INSTRUCTOR’S MANUAL
BUSINESS COMMUNICATION: DEVELOPING LEADERS FOR
A NETWORKED WORLD
5TH EDITION
CHAPTER NO. 01: ESTABLISHING CREDIBILITY
SOLUTIONS TO DISCUSSION EXERCISES
1.1 Chapter Review Questions (LO 1.1, LO 1.2, LO 1.3, LO 1.4)
Answer each of the following questions with one to three paragraphs:
A. Explain the importance of establishing credibility in business communications.
Important parts of this answer could include the following: (a) Other people judge your
comments, presentations, emails, and other communications based on your personal credibility.
When you are viewed as credible, your messages are viewed as more plausible. When you are
not viewed as credible, others will doubt your messages. (b) As a business professional, you
often operate from a position of distrust. By establishing personal credibility, you are more likely
to gain trust in your messages and other communications.
B. Explain the three components of credibility: competence, caring, and character. How do
they interrelate?
This answer should include short explanations about each aspect of credibility. Competence
involves skills and knowledge to accomplish work tasks. Caring involves understanding and
acting in the interests of others, both in the professional and personal needs of others.
, Character involves adhering to high ethics and values. The second part of this discussion item
involves explaining how these aspects of credibility are interrelated. Students should be
rewarded for mentioning how these aspects overlap in some situations, especially when they
provide specific instances. For example, asking others to participate in a meeting may be viewed
as competence and caring. It shows skill at running an effective meeting. It shows caring
because of a sincere interest in the views of others.
C. Define and explain business ethics, corporate values, and the relationship between them.
Business ethics are the commonly accepted beliefs and principles in the business community for
acceptable behavior. Corporate values are the stated and lived values of a company. The text
explains that the Society for Human Resource Management has defined corporate values as the
essence of business ethics. Students should be rewarded for providing nuanced answers about
cases where corporate values may not align with commonly accepted beliefs and principles in
the business community within an industry or even more broadly.
D. Explain the FAIR approach to evaluating ethical business communications.
The FAIR approach helps professionals ask key questions to evaluate whether their
communications are ethical. By asking questions related to facts, access, impacts, and respect,
professionals can get a good sense of whether they are truly being fair to others. Students
should be rewarded for providing examples from their school and work experiences.
E. Describe how credibility impacts communication efficiency and effectiveness.
Credibility makes communication more effective and efficient because each person in a high-
trust relationship tends to put up less resistance to the ideas of others in the relationship. The
, persons in a high-trust relationship also tend to give each other the benefit of the doubt when
misunderstandings arise.
1.2 Ideas in Action (LO 1.1, LO 1.2, LO 1.3, LO 1.4)
Read the Ideas in Action with Mary Barra of GM, and write a one- or two-paragraph
response to each of the following questions:
A. What points does Mary Barra make about the impact of competence in establishing
credibility?
Bara has a proven track record of results, so she urges GM employees to develop their skills and
be forward-looking with their solutions.
B. What points does she make about the impact of caring in establishing credibility?
Barra encourages professionals to focus on the needs of others and build long-term, meaningful
relationships. She stresses the role relationships play in business.
C. What points does she make about the impact of character in establishing credibility?
She promotes honesty, transparency, and high values ("your North Star"). Leaders develop real
integrity during rough times. Values must mean more than words on a page, you have to do
what you say you are going to do.
D. Which of her comments or experiences do you view as particularly insightful or helpful?
Why that one?
Answers will vary.
, 1.3 Character and Rules (LO 1.2)
As a former chair of the U.S. Federal Reserve once said, “Rules cannot take the place of
character.” In two to three paragraphs, explain what you think he meant by this statement.
Responses will vary. Key points/angles may include: (a) ethical behavior cannot be forced upon
professionals; (b) professionals must have their own moral compasses; or (c) rules cannot account
for all ethical dilemmas.
1.4 Transparency (LO 1.3)
As Dennis S. Reina and Michelle L. Reina explained in their book Trust and Betrayal in the
Workplace, “Some leaders assume that … they are obligated to tell employees only what
they specifically need to do their job. This couldn’t be further from the truth.” In three to five
paragraphs, explain the meaning of this statement. Why might leaders provide information
about their activities and decision making, even when employees may not be directly
affected?
Responses will vary. Key points/angles may include: (a) employees will follow leaders who they
believe share information and decision-making openly with them; (b) an open and honest work
environment leads to higher morale and productivity; or (c) employees who know more about their
organizations and its leaders will be more engaged.
BUSINESS COMMUNICATION: DEVELOPING LEADERS FOR
A NETWORKED WORLD
5TH EDITION
CHAPTER NO. 01: ESTABLISHING CREDIBILITY
SOLUTIONS TO DISCUSSION EXERCISES
1.1 Chapter Review Questions (LO 1.1, LO 1.2, LO 1.3, LO 1.4)
Answer each of the following questions with one to three paragraphs:
A. Explain the importance of establishing credibility in business communications.
Important parts of this answer could include the following: (a) Other people judge your
comments, presentations, emails, and other communications based on your personal credibility.
When you are viewed as credible, your messages are viewed as more plausible. When you are
not viewed as credible, others will doubt your messages. (b) As a business professional, you
often operate from a position of distrust. By establishing personal credibility, you are more likely
to gain trust in your messages and other communications.
B. Explain the three components of credibility: competence, caring, and character. How do
they interrelate?
This answer should include short explanations about each aspect of credibility. Competence
involves skills and knowledge to accomplish work tasks. Caring involves understanding and
acting in the interests of others, both in the professional and personal needs of others.
, Character involves adhering to high ethics and values. The second part of this discussion item
involves explaining how these aspects of credibility are interrelated. Students should be
rewarded for mentioning how these aspects overlap in some situations, especially when they
provide specific instances. For example, asking others to participate in a meeting may be viewed
as competence and caring. It shows skill at running an effective meeting. It shows caring
because of a sincere interest in the views of others.
C. Define and explain business ethics, corporate values, and the relationship between them.
Business ethics are the commonly accepted beliefs and principles in the business community for
acceptable behavior. Corporate values are the stated and lived values of a company. The text
explains that the Society for Human Resource Management has defined corporate values as the
essence of business ethics. Students should be rewarded for providing nuanced answers about
cases where corporate values may not align with commonly accepted beliefs and principles in
the business community within an industry or even more broadly.
D. Explain the FAIR approach to evaluating ethical business communications.
The FAIR approach helps professionals ask key questions to evaluate whether their
communications are ethical. By asking questions related to facts, access, impacts, and respect,
professionals can get a good sense of whether they are truly being fair to others. Students
should be rewarded for providing examples from their school and work experiences.
E. Describe how credibility impacts communication efficiency and effectiveness.
Credibility makes communication more effective and efficient because each person in a high-
trust relationship tends to put up less resistance to the ideas of others in the relationship. The
, persons in a high-trust relationship also tend to give each other the benefit of the doubt when
misunderstandings arise.
1.2 Ideas in Action (LO 1.1, LO 1.2, LO 1.3, LO 1.4)
Read the Ideas in Action with Mary Barra of GM, and write a one- or two-paragraph
response to each of the following questions:
A. What points does Mary Barra make about the impact of competence in establishing
credibility?
Bara has a proven track record of results, so she urges GM employees to develop their skills and
be forward-looking with their solutions.
B. What points does she make about the impact of caring in establishing credibility?
Barra encourages professionals to focus on the needs of others and build long-term, meaningful
relationships. She stresses the role relationships play in business.
C. What points does she make about the impact of character in establishing credibility?
She promotes honesty, transparency, and high values ("your North Star"). Leaders develop real
integrity during rough times. Values must mean more than words on a page, you have to do
what you say you are going to do.
D. Which of her comments or experiences do you view as particularly insightful or helpful?
Why that one?
Answers will vary.
, 1.3 Character and Rules (LO 1.2)
As a former chair of the U.S. Federal Reserve once said, “Rules cannot take the place of
character.” In two to three paragraphs, explain what you think he meant by this statement.
Responses will vary. Key points/angles may include: (a) ethical behavior cannot be forced upon
professionals; (b) professionals must have their own moral compasses; or (c) rules cannot account
for all ethical dilemmas.
1.4 Transparency (LO 1.3)
As Dennis S. Reina and Michelle L. Reina explained in their book Trust and Betrayal in the
Workplace, “Some leaders assume that … they are obligated to tell employees only what
they specifically need to do their job. This couldn’t be further from the truth.” In three to five
paragraphs, explain the meaning of this statement. Why might leaders provide information
about their activities and decision making, even when employees may not be directly
affected?
Responses will vary. Key points/angles may include: (a) employees will follow leaders who they
believe share information and decision-making openly with them; (b) an open and honest work
environment leads to higher morale and productivity; or (c) employees who know more about their
organizations and its leaders will be more engaged.
