Lesson 8

EXPLORE:
What if you were asked to speak about the things that make you good at dealing with
colleagues, what would your topic be?

COMMUNICATING WITH MEMBERS OF THE WORKPLACE

EFFECTIVELY
❖ Successful communication among members of the workplace comes to light when
they strive to develop interpersonal skills.
❖People come from different walks of life, so it imperative that every individual
strive to acquire skills for communicating and interacting with others
What makes an organization successful?
• One of the key factors is effective communication.
• Relaying information means using the appropriate language, tone, style, and
format.
• Communication in the workplace requires the same elements.
• You have also to consider the specific domain, sector, field, or industry to which
your workplace belongs.
▪ Professional communication requires that you use language that is most
appropriate to a given situation in your workplace.
▪ When you are in a meeting, assembly, conference, or a formal event, you are always
expected to use a polite tone.
▪ You have to address your heads, clients, and colleagues according to their official
titles or positions (e.g., Doctor, Professor, President, Justice, Honorable,
Representative, Ms., Mr.).
▪ You need also to learn how to craft an effective email that commands respect and
elicits a prompt response.
▪ Tone refers to the attitude that is reflected in the words that you use, in both writing
and speaking.
▪ Your tone may be sincere, optimistic, sarcastic, pessimistic, and so on.
▪ People usually respond to the tone that you use.
- For example, if you say “Sorry” with a sincere tone, then people are more
likely to accept your apology.
- But if you say it sarcastically, the response can be negative.
- There are a number of details that may reveal tone.
▪ One important principle underscored in the 2015 book titled In Search of
Excellence by Peters and Waterman is respect people.
- “Treat people as adults.
- Treat them as partners; treat them with dignity; treat them with respect.
- Treat them …. As the primary source of productivity gains” (238).
▪ Working in any organization means working with different individuals with various
personalities.
▪ Having differing opinions on certain matters are fine as long as these are about
professional concerns.
 Writing Memorandum
• When you send an official announcement, a directive, a guideline, or
a reminder to your colleagues within your department or across
departments, you will have to write a memorandum or, in short, a
memo.
• Memos may be used to:
- Formally document a verbal message
- Inform, notify, or update colleagues about certain concerns
- Request, remind, or recommend
- Serve as an introduction to specific document
▪ Consider the following samples:
Sample A
DATE: September 16, 2020
TO: Finance Department; Marketing Department; Operations Department
FROM: Human Resource Department
SUBJECT: Annual Performance Evaluation Reports
THIS IS TO REMIND YOU THAT YOU HAVE NOT SUBMITTED YOUR ANNUAL
PERFORMANCE EVALUATION REPORTS. YOU HAVE UNTIL SEPTEMBER 20, 2020 TO
FORWARD THESE DOCUMENTS TO US. IF YOU DO NOT MEET THIS DEADLINE,
THEN YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE ANY OF THE INCENTIVES EXTENDED TO
EMPLOYEES ANNUALLY. YOUR LACK OF COMPLIANCE WILL ALSO MEAN YOUR
INSTABILITY TO FOLLOW THIS ORGANIZATION’S POLICIES AND GUIDELINES.
For your compliance.
Sample B
DATE: September 16, 2020
TO: Finance Department; Marketing Department; Operations Department
FROM: Human Resource Department
SUBJECT: Annual Performance Evaluation Reports
Kindly submit your annual performance evaluation reports by September 20,
2020. We have extended the deadline to allow you to fulfill the requirements and
enable you to receive the incentives extended to employees annually. If you have
questions or concerns, please let us know right away.
Thank you for following our organization’s policies and guidelines.
▪ The language, tone, style, and format in Sample A seem to show an aggressive
and threatening tone.
- First of all, the use of all caps indicates “shouting” at the receiver.
- Second, the message seems to focus on what has not been accomplished.
- The word choice and language use may create an attitude of resentment that may
lead to demotivation.

On the contrary, the tone in Sample is more respectful as the word choice seems
to emphasize the receiver’s ability and willingness to fulfill the organization
requirements.
- This may encourage your colleague to do the expected tasks with more
enthusiasm.
Therefore, before you write a memo, remember that the elements of word choice,
language use, format, and mechanics have a powerful impact on the recipients. It
may destroy or nurture the harmony in the workplace.
 Sample Memorandum
999 Global Solutions 3rd Floor
Gateway Mall, Cubao, Quezon City
Memorandum Order No. 21
TO: ALL TEAM LEADERS ALL CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVES
FROM:MS. EVANGELINE DORIA Supervisor
SUBJECT: 52 TALK GLOBAL SOLUTIONS CHRISTMAS PARTY
DATE: NOVEMBER 12, 2013
__________________________________________________________
Good day.
This is to inform you about the scheduled Christmas Party that will be held at Marikina Convention
Center, Marikina City on December 23, 2013 (Saturday), 6:00 P.M. to 10 P.M.
With this, I am glad to announce that bringing of immediate family members to the event is highly
encouraged to enjoy and to feel the spirit of Christmas. Please give the list of names of your invited guests
to your Team Leader on or before November 29, 2013 for reservation.
Thank you and God bless.
One of the most important components of a meeting is its minutes.
Minutes are a descriptive report that provides an official written record of the discussion
done and decision made during the gathering.
In other words, the minutes of the meeting refer to the summary of the proceedings of a
meeting.
Standard Elements of Minutes
Introduction
1. Name and address of the organization
2. Type of meeting (special, executive, committee, board, regular, emergency)
3. Call to order: time, date, and presiding officer/s
4. Attendance (For groups of under 20 members, list both the present and absent
members.)
Body
1. Reading, correction, and approval of the previous minutes: “I move that the
minutes of meeting dated January 16 be approved as corrected”
2. Business arising from the previous minutes of meeting
3. New Business
a. Agenda 1
b. Agenda 2
c. Agenda 3
Conclusion
1. Announcement (including the time and date of the next meeting)
2. Other matters (new topics that may need to be covered in future meetings)
3. Time of adjustment
4. Name and signature of the minutes-taker and the presiding officer (e.g.,
Respectfully submitted by Moran Homa)
NOTE: The format of the minutes of a meeting depends on the pattern and style used
by the organization. If you are not familiar with the company’s format, refer to the
minutes of the meetings held in the past. However, if you think the format used is flawed,
you could make suggestions or recommendations for its improvement.

Guidelines in Preparing Minutes of the Meeting

1. Use the chronological order.
2. Minutes should be factual, brief, and free from editorial comments or subtle
slanting of factual statements. Example of an editorial comment is: As always, Mr.
Garcia rejected the proposition of Ms. Roces.
3. Capture the gist of the meeting. Summarize rather than transcribe.
4. Verbatim record is required for parliamentary points: motions, resolutions, and
points of order. Motions and amendments should be stated accurately including the
name of the maker. The name of the seconder of the motion should not be entered
unless ordered by the body.
5. During voting, the number of votes on each side must be entered.
6. Use the meeting’s agenda to guide you in organizing the information.
7. Focus on action taken rather than topics discussed.
8. Be objective. If someone who is your adversary provided an excellent suggestion,
include it.
9. Type the minutes while the facts are still fresh.
10.Put single spaces between the text paragraphs.
11.Place page number at the bottom of the paper.
12. All sums of money mentioned should be written in both figures and words.
13. Place corrections made in the previous minutes above the affected line or in the
margin.
14. Never discard the original minutes. If you retype the page, attach the original to
the revised one.

Sample Minutes of the Meeting p.80

 Writing Business Letters
When you write business letters, remember that you are communicating with people
who are busy.
- They expect letters to be brief, clear, and organized.
- Do not use vague words that are open to multiple interpretations.
- Avoid lengthy sentence structures that are packed with details.
- Use a polite and formal tone especially if you are writing an official letter and if
you are representing your organization or community.
- Look at the following samples with specific formats.
- The block format (all parts are left justified) is considered the most formal.
- The options are the modified block ( the date and the closing are towards the
center) and the semi-block format ( the date and the closing are toward the center
and each paragraph is indented).

See format: pp 82 -84

End