Timothy Brown

ENG/135

April 9, 2018

Dr. Dean Dowling

Everyone has had to write something for work, whether it’s a report that had to be filled out or a presentation that needed to be given to everyone in your department. This can be a daunting task if you’re not prepared or don’t follow through with proper writing techniques. What you’re writing will be seen by many others and possibly by those in positions above you so, it’s best to put your best foot forward when writing at work.

Information overload

Information is crucial in business and in just about everything you do in life. Too little information and you’ll end up making a misinformed decision that could cost you dearly. Another problem is information overload which can be almost as bad as too little information. I’ve been there on both ends of that spectrum and have found that the information overload was probably the worst of the two problems. While I was in the military, we would get briefed on everything, and at times it would get to be a bit too much. Sitting there in a room listening to a presentation that drones on with too much information can leave you bored, unable to pay attention, and questioning the reasoning behind the presentation. I once sat in a presentation that went on for hours and had very little to do with my job scope in the operation. It was necessary for me to have a majority of the information but it didn’t need to be as detailed as the presentation that I received that afternoon. By the end of the presentation when the presenter finally got to the part that had to do with my team, we were bored and having a hard time paying attention to what the presenter was trying to tell us. We got the information we needed but at the same time if it had been presented properly it wouldn’t have taken almost two hours and we would’ve gotten the information necessary while still being able to remain focused for the entire presentation.

Crucial elements of electronic communication1

Communicating electronically or on a mobile platform can present a variety of different problems that can become very large problems in a workplace setting. The biggest issue with electronic communication is the ease at which it can be misinterpreted by the individuals reading the message. This can be a hard thing to get around but by paying attention to what you are sending and rereading it before you send it the chances of this happening can be lowered greatly. Depending on the message you are trying to convey it is important to set the proper tone for the message and keep it simple. You should try to stick to the basics of the message and put in the necessary information and try to leave out the filler. You don’t want them to miss the message you are trying to convey, and you also don’t want them to not get the point of the message either. It’s a tricky task presenting the necessary information in a way that it won’t be misunderstood and the reader will get the idea behind the message immediately.

Proofreading. One of the most important and most overlooked parts of communicating in written or digital form is proofreading your work. Everyone has their own method and as long as you get the job done there really is no set way you should go about it. When I’m writing, there are a couple of different things that I do when editing and proofing my work that helps me to put my best work forward. One technique that I use is to proof and edit as I write which helps me to continue writing without worrying about my previous paragraph. As I finish a paragraph, I go over it and check the writing, spelling, and flow of the sentences. After I complete the paper, I go back through the paper to double check everything I’ve done and to check the flow of the paper again. By editing and proofing as I go, it cuts down on the amount of time I have to spend editing after the paper is complete and allows me to continue writing the paper without worrying about my previous paragraphs. There is no wrong way to edit and proof your work unless you skip the process all together then you are definitely doing the wrong thing.

Adapting to your audience. When writing one of the hardest parts of the process is adapting the message to your audience and understanding how they will receive your message. Crafting your message is important so that the proper tone and ideas come through the message. To do this, you must understand the information you are trying to convey and be able to put it into terms and tone that the reader will understand. The best way to do this is to simplify the message to get the important points and limit the chances of misinterpretation from your writing. This takes practice and a clear understanding of what you’re writing so take your time when crafting a message so that the information comes across clear and concise.

Best practices. Everyone has to communicate with people in both their personal and business life and doing this takes practice. The first element to proper communication is listening. If you can’t listen and pay attention to what someone is saying, then you’re going to be lost in the conversation and unable to communicate effectively. People hear what other people say but we rarely listen to what someone is saying, and that can hurt you when you’re communicating. Keeping eye contact, paying attention, and understanding what they are saying are the most important elements to communicating. Once you can listen properly, then you can communicate effectively because you’re armed with the necessary information to continue the conversation and make it as productive as possible.

Conclusion. Communicating effectively takes a lot of practice and work, but it can be very rewarding in the long run. Paying attention to what you’re writing and understanding the information is crucial to being able to communicate effectively when writing for work or personal. Using the correct listening, writing, and proofing techniques will enable you to communicate effectively and set a positive example for the other people in your workplace as well as your managers.