BUSINESS

COMMUNICATION
PGDM EXEC BATCH
Dr.Roopa Adyasha
roopapradhan@gmail.com

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 COURSE OVERVIEW
Detailed Syllabus:
Session Description given by NMIMS Duration in Hours Category place in my
class

1 Culture and the role of storytelling for Effective Communication 1.5 Persuasion skills & Art of
storytelling
2 Communicating to diverse audience 1.5 Intercultural
communication
3 Handling crisis, media, Q&A, emotions and humour 1.5 Communication and
strategy
4 Framing the argument-through debates, panel discussion and 1.5 Group communication,
listening and feedback
dialogue
5-6 Ability to handle difficult communication 3 Conflict management

7 Dealing with hostile audiences 1.5 Negotiation and

Persuasion
8 Multimedia presentations 1.5 Presentation skills
9 Multimedia presentations 1.5 Presentation skills
10 Multimedia presentations 1.5 Youtube submissions
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 PHASE 1

Communication Basics

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 ITS NOT WHAT YOU SAY BUT HOW YOU
SAY !

https://images.app.goo.gl/Exij7EM9NjbbM2B98
https://images.app.goo.gl/4yQAR2XnEQovmBqA7 4
 COMMUNICATION TOOLS
1. 7 Cs
2. KISS principle
3. Fogging technique
4. BATNA
5. WIIFM
6. Rule of three
7. Area 47
8. Lazy Rule
9. Belly Button Rule
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 7CS FOR EFFECTIVE BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

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 THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS

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Communication at Workplace
CVs, Resumes

•
Email, Web site, FAQs

•
Letters, Newsletters, Brochures, Articles,

•
Catalogs

Advertisements, Notice Board, Pamphlets,

• Signs, Press Release

Presentations, Multimedia, Talks, Meetings

•

Reports, Manuals, Proposals, Books

•
 INFORMATION RICHNESS OF
COMMUNICATION CHANNELS

Low channel richness High channel richness

Routine Nonroutine

Source: Based on R.H. Lengel and D.L. Daft, “The Selection of Communication Media as an Executive Skill,”
Academy of Management Executive, August 1988, pp. 225–32; and R.L. Daft and R.H. Lengel, “Organizational 9
Information Requirements, Media Richness, and Structural Design,” Managerial Science, May 1996, pp. 554–72.
Reproduced from R.L. Daft and R.A. Noe, Organizational Behavior (Fort Worth, TX: Harcourt, 2001), p. 311.
 VIDEO ACTIVITY –
BAD COMMUNICATION

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAhIFD9czks

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 COMMUNICATION BARRIERS
Communication Communication
message
Organizational Barriers
• Information overload
• Noise
• Time pressures
• Network breakdowns
• Information distortion
• Cross-cultural barriers
True
barriers understanding
Individual Barriers
• Differing perceptions
• Semantic differences
• Status differences
• Consideration of self-
interest
• Personal space
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• Poor listening skills
 PHASE 2

Cross Cultural communication

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 WHAT IS GLOBALIZATION ?

The Elephant and the Blind Man

interpretation

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https://images.app.goo.gl/e2JnncMkAPGY7Nmr7
 WHY CROSS CULTURE
COMMUNICATION IS IMPORTANT ?

Globalization: Cross border movement of people, goods and data

brings more and more cultures into contact with one another and
increases the potential of cross culture communication.

◦ Business Opportunities
◦ Job Opportunities
◦ Improves the contribution of employees in a
diverse workforce
◦ Sharing of views and ideas
◦ Talent improvisation
◦ An understanding of diverse market 14
 WHAT IS CULTURE

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https://images.app.goo.gl/oBoNo8JKyEfHNnjp8
 16

https://images.app.goo.gl/MBdkKysPApENn51MA
 HIGH-
CONTEXT
VS.
LOW-
CONTEXT
CULTURES

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https://images.app.goo.gl/F773LmpDREyuskgH6
 COMMUNICATION BARRIERS
Word
Semantics
Connotations

Barriers to Effective
Cross-Cultural
Communication

Tone Perception
Differences Differences
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2007 ©‫ ﴀ‬Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

 COMMUNICATION BARRIERS
Cultural Communication Differences

Communication In the United States Elsewhere

Eye contact Direct In many Asian Countries, extended
eye contact is unacceptable.
Time orientation Punctual—”Time is Money” Asian and Latin American cultures
have longer time horizons; resolving
issues is more important than being on
time.
Answering questions Direct and factual Many Asian cultures view being direct
as rude and aggressive.
Self-presentation Self-promotion rewarded Many other cultures (e.g., Asian,
Russian) find this rude.
Posture Open body posture In Japan, a closed body posture is
(e.g., arms relaxed) preferred (e.g., crossed arms and legs)
Indicating “no” Shaking one’s head from In Bulgaria, the “no” signal means “I’m
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side to side listening,” rather than “I disagree.”
CASE IN POINT : GESTURE

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 GESTURES
It is a motion of the hands, head or body to emphasize an
idea or emotion.

How can a Gestures distort the message…

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Perfect! OK! Zero! Rubbish!
Worthless!
HAND GESTURES MEAN DIFFERENT
THINGS IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES

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HAND GESTURES MEAN DIFFERENT
THINGS IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES
(CONT’D)

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 USA=OK JAPAN=MONEY

RUSSIA=ZERO BRAZIL=INSULT

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HOW CAN THE SAME GESTURES BE TREATED
DIFFERENTLY IN DIFFERENT CULTURES

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BLOCKS TO CULTURAL COMMUNICATION

1. Ethnocentrism
2. Discrimination
3. Stereotyping
4. Cultural Blindness
5. Cultural Imposition
6. Tone Difference

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IMPROVING CROSS CULTURE
COMMUNICATION

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 CASE STUDY- CLASS ACTIVITY

Case study of Jim and Anna.

Jim has been the chief executive officer.-CEO of a computer programming company for ten
years.
He has been working closely with Anna who has been recently appointed as a team
leader to develop a networking program.

So while Jim is the CEO of the company, Anna is an expert of the software.

While reviewing his work, Jim noticed that Anna had corrected his error. He got very angry that
Anna did not bring it to his attention and just corrected this error without his permission.

Anna did not understand why Jim was so angry.

And they had a big argument.

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 DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Why do you think the conflict happened?

Why was there an argument between Jim and Anna?

In terms of cultural values, should Anna have informed Jim about his
mistakes?

If so, was Jim wrong to get angry at Anna?

Why do you think Anna did not understand Jim's anger?

In terms of context, how did formality in the context at work and

familiarity between Anna and Jim effect their communication?

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 REFERENCE READING

Hofstede, G. (2011). Dimensionalizing Cultures: The Hofstede Model in

Context. Online Readings in Psychology and Culture, 2(1).
http://dx.doi.org/10.9707/2307-0919.1014

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 PHASE 3
• WRITTEN COMMUNICATION
• LISTENING AND FEEDBACK

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 WRITTEN COMMUNICATION

1 2 3 4 5
Letters & Memos Meeting Agenda Minutes of the Mailing List Netiquette
• Open & closed • Time & place must Meeting • Check mailing list • Use FULL CAPS
punctuation be mentioned • Decisions reached for every only to emphasize
• Full stops at end • Purpose of meeting must be listed communication • Send messages on
<
of addresses must be clearly • Action Items sent a need basis
• Full stops in mentioned. along with • Keep updating • Don’t forget to add
abbreviations • Dial-in numbers stakeholders’ your mailing list attachments if
• Date & Signature must be given in names must be • Categorize mentioned
• Subject Line – case of virtual documented mailing list as per
optional & rare conferences the information

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 WRITTEN COMMUNICATION

6 7 8 9 10
Resume Reports Sales Proposal Covering Letters FAQs
• Content: Name, • Content: Cover • Content: Budget, • Brief - 3 • Should be correct
Objective, Education, page, Index, Objectives, paragraphs, bullets and based on
Experience, Personal Executive summary, Strategy & Tactics, • Focus on - Major research
<
details, References Appendices Schedule, Results, requirements • Should be created
• Two pages max • Steps: Define and Closing • Differentiators - by Subject Matter
• Highlight strengths problem, Gather • Should be Research through Experts [SMEs]
• Use templates but information, persuasive & Web / friends / • Should have a
enhance them Analyze & organize accurate colleagues contact person’s e-
information • Do not plead mail

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STAR FORMAT IN WRITTEN COMMUNICATION

1. Analyze
the
Purpose
2. Consider the
Audience
5. Execute with
Confidence STAR / ACBDE Model of
Communication

4. Detail & 3. Build the

Design Structure
Approach
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 ACTIVE LISTENING
There are two different basic types of listening

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 CASE STUDY- CLASS ACTIVITY
Look at the dialog between George, a project manager and his boss, Steve.

George, I need the status I am working on the

update report urgently feasibility report of
on the Maxwell Project. Honeytech Project.
What are you busy with?

Ok, and what about

the Honeytech
Oh, yes! That’s important Report?
too. Delegate the Maxwell
project report and finish it
by end of today.
Alright, I will do that.

You work on it and finish it

as soon as possible.
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Steve George
 The Next Day…
George, where’s the
Maxwell Status Report?
Yes, but I had also asked
you to delegate the
Maxwell Report and get it
finished by yesterday end
of day.
How can you be so careless,
George?
No, it is very urgent. Drop everything
you are doing and finish that report. I
want it on my desk in flat three hours. I
have a meeting with the client and I
need that report for reporting the
progress to the client.
Steve
You had asked me to
finish the Honeytech
Project. I am finishing
that. It is nearly done.
Oh! I am so sorry! I
didn’t quite catch
that.
I am really sorry. I will get
someone onto it immediately.
Ok. Sorry again.
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George
Key Elements of Active Listening
There are five key elements of active listening that help in actively listening
to the speaker. They are:

Pay attention

Show that you are listening

Provide feedback

Defer judgement

Respond Appropriately

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OVERCOMING COMMUNICATION BARRIERS
How to be an Active Listener

1. Stop talking
2. Pay attention
3. Listen empathetically
4. Hear before evaluating
5. Send feedback
6. Be Assertive – Use Fogging Technique

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 CONFLICT MANAGEMENT-
THE 4 HORSEMEN VIDEO
• https://youtu.be/1o30Ps-_8is

• The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse is a metaphor depicting the end of times in the
New Testament. They describe conquest, war, hunger, and death respectively. We use
this metaphor to describe communication styles that, according to our research, can
predict the end of a relationship.

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 CONFLICT
RESOLUTION

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 REFERENCE READING

Suggested reading:
• https://www.gottman.com/blog/the-four-horsemen-recognizing-criticism-contempt-
defensiveness-and-stonewalling/

• Lisitsa, E. (2013, April 26). The four horsemen: The antidotes. The Gottman Institute.

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 PHASE 4

• Persuasive communication
• Negotiation skills

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 MEDIUM IS THE MESSAGE

What medium will you use?

• Break-up with partner
• Dinner invite to Grandma

Solution:
• Understand the Audience
• Understand the emotion
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 WHAT IS PERSUASION

• Objective: to bring change( in what?)

• Difference between :
• Persuasion
• Manipulation
• Coercion
• Propaganda

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 VIDEO ACTIVITY:
WOLF OF WALLSTREET

• https://youtu.be/v1iG9LN0Wfk

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJXLV_DMKa0

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 HOW TO PERSUADE

• Who is my audience?
• What information do they find valuable? – Planning the
content/coherence/ flow
• Why should they listen to me? – Give strong reasons
and benefits- WIIFM
• Use active voice
• Follow 7Cs of communication
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MODES OF PERSUASION

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https://images.app.goo.gl/a3R7fbCpXcHazDUb7
 VIDEO ACTIVITY:
CREDIBILITY OR ETHOS
• Source credibility
• https://youtu.be/8ULR68LTmbw

• Message credibility
• https://youtu.be/SfAxUpeVhCg

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 ELEMENTS OF CREDIBILITY

• Trust: honest, ethical, genuine

• Competence: expertise, reputation and knowledge
• Goodwill: caring

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 LANGUAGE OF TRUST- 4P

• Be personal
• Be positive
• Be plausible
• Be plain spoken

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 WHO DO YOU TRUST-
REFLECTION EXERCISE

• Name a few
• Identify their characteristics
• Why do you relate to them

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NEGOTIATIONS

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PERSUASION AND NEGOTIATION

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 NEGOTIATION TACTICS

• Face-saving: disagree indirectly, avoid offense, read and

respond
• Hedging: cushion the impact
• Use euphemism: softeners

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 NEGOTIATION SKILLS

• Reciprocity
• Start unrealistically
• Refer to commitments
• BATNA

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 ASSIGNMENT

Steve Jobs
• Watch his speech to the graduating class:
• Jobs, S. (2005). Commencement address. Stanford University.

Kolenda, N. The Psychology of Negotiation: 31 Tactics and Strategies.

http://www.nickkolenda.com/negotiation-tactics/#negotiation-t17. Accessed 16 Mar
2016.
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 PHASE 5:
NON -VERBAL COMMUNICATION

GROUP COMMUNICATION

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 NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION

• Gestures • Voice • Space • Time • Dressing

o Eyes o Volume o Distance o Pauses o Grooming
o Hands o Modulation o Proximity o Repetitions o Clothes
o Face o Speed o Gender o Fillers o Accessories
o Legs o Clarity o Occasion
o Posture o Emotion

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 VOICE INTONATION CLASS EXERCISE

• Do you sound: • Oh! In 8 different ways

o Excited o Exclamation: Oh! I forgot to make the check
o Sleepy o Excitement: Oh! Wow!
o Angry o Question: Oh? Is that right?
o Bored o Passion: Oh….I love opera!
o Disgust: Oh, not peas again !
o Disbelief: Oh, Yeah?
o Boredom: Oh. How interesting?

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 GROUP COMMUNICATION

• Storytelling
• Pitching
• Presentations

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CREATE A BALANCE- MIND AND HEART

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https://images.app.goo.gl/iUzRtbRE4v3ca8Hx8
WHY STORYTELLING IS IMPORTANT

• To spark action
• To communicate who you are
• Branding the company
• Transmitting values
• Leading people into the future

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STORYTELLING : A POWERFUL TECHNIQUE

• How humans process information

• How to find stories
• How to structure the message
• Assist the audience in their processing

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 STORIES

• Personal
• Fables/Human truths
• Anecdotes
• Metaphors/Analogies
• Painting a future

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 REMEMBER TO:
1. Immerse your audience in the story.
2. Tell a personal story.
3. Create suspense.
4. Bring characters to life.
5. Show. Don’t tell.
6. Build up to S.T.A.R. moment.
7. End with a positive takeaway.

Here are the techniques that TED speakers use. Do you agree with these tips?:
Chibana, N. (n.d.). 7 storytelling techniques used by the most inspiring TED
presenters. Visme.
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STORYTELLING LIVE VIDEO ASSIGNMENT 1:
10 MARKS

Each student to say a story for 2-3 min which should have a:
• Context
• Takeaway

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 7 STORYTELLING TECHNIQUES:

• Have an Enemy and a Hero

• Use Conflict/Struggle
• Omit any Irrelevant Detail
• Tell the Story Like You Talk
• Make It Visual
• Make It Personal & Easy to Relate To
• Add Surprise

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• Neely, P. (2014, August 25). 7 storytelling techniques and how to apply them. Practical
Ecommerce. Confluence Distribution, Inc.
 STORYTELLING TIPS

• What makes your heart sing….share your passion

• 3 parts story: Trigger event, Transformation, Life lesson
• Twitter friendly title of story
• Rule of three
• Pictures/visuals trump words
• Analogies OR Metaphors
• Anaphora
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 AVOID 3 TRAPS OF STORYTELLING

• Do not speak in 3rd person

• No formal language
• Do not get into too many details

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 VIDEO ASSIGNMENT: COMPARE AND
CONTRAST
• Steve Job's full persuasive presentation in 2007
https://youtu.be/RIRQg8AJxuw
• https://addicted2success.com/motivation/video-indias-1-motivational-speaker-shiv-
khera/

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REFERENCE READING: RULE OF THREE

• Steve Jobs and his 3 stories at Stanford

• Bryan Stevenson and his 3 stories at TED
• Sheryl Sandberg and her 3 messages for women

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 PHASE 6

PRESENTATIONS
CAPSTONE PROJECT

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 PRESENTATION TOOLS

• 5% rule : one thing you said + general impression of you

• Area 47: Create interest and curiosity
• Know Phrase: Main theme
• Goal-Opportunity-Statement: Call to Action
• Lazy rule
• Belly button Rule
• Picture Superiority Effect
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 PRESENTATIONS
• PAC Questions
• What is the purpose • Who is my audience
• Who they are/what they
• To provide info
do/their background
• To persuade/motivate • What they already know
• To teach/show /tell • Why are they important
• What is the context
• Is it part of a larger event
• What is the occasion
• What is the action to be taken
by them post presentation
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 STORYBOARDING AND PRESENTATIONS
Highlight
salient points
• How to organise introduction and Build the
body storyline

• Frame the presentation as a story

• Conclude the story and connect the
dots
Start with
introduction

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 ENGAGE AUDIENCE

ACE technique
• Attention
• Comprehend
• Emotions

PRIESTS technique:
• PRovocative
• Important
• Emotional STories
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• Simple language
 AIDA FRAMEWORK

• Attention
• Interest
• Desire
• Action

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 ATTENTION GRABBERS

• Thought provoking questions ( not more than 3 at a time)

• Powerful visuals
• Shocking facts and statistics
• Affirmative statements( WIIFM)
• A quote

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 PRESENTATION FLOW

• Start with attention grabbers

• Greet the audience
• Introduce yourself
• Provide an overview

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 PRESENTATION STRUCTURE
End with a
high note/call
Follow a 3 part structure:
to action
• Beginning/Hook Highlight
salient points
• Problem/solution/benefit
Build the
• Call to action
storyline

Start with
introduction
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 VIDEO ASSIGNMENT

Steve Job launching the MacBook Air at Macworld, San Francisco:

• Apple (2008). Keynote address by Steve Jobs. Apple keynote videos – specifically:
54:27-58:24 (4:00).

Discussion:
• How did Steve Job use the problem-solution-benefit in his presentation. In your
opinion, which part of the presentation was the most convincing? And why?

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 CONCLUSION PARAMETERS

• Signpost: inform the audience that you are concluding

• Reiterate the 3 main points
• Highlight the key take away
• DO not introduce any new point
• Q&A
• Call to action
• Thank the audience
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 MANAGING Q & A
• Anticipate audience question
• Inform audience before start that Q & A is at end
• Inform them your arriving at Q & A signpost
• Paraphrase the question for better clarity
• If you do not know answer admit and don’t bluff
• Do not enter into prolonged dialogue and isolate the rest of
audience
• Any antagonistic response can be taken offline 84

• Be positive, polite and professional

 SLIDE RULES

• Lazy rule: Use bullet points that “Beg the question”

• Picture Superiority Effect (PSE)
• Plagiarism and copyright infringement
• References and bibliography

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 VISUALLY EFFECTIVE SLIDES

• Title slide followed by overview Template

slide(contents, sequence etc.)
• Less is more- uncluttered data Transition Layout
with bullet points
• Consistent recommended layout Overview

• Professional color scheme. Use

Animation Text
contrast of background and
chosen text
Graphics

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 VISUALLY EFFECTIVE SLIDES (CONTD.)

• Text can be 5-6 lines per slide

• Upto 5 words max per line
• Simple animation one line at a time
• Clear reading font style
• Font size min 24
• Go easy on graphics( pictures, graphs, charts, maps, photographs, etc):
avoid crowding
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• Meaning and relevance
 GUIDELINES

• Audience centred
• Less is more
• Easy on the eye
• Professional
• Set the right tone and mood

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 VIDEO ACTIVITY

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJUblvGfW6w: presentation summary

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 ASSIGNMENT 2: 15 MARKS
Context

• Prepare a deck of five slides (including title and overview slides) for a
presentation to introduce the availability of a new facility in your
organisation. The venue can be a staff lounge, library, kitchenette, hot-
desking zone, café, nursing room, discussion booths, studio, laboratory,
etc.

• The purpose of the presentation is to inform and attract target users

to the facility.

• Send PDF file in teams 90

 REFERENCE READING

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDapEhBGuQc : persuasion tricks

• https://bit.ly/2R7TkT9: Daniel Pink- Jedi tricks
• https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/on-leadership/wp/2014/09/08/what-
neuroscience-tells-us-about-getting-organized/?utm_term=.0a6a6441c8c3 : Area 47

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CAPSTONE PROJECT

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 FINAL INTERNAL EVALUATION
ASSIGNMENT 3- 25 MARKS
• You will be submitting a PDF and a video file (youtube link)
• The PDF will be the slide deck of your presentation
• Video file will be “you” presenting
• Submission date: 15 September 2021 by 11.59 pm
• Late entries not allowed

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 ASSIGNMENT TOPICS (SUGGESTED)

• The future of SPAR (or a similar company in your area of the world); how can they
compete in the internet age?
• Can amazon continue to grow and how?
• How can dropbox compete with Google/Apple in cloud storage?
• How can Hallmark continue to grow in an e-age?
• What is the future of Twitter?
• If you want to challenge yourself select your own topic from your actual life/work

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 GUIDELINES OF SUBMISSION
The slide deck should feature the following:
• First slide should be a simple Area 47 opening.
• 2-3 Slides explaining the Area 47 opening to create the Ah-ha moment
• Present a Know-Phrase (slogan)
• Present a Goal Opportunity Statement (GOS)
• You can include additional slides (5-10) explaining the situation and your solution.
These slides should include some alternatives, more details on the problem and your
solution. How you do this is up to you.
**ALL YOUR SLIDES SHOULD USE THE LAZY RULE AND PICTURE SUPERIORITY EFFECT**
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 GUIDELINES OF SUBMISSION(CONTD.)
The video should feature the following:
• The video should be a mid-body shot (from your waist up)
• The video duration to be between 2-4 minutes in length
• Use “The Bellybutton Rule”
• Use “Silence” (to make a point)
• Smile at least once
• Make sure that what you are saying is complementing your slides and not just
repeating them. You can be sitting or standing, but we must be able to see you from
the waist up.
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** NOTE You can make your youtube link "unlisted" which means it cannot be found
unless someone has the link. This will ensure your video is only seen by reviewers.
 RUBRIC WITH THE FOLLOWING GRADING
CRITERIA

• Did you use an Area 47 opening? Either a statement or a question.

• Did you use a Goal Opportunity Statement?
• Did you use a Know-Phrase?
• Did you apply the Lazy Rule
• Did you apply the Picture Superiority Effect
• Did the speaker apply the bellybutton rule?
• Did the speaker pause to make a point important?
• Did the speaker smile at least once?
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• Did the speaker avoid the 3 traps of communication?
 EXTERNAL EVALUATION- 50 MARKS

• Case study
• MCQs

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