Mastering Business Communication focuses on Pauline Peterson, a young marketing employee whose experiences highlight fundamental issues of business communication. In each episode, students watch Pauline deal with practical communication challenges, ranging from intercultural communication and writing resumes to resolving conflict and interpreting nonverbal cues.

As a recent college graduate, Pauline must figure out how to use what she has learned about business communication to respond to these challenges. This is no easy process, and students will see Pauline make decisions that yield both positive and negative results. As students consider these results, they gain valuable opportunities to sharpen key communication skills. For example:

• When Pauline's firm hits hard times, she turns her mind to resumes and job interviews. In this context, students practice building a resume and dealing with the issues of interviewing.
   
• Throughout Mastering Business Communication Pauline is called upon to write a variety of messages (e.g., termination letters, persuasive messages). These assignments give students the chance to develop their own writing skills by building and evaluating documents.
   
• Pauline is asked to give a formal speech and conduct meetings. In these episodes, students learn the key components that yield successful speeches and productive meetings.

By considering the experience of a character much like themselves, students will understand that successful careers are largely built on strong communication skills. Mastering Business Communication presents an exciting vision of communication as a creative process through which people develop effective ways to present themselves and work productively with others. In sum, it offers students the opportunity to enlarge their understanding of important business concepts by applying them to a wide range of practical problems that follow the brief summary of concepts after the video.

Conducting a Meeting
	After working just three weeks at CanGo, Howie, Pauline's boss, asks her to hold a meeting with some of the programmers. He wants to know what the status is with the online gaming operations, and he wants a complete update on all the projects. Pauline is a bit nervous because this will be the first time that she's conducted a meeting. She also doesn't know the programmers personally, and Howie won't be there to help guide her.
Verbal and Nonverbal Communication
	Pauline arrives at work wearing jeans and a t-shirt and with her hair in a ponytail. Howie is surprised by her manner of dress, especially since Pauline is supposed to give a presentation tomorrow to a group of Industry Analysts. Howie calls her to his office because he is concerned that she might not project the image that he feels is needed to impress these analysts. Howie explains to Pauline that the meeting with the analysts is not only a chance for her to market CanGo, but also a chance for her to show what she can do in her new job.
Intercultural Communication
	Howie asks Pauline to take a prospective client out to lunch in order to start building a good rapport. Pauline's job is to tell Rajiv Vaidya, founder of Ganesha Solutions (an Indian software manufacturer), about CanGo's strong marketing program and the reasons why CanGo is better than all its competitors. In the process, Pauline becomes acquainted with a new culture.
Using E-Mail Effectively
	A recent interview at Webtetrix is weighing on Pauline's mind. For the past several days Jamie has noticed that Pauline has been in her own world. When Jamie finally gets Pauline's attention, she finds out that Pauline is anxious about not having heard back about a possible job with Ms. Wagman at Webtetrix. Jamie suggests that Pauline call Mrs. Wagman but Pauline decides to use email to follow up with her job inquiry.
Brainstorming Sessions
	To everyone's delight, customer complaints regarding overnight deliveries of books and CDs have decreased. Warren wants Pauline to generate some ideas on how to further market the service as an option to CanGo's customers. He tells her to use the creative minds of the staff to help her with this assignment. Pauline gets her first experience in running a brainstorming session.
Listening Skills
	CanGo would like to have an exclusive deal with Rarities, Inc., one of the largest suppliers of old books. Howie asks Pauline to have a meeting with the owner, Harold Mayerfield, to find out what he expects from a relationship with CanGo. He impresses upon Pauline the importance of building a positive relationship with Mayerfield. In the process of this assignment, Pauline learns about the importance of active listening skills.
Writing Persuasive Messages
	Pauline has worked hard on a marketing campaign that features overnight delivery. As the deadline for one of CanGo's monthly magazine ads draws near, Pauline learns that problems are again afflicting the overnight delivery service. She seeks Warren out for an answer to the problem. He tells her the problem is with the pick up time and suggests that she try writing a letter to the company to see if they will agree to a later pick up time. Writing a powerful, persuasive message is the challenge now facing Pauline.
Successful Resumes
	Howie announces that since the acquisition of the online gaming company Webjouster, CanGo hasn't been performing up to financial expectations. The company's stock value also seems to be falling. However, he reassures the CanGo staff that CanGo's state of affairs is not their fault, and he tries to be optimistic about the future. Pauline decides not to wait for the other shoe to fall, so she gets to work on putting together a convincing resume.
The Job Interview
	CanGo is experiencing financial difficulties. The IPO didn't do nearly as well as predicted, and technology stocks in general are losing their luster. Pauline must now put that resume to work and start preparing for job interviews. Pauline learns some of the do's and don'ts of effective interviewing.
Giving a Formal Speech
	Pauline has been burning the midnight oil for several weeks trying to get the marketing campaign in order. She feels that since she worked so hard on the campaign she should be the one to present it. She convinces Howie to let her give the speech to the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors. Through careful preparation, Pauline learns how to deliver a successful speech.
Writing Bad News Messages
	Warren tells Pauline that she has to fire Scott. Scott has missed staff meetings, handed in assignments late, and abused the Work Ethic Guidelines. It's time for him to go. Pauline has never had to do anything like this before, and she's not looking forward to it. She learns that writing and delivering a bad news message is a task that requires careful preparation.
Resolving Conflict
	Pauline asks Nick and Gail to work on a project together. Unfortunately, these two employees just don't get along. The stage is set for another argument when Nick suggests that he'll handle the products and design portion of the project. Gail feels that since she has seniority she should be running the project. Pauline must find a way to resolve this issue in order to get the project done and, more generally, to get two skilled employees to work together effectively.