BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

Transcription

1 Instructor s Manual to Accompany BUSINESS COMMUNICATION Developing Leaders for a Networked World (2e) By Peter W. Cardon Completed download: Test Bank Business Communication Developing Leaders for a Networked World 2nd Edition Peter Cardon. Download: Chapter 3: Team Communication and Difficult Conversations IM 3-1

2 Chapter 3 Summary and PowerPoint Notes SLIDE 3-1 SLIDE 3-2 This chapter covers the following topics: principles of team communication; approaches to effective meetings; effective virtual teams; group writing strategies; and handling difficult conversations. SLIDE 3-3 LO3.1 Explain the principles of team communication in high-performing teams. LO3.2 Describe and demonstrate approaches to planning, running, and following up on meetings. LO3.3 Explain the principles of effective virtual team communication. LO3.4 Describe strategies for effective group writing. LO3.5 Explain basic principles for handling difficult conversations. IM 3-2

3 SLIDE 3-4 Teams can take many forms. Some teams are formally and permanently organized and titled (such as the marketing team). Other teams are temporarily formed for completing a project or an activity (i.e., project team, committee). The most common functions of teams are handling special projects, completing the work of particular departments, developing internal systems innovations, creating customer-service innovations, developing product innovations, engaging in employee development, and reducing time to market for products and services. SLIDE 3-5 In a recent survey, business professionals cited ineffective communication (66 percent) as the biggest barrier to team effectiveness. Other major barriers included lack of effective chartering and goal setting (56 percent), lack of clarity and understanding of roles (47 percent), low morale (44 percent), low productivity (42 percent), and lack of trust (36 percent). All of these factors relate to communication competencies. SLIDE 3-6 Similarly, when ranking the most frustrating aspects of being part of a team, business professionals cite the following: ineffective use of meeting time (54 percent), ineffective communication among team members (50 percent), lack of accountability (47 percent), individuals who don t complete assignments (44 percent), and lack of preparation in meetings (41 percent). All of these factors in turn relate to communication competencies. IM 3-3

4 SLIDE 3-7 Your teams will perform far better if they follow the basic principles of team communication, all of which depend on a strong listening-centered approach. Work in teams is among the most researched aspects of work performance, and hundreds of studies have supported each of the following principles: Teams should focus first and foremost on performance. Teams go through four natural stages to reach high performance. Effective teams build a work culture around values, norms, and goals. Effective teams meet often. SLIDE 3-8 Some additional principles are: Effective teams embrace differing viewpoints and conflict. Effective teams find out the communication styles and preferences of one another. Effective teams provide a lot of positive feedback and evaluate their performance often. Effective teams feel a common sense of purpose. SLIDE 3-9 Nearly all high-performing teams go through four stages before they maximize their performance. In best-case scenarios, work teams take roughly six to seven months to reach this level (see Figure 3.1). Typically, leaders become less directive and more consultative as the team progresses through the stages: forming, storming, norming, and performing. IM 3-4

5 SLIDE 3-10 In the forming stage (months 1 and 2), team members focus on gaining acceptance and avoiding conflict. In some ways, this stage is a honeymoon period in which team members get to know one another. In the storming stage (months 2 and 3), team members open up with their competing ideas about how the team should approach work. This stage is typically the least productive, since team members are attempting to make sense of uncertain roles, goals, and accountabilities. SLIDE 3-11 In the norming stage (months 4 and 5), the team arrives at a work plan, including the roles, goals, and accountabilities. In the performing stage (months 6 and 7), teams operate efficiently toward accomplishing their goals. They have evolved to a level where they can transform disagreement and conflict into consensus for future action. SLIDE 3-12 Organizations and teams constantly attempt to foster unity and high performance. Team culture refers to a set of shared perceptions and commitment to collective values, norms, roles, responsibilities, and goals. Typically, teams rapidly develop such shared perceptions and commitment during the norming stage. Only at the performing stage do these shared perceptions and commitments lead to high productivity. IM 3-5

6 SLIDE 3-13 One way that high-performing teams ensure they develop and live up to shared values, norms, and goals is to create a team charter. The team charter provides direction to the team in how it functions to meet shared objectives. Common elements of team charters include purpose or mission statements, values, goals, team member roles (including leadership), tasks, ground rules, communication protocol, meeting protocol, decision-making rules, conflict resolution, and feedback mechanisms. In Figure 3.2 you can see an abbreviated team charter created by the Prestigio marketing team. It contains many features common to team charters. SLIDE 3-14 One way teams can welcome new ideas is to embrace diversity. Increasingly, research shows that diversity brings better business returns. Diversity comes in two forms: inherent and acquired. Inherent diversity involves traits such as age, gender, ethnicity, and sexual orientation. Acquired diversity involves traits you acquire through experience, such as customer service experience, retail experience, or engineering experience. Having both types of diversity is called 2-D diversity. SLIDE 3-15 The following behaviors help drive acquired diversity: (1) making sure everyone is heard; (2) making it safe to let team members express novel ideas; (3) giving team members decision-making authority; (4) sharing credit; (5) giving useful feedback; and (6) putting feedback into action. In short, these behaviors drive an innovative, speakup culture. IM 3-6

7 SLIDE 3-16 Two principles that team members use to embrace and respond to differing viewpoints are disassociation and association. Disassociation is a process by which professionals accept critique of their ideas without taking it personally and becoming defensive. On the other hand, association is the psychological bonding that occurs between people and their ideas. Since the purpose of most meetings and team communication is to increase agreement about roles, goals, and accountabilities and to increase the group s sense of purpose, team members should seek association by the end of a meeting or team communication. Generally, high-performing teams go through repeated cycles of disassociation and association. That is, they suspend attachment to ideas in the initial discussion phase and then attach themselves to ideas as they commit to mutually developed goals and related action items (see Figure 3.3). SLIDE 3-17 Running effective meetings starts with planning. Planning for meetings requires strategy, scheduling, and coordination. At a minimum, you should answer the following questions in your preparations: What is the purpose of the meeting? What outcomes do I expect? Who should attend? When should the meeting be scheduled? What roles and responsibilities should people at the meeting have? What will be the agenda? IM 3-7

8 SLIDE 3-18 Some additional questions to ask are: What materials should I distribute prior to the meeting? When and how should I invite others? What logistical issues do I need to take care of (reserving rooms, getting equipment, printing materials)? SLIDE 3-19 Think about how scheduling will impact productivity. Generally, you should avoid meetings, especially brainstorming meetings, during the least productive times of the day (usually the afternoon). Typically, most employees are at their best performance in the morning (see Figure 3.5). SLIDE 3-20 As you plan, consider the type of meeting you want. Meetings can be broadly categorized as coordination meetings or problem-solving meetings. Coordination meetings primarily focus on discussing roles, goals, and accountabilities. Problem-solving meetings typically involve brainstorming about how to address and solve a particular work problem. In actuality, nearly all meetings involve both coordination and problem solving. However, coordination meetings typically include many agenda items with a reasonable expectation of accomplishing each item in the allocated time. Problem-solving meetings, by contrast, involve more fluid issues that are less easily classified as discrete agenda items and that are less easily given time allotments. IM 3-8

9 SLIDE 3-21 Agendas provide structure for meetings. For most meetings, preparing and distributing an agenda ahead of time allows each meeting participant to form expectations and prepare. Most agendas should include items to be covered, time frames, goals and/or expected outcomes, roles, and materials needed. You can foster more effective meetings by getting others involved in the agenda-creation process. You can also consider assigning roles. SLIDE 3-22 As you develop the agenda, pay attention to the ordering of items so that it flows much as you would expect other written communications to flow from point to point. Also, consider placing those agenda items of most importance near the beginning. This way, if items take longer than expected and you are forced to shelve some items, you have addressed the highest-priority items. See Figure 3.6 for an agenda for the Prestigio marketing team. SLIDE 3-23 If you ve planned and prepared well for the meeting, you are in a great position to carry out your meeting objectives. Ideally, you ve provided clear expectations for meeting participants what they should have done before the meeting and what they can expect in terms of content and length of the meeting. Once the meeting arrives, you have several options for achieving productive outcomes: Create tradition, culture, and variety. Set expectations and follow the agenda. Encourage participation and expression of ideas. Build consensus and a plan of action. Close the meeting. Deal with difficult people. IM 3-9

10 SLIDE 3-24 One priority should be to end the meeting on time. Before ending the meeting, summarize what you have accomplished. In just a few minutes, you can recap action items that the team has agreed on. After a meeting ends (even for those you do not lead), you should mentally evaluate your performance. Consider these questions: How much information, analysis, and interpretation did I provide? Did I communicate my ideas even if they conflicted with someone else s? Did I participate in the implementation of the timeline? Did I meet deadlines? Did I facilitate the decision-making process? Or did I just go with the flow? SLIDE 3-25 Follow up by distributing the minutes of the meeting (as a memo, in an , in a meetings folder on the corporate intranet, or as part of a team blog or wiki). Minutes of the meeting should include the date and time, team members present, decisions, key discussion points, open issues, and action items and related deadlines. You can also include the names of people who were invited but were absent and the names of people with assigned roles (such as the notetaker). IM 3-10

11 SLIDE 3-26 The minutes serve as a record of what your team accomplished in the meeting. Figure 3.7 provides an example of meeting minutes. SLIDE 3-27 Organizations increasingly rely on virtual teams to complete projects, initiatives, and a variety of other tasks. These virtual teams generally consist of team members located at various offices (including home offices) and rely almost entirely on virtual technologies to work with one another. One recent survey showed that about 80 percent of professionals in multinational companies report working on a team that is located in different locations. In fact, 64 percent of these professionals work with team members located in other countries. SLIDE 3-28 In addition to the principles for working effectively in traditional teams, consider the following tips when working in virtual teams: Focus on building trust at each stage of your virtual team. Meet in person if possible. Get to know one another. Use collaborative technologies. Choose an active team leader. IM 3-11

12 SLIDE 3-29 Compared to traditional teams, virtual teams typically find it more challenging to maintain trust over the duration of their work together. Typically, you can take actions across the entire life cycle of a virtual team that bolster your credibility and help establish trust within your virtual team with a focus on competence, caring, and character. In Table 3.1 you can see various strategies for displaying competence, caring, and character at each stage of virtual teamwork to build and maintain trust within the team. SLIDE 3-30 Consider the following tips to make your virtual meetings more productive: Start the meeting with social chat. Start with a contentious question. Ask what do you think about questions. Make sure each team member is involved. Articulate views precisely. Take minutes in real time. Focus on your teammates and avoid multitasking. Use video when possible. IM 3-12

13 SLIDE 3-31 Creating a strong, precise, and coherent document with many writers is challenging. As you write with teams or other groups, consider applying the following tips: Start right away. Work together at the planning stage. Make sure your roles and contributions are fair. Stay flexible and open. Meet in real time consistently and ensure the writing reflects the views of the group. Discuss how you will edit the document together. Consider a single group member to polish the final version and ensure a consistent voice. SLIDE 3-32 Business professionals routinely often on a daily basis encounter difficult conversations, especially when working in teams and collaborating with others. Difficult conversations are approached with apprehension, nervousness, anxiety, and even fear. Difficult conversations often center on disagreements, conflict, and bad news. Many people prefer to avoid difficult conversations because they want to avoid hurting the feelings of others, want to avoid conflict, or for other reasons. IM 3-13

14 SLIDE 3-33 Most people back away from uncomfortable or unpleasant conversations. This is particularly the case when we feel we have a lot to gain but risk heavy losses if it doesn t go right. For these reasons, difficult conversations are often emotionally challenging. Successful people in the workplace do not evade difficult conversations. Those who regularly tackle them with skill and tact improve work performance for themselves and others. Some tried-and-true principles for handling difficult conversations in the workplace are: Embrace difficult conversations. Assume the best in others. Adopt a learning stance. Stay calm/overcome noise. Find common ground. Disagree diplomatically. Avoid exaggeration and either/or approaches. SLIDE 3-34 One way to embrace difficult conversations is to view conflict as an opportunity. That is, the exchange of perspectives and competing ideas reflects open and honest communication. If there is no conflict, employees are likely not voicing their true perspectives. Generally, colleagues tend to respect one another more when they know they can safely disagree. The components of difficult conversations are: 1. Start well/declare your intent. 2. Listen to their story. 3. Tell your story. 4. Create a shared story. IM 3-14

15 SLIDE 3-35 After studying this chapter, you should understand the following topics: principles of team communication; approaches to effective meetings; effective virtual teams; group writing strategies; and handling difficult conversations. IM 3-15

16 Suggested Approaches and Solutions to Learning Exercises In these suggested approaches and solutions, you ll find key points to look for in students responses. 3.1 Chapter Review Questions (LO 3.1, LO 3.2, LO 3.3, LO 3.4, LO 3.5) A. Responses will vary widely. Students should be rewarded for identifying specific ways that they can move effectively through the stages of forming, storming, norming, and performing. Students often enjoy this exercise as an in-class activity. B. Responses will vary widely. Students should be rewarded for providing specific and concrete examples. C. Students should be rewarded for recognizing that agendas are more useful for coordination meetings than problem-solving meetings. D. Responses will vary widely. Students should be rewarded for well-stated responses that provide more than superficial answers. E. Responses will vary widely based on students own experiences. Students should be rewarded for providing a thoughtful analysis. F. Students should be rewarded for a careful explanation of what constitutes a difficult conversation and the steps to make this type of conversation more productive. Students should be rewarded for providing some specific examples of how to conclude such a conversation with a shared story. 3.2 Communications Q&A Discussion Questions (LO 3.1, LO 3.2) A. Ernandes believes that there is a shift toward more teamwork because of the pace of the current working environment. The way to deal with that pace is to break up responsibilities and collaborate. The need for people in different locations to work together is also contributing to new forms of teamwork. B. Ernandes says that the key to success in teams is a commitment to understanding that they are a collection of people, not machinery or software. Culture, experience, and personality can be polarizing elements. They can also, if channeled properly, foster triumphant accomplishments. Respect, communication, and an understanding that each team member is unique are essential components of success. Responses will vary widely with an emphasis on different components. Students should be rewarded for providing logical, coherent reasons for their choices. C. According to Ernandes, communication when teams are newly formed is critical to ensure that all members are focused on the same goal and have an understanding how to accomplish the task at hand. As a team matures, members learn to trust one another, and less up-front communication is usually needed. However, individuals still need dedicated time to catch up with one another. IM 3-16

17 D. Ernandes says that communication tools are essential but must be used as the situation dictates, not as a plug-and-play template. He uses a variety of tools, picking and choosing those that are most appropriate to each situation. E. Responses will vary widely. Students should be given points for demonstrating an understanding of the ideas presented by Ernandes and for providing logical, coherent reasons for their evaluation of those ideas. 3.3 Speaking Up in Meetings (LO 3.1, LO 3.2, LO 3.5) A. Krumsiek is clear that employees are expected to speak openly, honestly, and directly. B. Krumsiek clearly states that the level of directness surprises some employees and challenges their perceptions of civility. She explains, however, that this level of directness fits her own perception of what constitutes civility. Students should be rewarded for providing a carefully considered explanation of how directness and civility relate to each other. C. Krumsiek expects employees to work out conflicts directly with one another rather than going behind each other s backs. D. Responses will vary widely. Students should be rewarded for applying approaches mentioned by Krumsiek and applied to principles of team communication described in the chapter. For example, students might compare this direct approach to conflict to the storming stage of team formation. 3.4 Brainstorming at Meetings (LO 3.1, LO 3.2, LO 3.5) A. Responses will vary widely. Students should be rewarded for mentioning Docherty s ideas and also for adding their own. B. Responses will vary widely. Students should be rewarded for mentioning Docherty s ideas and also for adding their own. C. Responses will vary widely. Students should be rewarded for including ideas about teamwork from the chapter. 3.5 Being Friendly versus Being Friends for Difficult Conversations (LO 3.5) A. Rorsted makes this distinction clearly in the context of having to make hard decisions that impact subordinates and having to hold difficult conversations. Students should be rewarded for providing nuanced answers that are well thought out. B. Students should be rewarded for insightful responses. They should be rewarded for envisioning how they will respond to similar situations as described by Rorsted. C. Responses will vary widely. Students should be rewarded for applying principles from the text in terms of emotional intelligence, civility, listening, teamwork, and difficult conversations. 3.6 Evaluating a Prior Team s Performance (LO 3.1, LO 3.2, LO 3.3, LO 3.5) IM 3-17

18 Responses will vary widely. Students should be rewarded for applying a clear understanding of the principles discussed in the chapter as they evaluate group projects they were part of. You might prompt students to do the following for this exercise: (a) make sure they are constructive with their comments; (b) choose group projects from the workplace or school if possible; and/or (c) use pseudonyms to protect the identity of others if they feel the information is sensitive. 3.7 Evaluating a Prior Group Writing Project (LO 3.1, LO 3.2, LO 3.3, LO 3.4, LO 3.5) Responses will vary widely. Students should be rewarded for applying a clear understanding of the principles discussed in the chapter as they evaluate prior group writing projects. You might prompt students to do the following for this exercise: (a) make sure they are constructive with their comments; (b) choose group writing projects from the workplace or school if possible; and/or (c) use pseudonyms to protect the identity of others if they feel the information is sensitive. 3.8 Describe a Difficult Conversation from Movie or TV Episode (LO 3.5) Responses will vary widely. Students should be rewarded for their ability to provided insightful observations about difficult conversations. You might consider prompting students to focus on scenes that are both entertaining and realistic. 3.9 Assess a Recent Difficult Conversation (LO 3.5) Responses will vary widely. Students should be rewarded for a careful and thorough application of principles of handling difficult conversations. Students may share personal experiences or experiences of close friends. Some students are hesitant to share personal information if they think it might be shared with other classmates. You might consider telling the students that you will be the only person who sees this assignment and that you won t share it with anyone. Alternatively, if you intend to have peers share the information with one another, you might consider telling them to write only about information they are comfortable sharing with classmates Creating a Team Charter (LO 3.1) You might consider grading these charters for focus on detail, appropriateness to the project in question, inclusion of all required elements, and completeness. IM 3-18

19 3.11 Creating a Team Assessment (LO 3.1) You might consider grading these assessments for appropriateness in terms of categories or criteria, inclusion of all required elements, participation by all team members in the process, inclusion of supporting detail, and completeness Creating an Agenda (LO 3.2) You might consider grading these agendas for focus on detail, inclusion of all required elements, and completeness Review the comma rules C8 through C10 in Appendix A. Then, rewrite each sentence to add or remove commas where needed. A. You must apply for this credit card offer by July 1. (C8) B. You must apply for this credit card offer by July 1, (C8) C. You must apply for this credit card offer by July 1, 2015, in order to be eligible. (C8) D. You can apply for the credit card any time between July 1 and July 31. (C8) E. Please come to my office on Tuesday, July 5. (C8) F. In 2015, 22 of our engineers will visit our China branch. (C9) G. The president of our university was a successful entrepreneur. (C10) H. The president of our university, a successful entrepreneur, will lead the delegation. (C10) I. The president, owner of three companies, believes that entrepreneurship is the key to success. (C10) J. The president went out to dinner after giving the keynote address. (C10) Related download links: business communication: developing leaders for a networked world Solutions Manual business communication developing leaders for a networked world test bank business communication: developing leaders for a networked world pdf business communication developing leaders for a networked world 2nd edition pdf business communication developing leaders for a networked world free pdf business communication developing leaders for a networked world access code business communication: developing leaders for a networked world ebook business communication peter cardon pdf business communication developing leaders for a networked world quizlet IM 3-19