Chapter 7

Writing Routine Messages

 Chapter Preview
Audience adaptationThe You Attitude
Direct Order
Indirect Order
Internal Correspondence

Hynes, Managerial Communication, Sixth Edition. 2016 SAGE Publications, Inc.

 Audience Adaptation
You attitude = empathy with your readers interests.
Basis of the You attitude
An audience is never wrong.
Anticipate questions
Stress reader benefits
WII-FM Whats in it for me?
Avoid negatives
Will happen versus wont happen

Hynes, Managerial Communication, Sixth Edition. 2016 SAGE Publications, Inc.

 Direct Strategy: Good News,
Informative Messages

Opening: Big idea, purpose statement

Body: Supporting details, explanations

Close: Goodwill, action item

Hynes, Managerial Communication, Sixth Edition. 2016 SAGE Publications, Inc.

 Example: A Direct Request for
Information
State what information you want
Ask specific questions
Tell why you want the information
Tell where, when, and how to send the
information
Say please and thank you

Hynes, Managerial Communication, Sixth Edition. 2016 SAGE Publications, Inc.

 Indirect Strategy: Bad News,
Negative Messages

Opening: Buffer

Body: Reasons, Bad news

Close: Goodwill, action item

Hynes, Managerial Communication, Sixth Edition. 2016 SAGE Publications, Inc.

 Example: A Rejection Letter
Begin with a buffer (appreciation, compliment,
agreement)
State your reasons, background for decision
Deliver the bad newspositively
Close with goodwill

Hynes, Managerial Communication, Sixth Edition. 2016 SAGE Publications, Inc.

 Rules for Handling Negatives
1) Place negative information at points of low
emphasis
2) Avoid no or not when possible
3) Avoid words with negative connotations

Hynes, Managerial Communication, Sixth Edition. 2016 SAGE Publications, Inc.

 Internal Correspondence Formats

Memo
To: cc: your supervisor if contacting his/her boss
From: Can add job tile or other names.
Can sign your name on this line or initials
Subject: Directs the reader
Date
E-mail
Netiquette

Hynes, Managerial Communication, Sixth Edition. 2016 SAGE Publications, Inc.

 Guidelines for E-mail & Memos

Accuracy check all facts. Spellcheck.

Brevity use subheads, numbers, bullets.
Edit for clutter.
Clarity state purpose and topic in subject
line. Specify action items and deadlines in
closing.
Susan Silver, Organized to Be Your Best!
(Adams-Hall, 2000)

Hynes, Managerial Communication, Sixth Edition. 2016 SAGE Publications, Inc.

 Memo and E-mail Uses
Communicating to groups
Fixing responsibility
Communicating with opponents
Communicating with the inaccessible

Hynes, Managerial Communication, Sixth Edition. 2016 SAGE Publications, Inc.

 Letter Formats
Standard Business Style
Single spacing with in paragraphs
Double spacing between paragraphs
Block Format no need to indent for new
paragraphs
Keep paragraphs short.

Hynes, Managerial Communication, Sixth Edition. 2016 SAGE Publications, Inc.

 Review
Audience adaptationThe You Attitude
Direct order
Indirect order
Internal correspondence

Hynes, Managerial Communication, Sixth Edition. 2016 SAGE Publications, Inc.