BCM 3700 Achieving Success Through Effective Business Communication

Chapter 1BCM 3700

Achieving Success Through Effective

Business Communication


“Communication is an essential part of life, but where business is concerned, it is critical to success.”

~sixsigmaonline.org


“In nature, language is what sets us apart from the animals. In business, it’s what sets true leaders apart from perpetual followers.

That’s because communicating effectively can make all the difference between success and failure as a manager.”

~Harvard Business Review


“In business, what we say – and how we say it – equates to who we are. And the way in which we communicate is as important as our brand...

Whether creating a multi-million dollar Super Bowl ad at the pinnacle of a career or participating in an interview for an entry-level job at the onset of a career, the language choices we make are given tremendous significance by our peers, by those in the board room and by those with the decision making power to hire us.”

~Brett West, CommPRO.biz

Communication helps organizations and the people in them achieve their goals.

The ability to write and speak well becomes increasingly important as you rise in an organization.


So… What’s in it for me?

Career Advancement Improving your communication skills may be the

single most important step you can take in your career.

Ability to Share Complex Ideas Even great ideas won’t go anywhere without great

communication.

Enhance Entrepreneurial Endeavors If you learn to write well, speak well, listen well, and

recognize the appropriate way to communicate in any situation, you’ll gain a major advantage that will serve you throughout your career.

Become an Effective Leader As you take on leadership and management roles,

communication becomes even more important.

What’s in it for my company?

Influence Perceptions Public perception – customers, suppliers, peers, Internal – staff Closer ties with important communities in the

marketplace Increased productivity and faster problem solving Improve employee engagement and satisfaction Better financial results and higher return for

investors Opportunities to influence conversations,

perceptions, and trends Stronger decision making More persuasive marketing messages

Be An Effective Communicator

You must…

Provide useful practical informationGive facts and evidenceBe conciseBe clearBe persuasive

Types of Communication

Verbal Face-to-face Phone

conversations Informal

meetings Presentations E-mail

messages Letters

Nonverbal• Computer

graphics• Company logos• Smiles• Size of an office• Location of

people at meetings

Many different forms: verbal & nonverbal

Purposes

All business communication has three basic purposes1. To inform (explain or tell an audience something)2. To request or persuade (want the audience to act)3. To build goodwill (make good image—the kind of image

that makes people want to do business with you. )But…

Most messages have more than one purpose Example: When you write an e-mail to co-workers asking

a question, you inform them about your situation, persuade them to help you, and try to build a good image of yourself as someone who wants to resolve an issue.

Audiences

Internal Messages go to people

inside the organization Memo to subordinates,

superiors, peers

External Messages go to people

outside the organization Letter to customers,

suppliers, others

Benefits & Costs

Effective writing Saves time Increases one’s productivity Communicates points more clearly Builds goodwill

Poor writing Wastes time Wastes effort Loses goodwill

•Stiff, legal language

•Selfish tone

•Buried main point

•Vague requests

•Misused words

Criteria for Effective Messages

Good business writing meets five basic criteria: 1. Clear: The meaning the audience gets is the meaning the

communicator intended.

2. Complete: All of the audience’s questions are answered

3. Correct: All of the information in the message is accurate

4. Saves Time: The style, organization, and visual or aural impact of the message help the receivers read, understand, and act on the information as quickly as possible

5. Builds Goodwill: The message presents a positive image of the communicator and his or her organization

Evaluating Effective Messages

To evaluate a specific document… we must know the interactions among… 1. the writer2. the reader(s)3. the purposes of the message4. and the situation.

No single set of words will work for all readers in all situations.

Conventions

Widely accepted practices you routinely encounter

Vary by organizational settingHelp people…

recognize, produce, and interpret communications

Need to fit rhetorical situation: audience, context, and purpose

Analyze Situations

Ask these questions…

What’s at stake?To whom should you

send a message?What channel should

you use?What should you say?How should you say it?

Create Effective Messages

The following six-step process helps create effective messages…

1. Analyze (6 questions)2. Organize3. Make it Readable4. Make it Positive5. Edit & Proofread6. Follow-up Strategy

Answer the following six questions for analysis1. Who are your audiences? 2. What are your purposes?3. What information must you include?4. How can you support your position?5. What audience objections do you

expect?6. What part of context may affect

audience reaction?

1. Analyze

2. Organize

Organize to Fit Audience, Purpose, Situation1. Put good news first2. Put the main point/question first-or-3. Persuade a reluctant audience by

delaying the main point/question

3. Make it Readable

Make Message Look Inviting

Use subject line to orient readerUse headings to group related

ideasUse lists for emphasisNumber items if order mattersUse short paragraphs—six lines

max.

4. Make it Positive

Create Positive Style

Emphasize positive information Give it more space Use indented list to set it off

Omit negative words, if you canFocus on possibilities, not

limitations

5. Edit & Proofread

FACT: Business people care about correctness in spelling, grammar, and punctuation.

Check… Spelling Grammar Punctuation

Double-check… Reader’s Name(s) Numbers First and Last ¶

Always always always proofread before sending

6. Follow-up Strategy

Use audience response to plan next message

Evaluate feedback you get If message fails, find out why If message succeeds,

find out why

Success = results you want, when you want them

Aspects of Business Communication

Eight (8) Aspects of Business Communication

All are present in any business communication …but some might be more emphasized or

obvious in certain typed of communication.

Are also highly interdependent, …but we separate them for clarification,

discussion, and grading.


1. Task/Context:

“Context” can be defined as… ▪ the “time, place, and situation” or ▪ the “big picture” for communication.

Successful business communicators know that messages never occur in vacuums…▪ but are viewed within the larger situations that

surround them.


2. Audience: the recipient(s) of the message…▪ whether that be an individual, ▪ a group, ▪ a market, ▪ or a public.

“Audience” discussions include… ▪ analysis (what’s important about the audience) ▪ adaptation (how that affects the message)▪ approaches to particular types of audiences


3. Channel Choice: A key consideration, given the proliferation

of media and how different they are.

Effective communicators make wise choices, recognizing the need for…▪ documentation, ▪ speed, ▪ direct contact, ▪ opportunities for interaction, etc.


4. Organization: Smart communicators ask themselves… “What goes where?” and the related question “What follows

what?”

When they do, they worry about… ▪ the order of elements they are working with ▪ the relationships among those elements (e.g.

visual coherence or transitions).


5. Content: In business, “content” covers ▪ what is said (or written)… ▪ what is omitted▪ how much of it to include about each point

Many business communicators forget to consider the importance of amount for small and large areas.


6. Self-expression: awareness of the “self” you’re presenting is critical for any

business student. The presenter’s ▪ credibility, ▪ confidence, ▪ reputation, ▪ appearance, ▪ attention to details

…are all parts of self expression.

“Selves” here are not just individuals, ▪ Departments ▪ Organizations ▪ (A communicator often represents the “face” of an

organization.)


7. Visual Impression/Format: “Organization” refers to the ordering of

content, “Visual Impression/Format” treat its ▪ placement, ▪ depiction, ▪ proportions on a page (paper, PowerPoint slide,

Web page, etc.).

These considerations include conventions for formats like where the date is placed on a page (often specific to organizations), as well as aesthetic and functional design decisions.


8. Mechanics/Language use: Two discrete (though often blurred) aspects are

at work here… conventions & style.

“Conventions” (spelling, punctuation, grammar) ▪ are matters of “right and wrong” which can be

corrected.

“Style” (word choice and sentence structure) ▪ treats matters of effectiveness and ▪ is often more difficult to define.

Business and Administrative Communication

BCM 3700

Documents

BCM 3700 Achieving Success Through Effective Business Communication