Communicating in a Business Environment

Participant Guide
Objectives

By the end of this course you will

 Understand ways of communicating effectively at workplace

 Recognize and overcome barriers to communication
 Learn methods to organize information effectively
 Build confidence in communicating

Good Communication is Essential...

 It is difficult to be productive in the workplace without being an effective

communicator.
 Good communication skills are a basic necessity for people at all levels of an
organization.
 Good communication is the key to acquiring, processing and capitalizing on
information.
 All of us, at times, are misunderstood by another person or we misunderstand
another person’s message.

Additional Notes:

What is Communication?

Essentials in Business Communication

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  Plan the message before delivery.
o Know your objective
o What do you want the message to accomplish?
 The message should be
o Clear, Complete, Correct, Concise, and Courteous

Additional Notes:

Listening Skills

 Characteristics of a non-listener:
o Faking attention
o Prejudging the speaker
o Having a blank stare
o Interrupting frequently
o Thinking about something / someone else
o Insensitivity
o Inflexibility in understanding

Additional Notes:

Concentrate:

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  Paraphrase
 Decide to listen
 Take notes

Additional Notes:

Acknowledge:

 Verbal Responses
 Questions
 Empathizing
 Summarizing

Additional Notes:

Listen Effectively

 Remove internal and external barriers.

 Avoid distractions
 Give the speaker your full, undivided attention.
 Decide which type of active listening will be appropriate.
 Do not prejudge the speaker or the message
 Do not let your emotions distract
 Do not begin thinking up your response while the customer is still speaking
 Wait for the speaker to stop talking before responding

Additional Notes:

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Communication

 For sending and receiving messages accurately we need to understand the

importance of:
o Communication Barriers
o Listening
o Verbal communication
o Non-verbal communication

Communication Barriers

Overcome Barriers

 Recognize and overcome communication barriers – this is just as important for the
receiver as it is for the sender.
 External barriers
 Internal barriers

Additional Notes:

Essentials of Written Communication – Email

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  Ineffective written communication often leads to misunderstandings, which can be
costly to the organization

Additional Notes:

E-mail Etiquette – The Do’s and Don’ts

 DO NOT
o Send Flame mails
o Send chain letters messages
o Reply ‘to all’ if not necessary / check the recipients
o Criticize people's spelling etc.
o Make personal remarks about third parties
o Overuse ‘High priority’
o Use BCC
o Use funky fonts or background colors
o Use jargon, acronyms, or “text-talk”
 DO
o Reply to e-mails within 24 hours.
o Set Auto reply when you will be out of the office for extended periods
o Include the name and number of the person who can be contacted in your
absence or provide a number you where you can be reached
o Use spell and grammar check
o Deliver bad news personally

Additional Notes:

E-mail Communication – Before you send

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  Proof read & edit
o Grammar
o Punctuation
o To/cc
o Subject Line
 Attachments
 Salutations

Additional Notes:

Tips for E-mail Communication

 Put yourself in the reader’s position before you start writing.

 Attach file before writing the mail.
 Open and check if correct files are attached.
 Fill to/cc box after finishing the mail.
 If sending a ‘reply to all’ mail check who will receive the mail.

Additional Notes:

Teleconference Tips

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  Prepare agenda (circulate if possible).
 Check if you and others are audible.
 Introduce yourself and give a brief of the purpose/agenda.
 Follow order.
 Take notes.
 Don’t interrupt – be patient.
 If accent seems or is communicated to be a problem, speak slowly
 Don’t have private conversations with people around you
 Summarize at the end
 Thank all for participating
 Send minutes to everyone after the call.

Additional Notes:

Tips for Meetings

 Be punctual/arrive early and attend the entire meeting

 Prepare well for the meeting: Statistics, reports or any other information should be
shared at least three days prior.
 Switch off / keep your mobile phone on the silent mode.
 Don’t text or answer any call during the meeting.
 Speak in Turn/ Do Not Interrupt.
 Keep Your Questions/suggestions brief.
 Inform the convener if you are unable to attend the meeting.
 Avoid negative actions/gestures during a meeting.
 Erase matter on the flipchart or white board before leaving the room.
 Don’t leave important documents in the meeting room.
Additional Notes:

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Minutes:

 Take minutes
 Distribute minutes

Additional Notes:

Body Language

Additional Notes:

Recap:

Additional Notes:

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