Copyright © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. publish.docx

Copyright © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as
Prentice Hall
Chapter 1 - *
Chapter 1
*
Discover how to excel in business and enhance your career
through vital business communication skills.
Learning Objectives
Explain the importance of effective communication to your
career and to the companies where you will work
Describe the communication skills employers will expect you to
have and the nature of communicating in an organization by
using an audience-centered approach
Describe the communication process model and the ways that
social media are changing the nature of business communication
List four general guidelines for using communication
technology effectively
Define ethics, explain the difference between an ethical
dilemma and an ethical lapse, and list six guidelines for making
ethical communication choices

Prentice Hall
Chapter 1 - *
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After studying this chapter, you will be able to do the
following:
1.Explain the importance of effective communication to your
2.Describe the communication skills employers will expect you
to have and the nature of communicating in an organization by
3.Describe the communication process model and the ways that
4.List four general guidelines for using communication
5.Define ethics, explain the difference between an ethical
*
Understanding Why Communication Matters
Prentice Hall
Chapter 1 - *
The essence of communication is sharing—providing data,
information, insights, and inspiration in an exchange that
benefits both you and the people with whom you are
communicating. Richard L. Daft, Management, 6th ed.
(Cincinnati: Thomson South-Western, 2003), 580. Businesses
and relationships thrive on effective communication. Learn to
be a valuable contributor to your company and advance your
career success through effective business communication skills.

*
Communication is Important to Your Career
Prentice Hall
Chapter 1 - *
In a business environment you need to be prepared to share
complex ideas. Simplify your communications by being
specific, including appropriate details, and by being concise.
Even if you decide to work for yourself and build your own
business your confidence will increase when you are able to
communicate with a wide range of audiences, from attorneys to
prospective investors. Additionally, whether you work for
someone else or yourself, become an effective leader and
Increase your odds of getting a new client or getting promoted
to management by proving your ability to speak and write
effectively.
*
Communication is Important to Your CompanyInfluence
PerceptionsIncrease ProductivityImprove Employee
SatisfactionImprove Decisions
Prentice Hall
Chapter 1 - *
Whether you are working for a company or for yourself,
effective communication will contribute to an organization’s
success. Persuade customers through clear, detailed, data
driven, and ethical communications. Increase employee
productivity and workplace satisfaction through practical,

concise, factual communication. Improve decision making with
timely and reliable information.
*
Be An Effective CommunicatorProvide Useful InformationGive
Facts and EvidenceBe ConciseBe ClearExplain Benefits
Prentice Hall
Chapter 1 - *
Provide useful information to recipients to aid them in
responding to your message, where appropriate. Avoid
including unnecessary and irrelevant details, instead provide
practical content. Include all of the necessary facts and
information in your messages and support your message with
appropriate data or evidence to avoid being vague. Spend time
editing your message to be concise. Don’t waste your
audience’s time by including unnecessary content.
Review your message for clarity to ensure your audience
understands the intended meaning and, where applicable,
explain how your audience will benefit from your message.
*
Summary of Objectives
Prentice Hall
Chapter 1 - *
This section covered the following elements involved in
Understanding Why Communication Matters: Communication is
Important to Your CareerCommunication is Important to Your
CompanyBe an Effective Communicator

This concludes our discussion of Understanding Why
Communication Matters. The next section will cover
Communicating in Today’s Global Business Environment.
*
Communicating in Today’s Global Business Environment
Prentice Hall
Chapter 1 - *
You’ve been communicating your entire life, of course, but if
you don’t have a lot of work experience yet, meeting the
expectations of a professional environment might require some
adjustment. This section offers a brief look at the unique
challenges of business communication, the skills that employers
will expect you to have, the nature of communication in an
organizational environment, and the importance of adopting an
audience-centered approach.
*
What Employers Expect
Prentice Hall
Chapter 1 - *
No matter how good you are at accounting, engineering, law, or
whatever professional specialty you pursue, employers expect
you to be competent at a wide range of communication tasks. In
fact, employers start judging your ability to communicate before
you even show up for your first interview, and the process of
evaluation never really stops. Fortunately, the following skills

that employers expect are the same skills that will help you
advance in your career:Organizing ideas and information
logically and completelyExpressing ideas and information
coherently and persuasivelyActively listening to
othersCommunicating effectively with people from diverse
backgrounds and experiencesUsing communication technologies
effectively and efficiently
*
What Employers Expect
Prentice Hall
Chapter 1 - *
Following accepted standards of grammar, spelling, and other
aspects of high quality writing and speakingAdapting your
messages and communication styles to specific audiences and
situationsCommunicating in a civilized manner that reflects
contemporary expectations of business etiquetteCommunicating
ethically, even when choices are not crystal clearManaging your
time wisely and using resources efficiently
*
Communicating in an Organizational Context
Formal
Upward
Downward
Horizontal
Informal
Grapevine
Rumor Mill

Social Media
Prentice Hall
Chapter 1 - *
In a formal communication network, information flows along
the lines of command in a company’s organizational
structure:Upward communication flows from employees to
executives. Downward communication flows from executives to
employees. Horizontal communication flows between
departments.
Every organization also has an informal communication network
(a grapevine) that operates anywhere two or more employees are
in contact. Some of this informal communication takes place
naturally as a result of employee interaction both on the job and
in social settings, and some of it takes place when the formal
communication network does not provide the information that
employees want. In fact, the inherent limitations of formal
communication networks helped spur the growth of social media
and the Business Communication 2.0 concept.
*
Formal Communication Network
Prentice Hall
Chapter 1 - *
The formal communication network is defined by the
relationships between the various job positions in the
organization. Messages can flow upward (from a lower-level
employee to a higher-level employee), downward (from a
higher-level employee to a lower-level employee), and
horizontally (across the organization, between employees at the

same or similar levels).
*
Prentice Hall
The Audience-Centered Approach
Chapter 1 - *
*
An audience-centered approach means understanding and
respecting the members of your audience, and making every
effort to get your message across in a way that is meaningful to
them. This approach is also known as adopting the “you”
attitude (focusing on the audience), as opposed to writing
messages that are about “me’ (focusing on yourself). Learn as
much as you can about your audience, such as their biases,
education, and personal and professional styles. If you are
addressing strangers and unable to find out more about them,
use your common sense and imagination to project yourself into
their position.
This ability to relate to the needs of others is a key part of
emotional intelligence, widely considered to be a vital
characteristic of successful managers and leaders. The more you
know about the people that you are communicating with, the
easier it will be to relate to their needs—which, in turn, will
make it easier for them to hear, understand, and respond to your
message.
Prentice Hall
Chapter 1 - *

Communicating in Today’s Business Environment: What
Employers ExpectCommunicating in an Organizational
ContextAudience-Centered Approach
Understanding the Communication Process.
*
Exploring the Communication Process
Prentice Hall
Chapter 1 - *
As you no doubt know from your personal interactions over the
years, even well-intentioned communication efforts can fail.
Messages can get lost or simply ignored. The receiver of a
message can interpret it in ways the sender never imagined. In
fact, two people receiving the same information can reach
different conclusions about what it means.
Fortunately, by understanding communication as a process with
distinct steps, you can improve the odds that your messages will
reach their intended audiences and produce their intended
effects. This section explores the communication process in two
stages: first by following a message from one sender to one
receiver in the basic communication model, and second by
expanding on that basic scenario to include multiple messages
and participants in the social communication model.
*

Prentice Hall
Communication Process
Chapter 1 - *
*
By viewing communication as a process, such as the following,
you can identify and improve the skills that you need to be more
successful. The sender has an idea.The sender encodes the idea
as a message.The sender produces the message in a
transmittable medium. The sender transmits the message
through a channel. The audience receives the message. The
audience decodes the message. The audience responds to the
message. The audience sends feedback.
Becoming An Effective Business Communicator
Prentice Hall
Chapter 1 - *
The communication process presents many opportunities for
messages to get lost, distorted, or misinterpreted as they travel
from sender to receiver. Fortunately, you can take action at
every step in the process to increase your chances of success.
Set the tone for effective communication by preventing
potential problems and by being prepared with solutions to
problems that may arise.
*
Social Communication Model
Prentice Hall

Chapter 1 - *
The basic communication model reviewed in the previous slide
shows how a single idea moves from one sender to one receiver.
The social communication model on the other hand illustrates
how new technologies have facilitated a more interactive and
conversational approach to communication.
*
Business Communications
1.0 Versus 2.0 Tendencies
Prentice Hall
Chapter 1 - *
Traditional business communication strategies tend to include
limited channels for message distribution and they are typically
unidirectional. Business communication 2.0 tendencies however
encourage collaboration and message delivery through many
channels.
*
Prentice Hall
Chapter 1 - *
Exploring The Communication Process: Communication
ProcessBecoming an Effective Business CommunicatorSocial
Communication ModelBusiness Communication 1.0 vs. 2.0

Tendencies
This concludes our discussion of Understanding The
Communication Process. The next section will cover Using
Technology for Effective Communication.
*
Using Technology for Effective Communication
Prentice Hall
Chapter 1 - *
Today’s businesses rely heavily on technology to enhance
communication. In fact, many of the technologies you might use
in your personal life, from microblogs to video games to virtual
worlds, are also used in business. You will find technology
discussed extensively throughout this book, with specific advice
on using both common and emerging tools.
*
Using Communication TechnologyAid to Interpersonal
CommunicationAvoid Information
OverloadUse ProductivelyReconnect With
People
Prentice Hall
Chapter 1 - *
*
Anyone who has used a computer knows that the benefits of

technology are not automatic. The following methods can help
you use communication technology effectively:
Keep technology in perspective. Technology is an aid to
interpersonal communication, not a replacement for it. By
focusing on your message and your audience, you can avoid
falling into the trap of letting technology get in the way of
successful communication.
Guard against information overload and information addiction.
The overuse or misuse of communication technology can lead to
information overload, in which people receive more information
than they can effectively process. Beyond simple overload,
some workers are beginning to show signs of information
technology addiction—to the point of craving the stimulation of
being connected practically around the clock, even while on
vacation. As a recipient, you often have some level of control
over the number and types of messages you choose to receive.
Use the filtering features of your communication systems to
isolate high-priority messages that deserve your attention. Also,
be wary of subscribing to too many blog feeds, Twitter follows,
Facebook updates, and other sources of recurring messages.
Focus on the information you truly need to do your job.
Use technological tools productively. Facebook, Twitter,
YouTube, IM, and other technologies are key parts of what has
been called the “information technology paradox,” in which
information tools can waste as much time as they save.
Concerns over inappropriate use of social networking sites, for
example, have led many companies to ban employees from
accessing them during work hours.
Reconnect with people frequently. Even in the best
circumstances, technology can not match the rich experience of
person-to-person contact. Therefore, even enthusiastic users
know that technology has limits. Remember to step out from
behind technology frequently to learn more about the people
that you work with—and to let them learn more about you.

Prentice Hall
Chapter 1 - *
This section covered the following elements involved in Using
Technology for Effective Communication: Technology as an
Aid to Interpersonal CommunicationAvoid Information
OverloadUse Technology ProductivelyReconnect with People
This concludes our discussion of Using Technology for
Effective Communication. The next section will cover
Committing to Ethical Communications.
*
Committing to Ethical Communications
Prentice Hall
Chapter 1 - *
Ethics are the accepted principles of conduct that govern
behavior within a society. Ethical behavior is a companywide
concern, but because communication efforts are the public face
of a company, they are subjected to particularly rigorous
scrutiny from regulators, legislators, investors, consumer
groups, environmental groups, labor organizations, and anyone
else affected by business activities. Ethical communication
includes all relevant information, is true in every sense, and is
not deceptive in any way. In contrast, unethical communication
can distort the truth or manipulate audiences in a variety of
ways
*

Ethical CommunicationsTrue in Every SenseIncludes Relevant
InformationNot Deceptive in
Any Way
Prentice Hall
Chapter 1 - *
behavior within a society. Put another way, ethical principles
define the boundary between right and wrong. Ethical
communication is true in every sense, includes all relevant
information, and is not deceptive in any way.
*
Unethical CommunicationPlagiarismSelective
MisquotingDistorting VisualsOmitting
InformationMisrepresenting DataAbusing Privacy or Security
Prentice Hall
Chapter 1 - *
*
Unethical communication can include falsehoods and
misleading information. Some examples of unethical business
communication include the following:Plagiarism. Stealing
someone else’s words or other creative products and ideas and
claiming them as your own.Selective misquoting. Deliberately
omitting damaging or unflattering comments to paint a better
(but untruthful) picture of you or your company.Distorting
visuals. Making a product look bigger or changing the scale of
graphs and charts to exaggerate or conceal differences.Omitting
essential information. If your audience needs certain
information to make intelligent, objective decisions, then that

information is essential.Misrepresenting numbers. Falsifying
statistics or manipulating data to support your assertions.
Failing to respect privacy or information security needs. Failing
to respect the privacy of others or failing to protect information
entrusted to your care can also be considered unethical.
Prentice Hall
Recognizing Ethical Issues
Chapter 1 - *
*
Every company has responsibilities to its stakeholders, and
those various groups often have competing interests. In some
situations, what is right for one group may be wrong for
another. Moreover, as you attempt to satisfy the needs of a
particular group, you may be presented with an option that
seems right on the surface but somehow feels wrong.
When people must choose between competing interests and
weigh difficult tradeoffs, they are facing a dilemma. An ethical
dilemma involves choosing among alternatives that are not
clear-cut (perhaps two conflicting alternatives are both ethical
and valid, or perhaps the alternatives lie somewhere in the gray
area between clearly right and clearly wrong). Unlike a
dilemma, an ethical lapse is a clearly unethical or illegal choice.
The pressure to produce results or justify decisions can make
unethical communication a tempting choice.

Prentice Hall
Making Ethical Choices
Chapter 1 - *
*
To ensure ethical business communications, three elements need
to be in place: ethical individuals, ethical company leadership,
and the appropriate policies and structures to support
employees’ efforts to make ethical choices.
Some companies lay out an explicit ethical policy by using a
written code of ethics to help employees determine what is
acceptable. A code is often part of a larger program of
employee training and communication channels that allows
employees to ask questions and report instances of questionable
ethics.
One helpful way to make sure that your messages are ethical is
to consider your audience: What does your audience need? What
will help your audience the most?
Prentice Hall
Have you defined the situation?Why are you
communicating?What impact will your message have?What
good or harm will be achieved?Will your assumptions
change?Are you comfortable with the decision?
General Ethical Guidelines
Chapter 1 - *
*
Whether or not formal guidelines are in place, every employee
has the responsibility to communicate in an ethical manner. In
the absence of clear guidelines, ask yourself the following
questions about your business communications:Have you
defined the situation fairly and accurately?What is your

intention in communicating the message?What impact will the
message have on the people who receive it, or who might be
affected by it?Will the message achieve the greatest possible
good while doing the least possible harm?Will the assumptions
that you have made change over time? That is, will a decision
that seems ethical now seem unethical in the future?Are you
comfortable with your decision? Would you be embarrassed if it
were printed in tomorrow’s newspaper or spread across the
Internet? Think about a person whom you admire and ask
yourself what he or she would think of your decision.
Prentice Hall
Chapter 1 - *
Committing to Ethical Communications: Ethical
CommunicationsUnethical CommunicationsRecognizing Ethical
IssuesMaking Ethical ChoicesGeneral Ethical Guidelines
This concludes our discussion of Committing to Ethical
Communications. The presentation will close with a review of
this chapter’s learning objectives.
*
Prentice Hall
Chapter 1 - *
Chapter 1
*

This concludes the PowerPoint presentation on Chapter 1,
“Achieving Success Through Effective Business
Communication.” During this presentation, we have
accomplished the following learning objectives:
1.Explained the importance of effective communication to your
2.Described the communication skills employers will expect you
3.Described the communication process model and the ways that
4.Listed four general guidelines for using communication
5.Defined ethics, explained the difference between an ethical
dilemma and an ethical lapse, and listed six guidelines for
making ethical communication choices
For more information about these topics, refer to Chapter 1 in
Excellence in Business Communication.
Prentice Hall
Chapter 1 - *
*
*
Discover how to excel in business and enhance your career
through vital business communication skills.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After studying this chapter, you will be able to do the
following:
1.Explain the importance of effective communication to your

2.Describe the communication skills employers will expect you
3.Describe the communication process model and the ways that
4.List four general guidelines for using communication
5.Define ethics, explain the difference between an ethical
*
The essence of communication is sharing—providing data,
information, insights, and inspiration in an exchange that
benefits both you and the people with whom you are
communicating. Richard L. Daft, Management, 6th ed.
(Cincinnati: Thomson South-Western, 2003), 580. Businesses
and relationships thrive on effective communication. Learn to
be a valuable contributor to your company and advance your
career success through effective business communication skills.
*
In a business environment you need to be prepared to share
complex ideas. Simplify your communications by being
specific, including appropriate details, and by being concise.
Even if you decide to work for yourself and build your own
business your confidence will increase when you are able to
communicate with a wide range of audiences, from attorneys to
prospective investors. Additionally, whether you work for
someone else or yourself, become an effective leader and
Increase your odds of getting a new client or getting promoted
to management by proving your ability to speak and write
effectively.
*
Whether you are working for a company or for yourself,
effective communication will contribute to an organization’s
success. Persuade customers through clear, detailed, data
driven, and ethical communications. Increase employee

productivity and workplace satisfaction through practical,
concise, factual communication. Improve decision making with
timely and reliable information.
*
Provide useful information to recipients to aid them in
responding to your message, where appropriate. Avoid
including unnecessary and irrelevant details, instead provide
practical content. Include all of the necessary facts and
information in your messages and support your message with
appropriate data or evidence to avoid being vague. Spend time
editing your message to be concise. Don’t waste your
audience’s time by including unnecessary content.
Review your message for clarity to ensure your audience
understands the intended meaning and, where applicable,
explain how your audience will benefit from your message.
*
Understanding Why Communication Matters: Communication is
Important to Your CareerCommunication is Important to Your
CompanyBe an Effective Communicator
Communicating in Today’s Global Business Environment.
*
You’ve been communicating your entire life, of course, but if
you don’t have a lot of work experience yet, meeting the
expectations of a professional environment might require some
adjustment. This section offers a brief look at the unique
challenges of business communication, the skills that employers
will expect you to have, the nature of communication in an
organizational environment, and the importance of adopting an
audience-centered approach.
*
No matter how good you are at accounting, engineering, law, or
whatever professional specialty you pursue, employers expect

you to be competent at a wide range of communication tasks. In
fact, employers start judging your ability to communicate before
you even show up for your first interview, and the process of
evaluation never really stops. Fortunately, the following skills
that employers expect are the same skills that will help you
advance in your career:Organizing ideas and information
logically and completelyExpressing ideas and information
coherently and persuasivelyActively listening to
othersCommunicating effectively with people from diverse
backgrounds and experiencesUsing communication technologies
effectively and efficiently
*Following accepted standards of grammar, spelling, and other
aspects of high quality writing and speakingAdapting your
messages and communication styles to specific audiences and
situationsCommunicating in a civilized manner that reflects
contemporary expectations of business etiquetteCommunicating
ethically, even when choices are not crystal clearManaging your
time wisely and using resources efficiently
*
In a formal communication network, information flows along
the lines of command in a company’s organizational
structure:Upward communication flows from employees to
executives. Downward communication flows from executives to
employees. Horizontal communication flows between
departments.
Every organization also has an informal communication network
(a grapevine) that operates anywhere two or more employees are
in contact. Some of this informal communication takes place
naturally as a result of employee interaction both on the job and
in social settings, and some of it takes place when the formal
communication network does not provide the information that
employees want. In fact, the inherent limitations of formal
communication networks helped spur the growth of social media
and the Business Communication 2.0 concept.
*
The formal communication network is defined by the

relationships between the various job positions in the
organization. Messages can flow upward (from a lower-level
employee to a higher-level employee), downward (from a
higher-level employee to a lower-level employee), and
horizontally (across the organization, between employees at the
same or similar levels).
*
*
An audience-centered approach means understanding and
respecting the members of your audience, and making every
effort to get your message across in a way that is meaningful to
them. This approach is also known as adopting the “you”
attitude (focusing on the audience), as opposed to writing
messages that are about “me’ (focusing on yourself). Learn as
much as you can about your audience, such as their biases,
education, and personal and professional styles. If you are
addressing strangers and unable to find out more about them,
use your common sense and imagination to project yourself into
their position.
This ability to relate to the needs of others is a key part of
emotional intelligence, widely considered to be a vital
characteristic of successful managers and leaders. The more you
know about the people that you are communicating with, the
easier it will be to relate to their needs—which, in turn, will
make it easier for them to hear, understand, and respond to your
message.
Communicating in Today’s Business Environment: What
Employers ExpectCommunicating in an Organizational
ContextAudience-Centered Approach
Understanding the Communication Process.
*
As you no doubt know from your personal interactions over the

years, even well-intentioned communication efforts can fail.
Messages can get lost or simply ignored. The receiver of a
message can interpret it in ways the sender never imagined. In
fact, two people receiving the same information can reach
different conclusions about what it means.
Fortunately, by understanding communication as a process with
distinct steps, you can improve the odds that your messages will
reach their intended audiences and produce their intended
effects. This section explores the communication process in two
stages: first by following a message from one sender to one
receiver in the basic communication model, and second by
expanding on that basic scenario to include multiple messages
and participants in the social communication model.
*
*
By viewing communication as a process, such as the following,
you can identify and improve the skills that you need to be more
successful. The sender has an idea.The sender encodes the idea
as a message.The sender produces the message in a
transmittable medium. The sender transmits the message
through a channel. The audience receives the message. The
audience decodes the message. The audience responds to the
message. The audience sends feedback.
The communication process presents many opportunities for
messages to get lost, distorted, or misinterpreted as they travel
from sender to receiver. Fortunately, you can take action at
every step in the process to increase your chances of success.
Set the tone for effective communication by preventing
potential problems and by being prepared with solutions to
problems that may arise.
*
The basic communication model reviewed in the previous slide
shows how a single idea moves from one sender to one receiver.
The social communication model on the other hand illustrates
how new technologies have facilitated a more interactive and
conversational approach to communication.

*
Traditional business communication strategies tend to include
limited channels for message distribution and they are typically
unidirectional. Business communication 2.0 tendencies however
encourage collaboration and message delivery through many
channels.
*
Exploring The Communication Process: Communication
ProcessBecoming an Effective Business CommunicatorSocial
Communication ModelBusiness Communication 1.0 vs. 2.0
Tendencies
This concludes our discussion of Understanding The
Communication Process. The next section will cover Using
Technology for Effective Communication.
*
Today’s businesses rely heavily on technology to enhance
communication. In fact, many of the technologies you might use
in your personal life, from microblogs to video games to virtual
worlds, are also used in business. You will find technology
discussed extensively throughout this book, with specific advice
on using both common and emerging tools.
*
*
Anyone who has used a computer knows that the benefits of
technology are not automatic. The following methods can help
you use communication technology effectively:
Keep technology in perspective. Technology is an aid to
interpersonal communication, not a replacement for it. By
focusing on your message and your audience, you can avoid
falling into the trap of letting technology get in the way of
successful communication.
Guard against information overload and information addiction.
The overuse or misuse of communication technology can lead to
information overload, in which people receive more information
than they can effectively process. Beyond simple overload,

some workers are beginning to show signs of information
technology addiction—to the point of craving the stimulation of
being connected practically around the clock, even while on
vacation. As a recipient, you often have some level of control
over the number and types of messages you choose to receive.
Use the filtering features of your communication systems to
isolate high-priority messages that deserve your attention. Also,
be wary of subscribing to too many blog feeds, Twitter follows,
Facebook updates, and other sources of recurring messages.
Focus on the information you truly need to do your job.
Use technological tools productively. Facebook, Twitter,
YouTube, IM, and other technologies are key parts of what has
been called the “information technology paradox,” in which
information tools can waste as much time as they save.
Concerns over inappropriate use of social networking sites, for
example, have led many companies to ban employees from
accessing them during work hours.
Reconnect with people frequently. Even in the best
circumstances, technology can not match the rich experience of
person-to-person contact. Therefore, even enthusiastic users
know that technology has limits. Remember to step out from
behind technology frequently to learn more about the people
that you work with—and to let them learn more about you.
This section covered the following elements involved in Using
Technology for Effective Communication: Technology as an
Aid to Interpersonal CommunicationAvoid Information
OverloadUse Technology ProductivelyReconnect with People
This concludes our discussion of Using Technology for
Effective Communication. The next section will cover
Committing to Ethical Communications.
*
behavior within a society. Ethical behavior is a companywide
concern, but because communication efforts are the public face
of a company, they are subjected to particularly rigorous
scrutiny from regulators, legislators, investors, consumer

groups, environmental groups, labor organizations, and anyone
else affected by business activities. Ethical communication
includes all relevant information, is true in every sense, and is
not deceptive in any way. In contrast, unethical communication
can distort the truth or manipulate audiences in a variety of
ways
*
behavior within a society. Put another way, ethical principles
define the boundary between right and wrong. Ethical
communication is true in every sense, includes all relevant
information, and is not deceptive in any way.
*
*
Unethical communication can include falsehoods and
misleading information. Some examples of unethical business
communication include the following:Plagiarism. Stealing
someone else’s words or other creative products and ideas and
claiming them as your own.Selective misquoting. Deliberately
omitting damaging or unflattering comments to paint a better
(but untruthful) picture of you or your company.Distorting
visuals. Making a product look bigger or changing the scale of
graphs and charts to exaggerate or conceal differences.Omitting
essential information. If your audience needs certain
information to make intelligent, objective decisions, then that
information is essential.Misrepresenting numbers. Falsifying
statistics or manipulating data to support your assertions.
Failing to respect privacy or information security needs. Failing
to respect the privacy of others or failing to protect information
entrusted to your care can also be considered unethical.
*
Every company has responsibilities to its stakeholders, and
those various groups often have competing interests. In some
situations, what is right for one group may be wrong for
another. Moreover, as you attempt to satisfy the needs of a

particular group, you may be presented with an option that
seems right on the surface but somehow feels wrong.
When people must choose between competing interests and
weigh difficult tradeoffs, they are facing a dilemma. An ethical
dilemma involves choosing among alternatives that are not
clear-cut (perhaps two conflicting alternatives are both ethical
and valid, or perhaps the alternatives lie somewhere in the gray
area between clearly right and clearly wrong). Unlike a
dilemma, an ethical lapse is a clearly unethical or illegal choice.
The pressure to produce results or justify decisions can make
unethical communication a tempting choice.
*
To ensure ethical business communications, three elements need
to be in place: ethical individuals, ethical company leadership,
and the appropriate policies and structures to support
employees’ efforts to make ethical choices.
Some companies lay out an explicit ethical policy by using a
written code of ethics to help employees determine what is
acceptable. A code is often part of a larger program of
employee training and communication channels that allows
employees to ask questions and report instances of questionable
ethics.
One helpful way to make sure that your messages are ethical is
to consider your audience: What does your audience need? What
will help your audience the most?
*
Whether or not formal guidelines are in place, every employee
has the responsibility to communicate in an ethical manner. In
the absence of clear guidelines, ask yourself the following
questions about your business communications:Have you
defined the situation fairly and accurately?What is your
intention in communicating the message?What impact will the
message have on the people who receive it, or who might be
affected by it?Will the message achieve the greatest possible

good while doing the least possible harm?Will the assumptions
that you have made change over time? That is, will a decision
that seems ethical now seem unethical in the future?Are you
comfortable with your decision? Would you be embarrassed if it
were printed in tomorrow’s newspaper or spread across the
Internet? Think about a person whom you admire and ask
yourself what he or she would think of your decision.
Committing to Ethical Communications: Ethical
CommunicationsUnethical CommunicationsRecognizing Ethical
IssuesMaking Ethical ChoicesGeneral Ethical Guidelines
This concludes our discussion of Committing to Ethical
Communications. The presentation will close with a review of
this chapter’s learning objectives.
*
*
This concludes the PowerPoint presentation on Chapter 1,
“Achieving Success Through Effective Business
Communication.” During this presentation, we have
accomplished the following learning objectives:
1.Explained the importance of effective communication to your
2.Described the communication skills employers will expect you
3.Described the communication process model and the ways that
4.Listed four general guidelines for using communication
5.Defined ethics, explained the difference between an ethical
dilemma and an ethical lapse, and listed six guidelines for
making ethical communication choices
For more information about these topics, refer to Chapter 1 in
Excellence in Business Communication.

*
The Parker Family
Sara is a 72-year-old widowed Caucasian female who lives in a
two-bedroom apartment with her 48-year-old daughter,
Stephanie, and six
cats. Sara and her daughter have lived together for the past 10
years, since Stephanie returned home after a failed relationship
and was unable
to live independently. Stephanie has a diagnosis of bipolar
disorder, and her overall physical health is good. Stephanie
has no history of
treatment for alcohol or substance abuse; during her teens she
drank and smoked marijuana but no longer uses these
substances. When she was
16 years old, Stephanie was hospitalized after her first bipolar
episode. She had attempted suicide by swallowing a handful of
Tylenol® and
drinking half a bottle of vodka after her first boyfriend broke up
with her. She has been hospitalized three times in the past 4
years when she
stopped taking her medications and experienced suicidal
ideation. Stephanie’s current medications are Lithium,
Paxil®, Abilify®, and
Klonopin®.
Stephanie recently had a brief hospitalization as a result of

depressive symptoms. She attends a mental health drop-in
center twice a week
to socialize with friends and receives outpatient psychiatric
treatment at a local mental health clinic for medication
management and weekly
therapy. She is maintaining a part-time job at a local
supermarket where she bags groceries and is currently being
trained to become a cashier.
Stephanie currently has active Medicare and receives Social
Security Disability (SSD).
Sara has recently been hospitalized for depression and has
some physical issues. She has documented high blood
pressure and
hyperthyroidism, she is slightly underweight, and she is
displaying signs of dementia. Sara has no history of alcohol or
substance abuse. Her
current medications are Lexapro® and Zyprexa®. Sara has
Medicare and receives Social Security benefits and a small
pension. She attends a
day treatment program for seniors that is affiliated with a local
hospital in her neighborhood. Sara attends the program 3 days a
week from
9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., and van service is provided free of
charge.
A telephone call was made to Adult Protective Services
(APS) by the senior day treatment social worker when
Sara presented with

increased confusion, poor attention to daily living skills, and
statements made about Stephanie’s behavior. Sara told the
social worker at the
senior day treatment program that, “My daughter is very
argumentative and is throwing all of my things out.” She
reported, “We are fighting
like cats and dogs; I’m afraid of her and of losing all my stuff.”
During the home visit, the APS worker observed that the living
room was very cluttered, but that the kitchen was fairly clean,
with food in
the refrigerator and cabinets. Despite the clutter, all of the
doorways, including the front door, had clear egress. The family
lives on the first
floor of the apartment building and could exit the building
without difficulty in case of emergency. The litter boxes were
also fairly clean, and
there was no sign of vermin in the home.
Upon questioning by the APS worker, Sara denied that she was
afraid of her daughter or that her daughter had been physically
abusive. In
fact, the worker observed that Stephanie had a noticeable bruise
on her forearm, which appeared defensive in nature. When
asked about the
bruise, Stephanie reported that she had gotten it when her
mother tried to grab some items out of her arms that she was
about to throw out.

Stephanie admitted to throwing things out to clean up the
apartment, telling the APS worker, “I’m tired of my mother’s
hoarding.” Sara agreed
with the description of the incident. Both Sara and Stephanie
admitted to an increase in arguing, but denied physical violence.
Sara stated, “I
didn’t mean to hurt Stephanie. I was just trying to get my things
back.”
The APS worker observed that Sara’s appearance was unkempt
and disheveled, but her overall hygiene was adequate (i.e., clean
hair and
clothes). Stephanie was neatly groomed with good hygiene. The
APS worker determined that no one was in immediate danger to
warrant
removal from the home but that the family was in need of a
referral for Intensive Case Management (ICM) services. It was
clear there was
some conflict in the home that had led to physical
confrontations. Further, the house had hygiene issues, including
trash and items stacked in
the living room and Sara’s room, which needed to be addressed.
The APS worker indicated in her report that if not adequately
addressed, the
hoarding might continue to escalate and create an unsafe and
unhygienic environment, thus leading to a possible eviction or
recommendation

for separation and relocation for both women.
As the ICM worker, I visited the family to assess the situation
and the needs of the clients. Stephanie said she was very angry
with her
mother and sick of her compulsive shopping and hoarding.
Stephanie complained that they did not have any visitors and
she was ashamed to
invite friends to the home due to the condition of the apartment.
When I asked Sara if she saw a problem with so many items
littering the
apartment, Sara replied, “I need all of these things.” Stephanie
complained that when she tried to clean up and throw things
out, her mother
went
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DISCUSSION 1
Heath Richards
Top of Form
Post
People with disabilities have been marginalized for many
years. People with disabilities and deaf people report that they
are routinely harassed verbally, physically, and sexually in
public places (Adams, Blumenfeld, Castaneda, Hackman,
Peters, Zuniga, 2013). People with disabilities especially ones
that are noticeable are usually treated differently than other
people because their actions may be different or they may sound
or look different than everyone else. Some people may have
issues accepting things that are not what they define as normal
so to them people with noticeable disabilities may fall into
that category of not being normal. People make fun of these
individuals or just pick on them instead of taking the time to
talk to them and get to know them. Another thing that
marginalizes these individuals is the fact that most of them are
unemployed. Even the people with disabilities that do work
don't make enough money to really care for their selves. Among
working-age adults with disabilities, the poverty rate is three
times that of those without impairments (Adams, Blumenfeld,
Castaneda, Hackman, Peters, Zuniga, 2013). This is a very sad
thing because some people with disabilities can work and they
want to.

Being a social worker working with a person with a
disability we should not treat them any different than we would
any of our other clients. It is important to treat them with
dignity and respect so they can feel normal. We have to listen to
them and understand them so we can help meet their needs just
as we do everyone else we work with. The only difference is
that they may have some different needs than other people, they
may need medical supplies. We could help them figure out
where they can get any supplies that they may need at an
affordable price. We can also share with them the different
programs that are available for people with disabilities. For
instance, in the case of Valerie she was not born disabled, but
was left with her disability due to an accident she was in. Her
insurance company helped her get the things she needed, like
her wheelchair and a prosthetic leg. Unfortunately, her accident
and disability left her depressed. The worker that was working
with her used cognitive behavior therapy with her and sat goals
with her to help increase her independence. The only thing that
I would do differently is to try to find a program for Valerie
that would help her physically and mentally with her prosthetic
leg, and teach her how to use it correctly and get used to it
since she prefers her power scooter. I think that her getting used
to the prosthetic leg and being able to get around well using it
would make her feel so much better and more iindependent. It
would take some time but with support I think that Valerie
could use the prosthetic to her advantage and be very
independent.
Reference:
Adams, M., Blumenfeld, W. J., Casteneda, C., Hackman, H.W.,
Peters, M. L., & Zuniga, X. (Eds.). (2013). Readings for
diversity and social justice. (3rd ed). New York, NY: Routledge
Press

Thomas Snipes
Post
Top of Form
The physically and mentally disabled are marginalized because
they are different (Schur et al, 2013). It is sad to say, but true.
People who are known to be “normal”, have a tendency to place
judgment on the outside appearance of others. In addition,
Blanck talks about how individuals without a disability will
assume that someone is not capable because of a disability and
because of the response they may get back from the individual
if they ask about the disability, they do not ask about the
disability and the individuals capabilities (2000). As a result
they may marginalize and discriminate against them. Disability
is complex and multidimensional and how the individual
experiences disability depends not just on the functional
limitations relating to their impairment, but also on the
environment (Schur et al, 2013).
Second, disability is complex and multidimensional and how the
individual experiences disability depends not just on the
functional limitations relating to their impairment, but also on
the environment. The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons
with Disabilities believes the marginalization is caused from the
interaction between people with disabilities have environmental
barriers that hinder their full participation in society (Perlin,
2008). For instance, the attitude that people have are mostly
related to capabilities and dependency that can lead to
overprotection and disempowerment. The environment barriers
can be improper access to buildings, bathrooms, traveling, etc.
As a result of discrimination and social exclusion, together
with the invisibility of persons with disabilities at all levels of
society and the lack of positive role-models, persons with
disabilities themselves often suffer from low self-esteem,
confidence and aspirations, all of which impact on their ability
to participate equally in all areas of social, economic and

cultural life (Schur et al, 2013).
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) provides support
for treatment programs oriented to this population by mandating
that facilities be physically accessible to people with
disabilities and that treatment professionals have an
understanding of disability issues (Perlin, 2008).
In the case of Valerie, the social worker not only recognized
that she was being abused by her husband but she also
recognized that her ability to really leave the abusive
relationship was not happening because of her limitations and
confidence due to her disability. For example, Valerie
mentioned no one else wanting her because of her disability so
she continues to go to the only relationship she feels she is
capable of having. The social worker worked with her and gave
her back her self-confidence and self-worth by applying CBT
skills to help her understand that all the negative things she has
been told and the negative way that John treated her did not
have to define her.
Blanck, P. D. (2000). Employment, disability, and the
Americans with Disabilities Act: Issues in law, public policy,
and research. Northwestern University Press.
Perlin, M. L. (2008). A Change is Gonna Come: The
Implications of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of
Persons with Disabilities for the Domestic Practice of
Constitutional Mental Disability Law. N. Ill. UL Rev., 29, 483.
Schur, L., Kruse, D., & Blanck, P. (2013). People with
disabilities: Sidelined or mainstreamed?. Cambridge University
Press.
DISCUSSION 2
James Johanson
POSTTop of Form
People with disabilities are labeled as “disabled” in order to fit

into what our society has accepted as their norms. They are not
socially acceptable as healthy individuals so society has coined
a specialized term for them as disabled, this has negative, and
positive implications. The negative implications are that since
people with disabilities are seen as different they have limited
access to what non-disabled people have. For example when I
needed ankle surgery I was on a knee scooter, and in order to
check the mail everyday at work the only ramp accessible was
in a poor placement. I had to go down the ramp, and scoot
behind 10 parking spaces, with cars coming and going, in order
to get to the mailbox. It was then I first noticed the limitations
of people with physical disabilities. Other negative implications
include being stigmatized as not as capable of performing social
norms everyday. For instance Stephanie’s boss may not have
considered her a good candidate for the cashier position as she
has a diagnosed mental illness. (Plummer, 2014) The stigma
around people with mental disabilities are that they are not as
constant, or reliable as non-mentally disabled people. The
positive side of the social construct of being labeled as disabled
comes from policies that deem it illegal to discriminate against
those with disabilities, and to allow for extra help for those who
need it.
While being labeled as disabled could be taken as a negative
blow to a person who identifies as disabled it’s important to
help reshape the social contract into a more positive connotation
in a person’s life. Being disabled can marginalize people by
limiting their physical activity, financial stability, and even who
determines how they make decisions. In Stephanie’s life her
mother being removed and mandated to go into assisted living
would have had negative impacts on her finial stability while
she was living with her mother. Her own self identify as
disabled may have contributed to her not going after a more
solid position at the store she worked at, as she may not have
had the belief in herself that she could be a reliable cashier.
This negative self image is common in people labeled as
mentally disabled. The result of her not going after a higher

positions had finically marginalized her, and created a
dependence on her mother that she was living with despite all of
the issues they were having. (Plummer, 2014) While she and her
mother were working with the social worker, it seems like
Stephanie was able to gain a little more control over her own
life, and become more self determinate in her situation and this
was a contributing factor in her ability to move out, and obtain
a more stable potion in her company. (Plummer, 2014)
Plummer, S.-B., Makris, S., & Brocksen S. M. (Eds.). (2014).
Social work case studies: Foundation year. Retrieved from
http://www.vitalsource.com
Debra Bravo
Post
Top of Form
The social construction of disability is one of keeping disabled
people in poverty and hidden from society. For example, the
help they get from the government is not enough to pay rent and
utilities or have a car. This leads to them having to live in low
income housing and use public transportation. This makes it
very hard for them to afford to get themselves to a college to
obtain the education necessary to improve their economic
status. (Adams et al,. 2013)
Disability can be defined as a social construct when
things like war, rape, disease, high-risk work, poverty,
inadequate medical care, stress and shootings can cause a
disability. Adams et al., (1023) states that “Not only the
architecture, but the entire physical and social organization of
life tends to assume that we are either strong and healthy and
able to do what the average young, non-disabled man can do or
that we are completely unable to participate in public life” pg.
483. The places we work expect an 8-hour day and don’t
consider that some may need a break every hour or just to be
able to sit down and do our job. Society has started to make
more accommodations for those who aren’t able bodied but
there is a long way left to go still. (Adams et al,.2013). This

relates to the perception of disability when we take for granted
that people with disabilities get a government check and
therefore shouldn’t ask for more help.
Am example from the Parker case would be when the daughter
Stephanie tried to commit suicide numerous times because
living with her mom was so stressful when combined with her
bi-polar diagnosis. She didn’t get help afterwards to find
resources to be able to move out and find help for her mom. She
felt guilty putting her mom in a home and that only added to her
stress. Her mom started to hoard and that was a sign of PTSD
type event and she was not helped with this either. Plummer,
Makris, & Brocksen (Eds.). (2014).
The intersection of Stephanie's mental illness with other
characteristics of her identity are that, she has a diagnosis of bi-
polar and is living on disability income with her mom. Her
family ignore the fact that she has tried to commit suicide so
there is no support from them. She would like to live on her
own but worries about her mom being put in an institution, she
wants to spend good times with her mom but they argue all the
time so she is living with stress all the time and this is not
making her illness any better. Stephanie identifies with also
being a caretaker of her mom and a young person who would
like to have a life of her own and friends to hang out with. those
intersections could serve to further marginalize Stephanie's
place and experiences in society when the social worker helps
her to get a good place for mom to live in and a place of her
own this will raise her self-esteem. The worker could also get
her into some sort of group so she can find new friends maybe a
bowling team and then help her to get training if possible for
her to work part time. Plummer, Makris, & Brocksen (Eds.).
(2014).
This marginalization impacts her ability to make choices, use
self-determination, and be an active agent with equitable status
in her interactions with other professionals when it limits the
time she can spend doing normal activities. When her mom has

so much stuff that she cannot invite friends over she feels
shamed and this lowers her self-esteem. When she doesn’t have
a job, and lives in poverty this lowers her self-esteem and when
she is afraid to leave mom alone for any length of time this
limits her ability to support herself. When her mental illness is
in a downward spiral she ends up losing her job or her friends
and this worsens her depression. According to Adams et al .,
(2013), “disability is socially constructed through the failure or
unwillingness to create ability among people who do not fit the
physical and mental profile of “paradigm” citizens.” (pg. 485).
Plummer, Makris, & Brocksen (Eds.). (2014).
References
Adams, M., Blumenfeld, W. J., Castaneda, C., Hackman, H.
W., Peters, M. L., & Zuniga, X. (Eds.). (2013). Readings for
diversity and social justice. (3rd Ed.). New York, NY:
Routledge Press.
Plummer, S. B., Makris, S., & Brocksen S. M. (Eds.). (2014).
Sessions: Case histories. Baltimore, MD: Laureate International
Universities Publishing. [Vital Source e-reader].
"The Parker Family
Laureate Education (Producer). (2013). Parker Family (Episode
30) [Video file]. In Sessions. Retrieved from
https://class.waldenu.edu
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