Abstract
This chapter provides strategies for professional language use in diverse workplaces. Effective professional communication strategies are essential in both personal and professional contexts. Learning to master professional languages strengthens relationships in the workplace, builds trust, assists in problem solving, and increases knowledge. Unconscious bias is also covered in the chapter along with strategies for using bias-free language. Interviewing strategies will also be discussed in this chapter. The landscape for both employees and job seekers has changed after the pandemic. Video interviews, real-time and recorded, are viewed as an acceptable means for hiring new employees. Interviews can be conducted either face-to-face or virtually but must follow guidelines of professional language and communication. Additional topics discussed in this chapter include business communication, strategies for professional language use in diverse workplaces, the seven Cs of communication, soft skills, and negotiation.
TopBackground
The four common professional language strategies used in diverse workplaces are listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Mastering these four skills will assist you in becoming a strong communicator and better worker. These four professional language strategies can be learned and improved upon with practice. Strengthening these four skills will enhance your personal and professional communication.
Professional language strategies are essential in the interviewing process. Employers looking to hire, need to clearly articulate roles and responsibilities of the position and exercise critical thinking skills to assess the nonverbal and nonverbal cues of the candidate seeking the position. The job seeker may look good on paper and meet the requirements of the position. However, the candidate must clearly express skills and abilities, supported with background experience and professional examples, to get hired for the position. Interpersonal skills such as enthusiasm, listening, and verbal expression help the interviewer get to know the individual interviewing for the position and assess if the candidate is a good fit for the position and the organization.
It is also important to be mindful of unconscious bias and use bias-free language. Both spoken and written language can be perceived as discriminatory toward vulnerable populations. Language also has the power to promote diversity and equity by using inclusive language. As such, use bias-free language that does not cause perceived bias based on race, gender, religion, age, class, disability, or sexual orientation. When language is bias-free, all individuals feel included.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Implicit Bias: An unconscious association, belief, or attitude toward any social group. Due to implicit biases, people may often attribute certain qualities or characteristics to all members of a particular group, a phenomenon known as stereotyping.
Culture: The values, norms, and beliefs of a society. Our culture can be considered a lens through which we undergo the world and develop a shared meaning of what occurs around us.
Lexicon: The lexicon, or vocabulary, is the inventory of the articles a culture speaks about and has classified to understand the world around them and deal with it effectively.
Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis: The grammatical and verbal structure of a person’s language influences how they perceive the world. It emphasizes that language either determines or influences one’s thoughts.
Professional Language Strategies: The language that we create, and use is in response to the cultural and societal needs that arose. In other words, there is an apparent relationship between how we communicate 9verbally and nonverbally) and how we perceive the world.
Double-Swing Model for Intergroup Connection: The double-swing model (also known as the Möbius integration philosophy) is a model of intercultural communication, originated by Muneo Yoshikawa, conceptualizing how individuals, cultures, and intercultural notions can meet in constructive ways.
Communication Competence: The knowledge of effective and appropriate communication patterns and the ability to use and adapt that knowledge in various contexts.
Business Communication: The process of sharing information between people within the workplace and outside a company. Effective business communication is how employees and management interact to reach organizational goals. Its purpose is to improve organizational practices and reduce errors.
Soft Skills: The personality traits and behaviors that will help candidates get hired and succeed in their words. oft skills are interpersonal and behavioral skills that help you to work well with other people and develop your career.