month Day, Year) 2Mr./Mrs./Ms./Dr. Full name of recipient. 3Title/Position of Recipient.Company NameAddress Line 1Address Line 2Dear Ms./Mrs./Mr. Last Name: 4Subject: Title of Subject 5Body Paragraph 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Body Paragraph 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Body Paragraph 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Closing (Sincerely…), 7Signature 8Your Name (Printed) 9Your TitleEnclosures (2) 10Typist Initials. 11

The block format is the simplest format; all of the writing is flush against

the left margin.

Your Address 1

The return address of the sender of the letter so the recipient can easily find

out where to send a reply to. Skip a line between your address and the date.

(Not needed if the letter is printed on paper with the company letterhead

already on it.)

Date 2

Put the date on which the letter was written in the format Month Day Year

i.e. August 30, 2003. Skip a line between the date and the inside address

(some people skip 3 or 4 lines after the date).

Inside Address 3

The address of the person you are writing to along with the name of the

recipient, their title and company name, if you are not sure who the letter

should be addressed to either leave it blank, but try to put in a title, i.e.

“Director of Human Resources”. Skip a line between the date and the

salutation.

Salutation 4

Dear Ms./Mrs./Mr. Last Name:, Dear Director of Department Name: or To

Whom It May Concern: if recipient’s name is unknown. Note that there is a

colon after the salutation. Skip a line between the salutation and the subject

line or body.

Subject Line (optional) 5

Makes it easier for the recipient to find out what the letter is about. Skip a

line between the subject line and the body.

Body 6

The body is where you write the content of the letter; the paragraphs should

be single spaced with a skipped line between each paragraph. Skip a line

between the end of the body and the closing.

Closing 7

Let’s the reader know that you are finished with your letter; usually ends

with Sincerely, Sincerely yours, Thank you, and so on. Note that there is a

comma after the end of the closing and only the first word in the closing is

capitalized. Skip 3-4 lines between the closing and the printed name, so that

there is room for the signature.

Signature 8

Your signature will go in this section, usually signed in black or blue ink

with a pen.

Printed Name 9

The printed version of your name, and if desired you can put your title or

position on the line underneath it. Skip a line between the printed name and

the enclosure.

Enclosure 10

If letter contains other document other than the letter itself your letter will

include the word “Enclosure.” If there is more than one you would type,

“Enclosures (#)” with the # being the number of other documents enclosed

that doesn’t include the letter itself.Reference Initials 11

If someone other than yourself typed the letter you will include your initials

in capital letters followed by the typist’s initials in lower case in the

following format; AG/gs or AG:gs.

Modified Block Format: Business Letter

Return Address Line 1 1Return Address Line 2Date (Month Day, Year) 2

Mr./Mrs./Ms./Dr. Full name of recipient. 3Title/Position of Recipient.Company NameAddress Line 1Address Line 2Dear Ms./Mrs./Mr. Last Name: 4Subject: Title of Subject 5Body Paragraph 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Body Paragraph 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Body Paragraph 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Enclosures (2) 10Typist Initials. 11

In the modified block format, your address, date (the date can actually go

on either the left or the right side), the closing, signature, and printed name

are all indented to the right half of the page (how far you indent in is up to

you as long as the heading and closing is lined up, use your own discretion

and make sure it looks presentable).

Closing (Sincerely…), 7Signature 8Your Name (Printed) 9Your Title

Addressing an Envelope

Addressing an envelope should be fairly simple.

In the upper-left hand corner should be your name, and underneath that

should be your return address.

In the upper-right hand corner should be the postage stamp (with the

correct postage amount).

In the middle-center should be the recipient’s name and recipient’s

address.

Envelope Format

Your NameReturn Address Line 1Return Address Line 2

Stamp

Recipient NameRecipient Address Line 1Recipient Address Line 2<>

Helpful Tips

· Print/write all the information on the envelope before stuffing and

sealing it so it will be written/printed on a flat surface. · If you are

writing to a different country, make sure you put it at on the last line of

your return address and the recipient’s address. · If you are writing a

friendly letter with a small envelope, you can write the return address on

the flap of the envelope if there is no room on the top-left hand corner.

Writing a Complaint Letter

The complaint letter should be written in the business letter format. When

writing a complaint letter you want to keep it short and to the point to help

ensure that your letter will be read in its entirety, if you write a seven page

complaint letter, it’s highly unlikely that someone will sit down and read all

seven pages.

The complaint letter should be addressed to the customer service/consumer

affairs department or the head office if there is no customer service

department. The address and contact information of the customer service

department should be available on the company’s products or website.

Complaint Letter Writing

In the first paragraph you should identify what the issue is and any relevant

information that you believe is important. Be sure to include the following

information if it’s applicable to the situation: the date/time of the issue,

location, name of person on duty, name of product, what the problem was,

your account number, model number, price, warranty information and

reference number. Be sure to stick with the facts and avoid putting

emotions into your letter.

The next paragraph should state what you would like done to resolve the

situation. If you received poor service, you could request an apology or a

coupon. If a product malfunctioned, you could request that you could

exchange the product for a new one or request a refund.

The last paragraph should thank the reader for the time. You can also throw

in some compliments about something you liked about their company’s

product or service.

You should include your telephone number/e-mail address after your printed

name so that they can contact you ASAP if necessary.

Be sure to keep a copy of the letter for yourself and include photocopies of

any relevant documents and enclose them with your letter.

Writing a Letter of Interest

The letter of interest is also called a “prospecting letter” and with good

reason. It’s a type of cover letter you write when you’re searching for a

golden job opportunity. The letter of interest is your first chance to make a

good impression on a prospective employer.

Letters of interest are written to express your interest in working for a

particular company in a specific field. Your letter may be written either in

response to a job opening or just to investigate possible employment.

Human resource departments receive dozens of letters of interest each

week. However, make your letter stand out from the crowd using the

following tips:

1. Before you write, do your homework. Research the background of the

company and familiarize yourself with their products and/or services.

2. Be sure to find out the name of the individual who does the hiring.

Address your letter to his/her attention and use her/his name in the

salutation. “To Whom It May Concern” and “Dear Sir or Madam” are

both outdated and considered to be lazy or even rude.

3. Start your introductory paragraph with the reason you are interested in

pursuing employment with this company. Try not to start the first

sentence with “I”. (See sample letter of interest.) Also, explain what

prompted your inquiry, such as a classified advertisement, a media

article or interview, or a referral from an employee.

4. In the next paragraph(s), give specific examples of your qualifications.

Don’t hesitate to indicate the reasons why you would be an asset to the

company. Illustrate your skills, strengths, and achievements in a

professional, yet personable way. Stay away from strings of abbreviated

credentials. These, if you have them, should be on the resume you’ll

enclose with the letter. Direct the reader to your resume and any other

enclosures.

5. In your final paragraph, thank the individual for his/her time in

considering you as a new employee. Indicate a precise time when you

will contact him/her by phone to follow up on your letter. Also, be sure to

let the individual know how to contact you.

Like any business letter, use 8.5” x 11” paper and follow a business letter

format. Keep your letter short, no more than a single page. Remember to

check it thoroughly for errors in spelling, grammar and to be sure it

addresses each point you wanted to make.

Cover Letter Writing

What is a cover letter?

A cover letter is a brief one page letter sent along with the resume to

potential employers. The purpose of the cover letter is to present yourself to

potential employers and to let them know what position you are interested

in and why you’d be a good fit for their company.

Cover Letter Format

The cover letter format should be almost identical to the regular business

letter format.

Cover Letter Writing

Generally the cover letter will consist of three paragraphs. The first

paragraph is an introductory one which introduces yourself. You want to

include information on the position you are looking for and how you heard

about and why you are interested in the position and/or company.

The second paragraph should provide information on your skill, strengths,

education, qualifications and/or experience. This paragraph should be

concise and give specific examples of why you are the ideal candidate and

not simply restate your resume.

The final paragraph should close up the letter by requesting an interview

and possibly suggestion times that are convenient for you or stating that

you can come in at a time that’s convenient for the employer. Also you

should let the recipient know what the best way and/or time to contact you

is (you should let them know both your contact email and phone number so

that they can contact you in their preferred method). Or you can let them

that you’ll follow up on this letter with a phone call in several days. You

should thank them for their time to close up the letter.

Each cover letter that you send out should be unique and tailored to the

specific company and position you are applying to. Using one cookie cutter

cover letter will lessen your chances for landing an interview. Also be sure

to check for grammar and spelling and keep the letter to one page in length.

Writing an Apology Letter

An apology letter shows that you are sorry and says that you value your

relationship with the other party. The sooner an apology letter is written

and sent out the better it is for the relationship. Depending on the nature of

the letter, it can either be written in the friendlyor the business letter

format.

Friendly/Personal Apology Letter

If this is a personal letter you should start the letter by saying that you are

sorry to the recipient. Next you should admit your fault and take

responsibility for your actions. Next you should volunteer or ask if there is

any way that you can help out to resolve the situation. Then you should let

the recipient that you will try to make sure that the situation will not

happen again. To close off the letter you should apologize again. When

writing a personal apology letter it should come from the heart and be

sincere.

Formal/Business Apology Letter

If this is a business letter you should start the letter by saying that you are

sorry to the recipient. Next you should give an explanation as to what went

wrong. Then you should try to rectify the problem. To close off the letter

you should apologize again.

Writing a Letter of Appeal

In cases where unfair treatment was committed, a letter of appeal can help

to rectify the situation. An appeal letter allows you to state your side of the

story using facts to support your cause to convince the reader(s) to

reconsider your case. The letter should be written in the business letter

format.

Appeal Letter Writing

The first paragraph should introduce yourself and explain why you are

writing the letter. Although it may be difficult, be sure to keep your tone

and emotions in check so that you can show that you can present an

objective viewpoint. Keep the first paragraph as concise and clear as

possible so that the reader can immediately understand its urgency.

The next paragraph(s) should narrate the account of what happened, and

why your appeal should be granted. Include all the necessary facts in order

to legitimize your case. You can start by referring to your handbook or

guidelines as member of that particular group or institution. Also, provide

specific times and date when particular events occurred. To make your

letter more reader-friendly, use bullet-points every time you need to

enumerate. After doing this, refer to testimonials from people related to

your work, transcript of records, and medical certificate, if necessary. Be

certain to cover all the bases necessary to

The last part should summarize everything you have stated above. Repeat

the necessary points that need to be elucidated. Also include the contact

details and where you can be reached. Close out the letter by thanking the

reader for their time.

Writing an Invitation Letter

An invitation letter serves the purpose of inviting a guest to a party, an

event or a celebration while conveying more information than a traditional

invitations card. It serves two purposes; one, to invite the individual to the

event and two, to ensure that the person receiving the letter is going to

attend.

There are two tenses used within the invitation letter, the present and the

future. The present tense conveys information about the event and the

future tense ensures the guest is going to attend.

Business Invitation Letter

An invitation letter is a formal way to invite peers and clients to events

which are being hosted by the company and are one of the most popular

ways of inviting guests to functions. The professional invitation should be

written in a formal tone, even when being sent to friends and family

members, if the letter is also being sent to professional contacts.

The introduction allows the host and sender to introduce themselves, as

well as the organization in which they have chosen to represent. A simple

background of the individual or company will suffice in this section of the

letter.

Next, in the body of the letter it is important to outline all of the information

about the event. The date and time should be included as well as the theme

and purpose for the event. At this point, a date should be mentioned in

which guests should provide their reply by, and it may also contain any

information regarding special roles played at the event, attire and items

required for the guest to bring.

Be sure to mention any specifications about dress code in the invitation

letter.

Next, in one sentence, the appreciation for the guest to attend the party

should be shown. This can be completed with a formal note, stating that you

look forward to seeing the individual at the event. Remember, this needs to

keep in tone with the rest of the letter.

The conclusion should contain the sign off and a line that ties the complete

letter together, drawing the end of the invitation, with a salutation and a

signature.

Friendly Invitation Letter

A friendly invitation letter is similar to a business letter but contains less

formal speech and can make nuances with memories that may be shared

with the guests whom are being invited to the occasion.

Friendly invitation letters are used for a variety of reasons from

engagement parties and showers to wedding invitations. They can also be

used for personal parties and showers as well as housewarming get

together. Personal invitation letters should be signed with a less formal sign

off, such as; yours sincerely, best, or sincerely.

Invitation letters are used as an alternative to traditional invitations. They

allow the host to convey different messages through the tone of the letter.

Invitation letters allow the host to convey additional information that what

is traditionally shared in an invitation card. Memories can be shared with

close friends and family members that bring about memories of past events.

When sending an invitation letter, be sure to edit it completely, ensuring

there are no punctuation, grammatical or spelling errors before the letter is

sent to potential guests. Using these techniques, you should be able to

create personal and professional invitation letters with ease.

Writing a Resignation Letter

Before sitting down and writing a resignation letter, you should be almost

100% certain that you want to leave your current job, if not many

complications can arise.

The resignation letter should be written in the business letter format and be

directed towards your supervisor or manager.

At a minimum the letter should state that you are leaving, when you are

leaving, and thank them for the time that they have employed you. It is

common courtesy to give at least two weeks notice before you leave your

job, but sometimes you’ll have no control over it.

It is important that you keep your letter positive, you want to maintain a

good relationship with your employer and co-workers, and they can be

potential future references or business associates. If you feel like your

reason for leaving is honorable, you can include the reason for leaving in

your letter, but if you think your reason for leaving may rub your employer

the wrong way, there is no need to put the reason in your letter.

Resignation Letter Writing

The first paragraph of your letter should state that you are leaving and

when you are leaving.

The second paragraph should explain your reason for leaving the company.

(This paragraph is optional.)

In the third paragraph you can offer to make your resignation go smoothly

for the company. For example, you can offer to help train a replacement

with the time you still have left. (This paragraph is also optional.)

The last paragraph should thank the employer for the opportunity to work

for, wish them well and/or express interest in maintaning your professional

relationship.

Requesting a Letter of Recommendation

Getting a good recommendation letter can significantly help you out in your

application process so it is important to ask someone who you are in good

terms with for a letter. It is also important to ask someone that knows you

well for a recommendation and ask them for it in person. If you are seeking

a letter for college or graduate schools, then it is recommended that you

request letters from your teachers/professors. If you are seeking a letter for

a job, business or professional school then it would be ideal if you got one

from your current company. If you have not been at your current company

long or if you are not currently employed then asking a previous employer is

recommended. If that is not possible seek recommendations from respected

professionals that you may know, such as doctors, lawyers, politicians,

ministers and so on.

Ask for the letters early on, don’t wait until the day before the letter is

supposed to be sent in to request the letters of recommendation. Instead

ask ahead of time. If you are going to apply to school ask your professor at

least a month ahead of time. If you are seeking a professional letter, ask for

a letter of recommendation whenever you leave a job.

Assist the writer with as much material as necessary, providing the writer

with your resume and a list of achievements will make it easier on the

writer. You may also want to give him/her any information that will help

with the letter including your plans for the future, your strengths,

experiences and other qualities you want to be presented in the letter. Be

honest about the information you give, if you embellish it’ll catch up with

you later.

You should provide the writer with a stamped and addressed envelope. Also

if there is a guideline that needs to be followed or any other material that

needs to be filled out, you should provide that to him/her.

After the letter is sent out, you should send a thank you note to the writer.

You can also thank them in person or over the phone as well.

Job Interview Thank You Letters

You should write a thank you letter as soon as possible (within 24 hours is

recommended) after the job interview, at a minimum this should be done

through email but is recommended that you do this through a hard-copy of a

letter printed out of your computer which can be sent in through the postal

mail or faxed in. Hand written notes on thank you cards are also acceptable

and good for short thank you notes.

A hard-copy thank you letter should be written in the business letter format,

while an email should be sent in the same format but without the heading

(your return address, their address, and the date).

Thank you letter writing

The first paragraph should consist of thanking the interviewer for the

interviewing you (remind him/her about the position you interviewed for

and the date of your interview). You can also include information about your

impressions about the company.

The second paragraph should state your interests in the company and

include any additional information about yourself that was not brought up in

the interview which would make you a good candidate for the position. You

can also emphasize your qualifications that were already discussed during

the interview (don’t make this paragraph too long, try to keep it between 3-

5 sentences, pick the traits that you think were most important to the

interviewer and emphasize them).

The last paragraph should let the recruiter know that you expect to hear

from them soon. Also let them know that you are available to come in again

and are willing to discuss the job further. Write down your contact

information again and what the best method and/or time to contact you is.

To finish up the letter, thank them again for the interview.

Notes/Tips

A thank you letter shows that you have good business etiquette, your

interest in the company and the position, and reiterates your positive

qualifications to the interviewer so it should not be put off.

If there was more than one interviewer; write individual thank you

letters to each of the interviewers (make sure each letter is unique). If it

was a panel of interviewers interviewing you at the same time, you can

send out one letter and address it to the head interviewer and the

interview panel and thank them as one group.

If you forget the spelling or the names of the interviewers, simply call the

company and request the proper spelling and title.

Keep the thank you letter brief; make sure the letter does not go past

one page in length.

Check for proper grammar usage and spelling.

Friendly Letter Writing

Purpose of a Friendly Letter

A friendly letter (or informal letter) is a way of communicating between two

people (sometimes more) who are usually well acquainted. There are many

uses and reasons for writing a friendly letter, but usually friendly letters will

consist of topics on a personal level. Friendly letters can either be printed

or hand-written.

Friendly Letter Writing

The friendly letter is typically less formal than that of a business letter.

Usually the first paragraph of the body will consist of an introduction which

will give the recipient an idea about you’re writing to them with a short

summary of the main topic of your letter. If you don’t know the person you

are writing to, you may want to introduce yourself in this introductory

paragraph as well.

The next few paragraphs will usually consist of the message you want to get

across along with any details you may want to convey.

The last paragraph will usually be the conclusion where you wrap

everything up. You can sum up your main idea in this paragraph, thank the

recipient for their time, wish the recipient well, and/or ask any questions.

Since friendly letters are less formal, you can feel free to write it however

you like, but the above format is fairly common.

Writing a Condolence Letter

Writing a letter of condolence is one of the most difficult tasks we

undertake because it’s always hard to know just what to say. Of course,

what you say depends on how close you were to the deceased and/or the

recipient of the letter.

Condolence Letter Writing

A condolence letter should be written in a friendly format. Unless you are a

close friend or relative, start the letter by introducing yourself. In the next

paragraph, offer your sympathy. The third (and final) paragraph is the place

to offer assistance (if you are sincere in your desire to help) and to try to say

something that genuinely helps the bereaved work through their grief.

What you don’t say in a condolence letter is almost more important than

what you do say. All the same, even if you only write a line or two, you’ll

show the family your support.

Condolence Letter Tips/Notes

1. Keep condolence letters short. The family may have a mountain of cards

and letters to read and answer. Don’t add to their burden.

2. Never say you know how they feel. Simply put, you don’t. Even if you

have endured a similar situation, grief is a very intimate series of feelings

that are unique to each individual. Don’t intrude on them.

3. When my son passed away, a well-meaning friend said, “At least he didn’t

leave any children behind.” Her well-meaning words rattled me to the bone.

I would have gladly given my life to hold his son in my arms just one time.

Especially in cases where death was a long-suffering ordeal, you may be

tempted to write that it was a “blessing” or “relief”. Don’t. Some words are

best left unsaid.

4. Do share a fond memory of the departed in the body (second paragraph)

of your letter. The passing of a loved one leaves a big hole in our lives. A

well-written condolence letter helps fill the hole with friendship and love.

***************************************

PRINCIPLES OF REPORT WRITING

BASICS OF REPORT WRITING:

Business reports are vital to larger organization. You will probably write

complex &formal reports when you work for large organization. A business

report is an orderly and objective & communication of factual information

that serves a business purpose. As key words orderly communication a

report is prepared carefully. The objective quality of a report is its unbiased

approach. Reports seeks truth. They avoid human bias. The word

communication is broad in meaning. It covers all ways of transmitting

meaning: Speaking, writing, drawing & such factual information is based on

events, records, data and the like. Not all reports are business reports. To

be classified as a business report must serve a business purpose.

DETERMINING THE REPORT PURPOSE:

A) THE PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION:

Getting your problem clearly in mind is largely a matter of gathering all the

information needed to understand it and then applying your best logic to it.

It includes collecting data from company files, talking over the problem with

experts, searching through print and electronic sources and discussing the

problem those who authorized the report.

B) NEED FOR A CLEAR STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM:

The next step is writing the problem statement clearly is a good practice. A

writing statement of the problem normally takes one of the three forms:

Infinitive phrase, question or declarative statement.

(i) Infinitive Phrase : “To determine the causes of decreasing sales

at store X”

(ii) Question :”What are the causes of decreasing sales at store X”

(iii) Declarative statement : “store X sales decreasing and

management wants to know why“

You may describe the statement of the problem in many ways but meaning

should be same.

1) DETERMINING THE FACTORS:

Next step after stating the problem, you should determine what need to be

done to solve it. Specifically you look for the factors of the problem. That is

you determine what subject area you must look into solve the problem. The

problem factors may be three types

(i) they may be subtopics of the overall topic about which the report is

concerned.

(ii) They may be hypothesis that must be tested.

iii) In problems that involve comparisons, they may be the bases on which

the comparisons are made.

(i) USE OF SUBTOPICS IN INFORMATION REPORTS:

If the problem concerns a need for information, your mental effort should

produce the main areas about which information is needed. This is an

informational report problem-that is, it requires no analysis, no conclusion,

no recommendation. It only requires that information be presented. The

mental effort in this case is concerned simply with determining which sub-

division of the overall topic should be covered. After thoroughly evaluating

the possibilities, you might come up with this analysis:

Problem statement: To review operations of company X from January 1

through March 31

Sub topics:

1) Production

2) Sales & Promotions

3) Financial Status

4) Computer Systems

5) Product Development

6) Human Resources

(ii) HYPOTHESIS FOR PROBLEMS REQUIRING SOLUTION:

Some problems concern why something bad is happening and perhaps how

to correct it in analyzing problems of this kind, you should seek

explanations or solutions. Such explanations or solutions are termed

hypothesis once formulated, hypothesis are tested and their applicability to

the problem is either proved or disproved.

Problem Statement: Sales at the spring field store have declined and

management wants to know why.

Hypothesis:

1) Activities of the competition have caused the decline.

2) Changes in the economy of the area have caused the decline

3) Merchandising deficiencies have caused the decline

4) Changes in the environment (population shifts, political actions etc)

have caused the decline.

In the investigation that follows, you would test there hypothesis. You might

find that one, two or all apply or you might find that none is valid. If so, you

would have to test advance additional hypothesis for further evaluation.

(iii) BASIS OF COMPARISON IN EVALUATION STUDIES:

When the problem concerns evaluating something, either singularly or in

comparison with other thing you should look for the basis for the evaluation

that is you should determine what characteristics you will evaluate. In some

causes, the procedure may concern more than naming the characteristics.

(EX) To determine the location of ABC company at three different places

City A City B City C

Comparison basis:

1) Availability of skilled workers

2) Tax structure

3) Community attitude

4) Transportation facilities

5) Nearness to market

The factors sometimes have factors of their own. For Example: The

Comparison of transportation facilities can be further subdivided into water,

rail, truck and air. So they also may be broken down into sub-factors.

GATHERING THE INFORMATION NEEDED:

The next step is to conduct the research needed. For most business

problems, you will need to investigate personally. Some business problems

require analysis of primary data based on experiments or surveys and few of

them require secondary data on library research is used. Most of the data

can be gathered from internet & quality materials. In any event your task is

to apply whatever research techniques are required to get the information

you need for your problem.

INTERPRETING THE FINDINGS:

The next step after collecting the information is interpreting the findings.

Applying and interpreting your findings is obviously a mental process. When

interpreting the findings avoid human errors by remembering these

fundamentals

1) Maintain a judicial attitude

2) Consult with others

3) Test your interpretations

A) STATISTICAL TOOLS IN INTERPRETATION:

The information you gather is quantitative that is expressed in numbers.

Such data in their law form usually are voluminous, consisting of tens,

hundreds, even thousands of figures. To use these figures intelligently you

must find ways to simplifying these data so that you can present these data

to your reader. Various statistical tools are available for calculation and

interpreting the data.

ORGANIZING THE REPORT INFORMATION:

After finishing the interpreting the results you know the message of your

report. Now your information are presented in a form of outline. Outlines

should usually be written. They serve as tables of contents and captions. In

constructing your outline, you probably will use either the conventional as

the decimal symbol system to mark the levels.

Conventional system & decimal system:

(EX) I.

A. 1.0

B. 1.1

2. (Conventional System) 1.2 (Decimal system)

a. 1.2.1

(1) 1.2.2

(a) 1.2.2.1

1.2.2.1.1 etc

THE NATURE AND EXTEND OF OUTLINING:

The outline is designed to meet the objective of the report. You should build

the outline around the objective of the report and the information you have

gathered to meet that objective with the and your information in mind, you

build the structure of the report mentally. In this process, you shift facts

and ideas about until the most workable order becomes clear. That order is

that presents the findings in the clearest and meaningful way. When you

reach the outlining stage, you have probably done some of the work.

A) INTRODUCTORY AND CONCLUDING PARTS:

Outlining is concerned mainly with the part of the report commonly called

the “body”. The body is the part of the report that analysis and

interpretations where needed. It is usually preceded by an introduction, and

an ending section of conclusion, and recommendation.

B) ORGANIZATION BY DIVISION:

You may view organizing as a process of division. First you divide the whole

into parts, then you divide the parts into subparts. You may subdivide

further.

C) DIVISION BY CONVENTIONAL RELATIONSHIPS:

In dividing your information into subparts, you have to find a way of

dividing that will produce approximately equal parts. Time, place, quantity

and factor are the general bases for these divisions. Time, place, quantity

and factor are the bases for the process of division. When the interpretation

has a time basis division by time is possible. When the information is related

to geographic location, a place division is possible. Division based on the

quantity is possible when the information has a number base. (For

Example).Rs.10000 to 20000 (on) age 18-30 etc.,

Factors are areas to be investigated are the fourth basis for dividing

information (For Example) The following organizational problem should be

treated on the basis of location accessibilities, rent, parking, facilities

sometimes combinations of time (For Example) The period orientation from

May-July, Place Place of Sales: North, South, East, West., quantity and

factor are sometimes logical.

D) WORKING OF THE OUTLINE:

The outline in its finished form is the table of contents. Its part serve has

headings to the sections of the report (which is why we refer to three parts

has headings in the following discussion) because the outline is an

important part of the report, you should construct the final wording

carefully. When outlining you may use topic or talking headings give only

the subject of discussion. For example present armar unit a) description &

output, b) Cost, c) Deficiencies.

Talking headings identify the subject and tell what is said about it (For

example) Operation analysis of armor unit a) Recent log in overall output, b)

Increase in cost of operations. Then every heading making up a level of

division should be parallel grammatically (i.e) Parallelism of construction.

Then whenever you are using headings see to that you are maintaining the

conciseness in wording. Finally you want to use variety of expressions.

Repeating words in headings can be monotonous. So you should not

overwork works.

WRITING THE REPORT

In writing the report, communicate clearly and quickly, when you write your

report see that you follow these guidelines.

REQUIREMEN OF OBJECTIVITY:

Good report writing is objective. They don’t include subjective data for

analysis by objective report we mean keep out of all prejudices & biases and

your report should seek the truth. Another thing your objective writing

should be believable. Second historically objective writing has meant for

writing has meant for writing impersonally, they don’t include I, we, you

etc., Recently, some writers have argued that personal writing is more

interesting than impersonal writing and just as objective. Good advice is to

use personal style for routine reports and impersonal style for more formal

reports.

CONSISTENCY IN TIME VIEWPOINT:

Presenting information in the right place in time is a major problem in

keeping order in a report. Keep a consistent time view point throughout the

report. There are two time viewpoints past and present. Select any one and

do not change. The past time view point views the research and the findings

as past, and prevailing concepts and proven conclusions as present. The

present time view point presents as current all information that can be

assumed to be current at the time of writing.

NEED FOR TRANSITION:

A well written report reads as one continuous story. The parts connect

smoothly. You should use transition to connect the parts of the report.

Transition means “bridging across”. Transitional are words or sentences

that show the relationships of succeeding parts. Transitions should be used

where there is or need to connect the parts of the report. They should be

made naturally, not mechanically. For connecting large parts, transition

sentences may be used and also use of topic sentences also helps improve

thought flow. Transitional words show relationships between lesser parts.

1) MAINTAINING INTERS :

Report writing should be interesting. Interesting writing is necessary for

good communication. Interesting writing is the result of careful words

choice, rhythm, concreteness- in fact, all the good writing techniques. But

efforts to make writing interesting can be overdone. The writing style

should be never draw attention away from the information.

COLLABORATIVE REPORT WRITING

Collaborative report preparation is common for good reasons. Group

involvement in report preparation is becoming increasingly significant for

a number of reasons. They are :-

DETERMINATION OF GROUP MAKEUP:

Groups should have five as fewer members and include all pertinent

specialization areas. Preferably, the group has a leader, but there are

exceptions.

TECHNIQUES OF PARTICIPATION:

Headers and participants have clear duties to make the procedure work.

Groups often experience results that are less than ideal. Consult references

on effective group.

PROCEDURE OF THE WORK:

At least two meetings and a work period are needed. The following

activities activities normally occur, usually in this sequence

1) First, determine the report purpose

2) Derive the factors involved for analysis

3) Gather the information needed

4) Interpret the information

5) Organize the material

6) Plan the writing

7) Assign the parts to be written

8) Write parts assigned

9) Revise the writing collaboratively

10) Edit the final draft as a synergistic final outcome.

REPORT STRUCTURE: THE SHORTER FORMS

Your decision about report structure will be based on the needs of your

situation. Those needs are related to report length and formality of the

situation. The longer the problem and the more formal the situation, the

more involved the report structure is likely to be. The shorter the problem

and the more informal the situation, the less involved the report structure is

likely to be. Such adjustments of report structure to length and formality

help meet the reader’s needs in each situation.

Generally the reports are classified based on their length and formality

with high end reports to the low end reports. At the top of the stairway are

the most formal , full-dress reports. Such reports have a number of pages

that come before the first chapter. These pages serve useful purposes, but

they also dress up the report. Typically, these prefatory pages as they are

called, are included when the problem situation is formal and the report is

long. The exact makeup of the prefatory pages may vary, but the most

common arrangement includes these parts: title fly, title page, letter of

transmittal, table of contents, and executive summary. Flyleaves blank

pages at the beginning and end that protect the report also may be

included. The first two pages title fly and title page contain identification

information. The title fly carries only the report title. The title page typically

contains the title, identification of the writer and reader, and usually the

date. As the words imply, the letter of transmittal is a letter that transmits

the report. It is a personal message from the writer to the reader. The table

of contents, of course, is a listing of the report contents. It is the report

outline in finished form, with page numbers to indicate where the parts

begin. It also may include a list of illustrations ( tables, figures, diagrams ),

which may be a separate part. The executive summary summarizes

whatever is important in the report – the major facts and analyses,

conclusions and recommendations.

As the need for the formality decreases and the problem becomes smaller,

the makeup of the report changes. The changes primarily occur in the

prefatory pages. As we have noted, these pages give the report a formal

appearance. So it is not surprising that they change as the report situation

becomes less formal. Usually, such reports are shorter. Although the

changes that occur are far from standardized, they follow a general order.

First, the title fly drops out . This page contains only the report title, which

also appears on the next page. Obviously, the title fly is used primarily for

reasons of formality. Next in the progression, the executive summary and

the letter of transmittal are combined. When this stage is reached, the

report problem is short enough to be summarized in a short space. The

report at this stage has three prefatory parts: title page , table of contents,

and combination transmittal letter and executive summary.

At the fourth step, the table of contents drops out. The table of contents is a

guide to the report text, and a guide has limited value in a short report.

Certainly, a guide to a 100 page report is necessary. But the guide to a one-

page report is not. Somewhere between these extremes a dividing points

exists. You should follow the general guide of including a table of contents

whenever it appears to be of some value to the reader. Another step down,

as formality and length requirements continue to decrease, the combined

letter of transmittal and executive summary drops out. Thus, the report

commonly called the short report now has only a title page and the report

text. The title page remains to the last because it serves as a very useful

cover page. In addition, it contains the most important identifying

information.

The short report is a popular form in business. Below the short-reports form

is a form that reinstates the letter of transmittal and summary and presents

the entire report as a letter – thus, the letter report. And finally, for short

problems of more informality, the email form is used. Knowledge of the

general relationship of formality and length to report makeup should help

you understand and plan reports.

CHARACTERISTICS OF SHORTER REPORTS

The shorter report forms are the most common in business. These are the

everyday working reports those used for the routine information reporting

that is vital to an organization’s

a.) Little need for introductory information

Most of the shorter, more informal reports require little sometimes no

introductory material. These reports typically concern day-to-day problems.

Their lives are short that is , they are not likely to be kept on file for future

readers. They are intended for only a few readers, and these readers know

the problem. They are likely to need little introduction to it. Determining

what introductory material is needed is by analyzing what does the reader

need to know before receiving this report. Some shorter reports need

introductory material in extreme cases you may need a detailed

introduction comparable to that of the more formal reports.

b.) Predominance of the direct order

Shorter reports are written in direct order which means the report begins

with its most important information usually the conclusion and perhaps a

recommendation. Business writers use this order because they know that

their readers main concern is to get the information needed to make a

decision. Deciding whether to use the direct order is best based on a

consideration of your reader’s likely use of the report. If your readers need

the report conclusion or recommendation as a basis for an action that they

must take, directness will speed their effort by enabling them to quickly

receive the most important information. The indirect order makes

presentations in a formal introduction, analysis , conclusion. But the direct

order gives the main message first then depending on the problem the

direct beginning could consist of a summary of facts , a conclusion, a

recommendation, or some combination of summary, conclusion and

recommendation. The indirect order has this sequence , introduction, facts

and analysis, conclusions and recommendations.

c.) More personal writing style :

Although the writing for all reports is much the same, writing in shorter

reports tends to be more personal. That is, the shorter reports are likely to

use the personal pronouns I, WE, YOU rather than only the third person.

Shorter report situation usually involve personal relationship because these

reports tend to be from and to people who know each other and who

normally address each other informally when they meet. Then they involve

personal investigation of analysis in their writer needs and finally shorter

reports tend to deal with day to day routine problems. The problems are by

very nature informal and it is logical to report them informally and

personal writing tends to produce this informal effect. The decision of

whether to write a report in personal or impersonal style should be based

on the situation. Write impersonally when your reader prefers it. It should

be clear that either personal or impersonal writing can be appropriate for

reports ranging from the shortest to the longest types.

d.) Less need of structured coherence plan :

Long and formal usually require a structured coherence plan. Shorter

reports do not. This is not to say that coherence is not essential to short

reports. The point is that a structured plan is not needed. By structured

coherence plan we mean an arrangement of summarizing, forward looking,

and backward looking parts that tie together the report presentation.

Therefore in shorter reports this plan is not needed since they directly move

to main information or conclusion.

FORMS OF SHORTER REPORTS

a.) The short report :

One of the more popular of the less formal reports forms is the short report.

The short report consists of a title page and the report text. These reports

are in the direct order , beginning with the conclusion. Then based on the

need the introduction comes next, then the findings and analyses, and

finally conclusions.

b.) Letter report:

The second of the more common shorter report forms is the letter report,

that is, a report in letter form. They are used primarily to present

information to persons outside the organization especially when the

information is to be sent by mail or fax. They are usually written in

personal style and cover short problems. If a letter report is begun in the

direct order, a subject line is appropriate. It may written in a capital

letters or written by giving a sub topic subject and writing the text.

Theorganizational plans of the letter report are much like longer report

which has a direct order and indirect order.

c.) Email Reports :

Email is most widely used form of written communication in business.

Although heavily used for communicating with outside parties, email

dominates internal written communication. That is, email is written by and

to people in an organization. Because email is primarily communication

between people who know each other it is usually informal. In fact many are

hurried and casual messages , some are usually formal for high profile

audience. Some are more formal, factual and problem related.

SPECIAL REPORT FORMS

a.) Staff Report :

One of the more popular forms of reports used in business is the staff

report. Usually written in memorandum form, it can be adapted to any

structural type, including the long , formal report. The staff report differs

from other forms of report primarily in the organization of its contents. It

arranges contents in a fixed plan. The plan remains the same for all

problems. Because this arrangement leads systematically to conclusions and

recommendations, it is especially useful for business problems. The basic

course of plan is summary , problem objective , facts , discussion ,

conclusions , recommendation. One of the major uses of staff reports is the

armed forces , all branches of which use a standardized form. But military

version of plan is somewhat different from the above plan.

b.) Meeting Minutes :

Minutes provide a written record of a group’s activities and decisions , a

history that includes announcements reports, significant discussion and

decisions. Minutes include objective data because they will highlight who

will do what and when. Accurate minutes are important because they can

have some legal significance as to whether decisions are binding. The

physical form is typically a memo or email, but the layout varies among

organizations. Basically, it should enable the reader to easily focus on the

content as well as easily retrieve it. Typical minutes include common

preliminary body, such as name of the group, name of the document , type

of meeting , place date and time called to order , names of those attending

the meeting , names of those absent and reasons for absence. The body

items include approval of minutes of previous meeting , meeting

announcements , old business – reports on the matter previously presented

and new business- reports on matters presented to the group. The closing

item include place and time of next meeting , notation of the meeting’s

ending time , name and signature of the person responsible for preparing

the minutes. Preparing ahead of time makes the job easier and encourages

more complete notes.

c.) Progress report :

A progress report presents a review of progress made on an activity. Most

of the reports are informal send through mail, as a worker reporting the

duty of the particular work done to his superior. Certain formal reports

include reporting the progress made for huge projects.

d.) Audit Report:

Short form and long form audit reports are well known in business. The

short form audit report is perhaps the most standardized of all reports.

The standardized statement verifying an accountant’s inspection of a firm’s

financial records. Long form of audit reports vary in their makeup.

BUSINESS PROPOSALS

A proposals is a persuasive presentation for consideration of something.

Proposals are usually written, but they can be oral presentations or a

combination of both. They may be made by individuals or organizations,

including business organizations, and they may be made to any of a variety

of individuals or organizations such as government agencies, foundations,

businesses. They can even be made internally by one part of a business to

another part or to the management of the business

Proposals may be Invited or Prospecting

By invited we mean that the awarding organizations announces to

interested parties that it will make an award and that it is soliciting

proposals. A government agency might have funds to award for research

projects. In their announcements, the awarding organizations typically

describe their needs and specify the unique requirements that the proposals

should cover. In business situations , invited proposals usually follow

preliminary meetings between the parties involved. At the meeting the

representatives would discuss the need with suppliers. Prospecting

proposals are much like rational sales letter , they amount to descriptions of

what the writer’s organization could do if given an award by the reader’s

organization. A person ,institution can write a proposals to a philanthropic

foundation to avail funds.

Format and organization

The physical arrangement and organization of proposals vary widely. The

simplest proposals resemble formal email report s. Internal proposals those

written for and by people in the same organization usually fall in to this

category, though exceptions exist. The more complex proposals may take

the form of full-dress , long reports, including prefatory pages. Select the

format appropriate for your one case. Your design should be the one that

you think is best for the one situation.

Formality Requirements

The formality requirements of proposals vary. In some cases ( a university

proposal for research grant), strict formality is expected. In other cases

informality is in order. The decision should be based primarily on the

relationship between the parties involved. The degree of formality or

informality is expected regardless of the relationship of the parties.

Content

Determine the content of a proposal by reviewing the needs of the case. If

the proposal has been invited, review the invitation. If the proposal is

uninvited, use judgment in determining the readers needs. As a general

guideline follow these rules in writing the content of a proposal

Writer’s purpose and the reader’s need

An appropriate beginning is a statement of the writer’s purpose to present a

proposal and the reader’s need to reduce turnover of field representatives.

If the report is in response to an invitation, that statement should tie in with

the invitation. If a proposal is submitted without invitation, its beginning

has an additional requirement it must gain attention. As noted previously,

uninvited proposals are much like sales messages. Their intended readers

are not likely to be eager to read them. Thus, their beginnings must

overcome the readers reluctance. An effective way of doing this is to begin

by briefly summarizing the highlights of the proposal with emphasis on its

benefits.

Background

A review of background information promotes an understanding of the

problem. A background information should be provided in order to justify

your statement of the need mentioned in the proposal. Based on the

background information, the need of the proposal is determine.

Description of the plan

The heart of a proposal is the description of what the writer proposes to do.

This is the primary message of the proposals. It should be concisely

presented in a clear and orderly manner.

Particulars

By particulars we mean the specifics: time schedules, costs, performance

standards, means of appraising performance, equipment and supplies

needed, guarantees, personnel requirements, and such. What is needed in

a given case depends on its unique requirements. But in any event, the

particulars should anticipate and answer the reader’s questions.

Evidence of ability to deliver

The proposing organization must sometimes establish its ability to perform.

This means presenting information on such matters as the qualifications of

personnel, success in similar cases, the adequacy of equipment and

facilities, operating procedures, and financial status. Whatever information

will serve as evidence of the organization’s ability to carry out what it

proposes should be used.

Benefits of the proposals

The proposals also might describe good things that it would bring about,

especially if a need exists to convince the readers. Typically like selling.

Concluding comments

The proposal should end with words directed to the next step-acting on the

proposal. One possibility is to present a summary review of the highlights.

Another is to offer additional information that might be needed, yet another

is to urge or suggest action on the proposal.

LISTENING SKILLS

Effective listening is an important aspect for good communication. Listening

is different from hearing. By listening we mean all our senses especially

your mind and body will be focused and concentrated. Listening to others

improve your personality.

The listening process starts from receiving the information or noise, and

then your mind will interpret the information by your mental filters and

little information will be remembered in your brain storage by which it is

evaluated based on your judgment and finally the response will be delivered

in the way of verbal voice or loud applause.

TYPES OF LISTENING

1. CONTENT LISTENING: In this process a person will listen just to receive

and remember the contents of particular information just for knowing

what is what. Here he is not going to make any action based on the

information received.

2. CRITICAL LISTENING: In this process a person will listen the entire

information and analyze or interprets the contents and meaning of the

information rationally. Here the objective of this listening is to give

either a positive or negative feedback about the topic.

3. EMPATHIC LISTENING: Here people will listen to someone or

information based on empathic feeling towards the information or

person. Here the objective is you have a courtesy respect towards the

person, for that sake you listen to them.

BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE LISTENING

1. Listeners who jump to conclusion close their mind in receiving additional

information.

2. Self-centered listeners shift attention from speaker to themselves.

3. Selective listeners just listen to few topics and ignore rest.

4. Physical distraction such as noise and mental distraction such as

IMPROVING LISTENING SKILLS

1. Don’t judge the message by the speaker but by the argument.

2. Decrease your emotional impact.

3. Fight distraction by closed doors and turning off radio and television.

4. Don’t interrupt in the middle, please wait to hear the entire message

fully.

5. Provide feedback and let the speaker know that you are paying attention.

6. Offer facial expression and provide your criticism in a positive tone.

7. Listen actively for key points, ideas and facts.

8. Distinguish between evidence and argument, idea and example.

9. Take brief notes so that key points can be discussed.

10. Reserve your judgment until the speaker has finished the topic.

NON VERBAL COMMUNICATION

Non verbal communication is a process of communication that occurs

without words. (Communication which occurs through our body movements,

space, time, voice patterns, color layout and design of our surroundings)

CLASSIFICATION OF NON VERBAL COMMUNICATION

1. 1. KINESICS

2. 2. PROXEMICS

3. 3. TIME LANGUAGE

4. 4. PARALANGUAGE

5. 5. PHYSICAL CONTEXT

1. KINESICS: Kinesics is the study of body physical movements. It is the

way our body communicates without words and it’s occupying a major

aspect of non verbal communication process. When we communicate our

thought process and attitude is transmitted in the form of body

movements by which our inner state of mind is reflected in our

movements. Thus you can realize these expressions by face and eyes,

gestures, posture and physical appearance.

1. Facial expression is the first way to communicate particularly eyes and

eye movement. We can express happiness, surprise, fear, anger and

sadness everything through our eyes.

2. The gesture is our body parts especially arms, legs, hands and head

convey meaning. All these movements are made rationally along with our

speaking and not made with any intention.

3. Body shape is related to our biological factor and it is natural but poster

is how we stretch our body in different styles. Body shapes are classified

in to three they are ectomorph which is thin, youthful, and tall then the

mesomorph is muscular fit body and finally endomorph which is fat,

round, and soft.

4. Appearance includes clothes, hair style, jewelry, cosmetics and such

styles which we include in our daily life by which we communicate how

we want to project our self.

1. PROXEMICS: It involves how we arrange personal space and what we

arrange in it. They create meaning in your mind and others mind as well.

They are also called personal space language which involves how we are

maintaining relationship with a person with intimate space, personal

space, social space and finally public space. All this things are typical

example of our relationship space with our father, friend, boss and a

stranger.

1. TIME LANGUAGE: Time language is all about the meaning we convey

through time. In western countries time equates money because their

business culture is like that. The same thing apply may differ for other

cultures. Therefore time language is associated with culture as well.

1. PARALANGUAGE: It involves how we say something in different pitch,

tone and voice modulation such as slow or fast. Based on voice language

we infer people background and personality.

1. PHYSICAL CONTEXT: It refers to our surroundings, colour, layout and

design of our physical environment. For example colour of the building

and room, design of table and chairs etc. All these things communicate a

lot to our feelings and emotions.

To conclude Non verbal communication is an art as well a skill. We

communicate through letters, reports, mails but they are all one way

communication but daily we communicate with people which is a two way

process.

This interpersonal communication requires a lot of care in non verbal cues

through which we can improve our relationship better and increase a

chance of good business dealings which again is an essential ingredient in

face to face communication.

BARRIERS (or) MALFUNCTIONS OF COMMUNICATION

All our communication problems occur from language imperfections and

incorrect thinking patterns. If a communication wants to be effective one

should note a point that all exchange of information should be made with

the judgment and reality of the particular situation.

1. TWO-VALUED THINKING

2. FACT-INFERENCE CONFUSION

3. THE BLOCKED MIND

4. THE STATIC VIEWPOINT

5. FAILURE TO DISCRIMINATE

6. DECEPTIVE TACTICS

7. INFORMATION OVERLOAD

8. WRONG CHOICE OF MEDIUM

9. PHYSICAL BARRIERS

10. RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT

____________________________________________________

1. TWO-VALUED STATEMENT: During communicating we consider that

there is always just two values for any statement or situation. Some

situation demands statements like yes or no, pass or fail, to buy or not to

buy etc. Here we are having only two options in this particular statement

beyond that we cannot say anything. But certain statements we will

come across multi-valued situation. Example is rich – poor, fat-skinny,

tall-short etc. In this statements you cannot just say rich – poor because

a person who having a wealth of one crore is considered as a rich person

and a person who is having fifty crore is also called as a rich person.

Similarly a begger who lives in an street is also poor at the same time a

person earning a monthly income of four thousand is also called as poor.

Therefore proper distinction should be made while you make specific

reference. Without knowing this proper distinction if you are

communication then there is a communication problem. Overcoming this

problem is based on being aware of the problem and using words

precisely. You make statements with specific quantitative reference ,

instead of saying he has got first class percentage say that he got 65% ,

similarly you can make qualitative reference, instead of saying I agree

you can say I strongly agree , agree, disagree, strongly disagree.

Therefore we should be specific in communicating along with seeing the

reality of the situation. This rule will helps a lot in writing a business

letter or report.

1. FACT – INFERENCE CONFUSION: There is always a difference between

fact and reality. Some statements involve inference of particular topic

but we must always do a reality check of our argument of inference.

People may say we expect the sales record of 80% during next month;

similarly attendance percentage will be only 15% in the weekend. But all

these statements are based on inference of prediction and not by reality.

On the other hand we cannot believe these statements all the time

because these are predictions and you must always verify these with

facts of reality. Without checking the probability of correctness this

communication leads to fact inference confusion because your

perception may be completely different from reality.

1. THE BLOCKED MIND: This is a state of not accepting extra information

or seeing the overall picture of reality. We always frame certain ideas in

our mind based on our beliefs, attitudes, opinions and values. Based on

our narrow ideas we tend to see only the tip of the iceberg or one

thought and forget to see the entire picture. This tendency is known as

allness, judging the whole thing with a small part. Our stereotype of

references should not block the other references of a particular topic.

Therefore one should get out of this problem by unblocking the mind.

You should be open to receive all the information, than based on your

judgment analysis decide what to accept and which statement to reject.

1. THE STATIC VIEWPOINT: Static view point is a tendency of just having

one idea or information as static or permanent through out various time

dimensions. Few people communicate with same information throughout

every time period. But they fail to notice the information what is true

today may not applicable tomorrow. We must accept as time changes so

do our pattern of communication changes. For example you

cannot say that I know to write a letter but I cannot compose an email.

So don’t have a fixed pattern of thought, you should always be open and

update yourself with the information as per the changes in time. You

must be open in receiving information and updating it as when the

environment demands you.

1. FAILURE TO DISCRIMINATE: When we communicate we speak based

on similarity of events. For example all men are rough and tuff is a

statement of similarity but exceptions are there. All teachers adopt same

method of lecture teaching is a similarity statement but exceptions

occurring based on teaching style. Therefore we must not see all

communication based on similarity of events rather we should able to

judge the best to worst. You buy dozen of apple but all of them are not in

the same taste. So you cannot say apples are great in taste. You should

be able to differentiate based on your judgment and logic of reality.

1. DECEPTIVE TACTICS: This is a tendency of over emphasizing a

statement. That is making or showing information in an exaggerated

manner. Generally people use to hide the facts or give false statement

about a topic of discussion in communication. But the reality of the

situation will be different.

1. INFORMATION OVERLOAD: This is the amount of information one

receive. For example your mail inbox is filled with information and you

want to replay as soon as possible, at the same time you getting a phone

call and a customer are waiting to talk to you. Your boss is asking urgent

information. Now all these things in a particular point of time create

information overload.

1. WRONG CHOICE OF MEDIUM: Medium is a tool which we use for

communicating our ideas. Cell phone, letters, mail, slide presentation

etc. When you select wrong medium for communication it creates a

problem. You cannot ask a bank statement just with a phone call because

written document is authentic.

1. PHYSICAL BARRIERS: Physical barriers include noise, inappropriate

timing, and spatial distance.

1. RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT: You want to communicate according to

the situation and time. All communication cannot happen in the same

way. Thus you should analyze the audience and the environment before

you communicate. If the environment is not appropriate do not

communicate or adopt a different strategy for communicating.

At the end communication is successful only when the feed back is clear. It

is our responsibility as a communicator to check all these barriers and

present a proper communication.

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

Definition

Stress is a feeling of emotional or physical tension. Emotional stress usually

occurs when people consider situations difficult or unable to manage.

Different people consider different situations as stressful.Physical stress

refers to a physical reaction of the body to various triggers. The pain

experienced after surgery is an example of physical stress. Physical stress

often leads to emotional stress, and emotional stress often occurs as

physical discomfort (e.g., stomach cramps).

Stress management involves controlling and reducing the tension that

occurs in stressful situations by making emotional and physical changes.

The degree of stress and the desire to make the changes will determine how

much change takes place.

ASSESSING STRESS

Attitude: A person’s attitude can influence whether or not a situation or

emotion is stressful. A person with a negative attitude will often report

more stress than would someone with a positive attitude.

Physical well-being: A poor diet puts the body in a state of physical stress

and weakens the immune system. As a result, the person can be more likely

to get infections. A poor diet can mean unhealthy food choices, not eating

enough, or not eating on a normal schedule. This can cause a person to not

get enough nutrients.

This form of physical stress also decreases the ability to deal with emotional

stress, because not getting the right nutrition may affect the way the brain

processes information.

Physical activity: Not getting enough physical activity can put the body in a

stressful state. Physical activity has many benefits. A regular physical

activity program can help decreasedepression, if it exists. It also improves

the feeling of well-being.

Support systems: Most everyone needs someone in their life they can rely

on when they are having a hard time. Having little or no support makes

stressful situations even more difficult to deal with.

Relaxation: People with no outside interests, hobbies, or ways to relax may

be unable to handle stressful situations because they have no outlet for

their stress.

AN INDIVIDUAL STRESS MANAGEMENT PROGRAM

Positive thinking.

Refocus the negative to be positive.

Make an effort to stop negative thoughts.

Plan some fun. Take a break.

Physical activity:

Start an individualized program of physical activity. Most experts

recommend doing 20 minutes of aerobic activity 3 times per week.

Decide on a specific time, type, frequency, and level of physical activity.

Make this dedicated time fit into your schedule so it can be part of your

routine.

Find a buddy to exercise with — it is more fun and it will encourage you

to stick with your routine.

You do not have to join a gym — 20 minutes of brisk walking outdoor will

do the trick.

Nutrition:

Plan to eat foods for improved health and well-being. For example,

increase the amount of fruits and vegetables you eat.

Use the food guide pyramid to help select healthy food choices.

Eat an appropriate amount of food at a reasonable schedule.

Social support:

Make an effort to interact socially with people. Even though you feel

stressed, you will be glad to have gone out to meet your friends if only to

get your mind off of things.

Reach out to individuals.

Nurture yourself and others.

Relaxation:

Learn about and try using one or more of the many relaxation

techniques, such as guided imagery, listening to music, or practicing

yoga or meditation. One or more should work for you.

Take time for personal interests and hobbies.

Listen to one’s body.

Take a mini retreat.