Topic 1 | Prepare for communication

1A Identifying communication activities, requirements and roles

1B Confirming communication objectives
1C Selecting communication methods

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1A Identifying communication activities,

requirements and roles
Clear and appropriate communication makes it easier to get things done at
work.
In a typical office environment, you are constantly communicating with others,
including colleagues and clients or customers. On an ordinary day, you probably do at
least one of the following, and probably more:
• Talk to others face to face
• Read and reply to emails and texts
• Make and receive telephone calls
• Attend a meeting or training session in person or via phone or video
• Give a presentation
• Write a report
• Fill in a form
• Update information on a database, intranet or website
• Post to social media and respond to others’ posts
Almost everything you do at work involves communication, whether you’re ordering
from a supplier, answering a customer query or persuading your colleagues to adopt
a proposal. That means your efficiency and effectiveness at work depend to a large
extent on your communication skills. Can you think of any tasks that don’t require
communication?

Example

Managing communication
Doug manages a team at a busy call centre. His role requires him to attend daily
briefings with other managers, and to speak directly with finance, HR and payroll
personnel, as well as the members of his team. He also deals with calls from
customers whose issues are escalated to him. He estimates that he talks to about
40 staff and more than 80 customers a day. His role also involves a lot of written
communication, including internal and external emails, file notes and departmental
and project reports. He is constantly communicating with others, both verbally and in
writing.

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Thinking about your audience

To communicate effectively, you need to think about your audience.
The first step in communicating clearly is to consider your audience. Is it just one
person, or is it a group? Is it an internal audience, such as members of your team or
your colleagues in other departments? Or is it an external audience, such as customers,
suppliers or a regulatory body? Is the person you’re speaking to a co-worker you know
well, or a member of senior management you rarely see? Are you writing to a supplier
you’ve been working with for years, or a prospective client you’ve never met? Your
answers to these questions will dictate how you express yourself – that is, the kind of
language you use, and how formal or informal you can be.
Your audience’s location is another important factor. For example, if you need to share
information with a colleague in the office, you might drop by their workstation. If you
need to share information with a group, it’s usually quickest and most efficient to send
an email. Sometimes a meeting is the most appropriate option, but you may need to give
others notice to make sure everyone can attend.
Other factors to consider include your audience’s prior knowledge, their literacy skills,
their linguistic and cultural background and any physical or cognitive disabilities they
may have. Do they have any special needs? You should also consider your audience’s
preferences: does the person you need to get in touch with prefer emails to phone
calls, or vice versa? All of these considerations will help you to decide the best way to
communicate.

Your language
Your tone, expression and choice of words should be appropriate for your
audience.
Co-workers usually speak informally about day-to-day activities, whether they’re
communicating face to face, on the phone or via email. In certain situations, though,
such as performance reviews or contract negotiations, the communication style we
use in the workplace tends to be more formal. Your supervisor may conduct your
annual review in a friendly, conversational tone, but such reviews usually have a formal
structure, and you’ll be asked to sign a form at the end acknowledging what you’ve
discussed.

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Communication with external parties, such as clients or customers, is usually more

formal. This is particularly true of written communication, especially when you are
discussing legal or financial arrangements. Some organisations have strict guidelines
about correspondence, and insist on formal greetings and signatures. You may gradually
adopt a friendlier, more informal tone as you get to know an external contact well, but
this depends very much on context.
The language you use should always be easy to understand. In a business setting, you
should choose plain, simple words and avoid long, complex sentences. Communicating
clearly and effectively will leave the reader with a positive impression; using technical
jargon or unnecessarily sophisticated vocabulary will not. In formal contexts, it’s also
best to avoid slang. And finally, workplace communication should always be inclusive,
avoiding assumptions, prejudice and stereotypes.

Tone

Whether you’re speaking face to face or talking on the phone, your attitude and
emotions are conveyed not just by your choice of words but also by your tone,
which is expressed via the pitch, intonation, volume and tempo of your voice.
The same is true of writing: the way you express yourself and factors such as
the time you take to respond shape the way the recipient interprets your words.
Using the wrong tone can confuse your audience, or send an unintended
message.

Technical jargon

Many workplaces use words that are particular to their industry. Almost every
job has its own set of special words and ways of describing things. This is
called ‘jargon’, and technical words are called ‘technical jargon’. Specialist
language can be useful when communicating with people who share your
knowledge, but it is best to avoid it when speaking to others from outside your
workplace, unless you know they’re familiar with these terms. You should also
avoid the overuse of abbreviations, as they can create confusion.

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Inclusive language

Inclusive language is free from words or phrases that reflect stereotyped or

prejudiced views. It includes everyone, regardless of their sex, race, cultural
background or other personal characteristics such as age, sexuality or ability.
You should always use inclusive, non-discriminatory language in the workplace.
For example, you shouldn’t start a letter with the greeting ‘Dear sir’ when you
don’t know if the person who’ll read it is a woman or a man. ‘Dear madam/sir’
is a better choice.

Your audience’s location

Sharing information with colleagues in the same room or on the same floor is usually
easy, but you should always be considerate of others. Some people don’t mind brief
interruptions, but many find them annoying. An email is sometimes a better way
to communicate, especially in an open-plan office, where stopping by a colleague’s
workstation for a quick chat may distract others around you.
Communicating with colleagues who are on the road or working at a different site can be
more difficult, and reaching customers and suppliers can pose similar problems. For one-
on-one communication, phone, email or video chat may be the best option. You’ll need
to check if the other person has access to a phone or computer first, and you may need to
contact them at a specific time, when they’ll be available to talk.
If you need to communicate information to a group, a meeting is sometimes the most
appropriate option. This may take some planning. For example, if you need to include
staff who work remotely, you need to give them adequate notice and arrange a phone or
video connection.
If you deal with people in different parts of Australia or around the world, you also need
to think about time zones, ensuring that you make contact during regular working hours
unless otherwise agreed.

Your audience’s prior knowledge

How familiar is your audience with the information you want to share? If they already
know a lot about the subject you’re discussing, you won’t need to give them much
background detail or define any technical terms you use, but when you’re sharing new
information, you may need to give your audience more. This might mean explaining new
concepts, defining unfamiliar terms, describing past events or decisions or outlining
future plans.

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For example, to remind your team of existing health and safety procedures, you might go
over them briefly at your regular weekly meeting. New information, such as important
changes to health and safety legislation, might be outlined in an email and then
explained in a special meeting for all staff.

Your audience’s language background

In the course of your work, you are likely to deal with people from many different
language backgrounds, both in Australia and around the world.
Australia is a multicultural country with strong international ties, so you are likely to
work with colleagues, customers and suppliers who speak many different languages.
If you are communicating in English, you need to take your audience’s English-language
communication skills into account. If the person you’re communicating with has limited
proficiency, you may have to adjust the way that you express yourself to get your message
across – for example, by speaking a little more slowly and clearly than you usually would.
Keep your voice at its normal volume, though – shouting doesn’t make you any easier
to understand. When you write, use plain English, avoiding jargon and technical terms,
and favouring simple words and sentence structures. Note that communicating well
also means listening or reading carefully, to be sure you understand what others are
telling you.
In some situations, communicating effectively means using your audience’s language
to get your message across. For example, if you’re the safety officer at a company with
lots of Vietnamese speakers, you should make sure that hazard warning signs and
posters about workplace safety are written in clear, plain language, in both English and
Vietnamese, to be sure that all workers can read and understand them.

Your audience’s cultural background

Culture shapes the way we communicate with others.
Culture influences our interactions with the people around us – how we look at each
other, how close we stand, how often we touch each other, how we speak to each other.
It shapes our ideas about status, gender, and the relationship between society and the
individual. To communicate effectively, you need to consider both your audience’s
cultural background and your own. How are they similar, and how are they different?
To get your message across, you need to negotiate these differences sensitively, showing
respect and courtesy.

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Here are some cultural differences you may encounter in the workplace:

Eye contact Many Australians see direct eye contact as a sign of respect, a way of making
it clear that someone has your attention and that you are open and honest.
In some other cultures, you show respect by looking down or away. Direct eye
contact is considered aggressive.
Tip
• Do not assume a person is being rude because they avoid making eye
contact with you

Touch In Australia, shaking hands is a common way of greeting a customer, client

or business associate. It has long been a tradition among men, and many
women now greet business associates in this way too.
In some cultures, touching others is not seen as appropriate, particularly in
interactions between women and men. Touching a person’s hand, hugging
them or putting an arm around their shoulder may seem friendly to you, but it
can cause offence.
Tip
• Do not show offence if someone does not shake your hand

Respect for In Australian workplaces, the relationship between managers and their
authority employees is often quite informal. Staff can generally communicate directly
with people in more senior positions.
In some cultures, strict hierarchical protocols limit employees’ contact with
those in more senior roles. When employees do interact with management,
they speak formally and are expected to show deference.
Tip
• Find out about the accepted protocols before doing business with people
from other cultural backgrounds

Gender In Australia, it is common for women and men to work together and to do the
relations same jobs. Some industries and professions are still dominated by female or
male workers, but there are no formal barriers to a woman becoming a miner,
for example, or a man becoming a nurse.
Workplaces in some other cultures may intentionally segregate the sexes, and
some roles may be seen strictly as men’s jobs or women’s jobs.
Tip
• Be understanding of co-workers from other cultures in which segregation
between women and men is common

Privacy Australians tend to be quite social in the workplace. They openly share
information about their personal lives and families.
In some cultures, talking about such things in the workplace is considered
inappropriate, and personal questions may be seen as intrusive.
Tip
• Respect other people’s right to privacy

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Taking Australians want credit for their work and achievements. This is considered
credit reasonable and appropriate.
In some cultures, insisting on taking credit for your work is seen as rude
and arrogant; the individual is a member of a team, and the individual’s
achievements are seen as the team’s achievements.
Tip
• Make sure that both individuals and their teams are given credit for their
work, and be careful about claiming credit for your contribution to a team
effort

Your audience’s abilities

If your audience includes individuals or groups with physical or sensory disabilities,
you might need to change the way you communicate to meet their needs. If you’re a
receptionist, for example, and one of your colleagues is deaf, you might email them
instead of calling to let them know that a guest is waiting for them at the front desk.
Other similar examples might be holding meetings in rooms with wheelchair access or
preparing a large-print version of the company’s procedures manual for staff who are
visually impaired.
You can also tailor the way you communicate for those with cognitive or learning
disabilities. Accommodations designed for employees who face such challenges often
benefit their co-workers too. For example, if you make a training video for an employee
with dyslexia rather than giving them a printed handout, you can use the video to train
other employees in the future.
If you work with colleagues who have physical or cognitive impairments, it is likely
that your organisation has already developed communication strategies to meet their
needs. It is your job to learn these strategies and use them consistently to support your
colleagues’ inclusion in the workplace. You may find that these strategies are also useful
in communicating with others outside your organisation. It’s up to you to establish what
your audience’s needs are, and how you can best meet them.

Your audience’s preferences

Have you ever had a conversation with someone who then says, ‘Send me an email’?
They don’t want to rely on their memory and prefer to have the details you’ve discussed
in writing, as a record or reminder. Others prefer not to deal with any more written
correspondence than they have to and prefer to keep email to a minimum.

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Such preferences are highly subjective. Some people like to receive detailed information
in writing before a meeting, so they can properly digest it and be ready to discuss
it. Others prefer not to read anything beforehand, so they can listen to everyone
else’s opinion before deciding what they think. Some people get a lot from onscreen
presentations, while others find them distracting and prefer to focus on what the speaker
is saying. Some people prefer a text to a phone call; others prefer a phone call to a text.
You will get to know the preferences of individual colleagues as you work with them.

Example

Considering your audience’s needs

Leila’s manager appears at her desk. ‘I need you to coordinate an all-staff meeting in
30 minutes. It looks like we’ve won that tender, and I need to let everyone know so
we’ll be ready to start as soon as the contract is signed.’
Leila nods and responds, ‘That’s great! I’ll get the conference room ready, and we’ll
get the field team to call or video-conference in. Will you brief Neil before or after the
meeting?’
Neil, the finance manager, is hearing-impaired, and Leila knows there won’t be time to
put together written information for him before the meeting.
‘I’ll talk to him now,’ her manager replies. ‘I’d like him to attend the meeting, but I’ll
also follow up with him afterwards. Thanks for reminding me. I think that takes care of
everyone’s needs. Well done!’

Thinking about context

Thinking about your audience is important, but you also need to think about context
– not just who you’re communicating with, but what and how and when and why.
For example, sensitive subjects, such as an individual’s performance at work, are best
discussed face to face, but official warnings about unsatisfactory performance should
always be given in writing.
Context includes factors such as:
• Your situation or setting
• The nature of the information
• The urgency of the information
• The response you need from your audience
• Your availability to answer questions
• Your organisation’s requirements

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Situation/setting

└ The situation in which you will share information with others often dictates how
it should be communicated. If the setting is a conference, for example, you would
prepare lecture notes, and possibly put together a visual presentation to accompany
what you say. If you’re training new employees, you might start by demonstrating
how to do a task or showing a video and then reinforce this information by giving the
trainees verbal instructions as they practise doing the task themselves.

The nature of the information

└ The way that you communicate depends to some extent on the nature of the
information you need to share. Simple information can be conveyed verbally, but
complex information is better put in writing, so that the recipient can refer back to
it. Highly confidential information, such as customers’ credit card numbers or the
details of commercial deals, should only be communicated by secure means that
cannot be intercepted.

Timing/urgency

└ If a message is urgent, it is usually best to make a phone call or talk to the

appropriate person face to face. You can follow up with a clearly written email or
memo to others who need to know. For example, if broken equipment poses an
immediate threat to health and safety, you should warn staff who use it without
delay and put a sign on the equipment warning others. It is only after the immediate
danger has been averted that you should write a report for management about the
potential hazard.

Desired response

└ Do you need a response? If so, let your audience know, and tell them how soon you
need it. Other people are focused on their own projects and deadlines, so you can’t
just assume they’ll get back to you straightaway. When you need an answer urgently,
make that clear. In such cases, it may be best to speak face to face or over the phone
rather than sending an email. Some people only check their email once or twice a
day, or even once every few days.

Availability

└ Communication isn’t a one-way street. Are you available to answer your audience’s
questions? If so, let them know how and when they can contact you. If you’re away
from the office, for example, but still available to take calls, make sure you include
your mobile phone number when sending email. If you’re not available, you could
include a short note at the end of your email stating the days you work and giving
contact details for a colleague who can deal with urgent queries in your absence.

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Organisational requirements

└ Most organisations require their employees to communicate certain kinds of

information in specific ways. For example, the minutes taken at a monthly meeting
might need to be circulated to all staff the next day. Such requirements are usually
documented in policy or procedures manuals. Guidelines for dealing with customers
may be outlined in a code of conduct. Some organisations also have protocols
determining which staff members can communicate directly with major clients or
regulatory bodies.

Example

Communicating complex information

Justin has just seen the sales figures for last month and is extremely concerned. The
situation seems urgent, so he calls his manager. When she answers, he tells her there
is a problem and begins reading out the sales figures. Justin’s manager stops him and
asks him to send her an email with the sales figures so she can look at them before
they discuss the situation. Justin agrees. On reflection, he realises that there are too
many numbers to take in over the phone. He also knows that his manager likes to
consider all the facts before discussing a problem with others. He makes a note of
it: next time, instead of calling her straightaway, he will send her an email with the
sales numbers first and ask her to call him as soon as possible to discuss them. The
situation is worrying, but it doesn’t qualify as urgent.

Communication roles
Your job description outlines the routine tasks that are an everyday part of your role, but
your duties don’t end there. You have another role to play as a communicator – several
roles, in fact. It’s important to understand these roles, so you can make a meaningful
contribution to your team and the organisation as a whole. Effective communication is a
shared responsibility.

Owner, producer and audience

Broadly speaking, there are three roles you can play at work: owner, producer and
audience.
The owner sets tasks for others. It’s the owner’s responsibility to communicate what they
want from the producer. In this context, ‘owner’ doesn’t mean the owner of the business –
it just means the person who decides what others will do or produce.

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The producer is responsible for carrying out tasks according to the owner’s requirements.
The producer is often part of a team and has to communicate with other team members
to achieve their goal.
The audience is the recipient of the producer’s work. It is the audience’s responsibility
to engage with the producer’s work, and sometimes to communicate their response to
it. For example, if your supervisor asks you to write a report and send it to the general
manager, your supervisor is the owner, you are the producer and the general manager is
the audience.
It’s likely that you play all of these roles at different times. You might even switch between
them in the course of a single day at work, depending on the tasks you are engaged in.
Which of these roles have you filled recently? Can you give examples from your own
experience? Which role are you most comfortable in? And which do you think is the most
important?

Roles within groups

In 1948, scholars Kenneth D. Benne and Paul Sheats published an influential paper called
‘Functional Roles of Group Members’ in the Journal of Social Issues. In this paper, Benne
and Sheats identified and named ten different roles people play when working on a task
as part of a group. Each of these roles has a slightly different way of communicating with
the other members of the group, as follows:
Role Description Example

Initiator/ Initiates the discussion, identifies ‘Rajit’s feedback justifies Jeremy’s

coordinator different ideas being discussed and proposal for a new process.’
brings them together

Information Seeks clarification/information ‘We need to find out exact pricing

seeker needed to solve a problem, fills gaps and availability before we proceed
with that idea. I’ll come back to you
all with that information.’

Information Communicates relevant, appropriate ‘It may not be as big a problem as

giver information to the team in an you think it is. The last five years
authoritative manner of data show that sales are always
down by a similar percentage in that
quarter.’

Opinion Encourages input and investment by ‘Cam’s idea is interesting, but it’s
seeker asking others for their opinions bound to have an impact on your
teams. What do you think about it?’

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Role Description Example

Opinion Makes quick assessments, gives ‘It sounds like a great idea, but I don’t
giver honest opinions, addresses issues think it’s practical. Customers aren’t
that others may want to avoid ready to move exclusively to online
purchasing yet, even if it means
lower prices.’

Elaborator Explores and expands on others’ ‘If we took Simone’s idea one step
ideas, drawing them together and further and incorporated Rashid’s
offering clarity suggestion, we could manufacture
the product more quickly and reduce
costs.’

Evaluator/ Evaluates ideas objectively and ‘Well, we’ve all had a chance to have
orienter clarifies the position of the team, our say and I think we’ve come up
establishing direction with two solid options. Tony and I will
investigate them both on the basis of
what we’ve agreed today.’

Energiser Motivates and encourages others to ‘Fantastic – we’re making great

contribute and remain focused on progress. Now let’s write down our
achieving the task thoughts on the problem and stick
them on the wall.’

Facilitator/ Facilitates team discussion by ‘Please find attached the agenda for
technician organising meetings and addressing the meeting in the conference room
communication needs at 2pm today. For those attending via
video conference, the meeting link is
below.’

Recorder Records ideas and discussion to ‘I can confirm that the following
ensure ideas and plans are captured actions were agreed to during this
meeting …’

How many of these roles do you play? Which one do you identify with most strongly? Are
there any roles here that you wouldn’t feel comfortable taking on?
These questions are more important than you might realise, because all of these roles are
crucial to a group’s success in achieving its goals. If you can identify gaps in your team
– roles or positions that need to be filled – you can take steps to fill them. For example,
it might mean taking on a new role yourself – such as energising others – or perhaps
bringing in an information seeker, opinion giver or evaluator from outside the team.

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Example

Communication roles
Kyle receives an email from his manager asking him to set up, facilitate and take
minutes from the sales team meeting today as she will be unable to attend. Kyle
responds to the email, confirming that he will do this. He then books the meeting
room, checks it has video-conferencing facilities for the field sales team and sends an
email to the sales team with a meeting link and agenda. Kyle tells the team that he will
be facilitating the team meeting today as the managing director is unable to attend.

Practice Task 1
Question 1
List five ways that you communicate with others at work.

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Question 2
Think of a task you do at work. How does it require you to communicate?

Question 3
Think of a typical day at work and give examples of when you fill the role of owner, producer
and audience. How do each of these roles require you to communicate?

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1B Confirming communication objectives

To communicate effectively, you need clear objectives.

Before you communicate, you need to establish your objective. It is difficult to
communicate effectively if you haven’t identified the result you’re aiming for. What
is it that you want to achieve? For example, if you tell someone how to do a task, you
want them to follow your instructions and do it correctly. Your objective is for them to
complete the task successfully.
Sometimes you might have several objectives. Imagine, for instance, that you have to talk
to a team member who hasn’t been performing well. You want to find out what’s causing
the problem, but you probably have other objectives too, such as helping them to find a
solution, or making sure that they know they can ask for support when they need it.

SMART objectives
Management experts often talk about setting ‘SMART’ goals: making your objectives
specific, measurable, attainable and realistic, and giving yourself a clear time frame in
which to achieve them. You can use the SMART principles to define and clarify your
objectives at the start of a project or task.

Specific Clearly define what you want to achieve

Measurable Decide how you will know when you’ve reached your goal

Attainable Choose a goal you know you can reach

Realistic Take your knowledge, time and resources into account

Time-framed Set a firm deadline

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Example

Setting SMART goals

Imagine that you’re the sales director of a small company. You want to cut back the
range of products your company sells so you can focus on selling more of your most
popular products. You decide to write a report identifying your company’s most
profitable and least profitable products as a starting point for discussions at next
month’s sales meeting.
Before you start work, you think about your objectives – giving your team the facts
and getting them thinking about which products to keep and which to cut. Then you
think about how you’re going to achieve these objectives – by researching, writing and
sharing your report. Your notes might look something like this:

Specific • Use last year’s sales figures to identify our most profitable and least
profitable products
• Write a report listing these products, including any relevant
customer feedback

Measurable • Identify the ten most profitable and ten least profitable products
• Keep the report to two pages, so the sales team will actually read it

Attainable • I have the information I need and can ask the finance manager for
help in analysing the sales figures

Realistic • I already have the figures, and there’s plenty of time to analyse them
• Block out one afternoon next week to draft the report

Time framed • Finish draft by end of next week

• Circulate the report the week before the meeting

Asking the right questions

When someone asks you to write an email or make a phone call, they should make the
purpose of that email or phone call clear. If they don’t, it’s up to you to clarify what the
objective is. To find out, you need to ask the right questions. Focusing on the desired
outcome is the best way to do this and will help you to structure your message.
Questions you could ask include:
• What are we trying to achieve?
• What result do we want?
• What response do we need?
• What do we want our audience to understand?

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Another advantage of this process is that it makes you more aware of the wants and
needs of others. It is important to consider what outcome the audience wants from
the communication. For example, if you are preparing to run a brainstorming session
to identify improvements to team processes, the desired outcomes may include active
participation by all members, innovative ideas, and suggestions for implementation. The
audience will want the opportunity to have their ideas heard.
Using outcome-based thinking helps you to be clear about this from the start. The
outcomes you are looking for become a reference point for you to evaluate your
communication during or after the exchange. You can adapt and adjust your message
throughout the process.

Example

Communication objectives
Enrico receives an email from his manager asking him to put together a ‘standard’
presentation about their company, products and history for her to use at client
meetings she is attending in the Middle East next month. Enrico considers her request
and realises he doesn’t have enough information to complete the task effectively. He
prepares questions for his manager about the audience and the outcomes she hopes
to achieve, including:
• Who are the clients?
• What is the focus of the meeting?
• How long should the presentation be?
• How much technical information is required?
• Do you need handouts?
Enrico requests a meeting with his manager to discuss the presentation to confirm
her requirements and the communication objectives of the presentation.

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Practice Task 2
Question 1
Explain why SMART principles are used when creating communication objectives.

Question 2
Consider what questions you might need to ask if you received the following request from your
manager: ‘Please invite all staff to a meeting on Friday afternoon.’

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1C Selecting communication methods

Your choice of communication method will largely depend on your purpose, as

well as your audience and their needs.
Selecting the most appropriate way to communicate requires judgement. For example,
conveying an important message to a team member via email is appropriate, but you
may decide to speak to them personally too, to ensure they have read and understood the
email and are prioritising your request.
The most appropriate type of communication depends on:
• The purpose of the communication
• The complexity and importance of the information you need to convey
• The preferences and needs of your audience
It also depends on an organisation’s requirements, which may dictate the approach staff
use to communicate in specific circumstances.

Comparing communication methods

It is important to be aware of the advantages and disadvantages of each
communication method.
Communication is more than just speaking and writing. Different methods have different
advantages, such as opportunities for non-verbal communication, and for two-way
interaction, including exchanging ideas, consultation and negotiation. There are likely to
be a range of communication methods available to you in your workplace.

Verbal – individual

• Examples: face-to-face contact, telephone conversations

• Advantages: clear message; direct and instant; provides opportunity for
interaction
• Disadvantages: inconsistency of message across similar exchanges;
message may be misunderstood if communication skills are poor; time-
consuming, no record to refer back to

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Verbal – group

• Examples: meetings, discussion groups

• Advantages: sends consistent message; provides opportunity for
questioning and sharing; provides chance for agreed approach
• Disadvantages: time-consuming; cumbersome; different personality types
can dominate or withdraw

Written – electronic

• Examples: emails, intranet postings, social media posts, instant messages

• Advantages: quick and efficient; sends consistent message; is visually
effective
• Disadvantages: cannot be sure message is read; message may be
misinterpreted

Written – open

• Examples: display notices; instruction sheets; system documentation;

reports, minutes or newsletters
• Advantages: sends consistent messages; provides a record; reaches a wide
audience
• Disadvantages: no opportunity for response; impersonal; cannot be sure
message is read; production time and costs involved

Written – targeted

• Examples: file notes, letters

• Advantages: can be carefully worded; is direct; allows for confidentiality; is
a clear record
• Disadvantages: too formal and impersonal; does not encourage discussion

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Presentation

• Examples: exhibitions, speech, small and large group presentations

• Advantages: visual as well as verbal; captures interest
• Disadvantages: usually one-way communication only; not always correctly
interpreted; no clear record; uncertain whether message is understood and
accepted by all parties

Choosing the appropriate communication method

How do you choose the most appropriate communication method for each task?
Sometimes you will be told what to do. For instance, your workgroup might use a certain
template to prepare minutes from meetings. You might be told to email these minutes to
other people or file them on the network drive, rather than print them out.
At other times you will have to make up your own mind. For example, should you send
an email or go to see the person? Should you write a formal letter or email? Is a detailed
report with an executive summary and recommendations required, or is a short two-
page update using a progress report template sufficient?

Ask questions to decide on the best method:

• Who are you communicating with? (Audience)

• Why are you communicating with them? (Purpose)

• Do you need a response immediately? (Urgency)

• Do you need a record of the communication? (Organisational requirement)

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Complying with organisational requirements

Organisational requirements may determine the method of communication you
must use in the workplace.
Many organisations have protocols or guidelines outlining how communication
with internal and external audiences should be handled. They may include the
compulsory use of:
• Letterhead stationery
• Email signatures including your full name, title and contact details
• Templates (for reports, customer correspondence, etc.)
• House style
• Formal language
• Legal disclaimers
You can confirm and clarify your organisation’s requirements by speaking with
colleagues or your manager, consulting policies and procedures or reviewing previous
communications.

Example

Responding to customers
Peta returns to her desk after lunch and reads an email from her customer service
manager. It says: ‘Mrs Bridge called and wants to confirm the price and installation
times for the curtains she wanted.’
Peta sighs. It is company policy to ensure that phone calls are returned by a call and
not an email, but Mrs Bridge likes to chat, and Peta has a very busy afternoon and
can’t afford to spend 15 minutes talking to Mrs Bridge. Peta quickly finds Mrs Bridge’s
email details and sends her the information she requested.
Two hours later, the customer service manager calls Peta. ‘I’ve got Mrs Bridge on the
phone and she’s upset that you haven’t returned her call. Did you not see the email I
sent you?’ Peta tries to explain, but her manager cuts her off. ‘We have the policy for a
reason, Peta. I’ll transfer Mrs Bridge through to you now.’

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Practice Task 3
Question 1
Consider the scenario in the previous example. Why do you think Peta’s employer has a policy
about returning phone calls?

Question 2
Identify two examples of how communication methods in your workplace differ between
internal and external audiences.

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Question 3
Your organisation has a culture focused on continuous improvement. You have identified a
process that could be improved to save the business money and time. You want to share your
idea with your CEO. What are two things you need to consider before contacting the CEO?

Summary
• Most work activities require communication
• You need to think about audience and context in order to communicate
effectively
• Your role as a communicator is likely to vary from activity to activity
• Communication objectives should be SMART: specific, measurable, attainable
and realistic, with a clear time frame
• Before communicating with others, you should clarify your objectives by asking
yourself what outcome you want to achieve
• To choose the most appropriate communication method, you need to consider
the purpose, complexity and importance of the information and the needs of your
audience, as well as your organisation’s protocols or guidelines

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