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© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 1 - 1

Achieving Success Achieving Success Through Effective Through Effective

Business Business CommunicationCommunication


Achieving Success in Achieving Success in Today’s Competitive Today’s Competitive

EnvironmentEnvironment• Competing for jobs

• Winning customers–Writing– Speaking– Listening– Adapting


Effective CommunicationEffective Communication

• Faster decision making and problem

solving

• Earlier warning of potential problems

• Improved productivity and work flow

• Stronger business relationships



• Stronger marketing messages

• Enhanced professional image

• Lower turnover and higher employee

retention

• Better results and higher returns for

investors


What Employers ExpectWhat Employers Expect

• Organizing ideas and information

• Expressing ideas and information

• Listening effectively

• Communicating with people from

diverse backgrounds


What Employers ExpectWhat Employers Expect

• Using communication technologies

• Delivering high-quality speaking and

writing

• Practicing business etiquette

• Communicating ethically


Characteristics Characteristics of Effective Messagesof Effective Messages

• Practical information

• Factual information

• Concise, efficient information

• Clear expectations and responsibilities

• Persuasive arguments and

recommendations


Organizational Organizational

CommunicationCommunication• Internal communication

• External communication

• Formal communication

• Informal communication


Internal CommunicationInternal Communication

• Formal communication network

– Upward

– Downward

– Horizontal

• Informal communication network

– The grapevine

– Unofficial lines of power


External CommunicationExternal Communication

• Formal contacts

–Marketing

– Public relations

• Informal contacts

– Industry gatherings

– Social networking


Why Is Business Why Is Business

Communication Unique?Communication Unique?

• Globalization and diversity

• Information value

• Pervasiveness of technology

• Reliance on teamwork

• New corporate structures

• Communication barriers


Globalization Globalization

and Workforce Diversityand Workforce Diversity• Globalization

– Market products

– Partner with businesses

– Employ workers and executives

• Workforce diversity

– Communication challenges

– Competitive advantages


Increasing Value of Increasing Value of

Business InformationBusiness Information

• Knowledge workers

– Competitive insights

– Customer needs

– Regulations and guidelines


Pervasive TechnologyPervasive Technology

• Voice systems

• Virtual agents

• Mobile communication

• Networking advances


Evolution of Organizational Evolution of Organizational

StructuresStructures

• Tall structures

• Flatter structures

• Flexible structures

• Corporate cultures


Reliance on TeamworkReliance on Teamwork

• Full-time assignments

• Temporary projects

• Communication challenges



• Connect with the audience

• Minimize communication barriers

• Use audience-centered approach

• Improve communication skills

• Provide constructive feedback

• Observe business etiquette


Connect with the Connect with the

AudienceAudience• The communication process

• Barriers to communication

• Inside the mind of the audience


The Communication The Communication ProcessProcess

1. Sender has an idea

2. Sender encodes the idea

3. Sender produces the message

4. Sender transmits the message

5. Audience gets the message

6. Audience decodes the message

7. Audience responds to the message

8. Audience provides feedback to sender


Communication BarriersCommunication Barriers

• Noise and distractions

• Competing messages

• Filtering of messages

• Channel breakdowns


The Mind of the The Mind of the

AudienceAudience• Receiving messages

• Decoding messages

• Responding to messages


Receiving MessagesReceiving Messages

• Consider audience expectations

• Ensure ease of use

• Emphasize familiarity

• Practice empathy

• Design for compatibility


Decoding MessagesDecoding Messages

• Cultural issues

• Individual beliefs

• Language differences

• Thinking styles


Responding to Messages Responding to Messages

• Memory

• Ability

• Motivation


Minimizing DistractionsMinimizing Distractions

• Use common sense• Be courteous• Respect personal differences• Insulate yourself• Avoid unnecessary messages• Prioritize messages• Recognize your feelings• Anticipate emotional reactions


Audience-Centered Audience-Centered ApproachApproach

• The “you” attitude– Focus on your audience– Care about your audience

• Emotional intelligence– Learn about your audience– Relate to your audience


Improve Communication Improve Communication SkillsSkills

• On-the-job training

• Business communication course– Planning and producing documents– Collaborating in teams– Listening effectively– Improving nonverbal communication– Communicating across cultures


Giving and Responding to Giving and Responding to FeedbackFeedback

• Constructive feedback– Process focused– Outcome focused

• Destructive feedback– Personal attacks– Unclear guidelines


Observe Business Observe Business EtiquetteEtiquette

• Respect

• Courtesy

• Common sense


Communication TechnologyCommunication Technology

• Maintaining perspective

• Improving productivity

• Reconnecting with people


Ethical CommunicationEthical Communication

• Includes relevant information

• Is true in every sense

• Not deceptive in any way


Unethical Unethical CommunicationCommunication

• Plagiarism

• Selective misquoting

• Misinterpreting numbers

• Distorting visuals


Ethical Dilemmas vs. Ethical Dilemmas vs. LapsesLapses

• Ethical dilemma

– Stakeholders• Conflicting loyalties

• Difficult tradeoffs

• Ethical lapse

– Business pressures• Illegal choices

• Unethical choices


Ensuring Ethical Ensuring Ethical CommunicationCommunication

• Individual employees

• Corporate leadership

• Policies and structures


Ensuring Legal Ensuring Legal CommunicationCommunication

• Promotions

• Contracts

• Employment

• Intellectual property

• Financial reporting

• Defamation

Documents

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