Business Communication -

Foundation

Presented By:
Kuldeep B
Important Questions
• What is a business communication?
 Is email a business communication?
 Is twitter handle of Elon Musk a business communication?
 Was #Metoo a business communication?
• Why do we need it?
• What is the impact of digital on business communication?
• What are your thoughts on the impact of the pandemic on BC?
 Business Communication Journey

Part 1: Part 2:
Communication Communication
Foundations and the Strategies in
impact of Digital Workplace

Part 3: Part 4: Part 5:

Communication Communication Communication
through across the with Customers
Documents Organization
Evaluations
• Internal – 60 Marks
 Case based (Group Assignment) – 30 Marks
 Business Report Writing (Group Assignment) – 30 Marks
• External – 40 Marks
 University End Term Exam
Let’s Begin the Journey
Forms of Communication
• Verbal Communication, either Spoken or Written
 At work, verbal communication takes place as managers, team members, colleagues and
customers, etc.
 Include written reports, emails and blogs, announcements, providing advice, asking for
clarification, assistance and feedback, acknowledging customer requests and complaints
• Non-verbal communication
 Any means other than words or graphics; Nonverbal components occur in oral, written and
graphic communication
 In oral communication, for example, facial expressions, body movement, posture, dress and
other nonverbal cues affect the message
 Format and layout are two of the nonverbal components of written and graphic
communication
• Graphic Communication
 Represents ideas, relationships or connections visually with shapes, diagrams and lines
 For example, signs such as ‘no smoking’, drawings, colour, illustrations, typography, graphic
designs, and electronic and digital resources
Forms of Communication
• Different forms have different strengths
 Spoken communication is a useful way to convey feelings and receive feedback
 Written communication is a better way of conveying facts, particularly those that are
complicated and need to be held as records
 Graphic communication is able to complement spoken and written communication
• Channel Richness
 Refers to the amount of information and understanding that can be transmitted by a
particular communication channel
 In a customer communication, Twitter vs. Email vs. Business Letter
Functions of Communication
• Functions
 Informing within any organisation is to provide
data and information so employees can carry
out their jobs
 The purpose of persuasion is to change the
attitude or behaviour of employees,
colleagues, customers, suppliers and others
 Decisions are the courses of action deliberately
chosen from a range of alternatives to achieve
an organisation’s objectives
• These functions may be performed
through formal or informal business
communication
The Communication Process
The Communication Process
• Perception – the way individuals understand or give meaning to the same
message
• Senders are individuals who respond to situations from a unique vantage point,
interpreting ideas and filtering experiences through their own perception
• The receiver decodes or interprets the message to achieve understanding
 In doing this, the receiver is also acting as an individual with a unique vantage point,
interpreting the idea according to a particular personal perception of the message
• The message is the concept or feeling transmitted from the sender to the receiver
to achieve understanding
 Verbal, Non-verbal and/or Graphic
The Communication Process
• A communication channel is the means or technique used to signal or convey a
message
 For example, a conversation, letter, telephone call, internet, email, media release, social
media or radio/television program
 Emotionally charged messages require a rich channel
 Horizontal Channels vs. Vertical channels
• Without feedback, there is uncertainty as to whether or not the message has
been understood
 Asking a question, listening carefully and observing body language gives clues to the
effectiveness of communication
 The facial expressions, tone of voice and gestures of the other person help you to work out if
they understand and are interested in the interaction
 Feedback, particularly the nonverbal component, lets you know if the receivers are being
defensive, confident, truthful or evasive
The Communication Process
• Context consists of the situation, circumstances or setting within which
communication takes place
• Communication barriers or noise can be caused by the sender, the receiver, lack
of feedback, a poor choice of channel, the wrong context or any other element in
the communication model
Communication
Barriers
Ethics in Communication
• Business communication is an integral part of any organisation’s activities
• Ethical business communication is legal, consistent, responsible and transparent
• Ethical business communicators make choices that enable them to:•
 Follow the organisation’s policies, procedures, guidelines and code of ethics
 Communicate factual information objectively•
 Avoid using distortions of fact and misleading information•
 Respect the dignity of each person, irrespective of ethnic background, religion or gender
• Most organisations have a code of ethics, which is a statement of their primary
values and the ethical rules they expect their employees to follow
Factors Impacting Business Communication
• Let’s Discuss the Factors
Factors Impacting Business Communication
• Globalisation means that people around the world are more connected to each
other than ever before
 Goods, services and knowledge created in one economy are exchanged with other
economies around the world
 More and more outsourcing of some functions – for example, telemarketing and BPOs –
requires employees to collaborate across national boundaries via online and digital
technology
 “Key factors cited in the improvement included the diversity of our board of directors, which
is 38.4% more diverse than the average among top-50 companies, as well as our best-in-class
mentoring programs, which features cross-gender, cross-functional, cross-segment, cross-
generational and cross regional mentoring” – J & J, 2018
• Workforce Diversity
 An inclusive organisational culture is built on leadership that promotes diversity as well as
conditions, systems and procedures that enable employees from different backgrounds to
work together harmoniously
Factors Impacting Business Communication
• Digital Technology: Providing employees easy-to-use, productive and efficient
digital platforms and channels on which to perform work tasks
 Internal communication
 Communication with customers and clients
 Training and development
 Internal process improvements
• For an organisation to achieve sustainability, its leaders and senior management
must
 Communicate a clear vision and purpose
 Enable strategies to meet objectives and
 Be able to adapt flexibly to disruptions in the market such as the entry of new competitors or
creation of new competing products due to innovation
Factors Impacting Business Communication
• Knowledge Management
 The ‘knowledge age’ is the age of information and of the knowledge worker who specialises
in acquiring and transforming data into intellectual capital
 ‘Knowledge communication is defined as the (deliberate) activity of interactively conveying
and co-constructing insights, assessments, experiences, or skills through verbal and
nonverbal means’
Being Culturally Sensitive
• Why is it important to be culturally sensitive in business communication?
 Both culture and individual experience shape each person’s perception, style of
communication and interpretation of others’ intentional messages and unintentional
messages
• Some of these internalised rules relate to:
 Courtesies in speech, such as when to say ‘please’, ‘thank you’ or ‘excuse me’
 The meaning of ‘yes’ and ‘no’
 Rules of politeness – who can speak to whom, and who can begin a conversation
 Humor and irony
 Dress
 Use of time
 Deference to others
 Drinking alcohol
 Appropriate use of space in terms of proximity
Strategies for Effective Intercultural
Communication
 kuldeep.brahmbhatt@simc.edu

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Emotional Intelligence (EI)

Presented By:
Kuldeep B
Important Questions
• What is an emotional intelligence(EI)?
 Give Example/Your personal experiences
• Why are we studying EI as a part of business communication?
Some Evidences of EI Success
• Example 1: At L’Oreal, sales agents selected on the basis of certain emotional
competencies significantly outsold salespeople selected using the company’s old
selection procedure
 On an annual basis, salespeople selected on the basis of emotional competence sold $91,370
more than other salespeople did, for a net revenue increase of $2,558,360
 Salespeople selected on the basis of emotional competence also had 63% less turnover
during the first year than those selected in the typical way
• Example 2: In a national insurance company, insurance sales agents who were
weak in emotional competencies such as self-confidence, initiative, and empathy
sold policies with an average premium of $54,000. Those who were very strong in
at least 5 of 8 key emotional competencies sold policies worth $114,000
Some Evidences of EI Success
• Example 3: In a large beverage firm, using standard methods to hire division
presidents, 50% left within two years, mostly because of poor performance.
When they started selecting based on emotional competencies such as initiative,
self-confidence, and leadership, only 6% left in two years.
 Furthermore, the executives selected based on emotional competence were far more likely
to perform in the top three based on salary bonuses for performance of the divisions they led
 In addition, division leaders with these competencies outperformed their targets by 15 to 20
percent. Those who lacked them under-performed by almost 20%
• Example 4: Research by the Center for Creative Leadership has found that the
primary causes of derailment in executives involve deficits in emotional
competence. The three primary ones are difficulty in handling change, not being
able to work well in a team, and poor interpersonal relations
Emotional Intelligence
• Emotional intelligence is the ability to be aware of, recognise, use and manage
your emotions in positive ways
• Emotionally intelligent people are able to read emotional cues and signals such as
body language, facial expressions, types of words and tone
 Reading and paying attention to emotional cues provide valuable data about how the other
person feels
• Emotional intelligence is ‘a different way of being smart’, and involves:•
 Knowing what your feelings are and using your feelings to make decisions
 Being able to manage distressing moods and control impulses
 Being motivated and remaining optimistic when you have setbacks
 Having empathy and knowing what the people around you are feeling
 Having social skills that allow you to get along well with other people, manage emotions in
relationships and being able to persuade or lead others
Emotional Intelligence
• Employers are looking for employees who are emotionally as well as technically
competent
• Emotionally intelligent employees are also interpersonally intelligent
• Interpersonally intelligent people develop the nonverbal communication,
listening, feedback, questioning and assertiveness skills to read the mood,
feelings and intentions of those around them
 Interpersonally intelligent people communicate with warmth and complement their spoken
words with open, nonverbal signals such as a nod, a smile or gesture to show others that they
are attentive about their concerns
• Emotionally intelligent people can recognize negative emotions in self and others
and refocus on what is required to reach productive outcomes
EI - Example
• To meet the tender deadline, Mayur has to post the final document tomorrow
morning by 11 am. However, the Accounts Department hasn’t delivered the final
costing for the project
• How would you approach this?
 Rather than panicking and demanding others in the team stop what they are doing and help
out, Mayur phones Accounts, who reply, ‘It won’t be ready until 8 pm tonight.’
 He replies, ‘Not satisfactory but I’ll manage’. Mayur stays calm and then suggests to his
supervisor that he will leave work at 3 pm today and come in at 7 am tomorrow morning to
include the costings and finish compiling, binding and posting the tender
 His supervisor replies, ‘Good idea. Mayur, thanks for solving the problem’
Categories of EI
• Emotional intelligence can be broken down into two
broad categories and the four skills
• Personal competence allows leaders and team
members to understand their own emotions and
realise their impact on others (self-awareness), and
then direct their behaviour to achieve positive
outcomes (self-management/regulation)
• People with social competence understand other
people’s moods, behaviour and motives (social
awareness) and use this understanding to improve
the quality of relationships in workplace and social
settings (relationship management)
• Students with Work Experience, share your
experiences of Personal and Social Competence
How to improve EI?
Emotional Labour
• Emotional labour is the practice of controlling your own behaviour to display the
expected emotions (feeling rules) required to perform the interpersonal aspects
of a job efficiently and effectively
• Emotional labour occurs whenever a person alters their outward behaviour
(emotions, words and nonverbal communication) to conform to a workplace
norm
• Sustaining emotional labour in public interfaces is of prime importance
 Call centre experience
• Sustaining emotional labour
 Coaching and training, professional development and integrating emotional labour into
performance appraisals
Nonverbal Communication
• In EI, nonverbal plays a pivotal role, especially to generate social awareness
• Nonverbal communication consists of that part of a message not encoded in
words
 According to the research, 7% of the message is conveyed in the words, 38% of the message
is from the tone of the voice and 55% is conveyed through body language
• The nonverbal part of the message tends to be unconscious and often reveals the
sender’s feelings and preferences more spontaneously and honestly than the
verbal part
Nonverbal Messages
Classification of Nonverbal Communication
Classification of Nonverbal Communication
Classification of Nonverbal Communication
Classification of Nonverbal Communication
Process of Listening and Providing Feedback
• Emotionally intelligent people realise Types of Listening
the importance of Listening and
Feedback
• Listening
 There is a difference between hearing
and listening
 Concentration and a deliberate effort to
be interested in the speaker’s message
will increase listening effectiveness
Attending Listening
Examples of Listening Responses
The impact of a listener’s ineffective verbal
response
Feedback
• Effective
feedback
creates trust
and an open
relationship
between
sender and
receiver
• Types of
Feedback 
Questioning Skill
• Questions to be
asked 

• Questions to be
avoided 
 kuldeep.brahmbhatt@simc.edu

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Communication for
Employment

Presented By:
Kuldeep B
Important Questions
• What are the important aspects of Job Search in today’s world?
• What are the crucial components of Job Application?
• What are the tips to clear job interview?
Job Search
• Today, job searching is more than applying for a position and hoping to be called
for an interview
• A combination of strategies improves the chance of success
 Establishing an online social presence
– How many of you engage your selves on LinkedIn? How?
– Book: Be Social: Building Brand YOU Online by Karthik Srinivasan
 Targeting companies
 Creating a resume and cover letter that showcases your qualifications, skills, experiences and
strengths
• Successful job search depends on your ability to market yourself using networks,
contacts, your own initiative and seeking advice and guidance through
established employment and recruitment agencies
Actors involved in Job Search
• Employment/Recruitment Agency
 Matches the skills and qualifications of people with the requirements of the position
 Agency may have access to the registry of Naukri.Com
 Agencies keep their own register to fill immediate requirements
• Social Networking Sites
 Joining a business-oriented social networking site such as LinkedIn enables job seekers to increase
their online presence
 Members are able to establish their professional profile online, locate experts and ideas, stay in
touch with colleagues and explore new career opportunities
• Networking
 Many vacant positions are never advertised. Employers fill the position through their own
networks of professional and business contacts, or social and family contacts
 Thus, it is important to create your own network of friends, alumni network, sporting and social
clubs, and contacts at work
Actors involved in Job Search
• Direct Mail Campaigns
 When looking for a job, you may decide to go one step further and seek opportunities by
writing directly to companies
 This is known as cold canvassing, or a direct mail campaign. Applying for unadvertised
positions widens your opportunities
• Newspapers and Publications
 Times Ascent
 Rojgar Samachar(Employment News)
Job Application
• Two Parts
 The cover letter - Introduces
your qualifications for the job
and sets out to persuade the
employer to invite you to an
interview
 The resume - Summary of
your personal data:
education, skills,
qualifications, work
experience, references,
hobbies and interests
– It may also be referred to
as a curriculum vitae or
CV
• Cover letter: Applying AIDA
model 
Characteristics of Poor Covering Letter
Types of Resume
• Basic Resume
 Includes all the usual parts
of a resume with
appropriate headings, but
is simpler and shorter than
the functional resume.
 The basic resume suits
those who have just left
school or university or have
little work experience
Types of Resume
• Functional Resume
 Uses a different order of presentation from the basic resume
 As most employers are interested in seeing how your most recent experience matches their
needs, present your work experience first, starting with the most recent, and put the rest in
reverse chronological order
 Develop subheadings that highlight the job functions in which you have demonstrated
expertise – for example, supervisory, marketing or training skills – and responsibility
 Use the advertisement as a guide for highlighting specific functions and choosing keywords
for use in headings and resume content
• Remember to use white space to make your resume easier for the potential
employer to read and keywords to match the requirements of the position and
the recruiter
Optimize Resume for Keyword Searches
• An employer’s or recruiter’s database searches for keywords relating to:
 Job titles, responsibilities and descriptions
 Industry associated with
 Technical skills and computer knowledge
 General and specific abilities and personality traits
 Educational requirements including certificates, diplomas and degrees
• The software scans through thousands of resumes and identifies those that most closely
match the inputted keywords
• Examples
 ‘self-directed Project Officer–Urban Planner with high level project management skills and a
strong work ethic’
 ‘talented Customer Service Consultant with strong coordination and communication skills applied
to professional development of service teams and consultants in service delivery and quality
control’
 ‘accomplished in Financial Management and compliance activities’
 ‘nominated by the National Group for the Annual Customer Service Award’
Job Interview
Type of Interviews
Tasks by Interviewer for Job Interview
Tips for
Interviewee
Role Play for Job Interview
• Assume that Swiggy wants to appoint Social Media Manager for their Bangalore
office
• One student will play the role of Interviewer and the other one will be
interviewee
• The other members of the class will observe the act and later we will have a
discussion about what went right and what could have been improved
 kuldeep.brahmbhatt@simc.edu

Thank You 0 97 232 13 593

Organizing Workplace
Information

Presented By:
Kuldeep B
Important Questions
• What is a workplace communication?
• What is the importance of workplace information privacy?
Workplace Communication
• Communicating effectively in the organisation through face-to-face
communication, voicemails, emails, text messages, in meetings, presentations
and shared online and digital workspaces increases job satisfaction and
productivity
• Strengthening negotiation and conflict management skills helps you to build
common ground as you problem solve, find successful alternatives, and build and
maintain relationships
• Some of the most important skills employers look for,
 Adaptability, flexibility, dependability, ability to work well under pressure, positive attitude,
confidence and the ability to work well in a team
 Communication skills and the skills to organize and prioritize work are highly regarded
Workplace Information
• The collection and use
of good-quality
information is more
than just finding
information
• Information life-cycle
Information
Collection
• Methods to collect information
• If you are the Brand Manager at
Amazon India, which kind of reports
may help you to grow your
business?
• Have you heard of Syndicated
Research Report?
 A research funded by market research
companies and the results of such
research is made available to everyone
who wishes to purchase it
 Consumer Lifestyle Trends; EV market
in India; Group M Media Trends 2021
Organize Information
• Factors to consider
 Who will use the information?
 What is their purpose in using it?
 How will it be circulated?
• How will the organized information be used?
 Analysis
 Decision Making
 Strategies and Plans
• Common ways to organize and categories information include by:
 Function or Business Activity, for example, Supplier Management, WHS Policies and Procedures
 Subject or Type, for example, Project New Recruits, Customer Complaints
 Date, for example, Quarter, Fiscal or Calendar Year
 Workgroup or Organizational Unit, for example, Human Resources or Payroll
• Information Disposal
 Out dated information needs to be disposed off
 Important information needs to be archived
Use and Share Information
• The purpose of using and sharing information such as customer satisfaction
levels, the organization's financial performance or the workgroup’s operational
performance is to inform decision making, recognize stakeholders’ efforts and
facilitate cost, time and quality improvement
• Product research and development information builds expertise and knowledge
about what is happening in the market
• Information sharing enables managers and their teams to fulfill their
responsibilities more efficiently
• Importance of information sharing for Collaboration and Consultation
Good Practices for Using and Sharing
Information
• Recording who requested the information, what information was requested, the
date and time of the request, when and how the information was delivered and
when it is to be returned
• Understanding fully the type of information that is required and knowing where
to access up-to-date and relevant information
• Recognizing the urgency of the request and responding within a suitable
timeframe
• Prioritizing requests with the most urgent request being answered first
• Ensuring access is restricted to the people who don’t have the authority to access
confidential information
• Requested information may be delivered personally, electronically or posted;
however, keep track of the information
Workplace Information
• Throughout this process it is essential to maintain the privacy and security of
information
• Information is a key business asset that informs an organisation’s code of
conduct, organisational policies, guidelines and requirements
• Management uses information to meet legal and accountability requirements: for
example, workplace health and safety (WHS) regulation, policies, procedures and
programs
• Good-quality information creates the knowledge from which ideas, patterns and
relationships emerge
 kuldeep.brahmbhatt@simc.edu

Thank You 0 97 232 13 593

Work Priorities & Professional
Development

Presented By:
Kuldeep B
Important Questions
• What do you understand by work priorities?
 Do you know about work group goals? Give examples.
 How do you prioritize your activities?
 Do you feel the importance of time management? How has the importance of time
management been in the digitally distracted world?
• What do you understand by professional development?
Goals, Objectives and Plans
• Goals
 Statements of what an organization wants to achieve
– Improve service levels
– Improve profitability
– Increase efficiency
• Objectives
 The measurable outcomes that a goal sets out to achieve
 Goal: Improve customer service
 Objectives:
– Enhance customer satisfaction by 25% over the period of next one year
– The % of brand loyal customers should be increased at least by 10% in FY 2021-22
– Increase the customer lifetime value by 10% in the within the segment of premium products
– Improve the customer retention by 10% in comparison to past financial year
Goals, Objectives and Plans
• SMART Objectives
 S – Specific: What is to be done? Customer satisfaction; Customer lifetime value; Brand
Loyalty
 M – Measurable: 10% increase in brand loyalty
 A – Achievable: Achievable within the given timeframe
 R – Relevant: Brand Advocacy is an important aspect but, is it the part of Customer Service?
 T – Time Referenced: Check progress against timeframes and deadlines
• Workgroup plans:
 Identify clearly the activities that will address the workgroup’s key performance
 Work schedules, sales plans, reporting plans, production plans and budgetary plans are
examples of different types of workgroup plans
 Effective workgroup plans outline ‘how, when, where, why, what and who’
Workgroup Goals and Plans
• Workgroup plans are Levels of Organizational Planning
developed for routine
daily, weekly or monthly
activities
• They are developed by
managers, supervisors,
team leaders and project
managers to outline the
specific actions required
for task achievement
 Focuses on Timeframes,
Targets and Resources
(Financial, Human and
Physical)
Goal-setting
• Path to Goal Achievement
• Advantages of Goal Setting
 The individual or workgroup is focused
on the end result
 Confusion is avoided and activity is
productive
 All those involved have the chance to
see how their individual activities
contribute to results
 The workgroup manager and team are
working in a systematic way that
maximises productivity
Prioritize Activities

In a typical agency environment, give examples of Primary, Secondary and Urgent activities.
Time Management
Nine point plan for effective time management
Time Management
Identify your time savers and time wasters
Time Management
• Work that can be done by others
should be delegated
• What are the advantages and
drawbacks of work delegation?
• Some of the reasons for not delegating
are:
 Feeling inadequate because you cannot do
everything yourself (when you believe you
should)
 Not knowing how to delegate
 Being afraid the job will take longer if
someone else does it
• Process of effective delegation
Time Management
• Discretionary time
 Time used to do those things that are an integral and rewarding part of your work
• Strategies to maximize productivity
 Monitor the way you use discretionary time
– Gives you factual information about how you use it
 Create a block of discretionary time at that time of the day when you perform at your
greatest efficiency
 Let your coworkers know about your planned unavailability
– The only exception is an emergency
Job Analysis
• Person who
understands the
structure and
functions of their
job knows what they
need to do to
perform well in it
Job Description
• Job description specifies the duties, tasks and activities to be performed
 What is to be done and usually the standard to which it is to be done
Professional Development
Professional development
enables you to acquire the
personal and technical
knowledge, skills and
attitudes required to
effectively and efficiently
undertake the day-to-day
tasks and duties that are
KPAs in your position
 kuldeep.brahmbhatt@simc.edu

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Presentations and Speeches

Presented By:
Kuldeep B
Important Questions
• How many of you have given public speech/presentation? What all aspects did
you consider?
• What are the important aspects which one needs to consider while preparing for
the speech or presentations?
 Types of Public Speaking and Presentations
• The prepared speech is planned and organised before presentation
 Prepare an outline and notes to prompt you and your delivery will appear spontaneous and
relaxed
 •Put important ideas, phrases, quotations and statistics in note form and try to add some extra
comments when you present your speech
 •Avoid reading the speech word for word so you can:
– Maintain eye contact with your audience to hold their interest
– Note the audience’s response to your presentation
 Types of Public Speaking and Presentations
• The impromptu speech is an unexpected special occasion or a courtesy speech such
as a welcome, introduction or acknowledgement delivered without preparation
 Think quickly and clearly to organize your information
 Analyze the situation and speak briefly and to the point
•Follow this order of presentation:
– Indicate clearly the reason for the speech
– Explain its relevance to the organization or audience
– Conclude with some of the characteristics of the individual or organization receiving the
recognition
 Types of Public Speaking and Presentations
• The manuscript speech
 Suited to longer, more technical and difficult situations such as
– Business presentations at meetings or conferences, legal presentations, parliamentary
addresses, press releases or speeches that will be reported or quoted
 How to go about it?
– Research, structure and write the content
– Read the manuscript but maintain eye contact with the audience as often as possible
– Use devices like wide margins, large type and double spacing of the manuscript to help you
read it
– Avoid reading the entire speech word for word
– Using facial expressions and gestures
 Types of Public Speaking and Presentations
• A podcast is an audio recording that can be accessed on demand
 Use podcasts to replace or supplement conference calls, training courses, briefings and other
group communication activities
 •Organise and structure the content to make it easy for the audience to understand
 •Identify your purpose clearly in the introduction; •
Provide supporting details in the main body
and Conclude by reinforcing and summarizing the main idea
• A briefing session is a short oral summary or report of a plan, event or operation
 Aim to inform, propose or justify solutions, or persuade your audience
 Prepare the briefing, concentrating on its main purpose:
– Present background information
– Discuss alternatives
– Analyze advantages and disadvantages and outline their impact
 Encourage audience participation, questions, suggestions and show interest in audience
response
Remarkable Speeches
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFPwDe22CoY
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=keCwRdbwNQY

• Which type of speech is it?

• What are your takeaways from the speech?
Objectives of Presentations/Speeches
Plan the Presentation/Speech
• Determine the purpose
 Objectives of the speech, Identifying your audience’s expectations and needs
• Analyze the audience
 In terms of their experience, age, interests and reason for attending the presentation
• Consider the context and setting
 Like informal gathering of colleagues or a very formal public presentation
• Identify your main ideas
 Show why your presentation and ideas matter
 Expand each main point with examples, stories and images
• Research supporting material
Write the Presentation/Speech
• Structure and write it
 Introduction
– Pose a question; Relate a short anecdote; Present an interesting fact; Use humour
appropriate to the audience and topic
 Main Body
– Personal experiences; Examples and illustrations; Facts and statistics
 Conclusion
– a relevant anecdote; A quotation; An example; A recommendation
• Rewrite it for the ear
 A concise, simple structure that is easy to follow; verbs in the active voice, with simple tenses;
words that are easy to hear and understand; words that sound right together; breathing spaces
that give the message impact; words that help the listener to connect the introduction, body and
conclusion
• Practice and revise it
• Organize the visual aids and other support materials
Choose your Aids and Materials
• Computer simulations, electronic presentations and PowerPoint or Prezi
presentations (Interactive Visual Presentation; www.prezi.com)
• Diagrams, charts and posters
• Paper-based materials and models
• Whiteboard and projector, video and audio recordings
Create Effective Presentation
• Animation, Transition and Build
 Functional animation refers to motion that is directly related to your message
 Transitions control how one slide replaces another on the screen by adding motion between
slides
 Builds control the release of text, graphics and other elements on individual slides
• Hyperlinks
• Signature elements
 Logos, slogans and packaging are the visual signature of an organisation
• Multimedia
 Multimedia software enables you to create business presentations, design interactive
product demonstrations, tutorials, brochures, movies, cartoons, walk-through
demonstrations, advertisements and other business applications
• Intellectual Property
Deliver the Presentation
• ABC Packaging Technique

• Non-verbal communication
 A range of nonverbal behaviors can modify or change your spoken presentation by repeating,
contradicting, substituting, complementing or accenting certain words
 Some examples are:
– Posture
– Facial expressions
– Appearance and dress
– Hand, arm, shoulder and head gestures
– Voice quality, volume and articulation, and variation in the rate of speech
Handling the Difficult Members of an Audience
Action Plan for Noisy Audiences
Exercise
Case Details
• Assume you work as the manager of a medium-sized travel agency. Your agency has
booked most rooms for the Taj Group of Hotels over the past 12 months in-comparision
to any other travel agency in the world
• As part of reward for this achievement, CEO of Taj Group is coming to visit your travel
agency in three weeks’ time
• When you hear the news, you immediately start preparing a speech to deliver to your
staff
• You must inform them of when CEO will arrive, what will happen during his visit, who will
be responsible for the range of tasks to be completed on the day, and what pre-visit
arrangements need to be made
Task
• Prepare and deliver a speech for this information session. Invent the necessary details
 kuldeep.brahmbhatt@simc.edu

Thank You 0 97 232 13 593

Negotiations and Conflict
Management

Presented By:
Kuldeep B
Important Questions
• What is negotiation?
• What is conflict management? Share your experiences
Negotiation
• Negotiation is a process in which two or more parties try to resolve differences,
solve problems and reach agreement
• Meets as many interests as possible with an agreement that is durable
• Deals with any conflict before it escalates and aims to avoid damage to
relationships
• Negotiators exchange information, discuss alternatives, and make offers and
counter offers
 Communication should be a two-way street
Negotiation Strategies
• Win–win strategies aim to meet the needs of both parties, not to win positions
or gain victories at one party’s expense
 Assertive communication, good verbal and nonverbal communication and careful listening all
help to achieve it
• Win–lose strategies result in the party who initiates the conflict being satisfied
and the other dissatisfied
 Focuses on the initiator’s problem to the exclusion of the other’s
 The initiator wins
 Many people who adopt this strategy use a confusing presentation or a dominating style of
speech and body language
Negotiation Strategies
• Lose–win strategies give a situation in which the initiator is dissatisfied and the
other is satisfied
 In an extreme case, the win–lose and the lose–win styles of negotiation can lead to a
deadlock followed by the lose–lose result
• Lose–lose strategies lead to situations where agreement cannot be reached –
both parties walk away from the negotiation dissatisfied
 Occurs when the objectives of both parties are too rigid, or when both parties are unable to
collaborate
 A third party may mediate to help them reach a solution, or arbitrate and make the decision
on behalf of both parties
Impact of Negotiation Options on
Relationships & Goal Achievement
• Two Outcomes:
Relationship
Building & Goal
Achievement
• X Axis – Goal
Achievement
• Y Axis –
Relationship
Building
Examples
• Collaboration – Consequence : I win, you win
 Two training companies are involved in information technology training. Both are competing
for limited Commonwealth Government funding of programs
 The training companies arrange a meeting and, after much deliberation and negotiation,
decide to join forces and collaborate in tendering and allocating resources to meet the
demand
• Compromise - Consequence: I win and lose, you win and lose
 The manager of a small organisation requests ideas for a sales promotion. Two employees
each make presentations to the manager. He suggests they negotiate and make a decision on
which is the better proposal
 During negotiations, the two employees compromise and agree to present a proposal that
includes ideas from both submissions
Examples
• Competition - Consequence: I win, you lose
 Two divisional managers, Amrita and Aditya, have arranged staff meetings on the same day
 Secretarial assistance is required to prepare agendas and record minutes of the meetings. It will
not be possible for the secretarial staff to accommodate both
 One of the meetings will have to be moved to another day
 The two divisional managers confer and the competition over available resources results in Aditya
having to postpone his staff meeting to later in the week
 Aditya resolves that, should this situation happen again, he will make certain he is not the one to
postpone his meeting
• Accommodation - Consequence: I lose, you win
 Two teachers have been given programs that result in one teacher having all senior classes and the
other only junior classes.
 The teacher who has been given the junior classes feels there should be a more equitable
distribution of classes as the senior students are more interesting to teach
 After discussion, and in consultation with the head teacher, the teacher who has been given the
senior classes agrees to change her program and both teachers are given a mixture of senior and
junior classes
Examples
• Withdrawal or avoidance - Consequence: I lose, you lose
 Two business partners have agreed they need more space and more exposure to passing
customers
 One partner wants to rent a large office in an upmarket area at a rent considerably more than
they are paying at present
 The other wants to rent larger premises in the area they are presently in, stating they are
known there and the small increase would be affordable
 After three meetings to negotiate the move into larger premises, one partner decides it is not
worth the effort and refuses to discuss the matter
 Withdrawal from the negotiations means negotiations break down and they remain in the
smaller premises. Neither is satisfied
Personal Styles in Negotiations
• Self-denying people may be difficult to negotiate with because they are introverted, hide
their feelings and ideas and are reticent with information, especially feedback
• Self-protecting people use diversionary tactics, such as discussing other people or side-
tracking to other issues, to hide their true feelings and their ideas
• Self-exposing people wish to be the centre of attention and may demand this attention
by speaking loudly, speaking over others, using attention-seeking body language, or
ignoring feedback and others’ views
• Self-bargaining people will show you their feelings and ideas if you show yours first and
wait until you lead them into negotiation before they open up; they only negotiate when
others initiate the process
• Self-actualising people are the ideal negotiators, as they want information and feedback
from others and present information and feedback constructively to aid the negotiation
process and to achieve goals and results without any conflict
Power in Negotiation
Emotional Intelligence (EI) in Negotiation
• The verbal and nonverbal communication of emotionally intelligent negotiators is
open, confident and oriented to the needs and concerns of both parties
• They have
 Open and non-threatening body language and vocal qualities
 Attentive listening to focus on the speaker(s)
 Encouraging listening to invite the speaker(s) to continue
 Reflective listening, paraphrasing and summarizing to clarify and understand
 Active listening to show empathy with the speaker
 Positive informative and immediate feedback that focuses on behavior to describe what has
been done, or needs to be done
Conflict Management
• Conflict management is the
practice of being able to identify
and handle conflicts sensibly,
fairly, and efficiently
• It may arise due to task allocation,
personality clashes,
disagreements regarding problem
solving and lack of cooperation in
meeting deadlines
• Five levels of conflict
 Discomfort  incident 
misunderstanding  tension
crisis
Personal qualities of a good negotiator of
conflict
Conflict Management Strategies
Exercise
• Aditya’s monthly team meeting was due to commence, but before the meeting he met
with Amrita to discuss an issue from the last meeting
• At each meeting, a different client is invited for a Q&A session. During the previous
meeting Amrita had asked the client a question, ‘When you die, are you going to leave
your original artwork to the College?’
• The question was poorly worded and insensitive. Before the next meeting Aditya asked
Amrita to think about the wording of any questions she may have for the visiting client
and reminded her that the question she asked at the previous meeting had caused
offence to the client
• Amrita became defensive and snapped, ‘Well, I just won’t ask any questions at all, then.’
Aditya said, ‘Amrita, that is not what I am asking, I am only suggesting that you be
mindful of how your questions may be received by the client. Amrita again stated she
would not be asking questions in future
Exercise
• Aditya told Amrita that was fine and it was completely her choice
• Amrita argued that this was not her choice, but Aditya’s decision. Amrita clearly wanted
to argue the point, but Aditya ended the conversation
• After the meeting, Amrita approached Aditya and apologised for her behaviour. He
accepted her apology, but reminded her that he is her manager and needs to be spoken
to in a respectful manner
Questions
• How would you describe Amrita’s response to conflict?
• How could Amrita have responded to the feedback regarding her question during the
previous meeting in a more professional manner?
• What could Aditya have done to address this issue from the previous meeting in a more
timely manner?
• What could Aditya have done to de-escalate the conflict?
 kuldeep.brahmbhatt@simc.edu

Thank You 0 97 232 13 593

Gather, Analyze and Present
Information

Presented By:
Kuldeep B
Types of Information
Types of Information
Research Process
Sources of Information
• Primary Sources
 Methods of Data Collection: Surveys, Product Sampling, In-depth Interviews, Focus Group
Discussions, Experiments, Observations
• Secondary Sources
 Library catalogues (Online computer information system); Periodicals and Journals;
Syndicated Reports; Archives (historic and public information); Current information through
news paper, magazine, television, radio etc.
• Importance of credibility for sources
• Avoid plagiarism
Analyze the Information
• Deductive Approach
 More general to more specific
 The researcher begins by thinking up a theory about the research topic of interest. The topic
of interest is narrowed down into specific hypotheses designed to test
 Generally adopted from quantitative methods
 Statistical analysis: Inferential Statistics and Descriptive Statistics
• Inductive Approach
 Moving from the specific to the more general
 Researcher begins with specific observations and measures. Then, as patterns and
regularities emerge, some tentative propositions are made
 Generally adopted from qualitative methods
 Thematic analysis; Qualitative content analysis etc.
• Abductive approach
 Combination of Deductive and Inductive
Reference Sources of Information
• References (or citations) acknowledging your information sources are presented
by using some form of systematic notation
• Notation can be inserted at three different places in the document:
 As a citation in the text (the author–date system)
– Kulkarni (2021); Kulkarni and Bhatia (2021); Kulkarni et al. (2021)
– Referencing Styles
• APA (American Psychological Association); MLA (Modern Languages Association); Harvard
System; Chicago
Reference Sources of Information
 As a footnote at the bottom of the page

 As an endnote placed at the end of the document

– Endnotes provide more information about a
source or concept in the paper
– Even if you use endnotes, you'll still need a
bibliography or reference list

• Difference between References and

Bibliography
Presenting through Visual Communication
• Visual communication is a powerful tool, and has the ability to communicate
important concepts to an audience through graphics
• Infographics
 Express data in a visual format that is easy to understand
 The goal is to present information in a way that can be seen and understood immediately
Visual Design Principles
Different Types of Graphics
Different Types of Graphics
Graphics
Graphics
Flowchart Home loan Application Process
Cause and Effect Diagrams
Infographics
 kuldeep.brahmbhatt@simc.edu

Thank You 0 97 232 13 593

Effective Business Writing

Presented By:
Kuldeep B
Important Questions
• Explain the features of effective business writing.
• What are the different pieces of business writing?
Your Views, Please!
Business Letter
Effective Business Writing
• It conveys a clear and unambiguous message to a receiver
 Also generates goodwill in that receiver
• Putting yourself in reader’s place is very important
• Pieces of business writing
 Email, letters, reports, pamphlets, blogs, Twitter, Facebook or other channels of written
communication
• Take time to identify your purpose, consider your receiver, decide what you want
to say and put this in a logical sequence
• Important Components,
 Words, sentences, paragraphs and layout
• At the editing stage,
 Check for accuracy and completeness
 Writing is logical, clear and concise
Purposes of Business Writing
• Conveying information, as in a financial report
• Explaining or justifying actions already taken, as in a decision to open a branch in
another city
• Influencing the receiver to take some action, such as to transfer to online
shopping
• Delivering good or bad news, such as a job offer or a refusal for credit
• Instructing and directing, such as instructing the delivery of materials by a certain
date
Writing Process
Consider Audience Characteristics
• Before you begin writing, consider audience characteristics such as:
 Knowledge and experience levels
 Level of language, literacy and numeracy
 Educational and professional background
 Economic status, political, social and religious beliefs
 Level of information the audience have about the subject – novice, general reader, specialist
or expert
– An audience without special or expert knowledge will need more background
information and more definition and description, supported by attractive graphics or
visuals
 The context in which they will be reading the piece of writing (newspaper, textbook, popular
magazine, specialised journal or on the internet)
• It would help you for,
 How to write & How much to write
Seven Components of Writing Style
• Words (language)
• Sentences
• Paragraphs
• Rhythm or flow
• Tone
• Order of information
• Layout or format
Language
• Language is the communication tool that
expresses meaning and gives a form to ideas,
feelings and events as you transmit them to
others
Guidelines
• Use Simple Language
 Familiar, unambiguous words that move straight to
the point make the reader’s task simple, and
ensure that the message is immediately clear
• Remove Unnecessary Words
 Certain common examples 
Language
• Avoid Cliches (Cliches - overused words and
phrases that have lost meaning and impact)
 Certain examples 
• Use specific language
 When dealing with the customer complaint of ‘old
vehicle’, try writing the company name, brand name,
model name and year of manufacturing
• Use technical terms prudently
 Avoid them when you write for those who are not
familiar with them
 IT person making important announcement to all the
employees about system malfunction and using the
words Mother Board, Ports, Pixels
Language
• Use active voice
 The active voice communicates simply and directly, and lets the reader know exactly who
does what
 Certain Examples
Language
• Choose Non-discriminatory, inclusive language
 The discrimination through language may happen at the level of
– Gender
• Avoid using male-dominated terms to describe occupations or roles that are shared by both
men and women
• Unnecessary mention of a person’s gender
• When referring to someone whose gender is not specified, avoid using the male pronoun ‘he’
exclusively. Use ‘he or she’, or simply use the plural pronoun
• Eg. If employees are late, ask them to explain
– Age
– Disability
– Race, ethnicity, national origin
– Patronizing expressions
 Resentment and communication barriers occur when language reinforces stereotypes or
excludes certain groups of people
Language
Gender Bias
Language
Age Bias

Disability Bias
Language
Race, Ethnicity Bias

Patronizing Expressions
Sentence Structure
• The sentence is the pattern in which your written ideas are presented
• Three types of sentences
 A simple sentence
– One clause – the main clause – which stands alone; •only one idea or action, expressed in one
clause; •only one finite verb – that is, one verb with a subject
– Example: Ann carried the files
 A compound sentence
– Two main clauses that could stand alone –that is, two simple sentences usually joined with a
connecting word such as ‘and’ or ‘but’; •two or more main ideas or actions, expressed in two
main clauses
– •Example: Ann carried the files and Rekha arranged the stationary
 A complex sentence
– One main clause and one or more subordinate (dependent) clauses; more than one idea
contained in the main clause; at least one other idea that relates to or depends on the main
clause
– Example: Ann carried the files, which were important for meeting
Sentence Structure
• Unity in sentence ideas is very important
• Sentence length
 Short and compact are easier to read
• Sentence sprawl
 ‘The student display had been planned for Tuesday September 25 but there were some people who
were not going to be available, so they rescheduled it for Thursday, September 27, and then all people
would be able to attend’
 Too many ideas to grasp
• Punctuations
 Punctuation achieves for written communication what pauses and inflection do for spoken
communication
• Readability
 The general rule in business correspondence is to
keep sentences short and compact: 15–20 words each
will make them easier to understand
Paragraph Structure
• A paragraph is a cluster of sentences built around one main idea or point
• Mostly in the workplace documents, below mentioned structure may help for
Introductory Paragraph
 Begin with a statement of the subject
 A statement of the intention of the piece of writing
 Background information
 A question, anecdote or opinion
• Later paragraphs

• Paragraph length
 Consider varying paragraph length to give variety to your writing
 Remember that paragraphs provide relief to the eye. White space is important, as it breaks
up blocks of printed material that could otherwise overwhelm or discourage the reader
Rhythm
• As people read, they follow the writer’s rhythm – the flow of ideas and the
pauses that halt the flow to emphasise a point
• To vary your writing rhythm, use the following:
 A full stop
 A new paragraph
 A topic sentence
 A simple sentence
 A longer complex or compound sentence
 Repetition of key words
 Headings and subheadings
 Linking words and phrases
Tone
• Tone is an important part of your message
• The reader, like the listener, interprets meaning not only from the words but also
from your choice of words, and even from the way you arrange them
• A courteous, confident tone is appropriate for business writing, or for offering an
opinion, stating a fact or asking a question
 An aggressive or patronising tone is unacceptable
• When we give a command or direction we use the imperative tense
 ‘Pass the ball to the left-winger’ or ‘Leave the computer turned on’
 The imperative changes tone and becomes more courteous if we add: ‘Please’
– Adding ‘Please’ has nothing to do with the hierarchy
• The question, ‘How could you have been so silly as to post the parcel to the
wrong address?’ has an angry and belittling tone
 The words ‘How could you’ and ‘silly’ in the sentence would make the receiver defensive,
because the tone is judgemental and unkind
Order of Information
• The introductory paragraph(s) of any business document explains the main
purpose of the document and allows the reader to anticipate what the document
is about, why they have received the document and what the writer wants them
to do
• The main body:
 Is broken into paragraphs and begins each paragraph with a topic sentence
 Proceeds in a logical and organised way, moving from general to specific information
 Arranges information logically and in order of importance to the reader
 Organises each section around only one main idea and keeps similar information together
Layout
• Readers begin to identify a document by its physical appearance (format, size and
complexity)
• Based on past experience, a reader will have preconceptions about the
appropriate size and general layout of that kind of document; for example, email,
business letter or proposal
• Before they read the content, readers often flick through a document. They
quickly recognise the type of business document and pick up structural cues and
features, such as headings, styles and graphics
• Any feature that is different from accepted standards will catch the reader’s
attention
• Consequently, business writers can use headings of different sizes, varying styles
and charts or tables to emphasise elements and accentuate different kinds of
information
Writing Email
Email Writing
• An Email is a formal communication
• A professional email message should be courteous and confident
• Avoid,
 Writing an angry email response
– Features of a hostile email are no salutation, many bolded words and an excessive
amount of capital letters
– A hostile, angry email is rude and disrespectful to the receiver and may invite a nasty
reply
 Spelling mistakes
 Using a vague or non-specific subject line
 Sending an email with a blank subject line
 Research suggests the optimal subject line length is between 41 characters to 70 characters
for gmail because we largely view emails on smartphones
Email Writing
• Email Policy
 The objectives of an email policy are to
provide guidance to employees about how
to send effective emails and answer them
within an appropriate timeframe
 An effective policy also sets out rules for
the personal use of email and states clearly
what is considered as inappropriate email
content and use
Six common types of Emails
• An instruction email
 Used to provide all the information
receivers need to carry out the instructions
confidently
 The instructions are logically arranged so
that they stand out clearly: introduction,
main point, secondary information and
action
 The tone is pleasant and it includes all the
necessary details
Email Writing
• Request Email
 The objective of the request email is to ask the receiver for certain information or action
 It is arranged in the following way: the main point, then the secondary idea or details, then
the action required
Email Writing
• Announcement Email
 The announcement email provides information. It follows the organisation method suggested
for writing good news letters
 The announcement comes first, followed by the secondary details or information, and then
the required action
Email Writing
• Transmittal Email
 The transmittal email is the
cover note that accompanies
a more formal or lengthy
message
Email Writing
• Authorization Email
 The authorization email gives
someone permission or
authority to do something
 It presents the:
– background information
first
– then the main point
– and, finally, secondary
details and action
Email Writing
• Confirmation Email
 The objective of the
confirmation email is to offer
a courteous response that
helps clarify what is expected
of you.
 The inclusion of specific
details such as goals,
expectations, dates and
other details avoids
misunderstanding and
problems

 Can email be a combination

of multiple types?
Exercise
• Suppose, you are a founder of the newly launched Digital Marketing Agency.
• For the Brand X, your employee has generated a crisis like situation through
improper promotional communication.
• Now, you are expected to do the first communication to the CEO of Brand X.
Please write an email for the current scenario.
• Make necessary assumptions whenever needed.
Memo Writing
• Memos were one of the main forms of written workplace communication
• They were almost always printed and distributed internally; however, as
organisations move to paperless communication, memos are increasingly
replaced by emails
• Announcement Memo
Writing Screen Based Content
• What is screen based writing?
• Readers of screen-based content tend to read in a less linear fashion than readers
of paper-based text
• Paper-based readers start reading at the top-left of the page, moving horizontally
across the first line to the right-hand margin. They then repeat the process,
moving down the page line by line
• The screen-based reading behavior is characterized by
 More time spent on browsing and scanning, keyword spotting, one-time reading, non-linear
reading, and reading more selectively, while less time is spent on in-depth reading, and
concentrated reading
Writing Screen Based Content
• Scannable text incorporates:
 Clear, concise content written in the active voice rather than passive voice
 Inverted pyramid style of writing with the most important content on the screen in the first
paragraph so that readers who scan will not miss the main idea
 One topic per paragraph with words and topic sentences that make sense to the audience
and provide the appropriate amount of information
 Lists and headings wherever possible to ‘chunk’ the content and make it easier to scan
 Obvious and relevant navigation items with clear hypertext links of between one and five
words in length
Writing for Social Media
• Typical activities writers engage in when using social media platforms such as
Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Pinterest and Instagram, as well as
discussions in online forums, are blogging, messaging and tweeting
• The object of writing in a conversational style with a welcoming, familiar tone is
to create engagement with the reader
• Get attention by
 Placing the main point at the beginning of the message
 Using clear, simple language to get the message across
 Avoiding confusing and unprofessional ‘txt speak’, jargon and slang
 Keeping the message to one simple offer, point or piece of news to make it easy for the
receiver to respond
• Importance of Hashtags
Writing for Social Media
Exercise:
• Suppose, you are working as an intern with Digital Marketing Agency
• Randomly take any brand as your client and create the Social Media Post for the
Dashehra Festival
Blogging
• A blog (an abbreviation of weblog) is a website containing dated written entries
from one or more contributors on a specific topic in reverse chronological order
• The entries can be combined with music, audio, photographs and video
• Blog Format
 A blog’s format is dependent on purpose, audience needs and content
 The format may include, for example, logos, headings, lists, menu bars, navigation buttons,
and links to related, credible information
 A sidebar that offers tools to navigate the history of a blog and other posts on the blog
encourages more engagement from readers
 A calendar/archive of posts helps those who are new to a blog to search the older posts
 A consistent box or sidebar is a helpful way to let readers know which are the most popular
posts
Blogging
• As a general rule, blog posts should be at least 400 to 500 words in order to be
effective for SEO
An effective blog:
• Positions the points most relevant to the audience above the page fold
• Has a courteous, informal and conversational writing style
• Parallels the culture of the organisation and applies the conventions expected in
business forms of communication
• Contains features such as topic headers, sub-headings, bulleted lists, hyperlinks
and site search functions to enable the reader to scan and find the most relevant
point(s) quickly
 kuldeep.brahmbhatt@simc.edu

Thank You 0 97 232 13 593

Writing Business Letters

Presented By:
Kuldeep B
Business Letters
• Have you written any business letter? Share the purpose and the format.
• At work, we write letters for many different reasons:
 To initiate a business contact
 To reply to someone,
 To give directions
 To make requests
 To persuade a potential customer to buy something
 To encourage a customer to pay an overdue account
• Follow 3 step writing process
 Step 1: Planning
 Step 2: Writing
 Step 3: Completing
Layout or Format
Types of Layout
• Full block layout
 Full block is the most popular form of layout. Each paragraph starts against the left margin, and so
do the complimentary close and the signature block
 Other parts such as identification of enclosures, file numbers and copied-to notations are also set
out this way
 Full block is an attractive, modern layout that is easy to read
• Full block layout with centred letterhead
 The organisation’s name, address, telephone number and email address are centred across the top
of the page
 The remainder of the letter follows the full block format
• Modified block layout
 Modified block layout centres the sender’s address, or aligns it with the right-hand margin
 The date is placed straight underneath and in line with the sender’s address
 The inside address and the greeting are placed against the left-hand margin, and so is each
paragraph
Punctuation Style
• Punctuation styles for business letters include the open style and the mixed style
• Open style omits punctuation from all parts of the letter except the body
 It does not use punctuation for the greeting or complimentary close
• The mixed style places a comma after the greeting and after ‘Yours faithfully’ or
‘Yours sincerely’ at the close
Writing Good News or Neutral Letters
• They may be written in order to, for instance, grant a loan or extend credit, make
an inquiry, introduce your organisation or service to potential customers,
acknowledge receipt, inform members of an organisation about its activities,
extend an agreement, make a request or create goodwill
• Writing Plan
Writing Good News or Neutral Letters
Four types,
• An Inquiry:
 A letter of inquiry asks others to supply information and/or ideas
 Most inquiries are routine – for example, about a product or service
 This kind of practical information will be used by someone who has to fill an order or provide
a service; or they may pass it to someone else
• A Request
 A purchase order is an example of a specific request
 A purchase order is made usually by ordering from the sales representative in person, by
telephoning the company, or by filling out and sending off an order form
 When you order by writing a letter, authorise the purchase in the first sentence
 Make sure you include all the relevant details – order number, quantity, price and date of
delivery – and describe the item in detail
Writing Good News or Neutral Letters
Four types,
• A letter of acknowledgement
 Acknowledges requests for information, confirms orders, supplies information and thanks the
reader. It also maintains goodwill
• Letters of introduction
 Aim to establish contact, goodwill and an opportunity for future sales
 Many real estate agents and car salespeople send them
Writing a Bad-News Letter
• A bad-news letter is a refusal. It is, therefore, likely to disappoint the reader
• It is a difficult letter to write successfully because you must convey the bad news
yet maintain the receiver’s goodwill
• They are written, for instance, to refuse credit, refuse a request, decline to speak
at a function, decline to donate time or money, notify an unsuccessful job
applicant or explain why you are unable to fulfill an order
• Writing Plan
Writing a Bad-News Letter
Declining an Invitation
Writing Persuasive Letters
• A persuasive letter is written to influence the reader in some way
• In business, this may mean persuading the reader to buy a product, to pay an
overdue account or to consider an application for work
• Writing Plan: Follow AIDA
Writing Persuasive
Letter
Writing and a
Complaint
Responding to a
Complaint
Writing Short Reports
Short Reports
• A report, whether long or short, presents comprehensive information on a
specific subject.
• Its main function is to inform
 Sometimes, it also offers expert opinion or advice to managers, to help them check on
progress, plan for the future and make decisions
• Three methods of arranging information
Short Report Formats
Six Types of Short Reports
1. The justification report,
 Presents an idea or proposal
and follows this with evidence
to support it
Six Types of Short Reports
2. The progress report,
 The progress report is an
essential part of the
organisation’s management
information system
 It sends objective, factual
information, usually to
management, on the progress of
a task and on timetables for
future work and completion
 Progress Report in Memo
Format
Six Types of Short Reports
3. Periodic report,  Sales Reports by executives for the targets
 A periodic report is the most common achieved on a monthly basis or a quarterly
report prepared in business basis
 Its purpose is to inform management, at 4. Form Report,
regular intervals, about some aspect of  A form report is a cost-effective way to
the organisation’s operation over a collect information
specifie period
 Its standard layout enables information
 May be prepared and circulated daily, from various sources to be gathered and
weekly, fortnightly or monthly arranged consistently
 An accounts receivable clerk may, for
example, prepare a monthly report on
debtors, showing accounts overdue, with
an explanation of the steps taken to
recover the debts
Six Types of
Short Reports
5. Analytical report
 Generally written
by experts and are
used to examine a
problem and
recommend a set
of actions to
resolve the
problem
Six Types of
Short Reports
5. Analytical report
Six Types of Short Reports
6. Dashboard report
 A dashboard report is
a visual management
tool that monitors,
analyses and displays
key business data to
track the
performance of a
business
Six Types of Short Reports
6. Dashboard report
 Potential Metrics to
be included in
Dashboard report
Exercise – Writing a Business Letter
• IndiaMart is one of the leading B2B ecommerce companies in India
• IndiaMart connects buyers and sellers with their high-quality B2B products like
Apparels, Industry Machinery, electrical & electronics, etc.
• Due to customer complaints, now, IndiaMart needs to delist one of the major
apparel supplier
• You need to write a business letter in this context, please make necessary
assumptions whenever needed

• Time: 10 Minutes to write and 15 minutes for discussion

Writing Long Reports
Long Reports
• Neilson Report

• Share your observations in relation to

 The structure of the report
 Order of the information
 Presentation of the information
Long Reports
• Long Reports - Formal reports are major documents written to provide
comprehensive information and expert opinion
• The level of detail and issues addressed by the writer depend on the report’s
purpose and particular audience
• The report writer,
 Researches the problem or issue
 Structures the findings
 Presents the evidence
 Develops the conclusions and recommendations, and
 Writes and formats the formal long report
• The scope of the report depends on 
Planning the Long Report
• Define the Purpose
 Simple Purpose Statement vs. Extended Purpose Statement
 Simple Purpose - ‘The purpose of this report is to explore new ways of promoting
environmentally responsible business practices that reduce the environmental impacts of our
activities’
• Define the audience
• Determine the issue – Determine the scope and level of details required
• Gather the Information – Ensure that the Information is Factual, Relevant and
Contemporary
• Create the Outline – Decide on the logical sequence of heading
• Organize the Information – Organize the information under proper headings
Planning the Long Report
• Order the presentation
 Indirect order of Information
– Suited to a reader who may resist the conclusions, or who will not understand the
conclusions and recommendations until the whole main body of the text has been read
– Order: introductory section, central section, final section with the conclusions followed
by the recommendations
 Direct order of Information
– Appropriate when the receiver is knowledgeable about the subject and likely to
understand the conclusions without having to read the whole main text of the report
Writing a Long Report
• Writing Style
 Personal vs. Impersonal approach

• Cultural Appropriateness
 A culturally appropriate report meets the needs of a broad and diverse range of readers
 It fits with their cultural traditions and beliefs, making them feel respected and understood
• Use of technology for formatting and outlining
 Tools for word processing and language errors
 Use the ‘navigation pane’ to move quickly from section to section
 Use the ‘format’ menu in your word-processing package to find options for formatting
paragraphs, bullets and numbering, borders and shading, columns and changing case
 Sharing the reports for team work through Google Docs
Writing a Long Report
• Readability – Organize the Information
in sections with Headings
 Headings and Sub-headings
 Numbering system
 Graphics
– Refer to the graphic in the text
– Explain how the graphic relates to the
information
– Place the graphic or diagram
immediately after this reference and
explanation
• Credibility
 Statistics for relevance and reliability
 Notation – Identify the sources of
information and give due credits to them
Formatting a Long Report
• Three main sections of Long Reports
Parts of Long Report
• Title page: Identifies the report’s title, the receiver’s name and title, the writer’s name and title
and the date
• Letter of transmittal: Indicates in the form of a formal covering letter the person who authorised
or requested the report, the terms of reference, the scope of the report and problems addressed.
It serves as a record of transmittal, identifies the writer and acknowledges others who
contributed.
• Terms of reference: States clearly and concisely the scope of the report.
• Acknowledgements: Lists the names of persons and institutions that assisted in preparing the
report
• Table of contents: Records the name of each part of the report and the name of each first and
second-order headings within the body and the page on which each occurs
• List of figures/tables: Records page numbers of tables, illustrations and diagrams
• Executive summary: Provides the reader with a brief summary of the material in the main text of
the report. It includes the report’s purpose, scope, methods, findings and conclusions
• Synopsis or abstract: Provides a brief description or informative overview of the report’s most
important points
• Glossary: Defines and explains technical words
Parts of the Long Report
• Body: introductory section: Defines the research task and problem and includes: •
the purpose statement background information •scope, aims, limits of the report,
size and complexity •authorisation – when, how and by whom
• Body: central section: Presents factual, objective information. Analyses and
discusses findings and evidence presented. Uses headings and a numbering
system to signal to the reader when new ideas are to be introduced and
developed. Includes enough detail to support conclusions and recommendations
• Body: final section: Provides an analysis of the report’s findings and evaluates the
main facts. Conclusions, Recommendations Offers reasoned and logical solutions
or courses of action. Contains the Signature block signature, name and job title of
the writer; usually placed after the recommendations and before the appendices
and bibliography
Parts of the Long Report
Endmatter
• Presents additional details and material such as charts and tables that
Appendices and attachments are relevant to the report.
• References and bibliography: References list the sources of the information
quoted in the text.
• The bibliography contains recommended reading material on the subjects
covered in the report, or other relevant subjects.
• The list of references and further reading are often presented together and called
either ‘References’ or ‘Bibliography’
 kuldeep.brahmbhatt@simc.edu

Thank You 0 97 232 13 593

Develop Effective Workplace
Relationships

Presented By:
Kuldeep B
Important Questions
• What are the pillars of effective workplace relationships?
Pillars of Workplace Relationships
• Having an effective communication plan for all the activities
• Consultation and joint decision making
• Methods of giving and receiving instructions at workplace
• Developing the trust and confidence
• Having proper interpersonal communication styles
• How efficiently an organization is able to manage poor work performances
Plan Communication
• Workgroups engage in a range of
communication activities such as
 Collecting, analysing, recording and conveying simple,
routine information;
 Giving and following routine instructions; and
 Participating in small formal and informal workgroups
• Good planning is the key to presenting
information clearly and concisely in either
written or spoken form 
Communication Plan
• An effective communication plan identifies,
 The communication purpose,
 To whom (the audience) the message will be addressed
 Objectives of the communication
 Message
 Channels of communication and
 The timelines
• The communication plan enables you to prioritize and monitor tasks collaboratively
Communication Plan
The purpose of the communication plan is to:
• Define communication objectives clearly – what is to be achieved, by when, why
and by whom
• Focus on the issue and adapt to the needs of the various stakeholders
 Consider the needs and diversity of each of your stakeholder groups. Different cultural groups
have different rules for humour, irony and politeness
• Choose the appropriate communications channel(s) to deliver the message
• Plan the consultation to ensure the right information is provided
• Avoid information overload and confusion caused by too much information, too
many messages and conflicting messages
• Decide how to monitor tasks, gather feedback and check understanding and
responses to the consultation.
Communication Plan
The variety of possible communication channels include:
• CEO briefings, department and team meetings, formal organisational channels,
public relations and major events
• Informal discussions and one-to-one conversations, blogs, podcasts and webinars
• Email, voice mail, instant messaging, Twitter and texting, newsletters, bulletin
boards, posters and intranet articles
• Teleconferences and visiting remote workers in the field, discussion threads and
members’ pages on a shared virtual work space
Communication Plan
• Scenario:
 Suppose, you are working as an HR Manager of IT firm. The company has decided to shift the
office to the new premises.
 Prepare your communication plan
Consultation and Joint Decision Making
• Consultation is a process by which the decision maker seeks the views of
stakeholders before reaching the decision
 Consultation encourages the employer to consider the interests and opinions of employees
and enables employees to participate in the decision-making processes
• Processes or techniques for joint decision making,
 Advisory committees,
 Employer/employee representative committees,
 Formal and informal meetings,
 Team briefings,
 Focus groups, surveys, questionnaires,
 Newsletters and reports which enable the exchange of ideas and opinions
Consultation and Joint Decision Making
• Levels of Involvement

• Questions to ask before consultation

Consultation and Joint
Decision Making
• Four ways of making the decision
Consultation and Joint Decision Making
• Scenario
 In certain organizations, the differences between sales and marketing teams are significantly
visible
 In an automobile company, the company is planning to take decision for the marketing plan of
the newly launched electric vehicle category
 Both the marketing and sales teams are the part of the decision making process
 Share your thoughts on navigating through this for a fruitful decision
Give and Receive Instructions at Work
• Effective instructions:
 Shared with spoken or written language what will happen or is happening in the workplace
 Communicated in a manner that is appropriate and sensitive to the cultural and social
diversity and any special needs of the work group
• Direct instructions are to the point and indicate who, what, when, where and
how a task should be completed
• Clear workplace instructions explain the objectives, provide background
information and describe the intended outcome
• Sequence the instructions in one of the following three ways:
 Move from the simple to the complex.
 Move from the familiar to the unfamiliar.
 Follow the required order of tasks.
Give and Receive Instructions at Work
• When you receive the instructions
Give and Receive Instructions at Work
• Range of communication methods
Give and Receive Instructions at Work
• Scenario
 Suppose, you are working as a head creatives at one Ad Agency
 The agency has two partners and you report to one of the partners
 Now, the reporting partner had a heart attack and he no longer be able to join the office
 The other partner gives you an offer to become a partner and you accept the offer
 Share your thoughts on giving instructions to your employees
– Focus on the stakeholders, message of instructions and the channels of instructions
Develop Trust and Confidence
• Trust is built in a workplace environment when it provides more than shelter,
resources and accessibility
• Trust also requires people (managers, team leaders and staff) who are
competent, credible and empathic
 Consequently, the workplace environment and its people inspire confidence, loyalty,
cooperation, motivation and work satisfaction
• An organisation’s culture is based on the shared customs, attitudes, beliefs, and
written and unwritten rules that evolve over time
 Culture holds an organisation together and influences how work gets done
• A positive culture facilitates better communication, has fewer conflicts and a
greater understanding of shared goals and objectives
 A positive workplace culture encourages safer work practices, reduces workplace injuries and
improves job satisfaction
Develop Trust and Confidence
• Employee Engagement
 Employee engagement is the extent to which an employee believes in the values and
purpose of an organisation and commits to achievement of the organisation’s objectives
Develop Trust and Confidence
• Productive performance is the key to trust
• Essentials of productive performance
Develop Trust and Confidence
• Scenario
 Suppose, you are working as a head creatives at one Ad Agency
 The agency has two partners and you report to one of the partners
 The reporting partner had a heart attack and he no longer be able to join the office
 The other partner gives you an offer to become a partner and you accept the offer
 Now, you realize that the partner whom you replaced was a trusted leader and the trust of
employees in an organization is shaking
 Share your thoughts on handling this situation
Interpersonal Communication Styles
• Many people progress to more senior positions because of excellent technical
skills, but have difficult interacting with others because of poor people skills
• Interpersonal communication style refers to the typical set of behaviours an
individual displays in their interactions with others
• Six Styles:
Interpersonal Communication Styles
• Six Styles:
Interpersonal
Communication Styles
• Interpersonal attributes
which build the trust and
reputation 
Interpersonal Communication Styles
• Scenario
 Suppose, you are working as a head creatives at one Ad Agency
 The agency has two partners and you report to one of the partners
 The reporting partner had a heart attack and he no longer be able to join the office
 The other partner gives you an offer to become a partner and you accept the offer
 You realize that the partner whom you replaced was a trusted leader and the trust of
employees in an organization is shaking
 Despite your efforts, you feel the agitation from employees
 What interpersonal style and skills you would be using to address the problem at hand?
Manage Poor Work Performance
• How employees’ performance is managed and rewarded has an impact on
employee motivation
• Salary, recognition, rewards and other incentives have a significant impact on
workplace performance
• Clarity on Key Result Areas (KRAs)
• Performance and motivation
 Counseling interviews
• Performance and ability
 Performance interviews
 Performance improvement plan
Case
• Susan’s manager, Peter, has noticed that Susan has been taking more sick days
recently than normal. Peter has an informal chat with Susan to discuss the recent
increase in leave being taken. Susan advised Peter that she has had some
personal issues and feels that these issues are now resolved and that Peter
should see a decrease in the amount of leave being taken. Peter let Susan know
that they would need to meet on a more formal basis if the excessive amount of
leave continued
• A few months have passed, and Peter notices Susan’s attendance beginning to
decline again and runs a report showing all of the leave taken and notices the
majority of days being taken are on a Thursday. Peter organises a formal meeting
with Susan to discuss her sick leave and sends Susan a letter to notify her of the
meeting and that she has the option to bring a support person with her.
Case
• During the formal meeting Peter gives Susan the opportunity to explain her reasons for
the excessive leave and then discusses the impact the leave is having on the business and
the flow-on effect this has for their clients. Peter questions Susan about the pattern of
Thursdays that is occurring and discovers there is a particular client that Susan visits on
this day that she states has had some difficulty dealing with.
• Peter addresses the concern Susan is having by removing that client from her schedule
for three months and replacing it with another client she has not met before. Peter
advises Susan that an immediate and sustained improvement is required moving
forward, which Susan agrees to.
• Peter lets Susan know they will meet again to review her progress in three months and
asked her to provide medical certificates for every instance of leave taken during this
period. Peter is to follow up with an outcome letter from the meeting highlighting their
agreed actions.
Case
• Critically analyze this case from Workplace Relationship perspective and discuss
all the pillars.
 kuldeep.brahmbhatt@simc.edu

Thank You 0 97 232 13 593

Manage Team Effectiveness

Presented By:
Kuldeep B
Important Questions
• What is a team?
• What do you understand by team effectiveness?
• Elaborate on team effectiveness from business communication perspective.
What is a Team?
• The terms ‘team’ and ‘group’ are frequently used interchangeably because on most
occasions, they share almost identical characteristics
• A team
 Operates according to a mandate
 Has assigned specific roles
 Is responsible for achieving specified organization goals
• Which kinds of teams do we observe in a typical organizational setup?
 The most common kind of team is set up by management;
– For example, a work team with specific responsibilities and accountabilities for a specific
function (say, production or finance),
– A project work team set up to complete a specific project (and then disbanded),
– A management team established to plan, implement, control and monitor progress and
achievements across the organisation
 A team may, however, gradually evolve with its own particular structure and behaviours
Team Effectiveness
• Critical Success Factors in an
effective work team
Team Effectiveness
• Importance of team performance plan (Purpose Statement – KRAs – Key performance
indicators – Monitor and Review)
• The purpose statement identifies and defines
 What the team does – the specific focus that differentiates it from other teams•
 Who will receive and use the team’s products or services (internal and external customers)
 How the team will serve its customers (values, quality and processes)
• Key Result Areas (KRAs)
 A team usually has five to seven key result areas (KRAs)
 Every team should know its KRAs, as these are the activities that contribute most to team and
organisational performance
• Key performance indicators are the specific targets of the important aspects of
performance
 Inform the team leader and members how their efforts will be measured •
 Benchmarks that should be negotiated and agreed on by team members
 Measures that will be used to monitor team and individual performance
Team Communication
• Communication and interaction between the team leader, members and other
stakeholders such as customers, suppliers and colleagues is the foundation for
productive performance
• Respect, acceptance and recognition of the obligations of individual members by
the team leader encourage team members to engage with tasks and relationships
• Team values are defined as the specific beliefs the team holds about what is right
and what is wrong
 Values establish the culture and impact on standards
Roles within a Team
• Task-related roles:
 They are action-oriented
 Communication focuses on getting the job done: for example, instructing, briefing, reporting,
self-evaluating performance and assessing the performance of others
Roles within a Team
• Task-related roles:
Roles within a Team
• Maintenance-
related roles:
 Communication
roles such as
advising and
counselling
others
 Concerned with
people and
their
relationships
Roles within a Team
• Dysfunctional
roles,
 Disrupt team
communication
and activities as
well as weaken
its cohesion and
distract the
team from its
purpose
Stages of Team Development
• Forming
 In the forming stage, group members may be uncertain about the group’s membership,
leadership and goals
 Great importance can be attached to the group’s leader as members look for support,
guidance and direction
 When people interact for the first time in a team, differences in operating methods emerge
 Some seek information, some give opinions, others like to encourage everyone to participate
• Storming
 Members are willing to discuss problems or concerns
 Provide negative and positive feedback and present alternative points of view
 Conflict may emerge as group members begin to perform their various roles, negotiate where
they fit in the group’s structure and have their ideas heard
Stages of Team Development
• Norming
 Communication and actions focus on problem solving, decision making, improvement of
plans and verification of goals
 The team leader and members offer one another support, interact and develop relationships
as similarities and differences emerge
 Team norms – acceptable behaviour, attitudes, work patterns and related behaviour –
emerge at this stage
• Performing
 Occurs when a group has formed its identity and structure
 Members have specified duties, responsibilities and tasks, know how to perform and have
support from, and trust in, other members
• Adjourning stage
 Tasks are finalised and relationships fade as commitment is no longer needed
 A team may disband because of a restructure, a committee is wound up or a task force is
dissolved
Hurdles for Team Effectiveness
• Team groupthink
 Situation where no team or group member challenges the rest of the team or wishes to seem out
of step with the others
 The group’s cohesion is too strong and impairs the team’s performance
 The team fails to study objectives or research adequately, does not consider alternatives and may
take unnecessary risks
• Grapevine
 Informal communication that usually spreads internally within a team or organisation through
word of mouth
 Spread in a random, undocumented manner and is open to constant change as individuals
interpret and share the message
 Bypasses organisational formal lines of communication and can be more direct and faster than the
formal channels
• Social loafing
 Tendency of certain members of a group to exert less effort on a task if they are in a group than
when they work alone
 Affects both the group culture and the individuals in the group
 May influence team morale and satisfaction when members of the group feel the social loafers are
taking advantage of the rest of the group to accomplish the loafer’s part of the work
Work-Team Enablers
Facilitate Teamwork
• Promote cooperative relationships through supportive communication
• Fair treatment and inclusion
 Variance in age
 Culturally aware communication
• Address issues, concerns and problems
 Hot stove principle - applies to the bottom-line rules and regulations that everyone must
follow
– A breach of any of the bottom-line rules and regulations results in warnings and then
disciplinary measures
 Straight talk
 Difficult conversations
• Promote efficient work practices
 One n one check-in meeting by team leader to members individually
 Mentoring and coaching skills
 Training and Development
Scenario
• XYZ media, an advertising agency, is planning to hold a conference by inviting all
the clients
• As a part of the core conference management team, four employees from various
departments have been selected. Those five members are Anirudh, Bala, Chand,
Dhara
• Anirudh has been given the task of client hospitality on the day of event
• Bala has been given the task of logistics for the event
• Chand has been given the task of back stage management
• Dhara has been given the task of Team Leader who would over look everything
and manage the team
Scenario
• Briefly describe what aspects of the forming and norming stages will affect the
team’s success. In your answer, discuss the roles of the team leader and the team
members
• Identify any differences between the team members that may cause conflict
• Identify the work team enablers that Team Leader should use to help the team
develop group cohesion
• Suggest different channels the core team could use to communicate with, and
present the proposed ideas to the people who will be taking part in the event
 kuldeep.brahmbhatt@simc.edu

Thank You 0 97 232 13 593