Lecture 2

Collaboration,
Interpersonal
Communication, and
Business Etiquette
Learning Objectives
2.1 List the advantages and disadvantages of working in teams, and
describe the characteristics of effective teams.
2.2 Offer guidelines for collaborative communication, identify major
collaboration technologies, and explain how to give constructive
feedback.
2.3 List the key steps needed to ensure productive meetings, and identify
the most common meeting technologies.
2.4 Identify the major types of listening, describe the listening process,
and explain how good listeners overcome barriers at each stage of
the process.
2.5 Explain the importance of nonverbal communication, and identify six
major categories of nonverbal expression.
2.6 Explain the importance of business etiquette, and identify three key
areas in which good etiquette is essential.
Communicating Effectively in Teams
• Collaboration refers to working together as a team to
meet complex challenges
•A team is a unit of two or more people who share a
mission and the responsibility for working to achieve their
goal
•Some teams meet and work together in person; others are
virtual teams- working in different locations and interact
through one or more digital channels.
•Collaboration has become a core job responsibility.
•The productivity and quality of collaborative efforts depend
heavily on communication skills
Advantages of Teams
• Increased Information and Knowledge
• Learning Opportunities
• Boldness
• Accountability
Advantages of Teams

• Trust Building
• Increased Diversity of Viewpoints
• Increased Acceptance of Solutions
• Increased Levels of Performance
Disadvantages of Teams
• Groupthink
– Pressure to Conform
– Affects Decision Quality
• Hidden Agenda
– Restricts Interaction
– Limits Productivity
• High Cost
– Aligning Schedules
– Arranging Meetings
Characteristics of Effective Teams
• Clear Objective • Shared Purpose
• Full Engagement • Consensus Decision Making
• Creativity and Technical • The Needs of the Team First
Skills
• Mix of Skills and Abilities
• Open and Honest
Communication
Guidelines for Collaborative Writing (1 of 2)

• Select Collaborators (team members) Carefully

• Agree on Goals Before You Start
• Give the Team Some Time to Bond
• Clarify Individual Responsibilities
Guidelines for Collaborative Writing (2 of 2)

• Establish Clear Group Processes

• Avoid Writing as a Group
• Use Compatible Technologies
• Seek Feedback from the Team Often
Technologies for Collaborative
Writing (1 of 2)
• Content Management System:
– An application that is used to manage web content, allowing
multiple contributors to create, edit and publish in an organized
Approach.

• Wiki
– A wiki is a website on which users collaboratively modify content
and structure directly from the web browser
– Flexible Approach
– Open Access
Technologies for Collaborative
Writing (2 of 2)
• Groupware: Software that can be used by a group of
people who are working on the same information but may
be distributed in space including social networking tools.
– Shared
Knowledge

• Shared Workspaces: Online “virtual offices” that give

everyone on a team access to the same set of resources
and information.
– Intranets (employees only}
– Extranets (employees and outsiders by invitation)
Giving and Responding to
Constructive Feedback
• Offering Constructive Criticism (also called Constructive
feedback)
– Focus on the process and outcomes.
– Provide clear guidelines for improvement.
– Criticism with no effort to stimulate improvement is destructive
feedback

• Receiving Constructive Criticism

– Don’t get defensive or deny the feedback’s validity.
– Use the feedback to accept the quality of your work.
Preparing for Meetings
• Successful meetings start with Careful Preparation and
Planning Tasks
– Clarify the Purpose of Your Meeting (Informational or decision
making meeting)
– Select the Participants for the Meeting.
– Choose the Meeting’s Time and Venue.
– Set and Share the Purpose of the Meeting
(Agenda of the meeting).
Conducting and Contributing to
Efficient Meetings
• Keep the Discussion on Track.
• Follow Agreed-Upon Rules.
• Encourage Everyone to Participate.
• Participate in an Active Way.
• Don’t Interrupt
• Use Mobile Devices Respectfully.
• Close the Meeting Effectively.
Putting Meeting Results to Productive Use

Writing Meeting Minutes

– A summary of the important information presented and the
decisions made
– Format don’t matter much- take note of key information,
responsibilities etc.

• Address Problems and Opportunities after the meeting

• Act upon Action Items Discussed
• Distribute Key Decisions and important Announcements to
participants
• Responsibilities Assigned
Using Meeting Technologies
• Virtual Meetings
– Instant
Messaging
– Tele-
conferencing
– Video-
conferencing
– Web-Based
Meetings
Recognizing Various Types of
Listening
• Content Listening: The goal is to understand and retain the
speaker’s message.
– You may ask questions, but don’t argue or judge

• Empathic Listening: the goal is to understand the speaker’s

feelings, needs, and wants so that you can appreciate his or her point
of view.
– Avoid temptation to give advice, Don’t judge feeling

• Critical Listening: The goal is to understand and evaluate the

meaning of the speaker’s message on several levels. Such as logic of
the argument, the strength of the evidence, the validity of the
conclusions etc.

• Active Listening : Active listeners make a conscious effort to

turn off their own filters and biases to truly hear and understand what
the other party is saying. They ask questions for clarity
Understanding the Listening Process
1. Receiving or Hearing the Message
2. Decoding or Assigning Meaning
3. Remembering for Future Reference
4. Evaluating the Quality of Information
5. Responding to the Message
Overcoming Barriers to Effective
Listening
• Avoid Selective Listening (mind wandering)
• Avoid Selective Perception: leads listeners to mold
messages to fit their own conceptual frameworks
• With different Language or Life experience, try to
paraphrase that person’s ideas
What Makes an Effective Listener?
Improving Your Nonverbal
Communication Skills
• Nonverbal communication is the process of sending and
receiving information, both intentionally and unintentionally,
without using written or spoken language.

• Understanding Nonverbal Signals in Communication

• Non-Verbal Messages can;
– Enhance verbal messages when it matches words
– Weaken verbal messages
– Replace verbal messages
Six Important Nonverbal Signals
• Facial Expressions-Your face is the primary site for expressing
your emotions feelings.

• Vocal Characteristics-Your tone, volume, accent, and speaking

pace say a lot about who you are, your relationship to the audience,
and the emotions behind your words.

• Touching Behavior-Touch can convey warmth, comfort, and

reassurance.
• Gestures and Posture-Many gestures (e.g., a wave of the hand)
have a specific and intentional meaning

• Personal Appearance-People respond to others based on

physical appearance

• When you listen to others, pay attention to nonverbal

cues. Be observant
Developing Your Business Etiquette
• Etiquette refers to rules governing socially acceptable
behavior

• Workplace etiquette includes a variety of behaviors, habits,

and aspects of nonverbal communication.
Workplace Etiquette (1 of 2)
• Respect for Time
• Don’t Interrupt
• Watch Language
• Dress Appropriately
• Pay Attention to
Cleanliness
• Avoid Eating at Your
Desk
Workplace Etiquette (2 of 2)

• Respect Personal Space

• Don’t Gossip
• Don’t Come to Work if Sick
• Keep the Noise Level Down
• Don’t Discuss Religion or Politics
Guidelines for Using Phones in the
Workplace
• Telephone Etiquette Tips:
• Be Aware of How Your Voice Sounds.
• Be Courteous When Placing Calls.
• Convey a Positive, Professional Attitude.
• End Calls Courteously and Clearly.
• Use Your Own Voicemail to Help Callers.
• Be Considerate When Leaving Voicemails
Business Etiquette Using Mobile
Devices
• Your mobile device habits say a lot about how much
respect you have for the people around you

• Avoid the use of Obnoxious Ringtones

• Mute Your Phone in Meetings
• Talking Loudly in Public Spaces
• Unnecessary Personal Calls at Work
• Invading Privacy
• Taking or Making Calls in Inappropriate Places
• Texting during Meals
• Interrupting Meetings and Discussion
Business Etiquette Online (1 of 2)
• Electronic media seem to be a breeding ground for poor
etiquette.
• Guidelines to follow wherever you are representing your
company online.
• Avoid personal attacks: Don’t lose your temper, stay cool
• Focus on the original topic.
• Don’t present opinions as facts.
• Support facts with evidence.
• Follow spelling and punctuation rules.
• Maintain current antivirus protection.

• Ask permission before you start chatting.

Business Etiquette Online (2 of 2)
• Control language and emotions.
• Avoid multitasking during communication.
• Never assume you have privacy.
• Don’t abuse the “reply all” feature.
• Don’t waste other people’s time.
• Respect boundaries of time and space.
• Be careful with online commenting.
Business Etiquette in Social Settings
• Meeting Others
– Representing Your Company
– Introducing Yourself
– Introducing Other People
• Business Meals – business is conducted over meals
– Observing Dining Etiquette
– Starting Polite Conversations
– Choosing Appropriate Topics