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WRITING WITH THE YOU ATTITUDE

Courtesy-Courtesy or politeness costs nothing. A shrewd businessman will certainly find time to be courteous in all his dealings. A courteous
business man says "Please", when he wants a favour, "Thank you", when he receives a favour, "I am sorry", when he feels that he has hurt
someone's feelings without intention or when he is unable to do a favour and observes the rules of courtesy while drafting business letters.
Every business letter must be based on a courteous style whatever might be the occasion. Even a final document or a warning notice for
payment of amounts overdue can be written in such a courteous manner as to get an early payment of
the amount. Likewise a courteously worded complaint relating to shortage or non delivery is more likely to receive immediate attention than the one which
accuse; the sender of wilful or gross negligence.
Courtesy, however, does not mean servility. A business letter should never be written in a flattering tone because excessive servility will definitely
lower the writer and his enterprise in the estimation of the reader and will defeat the verv purpose of the letter.
Examples:
AVOID the following BETTER USE the following
impolite expressions courteous expressions

1. We request you please send...


2. We are sorry if you were inconvenienced
3. You claim that you have not yet received the cheque we sent you last Tuesday
4. You must have been ignorant of
5. You failed to send us the goods before Pongal Festival
6. We have received your cheque
7. We cannot supply the goods unless we receive the advance ofRs. 1000/-
8. You are of course quite prompt in despatching the goods
9. We regret to inform you that it is impossible for us to....

10. Be prompt in writing to us the receipt of....


11. Look into the matter at once, without any further delay
12. The mistake you have committed is a serious error
13. I have to state that the request made by you is unreasonable and cannot be complied with
14. Thanking you in anticipation
15. Advise
16. You have our permission
17. We hope that you would furnish us

You must strictly avoid the following insulting or bitter words or words that may antagonise:
(i) Your failure to pay
(ii) A small buyer like you
(iii) A petty businessman of your calibre
(iv) The debt due by you
(better use outstanding bill or payment overdue)
(v) Thanking you in advance or in anticipation.
5. Consideration. The consideration of the interests, wants and desires of the reader (called the
"YOU ATTITUDE" in America) is regarded as an essential principle of very business letter, as it really
pays in the long run. A businessman should try his best to dispense with the "I and WE ATTITUDE".
The style of the business letter should be such that the reader should feel that the letter contains an
appeal to his interest, and is meant only for promoting his benefit. The writer should never impose his
points or view or ideas upon the reader, but should try to convince the reader in an appealing and
factful way.
Examples:

AVOID the following expressions BETTER USE


carrying I or WE attitude the following expressions
carrying You attitude

1. We have decided to follow this because You will benefit by this policy because
2. I am extremely glad to announce that I will You will be pleased to hear that our
shortly open a branch office in your town company will shortly open a new
3. We are pleased to announce branch office in your town to serve our
4. We sold 10,000 sewing machines last You will be pleased to know
year wholesalers like you bought 10.000
sewing machines last year
YOU attitude in writing
An aphorism ascribed to former West German chancellor Willy Brandt says: “You may buy from me in your own language, but sell to me in mine.” This
saying encapsulates a central principle in communication—the seller must put himself in the shoes of the buyer; the writer must see through the reader’s
eyes. In communication studies, this is known as the you-attitude.
In elementary terms, the you-approach involves the use of pronouns that do not project the writer, but focus on the reader. Avoid first person pronouns
such as I, we and our; prefer the second person, and use you and yourliberally.
In a broader sense, the term you-attitude signifies a style of writing in which the communication is reader-centred. The writer has these questions in
mind: Who are my readers? How did this transaction begin? What do they expect to gain from it? In other words, what’s in it for them? What questions
will they want to raise? Audience awareness, as it is called, is one of the keys to successful communication.
Further refining the definition of the you-attitude, we can look at the tone conveyed by the language used, and at the way the content is presented. A
sentence such as “We are pleased to offer you a 10% discount on cash purchases” has a patronising tone, and the readers are unmoved. Rouse their
interest by rewriting the sentence: “You can get a 10% discount on cash purchases.” Here is another example. We-approach: “We wish to inform you
that we have despatched your new worktable today.” You-approach: “You will receive your new worktable tomorrow.”
The you-attitude recognizes that communication takes place between real persons, not between robots. The language, therefore, is personal, simple
and direct. It is free from highfalutin clichés. It restricts the use of the passive voice which tends to distance the reader from the writer.
The first question that a reader might ask on receiving your message will be “What’s in it for me?” The writers should, therefore, point to the benefit that
the reader gets from acting upon the message. “Reader benefit” is a widely used, though inelegant, term in discussions of communication. Even when
there is no visible benefit, the message can show interest in and concern for the reader’s needs. Instead of “We are pleased to inform you that we have
installed an ATM at the airport”, you write: “You can now access our ATM services even while travelling.”
Next to language, the content of the message has to be tailored to the reader. Here are some steps you can take.
Let the readers connect with the message by linking it to previous correspondence; give them a reference point to know the context.
Many writers dwell elaborately on the product, or on their service, or on themselves. Instead, you can appeal to the readers’ self-interest and clearly
show how they will benefit.
Anticipate questions that the readers are likely to have, and provide clear answers.
Do not write anything that can hurt your reader’s ego. Don’t act bossy, using phrases such as “You must . . .” or using imperatives such as “Read our
leaflet carefully. . .” The readers will be offended if you write “You failed to . . .” or “You have made a mistake . . .”
At some point, you may have to write a letter with negative content or with bad news. Frame your sentences in such a way that they hurt least. If
possible, preface bad news with positive words. If the reader has made a mistake, don’t sound accusatory. Avoid using phrases such as “You complain
that”, “you claim that”, and “you ignored”. Avoid “you” when you have to criticize the reader.
Don’t sound condescending when pointing out any error on the part of the reader. As you begin writing next time, remember the reader at the other end.
VR Narayanaswami is a former professor of English, and has written several books and articles on the usage of the language. He looks at the
peculiarities of business and popular English usage in his fortnightly column

Identifying the Audience


Imagine you must give a presentation to a group of executives in an office. Weeks before the big day, you spend time creating and rehearsing the
presentation. You must make important, careful decisions not only about the content but also about your delivery. Will the presentation require
technology to project figures and charts? Should the presentation define important words, or will the executives already know the terms? Should you
wear your suit and dress shirt? The answers to these questions will help you develop an appropriate relationship with your audience, making them more
receptive to your message.
Now imagine you must explain the same business concepts from your presentation to a group of high school students. Those important questions you
previously answered may now require different answers. The figures and charts may be too sophisticated, and the terms will certainly require definitions.
You may even reconsider your outfit and sport a more casual look. Because the audience has shifted, your presentation and delivery will shift as well to
create a new relationship with the new audience.
In these two situations, the audience—the individuals who will watch and listen to the presentation—plays a role in the development of presentation. As
you prepare the presentation, you visualize the audience to anticipate their expectations and reactions. What you imagine affects the information you
choose to present and how you will present it. Then, during the presentation, you meet the audience in person and discover immediately how well you
perform.
Although the audience for writing assignments—your readers—may not appear in person, they play an equally vital role. Even in everyday writing
activities, you identify your readers’ characteristics, interests, and expectations before making decisions about what you write. In fact, thinking about
audience has become so common that you may not even detect the audience-driven decisions.
For example, you update your status on a social networking site with the awareness of who will digitally follow the post. If you want to brag about a good
grade, you may write the post to please family members. If you want to describe a funny moment, you may write with your friends’ senses of humor in
mind. Even at work, you send e-mails with an awareness of an unintended receiver who could intercept the message.
In other words, being aware of “invisible” readers is a skill you most likely already possess and one you rely on every day. Consider the following
paragraphs. Which one would the author send to her parents? Which one would she send to her best friend?
Example A
Last Saturday, I volunteered at a local hospital. The visit was fun and rewarding. I even learned how to do cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR.
Unfortunately, I think caught a cold from one of the patients. This week, I will rest in bed and drink plenty of clear fluids. I hope I am well by next
Saturday to volunteer again.
Example B
OMG! You won’t believe this! My advisor forced me to do my community service hours at this hospital all weekend! We learned CPR but we did it on
dummies, not even real peeps. And some kid sneezed on me and got me sick! I was so bored and sniffling all weekend; I hope I don’t have to go back
next week. I def do NOT want to miss the basketball tournament!
Most likely, you matched each paragraph to its intended audience with little hesitation. Because each paragraph reveals the author’s relationship with
her intended readers, you can identify the audience fairly quickly. When writing your own paragraphs, you must engage with your audience to build an
appropriate relationship given your subject. Imagining your readers during each stage of the writing process will help you make decisions about your
writing. Ultimately, the people you visualize will affect what and how you write.
Tip
While giving a speech, you may articulate an inspiring or critical message, but if you left your hair a mess and laced up mismatched shoes, your
audience would not take you seriously. They may be too distracted by your appearance to listen to your words.
Similarly, grammar and sentence structure serve as the appearance of a piece of writing. Polishing your work using correct grammar will impress your
readers and allow them to focus on what you have to say.
Because focusing on audience will enhance your writing, your process, and your finished product, you must consider the specific traits of your audience
members. Use your imagination to anticipate the readers’ demographics, education, prior knowledge, and expectations.
 Demographics. These measure important data about a group of people, such as their age range, their ethnicity, their religious beliefs, or their
gender. Certain topics and assignments will require these kinds of considerations about your audience. For other topics and assignments, these
measurements may not influence your writing in the end. Regardless, it is important to consider demographics when you begin to think about your
purpose for writing.
 Education. Education considers the audience’s level of schooling. If audience members have earned a doctorate degree, for example, you
may need to elevate your style and use more formal language. Or, if audience members are still in college, you could write in a more relaxed style. An
audience member’s major or emphasis may also dictate your writing.
 Prior knowledge. This refers to what the audience already knows about your topic. If your readers have studied certain topics, they may
already know some terms and concepts related to the topic. You may decide whether to define terms and explain concepts based on your audience’s
prior knowledge. Although you cannot peer inside the brains of your readers to discover their knowledge, you can make reasonable assumptions. For
instance, a nursing major would presumably know more about health-related topics than a business major would.
 Expectations. These indicate what readers will look for while reading your assignment. Readers may expect consistencies in the
assignment’s appearance, such as correct grammar and traditional formatting like double-spaced lines and legible font. Readers may also have content-
based expectations given the assignment’s purpose and organization. In an essay titled “The Economics of economic repercussions of college tuition
costs.

Writing Effective Purpose Statements

A purpose statement is a declarative sentence which summarizes the specific topic and goals of a document. It is typically included in the introduction to
give the reader an accurate, concrete understanding what the document will cover and what he/she can gain from reading it. To be effective, a
statement of purpose should be:

 Specific and precise - not general, broad or obscure


 Concise - one or two sentences
 Clear - not vague, ambiguous or confusing
 Goal-oriented - stated in terms of desired outcomes

Some common introductory phrases for purpose statements include:

 "The purpose of this paper/letter/document is to..."


 "In this paper, I will describe/explain/review/etc. the..."
 "My reason for writing is to..."
 "This paper will discuss the..."
 "The purpose of this paper is twofold: to ___ and ___"

Examples of Ineffective Purpose Statements:

(1) "The purpose of this paper is to describe the changes that are occurring in corporate America."

Critique: too vague and broad. No clear expectation of what the reader will learn. Questions: What specific changes in corporate America will be
described? What types of changes? What aspects of corporate America will be discussed? Will this paper also discuss the effects of these changes?

(2) "The purpose of this report is to discuss the eating disorders Anorexia and Bulimia."

Critique: too vague and broad. It is not clear what aspect of these disorders will be discussed, or what the reader will learn. Questions: What specific
aspects of these eating disorders will be discussed? The causes of these disorders? The signs or symptoms of these disorders? The effects of these
disorders? If so, what types of effects - physical, emotional, psychological?

(3) "This article will cover the different ways a company can become organized."

Critique: obscure and misleading. It is not clear what is meant by "different ways" or "become organized." These terms are vaguely stated and
ambiguous. Questions: What is meant by "different ways" and "become organized"? What, specifically, will the reader learn about companies and how
they become organized? Any specific types of organization? Any specific types of companies?

Examples of effective purpose statements:

(1) "This paper will describe four common causes of co-worker conflict in organizations and explain how to use a five-step procedure to constructively
manage this conflict."
Critique: Very specific about what aspects of conflict will be discussed. Very precise about how much information will be given. Very clear about what the
reader will learn.

(2) "This report will explain how supervisors can use four planning strategies to improve employee productivity in the workplace."

Critique: Very specific about what will be discussed (planning strategies), and what the outcome will be for the reader (how to improve employee
productivity).

(3) "This purpose of this report is to describe the main causes of traffic congestion in Seattle."

Critique: Leaves no doubt about the report's main purpose. Specific about the focus of the traffic congestion (Seattle).

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