Business and Professional Communication: KEYS for Workplace Excellence

“The KEYS process is clear and very appropriate. The use of this text will be a great shift from business writing to include a more humanistic and personal approach to the area of business communication.” -- William W. Kenner Published On: 2010-10-01

“The most impressive aspect of the book is the way the organization reflects the sequence of experiences the typical college graduate is likely to experience when entering the workforce: transition from school to work, from entry level jobs to more responsibility, from team member to leader, and even how to achieve a work-life balance.” -- Randy Duncan Published On: 2010-10-01

“The writing style is very accessible. The chapter on technology makes this book different from the ones I’ve used, and the chapter on work-life balance is compelling, interesting, and important.” -- Michele S. Foss-Snowden Published On: 2010-10-01

“This book is a breath of fresh air in the marketplace. The concepts covered are excellent, the writing is user-friendly, and the student and instructor can find a common enjoyment of the overall presentation.” -- Leonard M. Edwards Published On: 2010-10-01

“The main advantage [of Quintanilla/Wahl] is the accessibility of the writing and the use of humor. I think it caters more to the student than other texts. There were parts I really enjoyed reading and I think students will too. Chapter 10: Balancing Work and Life through Communication is an important chapter and one that should resonate with the Millennial generation.” -- Kristina D. Drumheller Published On: 2010-10-01

“The book is written at a student’s level, not for a group of scholars discussing communication skills. … The advantages of the book are the readability, the wide range of subject areas included, and the case studies. The case studies are some of the best I have seen.” -- Dale Davis Published On: 2010-10-01

“The KEYS feature will help students apply their learning, and the Keys in Action exercises are extremely helpful. The conversational, coaching tone of the text is excellent: in many sections, students are given advice with explanations of how the advice will help them succeed in the workplace. I am impressed with the readability of the text and its relevance to students’ workplace communication needs.”

-- Carolyn Clark Published On: 2010-10-01

Kelly Miller is the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. She earned her Ph.D. in Communication from the Pennsylvania State University in 1994, joining the A&M-CC faculty that same year. She was a Professor of the Communication for 16 years, teaching courses in Business & Professional Communication, Teamwork & Leadership, Organizational Communication, Public Relations, and Public Speaking. Additionally, she served as Department Chair/Program Coordinator in Communication from 2000-2009. Over the years, Dr. Quintanilla has received awards for her teaching, service, advising, and scholarship. She has also worked as an executive coach and an organizational communication consultant for a variety of industries. Although she loves her career, her greatest love is spending time with her husband, Anthony and daughter, Logan on the sunny beaches of the South Texas.

Dr. Shawn Wahlis the Founding Dean of the Judith Enyeart Reynolds College of Arts, Social Sciences, and Humanities (RCASH) and Professor of Communication at Missouri State University (MSU). Shawn’s most notable accomplishment in higher education leadership is facilitating the largest scholarship and structural private eight-figure gift in university history. He has served in the Dean role since 2017 and as Department Head of Communication at MSU from 2012 to 2017. Prior to MSU, he served as the Department Head of Communication, Mass Media & Theatre at Angelo State University and as the Founding Director of Graduate Studies at Texas A&M University, Corpus Christi. Dr. Wahl was the 2016 President of the Central States Communication Association (CSCA). He has authored numerous books, including The Communication Age: Connecting and Engaging; Business and Professional Communication: KEYS for Workplace Excellence; Persuasion in Your Life; Intercultural Communication in Your Life; Public Speaking: Essentials for Excellence; Nonverbal Communication for a Lifetime; Public Relations Principles: Bridging Theory and Practice and Organizational Communication:  Strategies for Success. He has published articles in Communication Education, Communication Research Reports, Communication Studies, Communication Teacher, Journal of Family Communication, and the Basic Communication Course Annual. Dr. Wahl and colleagues received the Distinguished Article Award: Instructional Development Division (IDD) National Communication Association (NCA), 2021. Shawn completed two executive leadership programs at the Harvard University Graduate School of Education, the Management Development Program (MDP, 2016), and the Institute for Educational Management (IEM, 2022). In addition, Shawn is an experienced organizational communication consultant and executive leadership coach in various industries (e.g., commodity trading, mining, oil and gas, and health care).