chapter 1.2

Megahertz Technology Solutions, Inc., recently suffered a discrimination lawsuit. Advice to improve its workforce diversity is likely to include understanding the value of differences, providing diversity training for employees, building on similarities, and

• hiring a more homogenous work group.

• making fewer assumptions.

• requiring all employees to use jargon that conveys stereotypes.

• making sure all employees conform to a standard company culture.

Workers who communicate successfully with diverse audiences must make few assumptions, learn about their own and other cultures, and

• seek common ground.

• help others conform.

• avoid noticing differences.

• see professional advice.

In making hiring decisions, employers often rank communication skills among the most-requested competencies.

Because of today's communication technology, writing skills are less important than in the past.

Operating a computer is an example of a "soft" skill.

As a frontline employee, you can expect to have more managers in the workforce.

Despite their popularity among teens, social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter are rarely used in today's business world.

Dan will be working with Tanya on a virtual team to develop a new marketing plan. Because they won't meet face to face, their work will be less dependent on good communication skills.

The central objective of communication is the transmission of meaning.

Anything that disrupts the transmission of a message in the communication process is called noise.