A Profile of the Communication Tasks of Air Force Officers.
Abstract
Air Force officers, provided information about the writing and briefing requirements of their current jobs. In addition, more than 400 of the officers commented on the importance of communication skills and recommended objectives for courses designed to help leaders and managers to communicate effectively. A very large majority (93.1%) of the respondents consider writing to be either very or critically important on the job; 63.6% put briefing in the same categories. The officers consider organizing material to be of greatest importance in both writing and briefing, followed by (in writing) drafting and editing and analysis of audience and purpose. In briefings, delivering material and handling questions and discussions are also very important to the respondents. According to the officers, the primary objective of a professional communication course is to produce a clear and direct communication style in documents and briefings. The respondents agree that competence in basic grammar and mechanics is essential, but they do not limit their recommendations to remedial topics. They also recommended that courses develop adaptability to different communication situations, and the ability to organize and deliver information cogently on short notice. The majority believe that briefing (80.4%) and writing (86.4%) instruction should be available to graduate students.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 1985
- Accession Number
- ADA163476
Entities
People
- Charles R. Fenno
Organizations
- Air Force Institute of Technology