1.2

  Bovée and Thill define business communication in Chapter 1 of the tenth edition of their Business Communication Today as "a hybrid of social and publishing/broadcasting functions designed to move the company along in meeting its daily mission" (p. 6).

They explain effective business communication has five main characteristics (pp. 6-7):

• Providing practical information
• Giving facts rather than vague impressions
• Presenting information in a concise, efficient manner
• Clarifying expectations and responsibilities
• Offering compelling, persuasive arguments and recommendations

How does Writing for Managers differ from the modern business communication course?

This course is about written communication FOR, TO, and BY managers. So, this course concerns itself with audience – manager to the outside world, manager to manager, manager to employee, employee to manager, and employee FOR manager.

Moreover, because managers are part of the business communication umbrella and thus quite often engage in routine business communication that is indistinguishable from what the workforce as a whole is expected to engage in, this course focuses only on MANAGERIAL communication –– communication that is designed to change lives. Our subject will be policy creation and change, personnel development and evaluation, tactical and strategic planning, and putting effective strategies to accomplish such goals into words.

Activity:

You all have experienced the difference between EFFECTIVE managerial communication and such communication that misses the mark. Our purpose in this course is to help you recognize and avoid poor managerial communication. Briefly discuss one example of "a disturbance in the force" and what that breakdown in communications caused as a result.