Here are the links to the five posts I have decided to include in my Final Portfolio Submission.
Business and Organizational Communication Blog: Business Pitch Video (dylantcreations.blogspot.com)
Business and Organizational Communication Blog: Telling Tales: Meme (dylantcreations.blogspot.com)
There are many factors that are in play when considering the brand of a company. First, the logo they use may come to attract a specific clientele and can summarise what the company is about. For example, the image Polo uses (signified on their clothing and buildings) comes to symbolise the wealthiness of the brand. The theme surrounding the image has a deep past, where the game displayed was only used by rich people. The logo, in this case, partly reflects the quality and price of the products. The logo is not the only factor in the brand, however. The story of the company also plays a key role in branding. Its contents depict the company's history, who it is made for, and why you should buy the product. The story of the company is further reinforced through the use of social media, its website, and verbatim recommendations by customers. These two play the largest role in setting the stage for a company's brand.
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Who: Everyone should learn how to conduct and manage themselves during conversations with people of other nationalities. In an increasingly globalised society, we can expect people to be from different parts of the world and thus they will conduct business differently than people from a different culture. This is especially important for business leaders who travel outside of their home company, as they will be dealing with people from other cultures.
What: Learning about differences at work involves researching other nationalities and how their people conduct themselves in meetings and other business settings. This may range from eating etiquette to business cards to some knowledge of the language.
When: It is never too late to learn about differences in culture, and everyone should do it. However, it is especially important to learn the culture when there is an international meeting coming up, or when you plan to expand the product into the international market.
Where: Learning of the culture can be done anywhere, however, sometimes it is best learned through experience (travelling to the country you are interested in).
Why: If differences in cultures are not understood when talking with someone from a different culture, there may be detrimental consequences. For example, if a business slogan is translated into another language, and research was not done as to its translation, the resulting wording could have a different meaning than what was intended. There is the possibility to lose out on markets or potential business partners if consideration is not taken in learning aspects of the culture and language.
The work that I do has to have some motivation to it. When we are the builders of something, we can’t see that others cannot see it our way. This makes me wonder if motivations can change depending on the people. For example, in the ted talk, we did not see in which ways they are motivated. While some people are motivated purely by money, others do not place as much value on money and more on their enjoyment of the task and the pride that they take in their work. The overall value of the task (which could be defined by how much they like doing it) might indicate the effort that they put into the task. Similarly, other motivations may include pleasing another person, such as their employer, or putting value into the world (through possibly volunteer efforts). In this way, the effort and the enjoyment of it may not be as closely correlated as in previous examples. The value of something can also be objective, based on people observing someone do something. This brings to question: would an observer like something more when they see that a person (the participant) has put more effort into it? (even if the quality isn’t good). For my work, I am sometimes in charge of training new employees. If I see that the new employee is trying their best, I like what they do more than someone who doesn't care about their work, even if the quality is the same.
Leaders within an organisation carry a huge responsibility: to know the answers to all the questions that can be asked from them (or point them to someone who can), manage employees in a responsible and conductive manner, and maintain positive relationships with consumers (amongst much more). If they do not do this, the damages can be detrimental. In my workplace, I have seen my share of good and bad managers. What separated the good managers from the bad was clear and concise communication. In a supermarket structure (the sector in which I work right now) poor communication with customers could lead to a loss in their future business; when dealing with a colleague, this poor communication could lead to a loss in profit due to poor planning and communication strategies amongst all levels of the organisation. My boss told me a story that demonstrates this. During the Christmas holidays last year, he was going to place the order for the next day's stock. He assumed that the other boss (who was just starting her holidays) placed the order for this specific item, and so he decided to not order it, nor did he ask her because he did not want to bug her on holidays. It turns out, however, she did not order this item, and it resulted in roughly $3000 in losses over the next two days. While this was a short-term problem, imagine the implication had there not been any communication between these two bosses at all in the long-term. They would be putting their department's financial situation at risk, while also lacking to demonstrate one of the most important aspects of being a manager: knowing your job and the responsibilities behind it. I think an unspoken responsibility of being a manager is effective communication, and a lack of understanding of this concept may be holding many companies and individuals back from success.
Who: Concerns everyone, regardless of their gender or status within the workplace.
What: The topic concerns how different gender norms can be imposed on individuals at work in a condescending way. For example, companies might be less likely to hire young women for a leadership role, because they might be leaving for maternity leave (reference: James' presentation) or because they might not be able to lift as much as men in a labour-driven job. Yet again, there are norms that are set for women and men, because of the long history that can be associated between them. For example, the trades are a male-dominated field, with no women.
When: Gender differences and treatment have been going on since the beginning of work (especially with the rise of capitalism) and still occur to this day.
Where: Gender differences and their treatments can be found at many different jobs
Why: It is important to correct the gender norms that have controlled societies and workplaces for so long so that people of other genders that are not traditionally working in that field can feel comfortable doing the work that they enjoy. It should also help keep workers around longer, because they will feel like they are really appreciated in the workplace if they are not discriminated on the grounds of gender.
Attached is the link to my business pitch: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dGU0SxmtpT9VgSt9fIefY8JEuEQo3XnR/view?usp=sharing
This pitch attempted to convince viewers why everyone should join a sport. This was a unique experience for me, as I have never spoken about this topic to a large group of people before. I decided to choose this passion of mine, as it speaks to who I am as a person (my brand of sorts), and because it is relatable to my audience (university students). I decided to tell my story and how I started off in sport, because it shows a level of vulnerability on my part, making me more believable to my audience. Then I told viewers where they can find out about sports in our province, giving them an incentive to go see for themselves (word-of-mouth advertising). Overall, I am very pleased with how my pitch turned out, and I would certainly do it again.
Who: Avoiding conflict (and resolving it when it does occur) in the workplace is an important topic that should be taken up by all members of the company. It might be more important for people of authority who are trying to unite team members.
What: Conflict is not tangible but rather an atmosphere that is held within the workplace. It can be a disagreement amongst two or more individuals or groups of people. Resolving this requires teamwork on both parties, through cooperation, communication, and clarity.
When: Conflicts can occur at any time within the workplace, usually around a larger project.
Where: At work, in board meetings, in lunch conversations, etc.
Why: Resolving conflict helps people of a group to reunite and make the work atmosphere more positive. In addition, through tribulation, it helps the team to grow and bond, proving that they can work through any minor obstacles that may be thrown their way.
Stories have a time and a place at work. In a board meeting, such as the one pictured above, story-telling might not be appreciated. However, stories are an important communication strategy to convey ideas and events to other people. In addition, story-telling engages the heart, rather than the mind (which we are very much used to in this data-driven world). It allows people to bring out a different side of themselves in which they may not be used to at work, which can be a good and bad thing. However, stories must be told in a way that is conducive to the productivity of the meeting, conversation, etc. This is the difference between a good and bad story told at work. How could more story-telling change your work experience?
The image above not only retells the theme of humanity, but more specifically, captures the individuality of people through their varying opinions. It drives home the point that while there is a set of written and unwritten rules in the workplace, these rules can be shaped to incorporate story-telling as a way to convey information. I chose this image because its input depicts three very different opinions of story-telling. The verisimilitude of the image is very real, showing a picture of three humans (verisimilitude goes down with added captions, of course). The modality is using an image of humans to drive home the point about stories and to further reinforce the theme of humanity.
Who: It is more important for people higher up in the company or group setting who pose ideas that can shift the business trajectory, but it can be important for people of all levels within the structure. The who that the people are speaking to could be potential investors, bosses, etc.
What: Speaking authentically means to speak naturally and comfortably (being yourself). This can be done by rehearsing the speech and so it comes off as natural (not simply reading from a script) and being open to connect and hear from the audience. Having a passion for the topic that is being presented can also help in having a more authentic speech, along with possibly being more knowledgeable with the subject area. Coming off as being fake can have huge implications for the people you are trying to converse with.
When: Can be done at any time.
Where: Can be done anywhere.
Why: People who speak authentically are generally more accepted and believable among the people who are listening to them speak, and thus, people want to make speeches and conversations sound as authentic and 'from the heart' as possible.
In a work culture, people of authority should try to maintain supportive conversations with their colleagues and direct reports whenever possible. However, this is not always possible. Humans are prone to disagreements because of everyone's uniqueness and individuality, and thus, each person will have their own thoughts on a topic that is slightly different from someone else's opinion. Thus, these defensive behaviours are impossible to avoid in the workplace, but I believe that there are some solutions to allow for more supportive communication. First, people presenting a topic to someone else should be open to suggestions and convey that they are willing to do so. Second, it is important to remember that everyone should be treated fairly and with respect in the workplace. When people lord their position over someone else of a lesser rank (as highlighted in the chapter) it can make them feel insecure about their own job. Pushing back from this egocentric view by people of authority can help to make the atmosphere in the workplace a more positive place.
For this free write, I strived to reinforce the importance of unity within the workplace, while also respecting each other's individuality. I decided to have more casual wording and sentence structure, as this was a personal reflection of the topic. A generalisation of the topic to all sectors of work allows readers to connect and think back to their own experiences in the workplace, while narrowing into the traditional workplace, by assuming that most places readers work follow a traditional hierarchical structure.
Who: Anyone can change their linguistic style, regardless of the power that they hold within an organisation. This topic may be more important to people that have a higher, more important role in the company.
What: The Power of Talk concerns what one says, and how they say it. The what can be anything: a business meeting, a phone call, a conversation with a co-worker, etc. The how, however, concerns a variety of factors: what tone is used, how loud words are spoken, word choice and connotations, etc. The ways that one talks are largely influenced by the culture that they were raised in and are in now.
When: changing the way that one speaks can be applied anywhere. It can be applied to bosses, influencing them to see the side that is being presented, or talking more formally, showing them respect. It can be applied to co-workers of the same rank, where more personal discussion might take place.
Where: Generally, changing talking habits occurs at work, but it can occur in a variety of situations. It can occur when going to meet a significant other's parents, for example, or discussing a topic with a professor. It is important to remember that every relationship has a persona that is taken on between the two people. This persona will likely not be the same if one of the people interacts with someone else.
Why: Learning to change one's style of talking can have major shifts in acceptance among peers and coworkers, and can make them more likely to take the speaker's side. One example that has come up in recent years is learning to adapt to people's pronouns: asking people how they would like to be referred to rather than simply assuming. This can help to make people feel more accepted in a workplace, and allow it to be a place of work where all people can be comfortable and thrive. Additionally, word choice and tone can aid the speaker to influence the audience to take their side. This is important, especially at business meetings. Time, place, and setting are everything in speech.
I included this work in my Final Portfolio submission because its contents can be utilised in all communication settings, not purely a work environment. One's talking style is something that is not thought about often by people, yet it plays a huge role in one's interactions. I used a 5 W format for this topic because it allows me to break down each component. I feel like this was the best mode to get my point across; the other modes simply would not capture the complexity of the topic. The theme of humanity is repeated in this submission, by breaking down who needs to hear it, and how it can be applied to interactions with ALL people.
One idea in this chapter that stands out for me is reciprocity. We take a lot from people, their time, their knowledge, their money, the list could go on forever. Yet, most often, people do not reciprocate these actions with another. The most prevalent example for me is work-for-pay: people work a certain amount of hours, and they will get paid for the hours that they work. This is a very simplistic example, but it gets the point across that as people, we expect something for the things that we do for other people. Concerning persuasion then, we must think about other ways to reciprocate one's actions to us in other ways than money, because money can only go so far. Furthermore, kind actions show that someone cares about the other person; whereas money can be given to someone regardless of the relationship we have with them. If we were to increase reciprocity in the workplace, I think that there would be more enjoyment at the workplace, and there would be stronger bonding amongst the workers. The next step is how to implement this...
image source: Pin on Funny (pinterest.ca)
Although I agree with many of the ideas that Max Weber suggests, I disagree with one of his points: that the workplace should be impersonal. I really believe that this creates an environment of boredom and staleness; in addition, I also think that interpersonal work and thoughts are conducive to a more prosperous company. As humans, we are made to interact with other people. Giving people to do so in a professional environment may allow thoughts to surface that an individual may not have thought of themselves. Another challenge to the theories presented is Foyal’s thoughts of organisational communication. Although Foyal’s plan in running his mining company was successful, it may not be as successful in other companies. Each company’s business plan is different, and thus, this model can not be applied to all workplaces. For example, having only one leader would not be useful for a large company, because there are usually many different departments. One person can not run the whole company, simply because they do not have the expertise and time to manage everyone. From experience, I have found that a militaristic style approach to management is not the best way to run a business. It brings a mood of negativity to the workplace, which can run down the chain of command into the lowest workers, which can then be reflected to the customers (creating a negative image to the company). Workers in situations such as these may feel like they do not have enough freedom to achieve all that they would like to, which can lead to increased worker turnover due to unhappiness in the workplace.
Describing persuasion: The 5 W’s
Who: The 5 Main character types found in a workplace, and the person that deals with them. The person that is trying to convince someone else can be higher, lower, or on the same level as the person persuading.
What: Trying to persuade and convince employees of an idea. This can be as simple as trying to convince someone to do something (an example, a labour-intensive job), or trying to convince them to see your side on a new idea or goal for the company
When: does not seem to matter on time. This connects to what, as this and when are connected. When depends on what you are trying to convince
Where: in a workplace, specifics do not seem to matter as they can be generalised to all workplaces and settings within it. It can also be used outside of the workplace
Why: To convince employees to do something that way and/or see something the way that you want to see it. It may be small and insignificant, or big and company shaping. This can also be seen outside the workplace and can be used to persuade others such as family and friends.
Hello, my name is Dylan Tully. I am a first-year business student at Canadian Mennonite University. This blog documents all my free creations for BUSI-2080W.
