MPE 102 COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Management Excellence
Since 1961
COMMUNICATION SKILLS
FOR MANAGERS
MPE 003/102
Acquiring
best management
practices
and imbibing
the ideals and values
of professional
management
NIGERIAN INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT
(CHARTERED)
MANAGEMENT PROFESSIONAL EXAMINATION

(MPE I)
COMMUNICATION SKILLS
FOR MANAGERS
(MPE 003/102)
For more information, please contact:
Nigerian Institute of Management (Chartered)

Management House
Plot 22, Idowu Taylor Street
Victoria Island – Lagos
P.O.Box 2557Lagos
Tel: 01-2701017, 2705928
Website: www.managementnigeria.org, e-mail:managementedu@managementnigeria.org
VISION: To be the source and symbol of Management Excellence
COMMUNICATION SKILLS FOR MANAGERS PAGE

1
COMMUNICATION SKILLS FOR MANAGERS
CONTENTS
CHAPTER TOPICS
PART I
1 ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION PROCESS
PART II
WRITTEN COMMUNICATION
2 Art of Good Writing
3 Reading Skills
4 Reporting
5 Preparation of Summaries / Note Taking / Making
6 Organising Meetings and Writing Effective Minutes
7 Correspondences
8 Preparation of Curriculum Vitae
9 Writing Applications
10 Fundamentals of Speech-Writing
PART III
ORAL COMMUNICATION
11 Effective Listening
12 Telephone Communication
13 Conducting and Attending Interviews
14 Giving Directives
15 Organisational of Idea-Sharing Events (Conferences, Seminars,
Lectures, Workshops, Fora and Retreats)
PART IV
16 Public Relations
17 Media Relations Essentials
18 Media Conference, Media Announcement, Broadcast,
Interview and House Organs
PART V
19 AUDIO VISUAL AIDS

2
PART I
ORGANIZATIONAL
COMMUNICATION
PROCESSES

3
CHAPTER 1
COMMUNICATION IN AN ORGANISATION
PART A
IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNICATION:
Although Communication is not one of the criteria that biologists outlined for living organisms, indeed it is. Take the
case of a pregnancy in which the pregnant woman or anyone had not seen or touched the baby before, yet the
pregnant woman has a feeling while the baby reacts to external factors. For example, if the pregnant woman positions
herself in a way to inconvenience the baby or she wears a tight dress, the baby would protest until the woman would
either remove or adjusts thedress. In the alternative, the pregnancy may adjust itself. That is to show that we start
communication from the womb and that “all human actions take place in crossfire of information.” Although up till
now, Management literature has not considered communication as a function, it has always listed it as a skill. Today,
its importance and role of communication are over-riding and all pervading in management practice. Indeed, all the
functions of Management (Planning, Organising, Commanding, Co-ordinating, Controlling, Integrating and
Measurement) cannot be performed without communication. The assertion is even more true today with the role that
Information Technology (IT) (computers, wireless and fixed telephones, fax and internet) plays in decision-making,
transmission and implementation.
DEFINITIONS: What then do we mean by COMMUNICATION?

It is the process of exchange of information, message, ideas, attitudes, feelings and reactions. The exchange suggests that
we are talking about a minimum of two persons in “crossfire”. Each person plays a different role and the requirement for
each is different but complementary. That is why we say communication is a two-way process. It is also continuous and
cyclic. The end of a process leads to the beginning of another as we do in discussions.
TYPES: Basically, there are two types of COMMUNICATION – VERBAL and NON-VERBAL. Verbal Communication
uses words in spoken and written forms. Non-verbal communication uses other means to express itself. Verbal
communication is divided into ORAL and WRITTEN Communication. Non-verbal communication can be winking of the
eyes, laughter, hissing, beckoning, traffic indicator signals, touching, charts, photographs, tables, eye contact, postures
and gestures, sleep, silence, walk, cry, dressing, colours etc. In the development of a human being, it is non-verbal
communication that is inbuilt and transcends tribes, colours, creeds and races. It is universal. For example, laughter,
crying, beckoning and frowning elicit the same interpretation throughout the world.
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF ALL TYPES OF COMMUNICATION
Written Communication
LETTER, MEMORANDUM, REPORT, ABSTRACT, MINUTES, ARTICLE, PRESS RELEASE etc.
Advantages
Provides written record and evidence of dispatch and receipt; capable of relaying complex ideas; provides analysis,
evaluation and summary; disseminates information to dispersed receivers; can confirm, interpret and clarify oral
communications; forms basis of contract or agreement.
Disadvantages
Can take time to produce, can be expensive. Communication tends to be more formal and distant; can cause problems of
interpretation; instant feedback is not possible; once dispatched, difficult to modify message; does not allow for exchange
of opinion, views or attitudes except over period of time.
Oral Communication
FACE-TO-FACE; CONVERSATION; INTERVIEW; MEETING; ORAL BRIEFING PUBLIC ADDRESS;
ORAL PRESENTATION; TELEPHONE-CALL; CONFERENCE; TRAINING SESSION etc.
Advantages
Direct medium of communication; advantages of physical proximity and, usually, both sight and sound of sender and
receiver; allows for instant interchange of opinion, views attitudes – instantaneous feedback; easier to convince or
persuade; allows for contribution and participation from all present.

4
Disadvantages
More difficult to hold ground in face of opposition; more difficult to control when a number of people take part; lack of
time to think rights out – quality of decision-making may be inferior; often no written record of what has been said;
sometimes disputes result over what was agreed.
Visual communication
NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION – EXPRESSION, GESTURE, POSTURE
DIAGRAM; CHART; TABLE; GRAPH; PHOTOGRAPH; FILM SLIDE; FILM; VIDEO-TAPE etc.
Advantages
Reinforces oral communication; provides additional visual stimulus; simplifies written or spoken word; quantifies –
provides ideas in number form; provides simulations of situations; illustrates techniques and procedures; provides visual
record.
Disadvantages
May be difficult to interpret without reinforcing written or spoken word; requires additional skills of comprehension and
interpretation; can be costly and expensive in time to produce; may be costly to disseminate or distribute; storage may be
more expensive; does not always allow time for evaluation.
Copyright: Evans, Desmond. People and Communication. The Pitman Press, 1988. p.9
ROLES: For the different types of communication, we have a pair of participants and action as below:
GROUP A RESPONSIBILITIES GROUP B RESPONSIBILITIES
INITIATOR AUDIENCE
SENDER RECEIVER
ACTOR CLARITY AND SPECTATOR UNDERSTANDING
SPEAKER REPETITION LISTENER INQUIRY (ASK
WRITER READER QUESTIONS)
Can you imagine what it would be like to have a football match of only one team playing towards the same goal? It is,
therefore, compulsory that for communication to be effective, the pairs must play their roles effectively. The two types of
communication can be used simultaneously to show seriousness as the teacher does in writing, speaking and
demonstrating at the same time. We may also use two. The roles are complementary.
OBJECTIVES OF COMMUNICATION
(i) In Group A, the participants are initiating a communication process and they have a responsibility to make
themselves as CLEAR as possible. They must not give room for the audience to give two meanings or
interpretations to their words and actions. If they do, they are guilty of AMBIGUITY. Therefore, they must not be
tired of repeating themselves until the audience has UNDERSTOOD. The objective of acting, speaking and
writing is CLARITY.
ii) In Group B, the participants must put themselves in a position to UNDERSTAND and must ask questions until
they have understood. The objective of the onlooker, spectator, receiver, listener and reader is to
UNDERSTAND. No pressure must be put on them to understand as many teachers do. For understanding to
occur, the audience must be attentive as well as pay attention. It is the combination of the two that is termed
LISTENING.

5
PROCESS OF ACHIEVING CLARITY AND UNDERSTANDING
IN COMMUNICATION (COMMUNICATION PROCESS)
Let us now look at how to achieve CLARITY and UNDERSTANDING in COMMUNICATION.
COMMUNICATION PROCESSES
ACTIVITIES AND ROLES: The communication process involves six processes divided into two classes according to
the roles stated above. They are:
GROUP A GROUP B
INITIATOR / SENDER / ACTOR / WRITER RECEIVER / SPECTATOR / AUDIENCE /
SPEAKER READER / LISTENER
(i) IDEATION (iv) RECEPTION

(ii) ENCODING (v) DECODING
(iii) TRANSMISSION (vi) FEEDBACK
One process / activity / role leads to the next in the order of (i) – (vi). Communication process is also cyclic because process
(vi) i.e. FEEDBACK leads to IDEATION. Simply explained, it means that after an initiator has thought about an idea
(IDEATION), he/she has to put it in a language for his/her audience (ENCODING) and send it to the receiver / spectator /
reader / listener (TRANSMISSION) who receives the message (RECEPTION); finds its meaning and interpretation
(DECODING); acts on the message and sends a message back as to what action has been taken (REPORTING /
FEEDBACK). The audience receives the report and he also thinks (Ideation) and goes through processes I-III while the
first INITIATOR becomes the receiver. That is what happens in discussions.
A communication process answers 6-W questions namely: (a) WHAT? (Subject matter); (b) WHO (Initiator); (c) WHOM
(Audience); (d) WHY? (Rationale / Reason / Objective); (e) WHERE? (Venue) and (f) WHEN? (Time) and a How? The
“how” is the medium and the channel.
GROUP A ACTIVITIES AND PROCESSES OF INITIATING COMMUNICATION
(i) IDEATION: The process is the process of thinking and planning plus how to send out a message. It does not
matter the response time, all situations – speaking, writing and action – must pass through our brain. The fastest is
the REFLEX ACTION program. Therefore, we must always think deeply before we act, speak, write, hear, listen
and react. That is the stage of WHAT? i.e. subject matter of communication. The initiator is the “Who?”; the
audience is the WHOM? He / she must understand the subject matter and if he/she is not clear, he/she consults
others, books, internet, encyclopedia and other sources. The initiator must also decide on the rationale (WHY)
for communicating; the receiver (WHOM); the place to send the information (WHERE); the time to send the
message (WHEN). The answer to the five questions minus WHO will determine HOW (techniques), MEDIUM
(Verbal / non-verbal), CHANNEL (letter or TV). The initiator (WHO) must assess himself as to his capabilities and
the facilities available.
i) ENCODING: At the second stage, the communicator in Group A chooses a language in which he/she wants to
send out the message. He must be familiar with the workings of the system. It may be in English, French or non-
verbal language. He must, however, ensure that the person who would receive the information is trained in the
same codes used and would be able to decipher the codes, interpret and act on the information. The over-riding
phrase is “MUTUAL INTELLIGIBILITY.”
(iii) TRANSMISSION: The encoder must choose the appropriate medium and channel for sending the
information out. MEDIUM refers to whether it is written, spoken, or non-verbal while CHANNEL refers to the
pathway through which the message travels. The television is an electronic channel numbered or named e.g.
NTA Channel 10. The person transmitting the information must ensure that the person expected to receive the
information has the equipment for receiving the information e.g. Fax, TV screen, E-mail facilities, eyes, ears etc.

6
GROUP B ACTIVITIES + PROCESSES OF RECEIVING COMMUNICATION
(iv) RECEPTION: The person receiving must have the physical facilities including the ears for hearing and the
mind for listening. So, for the person to understand an oral message, he/she must put himself/herself in a position
to listen. For example, he can not be sleeping and at the same time receiving information. To receive written
information, he must have a hand, eyes or computer. Non-verbal is more international. For example, beckoning,
gestures etc. are international. Again, one must have the eyes for seeing or the nerves to feel. For listening, a
receiver must hear or read and then stamp the message on the mind or pay special attention. That is LISTENING.
We will deal with LISTENING SKILLS later.
(v) DECODING: The receiver must interpret the information and ponder about what action he is required to take.
He must attach a meaning to it (DENOTE). Then, he must go ahead to interprete it (CONNOTE); and then take
action according to his understanding. For example, the word “GREEN” may mean the colour we find on most
living leaves. It may connote other things in “Green farm” (luxuriant), Green vegetable (freshness); Green
student (newness) and Green meat (rotten).
(vi) FEEDBACK: It is the action expected from the information received. A report is also expected to be sent to the
ENCODER OF INFORMATION who acted in Stages I - III above.
TOOLS OF COMMUNICATION: Books have identified Print and Electronic Media.

(a) Print Media: Those things printed like books, newspapers etc.
(b) Electronic media – radio, television, films, audio / visuals.
(C) Non-verbal – gestures, gesticulations, gaits, facial expressions, hand directions, lightnings etc.
CHANNEL: There are, however, several channels – routes and instruments – through which the information can be
exchanged. They include letters, telephoning, faxing, reports, memorandum, minutes, press-releases, oral briefing,
graphs, photographs, diagram, video / audio tapes and radio stations.
ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION: This section deals with how employers, management and employees
(supporting staff) of an organisation exchange messages, ideas, data and information in order to achieve the objectives of
an organisation.
COMMUNICATION ROUTES: All societies of the world are naturally vertical like a triangle with only one person
(CEO/President / Chief Executive) at the apex. We fall into different cadres down the triangle. The channels of
organizational communication are called Communication Routes. They can be divided into two:- Formal and Informal.
Formal Routes fall into four classes:
ROUTES DIVISIONS
Upward
(i) Downward Communication: from the boss to the shop floor
(ii) Upward Communication: from the shop floor to the boss Lateral
(iii) Lateral Communication: among colleagues of the same grade; and
(iv) Diagonal Communication cuts across from the top to the bottom
like the boss and the driver or domestic staff. Downward
Management demands that all members of an organisation must share information as openly as possible. Secrecy around
information should be reduced to make followership involving. Policies and instructions go to the shop-floor from the
boardroom. Reports and protests go up to management. Colleagues share information. For purposes of information
empowerment, house journals and newsletters must be circulated regularly among staff members. Joint Action
Committee or Employees’ Consultative Forum is common in most organizations as a platform for resolving differences.
That is the workers’ parliament.
INFORMAL ROUTES: However, there are times when the formal routes experience coups. Then informal
routes ignore all the management structures to circulate information among staff members. It is called GRAPEVINE. It
simply means the information circulating as rumours and goThere is also bye-passing meaning information not passing
through the right route to its destination. Sometimes, it contains facts; but most times, it is more of fallacy than truth.
Managers must treat them with discretion and caution.

7
COMMUNICATION GAP: There may be occasions of inadequate information, wrong information and failure
of information to reach its target and achieve its objective at the right time, in the right place and in the right quantity and
quality. This is called COMMUNICATION GAP. Gaps are caused by barriers which are also termed NOISE. If this
happens, a communicator should start by self-examining himself / herself. Thereafter, the process and routes can be
revisited to see how effectively the individual roles have been played.
CAUSES OF COMMUNICATION BARRIERS / FAILURE / GAP:

The following are some causes of communication failure or breakdown, among others.
(i) BADLY EXPRESSED MESSAGES: The very content of a communication in the form of its
chosen words, phrases and sentences, may be a barrier to the efficient transmission of a message. No matter
how clear the idea is in the mind of the sender of communication, it may still be marred by poorly chosen
words, omissions, lack of coherence, platitudes, unnecessary jargon, and a failure to clarify the implications
of the message. Ambiguity may be caused at the conception stage.
(ii) DEFECTS OR COMPLEXITIES IN THE STRUCTURE: A company with several
geographically seperate plants or branches may experience gaps in the transmission of information and
incomplete networks. Information may be delayed so long that it becomes useless through bureaucracy.
(iii) PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS: Examples are:
(a) Reluctance of subordinates to report upwards for whatever reason.
(b) Subordinates may well read more than was intended into a superior’s message. By contrast,
superiors may listen less carefully to information passed up the line by subordinates.
(c) Communication may suffer too, due to the listener’s distrust of the communicator.
(d) Individual bias e.g. people tend to hear and see what they expect to hear and see.
(iv) POOR COMMUNICATION SKILLS: Examples are:
(a) Lack of Planning to Communicate: Too often, people start talking and writing without prior thinking,
planning, and stating the purpose of the message.
(b) Poor Listening and Premature Evaluation: Listening demands full attention and self-discipline.
(c) Lack of Fluency on the part of the sender due to grammatical inaccuracies.
(d) Communication equipments may malfunction.
REDUCING BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION:

Barriers can be reduced if we use the six communication processes above.
(i) Feedback: Communication can be improved if the sender will invite and use feedback to get some idea of
whether the message communicated has been correctly interpreted.
(ii) Training: By training employees in relevant techniques of using communication effectively particularly in
listening and interpreting ideas.
(iii) Using Appropriate Routes and Providing Facilities for Effective Communication: This could be done
in respect of downward, upward, as well as lateral communication. Particular mechanisms which have been widely
adopted include:-
(a) Downward Communication
(i) Briefing groups (where team leaders brief their immediate staff about events).
(ii) Staff meetings (where all staff in one unit or from one site are brought together).
(iii) Using bulletins, notices and circulars.
(b) Upward Communication
(i) Joint Consultation Committees (where management and staff meet to consult about issues)
(ii) Suggestion schemes or boxes
(iii) Grievance procedure
(iv) Sending up timely and accurate reports
(c) Lateral Communication
Use of:
(i) Inter-departmental committees
(ii) Special project groups
(iii) Co-ordinating committees
(iv) ENSURE ACTION FROM COMMUNICATION: Managers should take care to ensure that actions outlined
in their messages are carried out.

8
PART II
WRITTEN COMMUNICATION
In Section I, we divided Communication into Verbal (Written and Oral) and Non-Verbal types. We also identified
various Written communication types as Correspondence (Letters), Reports, Minutes, Summaries, Notes, Curriculum
Vitae, Applications and Speech Writings.
n Section I, we divided Communication into Verbal (Written and Oral) and Non-Verbal types. We also identified
various Written communication types as Correspondence (Letters), Reports, Minutes, Summaries, Notes, Curriculum
Vitae, Applications and Speech Writings.
In this Section, we will start by looking at the general skills required for writing and reading effectively; and we will then go
ahead to treat in details the various types listed above.
Art of Good Writing

Reading Skills
Reporting
Preparation of Summaries, Note Taking / Making
Organising Meetings and Writing Effective Minutes
Correspondence
Preparation of Curriculum Vitae
Writing Applications
Fundamentals of Speech Writing

9
CHAPTER 2
ART OF GOOD WRITING
INTRODUCTION
Writing is a type of verbal communication. Communication is described as science of exchanging information for
reaction. It uses words, but unlike oral communication, it translates sounds into readable codes or symbols which are
known as alphabets. Alphabets are combined into words, words are laterally and vertically arranged into phrases. Phrases
are developed into clauses, sentences, paragraphs, essays, chapters and books. See the diagram below:
Books
Essays/Chapters
Paragraphs
Sentences
Clauses
Phrases
Words
Sounds / Alpbets / Symbols
Its peculiarity is that when sounds are translated into alphabets, codes, symbols etc, they are documented on sand, paper,
board, wall, parchment etc. which are hard objects using pen (with ink), chalk, pencil or even fingers and toes (on sand)
etc. There are even more advanced technologies in typewriting, publishing, word-processing etc. in the IT world.
WHEN IS A WRITING GOOD?

(i) When it satisfies the purposes of the writer and the reader. A writing can fulfil any of the following purposes:
(a) inform (b) educate (c) persuade (d) indite (e) incite (f) remind
(g) entertain (h) oppose (i) protest (j) oppose (k) agitate (l) support
(m) record (n) defend (o) justify (p) expose (q) motivate (r) argue etc.
So, before a writer sets out to write, he must identify his purpose. If the writer sets out to entertain the reader, the
reader must feel entertained after reading the material e.g. folktales. That means that there is no gap between the
intention of the writer and the reader.
(ii) It must be well thought-out, such that a reader must be able to identify its theme and purpose. It must be
ideational. What comes out of here is a subject matter.
(iii) A writer must choose a subject matter in which he is knowledgeable or can find materials. In addition to these, he
must subject the material to creative thoughts to see how he can find local examples to substantiate universal
phenomena and principle.
(iv) One may not be able to treat completely a subject matter in a simple essay. So, he must choose a relevant aspect
to his audience and explain the rationale. For example, no one can treat a subject like Information Technology,
Physics or Chemistry in an essay. However, one can confine oneself to the relevance of these subjects to the 21st
century.
(V) It must be organized in such a way that the reader can identify its trend. To do this, a writer is encouraged to write
an outline before a draft.
(vi) It must be coherent. All the parts must live together as well as show direction of thought. The writer must then use
appropriate conjunctive words to make the sequence clear.

10
LINKING WORDS + PHRASES:
(a) Addition, Continuation: In this regard, to this extent, and also, in addition, moreover, furthermore, first,
second, again, as well as
(b) Contrast: but, however, nevertheless, notwithstanding, on the other hand, yet, still.
(c) Exemplification / Illustration: for example, as an illustration, for instance, in other words, that is, in
particular.
(d) Similarity: similarly, likewise, in a like manner, in the same way, in a similar case, as.
(e) Result: therefore, consequetly, thus, as a consequence, then, hence.
(f) Concession: though, although, even though, granted that, it may be true that.
(g) Summation: to some up, in conclusion, finally, in summary, in short, in sum.
(h) Emphasis: indeed, in fact, I repeat, certainly, truly, admittedly, obviously.
(vii) The words chosen must be sufficiently simple for the reader to understand the content of the writing. For
example, one reader may understand the meaning of “go”, another “proceed” and yet another “move from
place to place.”
(viii) The grammatical structures must be correct.
(a) The use of concord, in English language, as a specified agreement between subject and verb, e.g. I go;
He/She/It goes. Everyone has a right of choice. No-one is allowed to trample on other’s rights.
(b) Correct spelling of words; e.g. occasion, beginning, photograph, giraffe, Wednesday,
acknowledg(e)ment, address, immediately committee, miscellaneous, strenuous, whether.
(c) Right choice of words particularly with minimal pairs like: principal/principle, advice/advise; whole/hole;
council/counsel/cancel; its/it’s; dessert/desert; led/lead; complement/compliment; break/brake;
borne/born; birth/berth; alter/altar.
(d) Correct punctuation choosing from stop (.), comma (,) colon (:) semi-colon (;) hypen (-) dash (–)
underscoring (e) brackets ( ) Apostrophe (‘) Exclamation (!) Question (?) Virgule (/) and capitalization.
Punctuation marks are signposts for controlling speed, accent and clarity of thought.
(ix) It must be legible. It must be readable in terms of hand-writing / typewriting / word processing / publishing.
(x) It must be actionable or interpretable. It must show what is to be done.
(xi) It must be put in its right Channel – Report format, letter, minutes, article, memorandum, press-release,
communique etc.
(xii) It must be timely. Must reach the reader at the appropriate time.
(xiii) It must be understandable. The reader should be able to comprehend the meaning as the writer has coded it. For
example, examples chosen must be familiar. When talking about fruits, most Nigerian children are more familiar
with “oranges” than “apples”.
(xiv) The terms must be well defined in order to avoid ambiguity. A writer may choose between:
(a) Defining by example (An orange is a fruit) (b) Defining by elimination (A woman is a human being who
is not a man) (c) Defining by characteristic (A noun is the name of any person, place, thing or idea) (d)
Defining by classification (A man is a human being)
(e) By synonym (“To advance” means “to go”). (f) By description (The house is a five-storey building)
(g) By etymology (history). (“Transport “ is derived from two Latin words – “Trans” (Across) and “Port” (carry). So
the word means carry across.
Circular definition (Begging the answer): Broad Street is a street that is broad.
Explanation: Good citizenship means conforming / obeying the rules of a society at a given time.
Process Analysis: Soup can be made by putting condiments and heating them.
Comparison: A computer can be compared to a brain.

11
(xv) It must be logical. The thoughts and ideas must be sensible as in Mathematics.
(xvi) It must be sequential. There is a normal sequence of ideas, e.g. cause before effect; In story telling, Morning –
Afternoon – Night; In biography: Birth Teenage Adulthood Demise.
(xvii) Mix the sentence structures using simple, complex and compound sentences e.g. I got home. I met the visitor
(simple). I met the visitor when I got home (complex). I got home and saw the visitor (compound).
(xviii) As much as possible, express one idea in a paragraph. If need be, choose a topic sentence and develop it in the
paragraph. A topic sentence contains the main idea. For example, “Democracy is the government of the people,
by the people and for the people”.
(xix) If it is not fiction, it must be factual. Fiction allows imaginations; facts admit accuracy and truth.
(xx) If possible, illustrate ideas with data, visuals e.g. charts, graphs, diagrams, pictures etc. If words are combined
with non-verbal communication, they must be complementary, i.e. one must complete the meaning of the other.
(xxi) Be concise and precise without wasting words because of cost and time of the reader.
(xxii) Must be a complete document by itself such that its meaning is not dependent on other reference works.
(xxiii) If there is need to quote or use other people’s original work, they must be aknowledged. Otherwise, the writer
would be guilty of plagiarism or piracy, (stealing of intellectual property).
ESSENTIALS OF GOOD WRITING:

There are six C’s of a good writing:
CLARITY
CONCISENESS
COHERENCE
CONSIDERATION (SIMPLICITY)
CORRECTNESS/ (ACCURACY) and
CONSISTENCY.
CONCLUSION
A writing must aim at conveying the inner thought of a writer to its reader in the simplest, most understandable and
economical manner such that the reader cannot misinterprets the thought of the writer but rather act on the writing with
precision, accuracy and timeliness. It is when there is no gap between the intention of the writer and the reader that a
writing is considered good.

12
CHAPTER 3
READING SKILLS
Definition
Reading is the science of recognizing, understanding and interpreting what has been written by someone or even self.
Science of decoding what has been encoded by a sender meaningfully. It is more comprehensive than browsing or
scanning or skimming.
Purposes of Reading
(i) For entertainment
(ii) Education – (Examinations)
(iii) Information – (Research)
(iv) To fill time vacuum (Leisure)
(v) Habitual
(vi) To show off.
Goal of a Reader Comprehension (Understanding)

To interprete the mind of a writer by finding meaning (denotation) and interpretation (connotation).
Strategies for Doing Effective Reading

(1) Find a suitable environment depending on why and what you are reading – newspaper, textbook.
(2) Ensure you have unctioning eyesight unless a blind man has been trained in how to use Braille’s
(3) What is the purpose? – digestion, browsing, information, examination. Decide on the purpose.
(4) Have a focus of subject matter. Purposeful Reading. You can detect this from subject heading / title, science etc.
(5) Ensure that the material is within your competence and interest. The material must be in the language that is
understandable by the reader. Figures and signs in Maths, Physics and Chemistry are languages.
(6) Read in meaningful groups of words e.g. phrases, clauses and sentences other than in individual words.
(7) Learn how to read different types of writings e.g. Exposition; Description; Narration; Argument.
(8) Study the headline to give you an idea of how it is likely to be arranged e.g. INFLATION: (a) Definition
(b) Causes (c) Effect.
(9) Understand that all good writings are divided into INTRODUCTION; BODY and CONCLUSION.
(10) Identify the topic sentence. The sentence that is leading or summarises the subject matter.
(11) Do not read with lips / mouth. Avoid VOCALISATION.
(12) Read with the eyes and the mind rather than with lips (CONCENTRATION).
(13) NOTE-TAKING: Use notebooks for jotting using various abbreviations both personal, local, national and
international.
(14) Do not fingerpoint. Reading with the hand.
(15) Avoid distractions – playing music or fidgeting or discussing with someone else.
(16) Use appropriate speeds. It is faster to read words than figures (quantitative word) and symbols; arts and social
sciences than Mathematics, physical and chemical sciences.
(17) Read intelligently e.g. newspapers.
(18) Be self-confident.
(19) Practise reading all the time to get understanding and increase in word power.
(20) Distinguish between main ideas and illustrations / explanations / examples.
(21) Look out for leading conjunctions that show whether it is a continuation or a change in another direction.
(Coherence): And, plus, in addition (continuation); However, but, (contrast) Therefore, Hence (Conclusion).
(22) Recognize appropriate punctuation marks as reading aids to meaning e.g. Full stop; Comma, Colon etc.
(23) Have adequate word power.
(24) Reflect on your readings and recap.
(25) Use a dictionary, encyclopaedia when you are not familiar with a word. Or try to dismantle the word into prefix +
root + suffix e.g. post-privatizational activities e.g. Transport has two parts (Trans (Across) + Port (Carry). So,
transport means “Carry across”.

13
Reading Problems
(i) Inadequate preparation in language and material.
(ii) Lack of interest
(iii) Slow reading
(iv) Reading word for word
(v) Inadequate vocabulary
(vi) Inability to find topic sentence or main idea
(vii) Unnecessary distractions
(viii) Health or physical problems e.g. sleep or ill-health or bad eyesight.
(ix) Lack of concentration
(x) Bad illumination
(xi) Bad environment
(xii) High vocabulary
(xiii) Usage of new and technical words.
(xiv) Use of long and winding sentences
(xv) Bad grammar – tense, punctuation, paragraphs
(xvi) Lack of understanding
(xvii) Poor retention
(xviii) Subject matter in technical.
Solution
(i) Cultivate reading habit
(ii) Decide on what to read
(iii) Decide on when to read
(iv) Decide on why you read
(v) Use dictionary extensively
(Vi) Have an open mind.

14
CHAPTER 4
REPORTING
REPORT IN A COMMUNICATION PROCESS:

The sixth stage of communication is Feedback or Reporting. All communicators want to get feedback.
Reporting could take various forms and formats. It can satisfy various demands. For example, a formal report responds to
requirements of enquiry, while court judgements respond to legal demands. Minutes are a form of report and they satisfy
the corporate demands of meetings and actors in meetings.
WHAT IS A REPORT?:
Dayo Soola (Modern Business Communication) describes a report as a “factual, objective, planned and systematic
account in which a given problem is examined”, procedure stated, findings analytically presented and recommendations
are made to facilitate decision making.
AIM OF A REPORT:
The aim of a report either in writing or in speech or in visuals is to give a feedback on a specific assignment or issue. For
example, minutes report back on meetings. All reports are used for making decisions.
CLASSIFICATION OF REPORTS:
A report is classified in many ways. The following are guidelines:
(a) Length / Source / Long or short
(b) Volume / Channel / Memo, letter and formal / External Report
(c) Style: Descriptive, Expository/Narrative
(d) Tone: Informal/semi-formal/formal
(e) Subject: Engineering/Financial/Marketing
(f) Frequency: Daily/weekly/annual etc.
(g) State: Preliminary, progress/final
(h) Medium: Written/pictorial/oral/non-verbal
(i) Form: Form/book
(j) Regularity: Statutory / Ad-hoc
(k) Objective: Fact finding; Recommendation
ESSENTIALS OF A REPORT:
Whatever type of report we have to do, the following attributes must be present.
a. Factual: Must contain the facts and valid information
b. Complete: Must not be dependent on another document for meaning or information.
c. Unified: All the sections must read together as one document.
d. Consistency: No contradiction of one part by another.
e. Sequential: Must have a procedure of one event/point following another.
f. Orderly: It must have order.
g. Logical: The subject matter must show some logical reasoning
h. Clarity: Must be clear in language and style. Not ambiguous
i. Simple: Language must be simple and adequate for level of audience.
j. Intelligibility: Readily comprehensible to readers.
k. Coherent: Direction of thought must be obvious. See page 8
l. Timeliness: Must be submitted at the time required to help decision-making.
m. Grammatical Accuracy: It must be free of grammatical errors.
PARTS OF A REPORT
There are seven parts of a report as follows:
(i) Conventions and Appendages (ii) Introduction (iii) Terms of Reference (iv) Procedure
(v) Body (vi) Conclusion (vii) Recommendation(s).
Each part may be sub-divided, however.

15
(a) INITIAL SECTION
(i) Conventions and Appendages
(a) Subject (b) Author / Origin (c) Reference (d) Date of writing
(e) Address of Writer (f) Addressee (g) Appendices (h) References
(i) Title of Report (j) Graphics (k) Signature of Writer (l) Name of Writer
(m) Status of Writer (General Manager (n) On whose authority is he writing, e.g.
M a n a g i n g D i r e c t o r o r Pe r m a n e n t
Secretary
(ii) Introduction: Background information
(iii) Terms of Reference: Scope of assignment
(iv) Procedure: Primary and secondary source of information used to arrive at findings, conclusions and
recommendations
Body (MEDIAL SECTION)

(v) Findings – Results of investigation conducted
TERMINAL SECTION
(vi) Conclusion: Interpretation of the data collected with relevance to identified problem.
(vii) Recommendation: The action(s) that the author wants the commissioner of the assignment to take with
regards to the issues raised under Terms of Reference.
CONTENTS
a. Introduction: It is to make a clear and unambiguous statement about the real subject. Consider a situation in
which more than 20% of the staff of an organisation have been coming late to the office for more than two months;
and you were asked to investigate the issue, make recommendations and report back. E.g. It was observed that
most junior staff of SEC came late to the office between January and February 2005.
b. Purpose of the Report: Statement of purpose, e.g. Management should observe that this hampers productivity.
For this purpose it set up a three-person committee made up of Alhaji Chidi Hassan, Dr. Kunle Azikiwe and Miss
Helen Bassey with the following Terms of Reference.
c. Terms of Reference: Scope of the assignment, e.g.

(i) To ascertain the percentage of staff who came late between 1st January and 28th February, 2005
(ii) To identify causes of lateness; and
(iii) To make recommendations for making staff punctual
d. Procedure: This paragraph is to highlight how the committee went about collecting information on the Terms of
Reference. For example, the report can write as follows:
(i) The committee met five times. (ii) It invited memoranda from staff and received twenty
(iii) It interviewed fifteen staff members including labour union officials.
(iv) It visited some mass transit operators in Lagos, Kaduna and Enugu to ascertain types, availability,
capacity and price ranges.
e. Findings: This section contains all the raw data got in accordance with the procedure above, e.g.
(i) The committee found out that of the 100 supporting staff, 80 live outside the Lagos Island.
(ii) Out of the eighty, 70 came late at least three days a week between 15th January and 28th February,
2005. (See the Appendix A).
(iii) The late comers attributed this to lack of transportation during the rushing hours.
(iv) The staff also complained that the transport allowance was inadequate for mini-buses. Therefore, they
had to wait on queue for mass transit buses. They spent an average of x2,500 per month on
transportation as against x1,000 official transport allowance.
e. Conclusion: Deductions made from the findings above are tagged CONCLUSIONS as below:
(i) That 80% of SEC supporting staff came late to the office between January and February 28, 2005. (See
Appendix II)
(ii) The committee concluded that most staff live far away from work.
(iii) That the transport allowance of x1,000 per month was inadequate.
(iv) That most staff would like to get to work punctually but were hampered by inadequate transportation

16
RECOMMENDATION(S)
This section is the opinion of the Committee. This has to be based on conclusions and findings, e.g. Based on the
conclusions above, the Committee recommends as follows:
(i) That staff buses be purchased to cover routes as drawn in Appendix III.
(ii) That transport allowance be increased to x3,000 per month and each staff should be allowed to decide as to
whether he wants to use the staff bus services provided or not. The Personnel Director should work this out.
(iii) That payments for reservations on the bus should be made at the beginning of the month.
(iv) That this system be started on experimental basis from 1st June, 2005 for six months; and to be evaluated at the
end of December.
REPORT CONVENTIONS AND APPENDAGES

These depend on the nature and type of report. They include
(a) Addressee (b) Address (c) Reference No. (d) Date of report
(e) Sub heading (f) Appendices (g) Title of report
(h) Visual illustrations, e.g. tables, charts, pictogram, checklists, histogram, illustrations, diagrams, pictures.
Address, Addressee
Every report like any communication must have an author and an audience. So, all reports have initiators and audience.
In a memo report, for example, it is headed like any memo with Name/Designation of the person to whom it is addressed.
A formal report is in a book form with a covering letter.
Name/Designation of writer; Address; Reference Date Heading
All headings can be written in two forms. Capitalisation: All first letters are to be capitalised except those of articles (e.g.
an, the), prepositions (on, about etc.) and conjunctions, (and, but, however). Where these three categories occur as first or
last word, they must be capitalised. The second option is to capitalize all the letters. However, titles are normally written in
phrases.
Signature: The chairman signs the report on behalf of members but all members of committee can, if the number is small.
Covering Letters: This is a matter of style. For long reports in book form, a covering letter is ideal. But for a one-page
report, the letter is part of the introduction. The format and style of letter-writing and memorandum(s) / memoranda
(memo) are treated under Correspondence.
LANGUAGE OF REPORTING
Objectivity and Reporting: Avoid “I” “me”, in report. You can use “We, us, the committee”.
Passivity: In order to be detatched from the report and to give it the credibility required, the passive voice is more
recommended rather than the active voice. e.g. “It was found out”, “it is, therefore, concluded that:”
Word Building: A report can coin words; but such words must be explained either where they are used or in the glossary
which can come before the appendices, e.g. Gubernatorialisation = The art of governance or administering.
Avoidance of Cliches: Report writers are advised to avoid cliches like “in situ”, “ab initio” etc.
Acronyms: Avoid uncommon abbreviations unless they are explained in the text or glossary.
Appendices: Appendices are listed in order of occurence in the report sequentially. They may be visuals like pictures,
charts, graphs, signs, diagrams etc.
Reference: There are standard ways of listing document references all over the world. The pattern below is one form:
Surname of author, initials, Date of Publication. Publication. Town.
Numbering: As much as possible, number the paragraphs and sections. Don’t confuse yourself particularly in paces
where you are listing and you have introduced them with “below”, “there are five parts namely:”
STAGES OF REPORT WRITING
(i) Commissioning
(ii) Data collection and analysis
(iii) Brainstorming session for converting data into facts and information, and deciding on conclusions and
recommendations
(iv) Writing the first draft
(v) Editing
(vi) Final report and
(vii) Presentation.

17
PART IV
PUBLIC RELATIONS
Media Relations
Essentials & Techniques
Media Conferences,
Press Announcements,
House Organ and
Broadcast Interviews

18
10. Once you identify the topic sentence, you then find the points that support your main idea. Revisit the case above if
you identify the topic sentence as “However, democracy is not beneficial to developing countries for five reasons”.
Then you look for five reasons stated by the author. Underline the main idea.
11. Look for linking words that we listed under COHERENCE in Chapter 2. In the case above, you should be looking
for words/phrases like First, Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, and, as well as, In the first instance, in addition to, plus.
12. Underline the supporting ideas as you identify them.
TAKING NOTES
13. As you read along and you identify the main idea and the supporting points, write them down in phrases and
abbreviations. That is “Taking Notes”. You will need to do this under headings and sub-headings like (a) Main idea
(b) Definition(s) (c) Five reasons why democracy is not beneficial to developing countries: 1,2,3,4,5 (d) Causes (e)
Effects (f) Advantages (g) Disadvantages as the case may be.
You can use abbreviations which fall into (a) Personal e.g. disad (disadvantages); (b) National (NEEDS) (National
Economic Empowerment and Development Strategies), or NEPA (National Electric Power Authority), (c)
International e.g. UNO (United Nations Organisation), IMF (International Monetary Fund); (d) Local e.g.
LASTMA (Lagos State Traffic Management Authority) etc. Use them in the way you will remember what they
mean when you start making/building the summary.
14. As you make notes, make sure they are readable. Don’t scribble. As much as possible, do not copy from the original
text or trying to do VERBATIM REPORTING. You can ECHO the speaker or writer. For example, you can use first,
second as the writer or speaker. That is echoing. If you copy, your write-up will not be coherent, logical and
sequential. They would be disjointed. Your summary will not show that you understood the original material.
15. Look at illustrations and decide if they are relevant. Ask yourself if not, can they be ignored? If not, can I select one
from two or ten?
16. Try and ensure that your notes make sense (Reasonable) Logical.
MAKING NOTES
This refers to writing the points in prose, logical and coherent manner.
17. Write your first draft using only one side of a sheet. Do not write on both sides because you may need to cut and
join ideas. That is why we prescribed scissors, gum, pins and staplers earlier on.
18. Read the text again if you have the opportunity. Compare your draft with the original material.
19. Write your final copy.
20. Read over to correct obvious errors. If required, state the number of words.
In some cases, you are given the number of required words. In others, you are not. Usually aim at reducing to 1/3 of the
material. But we cannot know that for a speech.
In some cases, you are limited to a number of paragraphs or even one. Adhere to the instruction. However, if it is a short
material, it can go into only one paragraph e.g. the passage on “Five Reasons why Democracy is unbeneficial to
Developing Economies”.
Write in your own words as much as possible.
Try and emphasize:
(i) Logicality (Let it make sense)
(ii) Sequence (Be orderly/Progressive)
(iii) Coherence (One paragraph/idea should be linked to the other using linking words and phrases like “First, Second,
But, Though, In spite of, Although, In the final analysis, At the beginning, In the first instance, However, While.
Be grammatically correct.
Do away with prejudices and personal opinion.
If it is not asked for, do not write in reported speech starting with “The writer said,” Rather, use the tense in the passage.
Supply a title, whether asked or not. Don’t forget a title must be a phrase e.g. “Why Democracy is Unbeneficial to
Developing Countries”.
Use appropriate paragraphic demarcations.
Please note that the same skills and procedures highlighted here are applicable to taking notes, making notes and even
summarising a broadcast or a recorded material on tape.
QUALITIES OF A GOOD SUMMARY
1. Brief and precise. Must identify and reproduce the salient and supporting points in a coherent, orderly, logical and
sequential manner.
2. Clear
3. Conform to all grammatical accuracies, including syntax, spelling, punctuation, paragraphing.
4. Useful for revision and re-learning

19
CHAPTER 6
ORGANISING MEETINGS
AND WRITING EFFECTIVE MINUTES
NOTICE OF MEETING:
The responsibility for organising formal meetings lies with the secretary after due authority or instruction has been given.
A written invitation called Notice of Meeting must be prepared and circulated to all those who are entitled to attend the
meeting. The notice of meeting must be given early enough for the recipient to have a reasonable chance of attending.
The notice of meeting must state the date, time, place and purpose of the meeting. It is desirable to circulate it with a copy
of the minutes of the previous meeting and agenda for the meeting to which members have been invited.
AGENDA FOR THE MEETING:

This is essentially a list of items or issues that need to be raised and debated at the meeting. The agenda must be prepared
in consultation with the Chairman. Background papers such as special reports and any other documents relating to any
item on the agenda should be attached where necessary for full understanding of what attendees will need to contribute to
the meeting. If it is an internal meeting, the notice will go out on an Internal Memo letter-head. You will see this format
displayed under Correspondence.
*See a typical Notice of Meeting below.
ELECTRIC ENERGY CONSULTANTS

24, Agoro Lane,
Port Harcourt,
Rivers State.
17th September, 2004
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
Dear Sir/Madam,
NOTICE OF BOARD MEETING
You are cordially invited to the next meeting of the Board of the above-named company holding at 10.am on
Friday 4th February, 2005 at Cathedral Hotel, 28 Rivers Street, Port Harcourt.
Please find below the agenda for the next meeting.
Please also find attached the minutes of the meeting of Wednesday 10th May, 2004.
AGENDA:
1. Opening Courtesies
2. Minutes of the Previous Meeting (Reading, Correction and Adoption)
3. Matters Arising from the Minutes
4. Any Other Business/New Matters
5. Date of Next Meeting
6. Adjournment
CHIEF ANDREW AKERA

Secretary
For Managing Director

20
MINUTES TAKING AND MAKING
1. DEFINITIONS
“Minutes of a meeting are the scrupulous, credible, impersonal, accurate and objective record, in summary form,
of what transpired at a meeting”. (Montgomery + Odepitdan, 1984:126).
Minutes are plural in form, as in all collective nouns, but when we refer to it as a complete document, it can be
seen as singular as in board, team, collection of essays, management, family, bunch, choir, class, herd.
2. PURPOSES OF MINUTES
(i) To remind participants of what happened at the last meeting (subject matter).
(ii) To provide basis for discussion of matters arising.
(iii) To provide adequate, correct and permanent record.
(iv) Must be sufficiently complete for those who were absent from the meeting to understand what took place.
(v) Must show collective decision on what action should be taken on all the issues discussed.
3. COMPONENTS OF A PARAGRAPH / SUB-SECTION

(i) Title (in a phrase).
(ii) Subject matter discussed (Proposal).
(iii) Trend of discussion without stressing personality.
(iv) Resolution (Decision on Subject Matter).
(v) Action (if any).
(vi) Who is empowered to take action, if any.
(vii) Deadlines if stated.
(viii) Number.
4. TYPES OF MINUTES
(i) Resolution (Only records resolutions) e.g. RESOLVED. That petroleum subsidy be removed once and for all.
(ii) Personal Minutes which stresses names of participants rather than resolutions.
(iii) Narrative Minutes: It narrates the pros and cons including personalities involved and ends with the
resolution. It is usually winding and word-wasting.
e.g. Provision of Water:
“Alhaji Badmus raised the issue of pipe-borne water and it was supported by Mrs. Ejeh. Rev.
Eke felt it would be expensive but Honourable Beko said it must be done. The motion was
moved by Architect James and seconded by Miss Uyi. The vote was taken and it recorded 16
for and 3 against.” This was the last item discussed for the day; and it was on the Motion for
Adjournment.
(iii) Action Minutes: It eliminates the terseness of Resolution and the long-windedness of Narrative minutes. It
only records resolutions, e.g. Provision of Water. The Board decided that a borehole be provided at Eleke
Avenue by Friday 4th March, 2005.
(iv) Composite Minutes: It records the subject, trend of discussion, resolution, actor and deadline if necessary,
e.g.
S/N. Resolution Action
Establishment of a Primary School
“The need for establishing a primary school for Ilaje Community Architect Haruna to
was discussed. It was felt that children in the community walk too prepare estimate
long distances to the nearest school which is five miles away.
After considering the advantages to the community, it was resolved
that Ilaje Primary School be established on Oke-Odo Street effective
from January 2005. Architect Haruna was charged with the
responsibility of working out the cost and present to the next meeting
of the committee on 20th September, 2005.”
5. TAKING MINUTES:
It is used to refer to the stage at which a secretary summarises the discussion and resolution at a meeting. The skills
and procedure for taking notes are discussed under Summary Writing.
6. WHO TAKES MINUTES OF A MEETING
The Secretary to the committee or group or his representative is the person validly appointed / elected to take
minutes of a meeting procedure.

21
7. QUALITIES OF A SECRETARY:
(i) Must be versed in the language in which the meeting is conducted.
(ii) Must be a mentally settled person so as to prepare himself for listening.
(iii) Must be highly organized.
(iv) Must be a good listener.
(v) Must be very intelligent to distinguish between fact, opinion and resolution.
(vi) Be time conscious because he must attend early, and
(vii) Must be knowledgeable in the Memorandum of Association and laws relating to meetings.
8. MINUTES LAYOUT
Heading: Title, Date, Time and Venue.
Example:
Minutes of the Meeting of Board of Directors of Electric Energy Consultants Held at 10a.m on Wednesday, 10th
May, 2005 at Cathedral Hotel, Port Harcourt.
Optional: Number e.g. fourth meeting

(Unless it is the convention).
PART I: ATTENDANCE:
(a) Present (List of members present in either order of precedence, seniority or alphabet of surnames.)
(b) In Attendance (Non-members invited for one reason or the other e.g. Advisers / Consultants
(c) Apology(ies) Members who have given advance notice of their inability to attend a meeting.
(d) Absent
Where this list is very long attendance is better as an appendix. Otherwise, it will become distractive.
Order of titles:
(i) Religious titles (ii) Honorary titles (iii) Profession (iv) Marital
Rt. Revd.; Chief.; Dr., Architect, Engineer, Mrs.
Example:
Sir Chief Dr. Architect; Very Revd. Col. Retired
PART 2: OPENING:
(a) This section records time of opening and who presided over the meeting and in what capacity. Nature of opening
either with song or prayer or without is optional.
(b) Welcoming of a new member.
(c) If inaugural, terms of reference are to be stated.
(d) Courtesies and recognitions including congratulations, condolences etc.

You will see an example at the end of this write-up.
PART 3: MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING:
(a) Reading. If the minutes has been previously circulated, it is usually taken as read. So, the Secretary does not have to
read it.
(b) Amendments / Correction (Use Add, Delete, Substitute) identify page, paragraph, line, sentence e.g. Provision of
Water, p.2.1.4. Delete “16”; Substitute “20”.
(c) Adoption
If there are amendments / corrections, the Adoption Paragraph must read “Subject to the amendment(s) above, the
minutes was unanimously adopted.”

22
PART 4: MATTERS ARISING FROM PREVIOUS MINUTES
This is usually numbered 4 but it may have as many sub-titles as possible under it. If so, number in Roman numerals, or
lower case alphabets or the original number which it acquired when the issue first came up for discussion. So, it may
stretch from 4(i) – infinity. Figures are more elastic than alphabets that are limited to 26.
PART 5: ANY OTHER BUSINESS (NEW ISSUES)
These may also be numbered as above. You may also number them serially 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 until the last number. Usually, new
matters are recorded here. Even if in real life, an issue previously discussed under Matters Arising is raised here, it must be
recorded under Matters Arising. That is the dexterity of the Secretary.
PART 6: DATES, PLACE & TIME OF NEXT MEETING
If it is a statutory meeting, this section records date of next meeting, time and venue.
PART 7: ADJOURNMENT
Record adjournment and time. If it is the convention, state proposer and seconder; e.g. “The meeting was adjourned at
4pm on a motion moved by Architect Sunday Essang and supported by Chief Mrs. Cecilia Adeyemi.”
PART 8: SIGNATURES OF CHAIRMAN AND SECRETARY.
These are done after the adoption of the minutes.
9. Characteristics of Good Minutes:
(a) Valid = Cannot record illegalities, or unconstitutional decisions.

(b) Simple = 5,000 Language Vocabulary as in Advanced Learners’ Dictionary.
(c) Technical = Use Register of Meetings e.g. Adoption, Amendment, Adjournment. (See Register
of Minutes.)
(d) Structured = Title, Attendance, Opening, Adoption, Matters Arising, Any Other Business, Date
of Next Meeting, Adjournment.
(e) Concise = Not unnecessarily wordy.
(f) Clear = Not ambiguous.
(g) Comprehensive = Complete for those who were there or absent
(h) Coherent = Follow transitional order.
(i) Unity = No part must contradict the other.
(j) Factual / Accurate = The decisions must be accurately recorded.
(k) Acceptable / Agreeable to all = Recording is to reflect agreement of members, not an opinion
Expressed by a member.
(l) Validation / Adoption / Confirmation by
Members and Vetting by Chairman = It must be acceptable to all.
(m) Fluent Grammatically = Must follow the rules of grammar.
(n) Impartial / Objective = Does not reflect the Secretary’s opinion.
(o) Co-ordination = All discussions on an issue irrespective of time of discussion must
be brought under one heading.
10. What Minutes Is Not
(a) Story - Narration = Does not tell a story that requires euphemisms.
(b) Essay - Exposition = Does not describe.
(c) Thesis - Does not defend.
(d) Outline - Must not be sketchy.

23
(e) Argument - Not repetitive. Does not carry opinion of Secretary.
(f) Fiction - Does not exaggerate but has precision. So it is factual
(g) Lecture text - Not academic. Does not use bombastic or high-sounding words.
(h) Biography - Does not reflect individual opinions / utterances but corporate issues and collective
decisions.
(i) Artist’s Impression - No descriptions e.g. Adjusting his trousers, while coughing, on the note
of adjournment.
(j) Court Proceedings - Not used to castigate others even if they talk nonsense. Does not
necessarily record in the sequential form of occurrence
(k) Verbatim Report - Therefore, does not record according to sequence and coherence but
according to format of minutes writing.
11. Style
Write:
(a) Short paragraphs and
(b) Sentences not phrases or subordinate clauses.
In general, not more than three subordinate clauses or phrases.
Avoid AMBIGUITY by:
(i) Avoiding long sentences
(ii) Avoiding vague or confusing pronouns, (it, he, she)
(iii) Avoiding too many relative clauses.
Who... who; but...........but, or, if.........if.
12. ATTRIBUTABILITY / COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY
Be impersonal, except someone specifically feels strongly about an issue and requests that it be so recorded. Do
not emphasize names, dissentions, exceptions and controversies. Record agreed decisions by members
(RESOLUTIONS).
13. Numbering
(i) Perpetual / Historical Numbering. It starts with 1 at the first meeting and continues after the last number of
Adjournment of the meeting. So, if the first meeting adjourned on No. 8, “Attendance” for next meeting
continues with 9 and so on.
(ii) New series: starting with I at each minute.
(iii) Annual – 99/1; 99/2; 99/3
14. Voice
(i) Passive voice usually
Minutes are reported speech.
15. Tense
Use past tense except it is on-going. If in the future, use “would.”
16. Vocabulary and Diction
Be specific and diversified. The following verbs are commonly used: said, stated, argued, contested, emphasized,
reinforced, stressed, urged, declared, suggested, agreed, offered, apologized, requested, reminded, reassured,
volunteered, undertook, recommended, seconded, informed, promised, instructed, pleaded, mentioned,
solicited, explained, felt, agreed, considered, noted.
17. Appendices and Exhibits, Statistics, Tables etc.
Attach such documents at the end, e.g. salary structure, new handbook, a submission, a long list of attendees.
18. HOW TO TAKE MINUTES
1. Read the previous minutes and draw up an agenda from there using the format above.
2. Gather all relevant files, writing sheets, reports, correspondences, clips, minutes of previous meetings etc.
3. Reserve three copies of the minutes and agenda for yourself and write “WORKING COPY” on them. Correct
one according to necessary amendments.
4. Write the heading of the minutes as in 8 above on a sheet of paper and number it 1 (One).
5. Assemble loose sheets and write titles of Parts 1 to 7 of the minutes as stated above. For example, write
Attendance, Opening, Amendments to Minutes, Date of Next Meeting and Adjournment on different sheets.
6. For Matters Arising from Previous Minutes and new proposals, write the topics and leave about 1/5 of a page
interval between one item and the other to cover discussions and resolutions. The agenda will guide you.
7. Assign reference numbers to agenda as discussed earlier.

24
8. Position yourself by the right side of your chairman early.
9. Switch off all distractions e.g. mind set. mobile telephones, fidgeting.
10. Disabuse your mind of all prejudices and be prepared to listen to the trend of discussion and resolution.
11. Talk less but listen more. Only contribute when absolutely necessary e.g. on point of correction, order,
information etc.
12. Clarify decisions when in doubt from the chairman.
13. Write in intelligible short forms, phrases, abbreviations and technical terms.
14. Write your resolutions on the sides or under the different topics of your own WORKING COPIES of the
previous minutes and agenda or in the sheets you have prepared in 5 above.
15. Before you leave the meeting, assemble all your working papers and page them.
16. Clear doubtful resolutions with the Chairman.
19. MAKING MINUTES
Making Minutes refers to building, developing and writing in a more intelligible and prose form the outlines and
sketches taken at the meeting venue. Some authors call it “Minutes Building.” While taking minutes at the meeting,
you wrote in phrases, abbreviations, short forms etc. You will now put all your working papers including minutes of
the previous meeting, agenda and loose sheets together to develop your minutes. That is Making / Building
Minutes.
20 Procedure:
1. Develop the minutes within 24 hours but not later than 48 hours. Re-read before typing. The exercise should
satisfy the five R’s of Prof. Pauk. Record accurately; Reduce the long discussions to manageable size; Recite
As if you would present it to the next meeting; Reflect that it is truly representative and Review (Edit).
2. Pass them to your Chairman for vetting. (To certify that the resolutions were accurately recorded).
3. Then retype incorporating Chairman’s suggestions.
4. Circulate to all members but point the attention of members who have been given specific responsibilities to
the relevant sections.
21. REGISTER OF MINUTES: (Register means the words peculiarly used. A profession or subject)
MEANING
(i) Adoption = Approved
(ii) Unanimous = Without dissent.
(iii) Agenda = Schedule of items drawn up for discussion at a meeting.
(iv) Adjourn = Close meeting until a later date.
(v) Ad hoc = For the purpose of
(vi) Apologies = Excuses given in advance for inability to attend a meeting.
(vii) Collective Responsibility = A convention by which all members of a group agree to abide by
majority decision.
(viii) Majority = More than 50% of members present at a meeting.
(ix) Consensus = Agreement by general consent rather than by voting.
(x) Convene = To call a meeting.
(xi) Motion = Proposal that is being discussed at a meeting.
(xii) Mover = One who speaks on behalf of a motion.
(xiii) Opposer = One who speaks against a motion.
(xiv) Proposal = Name given to a submitted item for discussion before a meeting
takes place.
(xv) Proxy = On behalf of another person e.g. proxy vote.
(xvi) Resolution = Motion passed or carried.
(xvii) Sine die = Indefinitely
(xviii) Standing Committee = A committee which has an indefinite term of office.
(xix) Seconder = One who supports the proposer.
(xx) Unanimous = All being in favour. Without exception

25
(xxi) Casting Vote = After two sides are deadlocked on a motion in a vote, the
Chairman may take a second vote. Or he may be empowered
constitutionally to vote each way to decide the winner. That
strategic vote is called “Casting Vote”.
(xxii) Secretary = The person charged with recording the minutes of a meeting
and theinternal and external administration of a committee.
(xxiii) Advisory = Providing advice or suggestion.
(xxiv) Executive = Having power to act upon decisions taken.
(xxv) Extra-ordinary Meeting = An unusual / unscheduled meeting called to discuss a specific
issue.
(xxvi) Quorum = Minimum number of members required to be present of the total
membership figure before a meeting can be validly constituted.
(xxvii) Amendment = (i) Corrections to minutes.
(ii) Alteration to the terms of a motion.
(xxviii) Rider = Addition to a resolution.
(xxix) Taking Minutes = Writing summaries at a meeting.
(xxx) Making Minutes = Drafting the final form of the minutes after the meeting.

26
CHAPTER 7
CORRESPONDENCE
Correspondence refers to the documented medium of exchanging information, messages and ideas between
organisations, between individuals and organisations and vise versa as well as between individuals. We have used
“documented medium” because a lot of exchanges go on, on electronic mail (e-mail) and Short Message Service (SMS)
without them being printed or downloaded. One channel of correspondence is LETTER WRITING.
TYPES
From the point of view of origination and destination of correspondence, we can classify it into two broad groups namely:
(a) Internal Memorandum; and (b) Letters. They can also be classified as private, semi-official and official (business)
letters.
Internal Memo:
Today the adjective “internal” is not often used with “Memo”. Therefore, a memo is the type of correspondence that goes
from the organisation to its employee or between officials of an organisation. Even though an employee writes to its
organisation, he/she is not allowed to use the official memo sheet because the content is not the organisation’s opinion or
subject matter. For example, (a) Application for leave; (b) Response to query; (c) Personal complaint; (d) Personal request
etc. emanating from an employee are not official business. Therefore, they cannot be written on the official memo
letterhead. Whereas, a letter of appointment / employment, query, letter of termination of appointment / contract, Leave
approval, etc. are official / business letters.
Format of Letterhead:
The usual format of a memo letterhead is displayed below:
ABC NIGERIA LTD.
INTERNAL MEMORANDUM
From:……………………………….........……. To:…………………………………..
Subject:………………………………………….......... Date:………………………………..
LETTERS:
In correspondence, we use letters to refer to all correspondences going outside the organisation to either another
organisation or an individual who is not an employee of the organisation. They may carry the following messages or
information among others: (i) Appointment (ii) Quotation/Estimate/Prices of services and goods (iii) Appreciation (iv)
Congratulations (v) Condolence (vi) Termination of Contract (vii) Request for quotation (viii) Interview (ix) Invitation to
functions, for interview, enquiry (x) Sympathy (xi) Request (xii) Collaboration etc. They are styled “Business /
Professional Letters”. The content of a letter cannot be specified. No one can prescribe them because circumstances
determine them.
Secondly, letters can refer to correspondence between two individuals or between an individual and an organisation. The
correspondence between individuals are tagged “Private / Personal Letters” while those between an individual and an
organisation are tagged “Semi-Official / Formal Letters / Business / Professional”.
LETTERHEADS: Most organisations including one-man businesses use pre-designed letterheads which may include
some or all of the following information.
Parts of a letterhead:
(i) Logo (ii) Name of organisation (iii) Address (iv) Telephone number (v) Fax number (vi) E-mail (vii) Internet
number (viii) Telex number (ix) Registration number of organisation (x) Mission statement e.g. (Second to None in
Aviation) (xi) Affiliation e.g. (Member of IATA) (xii) A brief statement of area of operation e.g. (Spring water producers).
(xiii) Names of Directors (optional). (xiv) Reference entries e.g. Your Ref: Our Ref: (xv) Registered location. (Sometimes
may not be the present location or even factory site) (xvi) Area Code or place e.g. (SWI) – South West – Alausa, Ikeja;
Abeokuta – Oshodi Expressway. (xvii) Date letter is written.

27
LETTER + MEMO WRITING: A letter / memo contains four important elements:
(i) Layout (ii) Content (iii) Style; and (iv) Language
LAYOUT: Layout has the following components:

(i) Name of organisation and address which are part of the letterhead.
(ii) Date letter was written.
(iii) Reference number if applicable.
(iv) Inside Address (Addressee): Name and Address of intended receiver of the letter.
(v) Salutation which begins with “Dear” and can be followed by Sir/Madam or Mr/Mrs. name of the person e.g. Dear
Sir, Dear Madam and Dear Mr. John, Dear Mrs. Lakanu.
(vi) Subject Title. Must always be in phrasal form.
(vii) Complimentary Close. For letters saluting with Dear Sir/Madam, the complimentary close is “Yours faithfully,”
For letters with “Dear Mr. Adam / Mrs. John” salutation, the complimentary close is “Yours sincerely”.
(viii) Signature of Writer.
(ix) Designation of Writer.
(x) Authorisation. This section states on whose behalf the writer is writing. Usually, it is for the Administrative Head
of the organisation or department or section. In the civil service, it is “For Director-General or Permanent
Secretary”. In the companies, it is for either Managing Director, Human Resources Manager, Chairman,
Registrar etc.
(xi) Others who have been sent copies of the letter either for their information or action. Usually it is abbreviated as
“cc” meaning “copy/ies to”
LAYOUT SPECIMEN
There are three types namely:
(i) Fully blocked (ii) Semi blocked (iii) Conventional

28
(i) Fully blocked: All entries commence from the left (ii) Semi blocked: Date and complimentary close are
margin forming a vertical line. Date is on the left as situated to the right of the centre. Each paragraph is
well as the complimentary close. indented like in normal writing.
DEAL NIGERIA ENTERPRISES DEAL NIGERIA ENTERPRISES
355, Sabongida Road, Onitsha. 355, Sabongida Road, Onitsha.
2nd September, 2001. 2nd September, 2001

The Sales Manager,
A-Z Inks, The Sales Manager,
1532, Lagos Street, Maiduguri. A-Z Inks,
1532, Lagos Street, Maiduguri.
Dear Sir,
Dear Sir,
PURCHASE OF INKS
PURCHASE OF INKS
Thank you for your letter of the 1st of April, and for mailing me the
pricelists for blue and black inks and glue in several sizes of bottles. I think Thank you for your letter of the 1st of April, and for mailing me the
the labels are better and brighter now. pricelists for blue and black inks and glue in several sizes of bottles. I think
the labels are better and brighter now.
I shall give the samples a fair trial during the next few months, and if I shall give the samples a fair trial during the next few months, and if
possible, I may stock the blue inks in large quantity. possible, I may stock the blue inks in large quantity.
Thanks for your cooperation.
Thanks for your cooperation.
Yours faithfully, Yours faithfully,
SIMI CHUKS SIMI CHUKS

Purchasing Manager Purchasing Manager
for Managing Director for Managing Director
Paper Size: Most frequently used is A4 size of paper.11.7” x 8.3” or 297mm x 210mm.
Date: Write the date in the order of day, month, year e.g. 10th December, 2001.
Open Punctuation: Outside the body of the letter, no punctuation is used in.
Salutation / Complimentary Close:
Dear Sir, – Yours faithfully,
Dear Akin, – Yours sincerely,
Note that “faithfully” and “sincerely” start with lower case letters and for conventional layouts, they are punctuated by
comma (,)
CATEGORIES OF LETTERS
(i) General: Enquiry, Acknowledgement, Information, Complaint, Adjustment.
(ii) Financial (iii) Sales/Advertising Letters; (iv) Orders
(v) Appointments: Application, Resignation, Reference, Enquiry for Reference, Responses.
Status of Letters: Letters are classified as:
(a) Secret (b) Confidential (c) Open
Secret and confidential letters are not opened by anyone except the person to whom it is addressed. Usually, he must be a
top officer. All others are open letters and for as long as they are official, they can be opened in the mail room or by a
secretary.
CONTENTS: The contents of a letter are expressed in three parts, namely:
(i) Introduction (ii) Body (iii) Conclusion
INTRODUCTION: This section familiarizes the reader with the subject matter and the objective of the subject. This is
usually one paragraph and it is the opening one. See the sample in the letter.
BODY: The body of a letter details the subject matter and the issues at stake. The issues may be expressed in as many
paragraphs as possible; but remember that a paragraph tries as much as possible to express one main point. See the
sample below.
CONCLUSION: This paragraph rounds off the discussions, stresses the action required if any. Conclusion is normally
done in one paragraph. It may even summarize the issues including asking for a response within a specific period
(deadline).
PLANNING: Letter writing requires a lot of careful planning. Use the following guidelines:
(a) Think about the subject matter properly and the best way to convey it across. (What?)

29
b) Jot down your points and arrange them in order e.g. cause and effect; narrative sequence etc.
(c) Put yourself in the position of the reader and conjecture how you would feel if you receive such a letter.
Idea: Decide upon the principal aim.
Method: Structure the main points.
Paragraphs: Follow opening, middle and closing scheme.
Recipient: Remember who will receive your letter and his level of language training and exposure.
Emphasis: Guide the letter to intended action. Emphasize the salient points.
Style/Tone: Employ appropriate style and tone. Where necessary, use “Please, Sorry”.
Grammatical Accuracy: Check the letter for grammatical errors.
Repetition: Usually, written communication does not permit repetition. You may, however, capitalize or underline an
important point or section.
As much as it is convenient and practicable, always do a draft and leave it for about twelve hours before finalizing it. Your
computer can help you check spelling errors but cannot detect syntactic (language use) errors. For example, if you use
“come” for “came” or a lower case alphabet for a proper noun, or you use the points for causes in place of results, the
computer cannot detect that. Your primary objective should be to convey your points as clearly as possible. See the points
listed under how to write effectively in Chapter 2.
SAMPLE LETTER
NATIONAL WATERWAYS OF NIGERIA

255, Insurance Avenue,
Lokoja.
15th February, 2005
……………………………………………
……………………………………………
……………………………………………
Dear Sir,
DELAY IN PERFORMANCE OF DREDGING OF RIVER NIGER

INTRODUCTION
We are writing with respect to the dredging of River Niger up to Lokoja, a contract which was awarded to your
company on 17th May, 2001.
By the terms of the contract, you were expected to dredge it to as low as 5,000 metres for it to accommodate large
ocean vessels. You were expected to have completed the 200-kilometre stretch by 30th December, 2004.
BODY
However, when we visited the site yesterday 14th February, 2005, we noticed that you dredged it to about 2,000
metres. This is unacceptable to us.
Secondly, we also observed that you had dredged only 50 kilometres of the stretch. Again, this falls short of our
expectation.
It is in the light of the observations above that we are inviting you to a meeting with the Board on Monday 28th
February, 2005 for explanations on our observations. Please come with all relevant documents.
Kindly check into Ayilara Hotel, 2 Burma Road, Lokoja if you arrive the day previous to the meeting.
Accommodation has been reserved for five officials at our expense for two nights because the meeting may last beyond
one day.
Failure to attend the proposed meeting may lead to a review of the contract, a request for the refund of the advance
payment of N5m and a report to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
CONCLUSION
We will be delighted to get your response to this letter by phone, fax, e-mail, letter and other channels as soon as
possible but not later than 20th February, 2005. We look forward to hearing from you and welcoming you to the meeting
on Monday 28th February, 2005. Thanks for your co-operation.
Yours faithfully,
Andrew Dokobo
for: General Manager
Cc: General Manager – For your information. Manager, Support Services – Please reserve hotel accommodation for 5
for 2 days covering February 27th and 28th, 2005. Manager, Catering Services – Arrange lunch for 15 for 28th and 29th
February, 2005.

30
CHAPTER 8
PREPARATION OF CURRICULUM VITAE (CV)
The phrase “Curriculum Vitae” is a Latin phrase meaning “a biographical summary; short account of a person’s
background, education and professional career.” (World Book Encyclopaedia). Another word for it is “RESUME”.
Usually, it is set out in a tabular form to contain the information concerning the life of writer. We can divide CV into two
parts as Primary and Secondary information.
Primary Information:
This concerns all writers of a CV because they are essential information.
(i) Surname, Other names (ii) Sex (iii) Place of Birth
(iv) Date of Birth (v) Nationality (vi) Education and dates
(vii) Qualification and dates (viii) Work experience including present status (ix) References
Secondary Information:
Secondary information refers to those information not common to all. They include:
(i) Computer literacy (ii) Sports (iii) Publishing
(iv) Honours and awards (v) Weight; Height and Chest Measurement
(vi) Blood Group (vii) Sporting / Leisure Activities / Training / Potentials
(viii) Marital Status and number of children
(ix) Membership of local, national and international organisations
(x) Religion (xi) Parentage (xii) Para-military Training (xiii) Co-curricular activities
(xiv) Driving Licence (xv) Tourism experiences (xvi) Present remuneration
(xvii) Conferences / Seminars / Conventions attended
(xviii) Date when you are available for employment.
Although these information may not be asked for in an advertisement for a position, they may give you an advantage over
other applicants if the CV is to be used for securing an employment. They also enrich your biography. So, you can include
them selectively. For example, someone applying for a teaching position will need to give details of his/her
publications in national and international journals. Someone who is applying for a position in a police or para-military
establishment will need to give information on height and chest measurement. If you are applying to a Christian
organisation and it is not a liberal one, you may need to state that you are a Christian.
15 Tips for Writing a Good CV

1. Understand that your CV is your marketing tool and that it must project you as much as possible. Let it say why
you should be the employer’s choice.
2. Make your CV focused and concentrated, addressing the requirements stated in the advertisement. For example,
most applicants for a post-graduate employment would have a first degree like you. What is special about yours?
For example, you may have done a specialization e.g. Obstetrics and Gynaecology or you combined English
Language and Literature rather than one of them. Did you specialize in Marketing at both degree and MBA
levels?
3. Use your curriculum vitae to obtain an interview, not a job. You do not need to go into detail about every
accomplishment. Strive to be clear and concise. The purpose of your curriculum vitae is to generate enough
interest in you to have an employer contact you for an interview.
4. Use bulleted sentences. In the body of your curriculum vitae, use bullets with short sentences rather than lengthy
paragraphs. CVs are read quickly. This bulleted-sentence format makes it easier for someone to quickly scan
your CV and still absorb it.
5. Use action words like prepare, develop, monitor and present to add life to your CV.
6. Use #’s, $’s and %’s. Numbers, dollars, and percentages stand out in the body of a curriculum vitae. Use them.
Here are two examples: * Monitored a group of ten to erect a terminal of $1,000,000. *Increased sales
by 20% in 10-state territory.
7. Put your strong points first where they are more likely to be read. Since CV is typically reviewed in 30 seconds.
This will strongly support your job-search objective.
8. Use the key words listed in the advertisement to match them to bullets in your curriculum vitae

31
9. Use buzzwords that show your competence in a particular field. For lectureship, for example,
use “taught Transactional Analysis”. For accounting types, use “reconciled accounts”.
10. Accent the positive. Ignore negatives and irrelevant points. If you feel your date of graduation
will subject you to age discrimination, leave it. Focus on the duties that do support your
objective.
11. Show what you know by highlighting your breadth of knowledge. An interview to provide
more detail.
12. Show whom you know. If you have been reporting to someone as important as your MD, say
so in your CV. Having reported to someone important causes the reader to infer that you have
high network.
13. Construct your CV to read easily by using a font size not smaller than 10 point. Limit the length
of your CV to 1-2 pages so that the reader scan it efficiently and effectively.
14. Have someone else review your CV in relation to the advertisement. This will help you.
Encourage them to ask questions. Their questions can help you to rediscover items you
inadvertently left off your CV, revise your CV to include these items. Their questions can also
point to items on your CV that are confusing to the reader.
15. Submit your CV to potential employers. Apply for some jobs that appear to be beneath you.
Apply for jobs that seem to be just at your level. You will get interviews for some of those jobs.
Apply for some jobs that are below you. This game will give you more courage to attend
interviews and perfect your CV.

32
CHAPTER 9
WRITING APPLICATIONS
Applications form an aspect of letter writing. This can be done by either individuals or organisations. For example,
individuals and organisations write applications for jobs, contracts, to participate in an event and so on. An individual
may write application for employment.
Sometimes we respond to advertisements, requests or information (SOLICITED APPLICATION). At another time, we
just apply without any advertisement. This is called UNSOLICITED APPLICATION.
All applications follow the same format we have discussed earlier under Correspondence and Letters. The contents are
also divided into Introduction, Body and Conclusion like all others.
INDIVIDUAL APPLICATIONS
In the case of an individual writing an application for employment, he could open the application as below and then go on
to translate his tabular CV to prose. He would not enclose the CV in this case.
INTRODUCITON
Dear Sir,
I am applying for the post of a Marketing Manager advertised by your company on page 5 of Financial Standard
of 2nd March, 2005. I will appreciate being considered for the job. I possess the following qualifications:.....................
The application can also close like this.

CONCLUSION
I am sure that you will find my qualifications and experiences profitable for your organisation. I, therefore,
sincerely look forward to attending an interview with you soon and eventually joining your aggressive marketing team.
APPLICATION WITH CV / CV WITH COVERING LETTER

The application can open as above in its introduction but add that a CV is attached.
INTRODUCITON
Dear Sir,
I am applying for the post of a Marketing Manager advertised by your company on page 5 of Financial Standard
of 2nd March, 2005. I will appreciate being considered for the job. Please find enclosed/attached my CV.
BODY
On the whole, I have had five years of post graduation experience as a Marketing Executive rising from a first line manager
to a Senior Manager at Kakuri Foods Nig. Ltd. During the five years, I surpassed my target each year by at least 40%.
Today, the annual turnover of the company has risen from N5billion in 2000 to N25billion in 2004. My CV has other
details.
CONCLUSION
It can also use the same conclusion above.
CORPORATE APPLICATIONS
Corporate applications may be for land allocation, use of a facility, tender for a job, release of a player, etc. Again, an
organisation will use its letterhead in writing the application. In the case of organisations, they use Company Profile
instead of CV. The profile says everything that a CV says, talking about history, experience, tax paid to government,
financial turn-over, references, directors, location etc. i.e. anything that can sell the organisation and give it an edge over
other companies competing for the same job or facility.

33
Content
In the same way, the letter must have three parts: Introduction, Body and Conclusion. An
Introduction can read like this:
Dear Sir,
APPLICATION FOR TAX EXEMPTION
We are applying for tax exemption for Year 2004 on the grounds stated below. Please find
attached our Auditor’s Report / Audited Accounts for Year 2004.
Body
The Body will now list and explain the grounds to justify the organisation’s case. That shows good
sequence.
Conclusion
The Conclusion can also read like this:
“We hope that we have satisfied all the conditions for Tax Exemption as stated in the statutes.
We will, therefore, appreciate it if our application can be favourably considered. We will be grateful to
get your positive reaction to this application soonest.”
NB. Note that we changed “I” in the individual letter to “we” in the corporate letter.
If an organisation is applying for a job or contract, its introduction will also declare its intent and end
by saying it has enclosed its Company Profile and estimate for the job or contract.
There are many things to apply for at the individual and corporate levels. That is why a book cannot
give specimen letters for all. Rather, we have given some useful guidelines.

34
6. Decide on a line of action and choose a TOPIC SENTENCE.
PREPARING THE SPEECH

1. AUDIENCE
The first thing to consider is the audience that you are addressing. Are they matured people, school audience,
academicians, or government officials and investors? The reason for this is to enable you decide where to lean in
the style. Every information can be used to satisfy three purposes:
a. Education;
b. Entertainment; and
c. Information
Children tend to be more impressed with entertainment while academicians like education and erudition.
The second reason is that you will need to choose the level of language use. Children would not follow high
sounding and technical words (register). You will need to go on repeating and explaining yourself if you use tertiary
level words for high school students. You may even need to explain terminologies.
The third reason is that for an audience that is already conversant with the topic, you may not need to repeat the
obvious but select a relatively narrow but new area of the subject that can evoke conversation or even controversy.
There is nothing wrong with being controversial provided you can hold and sustain the argument.
Your audience is your judge and the image you create of yourself will go a very long way and for many years to
come.
2. GRAPHOLOGY
The speech should be typed in capitals and double-line spacing to make for easy reading and insertions. Today, the
computer has made that very easy.
3. ORDER OF PROTOCOL / SALUTATION (ORDER OF PRECEDENCE) / PREAMBLE

As in a letter, a speech writer must familiarize himself with the profile of the audience because he must get the
protocol, or order of precedence, salutation right. Some people avoid this by using:
MR. CHAIRMAN
OTHER PROTOCOLS OBSERVED
This is smart but lazy and unceremonial. Part of the ceremony is the protocol. In a speech, the order must be stated
at the beginning and at the end. If time permits, it can be slotted in sometimes in the middle of the speech. When
the speaker gets to the venue, he should study his audience and address them as the occasion demands. Nigerians
love titles and recognitions. They are also sensitive to order of precedence.
4. INTRODUCTION
(a) It is important to introduce the topic by announcing it. If it is possible, start by thanking the organisers.
Give the circumstances for accepting the honour to give the speech and make the audience feel relaxed
and good. You can also start with a short joke that can make the audience laugh. There are always
stories that can make people laugh. May be definition. For example, you can observe the uniqueness of
a high chief cap or the flamboyance of a Nigerian woman’s headtie.
(b) Give the order of presentation and approximate time of presentation. At the end of the introduction, you
should be ready to go into the body of the paper. Usually, the introduction should be done in one
paragraph.
5. BODY
The body should define the subject matter. Give examples. If it is a cause-effect topic, it must give causes and effect.
It is advisable that the body should not go beyond five paragraphs with each paragraph dealing with only one point
underlined for emphasis of the speaker.
6. FOCUS
When a paragraph deals with only one point, the paper is said to be well focused. This can be done by the use of a
TOPIC SENTENCE which summarises the content of the paragraph. It is followed by explanations and
illustrations. A topic sentence is a lead sentence which summarises the main ideas in the paragraph.
7. UNITY
A paper will have unity when all the paragraphs read together as one document. It must have progression and
direction as well as balance. There must be a clear line of thought – Pro/Con, Neutral, Defensive, Opposing.

35
8. COHERENCE
This is an important aspect of any writing. The sentences and paragraphs should be interrelated with one following
the other along the order of thought. We have dealt with this under Art of Good Writing. Conjunctive adverbs can
help to achieve coherence as we have stated earlier. Examples include: However, Therefore, Consequently, On the
contrary, On the whole, And, Moreso, Firstly, Secondly, Finally, In the final analysis.
9. SEQUENCE
Order in which thoughts follow one another. For example if a topic sentence says “Democracy is not beneficial to
developing economies,” we expect what to follow it to be the reasons for this assertion.
10. VARIETY
You must ensure that all your sentences are not of the same structure. Mix simple with complex, compound and
multiple sentences to give effect of variety. A simple sentence contains only one finite verb (fv) e.g. “Moyo has gone
to school. She saw Ade on her way to school.” These are two simple sentences. We can combine them into a
compound sentence with a conjunction. A compound sentence is made up of at least two simple sentences. None
of the two is subordinate to the other. For example, “Moyo went to school and she saw Ade on her way” is a
compound sentence. It has two finite verbs and two simple independent sentences joined together as one with
“and”. If we renounce “and”, the two sentences can still operate with full meanings and grammatical
independence. A complex sentence is made up of at least one independent/simple sentence and at least one other
subordinate clause that depends on the independent simple sentence for its meaning and grammatical
independence. For example, “When Moyo was going to school, she met Ade.” “When” has reduced the first
sentence to a clause and a subordinate clause. If anyone uses the statement “When Moyo was going to school”, a
listener would ask “What happened?” The answer is in “she met Ade” which is the main clause. While “When
Moyo was going to school” has become a subordinate adverbial clause of time. Multiple sentences have at least
two main clauses and at least a subordinate clause.
11. CONCRETENESS
Concreteness can be achieved by giving illustrations. You can achieve this with slides, films, pictures, charts,
graphs, examples, stories, pie charts etc.
12. LOGICALITY
Ensure that your arguments are reasonable and defensive. They must make sense.
13. CLARITY
The ultimate goal of every communication is clarity. So, you must ensure that your thoughts are not ambiguous.
They are not open to mis-interpretation. Clarify statements if it is necessary. Repeat for emphasis if it is necessary.
14. FLUENCY
Fluency is a result of all of the above rather than an element. Let your speech not be disjointed but rather read
smooth.
15. CONCLUSION
Your conclusion should summarise your thoughts in only one paragraph. The repetition of the salutation can come
before the conclusion.
16. APPRECIATION
Before you close, remember to thank the audience for their attention and patience.
STAGES OF SPEECH WRITING

(i) Collect data and analyse
(ii) Write the outline
(iii) Do the first draft
(iv) Edit and Correct
(v) Produce the clean copy
(vi) Deliver to your boss or keep within reach

36
CHAPTER 10
FUNDAMENTALS OF SPEECH-WRITING
If you have responsibility for preparing speeches for others or even yourself, you have a lot of work to keep you on your
toes all the time because the speech is the environment and the environment is the speech. Speech writing requires a
combination of knowledge of subject matter, the right style, tone and vocabulary as well as the mood of the audience.
Usually, speeches are given at public fora – lectures, seminars, conferences, debates etc.
1. PROCESSES FOR SPEECH PREPARATION
Commission stage. This is a stage at which you are invited to give a speech or your boss tells you to go and prepare
a speech for him.
2. TERMS OF REFERENCE:
Your speech must have a subject matter around which you write. Today, the following topics are current:
a. Globalization;
b. Privatization
c. Commercialization
d. Y2K Millennium Bug
e. Debt Rescheduling, Paris Club and Debt Forgiveness/Cancelling
f. Liberalization of World Economy
g. Deregulation
h. Poverty Alleviation / Poverty Eradication
i. Transparency and Accountability
j. Security and 2007 Election
k. SME and Industrialization
l. AIDS or Poverty.
These are some of the current issues all over the world. You are given a topic. You are given a time frame
within which to present it. You must constantly be educating and updating yourself with newspaper articles,
broadcasts etc. Sometimes, you are given the option to choose your topic.
3. BRAINSTORMING
The third process is to brainstorm. At this stage, if you are preparing a paper for someone, you must have a few
sessions with him as to his line of thought. Does he support Deregulation, Liberalization, Privatization or not? If
you are preparing for yourself, you need this time to think about the topic and make some outlines which will form
the bedrock of your presentation. You need not repeat and, in the same way, what others have said. Think of a new
dimension to the issue. Take the case of corruption and Chief L.E.A. Aimuwu’s approach to it. He has identified
corruption as the bane of Nigerian growth and development. His approach to it is “THIS HOUSE MUST NOT
FALL.” It is not critical or pessimistic. It approaches the issue from the positive and optimistic point that all of us,
young and old from Mr. President to the villager must salvage Nigeria. That is an innovative way of approaching
the cankerworm. The instrument used is LATERAL THINKING. He then goes on to design the many ways we can
complement Government’s efforts starting from young graduates to CEO’s.
4. INFORMATION GATHERING:
This fourth stage is the stage at which you gather your information from books, newspapers, reference works,
journals, magazines. You may even attend one or two seminars on the issue by others. You can use the index
system to store the information because you have outlined it. In real life, people who have responsibilities for
writing speeches are always storing information because they would not know when such information would be
useful. You will also need to stock many reference books like Encyclopaedia, Book of Quotations, Thesaurus,
peeches of great men like Washington, Clinton, Nyerere, Mandela, Azikiwe, Awolowo etc. You can also tell your
librarian what you want. You can find information on the Internet and store them in diskettes.
5. ANALYSIS
You will need to analyse your information, arrive at conclusions and make some recommendations. All these are
still in the role-making form. You have not started writing the speech. You probably will need some illustrations.
Then, you will need illustrators to help you prepare slides, pie charts, graphs etc. to make your presentation very
concrete.

37
PART III
ORAL COMMUNICATION
In Part II, we dealt with various media and channels of Written Communication. In Part III, we will be
considering aspects of Oral Communication.
 Effective Listening
 Telephone Communication
 Conducting and Attending Interviews
 Giving Directives
 Organisation of Idea-Sharing Event (Conferences, Seminars,
Lectures, Fora, Workshops and Retreats)
CHAPTER 11
EFFECTIVE LISTENING SKILLS
Listening is an aspect of oral communication. It is at the same time verbal. We use it when we are receiving information.
The primary objectives of listening are to understand the speaker and to keep it either permanently or temporarily in the
brain. Listening is a combination of:
(i) Hearing: The ear(s) receiving coded / uncoded sounds. It may not go beyond there if we are sleeping or distracted
by other things.
(ii) Paying Attention: Letting the sounds go beyond the ears to the mind. The combination of the two above can be
referred to as being ATTENTIVE.
A combination of hearing and paying attention produces UNDERSTANDING and later data storage in the brain which
when we recall it, we describe as REMEMBER. The sounds may be dormant in the brain without being
activated/recalled/remembered until needed.
Advantages of being an Effective Listener
Effective listeners:
1. Save time because they learn more in a shorter period of time (effective listening adds to one’s knowledge);
2. Learn more about the person speaking, as well as what the person is saying;
3. Understand what is being communicated;
4. Can usually make better decisions because their information is more complete;
5. Display better manners and more concern for the speaker – people think more of us when we listen to them
attentively;
6. Encourage others with whom they are trying to communicate to be more apt to respond favorably and to listen to
what they have to say;
7. Tend to improve their vocabulary and language skills; and
8. Tend to become better at other phases of the communications process and ultimately more effective managers and
people.
Common Listening Problems
The following are some of the more common listening problems:
1. If we have defective ears or we are mentally disturbed.
2. Viewing a topic as uninteresting or boring. When you make such as assumption, you’ll get nothing out of a speech.
3. If speaker is a bad communicator.
4. Evaluating a speaker’s appearance, dress, or delivery rather than the worth of what is being said. Most people are
unduly concerned with a speaker’s dress, appearance, and techniques of presentation than what a speaker says.
They spend time assessing the quality of the speaker’s presentation or the way he/she looks, not on what is being
communicated.
5. The environment may be unconducive. For example, it may be warm, cold or noisy.
6. Failing to hear/listen to the person because we have jumped to conclusions and we can not hear other qualifying
comments the speaker is attempting to make.

38
7. We hear what we want to hear. Communication experts say we:
 Hear half of what is said,
 Listen to half of that,
 Understand half of that,
 We believe half of that, and
 We remember half of that.
 Past experience often causes us to expect to hear the same messages in similar circumstances.
8. Listening only for facts. Poor listeners spend so much time listening for facts and taking notes on names,
dates, and other details that they often miss the main points.
9. Ignoring information that conflicts with our preconceived notion. Most of us tend to discount or ignore
information or facts as irrelevant if they disagree with our preconceptions rather than to change our
mind.
10. Words often have different meanings to different people. Many words have different meanings,
depending on the context in which they are used. For example, the word “run” is such a word. “Who is
going to run the office? Did you see the run by George Rodgers? Who will run for President? Can you
make another color run?”
11. Faking attention or looking at a speaker and pretending to listen. Many of us fake attention so that we
can “daydream” about other things. However, this practice is self-deceptive, because we cannot
understand what is going on if we are guilty of this.
12. Having a closed mind to new ideas or changes in thinking. Little real listening can take place if you have
your mind made up before you hear another’s point of view. “Don’t bother me with the facts, I’ve
already made my decision.”
13. Emotional stress e.g. sleep.
14. Too keen to want to respond as in debates (Defensiveness).
Strategies for Improving Listening Skills

1. First ensure that your ears function physically and that you are in a sound state of mind. For example, if
you are drunk, disturbed, annoyed or prejudiced, you can only hear, you would not listen.
2. Find a suitable place and time for the exercise.
3. Position yourself comfortably.
4. Show interest in the subject matter, speaker and environment.
5. Dismiss all malice (Mental Bloc)
6. Dismiss all distractions – conversation, radio, TV, visitors etc.
7. Open your mind to receive information (Dismiss prejudices)
8. Hear the speaker.
9. Watch him like a deaf person. You can combine the words and action to get meaning.
10. Repeat in your own words.
11. Respond to what you have heard.
12. Envisage what he may say next e.g. “There are five causes of poverty in Nigeria”.
13. Make notes if necessary (Make notes using symbols and codes).
14. Act on the words.
15. Report back to initiator.
16. Ask questions if it is a face-to-face situation and if necessary.
17. Do not interrupt speaker (No interruptions).
18. Watch out for main ideas and subordinate.
19. Be mindful of connectors for coherence.
20. Talk less when you are listening.
21. Empathize with the speaker. Understand the speaker’s point of view.

39
The EFFECTIVE LETTER must have most of the qualities below:
1. Must be brief but polite

2. Must be clear in content and tone.
3. Avoid Clichés
4. Avoid irrelevances
5. Keep to the basic points. Be focused.
6. Must be orderly, sequential and coherent. These will make it fluent and appealing.
7. Be simple in words and sentence patterns.
8. Be logical in presentation. No part must contradict the other. Information/data/statistics must
support the conclusion, recommendation and action.
9. Must make the expected action clear.
10. Must be tactful.
11. Must be aesthetically pleasing.
12. Must use the appropriate tone without being suggestive of prejudice. For example, it is
prejudicial to start a query with “Give reasons why disciplinary action should not be taken
against you for …” It suggests that the writer had made up his mind to discipline rather than
consider the points to be made by the person he is writing to.
13. Must be grammatically correct.
14. Must be fluent such that a one-page letter does not take the average reader more than five
minutes.
Above all, a writer must remember that the LETTER is HIM/HER – YOUR AMBASSADOR.

40
CHAPTER 12
TELEPHONE COMMUNICATION
1. Definition
The telephone is a channel of communication that uses radioactive satellites to connect the initiator and the
receiver. It is a type of oral communication.
2. Advantages
(i) The fastest means of communication.
(ii) Does not require personal contact.
(iii) Feedback can be instant.
(iv) Reduces misunderstandings and conflicts.
(v) Helps to beat costs, risks and time involved in transportation, face-to-face communication etc.; and
(vi) Possible virtually at all times and everywhere with the Global Satellite Mobile (GSM) facilities.
3. Discomfort
(i) Difficulties of getting a line. Until the introduction of the GSM system, it used to take a minimum of five
years to secure a telephone line.
(ii) Person required not available
(iii) Delay in passing through switchboards.
(iv) Wrong numbers.
(v) Engaged tone.
(vi) A caller who wastes time in a long discussion.
(vii) Telephones can create a bad image of an organization or individual at first contact.
(viii) Does not transmit visuals e.g. gestures, frowning, etc.
(ix) One may not hear a low voice.
(x) Words are misheard particularly in minimal pairs for bad speakers: short/shut/shot/sort/sought; wear /
where / were; formerly / formally; principal / principle; weather / whether; stationary / stationery;
practice / practise; advice/advise.
To Make Telephone Facilities Effective
(i) Be precise and direct to the point, moreso with the high cost of GSM services.
(ii) Be courteous with Please, Sorry, Thank you.
(iii) Prepare your points ahead and if possible, write them down before phoning.
(iv) When taking messages, use abbreviations as in Note Taking. We have discussed this earlier under Summary
Writing.
(v) Speak loudly and CLEARLY. Your mood will be reflected in your voice/tone. If you have to spell a word, you can
use the names corresponding to their nitials to make it easy.
We have alphabetis corresponding to names e.g.
A for Abuja
B for Babangida
C for Calabar
D for David
E for Eko
F for Femi
G for George
H for Hat
I for Isaac
vi) Speak more slowly if your partner is writing.
(vii) If you have given instructions, please ask the recorder to relay the message back to you.
(viii) If you were leaving a message for someone, dictate your phone number. Ask the receiver to relay the message
back.
(ix) Have all your information ready. Do not keep your listener waiting unnecessarily.
(x) Keep a personal telephone directory to help your search.
(xi) If possible, call at off-peak periods e.g. after business hours – because the network is freer and the cost is cheaper.

41
MAKING A CALL
BEFORE
1. Make notes of what you would like to discuss including times, dates, telephone numbers, addresses. Have all your
information ready. Prepare questions if you need to. Get Yes/No ready so that you strike one off.
2. Have ready a plain sheet of paper to take notes.
3. Identify the person you are speaking to.
4. If possible, phone at off-peak periods to save cost.
5. Dial the correct number.
DURING
1. Give a greeting and state your name and the name of the person you want to speak to.
2. Keep the conversation brief.
3. State the subject.
4. Pause for feedbacks if necessary.
5. Take notes if necessary using phrases, abbreviations.
6. Summarize the main points and agreements (resolutions). Repeat it to the receiver to ensure that his notes are
correct.
7. If you must leave a message, be clear, loud and precise. If there is need to spell words, use familiar correlations.
8. Be polite.
9. Switch off as soon as you end the call. You have to be finance conscious.
AFTER
1. Look over your notes.
2. Make the notes.
3. Fill your diary.
4. Pass on actions, notes and messages if necessary.
TO ANSWER A PHONE CALL

1. Press the receiver button as soon as you hear the buzz.
2. Give a greeting.
3. Announce your name or organization.
4. Always have a pen/pencil and paper by your phone.
5. Always keep your diary by your phone.
6. Concentrate your attention on it and do not talk to anyone else except on double-line phones. Reduce all
distractions.
7. Listen carefully to take notes.
8. Be polite.
9. Repeat messages to caller.
10. Do not ask “If a person understands or hears” but WHAT he understands.
11. If possible, ask him/her to repeat your message to you.
12. Be brief and precise (concise).
13. Save time.
14. If it is necessary, ask for what is to be done thereafter.
15. Replace receiver gently.

42
CHAPTER 13
CONDUCTING AND ATTENDING INTERVIEW
PLANNING AND CONDUCTING AN INTERVIEW
Definition
An interview is a planned discussion between two persons for the purposes of finding out more information, clarifying a
situation or testing use of oral communication or passing on information. It is controlled conversation between two parties
for fact finding purposes.
Purpose of Interview
An interview is designed:
1. To confirm what is written on paper e.g. certificate, tribe, languages spoken, height, complexion etc.
2. To take written, physical and oral presentation together to see if the interviewee meets the requirements of an
organisation e.g. job or contract.
3. To assess / grade the candidate(s), and if more than one, to rate them.
4. To take a decision on appointability or suitability.
5. To negotiate remunerations (Wages / Fees / Allowances)
6. To get a report document on the issue for Board of Directors’ deliberations and decisions.
Types: The following types of interviews have been identified for various purposes:
(i) Induction Interview: Used for briefing new employees or members.
(ii) Promotion; To evaluate employee(s).
(iii) Reconciliation: To iron out differences.
(iv) Disciplinary: For disciplining erring employee(s).
(v) Selection: For recruiting new employees.
PREPARATIONS
As the organiser, draw up a checklist of activities, deadlines, budget and who is in charge. Send a copy each to all
concerned. Look at the applications and supporting documents over and over again. Ensure that they have the relevant
information you need SPCIFICALLY e.g. tribe, tongue, height etc. If need be, find out about the external sources
including the nominated referees. Be knowledgeable in your organisation’s policies, vision and mission. For example, it
may be that your organisation’s policy is to recruit first class graduates.
(1) Prepare your notes along the objective of the interview and your organisation.
(2) Define the issues e.g. “We are looking for an experienced Accountant.”
(3) Select an interview panel and invite knowledgeable people in the skill for which you want to conduct interview.
(4) Invite prospective interviewees.
(5) WHERE? Prepare a suitable venue ready.
(6) WHEN? Find a suitable time for panelists and interviewees.
(7) WHAT? List topics and specimen questions. Ask why questions e.g. Why do you want to join us?
(8) HOW? Ask questions that will elicit the appropriate answers.
(9) Photocopy and distribute the necessary papers to panel members if you are not the only person. These include
application of interviewee, CV, score sheets and criteria for scoring. As much as possible, panel should discuss
score criteria before beginning the interview.
(10) Alert your recorder and train him/her as to what records he/she is to take.
(11) Provide essential stationery.

43
12) Make adequate arrangements for accommodation, entertainment or lunch as far as it agrees with your
organisation’s purse and policy. Provision for water is essential.
(13) The organiser must be punctual.
(14) Ensure that your toilets are clean because the cleanliness enhances your company’s image.
(15) Get your remunerations documents ready, if you have to pay seating allowances, transportation subsidy and
accommodation allowance etc.
(16) Prepare sitting place for candidates with reading materials. If need be, give them some snacks.
(17) Ask Management for funds for snacks/lunch etc.
(18) Prepare rating guide sheets (1 – 10: poor – excellent (vice versa) for interviewers.
(19) Train your assistants.
AT THE INTERVIEW
1. Arrive there early enough to enable you check all the preparations made; and make new preparations or
adjustments as well as welcome interviewee(s) and interviewer(s).
2. Check that necessary papers on the tables in front of each interviewer including possible questions or guidelines as
to what you are looking for in a candidate.
3. Distribute assessment sheets for interviewers with rating guides (1 – 10: poor – excellent or vice versa) and give a
brief talk on what you are looking for in the interviewees. Tell them the nature of the job and its requirement as well
as criteria for scores. Excellent 9 & 10; Very Good 7 & 8; Good 6; Average 5; Poor 4-1.
4. Welcome interviewees with smiles, jokes and enthusiasm to waiting room. Provide them with reading materials
and snacks if affordable.
5. Welcome interviewers and remind them why they have been invited; also what your organisation is looking for in
the interviewee(s).
6. Remind Chairman about starting and possibly closing time.
7. Invite interviewees either to conference interview or personal interview. If Conference interview, ask them to rate
each other.
8. Introduce the interviewers and let the interviewee introduce himself.
9. Tell him of the reason for the interview.
10. State the issues involved, what you are assessing and assure interviewee of fairness. Tell him to clarify issues when
necessary. Tell him to ask questions when not clear.
11. Ask relevant questions. Do not put pressure on the interviewee to say Yes or No. Do not intimidate him. Don’t make
prejudicial statements.
12. Allow interviewee to speak and act all the time by using open-ended questions.
13. Test emotions by politely insulting e.g. All Boys High School students are area boys. Check his reaction e.g.
Aggressive; Submissive; Insultive; Defensive, Assertive.
14. Test team building
15. Test Time Management (Punctuality)
16. Test endurance
17. Be considerate, courteous and polite.
18. Listen attentively too to the interviewee.
19. Be brief.
20. Avoid interruption – e.g. from phones and visitors etc.
21. Serve snacks/water etc. as may be appropriate in time and venue to interviewees and interviewers.
22. Put in a word if you find lapses.
23. Remind Chairman about time management from time to time.
19. In concluding, ask the interviewee if there is any issue on which he would like to ask questions.
20. List out core competence requirements: (a) Qualification (b) Experience (c) Networking (d) Competence (e)
Personality (f) Language (Accent) (g) Tribal affiliation (h) Dressing (i) Emotions (j) Team-working (k) Punctuality (l)
Creativity + Ingenuity (m) Interactive (n) Resourcefulness (o) Negotiation Skills.
21. Close the interview by thanking him/her for attending.

44
22. Wish him/her good luck / well.
23. Tell him/her he/she would hear from you soon.
24. If necessary, see him to the door.
25. At the end of each session with an interviewee, ask interviewers to compare notes and agree on scores and
opinion. Then record the scores in your summary sheet.
26. At the end of the interview, sum up the scores and grade. Find the average of scores awarded by interviewers for
each interviewee.
27. Rate the interviewees and announce in order of mediocrity not seniority until you get to the highest score. This is to
create suspension.
28. Thank the interviewers and pay their honoraria; or take them to lunch as may have been pre-arranged.
29. If you have to announce results on the spot to interviewees, announce from the lowest to the highest score. Flatter
them that they have all done well but that in all competitions, someone must win.
POST-INTERVIEW ACTIVITIES
1. Write the report using the memo report format in Chapter 3 and end it with recommendations.
2. Send it to Chairman of panel of interview for confirmation and signature.
3. Then make necessary amendments as may have been suggested by the Chairman.
4. Produce the final report and send to approving authority. If need be, discuss it with him/her.
5. Implement the approved recommendations within the time specified. If it is a job issue, write a letter of
appointment; attach Work Schedule and a response slip giving a deadline. Let him/her know that others are lined
up if he declines.
ATTENDING AN INTERVIEW
Congratulations that you have been invited to attend an interview. You will need to prepare because you are going to an
open market.
HINTS
(i) Read the letter of invitation at least thrice to ascertain date, venue, time and what you are required to bring along.
(ii) Enter the appointment in your diary or organizer.
(iii) Find out about the organisation either by paying a personal visit to the organisation or by checking libraries of the
Nigerian Stock Exchange or the official place to which companies submit annual reports (Corporate Affairs
Commission in Nigeria). If it is a public liability company, you may log on to the Internet for information.
(iv) Get your dress, certificates and other requirements packed in only one place. Do not forget writing stationery like
pen and paper. It may include notebook or laptop. You need your call cards.
(v) Go back and read the original advertisement to which you applied; and study the schedule advertised as well as
the personal qualities required. Find answers to the issued raised.
(vi) Study your CV and application, and see if there are loopholes or unaccounted for periods. Find answers for them.
(vii) Draw up possible interview questions and find answers to them. Such questions should include case studies. You
may even dramatize/rehearse them with your spouse and friends. The essence of these is to get self-confident
because without self-confidence, any boardroom can intimidate you and make you panic or nervous.
(viii) On the interview date, leave home as early as you can so that you can arrive at the venue if not early, at least on
time. You MUST NOT GET THERE A SECOND LATE whatever the EXCUSE or environmental condition may
be. In cities for example, you must be conscious of traffic congestion particularly at rush period when workers are
resuming work in the morning. Take a reading material with you.
(ix) You must also be as neat and clean as possible. If you have to take a mass transit bus, you can package your formal
dress in a suitcase and come to wear it in the premises of the organisation or somewhere nearby. You can always
find a place. Ensure that you are formally dressed in continental or African dress.
(x) Ensure that you register your name and the time of arrival if a sheet has been so provided. The order of arrival may
be the order of interview. If no registration procedure is provided for at the reception, walk up to the person who
signed the letter of invitation for interview with politeness and courtesy to announce your arrival.
(xi) Be full of smiles and confidence. Do not stay aloof from others. You can even initiate a discussion based on the
headlines or articles in the national dailies. Share felicitations with all fellow interviewees. You are not at war.
Distribute your call card and ask for theirs. This may even intimidate them and throw them off balance.

45
(xii) When you are called in, acknowledge your salutation. Salute the panelists as the time of the day dictate. Look the
chairman in the face.
(xiii) Sit in an upright position. Don’t lean on the table even if you are tired.
(xiv) You will normally be required to introduce yourself. Announce your name, your current position, your
qualifications and work experience in not more than five minutes. If you’ve won awards and prizes, be they local,
national or international, ensure that they are PROUDLY announced. Display the plaque or object of honour. It is
not likely that the panelist will be interested in your being a graduate but that you made a 1st Class or an Upper
Second or that you won the departmental, faculty or Vice Chancellor’s prize for the best athlete or all-round
student or the university goal-keeper or football captain. Those are things that make you different from others.
That is what you should stress. Don’t mention your areas of failure but SELL your ASSETS rather than bemoan
your liabilities.
(xv) Answer the questions as concise as possible. While answering the questions, look at the interviewer asking the
question straight in the face. That shows self-confidence. If you have an evidence to support your answer, show it.
It may be a picture or commendation letter or even pay slip. You may even show a slide on your laptop if need be.
(xvi) If they ask you what remunerations you will like to earn, your reply should be “affordability, regularity, fairness and
performance.” You may ask for too much or too low.
(xvii) After the interviewers have finished asking questions, just ask a question even if it is a hypothetical case. For
example “What is the retirement age for employees in this organisation?” “What kind of policy does the company
operate with regards to advancement?” “Is it usually based on performance, effectiveness, years of service, staff
development, acquisition of more enhancement skills or paper qualification, acquisition of higher academic
certificates or even parallel degrees?” It may even be, “How soon shall I know the result of this interview?”
(xviii) As the panel dismisses you, thank them for the advantage to showcase yourself because you may not necessarily
get the job but one of the panelists may offer you something comparable or higher as a result of the exuberant
confidence.
(xix) Ask the panelist to permit you to give them your call card in case they may need your service at another level either
as a group or as individuals. They would oblige you.
(xx) Even if you noticed anything wrong, do not discuss anything with your co-interviewees. If they ask you questions
about the nature of questions asked by interviewers, dismiss them with “The usual interview questions; nothing
unusual”. Then switch on quickly to another topic and take your leave of them if you do not have to wait for the
result. If you have to, read newspapers and prepare your mind for negotiations on remunerations if that was not
earlier discussed.
(xxi) If after sometime you have not heard from the organisation, please phone or call to find out how you performed.
You have not committed any crime. If eventually, you do not succeed at that interview, do not be discouraged.
Keep watching for opportunities. Every interview creates its unique experience.
We have not said it all, but you definitely have gained one or two hints.

46
CHAPTER 14
GIVING DIRECTIVES
Three words are synonymous in English Language, and they are order, instruction and directives. In military circles,
“giving orders” is a common language. You have to “obey the last order” for example. In educational and judicial circles,
“instruction” is preferred. So, you have “Giving instructions” to mean imparting knowledge or teaching. We even have
“instructional materials” to mean teaching or tutorial aids. In Management circles, “directive” is preferred particularly
when managers talk about delegating authority.
DIRECTIVES
What is a directive? The World Bank Encyclopaedia defines it as:
(a) An order or instruction telling what to do and how to do it.
(b) Command (with authority).
In Management, a directive is an order backed by authority. An effective directive is one that achieves the purpose for
which it is given.
PURPOSES
The main purposes of giving directives are as follows:
1. To stir people into action to achieve an objective by giving them information on a situation which demands
attention. (Let’s have a meeting). Organizing people.
2. To indicate that a particular person is held responsible for performing a task by approaching him, discussing the
situation, and arousing in him a strong desire to deal personally with the particular situation. (Delegation of
assignments)
3. One way of controlling e.g. Please file up on the queue. Get out of here.
4. To give the superior the opportunity of contacting the subordinate and issuing instructions in a way which will be
most acceptable. It is a practice in human relations and personnel management.
5. To give the subordinate the maximum opportunity of consulting and participating in the situation so that he may
develop his capabilities fully and display his potential qualities for promotion. (Team-building)
6. It is the way to learn.
To achieve these purposes, the supervisor must treat instruction giving as a continuous process of passing information,
checking and controlling. True assessment of each individual’s capabilities is not possible otherwise. Instruction
giving does not necessarily lead to abdication of responsibilities.
METHODS OF GIVING DIRECTIVES

It can be oral, written or non-verbal. In the armed forces and the police, most directives are in the oral form. In
Management, a lot of directives are given in oral and written form to subordinates depending on the situation. In
training and apprenticeship, it is a combination of oral and demonstration.
PROCEDURE
(a) Think of the directive
(b) Encode. If necessary, write down the directive.
(c) Give the directive ensuring that it is clear, actionable and with authority.
(d) The receiver must receive the directive, and understand what he is asked to do. If he does not understand, he
should ask question.
(e) Turn it into action.
(f) The receiver must report back on the actions taken to effect the directive.

47
GIVING DIRECTIVES FOR AN UNPLEASANT TASK
It may involve an explanation and an indirect directive, e.g.

John: I have been trying to reach you all day on phone about the supply of stock to a Supermarket later today.
Subordinate: I am sorry, I already have an assignment for the day.
John: I do understand; but B Supermarket has run out of our products and we need to refill their shelves urgently.
Subordinate: It has just rained and the road to B Supermarket is rough and slippery.
John: You are right, but please attend to the request urgently so that we can meet our budget for the week.
This is called the assertive method. Even though the subordinate continues to give reaosns why he cannot carry out the
assignment, he is not rude.
Qualities of an Effective Directive

(a) Must have a subject matter.
(b) Must be clear and unambiguous.
(c) Must be actionable, e.g. untie the colt.
(d) Meaningful.
(e) Can be spoken, written or unverbalized e.g. traffic-light; road signs,
(f) Must be used with appropriate stress, tone and body language.
(g) Must be concise and precise. (Go to the airport, please).
(h) Must be complete.
(i) Must be courteous (with “please” when necessary).
(j) Must be exact e.g. with time and place when necessary.
Examples:
Come to the service in Ikeja at ten a.m.
Serve breakfast in the dining at 7 a.m.
(k) Choose the appropriate diction depending on the level of audience, e.g.
Attend meeting in the Upper House. Or
Come to a meeting in the Senate Chambers.
(l) Must conform to English sentence pattern.
(m) It is usually in a statement or question form if written or spoken rather than an exclamation, e.g. Akin, can you grind
the pepper, please?
(n) It must be appropriately punctuated e.g. capital letter at the beginning and a full stop at the end, if written.
(o) It can be in a positive or negative language form. Can be combined.
(i) Always come through the gate.
(ii) Do not jump the fence.
(p) It can be a phrase or a simple sentence.
(q) It must be timely. Must be given at the right time for it to meet deadlines.

48
CHAPTER 15
ORGANISATION OF IDEA-SHARING EVENTS – CONFERENCES,

SEMINARS, LECTURES, FORA, WORKSHOPS, RETREATS
INTRODUCTION
We always have causes to come together to share ideas on certain issues in human life. Every organisation, country and
indeed the world always create such fora. When we do, we tag them all types and kinds of names as conferences, lectures,
workshops, fora, seminars and retreats.
TYPES
Idea sharing events can be in any of the categories described below:
(a) Conference: formal interchange of views.
(b) Consultation: a meeting of two or more persons for discussing matters of common concern.
(c) Forum: a public meeting or lecture involving audience discussion of a problem usually by several authorities.
(d) Seminar: a meeting for giving and discussing information.
(e) Lecture: a planned talk on a chosen subject.
PURPOSES
Every Idea-Sharing Event must have at least one or a set of objectives. A Fund-Raising seminar may have a singular
objective of “how to mobilize others to raise two million Naira for an electricity project. It could also simply be concerned
with or assigned to “recommend” how to increase distant members’ contributions to a church project.”
The OBJECTIVES OR PURPOSES of an idea-sharing event can include the following:

(a) Brain Storming.
(b) Designing/Strategizing.
(c) Fact finding/Investigating.
(d) Adjudicating/Recommending.
PREPARATION / PLANNING
All successful events start with adequate preparations.
Preparation of a Working Document

The planning should start with the preparation of a working document by the officer-in-charge of such a schedule
detailing the aspects below. This document is to be forwarded to the approving or financing officer/committee who must
approve for implementation.
LIST OF ACTIVITIES RELATED TO CONFERENCE ETC.

(i) Theme / Sub-Theme of Conference etc. (Choice of)
(ii) Objectives (Why?)
(iii) Expected Audience / Participants.
(iv) Date (When will it hold?)
(v) Venue (Where?)
(vi) Stationery (Bag, Pen, Papers etc.)
(vii) Speakers / Resource Persons / Guests / Chairmen of Sessions.
(viii) Finance (Fund Raising Techniques and Expenditure Rationing / Control).
(ix) Officers and Supporting Staff (Allocation of responsibilities)
(x) Medical Support.
(xi) Secretariat Support
(xii) Audio-Visual Aids (Nature / Appointment of Assistant)
(xiii) Publicity (Invitation of Pressmen / Entertainment / Remuneration)
(xiv) Parking Lot (Reservation / Labeling).
(xv) Meals and Snacks (Menu / Timing / Payment).
(xvi) Accommodation (Inspection, Reservation and Payment).
(xvii) Transportation (Information to participants / Allocation to specific officers).
(xviii) Master of Ceremony (Appointment / Remuneration)

49
(Xix) Stationery
(xx) Communiqué (Appointment of Rapporteurs / Format and Setting arrangements).
(xxi) Invitation letters.
(xxii) Conference Brochure (Preparation / Approval / Dispatch).
(xxiii) Preparation of Checklist.
(xxiv) Time-table.
(xxv) Conveniences – Toilets etc.
(xxvi) Programme of Events
(xxvii) Reproduction of working papers.
(xxviii) Preparation / Printing of Conference Brochure.
CHECKLIST
The information above can be tabulated as follows stating activities, implementing officer, deadline and budget.
S/N ACTIVITIES BUDGET SCHEDULE OFFICER DEADLINE

IN CHARGE
1. Preparation of Working Document N10,000 Conference Director 8th March, 2005
2. Approval of (1) Above – Chief Executive 12th March, 2005
3. Appointment and notification of
all implementing staff – Conference Director 15th March, 2005
4. Meeting of all staff concerned N2,000 Conference Director 18th March
5. Booking of Venue N50,000 Conference Director 25th March
6. Writing and Printing of
Conference Brochure N20,000 Media Manager 25th March
7. Letter to speakers, rapporteurs,
chairmen of sessions, discussants N10,000 Conference Director 30th March
8. Submission of papers, speeches
etc. by speakers – “ “ 21st April
9. Booking of accommodation,
meals and snacks N100,000 Catering Manager 25th April
10. Press Invitation N50,000 PR Manager 20th April
11. Appointment of Master of N10,000 PR Manager 20th April
Ceremony
This is just a guide. It is not comprehensive.
PREPARATION AND PLANNING
It is almost impossible to start planning a special event too soon or too thoroughly. If a hall must be rented, a space
reserved, chairs provided and snacks reserved, time should be allowed to find the right location or contact the appropriate
suppliers of the right materials. If printed material is required, there should be time to print it. Again and again, idea
generating and sharing events run under trouble because planning did not start sufficiently far ahead.
The preparation should also be thorough. So draw up your programme in detail, and then think of every possible
contingency.
Let us discuss the checklist for use with Special Events, and you can then adapt these to your Idea-Sharing Event:
Printed Material
(a) Do you have all the stationery and printed material you will need?
(b) Have they been ordered in time for prompt delivery?
(c) Have you ordered in sufficient quantity?
Technical Equipment
(a) Have you arranged for any projectors, microphones, podium, special lighting and other such equipment you may
need?
(b) Are you sure they will be in working order?

50
Space
(a) Do you have enough space for the type of event you are promoting?
(b) Can you handle all the people you expect to come?
Refreshments
(a) Do you plan to have refreshment?
(b) Where will they be served?
Resource Persons / Material
(a) Have you secured the required number of Resource Persons?
(b) Do you have back-up persons in case of last minute cancellations?
(c) Have you told your Resource Persons what materials to bring or to expect to find?
Forum and Seminars as Idea-Sharing Events
The most important aspects of a forum or seminar are a good basic idea of general interest, and speakers who are experts
in the field.
In general, the programme should be broad, covering the subject from many angles. This makes the difference between a
series of individual speeches and a forum/seminar.
In setting up the seminar, be sure to observe the following rules:
(i) Brief each speaker thoroughly in advance of the meeting.
(ii) Be sure he/she knows what ground you want him/her to cover and how long you want him/her to speak. Without
such a briefing, you may find one speaker using up the major portion of the allotted time, or another speaker
repeating what has already been said.
(iii) An Idea-Sharing Event or seminar lays more emphasis on TEACHING. The audience comes to learn rather than
just to listen. Also, a seminar may run for several days.
Record-Keeping and Information Management

Record keeping is an essential ingredient of a seminar or idea-sharing event. So also is information management and
dissemination.
You should consider appointing a Communiqué Committee, not just to keep accurate records of the events as well as
summarise the major presentations for your own in-house consumption, but primarily to facilitate your communicating to
the general public your resolutions and recommendations. We shall say more on the communiqué later. A Rapporteur
may be used if it is considered necessary to produce a professional summary of the proceedings as is customary at
meetings of learned societies.
Another important aspect of information management is your rapport with the press. You must ensure that you have in
hand all the information needed by the press including background materials, description of the purpose of the event, and
a list of the prominent participants. You must also have a place for the gentlemen of the press when they arrive. Be
prepared to entertain them and subsidize their transport fare. You can also hand in some corporate gifts like conference
bags and stationery. Of course, you will give them a set of papers and the communiqué.
How to Prepare a Communiqué
In order to prepare a good communiqué on your special event, you must pay attention to the following details:
(a) Theme of event
(b) Messages received at the event (lectures, speeches, goodwill greetings, etc.)
(c) Participants’ resolutions
(d) Participants’ observations
(e) Other relevant or related issues of interest.
The communiqué itself should have the following or more components:

(a) Title (including venue and date)
(b) Introduction / Identification / Preamble
(c) Observations
(d) Resolutions / Message or Main Issues
(e) Conclusion
(f) Recommendations
(g) Endorsement / Authorisation.

51
CONCLUSION
In planning any event, the best thing is for the planner to be original. Although you may find that some of the events to
hold are routine, but you don’t have to employ an idea that has become old and hackneyed if you can avoid it. Ask
yourself, has the idea been used recently or so much that it has lost its freshness? Is it relevant? Are the particular people
you are trying to reach well acquainted with it? If the answer is “Yes” to either, think of an alternative.
You can do this by taking a standard occasion and adding some new ideas. But in planning any idea-sharing event, don’t
carry the process too far. Aside from the limitations imposed by your budget and time, there are also limitations imposed
by good taste.
But whatever you do, do not neglect these vital points of:
(a) Starting early
(b) Mobilising all required resources
(c) Impacting your audience
(d) Recording your proceedings
(e) Publicising your resolution.

52
CHAPTER 5
PREPARATION OF SUMMARIES / NOTE-TAKING

AND NOTE-MAKING
Several words refer to shortening a passage or reducing the number of words and/or even the content. They are:
1. Brief: A shorter form of a long passage/discussion. Give a gist of. (Notes). It can take the look of “This passage is
about the life and times of Hon. Nnamdi Azikwe.”
2. Precise: Make a passage short in a given line of words.
3. Draft: (A skeletal note not final).
4. Concise: Reduce to a small size but as much as possible exact. (Short, Brief). Cut out all irrelevancies. Reduce to a
shorter form.
A summary is a selective extraction of the salient/main/important points of an original material, putting them together in a
continuous, logical, sequential and coherent form. It may be a lecture, a note, a broadcast, a published essay, speech etc.
For example, minutes is the salient points of a long discussion.
PURPOSE:
(i) To economize words, materials and space e.g. paper and film space.
(ii) To help presentation for speakers who do not like reading texts.
(iii) To save time of a busy executive or audience.
RELEVANCE:
It is useful for taking lectures, sermons, minutes, and for taking information down from mass media, radio, television
broadcasts as well as newspapers.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. Getting the main idea of the original communicator; and
2. Reframing it in your own language in a coherent form.
STRATEGIES FOR MAKING SUMMARIES, TAKING AND MAKING NOTES

1. Prepare by getting the original material on books, on tape, in newspapers, etc.
2. Be mentally alert.
3. Provide stationery e.g. writing sheets, pencil, pen, scissors, gum, tapes, pins, stapler, erasers, etc.
4. Find a relatively comfortable environment for the work. A library is ideal.
5. Switch off all distractions including radio and handset etc. to enable you concentrate.
6. Raise your mental alertness such that environmental factors like noise, telephone tones, music, human
interaction cannot disturb you.
7. Read and listen with understanding. There is an echo inside you/camera (mind) which must be opened to gain
understanding and insight of re-creation of what has been coded in words. Some books call it MIND-SET.
8. Classify the original material into one of the following categories of writings – Narration, Description, Exposition,
Argument, and Persuasion.
Narrative Essay tells a story. So, it must have characters, events and things. So, it must have a lot of adjectives,
flowery words, synonymous statements and irrelevancies. Description a house for example.
Argumentative/Discussion. An argument has at least two sides – Pro (Supporting) and Con (Against). It may also
have a mixed side, which tends it towards exposition. Take a case as to whether democracy is beneficial to
Africans than militocracy.
Exposition/Explanation. An expository essay explains a point rather than holding on to a bias. For example, it
can be on the advantages and disadvantages of militocracy. It has features of definition and illustrations. When it
makes a point, it explains it by giving instances and examples. For example, “A noun is the name of any person,
place, thing or idea. Examples are Akpan, Aso Rock, pen and ideology.” Usually, a material falls into one of these
categories but it may also be mixed. For example, narrations also describe people and things in trying to make a
story vivid.
9. Find out the TOPIC SENTENCE. In expositions, arguments and description, it is relatively easy. A topic sentence
is the one that summarises the main idea of a write-up. For example, an essay on democracy will start with a
definition like this, “Democracy is the government of the people, by the people and for the people”, even before
going on to its advantages. From there, the author could go on to develop along his lines. He can give the
advantages and the disadvantages. If he wants to turn it into an argument, he would say that democracy is not
beneficial to developing countries because of some reasons.

53
CHAPTER 16
PUBLIC RELATIONS (PR)

Definition
Public Relations (PR) is defined as “planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain goodwill and mutual
understanding between an organisation and its publics.”
Publics
Who are the publics? They are:
(1) Employees and Families of Employees
(2) Marketers
(3) Press
(4) Trade Union
(5) Customers
(6) Shareholders
(7) Communities (Corporate Social Responsibility) hosting the organisation.
(8) Governments – Local, National and State.
(9) External Foreign / International Organisations
(10) Educational institutions
(11) Others e.g. Religious bodies
Elements of Public Relations
1. Publicity: Dissemination of purposefully planned information and its execution through media to further the
interest of an organisation or person without specific payment to media.
2. Public Affairs: Working with governments and groups that determine public policies and legislation. Oil companies
have Public Affairs Managers.
3. Government Relations
4. Investor Relations (Shareholders)
5. Employee Relations (Industrial Relations)
6. Community Relations (Corporate Social Responsibility)
7. Industry Relations (Relationship with colleagues in the same industry).
8. Minority Relations
9. Advertising (Persuasive material presented to convince the public / appeal to the public by a party that pays for it).
10. Press Relations (Media Relations).
11. Promotion: Special activities designed to call attention to an organisation or person, product, firm, course of action
at no direct fee.
12. Propaganda: Efforts made to influence the opinions of a public to spread and establish a doctrine or cause.
13. Customer Relations (Promotion).
14. Trade Relations
15. Industrial Relations (Labour Relations).
Objectives
(i) To create and maintain goodwill between an organisation and its publics.
(ii) To foster understanding between an organisation and its employees in order to maintain a conducive environment
for production.
(iii) To develop credibility for an organisation and its publics.
(iv) To raise a company’s visibility
What Does Public Relations Do?
(i) Advise management on Public Relations policy matters.
(ii) Plan and execute Public Relations campaign.
(iii) Evaluate public opinions.

54
iv) Relate favorably with opinion leaders.
(v) Ensure smooth internal interactions.
(vi) Support and create right environment for marketers.
(vii) Produce corporate literature e.g. Corporate Profile and Conference/AGM Brochure.
(viii) Execute programmes to educate public, win public understanding and acceptance.
(ix) Support marketing of products and services with promotional activities.
(x) Establish networks among industrial participants, governments etc..
(xi) Advise management on image relating issues.
(xii) Enhance employee morale.
(xiii) Project the truth about an organisation.
(xiv) Show the relevance of an organisation to its host community (Corporate Social Responsibility).
Consequences of Bad / Ineffective Public Relations

1. Workers’ strike and internal conflicts.
2. Consumers boycotting product.
3. Shareholders withdrawing.
4. Litigations.
5. Bankruptcy, Distress
6. Reduced Credit Ratings.
7. Unemployment, resignations, etc.
Facilities of a Good Public Relations Manager

1. Must be knowledgeable
2. Be a pleasant person – courteous, tactful, helpful, neat etc.
3. Good listener
4. Can give constructive advise
5. A good researcher and mixer
6. Understanding and loyal to company and CEO
7. Be interested in people
8. Have discretion to discriminate between markets.
CUSTOMER RELATIONS
It is the treatment of customers, as a public of an organisation, with gentle face, words, behaviour and mind so that that
organisation will always be preferable to that customer. Some books call it “Customer Care.”
The effective interaction of a corporate body and its employees with a customer such that the customer can contribute to
the achievement of the organisation’s goal positively.
Steps Towards Effective Customer Care

(1) Train and educate staff in how to serve customers – Politeness and satisfaction; Practise Total Quality Management
Principle; satisfying a customer first time and all the time.
(2) Motivate staff with incentives.
(3) Set up a feed-back system to receive suggestions from staff and customers. For example, a Suggestion Box.
(4) Ensure production of high quality products all the time.
(5) Follow up customers.
(6) Be polite, courteous, friendly, warm and gentle, cheerful and smart even when you have dishonest customers.
(7) Display all relevant information on service or product. Make information open.
(8) Make purchasing system as simple as possible.
(9) Do not make promises you cannot redeem.
(10) Give fair and competitive prices.
(11) Give adequate publicity using verbal, print and electronic media.

55
CHAPTER 17
MEDIA RELATIONS ESSENTIALS AND TECHNIQUES
INTRODUCTION
It is relations with the news media and a large percentage of what is classified as PR over-lapses into Journalism. Media
Relations. Media Relations is a tool of Public Relations used for bridging the gap between a corporate body or individual
and the different publics. The justification is in the fact that audiences are diversified and are separated by distances that
are not easily bridgeable by the face-to-face communication methods which were effectively used in pre-modern times.
The precise position of Media Relations is to fill the gap using the print and electronic media.
CLASSIFICATION
Media relations are classified into two broad groups:
(a) Electronic – Radio, TV, Internet.
(b) Print – Newspapers, books, magazines, journals.
Functions
The media has three main functions:
(a) Educating
(b) Informing; and
(c) Entertaining
It is within these functions that editors determine the priority that is given to a particular manuscript from time to time. A
material may not meet the day’s priority, but may be relevant tomorrow. Also, each media has its own priority within the
three broad functions listed above. These are the points that must guide the PR practitioner to decide which media house
is approached for a particular event or story or which medium will serve the purpose. What the PR practitioner, therefore,
tries to do is to fit the activities of his organisation into the programmes of the media houses. In this way, he can ensure that
the awareness of his organisation/product is created along with the enhancement of the goals and the realization of the
objective.
Principles and Techniques

As in communication in general, media relations must successfully answer the questions:
What? Who? Whom?
Why? When? Where?
How?
What?
This is the information which must be correct, factual, relevant, timely and adequate. It is the core of media relations.
Therefore, PR practitioners must ensure that they supply correct information to the press so as to avoid speculations which
may lead to controversies and rejoinders. All information can be carried in a narrative, descriptive or expository form
because these are the primary or natural forms of information dissemination.
Who?
Who refers to the calibre, charisma, competence and ethics of the practitioner bridging the organisation – media gap. In
this regard, the frontier of PR in any organisation is neither that of an office assistant or personal assistant. He has to be
trained professionally, alert to news, intelligent for deciphering and smart in outlook. Media Relations is not about
speculative journalism but about using the press to inform the public about what an organisation stands for and what it is
doing (activities) to keep to its mandate.
Whom?
The audience or the publics are important. The audience determines the medium to be chosen as a platform i.e. (local,
national or international); the format of the information; (minutes, advert, notice, report) the nature of information
(segregation). Audiences are classified with various criteria e.g. rural/urban; low/high income/profile; primary/individual;
immediate/remote; young/adult.

56
The PR manager must, of course, be knowledgeable in the mission and product of its company along with the target
audience. It proves that he has to be selective with audience/publics. Products and services select their audiences. Sweets
are for children while HBP therapies are for adults invariably. The information has to be relevant to the audience for it to
be acceptable.
Why?
A rationale must be established for selecting certain media houses over and above others. The criteria may be audience,
proximity, budget or personal relationships. The PR practitioners needs articulate reason and purpose together for
effectiveness.
When?
For effective reception of a message, the time element is important. Normally, all media practitioners and clients work with
deadlines; otherwise a material can be reduced from news to story within one second. Advertisement, notices, annual
reports, releases, news etc. are all time bound. That is what guides stages of media relations in terms of pre, during and
post event relations and activities.
Where?
The meeting places are the media – radio, TV, newspapers, magazines, journals, billboards etc. The choice must be
guided by the identification of purpose, objective, budget, target audience, territorial coverage of publication etc. For
example, Nigerian Business Times is read by most businessmen. The Guardian on Monday is read by people interested in
Estate. The Guardian on Thursday is read by those interested in traditional medicine.
How?
Effective language use is the primary thing here, followed by rubrics. Meaning, style of presentation. A material needs to
be outworked into a notice, advertisement, rejoinder, announcement, report etc. All of these have different acceptable
formats. Target audience is an important issue.
Guiding Principles
All press materials must satisfy the following criteria:
(a) Relevance
(b) Accuracy / Factual / Truth
(c) Clarity
(d) Conciseness not brief
(e) Logicality / Sequential so that it flows.
(f) Unity
(g) Report Acceptability / Believable
(h) Timeliness
(i) Simple
(j) Readability
(k) Highlight the benefit
(l) Bold prints
(m) Choose illustrations that support your point.
Press Conference and Press Interview
One way of reaching the media is through press conference and interview. Here, the Chief Executive has the opportunity
to meet the press face-to-face, and clear doubts, to face, seek their support for the objectives of his company and clear any
misconceptions. Pressmen are highly intelligent and they must not be underrated, estimated or ill-treated. The press can
mar or make the goals of any organisation or individual. Avoid press controversies because it is expensive in time, money,
reputation and emotions.
Training of PR Practitioners
All PR professionals or officers in an organisation should be trained and retrained.
Membership of Professional Bodies
PR managers / officers in an organisation should participate effectively in the activities of their professional organisations.
They must be sponsored to attend conferences, seminars, AGMs etc.
Networking Facilities
PR managers must be given networking facilities so as to be conversant with the socio-economic trends. They have to
have a well-equipped office with telecommunication facilities, e.g. direct telephone line, fax, E-mail, Internet,
photocopying, television, radio etc.

57
In addition, they must have a vehicle attached to their offices along with a generous budget for entertaining media men
who come in from time to time to seek information.
Finally, they must be nominated to at least one top club to enable them interact with the crème of the society for the
purposes of building personality data bank for various events (lectures, seminars, conferences, fund raising) of the
organisation.
The picture of the relationship between PR and media relations must be of complimentarily and harmony because while
PR supplies the stories to the press, the press helps to use the same raw materials. The press processes it into industrial
products for the consumption of the public. No-one can do without the other.
Monitoring
Preparation, transmission and dissemination have to be monitored for a feedback so as to create a re-appraisal and the
room to make necessary improvements in the system.

58
CHAPTER 18
MEDIA CONFERENCE
A media conference is a meeting between media practitioners and an executive or executives of an organisation. Some
books call it Press Conference. There are always various reasons for meeting. For example, organisations try to tell the
public about their performance over a period. Sometimes, their products run into trouble and they need to redeem the
image of the company and the product. Sometimes, there is industrial dispute with employees and the organisation wants
to tell the public its own side of the story. At other times, the company may have been maligned. There are always reasons.
The advantage of a press conference is that an executive can pass information to many publics represented by the press at
only one venue instead of hopping from one community to the other or even one media house to the other. Usually, it is
carried as news and it is a lot cheaper than advertisements.
Responsibilities of the Public Relations Manager / Officer

Managing a media conference:
(1) Decide on the purpose (For AGM or to refute a wrong idea).
(2) Where? (Venue) Choose appropriate venue.
(3) When? Time and date.
(4) Who is to address the media? Usually, it is the Chief Executive.
(5) Select relevant media – newspaper, radio and TV.
(6) Invite media (by writing and personal contacts) – print, electronic media. Choose wisely taking into consideration –
audience, familiarity, etc.
(7) Prepare refreshments, corporate gifts and transport fares subsidy.
(8) Introduce the Speaker and Colleagues and the press.
(9) Record the interaction in cassettes – audio, video etc. just in case controversies develop.
(10) Provide the information in a written form or on cassettes according to rules and distribute to pressmen.
(11) Give room for questions (dialogue).
(12) Watch out for the publications and buy all the papers or tune to the stations. The alternative is to ask media
practitioners particularly newspaper reporters to send in a copy of their publications.
(13) If necessary, take the media boys through your plant, factory or premises to see for themselves. In leading them
through, explain what the different departments do but be sure to keep the secrets of the organisation secret.
(14) Thank them for coming. If there is allowance for lunch, serve lunch. It is not usually advisable to serve refreshments
while the briefing is going on.
PRESS ANNOUNCEMENT
Any public notice is Press Announcement if it is carried in the mass media – newspapers, television and radio. It is not
possible for us to guess what you would like to announce to the world through the press, so we cannot fashion out a write-
up for you. It may be a Press Release / an Advertorial or called by any other name. However, please take note of the
following guidelines:
1. Ensure accuracy and correct spelling of the name of your organisation and its address plus other details like
telephone numbers, fax, e-mail, Internet, etc.
2. Identify your audience. These are the people who are to read it.
3. Choose the media selectively to agree with the time you want it relayed on radio and TV. Choose the right
newspaper or magazine depending on who reads what.
4. Supply a title for the release.
5. Divide the release into three parts – Introduction, Body and Conclusion.
6. Do not waste words because of cost.
7. Be as simple as possible with your choice of words.
8. Ensure that your sentences are not too long and winding. Otherwise, not many people will follow you.
9. Establish your purpose for the announcement or release.
10. Sign the release either for yourself or on behalf of your company.
11. Be conscious of use of words because you may be charged with slander by an aggrieved person.
12. When necessary, use appropriate visuals e.g. graphs, charts, pictures etc.

59
USING HOUSE ORGANS / FACT SHEETS
A house journal is a publication restricted in circulation within an organisation. The audience is usually the employees.
Contents
It usually carries news on:
Financial Statements
Annual Reports and Accounts
Chairman’s Addresses / Speeches
Policies. Personnel News like new appointment, resignations, terminations etc.
Distinctions (the company man of the year or month).
Frequency
The frequency depends on the purse of the organisation. Some do it monthly, while others circulate it quarterly or bi-
annually.
Quality
Must contain facts, as well as truthful, accurate, correct and honest information. There is a law that forbids lies and
information distortion to the public.
Other Issues
The following details depend on the policy and budget of the organisation:
Quality of Paper; Colouring; Readership figure and level; Paging; Pictures; Editorial; Budget; Circulation; Size; Point size,
etc.
UNDERSTANDING BROADCAST INTERVIEWS

Already, we have treated the media in depth; and broadcasting media are the television and radio channels. They both
have objectives of educating, entertaining and informing. From time to time, they both broadcast interviews on various
topics particularly current ones. Most of the interviews now are on the Nigerian National Political Reform Conference. We
are not dealing with advertisements and advertorials.
There are no new skills required of someone listening to a broadcast interview on radio or television except the ones we
have discussed under LISTENING SKILLS AND MAKING SUMMARIES. It essentially requires hearing, paying attention,
listening and remembering as we detailed under the topics above.
The limitation in the case of radio and television interview broadcasts is that it is impersonal. There is some distance
between the speaker and the listener. Therefore, there may not be an opportunity for the speaker to repeat himself or be
asked to clarify an ambiguous issue. Thirdly, the listener would not also be able to see the gestures and demonstrations of
the speaker in radio broadcasts. Even when a listener could phone in on such programmes, very few can get through.
Even then, the vividness of face-to-face interaction will still be absent. Really, in essence, the listener to a broadcast has no
option than to pay maximum attention, switch off all distractions, prejudices and biases, concentrate his attention on the
broadcast and take notes using local, national, personal and international abbreviations. If he would need the materials
beyond that level, he has to develop it and also consult other sources or find particulars of the speaker and reach him
physically.

60
PART V
AUDIO - VISUAL
AIDS

61
CHAPTER 19
AUDIO-VISUAL AIDS (GRAPHIC AIDS)
In Chapter 2, we discussed the fact that Communication can be done in words and in action or both. We also said that if
we have to write, speak and demonstrate as the teacher does, we must ensure that one completes the meaning of the
order. Audio-Visual aids fall into the class of non-verbal communication. The two words Audio-Visual come from Latin;
and they mean Hearing and Seeing respectfully. In giving directives, they complement verbal instructions.
TYPES
Audio-Visual aids include tables, charts, graphs, pictures, maps, pictogram, diagrams, signs, statistical data, tape-
recordings, slides, projectors, screen presentation, video tapes, and video discs as communication aids.
ADVANTAGES
(i) To enhance communicative effectiveness. Make verbal communication clearer and easier to visualize.
(ii) Graphics help to give verbal communication more attractive appearance e.g. pictures, graphs etc. when
complementing essays.
(iii) They help to emphasize, thereby leaving lasting impressions on the mind of readers, listeners and audience
particularly immature readers. For example, films.
(iv) They intersect verbal boredom. Sometimes, we get dizzy or bored with reading or listening. When a film comes in
or demonstration, we become alert.
(v) Graphic displays help to reduce the monotony of figures particularly in the sciences and mathematical subjects.
DISADVANTAGES
(i) Many occupy more space than text.
(ii) Needs visual creativity, innovativeness or intelligence.
(iii) May cause confusion if not placed in context or explained.
(iv) When the contexts are more than one, e.g. in double line graphs or charts, complication of colours or shades or
lines may come in.
(v) Each has its own advantage over other types that there is need to be selective intelligently.
(vi) Expensive to prepare
(vii) Time consuming.
EQUIPMENT
(1) Hand
(2) Micro-computers / computers using Harvard Graphics, Lotus 1,2,3, Corel Draw, Claris MacPaint, Microsoft
Chart and PageMaker.
PURPOSE OF USING AUDIO-VISUALS
(1) Make complex ideas simple and vivid
(2) Reduce presentation time.
(3) Provide additional interest or amusement.
FACTORS WHICH GUIDE CHOICE OF AUDIO-VISUALS
(i) Purpose: For amusement, video-discs and tapes. For education – slides, projectors.
(ii) Target Audience (Appropriate and suitable for its choice): Video discs and tapes for children, diagrams, pictures
(iii) Life Span (Duration): Tapes have durations whereas slides are indefinite.
GUIDELINES FOR USE OF AUDIO-VISUAL AIDS
(i) Must be visually appealing.
(ii) Must be purposeful. Must have a purpose for use. It must satisfy a demand e.g. traffic lights of red, green and
amber.
(iii) Must be placed nearest to the text that it explains or in the appropriate place. Must be used in context.
(iv) They must be introduced, displayed and discussed. See pictures we use in newspapers for news e.g. the chart
below; or picture above; or graph on the left.
(v) Must be titled and numbered appropriately. See newspaper pictures captioned as pix 1, 2, 3, 4.
(vi) Sources must be acknowledged for the purposes of credibility. Usually the source is explained below it.

62
TYPES
TABLES (SIMPLE, DOUBLE AND MULTIPLE

These are in rows (lateral) and columns (vertical).
SSCE Result of Miss Grace Okereke (SSCE 2003/285/10)

FEDERAL HIGH SCHOOL, LAGOS.
1 2 3 4
S/N Subject Marks Remarks
1. English Language A3 Good
2. Mathematics A2 Very Good
3. Physics A1 Excellent
4. Chemistry A1 Excellent
5. Biology A1 Excellent
6. Economics C4 Credit
7. Accounts A3 Good
Summary 7 Average 2.2 Very Good
Source: WAEC 2003 SSCE Examinations Result Table 2003/285
Advantage
(i) Relatively easier than many other graphic aids because it is primary data. No interpretations yet. No secondary
application.
(ii) Can show precise details including decimals.
(iii) Can compare various subjects and periods. For example, we can compare science, arts and social science
performance of Miss Grace Okereke. We can also turn it to graph or compare results of many candidates as below:
Names English Mathematics Accounts Economics Physics Chemistry Biology

1. Grace Okereke A3 A2 A3 C4 A1 A1 A1
2. Bunmi Ayanlola P8 F9 C5 A3 P8 C5 C4
3. Ramat Hassan C4 - C4 A2 - - P8

63
LINE GRAPH
A1 X X X Bunmi Ayanlola
A2 X
A3 X X X
C4 X X Grace Okereke
C5 X X
C6
P7
P8 X X
F9 X
English
Mathematics
Physics
Chemistry
Biology
Economics
Accounts
Types
(i) Simple line graph
(ii) Double line graph
(iii) Multiple line graph
Advantages
(i) Simple to construct
(ii) Simple to interprete
(iii) Can be used to show movement / advancement / progression
(iv) Double / Multiple line graphs can indicate trends over time or compare distribution of variables and even show
point of equilibrium as Grace and Bunmi are on
BAR GRAPHS
Types:
(i) Vertical
(ii) Horizontal
VERTICAL HORIZONTAL
Sources Of Fund
Stock Exchange 3.5m
Government 1.5m
1990 1995 2000 2005

64
Advantages
(i) Easy to construct
(ii) Easy to interprete
(iii) Good for indicating comparisons
(iv) Good for trends over time.
(v) It can make precise distinction between difficult variables.
(vi) Vertical bar graph is most suitable for presenting variables that have to do with time trends.
(vii) It can take many forms and as many variables as possible in colours.
CHART
It is a sheet of information arranged in lists, pictures, tables or diagram. The list of students in a class on a sheet is a chart. A
sheet on which we have temperature / rainfall recordings for a period of time, e.g. week, month or year is a chart.
ALPHABET CHART
A E I M Q U Y
B F J N R V Z
C G K O S W
D H L P T X
PIE CHARTS
Sources of NIM Funds:
Membership
50%
Seminars/ Publications
Lectures 20%
10%
Exams
20%
Source: NIM 2004 Annual Report

Used more to express relative percentages.
Advantage
(i) The charts help to dramatize / visualize percentages or fractional components of a given element. Each element
takes a fractional percentage segment of the circular pie.
Guidelines for Pie Charts

(i) Arrange in a clock-wise fashion.
(ii) Mark out each piece and the percentage it contributes.
(iii) The fraction (size) of each piece must be commensurate with the percentage allocated.
(iv) The fraction must be relative to the whole circle.
(v) Make sure all the pieces add up to 100%.
(vi) You can make the pieces / parts more beautiful with colours.
MAPS
It is a represention on paper of a physical situation e.g. Map of Nigeria or an estate.

65
DIAGRAMS
A diagram is a drawing or sketch showing important parts of a thing. It may be a map, plan, drawing, figure, or chart made
to show clearly what a thing is or how it works.
This is the diagram or plan of an estate for example:
BLOCK C BLOCK B BLOCK A

OLUSEGUN WAY
BLOCK D BLOCK E BLOCK F
Turn Right or Turn Left Toilet seat for toilets

Male Female Toilets
SIGNS
Right Wrong
ORGANOGRAM
CEO
Directors
Senior Managers
PHOTOGRAPHS
It is a picture / representation made with a camera. It can records all colours – black, white, red, blue, yellow etc.
COLOURS
Green, Red and Amber in Traffic control. They are more colourful.

66
REFERENCES
1. Alexander Hamilton Institute (1987). Writing Winning Reports and Proposals. New York.
2. Ashe, Geoffrey (1979). The Art of Writing. Richard Clay Press, London.
3. Barrett, Harold (1973). Practical Methods in Speech. Binehart Press. California.
4. Evans, Desmond (1990) People and Communication. Pitman Books Ltd., London.
5. Lesly, Philip (ed) (1995). Handbook of Public Relations and Communications. Probus Publishing, Chicago
6. Little, Peter. (1982). English for the Office. Longmans, London.
7. Llyod, Herbert (1985). Teach Yourself Public Relations. The English Universities Press, London.
8. McCrimmon, James (1995). from Source to Statement. Houghton Mifflin Co, Boston.
9. Monday, Wayne and Shane Premeaux (1995). Management Concepts, Practices and Skills. Allyn & Bacon,
London.
10, Montgomery, Michael and A. F. Odepidan (1992). Office English. Collins Educational, Glasgow.
11. Mort, Simon (1995). Professional Report Writing. Gower, Aldershot.
12. Mort, Simon (2001). The Minutes. Gower Publishing. Aldershot.
13. Osundahunsi, Dele (1981). “A Guide to Management Reprot Writing” in Management in Nigeria. Vol. 23 Nos.
9+10, Sept/October, Lagos. pp 38-44.
14. Sannie, M.B.A. (2003. Business Communication and Use of English. Management and Business Associates,
Lagos.
15. Smith, William and Raymond Liedlich (1982). From Thought to Theme. Harcourt, Brase and World. New York.
16. Smith, Nila Banton (1983). Be a Better Reader. Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs.
17. Soola, Oludayo (2004). Modern Business Communication. Kraft Books, Ibadan.
18. Stanton, Nicki (1992). The Business of Communication. Pan Books, London.
19. Strunk, William (Jr) and E. B. White (1982). The Elements of Style. Macmillan Publishing, New York.
20. Ross, Alec (1979). Writing to the Read. Holt, Rinehard & Winston. Chicago
21. Unoh, S. O. (1968). The Study of Reading. Ibadan University Press, Ibadan.
22. Unoh, S. O. (1972). Faster Reading through Practice. Ibadan University Press, Ibadan.
23. Valentine, Nina (2000). Public Speaking. Penguin Group, London.
24. Wragg, David (1998). Targeting Media Relations. Kogan Page, London.

67

MPE 102 COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

MPE 102 COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Management Excellence

MANAGEMENT PROFESSIONAL EXAMINATION

For more information, please contact:

Nigerian Institute of Management (Chartered)

VISION: To be the source and symbol of Management Excellence

COMMUNICATION SKILLS FOR MANAGERS PAGE

COMMUNICATION SKILLS FOR MANAGERS PAGE

COMMUNICATION SKILLS FOR MANAGERS PAGE

DEFINITIONS: What then do we mean by COMMUNICATION?

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF ALL TYPES OF COMMUNICATION

COMMUNICATION SKILLS FOR MANAGERS PAGE

COMMUNICATION SKILLS FOR MANAGERS PAGE

IN COMMUNICATION (COMMUNICATION PROCESS)

Let us now look at how to achieve CLARITY and UNDERSTANDING in COMMUNICATION.

(i) IDEATION (iv) RECEPTION

GROUP A ACTIVITIES AND PROCESSES OF INITIATING COMMUNICATION

COMMUNICATION SKILLS FOR MANAGERS PAGE

TOOLS OF COMMUNICATION: Books have identified Print and Electronic Media.

COMMUNICATION SKILLS FOR MANAGERS PAGE

CAUSES OF COMMUNICATION BARRIERS / FAILURE / GAP:

REDUCING BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION:

COMMUNICATION SKILLS FOR MANAGERS PAGE

Art of Good Writing

COMMUNICATION SKILLS FOR MANAGERS PAGE

ART OF GOOD WRITING

Sounds / Alpbets / Symbols

WHEN IS A WRITING GOOD?

COMMUNICATION SKILLS FOR MANAGERS PAGE

(viii) The grammatical structures must be correct.

(x) It must be actionable or interpretable. It must show what is to be done.

COMMUNICATION SKILLS FOR MANAGERS PAGE

ESSENTIALS OF GOOD WRITING:

COMMUNICATION SKILLS FOR MANAGERS PAGE

Goal of a Reader Comprehension (Understanding)

Strategies for Doing Effective Reading

COMMUNICATION SKILLS FOR MANAGERS PAGE

COMMUNICATION SKILLS FOR MANAGERS PAGE

REPORT IN A COMMUNICATION PROCESS:

COMMUNICATION SKILLS FOR MANAGERS PAGE

Body (MEDIAL SECTION)

c. Terms of Reference: Scope of the assignment, e.g.

COMMUNICATION SKILLS FOR MANAGERS PAGE

REPORT CONVENTIONS AND APPENDAGES

COMMUNICATION SKILLS FOR MANAGERS PAGE

COMMUNICATION SKILLS FOR MANAGERS PAGE

COMMUNICATION SKILLS FOR MANAGERS PAGE

AGENDA FOR THE MEETING:

*See a typical Notice of Meeting below.

ELECTRIC ENERGY CONSULTANTS

17th September, 2004

NOTICE OF BOARD MEETING

CHIEF ANDREW AKERA

COMMUNICATION SKILLS FOR MANAGERS PAGE

3. COMPONENTS OF A PARAGRAPH / SUB-SECTION

COMMUNICATION SKILLS FOR MANAGERS PAGE

Optional: Number e.g. fourth meeting

(b) Welcoming of a new member.

(c) If inaugural, terms of reference are to be stated.

(d) Courtesies and recognitions including congratulations, condolences etc.

PART 3: MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING:

COMMUNICATION SKILLS FOR MANAGERS PAGE

PART 5: ANY OTHER BUSINESS (NEW ISSUES)

PART 6: DATES, PLACE & TIME OF NEXT MEETING

PART 8: SIGNATURES OF CHAIRMAN AND SECRETARY.