BUSINESS COMMUNICATION -LECTURE1 Benefits of effective communication Communicating in the organisation Communicating effectively with your audience Using communication technology Ethics in business communication

Benefits of effective communication Improved decision making Earlier warning of potential problems Increased productivity Stronger business relationships Clearer marketing messages Enhanced professional image LO1. Explain why effective communication is important to your success in todays business environment

Communicating in an organisational setting Formal communications networks – Ideas and information flow along lines of command 3 ways: Downwards, upward and horizontal Internal and formal Informal communications networks Grapevine Thrive when we don’t have all the information we need or want

Example of a formal communication network Executives to employees downward: executive decision making & providing information to assist employees Employees to Executives President Marketing VP Sales Manager Advertising & Promo manager Production VP Plant Manager upward: identify problems, trends, opportunities, grievances & performance levels sideways: employees between departments to share information, co-ordinate tasks & solve complex problems Employees between departments

External Communication Formal- letters, announcements Informal- meetings, sales contacts Social networking technologies- Facebook

Characteristics of Effective Business Communication-1 LO2. Practical- should be useful to help make a decision or aid understanding Factual- should be concrete, have specific details, be accurate and detailed Concise- highlight the main ideas: people reason better Clear- generate a response, what do expect? Or want them to do? Persuasive- what’s in it for them?

LO3. Communication skills employers expect from their employees-1 Organize ideas logically and completely Express ideas and information coherently and persuasively Listen to others effectively Communicating effectively with people from diverse backgrounds and experiences Using communication technology efficiently and effectively

LO3. Communication employers expect from their employees-2 6. Follow accepted spelling, grammar & other standards expected with high quality writing and speaking 7. Communicate in a civil manner that reflects good business etiquette 8. Communicate ethically

LO4. List 5 ways in which business communication differs from social communication The increasing value of business information The globalization of business and the increase in workforce diversity The persuasiveness of technology The evolution of organizational structures The growing reliance of teamwork

LO5.Describe six strategies for communicating more effectively on the job Connecting with your audience Minimize distractions Adopt an audience- centered approach 4. Fine tuning your communication skills 5. Giving constructive feedback 6. Be sensitive to business etiquette

Connecting with your audience Understand the communication process Know the barriers Get inside the audience minds

Understand the communication process Audience sends feedback Sender produces it in a transmittable medium Sender encodes it in a message Sender transmits it through a channel Audience receives the message Audience responds to the message Sender has an idea Audience decodes message

Know the barriers Noise and distractions- e.g. poor acoustics, uncomfortable environs, stress, cell phone, etc Competing messages- need undivided attention, don’t overload information, etc Filters- human or technology interventions, e.g. go to junk, biasness Channel breakdowns- failure to deliver message, e.g. unreliable person, lost server crash, etc.

Get inside the audience minds Consider their expectations- get their attention, be creative Ensure ease of use- make it easy to find, e.g. good website design and navigation Use familiar words, images and design- use those familiar to them, e.g. About us page Clearly address their needs- not yours Design for compatibility- consider technology differences, e.g. software versions

LO6. What must occur for the audience to successfully receive, decode & respond to messages 3 things must occur Remember Sensory memory Long term memory Receive info 2. Be able to respond- can they do as you wish, e.g. if it’s a promo, can they actually buy it?? Minimize the scenarios! 3. Be motivated- how will they benefit?

Decode Depends on individuals culture, experience, learning & thinking styles, hopes, fears, moods, etc. Tend to extract meaning they want to get from the message opposite to that intended by the sender Perception Selective perception We will look at response later on slide 20!

Strategy 2. Minimize Distractions Use commonsense and courtesy, e.g. not talking on the phone, listening to music, etc. Not sending unnecessary messages, e.g. emails Not isolating yourself, e.g. always urgent! Highlight the priority of the message Overcome emotional distractions, e.g. expect reactions, choose words carefully, don’t blame

Strategy 3-Adopt an Audience-Centered Approach Keep your audience’s needs in mind Adopt a “you” attitude Learn about their biases, education, age, status and concerns- put yourself in their shoes, relate to their needs

Strategy 4- Fine tuning your business communication skills Your skills as a communicator is just as important as your qualifications, experience, opportunities ahead, etc. Do training! Extend your vocabulary Practice

Strategy 5- Giving Constructive Feedback Constructive versus Destructive feedback Think through your suggested changes carefully Discuss ‘improvements’ rather than flaws Be specific Keep feedback impersonal Time your feedback carefully Highlight any limitations your feedback may have Verify understanding

Responding to Constructive Feedback Resist the urge to defend your work Don’t react emotionally Step back and consider the feedback Ensure suggested changes are valid

6th Strategy-Be sensitive to business etiquette Etiquette- expected norms of behavior in a particular situation It influences your reputation It affects your company’s image Be respectful Be courteous Use commonsense

LO7. Explain 4 strategies for using communication technology successfully Keeping technology in perspective –use as an aid, not a replacement Using technology tools productively - not on the job, inappropriate surfing online Spend time and money wisely - that will represent the importance of the communication effort, wasted if not used efficiently Reconnect with people frequently - Human touch is important, lost meaning from facial expressions, body language, etc.

Tools for Communicating Effectively Wireless networks Collaborating Shared workstations Podcasting Corporate blogs Help lines Extranets

LO8. Discuss the importance of ethics in business communication and how it differs with ethical dilemmas & ethical lapses Ethics are “accepted principles of conduct that govern behavior” Ethical communication Include all relevant information Is truthful Not deceptive in any way Stealth marketing Being deceptive when selling a concept for personal gain

Examples of unethical communications Plagiarism - using someone words & other creative products as your own, its illegal and violates copyright laws Selective misquoting Deliberating omitting damaging or unflattering comments to butter it up Misrepresenting numbers - Increasing, decreasing or omitting numbers, changing statistics Distorting visuals - Make product look bigger, or editing graphs & charts

Ethical dilemmas and lapses Ethical dilemma- choosing between alternatives that may all be ethical and valid Ethical lapse- is knowing that something is wrong and doing it anyway

Ensuring Legal Business Communication Can be bounded by a variety of laws and regulations promotional communication- truth & accuracy in advertising employment communication intellectual property Defamation Contracts, etc

Summary Effective communication can offer many business related benefits There are both formal and informal communication networks You need to understand your audience Use technology wisely Be aware of your ethical and legal responsibilities

That’s all for this class! Let’s now look at these questions: A multi-cultural workforce is made up of people from different backgrounds. i.) List 3 cultural differences that might be found in a diverse workforce today. [3] ii.) State 2 competitive advantages that a diverse workforce can bring to business. [2] Sept 08 Q1 d)

List 4 types of meeting technologies that are used to connect people around the country or around the world. [4] List in logical order, 8 steps of the communication process to illustrate how ideas travel from sender to receiver. [9] June 09 Q1 a) & b), Q3 Outline briefly4 reasons why it is important not to overuse technology if you achieve effective business communication. March 09 Q1 e)