Lesson 1: Communication Sources

Site: TESDA Online Program Printed by: Maica Cancio

Course: Participating in Workplace Communication Date: Tuesday, 10 August 2021, 11:48 AM
Book: Lesson 1: Communication Sources
 Table of contents

Introduction

Topic 1: Communicating with Team Members

Topic 2: Communicating with a Supervisor/Department Head

Topic 3: Communicating With Suppliers

Topic 4: Communicating with Trade Personnel

Topic 5: Communicating with Industry Bodies

Topic 6: Communicating with Local Government

Topic 7: Communicating with Customers/Guests

Activity: Say What?

 Introduction

Indeed, communication is a vital part of being a

team. However, there are other people, besides your team, you also need to
communicate with.
These are the appropriate sources. These are the people who
communicate relevant information with you, such as requests, commands, and
inquiries.

These sources are classified as internal and

external sources.

Internal
Sources

Internal Sources refer to the people who are

already inside or are already part of your company that you communicate with.
This includes:

Team Members

Supervisor/Department Head

External
Sources

External Sources refer to the people outside

your company you communicate with. This includes:

Suppliers

Trade Personnel

Local Government

Although they are termed as sources, in a true

communication flow, these sources can either play the role of a sender or a
receiver of the
message.

 Topic 1: Communicating with Team Members

Workplace Communication - Communicating With Team M…

M…

Communicating effectively with your team builds

a happy and healthy workplace. It makes the team more efficient and the work
easier for
everyone. Whether dealing with agreeable or difficult workmates, here
are some tips to ensure effective communication.

Take
responsibility and be a good example

As the one who understands, take the

responsibility of being the model of what you want your members to be. Lead
your team by setting a
good example.

Adjust

Learn how to adjust depending on the personality

of your team members. Understand them by observing both their verbal and nonverbal
cues.
Their personalities will affect how they would respond and communicate.

Discuss
communication issues

If there are problems in the workplace, talk

directly to the ones involved. Avoid sharing stories to those who are not
involved in the problem.
Always talk things out and never let conflicts pass
without talking about it.

Discuss
rift among members

If your team members have personal issues with

each other, try to help in resolving it by listening to everyone’s grievances.
Be sincere in talking
to them. Make your team members feel secure in sharing
problems to you. Mediate if you can. Make sure to apply your active listening
and
understanding skills.

Keep a
tight agenda

Always know what to talk about and when to talk

about these things. Do not deviate from your plans. Allot right timing for
everything. When in a
meeting, provide your team members a detailed agenda of
what you are going to talk about.

Ask for
questions from others

Check if things have been clear to everybody.

Encourage them to ask questions and clarify instructions.
 Topic 2: Communicating with a Supervisor/Department Head

Workplace Communication - Communicating With Supervis…

Supervis…

Communicating with bosses, supervisors, and

department heads can be challenging especially if you feel very inferior to
them. However,
communicating with them does not need to feel challenging or
intimidating.

Here are some tips to help you communicate with

them effectively:

 Go straight to the point. Do not say

unnecessary things. Respect their time.
Show numbers and visual representations. When
presenting numbers to your boss, do not just present them in paragraph forms.
Schedule your appointment. Do not
expect that they are always ready for an ambush talk. They are busy people and
their time is precious.
Prepare your agenda. Before
speaking to your boss, plan what you need to say. Make a list. This will help
you remember all your concerns.
Be solution-focused. When
consulting problems, always have a solution in mind.
 Topic 3: Communicating With Suppliers

Communicating with your suppliers is as

important as communicating with your customers. It saves you from future
problems regarding the
services and products provided to you. Keep in mind that
you and your suppliers need each other.

1.)  
Specify
what you want.

If you want a specific part of a chicken, or a specific

size of a vegetable, say it to your suppliers. Order exactly what you want to
get.

2.)  
Avoid
jargon

Jargon are words that only you and those in your industry
understand. Make sure to give clear instructions and clarify whether your
suppliers
understand them.  For example,
instead of saying “I need a low-boy” say “I need a refrigerator that can be put
under the counter."

3.)  
Talk
as if they are customers

Just like making sure to have regular customers, it is also

important to make sure you have regular suppliers. Maintain good relationship
with
them. Talk to them clearly, concisely, and politely.

4.)  
Put
things in paper

As much as possible, make transactions between you and your

suppliers legal. Have contracts if necessary. Write down your agreements.

5.)  
Communicate
regularly

Once in a while, update your suppliers whether they are

still operational or whether they still have what you need. This will save you
from
cramming on where to find other suppliers when they fail.
 Topic 4: Communicating with Trade Personnel

Workplace Communication - Communicating With Trade P…

P…

Trade personnel are people skilled in a specific

task. They provide services. Maintaining constant communication with them is
very important
especially when you depend on their services.

Here are some tips to effectively communicating

with trade personnel:

1.   
Be precise with what you want. Most trade
personnel want to know what specific things they need to do for you.

2.   
Ask them how much time is needed to complete
their tasks.

3.   
Ask them what other things you need to prepare
in advance.

4.   
Do not be too demanding. Know their limitations.
 Topic 5: Communicating with Industry Bodies

Communicating with industries and organizations

can be both overwhelming and challenging. Some cannot be tapped immediately.
Here are
several ways to reach industry bodies.

1. Reach them through email

Communicating through email gives a more formal

appeal than communicating through phone. However, not all industries respond
immediately
to emails.

2. Be updated on their newsletters and

magazines

Important announcements and development of the

industry bodies’ projects are published through their newsletters and
magazines. Knowing
these things can be effective when building rapport with
your industry partner.

3. Networking meetings

To talk to them personally, you can attend

network meetings. This would be helpful especially if your concerns are urgent
and need face-to-face
communication.

 Topic 6: Communicating with Local Government

Communicating with the local government,

especially regarding legal matters, can be challenging. You need to go to
different stages and
offices, and talk to different people. However, there will
be instances wherein you will be obliged to communicate with them.

Here are some ways on how to communicate to

local government.

1. Be present in the different events that the

local government is organizing to be aware of the internal processes that they
do.

Example:

Council annual planning

Council consultations
Other proposals

2.         Directly
talking to officials.

3.         Monitoring
of Local Government performance
 Topic 7: Communicating with Customers/Guests

Of course, communicating effectively with your

customers is essential in maintaining the reputation of any business. When
employees are polite
and are effective communicators, customers will most
likely come back to avail services. In order to maximize your customer
communication
skills, here are some points to remember:

1. Establish a genuine relationship.

2. Listen well.
3. Use easy words, and not jargon when explaining
complex topics.
4. Address issues or misunderstanding immediately.

Effective customer communication skills also

increase the likelihood of customers going back to your establishment. Thus,
communication is
really needed in increasing trust and reliability of your
business or organization. Here are some tips you can apply in order to keep
connected
with your customers:

1. Send e-Newsletters or emails informing them of

new promos or offers.
2. Give out survey sheets to see their needs and
opinions.
3. Use social media platforms to keep your audience
informed and updated.

Handing Difficult Customers

Handling difficult situations will be unavoidable

when you get to the industry. However, here are 3As that you should keep in
mind should such
occurrence occur.

1.        
Apologize. Immediately say sorry to the persons involved.

2.       
Attempt to solve the problem.

3.       
Alert your supervisor.
Activity: Say What?