Page 39 - Today’s Business Communication; A How-to Guide for the Modern Professional

28 TODAY’S BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

How can your message support your brand identity? We discussed
the importance of impression management in Chapter 1. You
should have an idea of how you want others to see you. You should
also have the self-awareness to understand how your audience will
likely perceive you as a result of your communications. Work to
make sure that your messages reflect a positive light onto you.
What effect do you want your message to have on the relationships
involved? The message and how you deliver it will influence the rela-
tionships between you and your audience as well as other relationships.
For instance, if the regional manager chooses to lay off two workers,
your message has had an influence on those relationships.

Given these four questions, how would you evaluate the revised email in
Figure 3.2? Please read the email before you move on to our take on the
email in Figure 3.3.
The email in Figure 3.2 is much improved, but is it truly effective? No.
Most people would probably say that this email is good, especially in light
of the original version. But, you shouldn’t aim for being good or merely
okay; you should try to be an authentic and polished professional com-
municator. The email in Figure 3.2 lacks real empathy and is inauthentic.
It does not directly address how profoundly tough the assignment will be,
and it is also needlessly filled with management speak. Most books will
give you a bad and a good version of its sample messages, but we don’t see

Dear Paul,
As you know, the company has decided to pursue a strategy of lean management. In an
effort to begin building toward our 5-year goal, I am asking you to do the hard work of
finding new efficiencies within your unit. Because you have proposed creative solutions
to problems in the past, and pursuing lean management will require creativity, I trust
that you will be able to deliver ideas for cutting 10% from your unit’s budget for the
next fiscal year. You have the option of laying off two employees, but I know that is
not what either of us wants at this time.

I understand that I’m asking a lot of you, and I am grateful for your willingness to
accept this challenge to move us toward a promising future. Please prepare a plan
and submit it to me by June 15. I am happy to offer you whatever assistance you need.
If you have any questions, or need resources to complete the plan, please reach out
to me.
Sincerely,
kristin
Figure 3.2 Improved email about 10% budget cut