Business communication

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Business Communication


Objective

• Explain the Communication Process

• Describe the Various Barriers of Effective Communication

• Explain the Steps of Monroe's Motivated Sequence

• Describe the Various Questioning Techniques

• Explain the Role of Active Listening for Effective Communication

• Explain the Role of Body Language for Effective Communication

• Describe the Method of Writing Effective Emails

• Explain AIDA: Attention-Interest-Desire-Action Tool


IntroductionCommunication is very important in all walks of life – at a personal level as well as at a professional level. Look at the conversation between a customer and a Manager to understand the relevance of good communication in a business transaction.


IntroductionVarun then speaks to his designer.


IntroductionNow, take a look at what the customer had originally wanted.However, when he described it, look at how the Manager understood it. Likewise, when the Manager described it to the designer, the designer understood it completely differently.


Introduction

Designer

Mr. Ram Shukla

CEOPhoenix Pvt. Ltd.


IntroductionLook at the three cards. They are all different from what the customer originally wanted.

Mr. Ram ShuklaCEOPhoenix Pvt. Ltd. Mr. Ram

ShuklaCEO

Phoenix Pvt. Ltd.

Mr. Ram ShuklaCEOPhoenix Pvt. Ltd.


Introduction

This happened due to improper communication between the three people involved.

Such lack of proper communication in any walk of life including a business scenario can lead to great confusion and even losses in a business.

Mr. Ram Shukla may not place the order after looking at the sample proof card, or if decides to try again, he still would have to wait for another week to get another sample proof card ready.

In both cases, it is a loss to the business and a hassle to the customer.


IntroductionSuch confusion could easily be avoided by proper communication and asking the right questions such as:

Which type of font do you want?

What should be the size of the card?

What is the width of the red band on the card?

What is the exact position of the company logo?

Let us look at how effective business communication can help everyone function more efficiently.


Importance of Communication

Communication is important because:

• It is about how information is sent and received within firms

• It is crucial for working successfully with others• It enables to maintain relationships• It allows to accomplish tasks while working with both

individuals and groups• It motivates • It helps to overcome obstacles• It creates a comfortable, trustful and psychologically

safe feeling


Objective










Communication ProcessSe

nsor

y D

ata

Filters

BeliefsValues

Question & MetaphorBehaviour

TypeState

Decision – Making

Meaning

Encoding

Sens

ory

Dat

a

Message

Channel

Sender

Filters

BeliefsValues

Question & MetaphorBehaviour

TypeState

Decision – Making

Meaning

Decoding

Receiver


Components of the Communication Process

Sender: The participant transmitting the message.

Receiver: The participant receiving the message.

1 2

Participants:

Sender Receiver



The translation of a message that is of thoughts or ideas of the sender into words or symbols that the receiver will understand.

1

Encoding:

Sender ReceiverRed Rose is beautiful.

Encoding



The translation by the receiver of words or symbols or the encoded message into thoughts or ideas.

1

Decoding:

Sender ReceiverRed Rose is a

thing of beauty.

Encoding

Decoding

Red Rose is beautiful.


Other Components of the Communication Process

PerceptionContext

Purpose

Barriers

ChannelThe route through which communication takes place.

This includes anything that interferes with effective communication. (sometimes known as noise)

This includes what the sender and receiver intend as the outcome of the communication.

A person’s understanding or interpretation of a particular event/message.

The situation/environment in which communication occurs. This includes time, place & socio/psychological factors.


Integrated Meaning Model of Communication

Sender Receiver

Context / Environment Noise / Barrier / Environment


Shared Meaning Model of Communication

Context

Context

Context

Context

Encoding / Decoding

Encoding / Decoding

Sender / Receiver

Sender / Receiver

Messages - Feedback Channels

Area of Shared Meaning


Levels of Communication

Level 1: Intrapersonal communication or the experience of the individual.

Level 2:Interpersonal communication.

Level 3: Group communication.

Level 4: Organisational communication - internal & external.

Level 5: Mass communication.


7Cs for Effective Business CommunicationGuidelines for Effective Business Communication

7

6

5

4

3

2

1



7

6

5

4

3

2

1 - Clarity



7

6

5

4

3

2

1 - Clarity

- Completeness



7

6

5

4

3

- Clarity

2 - Completeness

- Conciseness



7

6

5

4

- Clarity

- Completeness

- Conciseness3

- Consideration (The 'You' Attitude)



7

6

5

- Clarity

- Completeness

- Conciseness

4 - Consideration (The 'You' Attitude)

- Correctness (Accuracy)



7

6

- Clarity

- Completeness

- Conciseness


- Correctness (Accuracy)5

- Concreteness



7

- Clarity

- Completeness

- Conciseness


- Correctness (Accuracy)

- Concreteness6

- Courtesy


Dimensions in Communication

Verbal

Non-verbal

Mediated

Unmediated

Congruent Message

Incongruent Message

Explicit Message

Implicit Message

Let’s learn about each in detail.



Verbal

Non-verbal

Mediated

Unmediated

Congruent Message

Incongruent Message

Explicit Message

Implicit Message

Verbal:Transmit the content, are the words of the message, deal with speech, intonation, pitch, rhythm, etc.

Verbal



Verbal

Non-verbal

Mediated

Unmediated

Congruent Message

Incongruent Message

Explicit Message

Implicit Message

Non-verbal: Transmit the relational dimension, postures, body movements, touches, tone of voice, eye contact, pauses, rate of speech and volume

Non-verbal



Verbal

Non-verbal

Mediated

Unmediated

Congruent Message

Incongruent Message

Explicit Message

Implicit Message

Mediated: Such communication occurs in presence of an intervening agency.

Mediated



Verbal

Non-verbal

Mediated

Unmediated

Congruent Message

Incongruent Message

Explicit Message

Implicit Message

Unmediated: Such communication occurs in absence of an intervening agency.

Unmediated



Verbal

Non-verbal

Mediated

Unmediated

Congruent Message

Incongruent Message

Explicit Message

Implicit Message

Congruent Message: In such a message verbal and non-verbal signals endorse each other. Example: Somebody who says that he is unhappy and weeps

Congruent Message



Verbal

Non-verbal

Mediated

Unmediated

Congruent Message

Incongruent Message

Explicit Message

Implicit Message

Incongruent Message: In such a message, the verbal and non-verbal expressed are contradictory. Example: Somebody who says that he is happy but weeps.

Incongruent Message



Verbal

Non-verbal

Mediated

Unmediated

Congruent Message

Incongruent Message

Explicit Message

Implicit Message

Explicit Message: Expresses the information directly

Explicit Message



Verbal

Non-verbal

Mediated

Unmediated

Congruent Message

Incongruent Message

Explicit Message

Implicit Message

Implicit Message: Expresses the information indirectly

Implicit Message


Forms of Business Structures

The way information is communicated is often governed by how firms are structured. Let us look at a few forms of business structures.

Here the decisions are made centrally.

In this structure the employees have a role, shared decision making and specialisation is possible.

In this structure the employees with specific skills join project teams and individuals have responsibility.

Such a structure is seen in professions where organisation provides support systems and little else.


Channels of Communication

In organizations,

communication follows paths or

channels.

••

The communication

between managers and subordinates is known as vertical communication

because the information flows up or down the

hierarchy.

••

Channels between

departments or functions involve

lateral communication.

••

Apart from the formal channels of

communication, information also

passes through an organisation informally.

••

Communication is not complete until feedback has been

received.


Vertical/Lateral Communication

Look at the given organization chart. It shows the vertical communication through red arrows and lateral communication through blue arrows.

Finance Marketing

Finance Officers

Marketing Assistants

Board of Directors

Production

Factory Operatives


Objective










Barriers of Effective Communication

Inaccurate Interpretation: Ignoring or misunderstanding non-verbal signals or implicit messages

Selective Perception: Selecting only certain elements from a message, hearing an expected message

Linguistic Impact on Language: Style, tone, speed

Semantics: Different perceptions, meanings that different people attach to the same word


Barriers of Effective Communication

Physical: Tiredness, hearing, sight or speech problems , environment, technical problems, grammar, spelling, punctuation and sentence structure

Emotional & Psychological: Expressing emotions, being defensive, negative, assertive, conflict religion, politics and values, personality, experiences, lack of confidence

Gender: Roles, expectations and traditions associated with either gender

Culture: Cultural differences, use of jargons, culture related idioms and expressions


••

••

•

CVs, Resumes

Email, Web site, FAQs

Letters, Newsletters, Brochures, Articles, Catalogs

Advertisements, Notice Board, Pamphlets, Signs, Press Release

Presentations, Multimedia, Talks, Meetings

Communication at Workplace

• Reports, Manuals, Proposals, Books


Objective










Monroe's Motivated Sequence

It is very easy for some of us to talk persuasively and to motivate people through our speeches.

However, for some others, the art of making speeches and presentations does not come naturally.

You can use the Monroe's Motivated Sequence, to help improve your persuasive skills and your confidence.

Monroe’s Motivated Sequence was developed by Alan H. Monroe, a Purdue University professor.

He used the psychology of persuasion to develop an outline for making speeches that will deliver results.


Monroe's Motivated Sequence

Step 1: Get Attention – Capture the attention of your audience through question, interesting facts, humour or story telling.

Step 2: Establish the Need – Convince the audience that there is a need for a change.

Step 3: Satisfy the Need – Define your solution for the need.

Step 4: Visualize the Future - Give a detailed description of a picture of success (or failure), and motivate the audience to agree with you and adopt similar behaviors, attitudes, and beliefs.

Step 5: Action/Actualization – Give your audience specific things they can do to solve the problem. Motivate them to now take action.

Monroe’s Motivated Sequence consists of the following five steps:


Objective










Questioning Techniques

It is crucial for effective communication to ask the right questions. Asking the right questions help to:

Gather better information

quickly.

••

To learn more about a situation.

••

To build stronger relationships.

••

To manage people more effectively.

••

To avoid misunderstandings.


Questioning Techniques

There are various questioning techniques that can be used in different situations. You have probably used all of these questioning techniques before but by consciously using the appropriate kind of questioning, you can gain the information, response or outcome that you want even more effectively.

Some of the questioning techniques are as follows.


Open Questions

Open Questions:Open questions evoke longer answers. Open questions usually begin with what, why, how. Such a question asks the respondent for his or her knowledge, opinion or feelings.

When to Use:• To develop an open frank

conversation• To find out more detail • To learn about other

person's opinion, feelings or issues

Example: • Why did he react that way?


Closed Questions

Closed Question: Closed questions generally evoke a single word or very short, factual answer.

When to Use: • To test your or the other

person's understanding • To conclude a discussion or

making a decision• To set a reference frame for

the person within which to answer

Example: • Are you hungry?


Funnel Questions

Funnel Question: Asking funnel questions involves starting with general questions, and then zooming in on a point in each answer. Then, you move on to asking more and more detail at each level. Hence, generally, when using funnel questioning, start with closed questions. As you progress through the funnel, start using more open questions.

When to Use: • To find out more detail

about a specific point.• To gain the interest or

increase the confidence of the person you're speaking with.

Example: • "How many people were involved

in the fight?"• "About seven."• "Were they kids or adults?"• "Mostly adults.”


Probing Questions

Probing Question: Probing questions are asked to find out more detail. In such questions, use questions that include the word "exactly" to probe further. An effective way of probing is to use the 5 Whys method, which can help you quickly get to the root of a problem.

When to Use: • To gain clarification • To draw information out of

people unwilling to give information Example:

• Who, exactly, wanted this report?


Leading Questions

Leading Question: Leading questions are asked to try to lead the respondent to your way of thinking. It is important to note here that leading questions tend to be closed.

When to Use: • To get the answer you want

but letting the other person believe that they had a choice.

• To close a sale.Example: • Option 2 is better, isn't it?


Rhetorical Questions

Rhetorical Question: Rhetorical questions aren't really questions at all. This is because they don't expect an answer. They are really just statements phrased in question form. Usually, such questions are used because they are engaging for the listener – as they are drawn into agreeing.

When to Use: • To engage the listener

Example: • Isn't that a great display?


Objective










Active Listening

One of the most important aspects of communication is listening. Listening well can have a major influence on your job effectiveness, and on the quality of your relationships with others.

Listening is important as it helps us to:

Obtain information

Understand

Enjoy

Learn


Active Listening

However, it has been found through various studies that we remember between 25% and 50% of what we hear.

So, what is important is to become an “active listener”.

"Active listening" involves making a conscious effort to hear not only the words of the speaker but also to try to understand the complete message being sent.


Key Elements of Active Listening

There are five key elements of active listening that help in actively listening to the speaker. They are:

Let’s look at each in detail.

Show that you are listening

Provide feedback

Defer judgement

Pay attention

Respond Appropriately




Pay attentionPay attention Pay attention:• Pay your complete attention to the

speaker and acknowledge the message.

• Look at the speaker directly.• Do not get distracted from listening

by environmental factors. • "Listen" to the speaker's body

language.• Refrain from side conversations

when listening in a group setting.

Provide feedback

Defer judgement





Pay attention


Show that you are listening:• Show the speaker that you are

listening by using your own body language and gestures.

• Nod occasionally.• Smile and use other facial

expressions.• Keep your posture open and

inviting.• Use small verbal comments like

“yes”, and “uh huh” to encourage the speaker to continue.

Provide feedback

Defer judgement





Pay attentionProvide feedback:• Paraphrase what is being said to

reflect your understanding of what is being spoken.

• Ask questions to clarify certain points.

• Summarize the speaker's comments periodically.

Provide feedback

Defer judgement


Provide feedback




Pay attention

Defer judgment:• Allow the speaker to finish.• Do not interrupt the speaker with

counter arguments.

Provide feedback

Defer judgment


Defer judgement




Pay attention

Respond Appropriately:• Be frank, open, and honest in your

response.• Put forth your opinions respectfully.• Treat the other person as you would

like yourself to be treated by others.

Provide feedback

Defer judgement

Respond AppropriatelyRespond Appropriately


Objective










Body Language

Non-verbal communication also known

as "body language” forms the difference

between the words people speak and

our understanding of what they are

saying.

We can understand people better if we develop an

understanding of the signs and

signals of body language.

Additionally, the tone of voice, the rate of speech and the pitch of the voice all add to the words that are being used.

Body language includes body

movements and gestures (legs,

arms, hands, head and torso),

posture, muscle tension, eye

contact, skin coloring (flushed

red), even people's breathing

rate and perspiration.

An important point to keep in mind is that body language may vary from individual to individual and between different cultures and nationalities.


Common Signs of Body LanguageSome of the common signs of body language of a confident person are:

• • • • •

Posture Speech Eye contact Tone of voice Gestures with hands and arms

Let’s look at each in detail.


Common Signs of Body Language

• • • • •

They stand tall with

shoulders back.

The speech is slow and

clear.

Keep a solid eye contact

with a "smiling"

face.

The tone of voice is

moderate to low.

The gestures are purposeful and

deliberate.

Posture Speech Eye contact Tone of voice Gestures


Common Signs of Body LanguageSome of the common signs that the person you are speaking with may be feeling defensive are:

Facial expressions are minimal.

Hand gestures are small and close to his or her body.

Body is physically turned away from you.

Eyes maintain little contact, or no contact.

Arms are crossed in front of body.


Giving Feedback

Feedback is a type of communication that we give or get. It is a critical assessment or suggestions made for improvement.

Feedback is crucial in communication as it helps to have honest relationships.

Giving feedback helps to let people know how effective they are in what they are trying to accomplish.


• Indirect: Issues are not addressed directly and the feedback is vague.

• General: The feedback aims at broad issues which cannot be easily defined.

• Insensitive: Such feedback has little concern for the needs of the other person.

• Attacking: Aggressive and focusing on the weaknesses of the other person.

• Disrespectful: The feedback is disrespectful and almost insulting.

• Poor timing: The feedback is not given at an opportune time.

• Impulsive: The feedback is given thoughtlessly, with little regard for the consequences.

• Judgmental: The feedback is prejudiced and judges personality rather than behavior.

• Selfish: The feedback meets the giver's needs, rather than the needs of the other person.

Types of Feedback

There are positive and negative approaches to giving feedback such as follows:

Ineffective/Negative Delivery


• Supportive: The feedback is delivered in a non-threatening and encouraging manner.

• Helpful: The feedback is meant to be of value to the other person.

• Descriptive: The feedback focuses on behavior that can be changed, rather than personality.

• Sensitive: The feedback takes into consideration the other person and is sensitive to the needs of the other person.

• Considerate: The feedback is intended to not insult or demean.

• Direct: The feedback is focussed and clearly stated.

• Healthy timing: The feedback is given at an opportune time.

• Thoughtful: The feedback is well thought out rather than impulsive.

• Specific: The feedback is focused on specific behaviors or events.

Types of Feedback

There are positive and negative approaches to giving feedback such as follows:

Effective/Positive Delivery


Getting Feedback

•

Getting feedback from other people is as important as giving feedback.

Some people accept feedback because they believe they can grow from it.

Getting feedback helps us to learn about our ability, to communicate by verifying messages and determining if the objectives of communication are being met.

••


How to be Open to Feedback?

• • •

Be open to feedback:Be open and welcome peoples’ feedback/questions.

Be aware of nonverbal communication: Make sure your nonverbal communication encourages feedback.

Ask questions: Ask questions to get additional specific feedback.

Paraphrase: Paraphrase the speaker to convey that you have listened and understood the speaker.

•


Conducting Effective Meetings

People do not like to waste their time; hence running efficient and successful meetings is a key skill that every individual should learn for growing in their career. Running an effective meeting is more than sending out a notice that your team is to meet at a particular time and place. An effective meeting achieves the following:

It achieves the

meeting's objective.It takes up a minimum

amount of time.

It leaves participants feeling that a sensible process has been followed.


Key Elements of MeetingA few key elements that need to be taken care of to conduct an effective meeting are:• The Meeting's Objective – Be clear about the purpose of

the meeting.• Use Time Wisely – Do not waste time. Everything that

happens in the meeting itself should further the objective of the meeting.

• Prepare an Agenda - To prepare an agenda for the meeting, consider the following factors:o Priorities – what has to be definitely covered?o Results – what should be accomplished by the

meeting?o Participants – who needs to attend the meeting for it

to be successful?o Sequence – in what order should you cover the

topics?o Timing – how much time will you spend on each

topic?o Date and Time – when will the meeting take place?o Place – where will the meeting take place?


Key Elements of Meeting• Satisfy Participants that a Sensible Process Has Been

Followed – Circulate the agenda among the participants and get their feedback and inputs.

• List Tasks - List all tasks that are generated at the meeting. Make a note of who is assigned to do what, and by when.

• Summarize the Meeting - Towards the end of the meeting, quickly summarize next steps. Inform everyone that you will be sending out a MoM (Minutes of Meeting). Thank the participants for their valuable time and inputs.

• Prepare and Send MoM - Prepare a Minutes of Meeting (MoM) to summarize the meeting. Forward this to all participants and other stakeholders. It is a record of what was accomplished and who is responsible for what as the team moves forward. This is a written record of what transpired, along with a list of actions that named individuals have agreed to perform. You can even assign someone to take notes during the meeting if you are too busy.


Presentation Planning ChecklistPreparation• How much does the audience know about the subject?• Do you have enough knowledge about the topic of the presentation? • Does the presentation room have all the resources required such as

electrical supply, Internet access, projector screen etc.?• What do you want to achieve at the end of the presentation?

Content• Does your introduction grab your audience's attention?• Do you have the objectives clearly stated in your presentation?• Are the main points in a logical sequence?• Does the conclusion summarize the presentation clearly and

concisely?• Have you tried to avoid using jargons in your presentation?

Visual Aids• Are the visual aids easy to read/view and easy to understand?• Are all the slides consistent in looks?• Do all the slides use the same fonts? Are they easy to read?• Does each slide have optimum amount of text? • Do you have a contingency plan in case your visual aids fail?


Presentation Planning ChecklistPractice the Presentation• Have you practiced your presentation standing or sitting, paying close

attention to your body language and posture?• Have you rehearsed often enough to be able to speak smoothly and

fluently?• Have you practiced your presentation in front of others?

After the Presentation• Have you ensured that your audience understands everything that

was covered in the presentation? • Do you need to follow up with any of your audience?• Have you asked for feedback from your audience?• How can you improve your next presentation?

Presentation Day• Are you dressed and groomed appropriately? • Have you left enough time for travel and setting up?• Have you checked your visual aids to ensure that they're working?• Are your visual aids ordered in correct order?• During presentation, make & maintain eye contact with audience?


Speaking to an Audience

• • •

Sometimes in our workplace or in personal situations, we may be required to speak to and address an audience.

The norms of speaking to an audience are slightly different from when one is speaking to an individual.

Effectively engaging an audience is dependent on the speaker's ability to sound interesting and convey a positive attitude.

Developing good speaking skills involves an increased awareness of your voice, language, body language and tone while speaking.

•



Voice

Your primary tool for instruction while speaking is your voice. When speaking to an audience, think about projection, pace and modulation.• Projection: The volume of your voice should be

loud enough that everyone can hear you. At the beginning of the session, ask the audience if they can hear you and adjust your volume accordingly.

• Pace: Make sure you are not going so fast that people cannot keep up, or so slow that people get bored and stop paying attention. You can also use strategic pauses, such as pausing just before an important point in order to emphasize it.

• Modulation: Varying your inflection and volume will keep your audience's attention, whether your natural speaking voice is high or low, loud or soft.

The following points should be considered while speaking to an audience:



Language

• Avoid using technical terms, explain the concept and difficult terms. • Use analogies to describe difficult concepts.



Body Language

• Develop eye contact with your audience.• Use gestures to emphasize points and

keep your audience's attention. • Stand up. It keeps your audience's

attention.• Walk around to keep your audience's

attention. • Relax! Be conscious of your body posture

throughout the session. • Smile and laugh! It engages your

audience and makes you more approachable if the audience has any questions.



Tone and humor

• Use your tone to convey an infectious enthusiasm for the topic.

• Be positive and upbeat and don't focus on negatives or difficulties.

• Incorporate humor into your instruction.


Types of Reports

The following are the various types of reports prepared in any business:• Sales Reports• Inspection Reports• Annual Reports• Audit Reports• Feasibility Reports• Progress Reports• White Papers• Technical Writing Reportso Proposalso User Manualso Technical Manualso White Papers


5 Steps to Report Writing

Step 1:Define the problem

Step 2:Gather the necessary information

Step 3:Analyze the information

Step 4:Organize the information

Step 5:Write the report


Anatomy of a Report

• Cover Page• Title Page• Letter of Transmittal• Table of Contents• List of Illustrations• Executive Summary• Report Body• Appendices


Document Design

• Use no more than 5 fonts.• Use no more than 5 colors.• Use glossy paper.• Use white space.• Use templates.• Use parallelism.• Avoid double emphasis.


Objective










Writing Effective EmailsThe following are a few points to be considered to write effective emails:• Use Subject Lines as Headlines – Write a subject that grabs the reader’s

attention, and it tells you what the email is about, so that the reader may want to open and read your email.

• Write One Point per Email - If you need to communicate with someone about a number of different things, consider writing a separate email on each subject.

• Specify the Response You Want - Make sure to include in your email, any call to action you want, such as a phone call or follow-up appointment. Then, make sure you include your contact information, including your name, title, and phone numbers.

• Using EOM Headlines - In order to convey a very short message , you can use the EOM, or End Of Message, technique. You can put all the relevant information in the subject line, followed by the letters "EOM". This lets the recipient know that he or she doesn't even have to open the email; all the information is right there. The subject line is the message.

• Internal Email - Internal emails, just like other emails, should not be too informal. Always use your spell checker, and avoid slang.


Objective










AIDA: Attention-Interest-Desire-Action

Every kind of writing is written with one purpose in the mind of the writer – to capture the readers’ attention.

Whether it is a report, a presentation, an advertisement, an email or any other form of writing, effective writing is the key to success.

The acronym AIDA is a handy tool for ensuring that your copy, or other writing, grabs attention.

Use the AIDA approach when you write a piece of text that has the ultimate objective of getting others to take action.


AIDA: Attention-Interest-Desire-ActionThe acronym, AIDA stands for:

Action

Desire

Interest

Attention (or Attract)



Action

Desire

Interest


Attention (or Attract): You can grab people's attention by using powerful words, or a picture that will catch the reader's eye and make them stop and read what you have to say next.



Action

Desire

Interest


Interest: Gaining the reader's interest is a deeper process than grabbing their attention. Help your readers to pick out the messages that are relevant to them quickly by using bullets and subheadings, and break up the text to make the points stand out.



Action

Desire

Interest


Desire: The Interest and Desire parts of AIDA go hand-in-hand. Simultaneously to building the reader’s interest, you have to also tell him how your message can help them. The main way of doing this is by appealing to their personal needs and wants.



Action

Desire

Interest


Action: Be very clear and specific about what action you want your readers to take. Give them specific information about the action to take rather than leaving it to them figure out what to do for themselves.


Case Study

George Peterson is the Project Manager at ABC Software Solutions Pvt. Ltd.

He has four of his sub-ordinates working on the A1005 Project. He wants to conduct a meeting on July 12, 2011 at 4.00 p.m. in the ‘Pegasus’ Conference Room.

George plans to discuss the project schedule, get a status update of the project and assign new tasks to the team members in the meeting.

1. Write an email from George to his sub-ordinates to inform them about the venue, date and time of the meeting. Also, give them a brief about the agenda to be covered in the meeting.


Summary

In this module you learnt that:

The various components of the communication process are: participants, encoding, decoding, channel, context, perception, purpose and barriers.

Monroe’s Motivated Sequence consists of the following five steps: • Get Attention• Establish the Need• Satisfy the Need• Visualize the Future• Action/Actualization

Various questioning techniques that can be used are: • Open questions• Closed questions• Funnel questions• Probing questions• Rhetorical questions• Leading questions

The communication between managers and subordinates is known as vertical communication and between departments or functions involve lateral communication.

Technology

Business communication