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Chapter 1BCM 3700
Achieving Success Through Effective
Business Communication
Business Communication
“Communication is an essential part of life, but where business is concerned, it is critical to success.”
~sixsigmaonline.org
Business Communication
“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
Business Communication
“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.
Business Communication
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.
Aspects of Business Communication
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.
Aspects of Business Communication
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
Aspects of Business Communication
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.
Aspects of Business Communication
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).
Aspects of Business Communication
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.
Aspects of Business Communication
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.)
Aspects of Business Communication
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.
Aspects of Business Communication
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