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Advanced CommunicationsVictoria Prestia

Motivational Speaker

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Define Barriers to Communication

Definition• According to businessdictionary.com, barriers to communication are defined as, “aspects of or

conditions… that interfere with effective exchange of ideas or thoughts.” Barriers to communication can be anything that distorts or prevents a message from being properly sent or received.

Perception’s Role• Perceptions play a role in communication barriers. A person’s perceptions develop through life

experiences, cultural norms and family life and vary from person to person. An individual’s perception can inhibit a person from properly understanding a message 

Consider Filters• When a person sends a message, it develops through the sender’s filters. The recipient then

processes the message through his filters before he reacts to it. For example, someone can say, “I need you to step it up on your work performance.” A person with a self-conscious filter will hear, “You’re not doing a good job,” while a person with a strong work ethic will hear a challenge to rise to.

Overcoming Methods• Practice listening skills to overcome communication barriers. Listening requires the person to

make mental notes, ask questions and clarify the information for understanding. Repeat the message back to the sender for clarity, and don’t make assumptions based on interpretation. Think about the messages sending them. Make sure they are concise, well defined and use intentional words.

Define Barriers to Communication | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/about_6714357_define-barriers-communication.html#ixzz2LlDfiYvq

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The Biggest Communication Challenges In Organizations

Listening Skills• Executives and managers may or may not possess effective listening skills. A manager who

does not understand personal styles may be unable to communicate well with diverse employees.

New Technology• The new social media tools, such as Facebook, Twitter, wikis and blogs bring new

challenges for businesses to contend with. Some of those challenges consist of: Facebook causing loss of productivity; or for those who want to use Facebook or Twitter there may be a learning curve and new security concerns. Social media adherents are challenged with keeping up with the demands of tools like Twitter and who should be responsible. How to make best use of new communication tools or whether to make use of them is a new challenge.

Meetings• Many companies find out that frequent meetings are a waste of time and productivity.

Meetings often have to be rescheduled when key players cannot attend. Webinars and phone conferences are replacing meetings with effective tools like desktop sharing for PowerPoint presentations and web cams or virtual “had raising or “smiley faces” and polls to vote.

http://www.ehow.com/print/info_8342497_biggest-communications-challenges-organizations.html

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Six Tips to Improve Your Business Communication Skills1. Practice makes perfect. Practice every day. Communication is an art and science that

anyone can improve with conscientious effort.

2. Listen like you’ve never listed before. Don’t just hear the words; listen to what is being said and the meaning underneath the words. Think active listening.

3. Critical conversations need the right environment. Any conversations that is important needs the right environment to ensure success. Where is it going to take place; the how: on the phone; or face-to-face; and the time…it can’t be rushed.

4. Ask more questions. Make sure you ask questions. Keep asking questions to understand what is being said. Most people don’t want to be viewed as dull by asking questions. Well framed questions will clarify what is being said.

5. It is not all about you. Even if you started the conversation, it’s not all about you. The other person needs to believe they are heard, that they are important and that the relationship is a partnership.

6. Pay attention. Do not think about other thoughts or what you need to do. “It means totally being present to the conversation without your mind distracting you in a million different directions.

Resource: “Six Tips to Improve Your Business Communication Skills,” Linda Finkle, CEO of Incedo Group

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Cultural Communication Barriers in the Workplace

Language barriers. Communication between two people speaking different languages is difficult and can lead to misunderstanding. It is also hard to get the full meaning from something a person with a different cultural background is saying to you.

Hostile Stereotypes. Inaccurate and hostile stereotypes of people from other places can be a barrier to communication in the workplace. People prejudge individuals that can lead to misconceptions and barriers to communication.

Behavior differences. Behavior differences between employees of different cultures can cause misunderstandings. Every culture has guidelines about what is considered appropriate behavior. In some cultures, looking someone in the eye when they are talking to your is considered rude, while in other cultures refraining from doing so is considered being disrespectful.

Emotional display. What is considered an appropriate display of emotion can differ from culture to culture. In some countries, displaying anger, fear or frustration in the workplace is considered

Inappropriate in a business setting. People from these cultures keep their emotions hidden and only discuss the factual aspects of the situation.

Reference: “Cultural Communication Barriers in the Workplace,” Sharon Penn, Demand Media.

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How to Communicate Well with People From Other Cultures

1. Accept and understand the differences by understanding that people from other cultures are different concerning their value systems, reference knowledge, language of communication , ways of thinking and personality characteristics.

2. Learn about their culture to be able to communicate with different people, learn about their greetings good bye rituals, types of food, and interests.

3. Learn about their religion and faith is that most people behave according to some beliefs that are usually related to their religion or faith. Make sure that you show respect and appreciation to others’ faith. Then you can predict success to your interaction.

4. Use Suitable and effective no verbal language by learning the other cultures gestures, smile, personal space and physical clues.

5. Ask to know more by asking and clarifying what are the best tools for effective communication are needed. Asking can open a new world of communication. By asking you can learn how to speak in their language.

Reference: “How to Communicate Well with People from Other Cultures,” Mohammad Mohammad.

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Can Business Be Affected By Cultural Differences?

Communication styles also seem to vary depending on the culture of the negotiators. Thus, while American business executives are more likely to have a direct, even confrontational approach challenging or questioning what is being presented, Asian executives tend to listen more and usually make any inquiries outside the meeting room during breaks or lunch.

Another cultural difference is when companies decide how many participants will take part in a negotiation. Chinese and Americans, for example, seem to send only one or two people to a business meeting. However, Korean and Japanese companies consider it more appropriate to send a team of people.

The reason for the difference in the number of people being sent is the belief of the Korean and Japanese that a single individual does not have all the expertise need to answer every possible question that may come up. A team has an expert on each of the areas that may be of interest. Thus, making the negotiation process more productive.

Finally, the way in which final decisions are made seems to be also culturally different. While for American executives there is a key decision-maker, Asian companies, even though hierarchical in many ways, base their final decision on input sent by the different executives involved.

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Must Have Communication Tools for Every BusinessEmail Hosting Provider: Google Apps which is really great for any size company, from a one-man show to a company with 500+ employees. If you still have an AOL or Yahoo email account, it’s time you switch to an @YourCompanyName email address.

File Sharing: Dropbox allows you to share actual folders and files that reside on a computer. When you add or update a file, it updates on the shared person’s computer instantly. It is amazing.

Project Management System (PMS): No more sticky notes! Teambox, a PMS that integrates with Dropbox. You can still use sticky notes but the desk and computer will not be covered with them.

Video Conferencing. It saves your company thousands of dollars in travel costs. A video call lets different people show charts, make demonstrations and share drawings, models and mock ups.

Press Releases. A company can create lists of media contacts and send news regularly,

www.forbes.com/sites/hannylerner/2012/07/18/must-have -communication-tools-for-every-business/

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The effects of Technology on Business Communications

Communication is Faster. Technology allows you to communicate with employees traveling to all parts of the world in an instant. Thanks to email and text messages, you can now send messages to people in other time zones before you forget without worrying that you will wake them up.

Expanded Communication Opportunities. Technology allows individuals to communicate and carry on a business relationship without every meeting face to face. For example, technology allowed for the emergence of the virtual assistance, a worker who completes tasks for their client online without every having met him/her.

Communication is distracting from constantly overhearing cell phone conversations, the ding of your office’s instant messenger, and communication tolls that were designed to make you more productive can actually do the opposite.

Companies that take advantage of telecommuting and virtual offices their employees loose face to face communication and must be set up for the technology . Even if you work in an a physical office, instant communication regarding quick decisions and memos cannot replace big decisions that are discussed and progress reports given.

Reference: “Effects of Technology on Business Communications,” Miranda Morley, Demand Media

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The Positive Effects of Technology in Business

SpeedTechnology allows businesses to do everything faster. Many processes that once required ledgers, checkbooks and journal notations have now moved onto computer systems. Logging in and out, updating inventory information and communicating can now happening much more swiftly. This allows businesses to react immediately to any changes.

AccuracyA properly designed computer program does not make any mistakes, and its computations(not its inputs) are free from human error. This means that a calculation done by a computer program (like Excel) will always be accurate and trustworthy. Unless the coding or the inputs are wrong, there is no chance a program can produce inaccurate data.

CompetitionTechnology moves very quickly, constantly evolving and creating new devices and faster systems. Businesses note these changes and attempt to move with technology, adapting it to their present and future needs while also keeping a wary eye on the technology competitors are using. The end result is an increase in the evolution of technology and its application to business, a process by which everyone benefits.

www.ehow.com/list_6943594_positive-negative-effects-technology-business.html

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The Negative Effects of Technology in Business

Confusion

While technology is useful, its fast pace and complex systems can be confusing. If companies want to update their systems or change the type of technology they use, they have to retrain not only employees, but often customers. New employees must also be trained in using business systems, which can create confusion.

Availability

Technology is very available, meaning that it is easy for competitors of all sizes to use and learn. This makes it difficult for businesses to keep up with technological changes and vastly increases the number of competitors in their market as smaller business can use technology to offer value to a wider range of consumers.

Crime

Technology also increases the possibility of crime. A tech-savvy employee can embezzle funds and make it difficult for the company to trace. Hackers can access personal and financial data of customers who trust the company to keep their information safe. Businesses must spend time and money developing safeguards against these events.

www.ehow.com/list_6943594_positive-negative-effects-technology-business.html

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What’s the Future Of Communication?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUCfFcchw1w&list=FLRP6tFE6lUZQNEx3UlS05hQ&index=4

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Questions?

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Comments!

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Thank you.

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Victoria PrestiaMotivational Speaker

Email: vprestia1@gmail.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/vprestia1

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Cell: (847) 275-3960