Identify Context
The report context includes the physical and psychological environment of the communication exchange. Many reports are transmitted routinely with little thought about the context in which the message will be received. Many businesspeople, for example, feel burdened by the plethora of emails they face every day. Many of those messages evidence little concern for the physical or emotional context in which the message will be received. But effective communicators send their reports, whether written or electronic, to arrive at a time and place that will encourage the reader to give full attention to the message lf, for example, you know that the human resources director always has a management meeting on Monday morning, you might be wise to ensure that the director receives the report about widener on Wednesday on Wednesday or Thursday. That timing would permit the director to dispose of tasks related to the previous Monday's management meeting and give full attention to the report Appropriate timing would allow the director to consider appropriate action, including what-if anything about the case should be discussed at the next management meeting. Or assume that you decide to give Widener a final oral warning before reporting her absences and erratic performance. The appropriate place and time for that warning would be privately in your office or at Widener's work station immediately after you observe her breakdown in performance-not at her annual review several months later