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Chapter 11 Lecture Notes ● 1
Chapter 11 LECTURE NOTES
Developing Professionalism and Business Etiquette Skills at the
Office and Online
CHAPTER SYNOPSIS
The purpose of this chapter is to help students understand how professionalism and business
etiquette skills help them succeed in the digital-age workplace. The central theme in Chapter
11 is professionalism, a term that includes various definitions of desirable workplace behavior
such as business etiquette, social intelligence, and soft skills. The professional interpersonal
skills highlighted in this chapter include positive face-to-face workplace communication and
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
1. Understand professionalism, start developing business etiquette skills, and build an ethical
mind-set—important qualities digital-age employers seek.
2. Use your voice as a communication tool, master face-to-face workplace interaction, foster
positive relations on the job, and accept as well as provide constructive criticism
gracefully.
3. Practice professional telephone skills and polish your voice mail etiquette.
WHAT’S NEW IN THIS CHAPTER
The authors made the following changes and improvements:
• Highlighted the key soft skills employers want and students will need in the digital-age
workplace.
Chapter 11 Lecture Notes ● 2
• Substantially revised and updated the discussion of professional teams, including virtual
teams, to demonstrate to students the importance of effective collaboration in workplace
groups.
• Presented several chapter concepts, e.g. conflict resolution and team building, in new
graphics to help students learn through visual means.
• Established the relevance of face-to-face meetings even in a hyperconnected, technology-
LECTURE OUTLINE
I. Developing Professionalism and Business Etiquette Skills at the Office
and Online (p. 352)
A. Understanding Professionalism and the Cost of Incivility
Traits and skills that define professional behavior to foster positive workplace
relations:
• Civility – respectful toward others
• Polish – creating a positive impression
B. Relating Professional Behavior to Ethics
• Professionalism also encompasses another crucial quality in a businessperson: ethics,
or integrity.
Figure 11.1 The Six Dimensions of Professional Behavior
C. Gaining an Etiquette Edge in a Networked World
• An awareness of courtesy and etiquette
II. Communicating Face-to-Face on the Job (p. 355)
Even with the widespread use of communication technologies in the workplace, face-
to-face communication is still essential. Face-to-face conversation allows you to be
Chapter 11 Lecture Notes ● 3
Figure 11.2 Media Richness and Communication Effectiveness
A. Using Your Voice as a Communication Tool
• Improve your pronunciation. Here are some commonly mispronounced words
to practice in class:
“affidavit” – not “affidavid”
“ask” – not “aks”
“business” – not “bidness”
“candidate” – not “cannidate”
B. Making Workplace Conversation Matter
• Use correct names and titles.
• Choose appropriate topics.
C. Receiving Workplace Criticism Gracefully
• Listen without interrupting.
• Determine the speaker’s intent.
• Acknowledge what you are hearing.
D. Providing Constructive Criticism on the Job
Chapter 11 Lecture Notes ● 4
• Mentally outline your conversation.
• Generally use face-to-face communication.
• Focus on improvement.
III. Following Professional Telephone and Voice Mail Etiquette (p. 361)
Even with the popularity of e-mail, the telephone is still a popular communication tool
in the workplace. Students will be more productive, efficient, and professional by
following these simple suggestions for improving their telephone and voice mail
etiquette.
A. Making Telephone Calls Professionally
• Plan a mini-agenda.
• Use a three-point introduction: your name, your affiliation, and your reason for
calling.
• Be brisk if you are rushed.
B. Receiving Telephone Calls Professionally
• Answer promptly and courteously.
• Identify yourself immediately.
• Be responsive and helpful.
C. Observing Smartphone Etiquette
• Be courteous to those around you.
• Observe wireless-free quiet areas.
Chapter 11 Lecture Notes ● 5
Figure 11.3 Professional Cell Phone Use
D. Making the Best Use of Voice Mail—On the Receiver’s End
• Don’t overuse voice mail.
• Set the number of rings appropriately.
• Prepare a professional, concise, friendly greeting.
E. Making the Best Use of Voice Mail—On the Caller’s End
• Be prepared to leave a message.
• Leave a concise, thorough message.
IV. Adding Value to Professional Teams (p. 364)
A. Understanding Teams the Four Phases of Team Development
The advantages of using teams in the workplace include the following:
• Better decisions
• Faster responses
• Increased productivity
Figure 11.4 Four Phases of Team Development in Decision Making
B. Collaborating in Virtual Teams
• Virtual teams are groups of people who, aided by information technology,
accomplish shared tasks largely without face-to-face contact across geographic
boundaries.
C. Identifying Positive and Negative Team Behavior
Positive team members:
Chapter 11 Lecture Notes ● 6
• Are willing to establish rules and abide by those rules
• Are able to analyze tasks and define problems
• Offer information and try out their ideas on the group
• Shown interest in others’ ideas by listening actively
Negative team members:
• Put down the ideas and suggestions of others
Figure 11.5 Positive and Negative Group Behavior
D. Defining Successful Teams
• Small size, diverse makeup
• Agreement on purpose
• Agreement on procedures
Figure 11.6 Six Steps for Dealing With Conflict
V. Planning and Participating in Face-to-Face and Virtual Meetings
(p. 368)
Meetings are a fact of business life. Students in your class have probably already
participated in one or more business meetings, and they will continue to attend
meetings throughout their careers. If meetings are to be productive, those planning the
meetings and those attending them should know and follow the basic guidelines
outlined in this chapter.
A. Preparing for the Meeting
• Determine your purpose.
• Decide how and where to meet.
• Select meeting participants.
Figure 11.7 Meeting Purpose and Number of Participants
