BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
Introduction
Business communication is communication that promotes a product, service, marketing, or organization; relays information within a business; or functions as an official statement from a company. Business communication (or simply "communications", in a business context) encompasses such topics as marketing, brand management, customer relations, consumer behavior, advertising, public relations, corporate communication, community engagement, reputation management, interpersonal communication, employee engagement, and event management. It is closely related to the fields of professional communication and technical communication. Media channels for business communication include the Internet, print media, radio, television, ambient media, and word of mouth.
Business communication can also refer to internal communication. A communications director will typically manage internal communication and craft messages sent to employees. It is vital that internal communications are managed properly because a poorly crafted or managed message could foster distrust or hostility from employees. Business communication is a common topic included in the curricula of Masters of Business Administration (MBA) programs of many universities. AS well, many community colleges and universities offer degrees in Communications.
There are several methods of business communication, including:
1. Web-based communication - for better and improved communication, anytime anywhere ...
2. video conferencing which allow people in different locations to hold interactive meetings;
3. e-mails, which provide an instantaneous medium of written communication worldwide;
4. Reports - important in documenting the activities of any department;
5. Presentations - very popular method of communication in all types of organizations, usually involving audiovisual material, like copies of reports, or material prepared in Microsoft PowerPoint or Adobe Flash;
6. telephoned meetings, which allow for long distance speech;
7. forum boards, which allow people to instantly post information at a centralized location; and
8. face-to-face meetings, which are personal and should be succeeded by a written followup.
9. suggestion box,it is mainly for upward communication as because some people may hesitate to communicate to the to management directly so they can give suggestion by drafting suggestion in suggestion box.
Effective business communication
Communication is the top quality that employers look for. Effective business communication starts by asking the right questions to understand the customers needs and wants to be able to recommend a product or service customized to the customer. One good tip is to speak, pause, and listen. Communicate what is needed and then pause to let the recipient process and respond to the information. With an average of 1800 messages being sent by workers through memos, telephone, email, faxes, and face to face, it is important to listen and pay attention to the recipient and send the information clearly. All in all, to be effective in business communication you need to be clear, brief, focused, and committed You make an impression on everyone with the way you handle your communication skills from your voice to your body language.
Development of positive personal attitudes
Positive attitude can do wonders. It can make possible what is seemingly impossible for the others. Positive attitude is the seed out of which positive traits, which are essential for success sprout forth. It is the positive attitude again which waters and feeds the sapling of positive traits. Your mind is a machine of thoughts and ideas. If you so not fill it up with positive, inspiring and motivating thoughts, it will turn into a jungle of negative thoughts. Your mind is a beautiful garden, if you do not plant and nurture sapling of beautiful flowering plants in it, it will turn into a mess of wild creepers, bushes and thorny plants.
Absence of negativity alone does not make a person positive. People with positive attitudes have certain personality traits that are easy to recognize. They are caring, confident, patient and humble. They have high expectations of themselves and others. They anticipate positive outcomes. On the other hand, people with a negative attitude have a hard time keeping friendships, jobs and relationships. They create a negative environment at home and work and become a liability to society. They also pass on their negative behavior to other around them and to future generations. Positive attitude gives hope. Positive attitude reassures you. Positive attitude is a mental trait of seeing light in darkness. If you are a person of positive temperament you always see the brighter side of life.
SWOT analysis
A SWOT analysis (alternatively SWOT matrix) is a structured planning method used to evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats involved in a project or in a business venture. A SWOT analysis can be carried out for a product, place, industry or person. It involves specifying the objective of the business venture or project and identifying the internal and external factors that are favorable and unfavorable to achieve that objective. The technique is credited to Albert Humphrey, who led a convention at the Stanford Research Institute (now SRI International) in the 1960s and 1970s using data from Fortune 500 companies. The degree to which the internal environment of the firm matches with the external environment is expressed by the concept of strategic fit.
Setting the objective should be done after the SWOT analysis has been performed. This would allow achievable goals or objectives to be set for the organization.
Strengths: characteristics of the business or project that give it an advantage over others.
Weaknesses: characteristics that place the business or project at a disadvantage relative to others
Opportunities: elements that the project could exploit to its advantage
Threats: elements in the environment that could cause trouble for the business or project
Identification of SWOTs is important because they can inform later steps in planning to achieve the objective.
First, the decision makers should consider whether the objective is attainable, given the SWOTs. If the objective is not attainable a different objective must be selected and the process repeated. Users of SWOT analysis need to ask and answer questions that generate meaningful information for each category (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) to make the analysis useful and find their competitive advantage.
Corporate communication
Corporate communication is a set of activities involved in managing and orchestrating all internal and external communications aimed at creating favourable point of view among stakeholders on which the company depends. It is the messages issued by a corporate organization, body, or institute to its audiences, such as employees, media, channel partners and the general public. Organizations aim to communicate the same message to all its stakeholders, to transmit coherence, credibility and ethic. Corporate Communications help organizations explain their mission, combine its many visions and values into a cohesive message to stakeholders. The concept of corporate communication could be seen as an integrative communication structure linking stakeholders to the organization.
Formal and Informal communication network
1. Networksstructural means (patterns of interaction) that allow messages to flow within organizations. May include two people, small groups of people, or large numbers that flow outside the organization. We typically find ourselves involved with multiple organizational networks.
2. Message Flow Directions
Upwardsubordinates to managers. Watch out for the tendency of “positive distortion” from employees. No one wants to make a bad impression on their supervisory and it is very human to put a positive spin in issues even when there is little to offer in that light.
Downwardmanagers to subordinates. Try to provide “rationale for decisions” when possible. Studies show over and over that employees feel better about the organization when they know “why” they are doing things or “why” change is occurring.
Horizontal—communication between employees or departments of the same status. This may become overly competitive for organizational resources like budgets, awards, recognition, etc. May not be a problem but it is top managements’ job to ensure the competition does not become counter-productive.
3. Formal NetworksOfficially sanctioned; the organizational flow chart; company newsletters; memos; managers’ meetings; etc.
4. Informal Networksarise due to the situation employees are in; emerge out of a need; no permanent structure; may be faster than formal networks; a spontaneous flow of information that may or may not be correct.
FORMAL COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
The blue print of how communication flows within any organization. What would happen if this didn’t exist?
Carries task-oriented messages (specific job instructions; performance reviews)
Carries maintenance-oriented messages (more generally-based policies and procedures on how to accomplish tasks)
Carries human messages (keys on employee needs like new health care benefits; vacation schedules; etc.)
1. Network Structuresdecentralized networks tend to be more efficient when involved in complex tasks; centralized ones often create higher worker dissatisfaction (feeling only marginally involved in the communication process)
(A) The Circle networkno single employee is key to the communication; decentralized; morale often high in such networks; better employee access to each other; fewer organizational roadblocks.
(B) The Chain networkstep-by-step transmission of a message until it reaches its final designation.
(C) The Y networkshort branches off the main trunk; still focuses on a centralized structure through one employee.
(D) The Wheel networkcentralized flow outward from supervisor to small number of employees.
2. Network Rolesparts we perform within organizations.
(A) Liaisonsemployees who connect two groups without belonging to either one of them. Often an influential, experienced person.
(B) Bridgesemployees who belong to at least two groups and connect each group to clique to the other. Distortion may occur.
(C) Gatekeepersemployees who control the information flow. Secretaries are often key gatekeepers; may be others who have power to give or withhold information.
(D) Isolatesemployees who have minimal contact with others; either by choice or because others try to avoid them.
(E) Boundary Spannerssometimes called “cosmopolites”; those who connect the organization to its relevant environment. Common roles are sales and customer service reps, public relations workers, etc.
3. Network Descriptorspatterns of behavior that help reveal how communication flows within the organization networks.
(A) Dominancehow equal employees are to one another. High versus Low dominance. High dominance requires communication be directed to a single or few key members who then disseminate information to others. Low dominance suggests that employees are roughly equal to one another.
(B) Centralitycentralized networks (wheel, Y, chain) require this; is there a key employee through whom communication flows...or not?
(C) Flexibilityhow strictly organizations follow rules for communicating with others. High flexallow variations; low flex would be very strict on how to communicate.
(D) Reachability(don’t try to look this up in your dictionaries at home!)
How many people must the message pass through before reaching its final destination? Low reachability has fewer intermediaries; high reachability has potential for greater distortion since many people in the process. By the way, don’t try to find the word “reachability” in your dictionaries-another of those made-up words that academics like to use!
(E) Strengthfrequency and duration of communication are the keys. Strong network would be frequent and thorough communication with employees; weak network would be rare and brief communication.
(F) Reciprocitythe degree to which employees and bosses agree on the nature of their relationship. High reciprocity would exist when both see their relationship essentially the same; low reciprocity would exist when one perceives the relationship quite differently than the other.
(G) Symmetrythe degree of sharing information between bosses and workers. When communication flows upward and downward you have a symmetrical relationship; just downward would be asymmetrical.
(H) Opennesshow open or connected the organization is to the outside environment. Some businesses are very dependent to the outside environment; others less so.
INFORMAL COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
“The Grapevine”
“People” networks; unpredictable in how they operate; the communication is often spontaneous and situationally derived; employees may choose to use these or not. Whether we do or not is often dependent upon (a) our proximity to the sender; and (b) whether we think the person is reliable and knowledgeable (do we trust them?).
Management may use the grapevine (even though we tend to think of it as being an “employees network”) to tap into employee sentiment; to send up “trail balloons” and then either distance themselves or embrace the ideas depending upon employee reactions.
Gerald Goldhaber’s research findings on “grapevine” communication:
It is fast....very fast!!
It is generally accurate...though varies from company to company.
It is an indicator of employee attitudes or sentiment
It usually travels by clusters (more later)
1. Grapevine participantsNo real gender differences regarding who uses it more often. Secretaries are often key players in the grapevinebeing bridges between workers and management. Managers may use the grapevine for “trial balloon” messages as mentioned earlier.
2. Effects of grapevine activity on the organizationif formal networks don’t provide employees with information; the grapevine will step in and rumors persist. Morale can be affected adversely.
3. Factors involved in rumor dispersionwhy do rumors exist? What keeps them alive? Such reasons are (a) the importance of the message; (b) the ambiguity of the message; (c) the need for information in crisis times; (d) credibility of the person sending the rumor; (e) who is the focus of the rumor; and (f) the age of the rumor.
4. Factors that contribute the grapevine message distortion
(a) messages get condensed or shortened; stuff gets left out
(b) certain information gets highlighted; other gets less attention; depends of the needs of the sender
(c) messages may be added to; have gaps filled in as they move along
(d) selective perceptivewe may only “hear what we want to hear” and disregard the rest
5. Grapevine transmission patterns
(a) single-strand chainI tell you a rumor and then you pass it along to another person, who then tells another, and on-and-on.... (pretty rare)
(b) gossip chainI tell the class a rumor and you pass it along to others
(c) cluster transmissionmost common; I tell two or more employees and you repeat this transmission process to others.
6. Types of Organizational Rumors
(A) Anxiety rumorsreflect an uneasiness in employees (impending bad news on the horizon)
(B) Wish-fulfillment rumorsgood news may be on the horizon (as a group or for an individual)
(C) Wedge-driving rumorscreates dissension; an “us vs. them” attitude in an organization.
(D) Social rumorsjuicy gossip about people; no direct company link.
7. Suggestions for how an organization can manage or control the grapevine
Managers should or could……..
(A) be sensitive to employee reactions; respond to high anxiety cases.
(B) be open, honest and quick to respond (when possible) with employees.
(C) seek out key “gatekeepers” in employee ranks for information dissemination.
(D) take a proactive stance; keep employees updates via bulletins, meetings, newsletters, etc.
METHODS OF ANALYZING FORMAL AND INFORMAL COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
(1) Residential analysisgo to the organization and observe activity over an extended period of time. What’s good and bad about this?
(2) Distribute questionnaires to employees(how honest do you think employees will be here?)
(3) Communication Diary(same comment as above...do you speak the truth or tell the researchers what they want to hear?)
(4) ECCOrequires employee assistance in looking for patterns of transmitted messages (how they learned and from whom)
Barriers of communication.
Barriers of Communication No matter how good the communication system in an organization is, unfortunately barriers can and do often occur . These barriers are: (or) Communication of barriers are the difficulties involved in the process of communication which distort the message being properly understand by the receiver “barriers prevent the communication from being effective”.
Types of Barriers in Communication
1. Physical
2. Psychological
3. Language/semantic
4. Organizational structure barrier
5. Cross-cultural Barriers
6. Overcoming barriers
Language Barriers
Clearly, language and linguistic ability may act as a barrier to communication. However, even when communicating in the same language, the terminology used in a message may act as a barrier if it is not fully understood by the receiver(s). For example, a message that includes a lot of specialist jargon and abbreviations will not be understood by a receiver who is not familiar with the terminology used. Regional colloquialisms and expressions may be misinterpreted or even considered offensive. See our page: Effective Speaking for more information.
Psychological Barriers
The psychological state of the receiver will influence how the message is received. For example, if someone has personal worries and is stressed, they may be preoccupied by personal concerns and not as receptive to the message as if they were not stressed. Stress management is an important personal skill that affects our interpersonal relationships. See our pages Stress: Symptoms and Triggers and Avoiding Stress for more information.
Anger is another example of a psychological barrier to communication, when we are angry it is easy to say things that we may later regret and also to misinterpret what others are saying. See our pages: What is Anger?, Anger Management and Anger Management Therapy for more information. More generally people with low self-esteem may be less assertive and therefore may not feel comfortable communicating - they may feel shy about saying how they really feel or read negative sub-texts into messages they hear. Visit our pages on Improving Self-Esteem and Assertiveness for more information.
Physiological Barriers
Physiological barriers may result from the receiver’s physical state: for example, a receiver with reduced hearing may not grasp to entirety of a spoken conversation especially if there is significant background noise.
Physical Barriers
An example of a physical barrier to communication is geographic distance between the sender and receiver(s). Communication is generally easier over shorter distances as more communication channels are available and less technology is required. Although modern technology often serves to reduce the impact of physical barriers, the advantages and disadvantages of each communication channel should be understood so that an appropriate channel can be used to overcome the physical barriers.
Systematic Barriers
Systematic barriers to communication may exist in structures and organisations where there are inefficient or inappropriate information systems and communication channels, or where there is a lack of understanding of the roles and responsibilities for communication. In such organisations, individuals may be unclear of their role in the communication process and therefore not know what is expected of them.
Attitudinal Barriers
Attitudinal barriers are behaviours or perceptions that prevent people from communicating effectively. Attitudinal barriers to communication may result from personality conflicts, poor management, resistance to change or a lack of motivation. Effective receivers of messages should attempt to overcome their own attitudinal barriers to facilitate effective communication.
Group discussion
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Seminar
A seminar is, generally, a form of academic instruction, either at an academic institution or offered by a commercial or professional organization. It has the function of bringing together small groups for recurring meetings, focusing each time on some particular subject, in which everyone present is requested to actively participate. This is often accomplished through an ongoing Socratic dialogue with a seminar leader or instructor, or through a more formal presentation of research. Normally, participants must not be beginners in the field under discussion (at US and Canadian universities, seminar classes are generally reserved for upper-class students, although at UK and Australian universities seminars are often used for all years). The idea behind the seminar system is to familiarize students more extensively with the methodology of their chosen subject and also to allow them to interact with examples of the practical problems that always occur during research work. It is essentially a place where assigned readings are discussed, questions can be raised and debates can be conducted. It is relatively informal, at least compared to the lecture system of academic instruction.
Mock interview
A mock interview is an emulation of an interview used for training purposes. The interview tries to resemble a real interview as closely as possible, and provides experience for the candidate. The mock interview helps the job applicant learn what is expected in a job interview, and improves the applicants self-presentation. Mock interviews are often videotaped, and the candidate is shown the tape after the session, along with feedback from the interviewer. The mock interview coach will provide constructive feedback on all aspects of the interview process. Mock interviews are most common for job interviews, but may also be used to train people to handle journalists. The mock interview coach will try to make the interview as realistic as possible. Many of the questions asked are interview questions from actual employers. The mock interview and critique will last approximately one hour. The mock interview takes about 20 minutes, then the job seeker and coach watch the interview and discuss the job seekers performance.
The mock interview coachs level of direct experience in the industry or field of interest for the job seeker can make the mock interview more or less effective. This is the case because mock interview coaches can best help job seekers when they have insights into what hiring managers are looking for and can gauge how well job seekers are answering the questions. While there are many career coaches who provide a full suite of services to help job seekers figure out their career path, niche websites exist that focus on helping job seekers with their interviewing skills. Examples of these sites include Prept and Evisors. The mock interview focuses on self-knowledge, past experiences, knowledge of the industry the applicant wishes to enter, and how well the applicant can convey that information. The job seeker gains the most experience from the mock interview if it is treated as an actual interview. The mock interview is a safe place to practice interview skills and gain feedback. It is also an area to gain the confidence and experience of giving an actual employment interview. This is also conducted in companies to address clients with confidence and learn certain things which are required for the meeting.
Principles of Effective Communication
1. Principle of clarity: the beginning of all communication is some message. The message must be as clear as possible. No ambiguity should creep into it. The message can be conveyed properly only if it has been clearly formulated in the mind of the communicator.
2. Principle of objective: the communicator must know clearly the purpose of communication before actually transmitting the message. The objective may be to obtain information, give information, initiate action, and change another person’s attitude and so on. If the purpose of communication is clear it will help in the choice of mode of communication.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiyDdoGepDM
3. Principle of understanding the receiver: understanding is the main aim of any communication. The communication must crate proper understanding in the mind of the receiver. Thus according to Killian, “communication with an awareness of the total physical and human setting in which the information will be received. Picture the place of work; determine the receptivity and understanding levels of the receivers; be aware of social climate and customs; question the information’s timeliness. Ask what, when and in what manner you would like to be communicated with if you were in the similar environment and position.
4. Principle of consistency: the message to be communicated should be consistent with plans, policies, programmes and goals of the enterprise. The message should not be conflicting with previous communications. It should not crate confusion and chaos in the organisation.
5. Principle of completeness: the message to be communicated must be adequate and complete, otherwise it will be misunderstood by the receiver. Inadequate communication delayed action, poor public relations affects the efficiency of the parties to communication.
6. Principle of feedback: this principle calls for communication a two-way process and providing opportunity for suggestion and criticism. Since the receiver is to accept and carry out the instructions, his reactions must be known to the sender of message. The latter must consider the suggestion and criticism of the receiver of information. But feedback principle is often given a back seat by most managers, which defeats the very purpose of communication.
7. Principle of time: information should be communicated at the right time. The communicator must consider the timing of communication so that the desired response is created in the minds of the receivers.
Writing Skills
Writing skills are an important part of communication. Good writing skills allow you to communicate your message with clarity and ease to a far larger audience than through face-to-face or telephone conversations. However, the best way to improve is to write. Try writing practice pieces that you do not even need to show anyone else. As your confidence as a writer grows, you may feel happy to show your writing to friends or others and, when you do, ask for their honest feedback and constructive criticism. You might even find a friend or colleague willing to act as a writing mentor to work with you as your writing skills develop.
Drafting of business letters
example-
1. Sales letter
2. office memorandum
3. Memo formats
4. Applications for Job
5. Enquiry letter
6. Request letter
7. Report writing
Communication Skills
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Being able to communicate effectively is the most important of all life skills. Communication is simply the act of transferring information from one place to another, whether this be vocally (using voice), written (using printed or digital media such as books, magazines, websites or emails), visually (using logos, maps, charts or graphs) or non-verbally (using body language, gestures and the tone and pitch of voice).
Listening Skill
Listening is the ability to accurately receive and interpret messages in the communication process. Listening is key to all effective communication, without the ability to listen effectively messages are easily misunderstood – communication breaks down and the sender of the message can easily become frustrated or irritated. Listening is so important that many top employers provide listening skills training for their employees. This is not surprising when you consider that good listening skills can lead to: better customer satisfaction, greater productivity with fewer mistakes, increased sharing of information that in turn can lead to more creative and innovative work. Many successful leaders and entrepreneurs credit their success to effective listening skills. Richard Branson frequently quotes listening as one of the main factors behind the success of Virgin. Effective listening is a skill that underpins all positive human relationships, spend some time thinking about and developing your listening skills – they are the building blocks of success.
Principles of Effective listening
1. Stop Talking
“If we were supposed to talk more than we listen, we would have two tongues and one ear.” Mark Twain.
Dont talk, listen. When somebody else is talking listen to what they are saying, do not interrupt, talk over them or finish their sentences for them. Stop, just listen. When the other person has finished talking you may need to clarify to ensure you have received their message accurately.
2. Prepare Yourself to Listen
Relax. Focus on the speaker. Put other things out of mind. The human mind is easily distracted by other thoughts – what’s for lunch, what time do I need to leave to catch my train, is it going to rain – try to put other thoughts out of mind and concentrate on the messages that are being communicated.
3. Put the Speaker at Ease
Help the speaker to feel free to speak. Remember their needs and concerns. Nod or use other gestures or words to encourage them to continue. Maintain eye contact but don’t stare – show you are listening and understanding what is being said.
4. Remove Distractions
Focus on what is being said: don’t doodle, shuffle papers, look out the window, pick your fingernails or similar. Avoid unnecessary interruptions. These behaviours disrupt the listening process and send messages to the speaker that you are bored or distracted.
5. Empathise
Try to understand the other person’s point of view. Look at issues from their perspective. Let go of preconceived ideas. By having an open mind we can more fully empathise with the speaker. If the speaker says something that you disagree with then wait and construct an argument to counter what is said but keep an open mind to the views and opinions of others.
6. Be Patient
A pause, even a long pause, does not necessarily mean that the speaker has finished. Be patient and let the speaker continue in their own time, sometimes it takes time to formulate what to say and how to say it. Never interrupt or finish a sentence for someone.
7. Avoid Personal Prejudice
Try to be impartial. Dont become irritated and dont let the person’s habits or mannerisms distract you from what they are really saying. Everybody has a different way of speaking - some people are for example more nervous or shy than others, some have regional accents or make excessive arm movements, some people like to pace whilst talking - others like to sit still. Focus on what is being said and try to ignore styles of delivery.
8. Listen to the Tone
Volume and tone both add to what someone is saying. A good speaker will use both volume and tone to their advantage to keep an audience attentive; everybody will use pitch, tone and volume of voice in certain situations – let these help you to understand the emphasis of what is being said.
9. Listen for Ideas – Not Just Words
You need to get the whole picture, not just isolated bits and pieces. Maybe one of the most difficult aspects of listening is the ability to link together pieces of information to reveal the ideas of others. With proper concentration, letting go of distractions, and focus this becomes easier.
10. Wait and Watch for Non-Verbal Communication
Gestures, facial expressions, and eye-movements can all be important. We don’t just listen with our ears but also with our eyes – watch and pick up the additional information being transmitted via non-verbal communication.
Interviewing Skills
Speaking skills–Principles of effective speaking.
Introduction
Business communication is communication that promotes a product, service, marketing, or organization; relays information within a business; or functions as an official statement from a company. Business communication (or simply "communications", in a business context) encompasses such topics as marketing, brand management, customer relations, consumer behavior, advertising, public relations, corporate communication, community engagement, reputation management, interpersonal communication, employee engagement, and event management. It is closely related to the fields of professional communication and technical communication. Media channels for business communication include the Internet, print media, radio, television, ambient media, and word of mouth.
Business communication can also refer to internal communication. A communications director will typically manage internal communication and craft messages sent to employees. It is vital that internal communications are managed properly because a poorly crafted or managed message could foster distrust or hostility from employees. Business communication is a common topic included in the curricula of Masters of Business Administration (MBA) programs of many universities. AS well, many community colleges and universities offer degrees in Communications.
There are several methods of business communication, including:
1. Web-based communication - for better and improved communication, anytime anywhere ...
2. video conferencing which allow people in different locations to hold interactive meetings;
3. e-mails, which provide an instantaneous medium of written communication worldwide;
4. Reports - important in documenting the activities of any department;
5. Presentations - very popular method of communication in all types of organizations, usually involving audiovisual material, like copies of reports, or material prepared in Microsoft PowerPoint or Adobe Flash;
6. telephoned meetings, which allow for long distance speech;
7. forum boards, which allow people to instantly post information at a centralized location; and
8. face-to-face meetings, which are personal and should be succeeded by a written followup.
9. suggestion box,it is mainly for upward communication as because some people may hesitate to communicate to the to management directly so they can give suggestion by drafting suggestion in suggestion box.
Effective business communication
Communication is the top quality that employers look for. Effective business communication starts by asking the right questions to understand the customers needs and wants to be able to recommend a product or service customized to the customer. One good tip is to speak, pause, and listen. Communicate what is needed and then pause to let the recipient process and respond to the information. With an average of 1800 messages being sent by workers through memos, telephone, email, faxes, and face to face, it is important to listen and pay attention to the recipient and send the information clearly. All in all, to be effective in business communication you need to be clear, brief, focused, and committed You make an impression on everyone with the way you handle your communication skills from your voice to your body language.
Development of positive personal attitudes
Positive attitude can do wonders. It can make possible what is seemingly impossible for the others. Positive attitude is the seed out of which positive traits, which are essential for success sprout forth. It is the positive attitude again which waters and feeds the sapling of positive traits. Your mind is a machine of thoughts and ideas. If you so not fill it up with positive, inspiring and motivating thoughts, it will turn into a jungle of negative thoughts. Your mind is a beautiful garden, if you do not plant and nurture sapling of beautiful flowering plants in it, it will turn into a mess of wild creepers, bushes and thorny plants.
Absence of negativity alone does not make a person positive. People with positive attitudes have certain personality traits that are easy to recognize. They are caring, confident, patient and humble. They have high expectations of themselves and others. They anticipate positive outcomes. On the other hand, people with a negative attitude have a hard time keeping friendships, jobs and relationships. They create a negative environment at home and work and become a liability to society. They also pass on their negative behavior to other around them and to future generations. Positive attitude gives hope. Positive attitude reassures you. Positive attitude is a mental trait of seeing light in darkness. If you are a person of positive temperament you always see the brighter side of life.
SWOT analysis
A SWOT analysis (alternatively SWOT matrix) is a structured planning method used to evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats involved in a project or in a business venture. A SWOT analysis can be carried out for a product, place, industry or person. It involves specifying the objective of the business venture or project and identifying the internal and external factors that are favorable and unfavorable to achieve that objective. The technique is credited to Albert Humphrey, who led a convention at the Stanford Research Institute (now SRI International) in the 1960s and 1970s using data from Fortune 500 companies. The degree to which the internal environment of the firm matches with the external environment is expressed by the concept of strategic fit.
Setting the objective should be done after the SWOT analysis has been performed. This would allow achievable goals or objectives to be set for the organization.
Strengths: characteristics of the business or project that give it an advantage over others.
Weaknesses: characteristics that place the business or project at a disadvantage relative to others
Opportunities: elements that the project could exploit to its advantage
Threats: elements in the environment that could cause trouble for the business or project
Identification of SWOTs is important because they can inform later steps in planning to achieve the objective.
First, the decision makers should consider whether the objective is attainable, given the SWOTs. If the objective is not attainable a different objective must be selected and the process repeated. Users of SWOT analysis need to ask and answer questions that generate meaningful information for each category (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) to make the analysis useful and find their competitive advantage.
Corporate communication
Corporate communication is a set of activities involved in managing and orchestrating all internal and external communications aimed at creating favourable point of view among stakeholders on which the company depends. It is the messages issued by a corporate organization, body, or institute to its audiences, such as employees, media, channel partners and the general public. Organizations aim to communicate the same message to all its stakeholders, to transmit coherence, credibility and ethic. Corporate Communications help organizations explain their mission, combine its many visions and values into a cohesive message to stakeholders. The concept of corporate communication could be seen as an integrative communication structure linking stakeholders to the organization.
Formal and Informal communication network
1. Networksstructural means (patterns of interaction) that allow messages to flow within organizations. May include two people, small groups of people, or large numbers that flow outside the organization. We typically find ourselves involved with multiple organizational networks.
2. Message Flow Directions
Upwardsubordinates to managers. Watch out for the tendency of “positive distortion” from employees. No one wants to make a bad impression on their supervisory and it is very human to put a positive spin in issues even when there is little to offer in that light.
Downwardmanagers to subordinates. Try to provide “rationale for decisions” when possible. Studies show over and over that employees feel better about the organization when they know “why” they are doing things or “why” change is occurring.
Horizontal—communication between employees or departments of the same status. This may become overly competitive for organizational resources like budgets, awards, recognition, etc. May not be a problem but it is top managements’ job to ensure the competition does not become counter-productive.
3. Formal NetworksOfficially sanctioned; the organizational flow chart; company newsletters; memos; managers’ meetings; etc.
4. Informal Networksarise due to the situation employees are in; emerge out of a need; no permanent structure; may be faster than formal networks; a spontaneous flow of information that may or may not be correct.
FORMAL COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
The blue print of how communication flows within any organization. What would happen if this didn’t exist?
Carries task-oriented messages (specific job instructions; performance reviews)
Carries maintenance-oriented messages (more generally-based policies and procedures on how to accomplish tasks)
Carries human messages (keys on employee needs like new health care benefits; vacation schedules; etc.)
1. Network Structuresdecentralized networks tend to be more efficient when involved in complex tasks; centralized ones often create higher worker dissatisfaction (feeling only marginally involved in the communication process)
(A) The Circle networkno single employee is key to the communication; decentralized; morale often high in such networks; better employee access to each other; fewer organizational roadblocks.
(B) The Chain networkstep-by-step transmission of a message until it reaches its final designation.
(C) The Y networkshort branches off the main trunk; still focuses on a centralized structure through one employee.
(D) The Wheel networkcentralized flow outward from supervisor to small number of employees.
2. Network Rolesparts we perform within organizations.
(A) Liaisonsemployees who connect two groups without belonging to either one of them. Often an influential, experienced person.
(B) Bridgesemployees who belong to at least two groups and connect each group to clique to the other. Distortion may occur.
(C) Gatekeepersemployees who control the information flow. Secretaries are often key gatekeepers; may be others who have power to give or withhold information.
(D) Isolatesemployees who have minimal contact with others; either by choice or because others try to avoid them.
(E) Boundary Spannerssometimes called “cosmopolites”; those who connect the organization to its relevant environment. Common roles are sales and customer service reps, public relations workers, etc.
3. Network Descriptorspatterns of behavior that help reveal how communication flows within the organization networks.
(A) Dominancehow equal employees are to one another. High versus Low dominance. High dominance requires communication be directed to a single or few key members who then disseminate information to others. Low dominance suggests that employees are roughly equal to one another.
(B) Centralitycentralized networks (wheel, Y, chain) require this; is there a key employee through whom communication flows...or not?
(C) Flexibilityhow strictly organizations follow rules for communicating with others. High flexallow variations; low flex would be very strict on how to communicate.
(D) Reachability(don’t try to look this up in your dictionaries at home!)
How many people must the message pass through before reaching its final destination? Low reachability has fewer intermediaries; high reachability has potential for greater distortion since many people in the process. By the way, don’t try to find the word “reachability” in your dictionaries-another of those made-up words that academics like to use!
(E) Strengthfrequency and duration of communication are the keys. Strong network would be frequent and thorough communication with employees; weak network would be rare and brief communication.
(F) Reciprocitythe degree to which employees and bosses agree on the nature of their relationship. High reciprocity would exist when both see their relationship essentially the same; low reciprocity would exist when one perceives the relationship quite differently than the other.
(G) Symmetrythe degree of sharing information between bosses and workers. When communication flows upward and downward you have a symmetrical relationship; just downward would be asymmetrical.
(H) Opennesshow open or connected the organization is to the outside environment. Some businesses are very dependent to the outside environment; others less so.
INFORMAL COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
“The Grapevine”
“People” networks; unpredictable in how they operate; the communication is often spontaneous and situationally derived; employees may choose to use these or not. Whether we do or not is often dependent upon (a) our proximity to the sender; and (b) whether we think the person is reliable and knowledgeable (do we trust them?).
Management may use the grapevine (even though we tend to think of it as being an “employees network”) to tap into employee sentiment; to send up “trail balloons” and then either distance themselves or embrace the ideas depending upon employee reactions.
Gerald Goldhaber’s research findings on “grapevine” communication:
It is fast....very fast!!
It is generally accurate...though varies from company to company.
It is an indicator of employee attitudes or sentiment
It usually travels by clusters (more later)
1. Grapevine participantsNo real gender differences regarding who uses it more often. Secretaries are often key players in the grapevinebeing bridges between workers and management. Managers may use the grapevine for “trial balloon” messages as mentioned earlier.
2. Effects of grapevine activity on the organizationif formal networks don’t provide employees with information; the grapevine will step in and rumors persist. Morale can be affected adversely.
3. Factors involved in rumor dispersionwhy do rumors exist? What keeps them alive? Such reasons are (a) the importance of the message; (b) the ambiguity of the message; (c) the need for information in crisis times; (d) credibility of the person sending the rumor; (e) who is the focus of the rumor; and (f) the age of the rumor.
4. Factors that contribute the grapevine message distortion
(a) messages get condensed or shortened; stuff gets left out
(b) certain information gets highlighted; other gets less attention; depends of the needs of the sender
(c) messages may be added to; have gaps filled in as they move along
(d) selective perceptivewe may only “hear what we want to hear” and disregard the rest
5. Grapevine transmission patterns
(a) single-strand chainI tell you a rumor and then you pass it along to another person, who then tells another, and on-and-on.... (pretty rare)
(b) gossip chainI tell the class a rumor and you pass it along to others
(c) cluster transmissionmost common; I tell two or more employees and you repeat this transmission process to others.
6. Types of Organizational Rumors
(A) Anxiety rumorsreflect an uneasiness in employees (impending bad news on the horizon)
(B) Wish-fulfillment rumorsgood news may be on the horizon (as a group or for an individual)
(C) Wedge-driving rumorscreates dissension; an “us vs. them” attitude in an organization.
(D) Social rumorsjuicy gossip about people; no direct company link.
7. Suggestions for how an organization can manage or control the grapevine
Managers should or could……..
(A) be sensitive to employee reactions; respond to high anxiety cases.
(B) be open, honest and quick to respond (when possible) with employees.
(C) seek out key “gatekeepers” in employee ranks for information dissemination.
(D) take a proactive stance; keep employees updates via bulletins, meetings, newsletters, etc.
METHODS OF ANALYZING FORMAL AND INFORMAL COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
(1) Residential analysisgo to the organization and observe activity over an extended period of time. What’s good and bad about this?
(2) Distribute questionnaires to employees(how honest do you think employees will be here?)
(3) Communication Diary(same comment as above...do you speak the truth or tell the researchers what they want to hear?)
(4) ECCOrequires employee assistance in looking for patterns of transmitted messages (how they learned and from whom)
Barriers of communication.
Barriers of Communication No matter how good the communication system in an organization is, unfortunately barriers can and do often occur . These barriers are: (or) Communication of barriers are the difficulties involved in the process of communication which distort the message being properly understand by the receiver “barriers prevent the communication from being effective”.
Types of Barriers in Communication
1. Physical
2. Psychological
3. Language/semantic
4. Organizational structure barrier
5. Cross-cultural Barriers
6. Overcoming barriers
Language Barriers
Clearly, language and linguistic ability may act as a barrier to communication. However, even when communicating in the same language, the terminology used in a message may act as a barrier if it is not fully understood by the receiver(s). For example, a message that includes a lot of specialist jargon and abbreviations will not be understood by a receiver who is not familiar with the terminology used. Regional colloquialisms and expressions may be misinterpreted or even considered offensive. See our page: Effective Speaking for more information.
Psychological Barriers
The psychological state of the receiver will influence how the message is received. For example, if someone has personal worries and is stressed, they may be preoccupied by personal concerns and not as receptive to the message as if they were not stressed. Stress management is an important personal skill that affects our interpersonal relationships. See our pages Stress: Symptoms and Triggers and Avoiding Stress for more information.
Anger is another example of a psychological barrier to communication, when we are angry it is easy to say things that we may later regret and also to misinterpret what others are saying. See our pages: What is Anger?, Anger Management and Anger Management Therapy for more information. More generally people with low self-esteem may be less assertive and therefore may not feel comfortable communicating - they may feel shy about saying how they really feel or read negative sub-texts into messages they hear. Visit our pages on Improving Self-Esteem and Assertiveness for more information.
Physiological Barriers
Physiological barriers may result from the receiver’s physical state: for example, a receiver with reduced hearing may not grasp to entirety of a spoken conversation especially if there is significant background noise.
Physical Barriers
An example of a physical barrier to communication is geographic distance between the sender and receiver(s). Communication is generally easier over shorter distances as more communication channels are available and less technology is required. Although modern technology often serves to reduce the impact of physical barriers, the advantages and disadvantages of each communication channel should be understood so that an appropriate channel can be used to overcome the physical barriers.
Systematic Barriers
Systematic barriers to communication may exist in structures and organisations where there are inefficient or inappropriate information systems and communication channels, or where there is a lack of understanding of the roles and responsibilities for communication. In such organisations, individuals may be unclear of their role in the communication process and therefore not know what is expected of them.
Attitudinal Barriers
Attitudinal barriers are behaviours or perceptions that prevent people from communicating effectively. Attitudinal barriers to communication may result from personality conflicts, poor management, resistance to change or a lack of motivation. Effective receivers of messages should attempt to overcome their own attitudinal barriers to facilitate effective communication.
Group discussion
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How to Be Good at Group Discussion
Discussing in groups of two or more people can be a great way to develop better social and emotional skills in a structured environment. If you have trouble with group discussion, no worries just read this article! Prepare yourself. If...
Seminar
A seminar is, generally, a form of academic instruction, either at an academic institution or offered by a commercial or professional organization. It has the function of bringing together small groups for recurring meetings, focusing each time on some particular subject, in which everyone present is requested to actively participate. This is often accomplished through an ongoing Socratic dialogue with a seminar leader or instructor, or through a more formal presentation of research. Normally, participants must not be beginners in the field under discussion (at US and Canadian universities, seminar classes are generally reserved for upper-class students, although at UK and Australian universities seminars are often used for all years). The idea behind the seminar system is to familiarize students more extensively with the methodology of their chosen subject and also to allow them to interact with examples of the practical problems that always occur during research work. It is essentially a place where assigned readings are discussed, questions can be raised and debates can be conducted. It is relatively informal, at least compared to the lecture system of academic instruction.
Mock interview
A mock interview is an emulation of an interview used for training purposes. The interview tries to resemble a real interview as closely as possible, and provides experience for the candidate. The mock interview helps the job applicant learn what is expected in a job interview, and improves the applicants self-presentation. Mock interviews are often videotaped, and the candidate is shown the tape after the session, along with feedback from the interviewer. The mock interview coach will provide constructive feedback on all aspects of the interview process. Mock interviews are most common for job interviews, but may also be used to train people to handle journalists. The mock interview coach will try to make the interview as realistic as possible. Many of the questions asked are interview questions from actual employers. The mock interview and critique will last approximately one hour. The mock interview takes about 20 minutes, then the job seeker and coach watch the interview and discuss the job seekers performance.
The mock interview coachs level of direct experience in the industry or field of interest for the job seeker can make the mock interview more or less effective. This is the case because mock interview coaches can best help job seekers when they have insights into what hiring managers are looking for and can gauge how well job seekers are answering the questions. While there are many career coaches who provide a full suite of services to help job seekers figure out their career path, niche websites exist that focus on helping job seekers with their interviewing skills. Examples of these sites include Prept and Evisors. The mock interview focuses on self-knowledge, past experiences, knowledge of the industry the applicant wishes to enter, and how well the applicant can convey that information. The job seeker gains the most experience from the mock interview if it is treated as an actual interview. The mock interview is a safe place to practice interview skills and gain feedback. It is also an area to gain the confidence and experience of giving an actual employment interview. This is also conducted in companies to address clients with confidence and learn certain things which are required for the meeting.
Principles of Effective Communication
1. Principle of clarity: the beginning of all communication is some message. The message must be as clear as possible. No ambiguity should creep into it. The message can be conveyed properly only if it has been clearly formulated in the mind of the communicator.
2. Principle of objective: the communicator must know clearly the purpose of communication before actually transmitting the message. The objective may be to obtain information, give information, initiate action, and change another person’s attitude and so on. If the purpose of communication is clear it will help in the choice of mode of communication.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiyDdoGepDM
3. Principle of understanding the receiver: understanding is the main aim of any communication. The communication must crate proper understanding in the mind of the receiver. Thus according to Killian, “communication with an awareness of the total physical and human setting in which the information will be received. Picture the place of work; determine the receptivity and understanding levels of the receivers; be aware of social climate and customs; question the information’s timeliness. Ask what, when and in what manner you would like to be communicated with if you were in the similar environment and position.
4. Principle of consistency: the message to be communicated should be consistent with plans, policies, programmes and goals of the enterprise. The message should not be conflicting with previous communications. It should not crate confusion and chaos in the organisation.
5. Principle of completeness: the message to be communicated must be adequate and complete, otherwise it will be misunderstood by the receiver. Inadequate communication delayed action, poor public relations affects the efficiency of the parties to communication.
6. Principle of feedback: this principle calls for communication a two-way process and providing opportunity for suggestion and criticism. Since the receiver is to accept and carry out the instructions, his reactions must be known to the sender of message. The latter must consider the suggestion and criticism of the receiver of information. But feedback principle is often given a back seat by most managers, which defeats the very purpose of communication.
7. Principle of time: information should be communicated at the right time. The communicator must consider the timing of communication so that the desired response is created in the minds of the receivers.
Writing Skills
Writing skills are an important part of communication. Good writing skills allow you to communicate your message with clarity and ease to a far larger audience than through face-to-face or telephone conversations. However, the best way to improve is to write. Try writing practice pieces that you do not even need to show anyone else. As your confidence as a writer grows, you may feel happy to show your writing to friends or others and, when you do, ask for their honest feedback and constructive criticism. You might even find a friend or colleague willing to act as a writing mentor to work with you as your writing skills develop.
Drafting of business letters
example-
1. Sales letter
2. office memorandum
3. Memo formats
4. Applications for Job
5. Enquiry letter
6. Request letter
7. Report writing
Communication Skills
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How to Develop Good Communication Skills
The ability to communicate effectively is important in relationships, education and work. Here are some steps and tips to help you develop good communication skills. Know what communication really is. Communication is the process of...
Being able to communicate effectively is the most important of all life skills. Communication is simply the act of transferring information from one place to another, whether this be vocally (using voice), written (using printed or digital media such as books, magazines, websites or emails), visually (using logos, maps, charts or graphs) or non-verbally (using body language, gestures and the tone and pitch of voice).
Listening Skill
Listening is the ability to accurately receive and interpret messages in the communication process. Listening is key to all effective communication, without the ability to listen effectively messages are easily misunderstood – communication breaks down and the sender of the message can easily become frustrated or irritated. Listening is so important that many top employers provide listening skills training for their employees. This is not surprising when you consider that good listening skills can lead to: better customer satisfaction, greater productivity with fewer mistakes, increased sharing of information that in turn can lead to more creative and innovative work. Many successful leaders and entrepreneurs credit their success to effective listening skills. Richard Branson frequently quotes listening as one of the main factors behind the success of Virgin. Effective listening is a skill that underpins all positive human relationships, spend some time thinking about and developing your listening skills – they are the building blocks of success.
Principles of Effective listening
1. Stop Talking
“If we were supposed to talk more than we listen, we would have two tongues and one ear.” Mark Twain.
Dont talk, listen. When somebody else is talking listen to what they are saying, do not interrupt, talk over them or finish their sentences for them. Stop, just listen. When the other person has finished talking you may need to clarify to ensure you have received their message accurately.
2. Prepare Yourself to Listen
Relax. Focus on the speaker. Put other things out of mind. The human mind is easily distracted by other thoughts – what’s for lunch, what time do I need to leave to catch my train, is it going to rain – try to put other thoughts out of mind and concentrate on the messages that are being communicated.
3. Put the Speaker at Ease
Help the speaker to feel free to speak. Remember their needs and concerns. Nod or use other gestures or words to encourage them to continue. Maintain eye contact but don’t stare – show you are listening and understanding what is being said.
4. Remove Distractions
Focus on what is being said: don’t doodle, shuffle papers, look out the window, pick your fingernails or similar. Avoid unnecessary interruptions. These behaviours disrupt the listening process and send messages to the speaker that you are bored or distracted.
5. Empathise
Try to understand the other person’s point of view. Look at issues from their perspective. Let go of preconceived ideas. By having an open mind we can more fully empathise with the speaker. If the speaker says something that you disagree with then wait and construct an argument to counter what is said but keep an open mind to the views and opinions of others.
6. Be Patient
A pause, even a long pause, does not necessarily mean that the speaker has finished. Be patient and let the speaker continue in their own time, sometimes it takes time to formulate what to say and how to say it. Never interrupt or finish a sentence for someone.
7. Avoid Personal Prejudice
Try to be impartial. Dont become irritated and dont let the person’s habits or mannerisms distract you from what they are really saying. Everybody has a different way of speaking - some people are for example more nervous or shy than others, some have regional accents or make excessive arm movements, some people like to pace whilst talking - others like to sit still. Focus on what is being said and try to ignore styles of delivery.
8. Listen to the Tone
Volume and tone both add to what someone is saying. A good speaker will use both volume and tone to their advantage to keep an audience attentive; everybody will use pitch, tone and volume of voice in certain situations – let these help you to understand the emphasis of what is being said.
9. Listen for Ideas – Not Just Words
You need to get the whole picture, not just isolated bits and pieces. Maybe one of the most difficult aspects of listening is the ability to link together pieces of information to reveal the ideas of others. With proper concentration, letting go of distractions, and focus this becomes easier.
10. Wait and Watch for Non-Verbal Communication
Gestures, facial expressions, and eye-movements can all be important. We don’t just listen with our ears but also with our eyes – watch and pick up the additional information being transmitted via non-verbal communication.
Interviewing Skills
Speaking skills–Principles of effective speaking.
http://www.wikihow.com/Improve-Public-Speaking-Skills
How to Improve Public Speaking Skills
Public speaking skills can be a hassle if you are insecure or introvert. However, a little bit of practice and be more confident can change everything! Be well prepared. Practice your speech in front of the mirror and bring little notes...