Business Communication Chapter1

1ChapterOneBusinessCommunicationFoundationsBusinessCommunicationKrizan,Merrier,Jones6E2StudentLearningObjectivesExplainwhybusinesscommunicationisimportanttoindividualsandorganizationsListandexplainthegoalsofbusinesscommunicationDescribethepatternsofbusinesscommunicationExplainthecommunicationprocessIdentifycommunicationbarriersanddescribewaystoremovethem3BusinessCommunicationFoundationsCommunication–Latinwordcommunismeanscommon.BusinessCommunicationistheprocessofestablishingacommonunderstandingbetweenoramongpeoplewithinabusinessenvironment.4TheimportanceofcommunicatingeffectivelyGettingjobsyouwantGainingpromotionsProvidingleadershipBeingproductiveonthejobRelatingpositivelytoothersAssuringsuccessofyourorganization56InternalandExternalCommunicationsInternalDay-to-dayexchangeamongemployeesE.g.jobinstructions,financialdata,performanceobjectives,customerorders,etcExternalFlowsbetweenanorganizationandtheentitieswithwhichitinteractsE.g.salescalls,productadvertisements,newsreleases,employmentnotices,banktransactions,etc7BusinessCommunicationistransactionalGive-and-takerelationshipbetweensenderandreceiverinordertoestablishacommonunderstandingThisinteractionistheprimaryfeaturethatdistinguishesbusinesswritingfromjournalisticorcreativewriting.8GOALSOFBUSINESSCOMMUNICATIONSenderhasprimaryresponsibilityforachievingcommunicationgoals.FirstGoal:ReceiverUnderstanding1.Thisisthemostimportantgoal.2.Messageneedstobesoclearsothatthereceiverinterpretsitasthesenderintended-i.e.meaningmustbeshared.3.Todevelopaclearmessage,sendermustunderstand-receivercharacteristics,-messageformandcontent,-receiverfeedback;-communicationbarriers.e.g.“Willyoujoinmeforlunchtoday?”“Nooneplansforameetinglikeyoudo.”Aretheseclearmessagestoyou?9SecondGoal:ReceiverResponse1.Responseconveyedthroughwords,actions,orboth.2.Responsemaybepositive,neutral,ornegative.3.Goalachievedwhenresponseisappropriate.4.Sendershouldassistreceiverinresponding.e.g.Ifthechairofacommitteedistributesamemoannouncingatimeanddateofthenextmeeting–therecanbefourwaysofresponding:a)Rsvpandattend,b)attendwithoutrsvp,c)rsvptheyareunabletoattend,d)donotattendorrsvp10ThirdGoal:FavorableRelationship1.Senderandreceivershouldrelatepositively,personally,andprofessionally.2.Bothsenderandreceiverbenefitfromafavorablerelationship.(e.g.Jobsatisfaction,increasedsales,etc)3.Goalisachievedby:usingpositivewordingstressingreceiver’sinterestsandbenefitsdoingmorethanisexpected.e.g.Ifyoursupervisorasksyoutoworkovertime,shouldyousay“no”straightout?Howcanyoumaintainafavorablerelationshipwithhim/her?Maybeyoucanfindsomeoneelsetoworkovertimeinyourplace.Maybeyoucanworkovertimeanotherday?11FourthGoal:OrganizationalGoodwill1.Goodwillisessentialtothesuccessoftheorganization.Ifacompanyhasthegoodwillofitscustomers,ithastheirconfidenceandtrust,whichleadstocontinuedbusiness.2.Sendersshouldtrytoincreasegoodwillbyemphasizingfavorableaspectsofthecompany.3.Sendershavearesponsibilitytoensurethattheircommunicationreflectspositivelyonthequalityofthecompany’sproducts,services&personnel.e.g.Returnedmerchandise:“Wedon’tacceptreturneditems”OR“Wouldyoulikearefundorareplacement?”12PATTERNSOFBUSINESSCOMMUNICATIONInternalCommunicationPatterns1.Vertical,horizontal,networkVerticalandhorizontalflowsfollowthechainofcommand.e.g.VC–messagesflowupward(reports&proposals)ordownward(policy,plans,directives,instructions)HC-messagesflowbetweenworkersorunitsofcomparablestatus(sharedata/coordination)Networkcommunication-doesnotfollowchainofcommand.Informationflowsfreely,cangobeyondtheperson’sroleintheorganization.e.g.inworkteams,orinformalnetworks–employeeswhoshareinterestsoutsidetheworkplace.13BusinessCommunicationPatterns142.FormalCommunicationa.Isbusiness-relatedandplanned.b.Canbewritten(memo,report)ororal(meeting,speech)b.Flowsinalldirections.c.Isessentialfortheeffectiveoperationofthebusiness.3.InformalCommunication/Grapevinea.Isunplannedb.Consistsofbothbusiness-relatedandpersonalinfo.c.Canbewrittenororal.c.Flowserraticallyinalldirections.d.Isessentialforhumanrelationships.e.g.Rumorsaboutcompany’sexpansion,DiscussionofapopularTVshow15ExternalCommunicationPatterns1.Includescommunicationwithcustomers,suppliers,media,competitors,governmentalagencies,etc2.Canbewritten(letters,invoices)ororal(telephonecalls,TVadvertisements).3.Istypicallyformalbutmaybeinformal.4.Shouldbehighquality,becauseemployeesareambassadorsfortheirorganizationsandhavepowertoaffecttheimageoftheorganizationinconstituencies’minds.16THECOMMUNICATIONPROCESSCommunicationProcessModel1.Componentsare:sender,message,receiver,feedback,andbarriers.2.Communicationenvironmentincludesallthingsthattheparticipantsperceivethroughtheirsenses–sight,smell,sound,etc.3.Environmentiscomplexanddistracting.4.Organizationalcultureaffectsthecommunicationenvironment.e.g.formal–limitedaccesstoleaders,preferenceforwrittencomm;informal–casualdress,open-doorpolicies,oralcomm17ACommunicationProcessModel18THECOMMUNICATIONPROCESSSender’sandReceiver’sRoleSender’sRole:Selecttypeofmessag