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CopyrightCopyright © 2010 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.© 2010 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.McGraw-Hill/IrwinMcGraw-Hill/Irwin

Chapter 3Chapter 3Chapter 3Chapter 3Building Goodwill

GoodwillYou-AttitudePositive Emphasis Tone, Power, and PolitenessBias-Free Language

Goodwill

Build goodwill through You-attitude Positive emphasis Bias-free

language

3-3

You-Attitude

Looks at things from audience’s viewpoint

Emphasizes what audience wants to know

Respects audience’s intelligence Protects audience’s ego

3-4

Five Ways to Create You-Attitude

1. Talk about audience, not yourself.

2. Refer to audience’s request or order.

3. Don’t talk about feelings.

4. In positive situations, use you more often than I. Use we when it includes the audience.

5. In negative situations, avoid you.

3-5

Talk About Audience, Not Yourself

Tell how message affects the audience

Don’t mention communicator’s work or generosity

Stress what audience wants to know

YourselfYourself

3-6

Talk About Audience: Examples

Lacks you-attitude I negotiated an agreement with Apex

Rent-a-Car that gives you a discount. We shipped your May 21 order today.

Contains you-attitude You now get a 20% discount when you

rent a car from Apex. The three coin sets you ordered will ship

today and should reach you by June 6.

3-7

Refer to Audience’s Request or Order Specifically Make specific

references, not generic

Name content of order for person or small business

Cite purchase order numbers for customers that order often

3-8

Refer to Audience’s Request or Order Specifically: Examples

Lacks you-attitude We shipped your order today.

Contains you-attitude The 500 red and gray sweatshirts you

ordered were shipped today and will reach you early next week.

Your P.O. 7823-N shipped on 11/04 and will arrive within five business days.

3-9

Don’t Talk About Feelings

Don’t talk about audience’s feelings

Don’t predict audience’s response

Only express feelings to Offer sympathy Congratulate

3-10

Don’t Talk About Feelings: Examples Lacks you-attitude

We are happy to give you a credit line of $2,000.

You will be happy to learn that your reimbursement request has been approved.

Contains you-attitude You now have a $2,000 credit line with VISA. Your reimbursement request has been

approved.

3-11

In Positive Situations, Use You More Often Than I. Use We If It Includes the Audience

Use you in positive situations Avoid I in printed text Avoid we if it excludes the audience

YOU

3-12

In Positive Situations, Use You More Often Than I. Use We If It Includes the Audience: Examples Lacks you-attitude

We provide exercise equipment to all employees.

I will schedule a due date that works best for my schedule.

Contains you-attitude You have access to the latest exercise

equipment as a full-time employee of RAC Inc. We will schedule the due date after we meet.

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Avoid You in Negative Situations

Protect audience’s ego Avoid assigning blame

Use passive verbs Use impersonal style

Talk about things, not people

3-14

Avoid You in Negative Situations: Examples Lacks you-attitude

You failed to sign your flexible spending account form.

You made no allowance for inflation in your estimate.

Contains you-attitude Your flexible spending account form

was not signed. The estimate makes no allowance

for inflation. impersonal

passive

3-15

You-Attitude Beyond Sentence Level

Be complete Anticipate and answer questions Show why info is important Show how the subject affects audience Put most important info first Arrange info to meet audience’s needs Use headings and lists

3-16

Positive Emphasis

Way of looking at situations Focuses on the positive Create positive emphasis through

Words Information Organization Layout

Half full or half empty?Half full or half empty?3-17

Five Ways to Create Positive Emphasis1. Avoid negative words

2. Beware of hidden negatives

3. Focus on what audience can do, not limitations

4. Justify negative information by giving reason or linking to audience benefit

5. Put negative information in the middle and present it compactly

3-18

Avoid Negative Words: Examples

Contains Negatives Never fail to return library books on time. Because you failed to pay your bill, your

account is delinquent.

Omits Negatives (Better) Always return library books on time. The account is past due.

3-19

Beware of hidden negatives: Examples Contains Negatives

I hope this is the information you wanted. Please be patient as we switch to the automated

system.

Omits Negatives (Better) Enclosed is a brochure about joining the MI

Retiree Association. You’ll be able to get information instantly about

any house on the market once the automated system is in place. If you have questions during the transition, please call Sheryl Brown.

3-20

Focus on What the Audience Can Do: Example

Negative You will not get your refund check until

you submit your official grade report at the end of the semester.

Better To receive your refund check, submit

your official grade report at the end of the semester.

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Justify Negative Information by Giving Reason or Linking to Audience Benefit: Example

Negative You cannot take vacation days without

prior approval from your supervisor.

Better To ensure that everyone’s duties will be

covered, submit your first and second choices of vacation time to your supervisor by May 30.

3-22

Put the Negative in the Middle and Present it Compactly

Put in middle of message and paragraph

Don’t put at bottom of page 1

Don’t list with bulleted or numbered lists

Make it short as you can Give it only once

Neg

ativ

e

Neg

ativ

e

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Tone, Power, and Politeness

Tone – implied attitude of the communicator toward the audience

Good tone Businesslike, not stiff Friendly, not phony Confident, not arrogant Polite, not groveling

3-24

Levels of Politeness: Examples

Highest: Would you be able to complete your report by Friday?

High: Progress reports should be turned in by Friday.

Mid: Please turn in your progress report by Friday.

Low: Turn in your progress report by Friday.

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Bias-Free Language

Words that do not discriminate on basis of Sex Age Ethnicity Race Physical condition Religion

3-26

Making Language Nonsexist Treat both sexes neutrally

Businessman = Business person

Woman doctor = Doctor Manning = Staffing

Don’t assume everyone is heterosexual or married

3-27

Making Language Nonsexist, continued… Avoid sexist job

titles Actress Repairman Chairman Salesman Foreman Waitress

3-28

Making Language Nonsexist, continued…

Use Ms. as courtesy title for women Use professional title instead (if

any) Use Miss or Mrs. if audience

prefers it

Determine proper courtesy title for letter address and salutation

Omit sexist generic pronouns3-29

Making Language Nonracist and Nonagist Give age or race only if relevant Refer to a group by term it prefers Don’t suggest competence is rare:

She is an asset to her race. He is an active 83-year-old.

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Talking about People with Disabilities & Diseases People-first language —

Name person first; add disability or disease if relevant

Don’t imply that disability or disease defines person

Don’t use negative terms, unless audience prefers them (deaf vs. hard of hearing)

3-31

Choosing Bias-Free Photos/Illustrations

Check visuals for possible bias Do they show people of both sexes and

all races? Is there a sprinkling of various kinds of

people? It is OK to have individual pictures that

have just one sex or one race?

Check relationships and authority figures as well as numbers.

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