Effective Business Communication

Pain Points in Email Communication

• Reduced productivity due to unplanned and poorly written messages that fail to convey information clearly
• Loss of credibility resulting from sloppy written messages with errors in grammar, punctuation, and spelling
• Offensive content and tone that damage relationships and can result in lawsuits and embarrassment
• Loss of confidentiality when email is used to convey private or proprietary information
• Misunderstandings due to the absence of body language, facial expressions, and tone of voice
• Time wasted writing, reading, and responding to unnecessary emails

Objectives of Email Etiquette

• Write clear, concise emails that convey information quickly and get desired results
• Use email time more productively by improving writing process, knowing when and to whom to send emails, and managing emails efficiently
• Convey a professional image of oneself and organization through emails
• Avoid trouble by recognizing what topics and information are and are not appropriate for email

Email Writing Process

• Think before writing an email
• Plan writing by considering: Is email the appropriate choice? What's the purpose? Who is the audience? What's the main point?
• Launch the writing process by considering the reader's point of view and the journalistic triangle (Who, What, Why, Where, When, How)
• Manage the writing process by structuring the email effectively

Email Dynamics

• Signatures, salutations, attachments, and subject lines are important components of email dynamics
• Tone types include polite, casual, professional, and abrupt
• Use of white space, short sentences, and lists can make emails easy to read

Reading and Managing Emails

• Are you writing to someone inside or outside your organization?
• Consider the type of relationship and the appropriate tone and language
• Use a salutation or greeting when necessary
• Manage inbox by reading, responding, and filing away emails efficiently

Facts about Toyota

• Established in 1937
• In 1949, Toyota was on the verge of bankruptcy
• In 1950, it produced only 300 trucks and the President, Kiichiro Toyoda, resigned due to a strike
• In 2013, Toyota sold 9.98 million vehicles and became the No.1 car company in the world

The Toyota Way

• Long-term philosophy: the right process will produce the right results
• Continuously solving root problems drives organizational learning
• Add value to the organization by developing your people

JIDOKA

• Every employee in Toyota has the authority to stop any work to signal a quality issue
• Emphasizing that quality takes precedence

5S Orientation

• Objectives: to be aware of the 5S principles and its wide adoption by various industries
• 5S applies to any process involved in delivering value to the customer, including sites, offices, and everywhere

5S Principles

• SORT (seiri): keep only necessary items in the workplace
• SET IN ORDER (seiton): arrange items to promote efficient workflow
• SHINE (seiso): clean the work area to make it neat and tidy
• STANDARDIZE (seiketsu): set standards for a consistently organized workplace
• SUSTAIN (shitsuke): maintain and review standards

SUSTAIN

• Meaning: to strengthen or support physically or mentally
• It is the most difficult S to implement and the most important
• Guidelines: establish an audit schedule, perform regular 5S audits, divide the office/site into different areas, and assign 5S responsibility
• Sustaining: 5S audit checklists are used to ensure standards are being followed

5S Audit Checklists

• 5S housekeeping survey is used to evaluate the production area
• Scoring criteria: 0-4, with the ultimate goal of zero defects and an overall total score of 100