SKL4A1 Business Communication Diary

Business Communication student diary

Student name
Saurabh Agarwal (S00606419)

(The boxes provided below should be expanded electronically)

Section 1 – Reflection on ‘writing diagnostic’ seminar

1.1 Copy your ‘news release’ from the week 3 seminar into the box below. In the same box, include the
comments written in class by your peer reviewer which relate to the 6 criteria for effective communication
covered in week 1 (‘practical, factual, concise, clear, persuasive and building goodwill’). State whether
you agree/disagree with your peer reviewer’s comments and why (150-250 words, word count not including
news release itself)

News Release:
I would like to address the media talk that has been around Toyota in the recent months. We had to recall a
considerable amount of cars back to the factory to deal with the hybrid system pump cooling problem; not
one of our best moments, but certainly one of the most necessary steps. I want to apologize to all our users,
shareholders, media, well-wishers, and the entire automobile industry.
Our goal is to provide good quality and safe cars to the customers, as we always have in the past, and
recalling these cars for modification was just part of our promise to the world, which is to keep the customers
satisfied.
We do not hesitate to admit that there was a fault in these cars, and as soon as we realized this we wanted
to fix it, not just for the new cars, but also the ones already being used, because that’s what we’re all about. It
was only fair to the users; they should not have any problems with the quality.
We want to assure everyone that our confidence in our products is high, and we are giving it our all to not
repeat these mistakes, and give best quality products and services to everyone.

Harssh Jagwani’s remarks:

 Too short
 Did not explain technicalities
 Did not give facts and figures
 Trying to be too persuasive

Agree/Disagree:
I partly agree and partly disagree with my peer’s remarks. I agree that my news release was too short; the
model release was almost a 1000 words whereas mine was only about 210. It would make the reader think
that either I did not have anything to say, or I was not interested in acknowledging the situation.
I agree that I did not give technicalities of the problem, and I should have gone more into detail about the
problem and what steps are being taken to solve them, also about how we realized there was a fault in the
cars.
I also agree that I should have provided more facts and figures, as in the model release, and talked about
how many recalls other carmakers have also had in the past, about how many cars we produce all over the
world and its normal that not all cars are perfect and a very small percentage of it has the faults not all of
them.
I do not agree that I was trying to be too persuasive with my press release. I was trying to remind the readers
that Toyota is all about safety and good quality and trying to reassure them that all problems are trying to be
solved and that we are reliable.
SKL4A1 Business Communication Diary

1.2 Referring to steps 1 & 2 of the ‘3-step writing process’ on p.125 of the course book, state how
successful you feel you were in:
a) ‘analysing’ the situation before writing
b) ‘organising’ the information
c) ‘adapting’ to the audience.

To help you do this, you can compare and contrast your news release with the model provided after the week
3 seminar on Blackboard (see ‘announcements’) (250-350 words) Please note: the terms ‘analysing’,
‘organising’ and ‘adapting’ should be interpreted in the way Bovee and Thill (your coursebook writers)
intended and NOT in a general interpretation of the words!

a) ‘Analysing’:
I believe I was able to analyse the situation pretty well, even as compared to the model news release.
Looking at both the model and my news releases, we can see that the purpose of both was the same,
which is to accept the fault of the company, apologize to everybody, state the steps being taken to
solve the problem and reassure the reader that the company still holds its policies of safety and good
quality.
As for the audience, both the model and my essay are acknowledging the same audience, as this is a
letter to the general public, no matter who reads it; whether it’s a customer, media, shareholder or just
somebody who is looking at the website.

b) ‘Organising’:
I think that the main idea in my letter is very clear, it is very straightforward. It begins with addressing
the problem, admitting the mistake and apologizing, followed by words to gain back the trust and
goodwill.
The scope is limited as well, as it does not talk about a vast variety of things, but just about the
problem and the reputation of the company.
The approach is very direct as it does not talk about anything else, but goes straight to the point.

c) ‘Adapting’
The main motive of the letter is to build back the credibility of the company. In the letter I have tried to
make the audience believe that the company realizes it’s mistake and does not hesitate to address it.
I tried to create positivity by talking about the company’s goals and laid emphasis on the benefits of
users of the car.
The style of the letter is conversational, it is neither too formal nor too informal, but it is like a normal
speech. The English is plain and not too difficult since it is a global letter available to read all over the
world, even the non-English speaking countries.
SKL4A1 Business Communication Diary

Section 2 - Reflection on ‘presentation diagnostic’ seminar

In the week 5 seminar you will make a video of yourself performing a presentation.
Please note: you must provide the location of your video file on the university video drive for section
2 to be marked e.g. ‘Tues class/David Christopher’s class > Camera 1>003)

Location of your presentation on university video drive: Fall 2013/Ying Liu/Camera 2(Alessandra’s
group/mov006

2.1 (before the presentation)

At the beginning of the week 4 seminar, you will use the PAIBOC acronym (‘Purpose, Audience, Information,
Benefits, Objections, Context’) to prepare notes for the presentation diagnostic in the week 5. Transfer any
notes you made during this week 4 seminar into the box below (250-350 words).

Purpose’:
The purposes could be major and minor. Major purposes would be selling the product and increasing
customer database, whereas minor purposes would be building goodwill for the company.

‘Audience’:
The type of audience needs to be analysed before any sales communication, as there are different types of
audiences, like cultural differences, their knowledge level etc.

‘Information’:
This means that the content of the speech/presentation/communication should be clear and accurate, and
the speaker should be able to explain it properly.

‘Benefits’:
These refer to the benefits that the seller or buyer will get from the product. These should be stated very well
as it will interest the listener.

‘Objections’:
The speaker should try and evaluate the negative aspects of the product, and should prepare an acceptable
answer if anything is asked about them. He should try to predict the questions and be well prepared.

‘Context’:
This refers to the situation in which the communication is being done. It could be the relationship between the
speaker and listener, or time and place, emotions, etc.

2.2 (after the presentation)

Watch your presentation video again. Referring to the PAIBOC acronym, in your opinion how well did you:

 supply appropriate ‘Information’?

 communicate the ‘Benefits’ ? (to the purchasing manager, not to the end-user or consumer)
 anticipate or deal with ‘Objections’ from the audience (if any were made)?

Provide specific examples from your presentation, (referenced to the minute so that we can cross-check), to
support your judgement (150 – 250 words)
SKL4A1 Business Communication Diary

‘Information’
In my opinion, I was able to supply appropriate information about the product I was trying to sell, which was a
lighter. The information included different features of the product, background of the company, manufacturing
process, availability of product and price. The information was adequate and included all major and minor
points needed for a sale.

‘Benefits’
All the benefits of the products were mentioned in the short presentation. As for the purchasing manager, the
retail price and wholesale price was mentioned, and since the wholesale price was much lesser it would be
beneficial for the purchasing manager. Also, production of the product was rapid and 10000 units were being
made daily, so dispatch was available immediately.

‘Objections’
The audience asked us two questions about the product. The first was what were the different colours in
which the product was available and we answered this question without any hesitation, as it was clear that
this was a custom made product therefore available in all colours. The second was where was the product
being manufactured, and the answer was UK. Therefore, there was no difficulty with the objections.

2.3 According to Motley, whether we have a ‘performance’ orientation or a ‘communication’ orientation

depends much on our early experiences of public speaking; if we felt we were being ‘evaluated’ in our
public speaking in our childhood, then this might very well lead to a ‘performance’ orientation.

In this section tell us briefly about one of your early experiences of speaking in public and state whether you
feel this has led to ‘performance’ or ‘communication’ orientation in your own case. (100-150 words).

(Please note, there is no right or wrong answer here, although we do expect you to show understanding of
what is meant by a ‘performance’ or ‘communication’ orientation!)

Some of early experiences have been giving presentations to large classes, and giving speeches at high
school festivals. I had the opportunity to speak in public at least once in a week. Speaking so regularly
made me confident about my public speaking ability, and I am not afraid of speaking in front of a large
crowd of people.
I believe I lie on the communication side of the index. Since performance orientation is for those who
hesitate to speak or do not know what to say.
I have the ability to speak in public even though I am not prepared, as I can come up with quick ideas while
speaking. But there are some improvements that I need to make communication wise, and they are not
taking long pauses, stammering if I cannot think of a point, or be overconfident.

2.4 According to Motley, WHICH of the techniques and strategies below are not advisable when giving a
presentation? Explain WHY he maintained this. Also, for two of the points state whether you agree with him
(200 words)

 Memorising what you want to say

 Use of visuals
 A carefully planned structure
 Relaxation techniques beforehand
 Focusing on body language
 Focusing on aspects of your voice
SKL4A1 Business Communication Diary
Motley says that ‘Memorising what you want to say’; ‘Focusing on body language’ and ‘Focusing on
aspects of your voice’ are not advisable when giving a presentation. He believes so because if one tries to
memorize what they have to say then there is high chance that they might forget it at the time of the
presentation, or mix it up with something else, or simply just go blank. Also, there should be minimum focus
on body language and aspects of voice because paying attention only to these will result in the speaker
becoming too cautious, which will not be good for the presentation.

I agree that ‘Use of visuals’ is important for a presentation as it keeps the audience interested. If the slides
just have a lot of words on them, or just stats, then the readers lose interest. Use of different colours,
animations, just a few bullet points, and good pictures enhances a presentation.
I also agree that a carefully planned structure is also very important as this ensures that there is a flow in
the presentation and it is not only easier for the presenter to present, but also for the audience to
understand.

Section 3 - Choice of real-life communication task/researched analysis

In week 7, you are required to describe and analyse a real-life communication task from your personal
experience which corresponds broadly to one of the three previous diagnostic areas in the sections above.
The communication task should relate to one or the following:

 a situation/event in the recent past

 a current on-going situation/event
 an upcoming situation/event

It should also be a communication task which you find/found challenging.

Your choice of task should be through negotiation with your tutor in the week 5 seminar, but it is worth
thinking about this beforehand. A ´menu´ of possible examples appears below, but there may be others you
feel are more relevant to yourself.

Retrospective (in the past):

 Recent written correspondence you had with a goods or service-provider (e.g. a complaint to
landlord, shop, or online business)
 A presentation you delivered recently in a seminar, or event where you had to speak publicly
 Recent correspondence with your tutor, Programme Director, University admissions office etc.
 An application you made for an internship, or position of work
 A recent teamwork experience which you feel was problematic
 A misinterpretation of an email which led to a dispute

Current or prospective (upcoming):

 A difficult piece of written correspondence you are required to write

 An upcoming presentation in a seminar
 A current teamwork experience which you feel is problematic
 An application you made for an internship, or position of work

3.1 In this box describe the communication task as fully as possible, providing the context and inserting
(anonymised where appropriate) documents in the case of written correspondence (150-250 words)
A few years back I did an internship in a plywood manufacturing company. The internship involved me going
to different wood markets and vendors and finding out what they think about our company, without letting
them know that I am actually a representative of the company itself. This included getting information out of
SKL4A1 Business Communication Diary
them like the brand image, our status in the market, quality and after sales services, where we stand in
relation to other companies in the same industry, and what they think about the price of our products. This
information would help the company to know what the vendors actually say to normal customers, whether
they promote our brand or not, and then based on this information we could make changes to certain things
that required amendment. This was first hand knowledge of the market as it was actually directly from the
vendors to the company but without them knowing that this is just a market survey by the company.

3.2 Describe what you find/found challenging about the situation (75-150 words)
The most challenging part of the task was getting as much information out of the vendors as possible without
letting them know that I am a representative of the company. For this, I had to tell them that I am a student
who has just moved to the city to study, and I am looking for furniture for my new apartment. And then I had
to twist my words in such a way that he ended up talking about our company and telling me what he thinks
about us. Also I had to judge whether he was just biased towards a particular company therefore
manipulating his words or he was actually saying the truth.

3.3 Referring to your course book or other Business Communication sources from the library or library
databases, identify 3 principles or ‘best practice’ tips which can be applied to the communication task you
have chosen (Use Harvard referencing to acknowledge your sources. (200 – 250 words)
Don’t force a specific outcome by skewing your research: this principle can be applied here because when I
went into the market to conduct the survey I did not know what kind of results I would achieve, whether
positive or negative. Some of the vendors even refused to talk about companies and only tried to sell what
the product from which they received the best profit margin. Therefore, I agree with this principle and it was
valid in my communication task.

Don’t misrepresent who you are or what you intend to do with the research results: Although this would be
the ethical thing to do, my communication task involved doing the exact opposite of this. I manipulated the
shopkeeper’s and vendor’s image about me by telling him that I am a student who is looking to purchase
furniture, instead of saying the truth that this was a market survey conducted by the company in order to find
out the brand image. I partly agree to this principle and partly disagree although some research techniques
used by companies may be unethical, they are absolutely vital in order for the company to conduct their
surveys and collect accurate and true data and information from the market and different people.

Don’t extract more from your sources than they actually provide: my communication task went against this
principle as the main motive was to extract as much information as possible in order to gather enough data.

Business Communication Today - Global Edition. [e-book] Pearson. p. 352, 353.

http://app.kortext.com/read/2771/? [Accessed: 4 Dec 2013].
SKL4A1 Business Communication Diary

Section 4 - Team diagnostic

(In the week 8 seminar you will make a video of yourself performing a team task. Please note: you must
provide the location of your video file on the university video drive for section 4 to be marked e.g.
‘Wednesday class/Fatimah Khan > Camera 4>003)

Location of your team task on university video drive: W:\video\Business comms SKL4A1\Fall 2013\YING LIU\
Team Diagnostic/MOV001

4.1 After completing the Belbin Self-perception team role inventory, note down the 2-3 dominant team
roles for each of the team members who completed the diagnostic task with you

Each of the team members was assigned a different role in order to build the bridge. One person had to roll
up all newspapers to make the columns, one would keep the cello tape ready in order to tape the rolled up
newspaper, one would be ready with scissors to cut the cello tape, two people were collecting the rolled up
and taped newspaper and comparing them in sizes, and everyone was jointly contributing in ideas for the
structure of the bridge. We also made a football out of the newspapers.

4.2 Watch the video of your team performing the task again.

EITHER
 Note down any examples of the team members’ behaviour which you feel support or contradict
Belbin’s team role descriptions (150- 250 words)
OR
 if you feel there is no evidence of Belbin’s team role descriptions suggest why you feel this might be
the case (150-250 words)

After evaluation of the Belbin self-analysis test, the following is derived:

Saurabh: more of an implementer and co-ordinator. Implementer because even though the task was
something new and never done before, I did not hesitate to take part and give my opinion and get everything
worked out as quickly as possible and effectively. Co-ordinator because I was making sure everything is
playing a role and has something to do, so that there is equal contribution.

Harssh: he was a team worker and co-ordinator as he gelled along well with the team and played his part. He
did what he was asked to do and made sure he work was acceptable.

Bettina: she was a shaper and as she was the main leader of the group giving out instructions and handing
out roles to everyone and making sure everything was being done and everyone had a role to play.

Shiv: he was a team worker as he was doing what he was being told to do and did his work correctly and
quick. He also helped other members with their jobs.
SKL4A1 Business Communication Diary

Section 5 – Response to tutor’s feedback

In this box you should respond to any feedback which your tutor has given you for sections 1-4.

I agree with the feedback received from the tutor: the press release should have been more in detail and it
was short. It could have been longer as the main purpose was to develop a sense of reliability in Toyota and
with such a wide base of customers, Toyota’s press release would have been longer.

I agree, more emphasis should have been made to the end consumer.

Yes, I believe it was successful in building credibility amongst the existing customers and Toyota’s retailers
as the press release noted that they realized their mistakes and were ready to repair the cars.

I would also publish the press release in different languages for people all over the world.

Sections 3 and 4 are more forms of personal communication rather than public communication. Therefore,
more emphasis has been laid on personal views rather than being diplomatic.

Keeping in mind the feedback received for sections 1 and 2, I have written sections 3 and 4 in much more
detail so that the reader knows precisely what I am trying to communicate and references have been used.

Do not use section 5 to insert uncompleted or revised work from sections 1-4. Any additions or revisions
to sections 1-4 should be inserted in sections 1-4 directly..