Author Profile

Stephen Carradini, (Ph.D., Communication, Rhetoric and Digital Media, North Carolina State University, 2017, M.A., Technical and Professional Communication, Auburn University, 2013, B.A., Journalism – Professional Writing, University of Oklahoma, 2009) researches ethical and effective implementation of emerging technologies in the workplace and the public. His current research includes creation of the Arizona Water Chatbot, a public information AI tool focused on water management and conservation, and virtual reality for education. He teaches social media management and digital ethics in the Technical Communication program and is a contributing teacher to the User Experience program. A longtime member of the Project Cities program at ASU, he and his students have worked with the City of Scottsdale, City of Mesa, City of Chandler, and Town of Gilbert on municipal projects. Prior research has focused on how people who work outside large organizations (such as artists and entrepreneurs) use online professional communication to do their work. This led to studies on social media of musicians and a suite of studies on the platform Kickstarter. He also studies disciplinarity in academic fields using corpus analytic methods. He is a member of the Association for Business Communication and ACM SIGDOC. In addition, he has presented at the Conference on College Composition and Communication, Council for Programs in Technical and Scientific Communication, Rhetoric Society of America, and Symposium on Applied Rhetoric conferences.

About The Book

In the modern corporate ecosystem, your technical expertise gets you in the door, but your communication skills build your career. Mastering Modern Workplace Dynamics breaks away from dense, dry academic theories to deliver a highly interactive, exercise-driven blueprint for professional excellence. Designed specifically for ambitious professionals, managers, and business students, this book treats communication not just as a concepts-based topic, but as a muscle that can be systematically trained, measured, and perfected. Unlike standard books that tell you what effective communication looks like, this guide shows you exactly how to execute it under pressure. By blending evidence-based psychological insights with practical corporate workflows, this book serves as your personal communication coach. Every chapter transitions immediately from brief, foundational rules into real-world simulation drills. Seamlessly cross-trains you across all modern media from writing high-stakes executive summaries to controlling your micro-expressions during video conferences. Learn actionable, high-stakes negotiation frameworks inspired by behavioral science to defuse workplace friction and align resistant teams. Master the art of professional connection with this definitive guide to business communication. Designed for ambitious professionals, this book provides actionable strategies to enhance your writing, speaking, and negotiation skills, empowering you to lead meetings with confidence and drive impactful results in any workplace. In today's fast-paced corporate landscape, your technical skills will only take you so far. How you articulate your ideas makes all the difference. This book bridges the gap between theory and real-world application, giving you the tools to command attention and inspire action. Whether you are an entry-level professional aiming for a promotion, a manager leading a remote team, or an entrepreneur pitching to investors, this book offers targeted frameworks for every career stage.

Table of Contents

Preface
1. EFFECTIVE BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
1.1 Why Is It Important to Communicate Well?
1.2 What Is Communication?
1.3 Communication in Context
1.4 Your Responsibilities as a Communicator
2. DELIVERING YOUR MESSAGE
2.1 What Is Language?
2.2 Messages
2.3 Principles of Verbal Communication
2.4 Language Can be an Obstacle to Communication
2.5 Emphasis Strategies
2.6 Improving Verbal Communication
3. UNDERSTANDING YOUR AUDIENCE
3.1 Self-Understanding Is Fundamental to Communication
3.2 Perception
3.3 Differences in Perception
3.4 Getting to Know Your Audience
3.5 Listening and Reading for Understanding
4. EFFECTIVE BUSINESS WRITING
4.1 Oral versus Written Communication
4.2 How Is Writing Learned?
4.3 Good Writing
4.4 Style in Written Communication
4.5 Principles of Written Communication
4.6 Overcoming Barriers to Effective Written Communication
5. WRITING PREPARATION
5.1 Think, Then Write: Writing Preparation
5.2 A Planning Checklist for Business Messages
5.3 Research and Investigation: Getting Started
5.4 Ethics, Plagiarism, and Reliable Sources
5.5 Completing Your Research and Investigation
5.6 Reading and Analyzing
6. WRITING
6.1 Organization
6.2 Writing Style
6.3 Making an Argument
6.4 Paraphrase and Summary versus Plagiarism
7. REVISING AND PRESENTING YOUR WRITING
7.1 General Revision Points to Consider
7.2 Specific Revision Points to Consider
7.3 Style Revisions
7.4 Evaluating the Work of Others
7.5 Proofreading and Design Evaluation
8. FEEDBACK IN THE WRITING PROCESS
8.1 Diverse Forms of Feedback
8.2 Qualitative and Quantitative Research
8.3 Feedback as an Opportunity
9. BUSINESS WRITING IN ACTION
9.1 Text, E-mail, and Netiquette
9.2 Memorandums and Letters
9.3 Business Proposal
9.4 Report
9.5 Résumé
9.6 Sales Message
10. DEVELOPING BUSINESS PRESENTATIONS
10.1 Before You Choose a Topic
10.2 Choosing a Topic
10.3 Finding Resources
10.4 Myths and Realities of Public Speaking
10.5 Overcoming Obstacles in Your Presentation
11. NONVERBAL DELIVERY
11.1 Principles of Nonverbal Communication
11.2 Types of Nonverbal Communication
11.3 Movement in Your Speech
11.4 Visual Aids
11.5 Nonverbal Strategies for Success with Your Audience
12. ORGANIZATION AND OUTLINES
12.1 Rhetorical Situation
12.2 Strategies for Success
12.3 Building a Sample Speech
12.4 Sample Speech Outlines
12.5 Organizing Principles for Your Speech
12.6 Transitions
Bibliography
Index