Professional Communications, with eBook Access Code

Unlock Career Success with Effective Professional Communication In today’s fast-paced workplace, communication skills can make or break career success. Professional Communications: Advancing Your Career through Communication immerses learners in the art of effective workplace communication, empowering students and young professionals to strengthen relationships, navigate challenging conversations, and present ideas with confidence. Communication is central to everyone’s professional success, whether that be collaborating with teams, managing clients, or building interpersonal relationships. This student-friendly textbook emphasizes the power of listening, mastering in-person and live interactions, and applying best practices for seamless communication in professional emails, texts, and virtual meetings. Strategic communication expert Andrew Loos equips readers with the tools to navigate these interactions confidently and effectively in today’s ever-evolving workplace. Each chapter offers not only insights but also practical strategies that empower readers to master communication in its many forms—from in-person discussions to the nuances of digital platforms. By the end of this book, students will be better prepared to foster trust, gain professional credibility, and influence those around them, all through the power of their words and actions. Professional Communications: Advancing Your Career Through Communication is an ideal textbook for courses in Business Communication, Professional Development, and Career Readiness, as well as an essential guide for anyone looking to enhance their communication skills and accelerate their career growth. WILEY ADVANTAGE Equips students with practical communication strategies to enhance their professional presence and career trajectory Provides real-world scenarios and case studies to illustrate effective workplace communication Incorporates mini-simulations that engage learners in email, project-based, and team collaboration activities Breaks down complex communication principles into simple, actionable lessons for immediate application Strengthens critical thinking and problem-solving skills through application-based exercises and assessments AN INTERACTIVE, MULTIMEDIA LEARNING EXPERIENCE Professional Communications: Advancing Your Career Through Communication includes an enhanced e-text that engages students with a variety of interactive content designed to complement and enrich the reading experience. Every new copy of the paperback textbook includes access to the e-text, and icons throughout the print book signal corresponding digital content in the e-text. Professional Communication integrates video content developed to complement the text and engage readers more deeply. Content Review Videos: We provide author-led video content for each learning objective in the chapter. These videos feature a diverse group of industry practitioners supporting module learning objectives through shared experiences, tips, and advice to the learner Explainer Videos: In addition, Explainer Videos cover important scenarios that support the specific communication concept of that section Each learning objective includes a self-scoring Concept Check Quiz to help students prepare for higher-stakes assessments and exams.

Table of Contents:
Preface ix Acknowledgments xiii About the Author xv 1 Understanding Today’s Professional Communication Landscape 1 Strong Communication Skills and Career Success 2 Greater Comprehension of Your Role and Responsibilities 2 Improved Team Collaboration and Follow- Through 2 Career Mobility Through Positive Communication Habits 3 Moving Forward 3 Types of Communication Used in Today’s Job Marketplace 5 Verbal Communication 6 Nonverbal Communication 6 Listening as Communication (“Active Listening”) 7 When in Doubt – RACI 7 Moving Forward 8 Communication in a Connected Global Workforce 9 Cultural Differences in Communication 9 Importance of Context 9 Flexibility and Adaptability 10 The Art of Practicing Empathy 10 Moving Forward 11 Collaboration Tools and the Ever- Changing Communication Ecosystem 12 The Rise of Remote and Global Teams 13 The Power of Automation: Transparency and Accountability 13 Enhanced Communication and Improved Team Dynamics 14 Key Terms 16 Moving Forward to Module 2 16 2 Listening as a Form of Communication 17 Forms of Listening 18 Internal Listening for Self- Reflection and Growth 18 Focused Listening to Enhance Understanding and Problem- Solving 18 Global Listening 19 Building Trust and Forming Bonds Through Listening 19 Listening as a Tool for Empathy and Emotional Intelligence 19 Moving Forward 20 Listening Best Practices 21 What Is Nonverbal Communication? 21 Why Body Language and Eye Contact Matter 22 Avoiding Multitasking While Listening 22 Being Mindful of Interrupting and On- Topic Responses 23 Moving Forward 23 Appropriate Ways of Asking Questions 24 Seeking Clarification: Why It’s Important 25 Pause, Consider Ask! 25 Tone and Delivery 26 Active Listening: Asking Appropriate Questions 26 Moving Forward 27 Considerations When Listening 28 What Is Diversity in Communication? 28 Equity in Participation 29 Inclusion in Practice 29 Best Practices for Embedding DEI in Professional Communications 29 Key Terms 32 Moving Forward to Module 3 32 3 In- Person, Live Communication Mastery 33 Knowing When to Use In- Person Communication 34 Collaboration Around Proprietary Company Information 34 HR- Related Topics (Promotions, Complaints, Etc.) 35 Performance Reviews 35 Enhancing In- Person Meetings and Presentations 37 Practicing Positive Body Language 37 What Your Attire Communicates 38 Being Present and Staying Attentive 38 Moving Forward 39 Communication Around Interpersonal Encounters 40 Fostering Collaboration with Peers 41 Communicating Effectively with Superiors 41 Resolution- Based Communication Practices 42 Moving Forward 44 Over- Communicating (and Why You Should Avoid It) 45 The Pitfalls 45 Strategies to Avoid Over- Communicating 46 Tips for Concise Communication in a Professional Setting 46 Key Terms 49 Moving Forward to Module 4 49 4 Email and Texting as a Form of Communication 50 Email as Documentation 51 Adhering to Company Policies on Work Email Usage 51 Appropriate Versus Inappropriate Work Emails 51 The Integral Role of Work Emails in HR Evaluations 52 Understanding Your Audience 52 Permanence and Documentation of Emails 53 Moving Forward 53 Demonstrating Mastery in Email Structure 54 Let’s Start at the Beginning 54 Professional Greetings and Salutations 55 Importance Notations and Tags 55 Professional Signature Block 55 Best Practices for Out- of- Office Messaging 56 Moving Forward 57 Best Practices for Email Content 58 Content, Structure, and Finding an Ideal Email Length 59 Follow- Up and Closing 59 Reread and Review Before Sending 60 Replying, Forwarding, and When to Initiate a New Thread 61 Promptness in Email Reply Times 61 Use of Emojis and Abbreviations in Professional Emailing 61 Moving Forward 62 Texting and Direct Messaging (DMing) in Professional Communication 63 Texting and Direct Messaging Platforms 63 Practice and Professional Use 64 Company Policies on Texting 65 Texting Versus Email: Making the Appropriate Choice 65 Moving Forward 66 Professional Texting and DM Best Practices 67 The Pillars of Effective Workplace DMs: Context, Tone, Brevity, and Timing 67 Understanding the Medium 68 Group Versus Individual Communications 68 Tone, Professionalism, and Conciseness Are Key 69 Respecting Boundaries 69 Key Terms 71 Moving Forward to Module 5 71 5 Mastering Communication in Virtual Meetings 72 Virtual Meetings and Presentations 73 Best Practices for Virtual Meetings 73 Best Practices for Virtual Presentations 74 Moving Forward 76 Effective Planning for Virtual Meetings and Presentations 77 Scheduling and Timing 78 Crafting and Distributing Invites 78 Preparing the Agenda 79 Pre- Meeting Coordination and Role Assignments 80 Fostering Engagement During Virtual Meetings and Presentations 82 Post- Event Follow- Up 83 Moving Forward 84 Being Tech- Prepped Before and During Virtual Meetings 85 Understanding Your Platform 85 Maximizing Connectivity for Seamless Virtual Meetings 86 Hardware Readiness 87 Troubleshooting Common Tech Issues 87 Moving Forward 88 Best Practices and Virtual Meeting Mastery 89 The Not- So- Little Things: Enhancing Virtual Meeting Environments 89 Dressed for Success 90 Managing Communication and Knowing When to “Mute” 90 Respecting Start and End Times 91 Moving Forward 91 Communicating Through Presentation Design 92 Choosing the Right Template 93 Mastery in Formatting and Design 93 Constructing Effective Presentations 93 Balancing Your Information and Visuals 94 Leveraging Videos and Visual Imagery 94 Key Terms 95 Moving Forward to Module 6 96 6 Digital Collaboration Tools as a Form of Communication 97 Introduction to Digital Collaboration Tools 98 Advantages of Digital Collaboration Tools 98 Moving Forward 99 Email and Digital Collaboration Communication – Key Differences 101 Response Time and “Real- Time” Communication 101 Confirming Receipts 102 Making Agreements and Setting Deadlines 102 Ensuring Follow- Through 102 Moving Forward 104 When to Use Email, Digital Collaboration Tools, and Live Communication 105 Good Old, Dependable Email 105 Digital Collaboration Platforms 105 Live and In- Person Communication 106 Moving Forward 107 AI Best Practices in Today’s Business Landscape 108 AI Dos and Don’ts in Work Email Creation 108 Best Practices for Meeting Notes and Summaries Using AI 109 Other Ways AI Can Benefit Workplace Communication 109 Moving Forward 110 Digital Collaboration Best Practices 111 Keeping Team Communication Within the Digital Collaboration Ecosystem 111 Understanding and Respecting Your Role Within Your Team 112 Prompt Response Times 112 Avoiding Siloed Communication 113 Respecting Team Deadlines 113 Key Terms 115 Glossary 117 Index 123

About the Author :
ANDREW LOOS, early in his career in advertising, recognized a widespread struggle among companies to humanize their brands and communicate effectively with consumers. This led him to start Attack!, a staffing and field marketing agency designed to place brand ambassadors who embodied the products they were promoting. Eight years in, Andrew helped grow Attack! into one of the country’s top experiential marketing firms, reaching millions of consumers through live events and retail engagement. This success, paired with author credits on John Wiley and Sons’, Applied Marketing and You Got This! business series, immersed him in the world of higher education where he sees a very similar challenge: classrooms struggling to integrate experiential learning into a student’s academic journey. Andrew believes – just as sales cycles shorten when consumers get to experience a product for themselves – that students achieve mastery of a skill faster when they have the opportunity to apply their classroom learning to the real world.