14-1
Chapter 14: Putting Interpersonal Skills to Work in Conversations and Meetings
Part II: Chapter-by-Chapter Lecture Notes & Exercises
Chapter 14: Putting Interpersonal Skills to Work in Conversations
and Meetings
Teaching Suggestions
Teaching interpersonal skills is best done through application exercises and problems. We’ve covered
collaborative writing and delivering presentations as a team, but many of the skills described in this
chapter are helpful for working with people in general, whether that be in formally organized groups or
simply in your day-to-day interactions with people in the workplace.
We suggest that your review of techniques be a summary of text content. The slides provided for the
lecture notes can help with this review. Also, you can supplement your review with discussion, using the
critical-thinking questions at the end of the chapter.
When possible, try out some of the technology mentioned in this chapter (for example, for virtual
meetings) within the class time. This gives students some familiarity with it, which will help them if they
end up in a business that uses such technology frequently. You could also instruct online students to
experiment with technology as part of their assignments.
Connect provides instructors with a variety of ways to customize courses, create assignments, determine
grading policies, and receive student work. One of the tools Connect offers is the ability to select and add
interactive assignments to your course. Explanations of these assignments and how they support the
learning objectives are integrated into the instructor’s manual with the relevant subject areas.
Note that Presentation Capture is a good tool available in Connect for oral presentation delivery (either
online or face-to–face). McGraw-Hill’s Presentation Capture software gives instructors the ability to
evaluate presentations and allows students the freedom to practice their presentations anytime, anywhere.
Learning Objectives
LO 14-1 Understand how to learn the features of an organization’s culture and to explain how these
features affect communication.
LO 14-2 Explain the types of nonverbal communication.
LO 14-3 Explain the challenges of listening and how to overcome them.
LO 14-4 Describe the strategies for engaging in conversation and small talk.
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Chapter 14: Putting Interpersonal Skills to Work in Conversations and Meetings
LO 14-5 Explain how to handle difficult conversations.
LO 14-6 Explain how to give and receive constructive feedback.
LO 14-7 Describe the strategies for resolving a conflict.
LO 14-8 Explain the steps for successful negotiation.
LO 14-9 Describe the strategies for leading successful meetings and teams.
LO 14-10 Describe good phone and voice mail techniques.
Key Terms
interpersonal communication
organizational culture
nonverbal communication
body language
use of space
use of time
paralanguage
active listening
back-channeling
small talk
constructive feedback
conflict
negotiation
parliamentary procedure
agenda
Text Summary, Lecture Outline
Slides 14-1, 14-2, 14-3, 14-4
Much of the oral communication that goes on in business is interpersonal communication, the informal,
person-to-person interaction that occurs whenever people get together in meetings, over the phone, or in
casual conversations. This chapter will show you how to read an organization’s culture and how to
develop interpersonal skills that will enable you to be a successful business professional.
Your communication skills are critical in helping you become an integral part of your organization.
These beginning slides provide an overview of the chapter learning objectives.
Problem-Solving Challenge
For an assignment for students: Consider the challenges presented at the public accounting firm, as
described in the Problem-Solving Challenge. First, organize the things that have been revealed so far
Communication and Organizational Cultures
Slide 14-5
This slide presents a definition of organizational culture.
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Chapter 14: Putting Interpersonal Skills to Work in Conversations and Meetings
An organizational culture comprises the beliefs, values, practices, and norms that govern all aspects of
organizational life, including what you can and cannot say, write, or do in the workplace.
Slide 14-6
Once you are hired, your success depends on your ability to analyze and appropriately respond to the
culture—and each organization’s culture is different.
Slide 14-7
Use this slide as an exercise in thinking about the culture of the workplace. Let students give their
thoughts on this issue of wearing ear buds at work. Remind them to provide supporting material to back
up their arguments, if possible. And don’t forget to consider your audience. What does putting in ear buds
say to the people around you at work?
14-2a
Learning Objective: 14-04
Difficulty: Medium
AACSB: Analytical Thinking
Blooms: Evaluate
14-2b, 14-2c, 14-2d, 14-2e
Learning Objective: 14-04
Difficulty: Medium
AACSB: Communication
Blooms: Evaluate
Nonverbal Communication
Slide 14-8
The vocabulary for nonverbal language is broad and imprecise. The number of possible meanings is
multiplied even more when we consider the cross-cultural side of communication. You need to be
sensitive to what others intend with nonverbal communication, and you need to make some allowance for
error in the meanings you receive from nonverbal cues.
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Chapter 14: Putting Interpersonal Skills to Work in Conversations and Meetings
Copyright © 2018 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved.
No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.
We’ll take a look at four common types of nonverbal communication.
Body language. This includes eye contact, facial expressions, gestures, and general physical appearance,
among other things. Think of someone you know who is very expressive through his or her body
language or appearance. What does that nonverbal communication say?
Use of space. People create four different types of space:
• Intimate (up to 18 inches)
• Personal (18 inches to 4 feet)
• Social (4 to 12 feet)
• Public (12 feet to the outer range of seeing and hearing)
Use of time. How you use time (or misuse it) can communicate messages to others about your values.
Paralanguage. This has to do with the way people’s voices (through emphasis, pitch, volume, speed,
etc.) can add meaning to the words they are saying.
Connect Assignment 14-3: Recognizing the Types of Nonverbal Communication
Summary: This activity will help students recognize the various types of nonverbal communication you
can use in the workplace, including body language, space, time, and paralanguage.
Learning Objective: 14-02
Difficulty: Medium
AACSB: Knowledge Application
Blooms: Understand
Follow-Up Activity: Ask students to select one example from each of the four categories and explain
what could be potentially communicated to others by taking that action.
Slide 14-9
Read these sentences together as a class or let individuals take turns trying out this exercise. Ask students
to consider what meaning they can give these words simply by changing their voices. What if they add
gestures to the words? What happens then?
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Chapter 14: Putting Interpersonal Skills to Work in Conversations and Meetings
Listening
Slide 14-10
Ask the class: Can you actually become a better listener? Or is that something that is so much a part of
you that you can’t do much about it? What do you think?
Improving our listening
First, you must really want to improve. Determination is necessary. Then you must work to pay
attention—discipline yourself. You must work to improve the accuracy of your filtering. This requires
looking for likely intended meanings, keeping an open mind, and thinking carefully.
You must work to remember messages—consciously.
Connect Assignment 14-4: Listening Skills: Yeah, Whatever
14-4a, 14-4c
Learning Objective: 14-03
Difficulty: Medium
AACSB: Communication
Blooms: Analyze
14-4b
Learning Objective: 14-03
Difficulty: Medium
AACSB: Communication
Blooms: Apply
14-4d
Learning Objectives: 14-03, 14-05, 14-07
Difficulty: Hard
AACSB: Communication
Blooms: Analyze
14-4e
Learning Objective: 14-03
Difficulty: Easy
AACSB: Communication
Blooms: Analyze
Follow-Up Activity: At the end of the video, Pilar describes in detail what Miguel did wrong in the
meeting. Students could view the video again, but this time point out how Pilar could have improved her
listening and communication as well. What should have been done after the meeting (not on the video) to
improve the outcome?
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Chapter 14: Putting Interpersonal Skills to Work in Conversations and Meetings
Conversation and Small Talk
Slide 14-11
Have students survey this list of 10 listening commandments. Are there any more they would like to add
to the list?
Slide 14-12
Conversations in business range from informal to informal. Your ability to manage these conversations
well and be professional will shape how others see you.
Role-play a business lunch situation. Let students get up and move about. Encourage them to talk with
fellow students that they don’t usually talk with that much. Walk around and listen to the conversations
that are occurring. End the activity after a few minutes have passed and talk with students about their
impressions. Was it hard to have a conversation on demand like that? What messages did they read from
nonverbal cues?
Conflict and Negotiation
Slide 14-13
Use this slide to discuss difficult conversations, especially those where you have to either give or receive
negative feedback.
Connect Assignment 14-5: Negotiation: Thawing a Salary Freeze
Summary: Students will analyze a negotiation and determine how it could have gone better, using what
they know about conversations, listening, negotiation, and nonverbal communication.
14-5a
Learning Objectives: 14-02, 14-03, 14-04, 14-05, 14-06, 14-07
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Chapter 14: Putting Interpersonal Skills to Work in Conversations and Meetings
Difficulty: Medium
AACSB: Communication
Blooms: Analyze
14-5b
Learning Objectives: 14-04, 14-05, 14-07
Difficulty: Medium
AACSB: Communication
Blooms: Apply
14-5c, 14-5d, 14-5e
Learning Objectives: 14-03, 14-05, 14-06, 14-07
Difficulty: Medium
AACSB: Communication
Blooms: Analyze
Slide 14-14
Let students give their thoughts on this issue. Ask them to share their experiences of either giving excuses
or being given excuses. What resulted from those experiences?
Slide 14-15
Discuss the different strategies people use to deal with conflict. Ask the students to tell about which of
these strategies is most like how they normally handle conflict. What are the drawbacks to the strategy
they normally use?
Connect Assignment 14-6: Whistleblowing—Code Red or Red Ink
Summary: In difficult conversations, business professionals must be especially aware of their tone, word
14-6a, 14-6f, 14-6i
Learning Objectives: 14-02, 14-03, 14-04, 14-05, 14-06, 14-07
Difficulty: Easy
AACSB: Communication
Blooms: Analyze
14-6b
Learning Objectives: 14-04, 14-05, 14-07
Difficulty: Medium
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Chapter 14: Putting Interpersonal Skills to Work in Conversations and Meetings
AACSB: Communication
Blooms: Apply
14-6c, 14-6d, 14-6e
Learning Objectives: 14-03, 14-05, 14-06, 14-07
Difficulty: Medium
AACSB: Communication
Blooms: Analyze
14-6g, 14-6h, 14-6i
Learning Objectives: 14-07
Difficulty: Hard
AACSB: Communication
Blooms: Analyze
14-6j
Learning Objective: 14-07
Difficulty: Medium
AACSB: Communication
Blooms: Analyze
Follow-Up Activity: Students can review question 14-6e and 14-6j and explain how Susan could have
answered Daniel’s question in a way that might have resolved the conflict.
Slide 14-16
After the role-plays are presented, talk about how each group handled this situation. What went well?
What could be improved?
Meetings and Teams
Slide 14-17
You can have one of two roles in meetings, either as the leader or a participant. If you are the leader, then
it is your responsibility to conduct the meeting.
When meeting time is limited, you should determine in advance how much time will be allotted for each
item and keep to the schedule. At appropriate places, summarize what has been covered and concluded.
And make sure someone is taking notes so that all the major observations and action steps are recorded.
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Chapter 14: Putting Interpersonal Skills to Work in Conversations and Meetings
Connect Assignment 14-1 (a-g): Running an Effective Meeting
Summary: Businesspeople often have to participate in and/or lead meetings. This activity will test
students’ ability to understand and apply effective principles of interpersonal communication, active
listening, nonverbal communication, and conducting meetings.
14-1a, 14-1b
Learning Objective: 14-09
Difficulty: Medium
AACSB: Analytical Thinking
Blooms: Analyze
14-1c
Learning Objective: 14-09
Difficulty: Medium
AACSB: Analytical Thinking
Blooms: Apply
14-1d, 14-1e
Learning Objective: 14-09
Difficulty: Medium
AACSB: Communication
Blooms: Apply
14-1f, 14-1g
Learning Objective: 14-09
Difficulty: Medium
AACSB: Analytical Thinking
Blooms: Understand
Follow-Up Activity: Instruct students to review 14-1f and 14-1g and discuss what problems or drawbacks
exist with the other suggested answers for those questions.
Slide 14-18
Cooperate by respecting the meeting leader and other participants.
Be courteous.
A particular way of being courteous comes into play when participating in virtual meetings. Ask your
students to brainstorm about or share their experience of the kinds of minor problems that can make it
difficult to participate in a meeting via either phone or through a video conferencing application.
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Chapter 14: Putting Interpersonal Skills to Work in Conversations and Meetings
On the other hand, what can the participant who is out of the room do to make the virtual meeting be
more successful?
Slide 14-19
We’ve addressed collaborative report writing and presentations in other chapters. The principles in this
chapter apply to working in teams in the business setting in general.
See if your students can come up with some of the principles under each of these headings.
A final characteristic, participative leadership, may evolve as the team does its work. This characteristic is
reflected through teams where leadership qualities are seen or delegated among team members.
Telephone Skills
Slide 14-20
Although a discussion of using the phone may seem trivial, it cannot be overlooked.
It’s important to develop a professional voice quality for use in the business setting. Voice quality
primarily refers to pitch and resonance of vocal sounds. Voices vary widely. Although not all voices are
reason for your call. As many phone calls do not result in an actual conversation, it is important to
develop effective voice mail techniques.
Phone Tips
• Work to make your voice sound pleasant and friendly.
• Talk as if you’re face-to-face. Even try smiling.
• Introduce yourself right away and politely ask to speak to the person you are calling.
To effectively call someone
• Plan the call, using notes if necessary.
• Explain the purpose of the call.
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Chapter 14: Putting Interpersonal Skills to Work in Conversations and Meetings
Ask your students what phone habits they’ve experienced in the business setting that they either have
found very helpful or very annoying. If students bring up negative experiences, talk about those with the
class to see if people can offer ways the situation could have been handled better.
Slide 14-21
Your success in any business you work for will depend largely on your interpersonal relationships—with
other employees, with managers, with service providers, with clients, and with the leadership. Developing
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Chapter 14: Putting Interpersonal Skills to Work in Conversations and Meetings
Power Charge Your Professionalism: Putting It All Together
Ready, Set, Edit!
As your instructor directs, revise the message as follows:
1. Correct the sentence errors and fix the hidden verbs, cluttering phrases, and homophone errors.
Reference Chapter A: Correctness and Chapters 5 and 6 can help you identify and correct these
issues.
To: <MGMT@forwardcircuits.com>; <supstaff@forwardcircuits.com>
From: Ross Gilman <rgilman@forwardcircuits.com>
Subject: Circuit Boards
I initiated and leadled a process review for the reduction of the routing time of our BOM’s: two parts of
the process were slowing it down. First, Purchasing’s function is are in the middle of the process. Which
As you know, at the present time, the BOM’s are routed as follows: Accounting, Sales, Scheduling,
Purchasing, Accounting, Scheduling, Master Scheduling
In the new process we are able get the consolidation of the number of steps from seven to five. Non-
value added processes were removed steps were eliminated. So that no department will be effected by
The new process routes the BOMs in the following order: Purchasing, Accounting, Scheduling, Sales,
Master Scheduling
Please follow the new process outlined above to route any BOM’s contact me with any questions or
concerns.
Ross
_________________
Ross Gilman, CPM & Senior Buyer