Solution Manual For
Communicating at Work, 13th Edition By Ronald Adler and Jeanne Marquardt Elmhorst
Chapter 1-12 With Appendix i ii iii iv v
CHAPTER 1
Communicating at Work
Resource Guide
The opening page of each chapter in Communicating at Work lists desired learning outcomes.
The Resource Guide will assist you in locating activities and resources from the text and
Instructor‘s Manual that are relevant to each objective.
Chapter Objectives Resources
Explain the role of communication in career In the text:
success, providing examples to support your Activities: 1, 2
claims. Career Tip: Recovering from a
Communication Blunder
Case Study: Derogatory emails Lead to
Firings
Instructor’s Manual online:
Discussion Launchers: 1–3
Classroom Activities: 1–4
Written Application Exercises: 1
Apply the key principles of communication, In the text:
knowledge of the basic elements of the Activities: 3
communication model, and considerations of Technology Tip: The Virtues of Going
effective communication channel use to a Offline
specific situation, showing how each one
affects the outcome of the interaction. Instructor’s Manual online:
Personal Reflection for Individual Journaling
Key terms: asynchronous communication, Assignment
channel, decoding, encoding, feedback, Discussion Launchers: 4–8
instrumental communication, message, noise, Classroom Activities: 5–7
receiver, relational communication, sender, Written Application Exercises: 2
synchronous communication Video Activities: 1–5
Describe how formal and informal In the text:
communication networks operate in a given Activities: 4–7
, situation in your career field; then create a Career Tip: Getting Recognized by Your
strategic plan of personal networking to Bosses
accomplish your goals within an organization. Career Tip: Your Elevator Speech
Technology Tip: Using LinkedIn Effectively
Key terms: downward communication, A Professional Perspective: Albert Ramon,
formal communication networks, horizontal Chief Meteorologist
communication, informal communication Culture at Work: Guanxi: Networking
Chinese Style
networks, networking, organizational charts, Instructor’s Manual online:
upward communication Discussion Launchers: 9–13
Classroom Activities: 8–12
Written Application Exercises: 3
Video Activities: 6
Apply the concepts of ethical communication In the text:
discussed here to one or more ethically Activities: 8
challenging situations. Ethical Challenge: Ethical Communication
Choices
Instructor’s Manual online:
Discussion Launchers: 14
Classroom Activities: 13, 14
Written Application Exercises: 4
About Chapter 1
This chapter stresses the importance of communication for entering and advancing in a career. It
establishes the central role of communication skills and principles in the inventory of
competencies students need in the workplace.
The chapter lays the groundwork for understanding the nature of communication.
Communication is unavoidable, strategic, and irreversible; it must be understood in context; it
involves instrumental, relational, and identity goals; and it is not a panacea. Each communication
context is a unique combination of factors.
Communicators can become more effective by recognizing the role that each of the
communication model element (sender, encoding, message, channel, receiver, decoding, noise,
feedback) plays in the process of building shared meaning. Readers are alerted to the impact of
noise (environmental, physiological, and psychological). Channel characteristics are discussed,
enabling readers to make informed choices.
Formal (upward, downward, and horizontal) and informal networks or organizational
communication are introduced, with tips for using each to effectively manage our professional
,identities. The importance of personal networking is also discussed. Several approaches to
examining the ethics of communication are presented.
While emphasizing that communication is not a panacea for all business and professional
concerns, this chapter heightens awareness of the many choices and channels available to
communicators, and it spurs appreciation for the implications and consequences of those choices.
The goal is to encourage students to become more astute analyzers of the communication process
and to become more aware of their own and others‘ choices while communicating in various
business environments.
Each ensuing chapter builds on ideas introduced here. The instructor can reinforce this
groundwork by referring back to Chapter 1 concepts as they are expanded on throughout the rest
of the text.
Personal Reflection for Individual Journaling Assignment
Before reading this chapter, write down what communication means to you. After reading the
chapter, reread your initial response. In what ways was your description similar to the
characteristics pointed out in the text? In what ways did your description differ? How could your
new knowledge about the process of communication help you become a better communicator?
Discussion Launchers
1. From your own work experience, add to the reasons given in the text for the importance of
communication in the workplace.
2. In this course, you will be studying several communication skills such as listening, giving
clear instructions, interviewing, writing reports, participating in groups, and delivering
presentations. Select a career or hobby that interests you, and explain which of these
communication skills would be most important to your success in that area.
3. Choose one of the principles of communication explained in the text. Provide three examples
that illustrate this principle. How could you apply your knowledge of this principle in a
future interaction to prevent or reduce misunderstanding?
4. One of the first models of communication was based on the telegraph. Known as the linear
model of communication, it represented the communication process as: Sender–Message–
Receiver. Compare and contrast this model to the transactional model presented in your text.
How accurate is each of these models as an illustration of the communication process?
5. Does meaning reside in words, in people, or in the interactions that take place among people?
Use the communication model from the text to justify your answers.
6. What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of relying solely on oral communication
to send your ideas? What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of relying solely on
written communication?
7. Recall instances you‘ve witnessed of inappropriate or rude use of mobile phones or voice
mail. Identify the consequences of each example. What can be done to educate the public
, about appropriate usage?
8. ―New technology ensures better communication in the workplace.‖ Take a stand on this
statement, and use examples to bolster your position.
9. As a new employee, why is it especially important to be able to identify your organization‘s
conventional (formal) communication networks?
10. Describe an effective and an ineffective use of downward communication you have
experienced in an organization. Why was the communication effective or ineffective? What
was the outcome? What improvements would you suggest?
11. Upward communication in many organizations is neither open nor frank. Have you (or
someone you know) ever distorted a message to your superiors? Why did you (or your
acquaintance) distort the information? Would the distortion be considered ethical in light of
any of the ethical principles you read about in this chapter? Explain your answer.
12. Can you think of situations in which there are clear advantages to using only the formal or
informal networks in an organization? Can you think of situations in which using both is
preferable?
13. Describe situations when communication goals would be better met by using informal
networks before formal ones, and other situations when goals would be better met by using
informal networks after formal ones. What difference does the chronological context make?
What is the impact of each message when the order is switched? (For example, is there a
difference between asking for a raise in person and then following up with a letter versus
asking in a letter and then following up with a personal request?)
14. Think of a ―white lie‖ you have told. Why did you tell the lie? After reading the section on
ethical challenges in this chapter, do you believe the lie was justified? What guidelines would
you use for deciding when lying can be justified?
Classroom Activities
1. Students’ Hopes, Concerns, and Expectations for the Course
Objective: The purpose of this activity is to discuss students‘ hopes, concerns, expectations,
and/or goals for the course that might serve as a guide or checklist for their progress during
the semester.
Procedure: First, have students write down several communication goals they would like to
accomplish as a result of completing this course and several expectations they have of the
course. (Provide some 5″ × 8″ note cards for their use.) Be sure to tell the students not to
write their names on the cards, and then collect them.
Class Discussion: Spend some time on each goal or purpose and the reasons why it is
important. Relate these goals to your goals as the instructor and to the goals outlined in the
