Communication can be complicated because human beings are complicated! People have feelings, and any communication has the potential to elicit an emotional reaction in the receiver.
Mood is a term that is used to describe the way a communication (or text) makes the receiver (or audience) feel. It is not really about WHAT the message is, but HOW it is communicated.
Notebook
In this learning activity, you will explore how both mood and tone affect communication. Let’s see how this works by reviewing two video clips from the film The Lion King. After you explore each clip, record as many adjectives (describing words) in your notebook as you can to describe the mood that each creates. You can refer to the list of positive and negative mood words for some inspiration.
Click on the "positive mood words" and "negative mood words" buttons to learn more.
Explore this!
Adjectives describing mood of video 1
- warm
- happy
- upbeat
- light-hearted
Explore this!
Adjectives describing mood of video 2
- sad
- scary
- threatening
- violent
- tense
Both videos were part of the same movie, but both clips created a different mood. What elements in a video help create the mood? What elements of written communication can affect mood?
You may have listed some of the following elements for film: sound, music, camera angles, colours, dialogue, story elements, voice, facial expression, body language, lighting, editing etc.
You may have listed some of the following elements for written communication: vocabulary, sentence structure, punctuation, formatting, text features like bold, underline, italics, use of titles and subtitles, use of images, form-digital, handwritten, text, stylized cursive etc.
Join the discussion
Share your ideas about the videos and mood in a discussion.
What elements in a video help create the mood?
What elements of written communication can affect mood?
What adjectives match video 1? Video 2?
Exploring mood
All media, whether it's a clip from a film, a text, an Instagram post, the colour of street signs in your neighbourhood, or the description found in a novel, can have an impact on mood. For the purposes of this course, focus on how mood can relate to the way a message is sent and received.
In order to communicate effectively, you will want to be able to align your mood, purpose and audience. In other words, knowing what mood you want to establish, the purpose of your message and the audience who will receive it, will lead to better and more effective communication.
Notebook
Explore "What is mood?" to further your understanding of how mood is established in writing. As you explore the following video, reflect on the following questions in your notebook:
- How can mood be established in business communication?
- How can other elements of the communication model affect mood?
Explore this!
Exploring tone
The mood of the receiver (or audience) depends on the sender’s TONE.
Definition
Tone is the sender’s attitude, and that can be conveyed by the author’s diction or word choice.
As was described in the previous video, imagery and setting can also affect the mood in a story, but neither really apply to business communications. Therefore, the words that you choose are very important.
When writing your business communications, make sure to pay attention to verbs, adverbs, adjectives and diction.
Click on the tabs below
Verbs are most often action words. Many actions can be described in different ways and some actions have negative connotations. For example, you can say that two team members collaborated (positive), colluded (negative), or simply worked together (neutral).
The adverb is a part of speech that answers any of these questions: how (in what manner, or under what conditions) when, where, why. Any adverb that describes how an action is performed, usually end with the suffix ‘ly’. Adding words like hastily to describe the way something was done can have a negative connotation, whereas saying something was done carefully.
Adjectives are describing words, and the way that something is described affects the tone and mood. For example, if you realize that you need to have a meeting and want to send an email out to your coworkers, you can describe the meeting in many different ways. Each way you describe it evokes a different tone and will create a different mood.
Your diction (or word choice) goes a long way towards establishing the mood. Many words have similar meanings but some have either positive or negative connotations. For example, which statement seems more intense and serious:
- I was in a car accident
- I was in a car crash
You likely chose the second statement. The word ‘crash’ has a more intense and serious connotation than the word ‘accident’.
Proper connotation exercise: Part 1
Check your knowledge by sorting the words into their proper connotation. Drag and drop the words to the proper column.
Notebook
Proper connotation exercise: Part 2
Complete the following table(Opens in new window) and add it to your notebook. When you’re ready, compare your answers to the suggestions provided.
Suggested answers
| Positive | Negative |
|---|---|
| thrifty, economical, frugal | cheap |
| relaxed | lazy, apathetic, lethargic |
| challenge, opportunity, | problem / Issue |
| strong-willed, decisive, resolute | stubborn |
| traditional, classic, time-honoured | out of date |
| confident | conceited, arrogant, self-important |
| curious | nosy, inquisitory, snooping |
| exceptional, notable, rare, special | unusual |
| assertive, self-assured, confident | aggressive |
| experienced | old, ancient, fossil |
| young / vibrant | inexperienced, naive, immature |
Practice makes perfect!
In this activity, you will pretend to be a manager sending an email to your staff members. As a manager, it is important to communicate with a consistent tone. Therefore, you must follow the prompts to make sure you are selecting the correct phrases to set your desired tone and mood.
Discover more
How does communication affect leadership? Do friendly managers get the most out of their employees? Or is it better to be strict? Using your preferred internet search engine, enter the terms “most effective managers are kind not nice”. Explore the results to learn more about the communication skills needed by managers to effectively lead in today’s workplace.
Join the discussion
In this learning activity you explored tone and mood. Think about a recent communication you had (in-person, via text messaging, or over the phone). Describe the conversation in your post and reflect on the following questions.
How did the tone of the other person contribute to your mood?
How did your tone contribute to the other person’s mood?
Share your ideas with your peers.