STRATEGIZE
Gospel Insight
Communicate with purpose—not just words.
"Integrity is the core of our character. Without integrity, we have a weak foundation upon which to build other Christlike characteristics." —Elder Lionel Kendrick, "Christlike Communication"
As disciples of Jesus Christ, we must communicate honestly and lead with clarity and love. Ethical communication is foundational to Christlike leadership. This includes resisting the temptation to manipulate others with fallacies or misleading tactics, especially when trying to persuade. Ethical communicators inform to empower and persuade to invite—not to deceive.
Clarity builds trust. Credibility builds influence. Ethical communication builds both—and prepares you for Christlike leadership.
"Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying" (Ephesians 4:29).
Business professionals constantly switch between informative and persuasive modes:
- Reporting a status update (informative)
- Pitching a project idea (persuasive)
- Delivering a procedural email (instructional)
- Presenting a case to gain stakeholder approval (persuasive)
Knowing your communication purpose makes your writing clearer and more effective. Ethical communicators avoid spin, build trust, and align with both business standards and Christlike values. These skills transfer directly to your future roles—whether you're advising clients, leading teams, or building organizations.
Project Roadmap
You already did the heavy lifting of refining your Business Research Article topic with generative AI. Now, your goal is to craft a professional, persuasive case for why this topic matters and present it clearly in an Article Topic Proposal and Article Topic Email.
Why This Matters
These assignments give you the chance to practice vital business skills:
- Frame a request clearly
- Persuade others to agree
- Defend your ideas
- Communicate like a professional
That’s not busywork. That’s career prep.
Read the Textbook Chapter
Distinguish among informing, persuading, and recommending as three distinct business communication purposes and identify when each is most appropriate.
Construct clear, objective messages to inform stakeholders, including strategies for delivering bad news professionally and empathetically.
Design persuasive messages that ethically use credibility (ethos), emotion (pathos), and logic (logos) to influence a business audience.
Build recommendation messages supported by structured analysis, such as weighted decision matrices, to propose credible business solutions.
Recognize and avoid manipulative tactics, including logical fallacies and misleading rhetorical strategies, in persuasive business communication.
Apply audience awareness and strategic intent to craft purpose-driven messages in a variety of professional formats (emails, proposals, presentations).
This lesson supports the following BYU Advanced Written and Oral Communication (AWOC) learning outcomes:
1. Disciplinary Writing
Teaches students to match writing purpose and strategy (inform, persuade, recommend) to business contexts.
Emphasizes tone, structure, and purpose fitting to business discourse communities.
Builds rhetorical flexibility as students shift modes and formats (e.g., decision memos, persuasive proposals, bad-news messages).
2. Academic Research
Reinforces source-based credibility as part of ethical persuasion.
Introduces decision matrices as tools for evidence-based recommendations.
Encourages responsible integration and citation of data in written and spoken communication.
3. Writing Processes
Supports prewriting (audience and purpose analysis), drafting (inform/persuade/recommend formats), and revising for clarity and tone.
Includes structured reasoning exercises (decision matrices) and peer review opportunities for message effectiveness.
4. Oral Communication
Prepares students for oral presentations or pitches by modeling how to shift tone and purpose for audience impact.
Encourages the use of visual tools (e.g., decision matrices) in spoken communication.
Offers material applicable to persuasive speaking and recommendation-based presentations.
5. Knowledge of Conventions
Teaches business genre conventions for neutral reports, persuasive proposals, and recommendation memos.
Reinforces correct formatting, logic structure, and ethical tone across message types.
Mission Alignment
“Develop leaders of faith, intellect, and character who have the skills and desire to continue learning and to serve others throughout their lives.” Strong alignment
Prepares students to communicate with clarity and ethical purpose in diverse business situations—developing leaders who guide others with reasoned, respectful messages.
Equips students with tools to persuade responsibly and recommend strategically, enabling them to serve with integrity.
Vision Alignment
“Transform the world through Christlike leadership.” Strong alignment
Emphasizes that Christlike leaders communicate truth with empathy and transparency—especially in sensitive or high-impact decisions.
Teaches students to inform with clarity, persuade with humility, and recommend with wisdom, aligning with gospel-centered leadership values.
Values Alignment
Faith in Christ Builds messages that respect human dignity and truth.
Integrity in Action Differentiates persuasion from manipulation.
Respect for All Promotes audience-centered communication and thoughtful framing.
Excellence Requires structured, evidence-based arguments and high-standard message construction.
Student-Centered Statement
This lesson centers on students by equipping them with practical tools to communicate with purpose in real-world settings. By learning how to inform clearly, persuade ethically, and recommend with structure, students develop confidence in their ability to lead conversations, shape decisions, and build trust. It respects their capacity to engage in meaningful communication that reflects both professional expectations and personal integrity.