1 Chapter 5: BUSINESS COMMUNICATION Creating and Delivering Messages that Matter

2 COMMUNICATION SKILLS: YOUR INVISIBLE ADVANTAGE Effective Communication – Happens when you transmit meaning – relevant meaning- to your audience. Communication Barriers - Obstacles to effective communication. Noise - Any interference that causes the message you send to be different from the message your audience understands.

3 COMMUNICATION BARRIERS 1.Physical barriers 2.Language barriers 3.Body language barriers 4.Perceptual barriers 5.Organizational barriers 6.Cultural barriers

4 INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION As globalization gains speed, intercultural communication will become increasingly pivotal to long- term business success

5 NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION Reinforce the meaning of your message. 1. Eye contact 2. Tone of voice 3. Facial expressions 4. Gestures and posture

6 CHOOSE THE RIGHT CHANNEL: A RICH ARRAY OF OPTIONS Consider the audience - it’s not about you! Communication Channels – Figuring out the right way to send a message. The number of options is growing…

7 COMMUNICATION CHANNELS: LEVELS OF RICHNESS VARY Memos/Reports Very Low. No information from tone or body language. Very Low. No information beyond words. Instant Message Very Low. Very few words lead to basic communication. Voice Mail Low. The audience gains tone but no body language. Telephone Conversation Moderate. The audience benefits from changes in your tone. Videoconferencing High. Conveys richness similar to in-person communication. In-Person Presentation High. Audience experiences all elements of message. Face-Face Meeting Very High. Audience experiences full message most directly. Channel Richness

8 PICK THE RIGHT WORDS: ANALYZE YOUR AUDIENCE Consider: 1.Expectations – What kind of language do most people use in the organization? 2.Education – What vocabulary should you use? – How complex should you make the message? 3.Profession – Are there professional acronyms and jargon that can impact your message?

9 PICK THE RIGHT WORDS: BE CONCISE Being concise means you minimize the number of words used to convey the message. You must reduce quantity without reducing quality. You don’t need to say the same thing again, for example repeating a point, it may only add to the complexity, like I just did here. Be sure to include all required information or all the words will be wasted!

10 PICK THE RIGHT WORDS: AVOID SLANG Do not alienate yourself by using slang in written or verbal communication. You may leave an incorrect impression of yourself.

11 PICK THE RIGHT WORDS: AVOID BIAS Gender Bias Age Bias Race, Ethnicity and Nationality Bias Use Active Voice Where Possible Active Voice – the subject of your verb is doing the action Passive Voice – the subject of your sentence is not doing the action described by the verb

12 JUST PLAIN ENGLISH Has the capability to Utilize In the event that Provided that Approximately Can Use If About Be clear and direct when choosing your words: Close ProximityNear TransmitSend

13 SAME MESSAGE, DIFFERENT APPROACH If your recipient will feel positive or neutral: Begin with your bottom line If your recipient will feel negative about your message: Start with the rationale and follow with your bottom line

14 WRITE HIGH-IMPACT MESSAGES 1.Strike the right tone 2.Don’t make grammar goofs 3.Use block paragraphs 4.Use headings and bulleted lists

15 WRITING: 1. STRIKE THE RIGHT TONE 1.Use common words in most situations use versus utilize 2.Use active voice We made a mistake versus A mistake was made 3.Use personal pronouns whenever appropriate I, you 4.Use contractions as often as you would when speaking I’ll, don’t, here’s

16 WRITING: 2. DON’T MAKE GRAMMAR GOOFS 1.It is OK to end a sentence with a preposition when doing so sounds natural Where is this book from? is much better than From where is this book? 2.It is OK to begin sentences with “And” or “But” Most teens enjoy videogames with a moderate level of violence. But a small, vocal minority strongly advocates a more clean-cut approach 3.It is OK to split infinitives Try to effectively film the next scene is a perfectly acceptable sentence

17 WRITING: 3. USE BLOCK PARAGRAPHS Standard Business Writing – Use single spacing – Double space between paragraphs – Do not indent the first sentence of your paragraphs

18 WRITING: 4. USE HEADINGS AND BULLETED LISTS Headings – Not a title, but subject label – Effective even in short documents Bulleted List – Engage your readers – Direct their attention

19 TIPS FOR EXCELLENT Consider both your primary and secondary readers. Keep it short. Don’t forget to proofread. Use standard writing. Avoid attachments. Don’t assume privacy. Assume the best, you can misinterpret tone. Create a compelling subject line. Think before you write, and think again before you send!

20 VERBAL PRESENTATIONS The Opening An interesting or startling statistic A compelling story or anecdote A relevant simile or metaphor Engaging questions

21 VERBAL PRESENTATIONS The Body Introduce key points Include statistics, data, expert quotes The Close Summarize key points Verbally signal your conclusion Questions Indicate time for questions Be prepared Visual Aids Increase retention PowerPoint is only a tool Handling Nerves Use your nervousness (adrenalin) Mitigate anxiety

22 TIPS FOR A DYNAMIC DELIVERY PRACTICE! Know your material, but never memorize. Look at your audience at least 50% of the time. Vary your voice, expression, and body language. Use selective notes. Stick to your allotted time. Slow down and listen to yourself. Don’t apologize (unless you really did something wrong!). Remember to use natural gestures. PRACTICE!