FOCAL POINTS - EXPLAINED

1. An example of a euphemism is to call an overweight person "full figured." The phrase

communicates the idea that the person is overweight without using the label of "fat" or
"overweight."
2. As mobile access overtakes computer-based access, some companies now take a mobile-
first approach, in which websites are designed for optimum viewing on smartphones
and tablets.
3. Audiences tend to tune out when they receive "me" messages. To make sure a message is
heard and understood, use the "you" attitude to focus on the other person, not on
yourself.
4. Collaboration (working together to solve complex problems) is an essential skill for
knowledge workers in every profession.
5. Constructive feedback focuses on the process and outcomes of communication. In
contrast, destructive feedback delivers criticism without any information about what went
wrong or how to improve.
6. Decoding is the act of interpreting the message, of changing it from a set of symbols to a
form that the human brain can understand.
7. Determining your audience's needs can be a tricky proposition. If the request is open-
ended—for example, "Find out something about the market for oversized tennis rackets,"
you may take some leeway in what you research. On the other hand, if the request is
specific, "Find data on the ProStar 110 racket," stick precisely to what was specified, the
ProStar 110 racket.
8. Dwelling on a person's failures does little but make the person feel bad. Since your goal
is productivity, the best way to criticize is to focus on how to improve things in the
future, not what went wrong in the past. Past errors should receive a lot of focus only if
they offer keys in how to improve in the future.
9. Effective communication helps businesses in numerous ways. While it does create
closer ties, and more persuasive marketing messages, it allows an organization to make
stronger decisions based on timely, reliable information.
10. Emotional intelligence is a measure of how well a person can empathize and identify
with others. Emotional intelligence involves both sending and receiving information. For
example, a person with emotional intelligence can notice when her audience is not giving
her their full attention. So rather than carry on without having a fully engaged audience,
the speaker backs off and waits to communicate her message at a more receptive
moment.
11. Few jokes travel well across cultures. Even worse, one culture's humor can be an insult
to another culture. So, it is a good idea to avoid jokes.
12. If one or more recipients of an email message don't need the information in your reply,
remove their addresses before you send.
13. In a low-context culture, precision is what matters. People in low-context cultures take
you at your word and leave little or no room for interpretation.
14. Instant messaging (IM) and teleconferencing are the simplest forms of virtual
meetings.
15. Intercultural communication is the process of sending and receiving messages between
people whose cultural backgrounds could lead them to interpret verbal and nonverbal
signs differently.
16. Nonverbal signals play a vital role in communication because they can strengthen a
verbal message, weaken a verbal message, or replace words entirely.
17. Not surprisingly, effective communication is key to cross-cultural and global business.
In addition, half of executives said communication or collaboration breakdowns had
affected major international business efforts in their companies.
18. Readers who encounter a well-organized message are encouraged to accept it because
they can understand it easily and save time in the process.
19. Strictly speaking, ethnocentrism involves judging a person from another culture by your
own cultural standards. However, since the standards of other cultures can seem strange
or illogical to outsiders, ethnocentrism tends to make those judging "outsider" cultures
feel superior to those unfamiliar cultures.
20. Successful writers pay close attention to the correct usage of words. They also seek out
the most effective words and phrases to convey their meaning.
21. Technology is an aid to interpersonal communication, not a replacement for it.
Technology can't think for you or communicate for you, and if you lack some essential
skills, technology can't fill in the gaps.
22. The "you" attitude is best implemented by expressing your message in terms of the
audience's interests and needs.
23. The medium is the form a message takes; the channel is the system used to deliver a
message.
24. The success of a meeting depends on the preparation of the participants. Therefore,
distribute the agenda before the meeting begins, being sure to allow participants
sufficient time to prepare for the meeting. Allow participants to review the meeting
agenda before the meeting begins. That way, they can have the option of doing some
preparing of their own for the meeting, which may include researching, compiling data,
or preparing documents.
25. The three-step writing process helps ensure that your messages are both effective
(meeting your audience's needs and getting your points across) and efficient (making the
best use of your time and your audience's time).
26. The topic of a message is its overall subject; the main idea is a statement about the topic
(the overall subject).
27. The way an audience responds to your message will depend heavily on your credibility;
that is, how much others believe that they can rely on and trust you.
28. Those who speak English as a second language often have a literal interpretation of
speech. Therefore, it is important to speak slowly and in some cases enunciate each
syllable of difficult words separately. Your listener will appreciate your effort and your
overall communication level will improve.
29. Try to gauge your audience's reaction before you write your message. If you expect a
favorable reaction, for example, you can be more direct in stating your conclusions up
front without taking time to build your case. If you expect an unfavorable reaction, spend
more effort building your case.
30. With the passive voice, the subject is often unnamed. This can be useful when you want
to avoid placing blame on someone. Using "Mistakes were made," a passive voice
sentence, avoids placing blame like this active voice sentence: "You made mistakes."