Business Communication - Unit 1 - Importance of Communication Skills - p

8/3/2019 Business Communication - Unit 1 - Importance of Communication Skills - p

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Business CommunicationUnit 1 presentation

The Importance of Communication

Skills


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#1Communication as a complex process

Communication is:

1. not innate (we are not born having this skill)

2. learned / acquired3. the oldest form of academic study

4. originally known as rhetoric


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#2Communication as a complex process

Because we live in a world of constant change,communication

1. involves that jobs are no longer long-term2. is made faster by communication technology

3. turns business leaders into facilitators, coaches anddirectors

4. is a two-way interaction5. is not static but dynamic

6. is not the same as information


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#3Forms of communication

Communication can be:

1. formal / informal

2. spoken / written3. verbal / non-verbal

4. aided by technology

5. person-to-person

All communication is conditioned by time!


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#4Barriers to good communication

Communication can be hampered by:

1. faulty information

2. insufficient information3. ineffectiveness

4. language / culture issues

5. deficient listening skills

6. lack of thinking ahead by interaction

Communication = everything we do!


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#5Content and relationship

Every message has two levels:

1. content (= WHAT): words, message, information

2. relationship (= HOW): non-verbal behaviour

According to researchers, people would rather

1. believe their eyes than their ears

2. 75%-95% of a perceived message is non-verbal

3. any speaker has 1-3 minutes to leave an impression

4. long-term relationships are important


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#6Content and relationship

Past and present:

1. in the past employees were left out of decision-making

2. nowadays they are included in this process throughthe enhancement in good communication


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#7Language and discrimination

General types of discrimination (stereotypes):

1. direct (we know we do it)

2. indirect (we do it unknowingly, by overgeneralisation)

language and age > ageism

language and race / skin colour > racism

language and gender > sexism

language and sexual orientation > homophobia

language and nationality / ethnicity > xenophobia

language and disability > [no specific term]


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#8Language and age

Language and age

Potentially ageist terms: pensioner, senior citizen

Preferred term: older people


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#9Language and cultural diversity

Language and cultural diversity

Potentially racist / discriminatory terms: coloured,

Negro, Nigger, black, ethnic minority group Preferred terms: Afro-American, Afro-Caribbean, of

South Asian origin, of African origin, minority ethnicgroup


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#10Language and disability

Language and disability

Potentially discriminatory terms: handicapped,

disabled, blind etc. Preferred terms: differently-abled, visually impaired

etc.


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#11Language and gender

Language and gender

Potentially sexist / discriminatory terms: (generic)

he / him / his / himself; man / men / woman / women(generically or in compounds); Mrs, Miss; stewardess;policeman / policewoman; businessman /businesswoman; postman / postwoman; fireman etc.

Preferred terms: (generic) they, them, their,themselves; -person (in compounds); Ms; flightattendant; police officer; businessperson /entrepreneur; postal worker; firefighter etc.


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#12Business communication

A classification of an organizations communicationactivities:

1. internal operational (within the company)2. external operational (company > outside)

3. personal (or interpersonal, within the company)

Documents

Business Communication - Unit 1 - Importance of Communication Skills - p