2019 - September

[yuli2513]

Hi,

I am reading the examiner's report of the 2019 September sitting. I noticed that the examiners are looking for a welcoming language and tone. I find this quite confusing because it is a memo that is asked. Shouldn't memos be more professional and mention the matters only? I understand why a welcoming tone is considered, but I do not quite get why including such a tone is acceptable for a memo.

Also, can I assume all memos should be written in a way that other readers can also understand it? For example, with the 2019 September paper, although the memo is directed to Sam, should I still consider the possibility that others would read it? Otherwise I don't get why a memo is asked instead of a reply in email directly.

Thanks a lot!

 

[Lindsay Smitherman]

Hi - communications for CP3 should always be written using a professional tone. But you can still be professional and friendly / welcoming / positive. In this case, the recipient is new to the company, you haven't met them before and you are just about to work with them. If I were writing to a new colleague in that situation to help them to get started, I would personally write in a welcoming, friendly and positive way - but would still do so 'professionally'.

This is all part of thinking carefully about 'the Who': what do we know about them, their situation, their role, their experience? And part of thinking about 'the Why', our overall objectives: including how do we want them to feel after reading the communication (as well as making sure that we meet their explicit requirements)? In this case, I would want them to feel welcomed into the company and positive about the opportunity to work together.

 

[Lindsay Smitherman]

Also, can I assume all memos should be written in a way that other readers can also understand it? For example, with the 2019 September paper, although the memo is directed to Sam, should I still consider the possibility that others would read it? Otherwise I don't get why a memo is asked instead of a reply in email directly.

Not necessarily: focus your communication on the specific recipient(s) that it is being addressed to, unless there is anything in the question which indicates that it will be distributed or shared more widely.

A memo is perhaps just a little more formal than an email, and so maybe was chosen to make sure that it still had a clearly professional format. Having said that, an email would have still done the job here and there is very little difference between those two types of format.