Chapter 5: Composing Office Documents

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><a href="http://getassignment.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Recommendations for Emails, Memos, and Reports</a></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">There are certain guidelines to follow when you write any kind of office document. Other guidelines are specific to the type of document. In this section, I provide some general ideas on composing business documents, as well as some brief, more specific tips on writing emails, memos, reports, and international correspondence.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=141743602070344111" name="382"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=141743602070344111" name="wbp05chP4"></a><b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Some General Guidelines <o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://getassignment.blogspot.com/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrubtjWLlQHZjJdsDOEvXFE1EO2FJSc0CsNcFHxrjciFonRsoc6TSO84WnKSTSX_QBeSPi6H7KEHb5MKtKtO8JkLRqcfQvCLLKwKtszIIZ5j4OZkN9lBeudvJqjs0bg9Xo8gW4JdRYWS4/s1600/4223121+(1).png" width="400" /></a><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Know why you’re writing. <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Before you write anything longer than two or three paragraphs, write down the answer to this question: <i>Why am I writing?</i> (For example,<i> To secure funds for the system enhancement, To propose a new approach to employee communications)</i>Keep this answer in front of you as you write; it’s your objective. Include nothing in your document that doesn’t relate to or support your objective.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Organize your document. <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The most basic, and usually the most effective, way to organize any business document is to present the information in descending order of importance.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">An exception to this rule occurs when your reader might be reluctant to accept your point of view. In that case, consider presenting information in the opposite order, from least to most important, gradually bolstering your case and ending with your strongest point. The danger with this approach, of course, is that the reader might lose interest and stop reading.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">More complex documents sometimes require additional organizing principles. Some other ways to present information include:</span></span><br /><a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><ul type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Chronological order <o:p></o:p></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Compare-and-contrast format<o:p></o:p></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Problem-solution format <o:p></o:p></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Cause-to-effect format (This approach is good only when you want to explain why something happened or what you think will happen in the future.) <o:p></o:p></span></span></li></ul><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">When deciding which format to follow, put yourself in your readers’ shoes. Determine how your readers will logically think about the topic, and pick an organizational method that will match their logic. Whatever organizing principle you use, it’s still a good idea to follow the most-to-least-important guideline within sections and paragraphs of your document.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Omit details that will be of interest to only some readers in the main text. Instead, include them in appendix section at the end of the document.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Make it easy on the eyes. <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Aside from using correct spelling and grammar, there are several ways to make your document easy to read: <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><ul type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Use wide margins and ample white space.<o:p></o:p></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Left-justify your text; that is, align your left margin, and keep your right margin “ragged” for ease of reading and a more inviting look.<o:p></o:p></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Indent at least five spaces at the beginning of paragraphs. Another option is to separate paragraphs with line breaks (block style).<o:p></o:p></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Indent lists.<o:p></o:p></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Use plenty of headings and subheadings.<o:p></o:p></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Highlight important points with bullets.<o:p></o:p></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Include a table of contents for documents of ten pages or more.<o:p></o:p></span></span></li></ul><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Headings and subheadings guide your readers through your document and show which topics are more important than others. They help readers find information they need so they can scan the rest. Use primary headings for the main sections of the document and subheadings for sections within those sections. Make the headings at different levels graphically distinct. For example: <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">BOLDFACE SMALL-CAPITAL LETTERS FOR HEADINGS<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Boldface Lower-case Letters for Subheadings </span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Italics for Sub-subheadings </span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Make the headings as informative as possible. Also make headings at the same level of importance grammatically parallel (for example, all subheads on the same level begin with verbs).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Bullets allow readers to see information at a glance. They are an excellent way to highlight key points, but reserve them for that purpose. Overusing bullets robs them of their impact. There is no set format for bulleting, but here are some guidelines: <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><ul type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Limit each bulleted item to a few lines.<o:p></o:p></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Make bulleted items grammatically parallel.<o:p></o:p></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">List only a few bulleted items at a time.<o:p></o:p></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Capitalize the beginning of each bulleted item.<o:p></o:p></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Be consistent in punctuating items, which can end with a period, comma, semicolon, or nothing at all.<o:p></o:p></span></span></li></ul><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Make it easy to understand. <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Visual techniques are not the only way to make your document accessible to the reader; word choice can help or hinder readers’ understanding, as well. Here are some tips for making your document easy to comprehend: <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><ul type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Stay in the same person (first, second, or third) throughout the document. See <b>point of view,</b> Page 41.<o:p></o:p></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Don’t be afraid to use <i>I.</i> First person is common in business documents now. It can keep writing from sounding stilted, making it clearer and more personal. <i>(I distributed the survey</i> is clearer and sounds more energetic than the passive, <i>The survey was distributed.) </i><o:p></o:p></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Be consistent with verb tenses within sentences and paragraphs: If you start in the present tense, end in the present tense. If you start in the past tense, end in the past tense – unless there is a logical reason to change tenses.<o:p></o:p></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Minimize brackets, slashes, dashes, and parentheses. Use contractions unless the document is extremely formal.<o:p></o:p></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Don’t use words unless you’re certain of their meaning. If you are even remotely in doubt, look a word up in the dictionary – or don’t use it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></li></ul><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Grab and hold the reader’s attention. <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Use strong openings and closings in any document you write. In particular, the first paragraph should grab the reader’s attention – not by being unusual or outrageous, but by presenting most important information clearly and engagingly.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Adopt a conversational tone. Big words and stilted language turn readers off. The simpler and more conversational you can make your writing, the more likely your audience will want to keep reading. Test your writing by reading it aloud to see how it sounds. If it sounds wooden and artificial to you, it will sound that way to your reader.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Use more <i>you</i>words than <i>me</i> words in all but the most formal documents to show respect and consideration for your reader and to support that conversational tone. When your <i>you</i> words <i>(you, your, yours)</i> outnumber your <i>me</i> words <i>(I, me, my, mine),</i> your readers will more readily accept what you tell them without even knowing why.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">By all means, sound adult, but not parental. When you give instructions or make recommendations or suggestions, resist sounding superior or protective. Avoid such words and phrases as <i>should, never, always, remember to,</i> and <i>be </i>(or <i>make) sure.</i> Treat your readers as your intellectual equals.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">There are several effective ways to end a document. They include reiterating key points, drawing a conclusion or making a judgment, making recommendations, and suggesting a course of action.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Summarize your ideas. <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">An executive summary at the beginning of a paper is helpful, particularly for longer documents. Like an abstract in a technical paper, an executive summary presents the key ideas of a document in a few sentences or paragraphs (a page at the most). An executive summary allows people who can’t read the full text to grasp your main points quickly.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">For extremely long documents, consider including brief summaries at the beginning or end of each section.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Proofread, proofread, proofread. <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Use your spell-check tool, but don’t stop there; it won’t catch words that are spelled correctly but misused<i> (to</i> for <i>two, at </i>for <i>an). </i>If you have time, print the document and proof it in hard copy, as errors are easier to catch on paper. Consider asking a strong writer to review it and give you feedback.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=141743602070344111" name="383"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=141743602070344111" name="wbp05chP38"></a><b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Emails <o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Keep messages short. <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Emails are best suited for quick, day-today correspondence. If your message is very important or very long (more than 250 words, or half a printed page) consider sending it as a Word file or making it a memo. Because people receive so many emails daily, a printed document may add weight to what you are saying.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Use informative subject lines. <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The recipient of your email should be able to get the gist of your message by scanning the subject line. “Today’s meeting” is more informative than “Meeting,” and “Today’s meeting cancelled” is even better.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Give context.<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Include the original email or some other type of context when replying to a message, even if you respond immediately. Most people get dozens of emails daily, and a simple “Yes” or “No” without context can be confusing.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Be conscious of screen length. <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie1nUSXmytcbdj27nfce_yfNhECchRY_4wNdlCoUHMc5ORcCL0ERVsgziZE0MYFH2X453jEXt_earvfWFQuiStvRVnkIceIY32CbeVHP5qq1GoQWQRONdnBYl4bMOV3JwpRfOgws_b5OM/s1600/my-documents-icon.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie1nUSXmytcbdj27nfce_yfNhECchRY_4wNdlCoUHMc5ORcCL0ERVsgziZE0MYFH2X453jEXt_earvfWFQuiStvRVnkIceIY32CbeVHP5qq1GoQWQRONdnBYl4bMOV3JwpRfOgws_b5OM/s1600/my-documents-icon.png" /></a><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Keep your messages short and be conscious of screen length. Have the most important information appear right away, so the reader doesn’t have to scroll down to find it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Break up paragraphs.<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">It’s hard enough on the eyes to read from a computer screen without having to slog through a long, dense paragraph. When in doubt, chop things up.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Be professional. <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Because emails are often conversational in tone, it is tempting to think of them as a different species from other business documents. But while emails may be less formal than other documents, they shouldn’t be less professional. Follow the same conventions you would in any other business correspondence: <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><ul type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Write in complete sentences.<o:p></o:p></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Capitalize the beginning of sentences.<o:p></o:p></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Use proper punctuation.<o:p></o:p></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Proofread before sending. If it’s a particularly important email, print it and proofread it in hard copy.<o:p></o:p></span></span></li></ul><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Two other tips: <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><ul type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Avoid using all caps. Not only are they equivalent to screaming, but they can also be difficult to read.<o:p></o:p></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Do not use emoticons (smiley faces, etc.). They’re fine for personal emails, but not appropriate in most business contexts.<o:p></o:p></span></span></li></ul><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Assume your email will be forwarded. <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">People other than the intended recipient may see your email. Emails are often forwarded, and in some cases, companies can even retrieve deleted messages. A good thought to hold as you write an email is to omit anything you wouldn’t want exposed on <i>60 Minutes.</i> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=141743602070344111" name="384"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=141743602070344111" name="wbp05chP56"></a><b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Memorandums <o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">A memorandum is an informal report that is usually five pages or fewer in length. Confirm this detail in your company, however; some companies want memos to be only one page long.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Common ways to present information in a memo include: <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><ul type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Inverted pyramid format (most to least important ideas) <o:p></o:p></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Prioritization format (priorities listed in order of importance) <o:p></o:p></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Problem-solution format <o:p></o:p></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Compare-and-contrast format<o:p></o:p></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Chronological order <o:p></o:p></span></span></li></ul><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Two other memo tips: <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><ul type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Use <i>Subject </i>or<i> Re</i> lines that are as informative as possible. <o:p></o:p></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Alphabetize lists of comparable words, products, or people – especially people – to avoid distracting your readers with “ranking” games.<o:p></o:p></span></span></li></ul><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=141743602070344111" name="385"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=141743602070344111" name="wbp05chP62"></a><b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Reports <o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">A report is longer, more detailed, and often more formal than a memo. Reports should include, at a minimum, the following components: <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><ul type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Table of contents <o:p></o:p></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Executive summary <o:p></o:p></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Body <o:p></o:p></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Conclusion <o:p></o:p></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Appendix <o:p></o:p></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Bibliography <o:p></o:p></span></span></li></ul><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The format or structure of a report is often prescribed precisely by company rules or convention. Before you begin, confirm your company’s format.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">If appropriate, include a recommended course of action in the concluding section.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">In a report that includes recommendations, it can be quite effective to present the recommendations at the beginning of the document, and then build support for them in the following text. Readers always want to know “Why?” This format leads them to their answers.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Because reports are so dense, they can be difficult to follow. Therefore, it’s particularly important to use lots of headings and subheadings in reports, as well as to leave ample margins and space between topics and to number every page.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">In writing formal documents, keep your language as clear and straightforward as in more casual documents, with two adjustments: <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><ul type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Avoid contractions.<o:p></o:p></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Avoid addressing the reader directly, with conversational references to <i>you.</i> <o:p></o:p></span></span></li></ul><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=141743602070344111" name="386"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=141743602070344111" name="wbp05chP71"></a><b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">International Correspondence <o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Be aware of the culture and the relationship. <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">If you are corresponding with someone in another country, your company has probably established a relationship with their company. If possible, meet with an individual in your company who can tell you about the relationship between the two companies and perhaps something about the business culture, as well. Having this background information will help you establish an appropriate relationship with the individual(s) with whom you’ll correspond.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Find out how to address the recipient. <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Because business relationships in other countries are often more formal than in the United States, address your recipient by his or her last name until invited to do otherwise. Even if you are on a first- name basis when you speak, it’s best to use last names in written correspondence. Also include in their address any honorary titles or advanced degrees they might hold (<i>Ph.D., </i>etc.). One way to avoid offending colleagues from another country is to follow their lead: Mimic the way they address you.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Choose an appropriate tone. <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Finding out about the conventions of the other culture will help you choose the appropriate tone. If you’re in doubt, err on the side of formality, as informality is sometimes considered rude in other countries. Avoid words that could be considered demanding (such as <i>must</i>). Do not attempt to be funny; humor usually does not translate well between cultures and is often considered inappropriate. Be unfailingly courteous and respectful.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Avoid slang, jargon, idioms, figures of speech, and emoticons. <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">When composing a business document that will be read by natives of another country, avoid slang, jargon, idioms, figures of speech, and any other words or phrases that could be misinterpreted or misunderstood. Emoticons are inappropriate in any business correspondence.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Be particularly conscious of spelling. <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Correct spelling is extremely important in international correspondence: If a word is spelled incorrectly but is still a word, recipients may find an unintended meaning when they look it up in the dictionary.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Consider approaching your topic indirectly.<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">In some cultures, it is considered rude to bring up business right away. Soften your approach with personal greetings or the written equivalent of small talk before addressing the subject at hand. Even when discussing the meat of your document, consider using a more indirect approach than you might normally use. In some cultures, subtlety and reading between the lines are the norm.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Don’t assume all cultures are alike. <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Do your research on the customs of individual countries, even if they are in similar regions or located close to one another.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Keep in mind that date formats differ. <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Many countries other than the United States express dates as follows: 4 September 1973. Keep this in mind when writing <i>and reading</i> numerical forms for dates (9/4/73) so that months and days are not confused. Unless you are filling out forms where the date field is limited to six or eight digits, write out the complete date to avoid any chance of misunderstanding.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Offer alternatives to written correspondence. <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">To establish a comfort level and reduce the opportunity for misunderstanding, suggest a phone call or videoconference to discuss your topic – but only if you and your correspondent can converse in the same language fluently. Follow up any phone calls with written confirmation of their content, especially any decisions that were made.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Be mindful of time zone differences. <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Your contact in another country could be many hours behind or ahead of you, depending on which of the world’s 24 time zones he or she lives in. Find out early in your project the time difference between your two locations, and keep this difference in mind when you correspond. (Ask about “time changes,” too; other countries have their own versions of Daylight Saving Time, and their changes may take effect on different dates.) If you are using email, don’t expect instant responses. Check your contact’s time before placing a phone call.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Confirm format before sending attachments.<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">If you email attachments, ask your contact what format to use. If your contact cannot access or read the documents you send (and vice versa), discontinue sending attachments and use a mail service (U.S. Postal Service, FedEx, UPS, etc.).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Remember you are representing your company – not yourself. <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The impression your contact has of your company may depend almost entirely on his or her impression of you. As sparkling and fun-loving as your personality may be, presenting yourself as a competent, professional businessperson is what matters in this relationship. Represent your company in the way you know your company wants to be represented.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div></div>

Chapter 5: Composing Office Documents

Recommendations for Emails, Memos, and Reports There are certain guidelines to follow when you write any kind of office document. Other guid...

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Failure Of Planning

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /><h2 class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><u><i><b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Failure Of Planning</span></span></b></i></u></span></h2><div class="MsoNormal"></div><br clear="ALL" /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">                                                                                                                     </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Business planning is a key to success. The old adage is</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">True; failing to plan is planning to fail.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Writing a plan does not guarantee success. Many plans</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">never get implemented. They become bookends or</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Paperweights.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Business plans fail because entrepreneurs only focus on</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Strategy; they ignore the other six elements of their</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;">Organization</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 14px;"></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="background-color: white; margin-left: 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 16pt;">è<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><b><u><span style="color: black; font-family: "Masque","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt;">Communications</span></u></b><br /><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The number two response to our question about strategy failure should be familiar to all: Communications. Since we can't get it right at home -- with one in two U.S. marriages ending in divorce -- what makes us think we're going to get it right at work?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Poor communications seems to take many forms. Apparently, some groups like to develop strategic plans, and then hide them under a rock. But they don't do it on purpose. "The failure to communicate the vision and strategic objectives to stakeholders" may mean that the developers of the strategy aren't getting out enough information for folks to understand what they're supposed to do with it. "New initiatives or objectives are outlined but not communicated throughout the organization as to how the new objectives should look and feel, what steps to take, time-frame, etc." "Poor communications among team members responsible for decisions in implementation. Expectations and opinions are not shared openly, thoroughly, and effectively."</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJBRhjtdohjjMvEjZs53DTOmZGHO9dl4iuzfj72g_Q4GdXYUKebUrJl7zxdM0YsQM0-RvoGbQs4yclIjD3zyI6D2VfBprHg8z5tkL2NFgZQg1IFb2Zq_7Hl3v7vHwXQPt6-lTRM0_1Y7I/s1600/6+Top+Pitfalls+of+Business+Failure.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJBRhjtdohjjMvEjZs53DTOmZGHO9dl4iuzfj72g_Q4GdXYUKebUrJl7zxdM0YsQM0-RvoGbQs4yclIjD3zyI6D2VfBprHg8z5tkL2NFgZQg1IFb2Zq_7Hl3v7vHwXQPt6-lTRM0_1Y7I/s400/6+Top+Pitfalls+of+Business+Failure.png" width="400" /></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">"Every tactical action supporting the strategic objectives needs to be included in an overall communication plan so that the strategy is reinforced." There's an interesting idea: an overall communication plan. Other responses also indicate that lack of communications routinely allows plans to die out after their launch. "No regular internal press to generate momentum." "Lack of better marketing efforts." Apparently all goes quiet, kind of like a mausoleum after the entertainment goes home. This contributor didn't hold anything back: "The communication sucks! Organizations become introverted in their communication strategies, whether the group is a large company or a small team."</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Communication is also much more than words and pictures. Communication is also delivered through demonstration. "The management team does not follow the strategy themselves." We all know about the hypocritical "do as I say, not as I do" admonition. What does that scream about the value of the strategy? That behavior will raise eyebrows faster than a cook who won't eat his own cooking!</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="background-color: white; margin-left: 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 16pt;">è<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><b><u><span style="color: black; font-family: "Masque","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt;">Leadership</span></u></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">which brings us to leadership, which was the fifth most popular category. From these responses we can learn that leadership is much like fly-fishing -- when you're up to your waist in it, it's suddenly much harder than it looks! "Most leaders grossly underestimate what it takes to lead effectively." "Failing of leadership starting and ending at the top." "Lack of a true motivating leader." This contributor offered some specificity: "Weak leadership. This results in improper resource allocation, lack of buy-in, poor follow-through, inadequate checks, misaligned goals/ strategies/ actions, inefficient rewards and punishments, cover-ups, etc."</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">This respondent noted that there was enough blame to go around: "Not a lack of leadership from the main person in charge but from either a lack of ability or the lack of 'willingness' from other personnel who are needed to step up and truly lead the effort to bring the strategies from paper to production." The message here is that we are all called to lead from wherever we are, even if we're not at the top.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; line-height: 17.6pt; margin-bottom: 8.35pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Not all management teams are blessed with skilled leaders. "Management team and/or owner not experienced/skilled enough to carry out the strategy." Some have titles associated with leadership, but not the authority: "No assigned champion/true owner of each project who has the authority to implement." I was taught that you must delegate authority at the same time you delegate responsibility. Lastly, we have leaders who are just plain stubborn, kind of like a mule with a good parking space at the mall: "...'rogue' links in the management chain that distort the plan to suit their OWN vision, thus subverting the directive from the top without authorization." Now I'm thinking fly-fishing is actually easier.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; line-height: 17.6pt; margin-bottom: 8.35pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Success can be a trap in and of itself. Miller found that consistent success tends to reinforce leaders' world views and ties them rigidly to the strategies and processes that brought about past successes. This causes, in turn, these same leaders to become:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.6pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 25.1pt; text-indent: -0.25in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">         </span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">overconfident</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.6pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 25.1pt; text-indent: -0.25in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">         </span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">prone to excess and neglect</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.6pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 25.1pt; text-indent: -0.25in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">         </span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">prone to shape strategies based on their preferences rather than what data, changing business circumstances, customers, and technological shifts dictate</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.6pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 25.1pt; text-indent: -0.25in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">         </span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">conceited true believers in the adulation heaped upon them by the press, subordinates, shareholders, and other admirers</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.6pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 25.1pt; text-indent: -0.25in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">         </span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">obstinate one to resent challenges to their way of thinking</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.6pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 25.1pt; text-indent: -0.25in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">         </span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">isolated from the reality of the marketplace</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; line-height: 17.6pt; margin-bottom: 8.35pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The impact of those tendencies on strategy making is very negative when strategy is developed from ego, preconceptions of what causes success, stubbornness, and old, worn conceptual models.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="background-color: white; margin-left: 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 16pt;">è<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><b><u><span style="color: black; font-family: "Masque","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt;">No Plan behind the Idea</span></u></b><br /><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The third most popular category is named, "No Plan Behind the Idea," captured in this summary: "Most great plans aren't. They are just nice, high-level ideas." Those of you that have attempted to execute plans that were as thin as the soles on Newman's shoes may easily relate to this: "'Strategic initiative?' No, it wasn't 'strategic' and it wasn't an 'initiative'. Calling something a strategic initiative doesn't make it one."</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">It seems that many of our strategic planning sessions stop halfway, before there is a plan. "Very little planning, if any, goes into the implementation process." "Undeveloped intentions." Maybe you know some of these people: "Frequently the person with the great idea is not an execution giant." While no one is advocating using masking tape on a paint-by-numbers picture, how about this example of how to do it right: "the Microsoft of today NEVER rushes in ... they wait to see how things shake out, steal some early ideas, perfect them, then smash everybody they can and conquer the world."</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Inquiring minds want to know what a strategy document is really for. "A strategy document almost NEVER actually states what is to be done from day to day and a way for employees to track their actual progress. Most strategies stop at the 'conceptual stage' rather than actually give very SPECIFIC tasks to be done." "Concept not cascaded throughout the organization so that individuals know how it applies to them and their job." "Unable to break the project down into doable actions." If all this sounds like a lot of work, perhaps this says it all: "Ideas are easier to talk about than do."</span></div><div style="line-height: 16.3pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 16pt; padding: 0in;">è<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><strong><u><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; font-family: "Masque","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; padding: 0in;">Unwillingness or inability to change.</span></u></strong><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.5pt; padding: 0in;"> </span></span><br /><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.5pt; padding: 0in;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="line-height: 16.3pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black;">Your company and your strategic plan must be nimble and able to adapt as market conditions change</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.5pt;">.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="background-color: white; margin-left: 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 16pt;">è<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><b><u><span style="color: black; font-family: "Masque","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt;">Passive Management</span></u></b><br /><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">In fourth place is a category I call "Passive Management." This is characterized by assuming that things will run themselves after we get them started, which is about as likely as being hit by lightning while being eaten by a shark. Instead, I suggest that implementing strategic plans is more like keeping plates spinning atop a number of pointed sticks. If we don't put forth a regular effort to keep them spinning, the plates will fall down and the sticks will end up in uncomfortable places. "When the implementation phase begins there is not enough follow-through -- or follow-up for that matter -- from senior management." "Poor and inexperienced management to execute the plan."</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Notice the subtle difference here from leadership. While leadership is expected to communicate the vision and support it with demonstrable actions, management is expected to know how to execute the individual tactics. "All talk and no action, failure to assign and hold individuals accountable for delivering on the assignments." "No one takes total charge and follows up when someone doesn't meet commitment dates." "The objective. is written down on paper ... and</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">nicely filed away." Here is what seems to be missing: "... this is the objective, this is how we're going to get there, here is your part in the plan and you will be held accountable."</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Like leadership, management is not easy either: "It takes a special person to be able to define strategies and to plot out and manage others in how to achieve those strategies. Most fail because they assume their team has the wherewithal to pull it off and they therefore do not manage the process." I must say, I was surprised to learn that people want more management -- at least where implementing strategic plans is concerned!</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="background-color: white; margin-left: 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 16pt;"></span><br /><a name='more'></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 16pt;"><br /></span><br /><span style="color: black; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 16pt;">è<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><b><u><span style="color: black; font-family: "Masque","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt;">Vision and strategy are about embracing change</span></u></b><br /><b><span style="font-family: Masque, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 21px;"><u><br /></u></span></span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Just because an organization understands the need to envision the future does not necessarily mean it will create one. To truly vision the future, to craft strategies that will lead to desired changes down the road, and to paint an inspiring picture of the future, organizations need to embrace change as part and parcel to tomorrow’s success.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="background-color: white; margin-left: 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 16pt;">è<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><b><u><span style="color: black; font-family: "Masque","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt;">Motivation and Personal Ownership</span></u></b><br /><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Our last category is actually our first category. This most popular category of Motivation and Personal Ownership contains responses focused on the question, "What's in it for me?" This is not to imply that we're all a bunch of selfish, greedy, self-serving individuals -- although recent headlines could certainly make that case successfully! -- it's really that people are looking for the meaning in what they do. In other words, they want to show up for more than just a paycheck. People want to build something, make a difference. "Don't understand the purpose, goal is minimized, vision disappears. No enthusiasm to make it happen. The bottom line, how will it affect ME?"</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">More effort is needed to help people understand how getting behind the company's goals can support their personal goals. "The I/me mentality that is so prevalent today. If it works for me -- it works for me! Let everyone else deal with it." "You must have some kind of desire or necessary will to implement the plan. You must have some kind of image of the outcome." The message here is that you -- personally -- must desire the outcome. Perhaps that lack is what causes, "lack of buy-in from the entire group." "Typically the initiative fails because the people responsible for implementing it are not convinced of its value."</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">What are the symptoms when there is no motivation/personal ownership? "Employee resistance." "Lack or no sense of urgency." "Inability of individuals to view strategic planning an important and exciting part of their job." "Lack of employees' support." "Lack of better sales efforts." "Lack of initiative at the lower levels of implementation, the 'front lines'." "Lack of ability to arouse enthusiasm." In summary is this prediction: "The project will never succeed if there is no emotion or passion involved."</span></div><div style="background-color: white; margin: 12pt 0in 12pt 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 16pt;">è<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><b><u><span style="color: black; font-family: "Masque","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt;">People/Culture </span></u></b><b><u><span style="color: black; font-family: "Masque","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt;">-</span></u></b><span style="color: black;"> </span></div><div style="background-color: white; line-height: 15.05pt; margin: 12pt 0in;"><span style="color: black;">Knowing what to do in the abstract is usually the easy part.  Knowing what YOU can do based on the unique skills and mindset of your team is an entirely different matter.   Understanding your people, the culture and sub-cultures within your organization, and shared vision/values are essential to developing a plan that stands a chance of success.   Failure to do so is a recipe for disaster.  Dave Logan’s research on “tribes” in his book<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><a href="http://www.triballeadership.net/" target="_blank" title="Dave Logan"><span style="color: black;">Tribal Leadership</span></a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span style="color: black;">offers a practical framework for understanding and working with your culture to achieve what Peter Senge describes as the difference between apathy/compliance and commitment/enrollment.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="background-color: white; margin-left: 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 16pt;">è<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><b><u><span style="color: black; font-family: "Masque","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt;">. Lack of Flexibility</span></u></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">While it’s helpful to have all the right systems in place to track your progress, it’s all for naught if you lack the will, the flexibility, and the triggers necessary to make adjustments along the way.   Over time, and presented with solid evidence, you can’t be afraid to depart from the original plan.   Keep the goal; change the plan – not the other way around!</span></div><div style="background-color: white; line-height: 15.05pt; margin: 12pt 0in 12pt 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 16pt;">è<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">. </span><b><u><span style="color: black; font-family: "Masque","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt;">Bad Plan</span></u></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"> </span><span style="color: black;">– </span></div><div style="background-color: white; line-height: 15.05pt; margin: 12pt 0in;"><span style="color: black;"> Sometimes plans fail because they are simply bad plans, and I would argue that they are often bad plans because we don’t tend to get everyone involved that we should.  We either fail to tap into the collective talents and dedication of our people or we misjudge the external environment and the response of our stakeholders.  It can make employees feel isolated and the leadership looks out of touch.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="background-color: white; margin-left: 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: #545454; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 16pt;">è<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><b><u><span style="color: black; font-family: "Masque","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt;">The difference between <i>Strategy</i> and <i>Plan</i></span></u></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">let’s start with what I suggest are some fundamental misconceptions about strategic planning. The biggest misconception is that strategy and planning are one in the same. How often, for example, do you hear people equate strategic planning with a “blueprint” or a “roadmap?” While those words are good metaphors for the word, “plan,” they fail substantially in capturing the meaning of “strategic” or “strategy.”</span><span style="color: #545454; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="background-color: white; margin-left: 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 16pt;">è<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><b><u><span style="color: black; font-family: "Masque","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt;">Strategy is not a blueprint or a roadmap</span></u></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">“Roadmap” is also an inadequate metaphor. It simply shows the connections between locations and the various ways to get around from one point to another. A roadmap says nothing about strategy or vision.  In fact a roadmap is ultimately rather useless without one’s desire or intention to go from one point to another. Once the destination or destinations (i.e. the vision) are determined, then the road map becomes an excellent tool.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">So, one of the reasons way strategic planning fails is that organizations fail to differentiate between “strategy” and “plan.” More often than not in my experience, this results in people giving short shrift to visioning the future, thinking strategically, and exploring ideas that challenge the status quo. Instead, they move quickly to figuring out how to do something even before they really understand what it is or why they should do it.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">That would be like identifying a simplistic vision of a house as having a kitchen, living room, bathrooms, and bedrooms and then setting out to build it without having thought about what results and outcomes you want from your home. Do you want to entertain your friends, have a place that your kids will want to share with their friends, or do you need a home that can accommodate you later in life? What’s the strategy?</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="background-color: white; margin-left: 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 16pt;">è<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><b><u><span style="color: black; font-family: "Masque","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt;">Concentrate on being strategic</span></u></b><span style="color: #545454; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt;"><br /></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Organizations might be better served if they thought less about what strategic planning model or exercise to deploy and focused more on having meaningful dialog throughout the organization about the future, how to innovate, what results to aspire to achieve, and how to create and sustain a nimble, risk tolerant, and outcome-focused team of people.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">In the nonprofit sector, the blessing of volunteerism can sometimes cause confusion or slow the pace. Over the years I have seen board members impose their view of how to do strategic planning on the organization.  Sometimes the rationale is that what worked for “my business” should work for the nonprofit organization. Other times board leaders are simply sharing what they know and have experienced. The problem is that planning models and processes undertaken by large retail chains, telecommunications companies, oil companies and the like often do not translate well into the nonprofit arena.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Board members’ desire to help would be better served on working with the CEO to facilitate and animate strategic thinking. That’s what boards should focus on: strategy – not on whether or not the model should include a SWOT analysis, issues management, stakeholder analysis, or follow the tenets of experts like </span><a href="http://www.mintzberg.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: none;">Mint berg</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">, </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Porter" target="_blank"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: none;">Porter</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">, </span><a href="http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Strategic-Planning-for-Public-and-NonProfit-Organizations/John-M-Bryson/e/9780787967550" target="_blank"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: none;">Bryson</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">, Ducker, or </span><a href="http://www.jimcollins.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: none;">Collins</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Find the strategy. That’s the most important thing. Then pick a model that fits your organization, your culture, and the strategy you want to bring to life.</span></div><div style="line-height: 16.3pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 16pt;">è<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><strong><u><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; font-family: "Masque","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; padding: 0in;">Writing the plan and putting it on the shelf.</span></u></strong><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.5pt;"> </span></span></div><div style="line-height: 16.3pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black;">This is as bad as not writing a plan at all. If a plan is to be an effective management tool, it must be used and reviewed continually. Unlike Twinkies or a fine vino, strategic plans don’t have a good shelf life.</span></div><div style="line-height: 16.3pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 16pt; font-weight: normal; padding: 0in;">è<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></strong><strong><u><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; font-family: "Masque","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; padding: 0in;">Ignoring marketplace reality, facts, and assumptions.</span></u></strong></div><div style="line-height: 16.3pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black;">Don’t bury your head in the sand when it comes to marketplace realities, and don’t discount potential problems because they have not had an immediate impact on your business yet. Plan in advance and you’ll be ready when the tide comes in.</span></div><div style="line-height: 16.3pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 16pt;">è<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><strong><u><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; font-family: "Masque","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; padding: 0in;">No accountability or follow through.</span></u></strong><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.5pt;"> </span></span></div><div style="line-height: 16.3pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black;">Be tough once the plan is developed and resources are committed and ensure there are consequences for not delivering on the strategy.</span></div><div style="line-height: 16.3pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 16pt; font-weight: normal; padding: 0in;">è<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></strong><strong><u><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; font-family: "Masque","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; padding: 0in;">Unrealistic goals or lack of focus and resources.</span></u></strong></div><div style="line-height: 16.3pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black;">Strategic plans must be focused and include a manageable number of goals, objectives, and programs. Fewer and focused is better than numerous and nebulous. Also be prepared to assign adequate resources to accomplish those goals and objectives outlined in the plan.</span></div><div style="line-height: 16.3pt; margin: 10.2pt 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black;">By avoiding these pitfalls, you can create an effective planning process, build a realistic business direction for the future, and greatly improve the chances for successful implementation of your strategy.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; margin: 0in 0in 6.8pt 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 16pt;">è<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><strong><u><span style="color: black; font-family: "Masque","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt;">Lack of Planning</span></u></strong><u><span style="color: black; font-family: "Masque","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt;"><br /></span></u><span style="color: black;">Anyone who has ever been in charge of a successful major event knows that were it not for their careful, methodical, strategic planning -- and hard work -- success would not have followed. The same could be said of most business successes.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; line-height: 14.25pt; margin: 0in 0in 6.8pt;"><span style="color: black;">It is critical for all businesses to have a<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><a href="http://www.businessknowhow.com/startup/businessplanning.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;">business plan</span></a><span style="color: black;">. Many small businesses fail because of fundamental shortcomings in their business planning. It must be realistic and based on accurate, current information and educated projections for the future.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; line-height: 14.25pt; margin: 0in 0in 6.8pt;"><span style="color: black;">Components may include:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; line-height: 14.25pt; margin: 3.4pt 0in 0in 13.6pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">         </span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Description of the business, vision, goals, and keys to success</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; line-height: 14.25pt; margin: 3.4pt 0in 0in 13.6pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">         </span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Work force needs</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; line-height: 14.25pt; margin: 3.4pt 0in 0in 13.6pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">         </span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Potential problems and solutions</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; line-height: 14.25pt; margin: 3.4pt 0in 0in 13.6pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">         </span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Financial: capital equipment and supply list, balance sheet, income statement and cash flow analysis, sales and expense forecast</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; line-height: 14.25pt; margin: 3.4pt 0in 0in 13.6pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">         </span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Analysis of competition</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; line-height: 14.25pt; margin: 3.4pt 0in 0in 13.6pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">         </span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Marketing, advertising and promotional activities</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; line-height: 14.25pt; margin: 3.4pt 0in 0in 13.6pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">         </span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Budgeting and managing company growth</span></div><div style="background-color: white; line-height: 14.25pt; margin: 0in 0in 6.8pt;"><span style="color: black;">In addition, most bankers request a business plan if you are seeking to secure addition capital for your company.</span></div><div style="line-height: 16.3pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 16pt; padding: 0in;">è<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><strong><u><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; font-family: "Masque","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; padding: 0in;">Unwillingness or inability to change.</span></u></strong><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.5pt; padding: 0in;"> </span></span></div><div style="line-height: 16.3pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black;">Your company and your strategic plan must be nimble and able to adapt as market conditions change</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.5pt;">.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="background-color: white; margin-left: 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 16pt;">è<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><b><u><span style="color: black; font-family: "Masque","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt;">Conclusion</span></u></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Pay attention to Motivation and Personal Ownership, Communications, No Plan Behind the Idea, Passive</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Management, and Leadership, and you'll be ahead of the strategic planning game. These observations and insights can help you improve your success rate with implementing strategic plans, so it doesn't feel like doing the splits over a case of dynamite.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">If you have had "great plans" fail -- I've lost personal count! -- take what we have learned here and embrace a new plan for those "high-level ideas." Let's also learn from Napoleon Hill: "The majority of men meet with failure because of their lack of persistence in creating new plans to take the place of those which fail." Braced with this knowledge, you'll do clearly better this time, and without need of bullets or amphetamines!</span><br /><div><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div></div>

Failure Of Planning

Failure Of Planning                                                                                                                       Bu...

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