Business Communication

BUSINESS COMMUNICATION BY USMS ACADEMIC SUPPORT TEAM
Business Communication and Managerial Skill Development
Achieving excellence together Page 1

UNIT 1 Introduction To Business Communication
Business Communication
Communication is neither the transmission of a message nor the message itself. It is the mutual
exchange of understanding, originating with the receiver. Communication needs to be effective in
business. Communication is the essence of management. The basic functions of management
(Planning, Organizing, Staffing, Directing and Controlling) cannot be performed well without effective
communication.
Business communication involves constant flow of information. Feedback is integral part of business
communication. Organizations these days are very large and involve large number of people. There
are various levels of hierarchy in an organization. Greater the number of levels, the more difficult is
the job of managing the organization. Communication here plays a very important role in process of
directing and controlling the people in the oragnization. Immediate feedback can be obtained and
misunderstandings if any can be avoided. There should be effective communication between
superiors and subordinated in an organization, between organization and society at large (for
example between management and trade unions). It is essential for success and growth of an
organization. Communication gaps should not occur in any organization.
Business Communication is goal oriented. The rules, regulations and policies of a company have to
be communicated to people within and outside the organization. Business Communication is
regulated by certain rules and norms. In early times, business communication was limited to paper-
work, telephone calls etc. But now with advent of technology, we have cell phones, video
conferencing, emails, satellite communication to support business communication. Effective
business communication helps in building goodwill of an organization.
Business Communication can be of two types:
Oral Communication – An oral communication can be formal or informal. Generally business

communication is a formal means of communication, like : meetings, interviews, group discussion,
speeches etc. An example of Informal business communication would be – Grapevine.
Written Communication – Written means of business communication includes – agenda, reports,

manuals etc.
Communication is a process of exchanging verbal and non verbal messages. It is a continuous

process. Pre-requisite of communication is a message. This message must be conveyed through
some medium to the recipient. It is essential that this message must be understood by the recipient
in same terms as intended by the sender. He must respond within a time frame. Thus,
communication is a two way process and is incomplete without a feedback from the recipient to the
sender on how well the message is understood by him.
Components of Communication Process Communication Process
The main components of communication process are as follows:

Context – Communication is affected by the context in which it takes place. This context may be
physical, social, chronological or cultural. Every communication proceeds with context. The sender
chooses the message to communicate within a context.
Sender / Encoder – Sender / Encoder is a person who sends the message. A sender makes use of
symbols (words or graphic or visual aids) to convey the message and produce the required
response. For instance – a training manager conducting training for new batch of employees.
Sender may be an individual or a group or an organization. The views, background, approach, skills,
competencies, and knowledge of the sender have a great impact on the message. The verbal and
non verbal symbols chosen are essential in ascertaining interpretation of the message by the
recipient in the same terms as intended by the sender.
Message – Message is a key idea that the sender wants to communicate. It is a sign that elicits the
response of recipient. Communication process begins with deciding about the message to be
conveyed. It must be ensured that the main objective of the message is clear.
Medium – Medium is a means used to exchange / transmit the message. The sender must choose
an appropriate medium for transmitting the message else the message might not be conveyed to the
desired recipients. The choice of appropriate medium of communication is essential for making the
message effective and correctly interpreted by the recipient. This choice of communication medium
varies depending upon the features of communication. For instance – Written medium is chosen
when a message has to be conveyed to a small group of people, while an oral medium is chosen
when spontaneous feedback is required from the recipient as misunderstandings are cleared then
and there.
Recipient / Decoder – Recipient / Decoder is a person for whom the message is intended / aimed /
targeted. The degree to which the decoder understands the message is dependent upon various
factors such as knowledge of recipient, their responsiveness to the message, and the reliance of
encoder on decoder.
Feedback – Feedback is the main component of communication process as it permits the sender to
analyze the efficacy of the message. It helps the sender in confirming the correct interpretation of
message by the decoder. Feedback may be verbal (through words) or non-verbal (in form of smiles,
sighs, etc.). It may take written form also in form of memos, reports, etc.

Importance of Communication in an Organization

Effective Communication is significant for managers in the organizations so as to perform the basic
functions of management, i.e., Planning, Organizing, Leading and Controlling.
Communication helps managers to perform their jobs and responsibilities. Communication serves as
a foundation for planning. All the essential information must be communicated to the managers who
in-turn must communicate the plans so as to implement them. Organizing also requires effective
communication with others about their job task. Similarly leaders as managers must communicate
effectively with their subordinates so as to achieve the team goals. Controlling is not possible without
written and oral communication.
Managers devote a great part of their time in communication. They generally devote approximately 6
hours per day in communicating. They spend great time on face to face or telephonic communication
with their superiors, subordinates, colleagues, customers or suppliers. Managers also use Written
Communication in form of letters, reports or memos wherever oral communication is not feasible.
Thus, we can say that “effective communication is a building block of successful organizations”. In
other words, communication acts as organizational blood.
The importance of communication in an organization can be summarized as follows:
• Communication promotes motivation by informing and clarifying the employees about the task to be
done, the manner they are performing the task, and how to improve their performance if it is not up
to the mark.
• Communication is a source of information to the organizational members for decision-making
process as it helps identifying and assessing alternative course of actions.
• Communication also plays a crucial role in altering individual’s attitudes, i.e., a well informed
individual will have better attitude than a less-informed individual. Organizational magazines,
journals, meetings and various other forms of oral and written communication help in moulding
employee’s attitudes.
• Communication also helps in socializing. In todays life the only presence of another individual fosters
communication. It is also said that one cannot survive without communication.
• As discussed earlier, communication also assists in controlling process. It helps controlling
organizational member’s behaviour in various ways. There are various levels of hierarchy and
certain principles and guidelines that employees must follow in an organization. They must comply
with organizational policies, perform their job role efficiently and communicate any work problem and
grievance to their superiors. Thus, communication helps in controlling function of management.
An effective and efficient communication system requires managerial proficiency in delivering and
receiving messages. A manager must discover various barriers to communication, analyze the
reasons for their occurrence and take preventive steps to avoid those barriers. Thus, the primary
responsibility of a manager is to develop and maintain an effective communication system in the
organization.

Oral communication implies communication through mouth. It includes individuals conversing with
each other, be it direct conversation or telephonic conversation. Speeches, presentations,
discussions are all forms of oral communication. Oral communication is generally recommended
when the communication matter is of temporary kind or where a direct interaction is required. Face
to face communication (meetings, lectures, conferences, interviews, etc.) is significant so as to build
a rapport and trust.
Advantages of Oral Communication
There is high level of understanding and transparency in oral communication as it is interpersonal.
1. There is no element of rigidity in oral communication. There is flexibility for allowing changes in the
decisions previously taken.
2. The feedback is spontaneous in case of oral communication. Thus, decisions can be made quickly
without any delay.
3. Oral communication is not only time saving, but it also saves upon money and efforts.
4. Oral communication is best in case of problem resolution. The conflicts, disputes and many
issues/differences can be put to an end by talking them over.
5. Oral communication is an essential for teamwork and group energy.
6. Oral communication promotes a receptive and encouraging morale among organizational
employees.
7. Oral communication can be best used to transfer private and confidential information/matter.
Disadvantages/Limitations of Oral Communication
• Relying only on oral communication may not be sufficient as business communication is formal and
very organized.
• Oral communication is less authentic than written communication as they are informal and not as
organized as written communication.
• Oral communication is time-saving as far as daily interactions are concerned, but in case of
meetings, long speeches consume lot of time and are unproductive at times.
• Oral communications are not easy to maintain and thus they are unsteady.
• There may be misunderstandings as the information is not complete and may lack essentials.
• It requires attentiveness and great receptivity on part of the receivers/audience.
• Oral communication (such as speeches) is not frequently used as legal records except in
investigation work.
Written communication has great significance in today’s business world. It is an innovative activity
of the mind. Effective written communication is essential for preparing worthy promotional materials
for business development. Speech came before writing. But writing is more unique and formal than
speech. Effective writing involves careful choice of words, their organization in correct order in
sentences formation as well as cohesive composition of sentences. Also, writing is more valid and
reliable than speech. But while speech is spontaneous, writing causes delay and takes time as
feedback is not immediate.
Advantages of Written Communication
1. Written communication helps in laying down apparent principles, policies and rules for running of an
organization.
2. It is a permanent means of communication. Thus, it is useful where record maintenance is required.

3. It assists in proper delegation of responsibilities. While in case of oral communication, it is

impossible to fix and delegate responsibilities on the grounds of speech as it can be taken back by
the speaker or he may refuse to acknowledge.
4. Written communication is more precise and explicit.
5. Effective written communication develops and enhances an organization’s image.
6. It provides ready records and references.
7. Legal defenses can depend upon written communication as it provides valid records.
Disadvantages of Written Communication
1. Written communication does not save upon the costs. It costs huge in terms of stationery and the
manpower employed in writing/typing and delivering letters.
2. Also, if the receivers of the written message are separated by distance and if they need to clear their
doubts, the response is not spontaneous.
3. Written communication is time-consuming as the feedback is not immediate. The encoding and
sending of message takes time.
4. Effective written communication requires great skills and competencies in language and vocabulary
use. Poor writing skills and quality have a negative impact on organization’s reputation.
5. Too much paper work and e-mails burden is involved.
Scenario 1 – You are sitting in front of an interview panel with arms crossed. So far you have not
been asked a single question, however, your crossed arms have spoken louder than the words.
Tip 1 – Never keep your arms crossed especially during formal one-on-one meetings. It suggests
you are not open to feedback and could also suggest that you are trying to dominate the situation.
Scenario 2 – You are giving a presentation to a group of 20 people. You keep your gaze fixed at the
centre of the class / room through the presentation – your gaze has spoken louder than your words.
Tip 2 – Your gaze at one person should not be more than 4 – 5 seconds while delivering a
presentation / communicating with a large group unless you are addressing an individual.
Scenario 1 and 2 clearly demonstrate the importance of Non Verbal Communication.
Verbal Communication
It is communication of feelings, emotions, attitudes, and thoughts through body movements /
gestures / eye contact, etc.
The components of Non Verbal Communication are:
• Kinesics: It is the study of facial expressions, postures & gestures. Did you know that while in
Argentina to raise a fist in the air with knuckles pointing outwards expresses victory, in Lebanon,
raising a closed fist is considered rude?
• Oculesics: It is the study of the role of eye contact in non verbal communication. Did you know that
in the first 90 sec – 4 min you decide that you are interested in someone or not. Studies reveal that
50% of this first impression comes from non-verbal communication which includes oculesics. Only
7% of comes from words – that we actually say.
• Haptics: It is the study of touching. Did you know that acceptable level of touching vary from one
culture to another? In Thailand, touching someone’s head may be considered as rude.

• Proxemics: It is the study of measurable distance between people as they interact. Did you know
that the amount of personal space when having an informal conversation should vary between 18
inches – 4 feet while, the personal distance needed when speaking to a crowd of people should be
around 10-12 feet?
• Chronemics: It is the study of use of time in non verbal communication. Have you ever observed
that while AN employee will not worry about running a few minutes late to meet a colleague, a
manager who has a meeting with the CEO, a late arrival will be considered as a nonverbal cue that
he / she does not give adequate respect to his superior?
• Paralinguistics: It is the study of variations in pitch, speed, volume, and pauses to convey meaning.
Interestingly, when the speaker is making a presentation and is looking for a response, he will
pause. However, when no response is desired, he will talk faster with minimal pause.
• Physical Appearance: Your physical appearance always contributes towards how people perceive
you. Neatly combed hair, ironed clothes and a lively smile will always carry more weight than words.
Remember, “what we say” is less important than “how we say it” as words are only 7% of our
communication. Understand and enjoy non verbal communication as it helps forming better first
impressions. Good luck!
Communication Flows in an Organization

In an organization, communication flows in 5 main directions
1. Downward
2. Upward
3. Lateral
4. Diagonal
5. External
1. Downward Flow of Communication: Communication that flows from a higher level in an

organization to a lower level is a downward communication. In other words, communication from
superiors to subordinates in a chain of command is a downward communication. This
communication flow is used by the managers to transmit work-related information to the employees
at lower levels. Employees require this information for performing their jobs and for meeting the
expectations of their managers. Downward communication is used by the managers for the following
purposes –
• Providing feedback on employees performance

• Giving job instructions
• Providing a complete understanding of the employees job as well as to communicate them how their
job is related to other jobs in the organization.
• Communicating the organization’s mission and vision to the employees.
• Highlighting the areas of attention.
Organizational publications, circulars, letter to employees, group meetings etc are all examples of
downward communication. In order to have effective and error-free downward communication,
managers must:
• Specify communication objective

• Ensure that the message is accurate, specific and unambiguous.
• Utilize the best communication technique to convey the message to the receiver in right form

2. Upward Flow of Communication: Communication that flows to a higher level in an organization is

called upward communication. It provides feedback on how well the organization is functioning. The
subordinates use upward communication to convey their problems and performances to their
superiors.
The subordinates also use upward communication to tell how well they have understood the
downward communication. It can also be used by the employees to share their views and ideas and
to participate in the decision-making process.
Upward communication leads to a more committed and loyal workforce in an organization because
the employees are given a chance to raise and speak dissatisfaction issues to the higher levels. The
managers get to know about the employees feelings towards their jobs, peers, supervisor and
organization in general. Managers can thus accordingly take actions for improving things.
Grievance Redressal System, Complaint and Suggestion Box, Job Satisfaction surveys etc all help
in improving upward communication. Other examples of Upward Communication are -performance
reports made by low level management for reviewing by higher level management, employee
attitude surveys, letters from employees, employee-manager discussions etc.
3. Lateral / Horizontal Communication: Communication that takes place at same levels of hierarchy
in an organization is called lateral communication, i.e., communication between peers, between
managers at same levels or between any horizontally equivalent organizational member. The
advantages of horizontal communication are as follows:
• It is time saving.
• It facilitates co-ordination of the task.
• It facilitates co-operation among team members.
• It provides emotional and social assistance to the organizational members.
• It helps in solving various organizational problems.
• It is a means of information sharing
• It can also be used for resolving conflicts of a department with other department or conflicts within a
department.
Diagonal Communication: Communication that takes place between a manager and employees of
other work oranizational conventional rules. In the organizational set up the formal communication
can observe any of the following forms:
1. Downward Communication: The downward communication is when the information passes from
the management level to the subordinate level. This is the most common form of formal
communication wherein communication flows downwards, i.e. from the people occupying top
positions in the organization to the people at lower levels.
It mainly includes orders and instructions and can either be written or oral depending on the
importance of the message and also the status of individuals involved in the communication process.
Reports, emails, letters, manuals, etc. are the commonly used communication tools.
2. Upward Communication: The upward communication is when the message passes from the
subordinate level to the management level. Here, the communication flows upwards i.e. from the
subordinates to the managers in the form of request, reports, suggestions, complaints, and
instructions.

3. Horizontal or Lateral Communication:Horizontal communication means when the Co-workers with

different areas of responsibilities, but at the same level in the organization communicate with each
other. The communication between the managers of a different department, such as marketing,
finance, production, HR, is the best example of horizontal communication.
4. Diagonal or Crosswise Communication: When the employees of different departments at different
levels communicate with each other irrespective of the chain of command, then the communication
is said to be a diagonal or a cross-wise communication. The communication between the floor
manager and the sales team is the example of diagonal communication.
The way in which the formal communication can be facilitated is called as the formal communication
network. There are several forms of Formal Communication Network that individuals use to get
their message transmitted to others.
Informal Communication
Definition: The Informal Communication is the casual and unofficial form of communication
wherein the information is exchanged spontaneously between two or more persons without
conforming the prescribed official rules, processes, system, formalities and chain of command.
The informal communications are based on the personal or informal relations such as friends, peers,
family, club members, etc. and thus is free from the organizational conventional rules and other
formalities. In the business context, the informal communication is called as a “grapevine” as it is
difficult to define the beginning and end of the communication.
The informal communication is characterized by an indefinite channel of communication, which

means there is no definite chain of command through which the information flows. Hence, the
information can flow from anywhere. Often such communication arises out of the social relations that
an individual creates with other persons on the basis of common interest, likings or dislikings.
There are four types of Informal Communication (Grapevine) network that show how the
communication is facilitated. These are:
1. Single Strand Chain

2. Gossip Chain
3. Probability Chain
4. Cluster Chain
The gossip in the organization is the best example of informal communication, wherein the
employees of different department irrespective of their hierarchical positions come together and
communicate with each other. The grapevine satisfies the social needs of people and smoothens the
formal relations by filling in the gaps and even bring together different people who do not fall under
the common chain of command.
Comparison Chart

BASIS FOR INFORMAL

FORMAL COMMUNICATION
COMPARISON COMMUNICATION
A type of verbal
A type of verbal communication communication in which the
in which the interchange of interchange of information
Meaning information is done through the does not follow any
pre-defined channels is known channels i.e. the
as formal communication. communication stretches in
all directions.
Another
Official Communication Grapevine communication
Name
Reliability More Comparatively less
Speed Slow Very Fast
As the communication is
Evidence generally written, documentary No documentary evidence.
evidence is present.
Time
Yes No
Consuming
Efficient because employees

Effective due to timely and can discuss work related
Advantage
systematic flow of information. problems, this saves time
and cost of the organization.
Distortion due to long chain of

Disadvantage Spread of rumors
communication.

BASIS FOR INFORMAL

FORMAL COMMUNICATION
COMPARISON COMMUNICATION
It is difficult to maintain the

Secrecy Full secrecy is maintained.
secrecy.
Flow of Only through predefined

Can move freely.
Information channels.
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Barriers and Gateways

to Communication
Communication is a process beginning with a sender who encodes the message and passes it
through some channel to the receiver who decodes the message. Communication is fruitful if and
only if the messages sent by the sender is interpreted with same meaning by the receiver. If any kind
of disturbance blocks any step of communication, the message will be destroyed. Due to such
disturbances, managers in an organization face severe problems. Thus the managers must locate
such barriers and take steps to get rid of them.
There are several barriers that affects the flow of communication in an organization. These barriers
interrupt the flow of communication from the sender to the reciever, thus making communication
ineffective. It is essential for managers to overcome these barriers. The main barriers of
communication are summarized below.
Following are the main communication barriers:
• Perceptual and Language Differences: Perception is generally how each individual interprets the
world around him. All generally want to receive messages which are significant to them. But any
message which is against their values is not accepted. A same event may be taken differently by
different individuals. For example : A person is on leave for a month due to personal reasons (family
member being critical). The HR Manager might be in confusion whether to retain that employee or
not, the immediate manager might think of replacement because his teams productivity is being
hampered, the family members might take him as an emotional support.

• The linguistic differences also lead to communication breakdown. Same word may mean different to
different individuals. For example: consider a word “value”.
• What is the value of this Laptop?

• I value our relation?
• What is the value of learning technical skills?
“Value” means different in different sentences. Communication breakdown occurs if there is wrong
perception by the receiver.
1. Information Overload: Managers are surrounded with a pool of information. It is essential to control
this information flow else the information is likely to be misinterpreted or forgotten or overlooked. As
a result communication is less effective.
2. Inattention: At times we just not listen, but only hear. For example a traveler may pay attention to
one “NO PARKING” sign, but if such sign is put all over the city, he no longer listens to it. Thus,
repetitive messages should be ignored for effective communication. Similarly if a superior is
engrossed in his paper work and his subordinate explains him his problem, the superior may not get
what he is saying and it leads to disappointment of subordinate.
3. Time Pressures: Often in organization the targets have to be achieved within a specified time
period, the failure of which has adverse consequences. In a haste to meet deadlines, the formal
channels of communication are shortened, or messages are partially given, i.e., not completely
transferred. Thus sufficient time should be given for effective communication.
4. Distraction/Noise: Communication is also affected a lot by noise to distractions. Physical
distractions are also there such as, poor lightning, uncomfortable sitting, unhygienic room also
affects communication in a meeting. Similarly use of loud speakers interferes with communication.
5. Emotions: Emotional state at a particular point of time also affects communication. If the receiver
feels that communicator is angry he interprets that the information being sent is very bad. While he
takes it differently if the communicator is happy and jovial (in that case the message is interpreted to
be good and interesting).
6. Complexity in Organizational Structure: Greater the hierarchy in an organization (i.e. more the
number of managerial levels), more is the chances of communication getting destroyed. Only the
people at the top level can see the overall picture while the people at low level just have knowledge
about their own area and a little knowledge about other areas.
7. Poor retention: Human memory cannot function beyond a limit. One can’t always retain what is
being told specially if he is not interested or not attentive. This leads to communication breakdown.
Overcoming Communication Barriers

There are a lot of communication barriers faced these days by all. The message intended by the
sender is not understood by the receiver in the same terms and sense and thus communication
breakdown occurs. It is essential to deal and cope up with these communication barriers so as to
ensure smooth and effective communication.
As, in the previous section we have discussed the major barriers of communication. Let’s talk
about how to overcome these barriers of communication.

1. Eliminating differences in perception: The organization should ensure that it is recruiting right
individuals on the job. It’s the responsibility of the interviewer to ensure that the interviewee has
command over the written and spoken language. There should be proper Induction program so that
the policies of the company are clear to all the employees. There should be proper trainings
conducted for required employees (for eg: Voice and Accent training).
2. Use of Simple Language: Use of simple and clear words should be emphasized. Use of ambiguous
words and jargons should be avoided.
3. Reduction and elimination of noise levels: Noise is the main communication barrier which must
be overcome on priority basis. It is essential to identify the source of noise and then eliminate that
source.
4. Active Listening: Listen attentively and carefully. There is a difference between “listening” and
“hearing”. Active listening means hearing with proper understanding of the message that is heard.
By asking questions the speaker can ensure whether his/her message is understood or not by the
receiver in the same terms as intended by the speaker.
5. Emotional State: During communication one should make effective use of body language. He/she
should not show their emotions while communication as the receiver might misinterpret the message
being delivered. For example, if the conveyer of the message is in a bad mood then the receiver
might think that the information being delivered is not good.
6. Simple Organizational Structure: The organizational structure should not be complex. The number
of hierarchical levels should be optimum. There should be a ideal span of control within the
organization. Simpler the organizational structure, more effective will be the communication.
7. Avoid Information Overload: The managers should know how to prioritize their work. They should
not overload themselves with the work. They should spend quality time with their subordinates and
should listen to their problems and feedbacks actively.
8. Give Constructive Feedback: Avoid giving negative feedback. The contents of the feedback might
be negative, but it should be delivered constructively. Constructive feedback will lead to effective
communication between the superior and subordinate.
9. Proper Media Selection: The managers should properly select the medium of communication.
Simple messages should be conveyed orally, like: face to face interaction or meetings. Use of
written means of communication should be encouraged for delivering complex messages. For
significant messages reminders can be given by using written means of communication such as :
Memos, Notices etc.
10. Flexibility in meeting the targets: For effective communication in an organization the managers
should ensure that the individuals are meeting their targets timely without skipping the formal
channels of communication. There should not be much pressure on employees to meet their targets.

UNIT 2 Written Communication And Applications of Communication
HOME | MANAGEMENT
Principles of written Communication

– 7C’s Concept
1. Completeness – The communication must be complete. It should convey all facts required by the
audience. The sender of the message must take into consideration the receiver’s mind set and
convey the message accordingly. A complete communication has following features:
• Complete communication develops and enhances reputation of an organization.

• Moreover, they are cost saving as no crucial information is missing and no additional cost is incurred
in conveying extra message if the communication is complete.
• A complete communication always gives additional information wherever required. It leaves no
questions in the mind of receiver.
• Complete communication helps in better decision-making by the audience/readers/receivers of
message as they get all desired and crucial information.
• It persuades the audience.
2. Conciseness – Conciseness means wordiness, i.e, communicating what you want to convey in
least possible words without forgoing the other C’s of communication. Conciseness is a necessity for
effective communication. Concise communication has following features:
• It is both time-saving as well as cost-saving.

• It underlines and highlights the main message as it avoids using excessive and needless words.
• Concise communication provides short and essential message in limited words to the audience.
• Concise message is more appealing and comprehensible to the audience.
• Concise message is non-repetitive in nature.
3. Consideration – Consideration implies “stepping into the shoes of others”. Effective

communication must take the audience into consideration, i.e, the audience’s view points,
background, mind-set, education level, etc. Make an attempt to envisage your audience, their
requirements, emotions as well as problems. Ensure that the self-respect of the audience is
maintained and their emotions are not at harm. Modify your words in message to suit the audience’s
needs while making your message complete. Features of considerate communication are as follows:
• Emphasize on “you” approach.

• Empathize with the audience and exhibit interest in the audience. This will stimulate a positive
reaction from the audience.
• Show optimism towards your audience. Emphasize on “what is possible” rather than “what is
impossible”. Lay stress on positive words such as jovial, committed, thanks, warm, healthy, help, etc.
4. Clarity – Clarity implies emphasizing on a specific message or goal at a time, rather than trying to
achieve too much at once. Clarity in communication has following features:

• It makes understanding easier.

• Complete clarity of thoughts and ideas enhances the meaning of message.
• Clear message makes use of exact, appropriate and concrete words.
5. Concreteness – Concrete communication implies being particular and clear rather than fuzzy and
general. Concreteness strengthens the confidence. Concrete message has following features:
• It is supported with specific facts and figures.

• It makes use of words that are clear and that build the reputation.
• Concrete messages are not misinterpreted.
6. Courtesy – Courtesy in message implies the message should show the sender’s expression as
well as should respect the receiver. The sender of the message should be sincerely polite, judicious,
reflective and enthusiastic. Courteous message has following features:
• Courtesy implies taking into consideration both viewpoints as well as feelings of the receiver of the
message.
• Courteous message is positive and focused at the audience.
• It makes use of terms showing respect for the receiver of message.
• It is not at all biased.
7. Correctness – Correctness in communication implies that there are no grammatical errors in

communication. Correct communication has following features:
• The message is exact, correct and well-timed.

• If the communication is correct, it boosts up the confidence level.
• Correct message has greater impact on the audience/readers.
• It checks for the precision and accurateness of facts and figures used in the message.
• It makes use of appropriate and correct language in the message.
Awareness of these 7 C’s of communication makes you an effective communicator.

Business and Commercial Letters

The following are the standard rules that should be adhered to when formatting the page of a formal
Business letter:
1. Alignment:
All proper business letters should be left-aligned, any other type of alignment is considered
unacceptable in most professional settings.
2. Spacing:
Your letter should be single-spaced. In addition, there should be a space between the date,
address, salutation, and each paragraph. Include four line breaks between the closing and your
printed name to leave space for your signature.
3. Font:
The standard font style is Times New Roman, size 12. However, you can use other sans-serif fonts
such as Helvetica, Arial, Courier, or Geneva, also at size 12. Sans-serif fonts have been credited
with increased readability because of their balanced typeface.
4. Lines:
When using a letterhead, be sure to add a horizontal line underneath it. You can refer to our letters
above to see some examples.
5. Margins:
Keep your margins between 1” – 1.5.” Generally speaking, 1” margins is considered to be the most
widely accepted format for professionals.
EXAMPLE
Ankit Sharma
7 Half Cross Road
IP Extension, New Delhi
123-456-7890
email@email.com
December 06, 2018
Michelle Price
Manager
The Yarn Company
324 Central Ave
Bayberry Heights, Massachusetts 02630

Dear Ms. Price
Thank you so much for taking the time to meet with me to discuss selling my handmade sweaters in
your wonderful shop.
As I mentioned in our conversation, I’ve been a customer of your store since I used my third-grade
allowance to buy my very first pair of knitting needles. I’m honored that you’d consider selling one of
my original creations at The Yarn Company alongside your own work.
We discussed a trial consignment arrangement in which a portion of the sales would go to the store.
This is more than agreeable to me.
Let me know how you want to proceed. I’m available most afternoons at 123-456-7890, or you can
email me at email@email.com, and I’ll respond to your message ASAP.
Thanks, and best,
Ankit Sharma

Minutes of the Meeting

Minutes of the Meeting
Format of Minutes of Meeting
A minutes of meeting normally includes the following elements −
• Name of the company− to the top-left of the page.

• Date− to the top-right of the page.
• Topic− after two return keys; Center-aligned.
• Attendees− Name and designation (2 columns of a table).
• Absentees− name, roles, reasons for absenteeism. (3 columns)
• Agenda at hand− topic to be discussed.
• Issues raised− along with the names of the speakers.
• Suggestions− made along with the names of the speakers.
• Decision− the outcome of the meeting.
• Task List− task allotted and the respective allottee.
• Future Meetings− the date and topic of the next meeting.
EXAMPLE
Topic– Meeting with Hasta La Vista representatives at 6:00PM
Attendees:
ABC House,Hasta La Vista
Room No- 5
Name Designation
Mohtahsim M. Managing Director
Kiran Kumar Panigrahi Senior Technical Writer
Gopal K Verma Technical Manager
Manisha Shejwal Technical Writer

Absentees:
Name Designation Reason
Anaadi Sharma Senior Trainer Conducting Online .NET Training
Agenda at hand − Meeting with Hasta La Vista representatives
Issues raised − High Quotation, long duration, hourly mode of payment.
Suggestions:
Name Suggestions
Mohtahsim M. Alternative company
Kiran Kumar Panigrahi Negotiating mode of payment
Gopal K Verma Negotiating hours of workload
Manisha Shejwal Postponing the plan
Decision − The representatives were told to consult with their Management and report.
Task List:
Gopal K Verma Taking updates from Hasta La Vista
Manisha Shejwal Looking for an alternative company
Future Meetings − 30th April, 2015 at 4:30 PM in Meeting Room-1
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Report Writing
A business report is primarily used to communicate detailed information on a specific topic, unlike a
letter that conveys messages in a summarized form.
Reports are frequently written in a chronological manner from one reporting period to another so that
information published in successive reports can be compared. A report may be published or sent to
individuals outside of the company.
Format of a Business Report

A formal business report normally contains the following elements −
• Title Section− includes the Table of Contents and definitions of terms used. Optional details like the
writer’s name and date prepared on may be mentioned.
• Summary− an overview of all relevant information on major points, conclusions, and
recommendations. It’s a good practice to write this at the end to include all the last minute
modifications.
• Introduction− specifies the reason the report was written and the problem it addresses; generally it
is the first page of the report.
• Body− the main section of the report; it includes industry jargon. Information is arranged in sections,
in decreasing order of importance.
• Conclusion− this, along with Summary, is the most read section of the report, hence the language
should be simple and specific.
• Recommendations− actions to be followed in an increasing order of priority.
• Appendices− technical details and industry facts to support your conclusions.
EXAMPLE
Summary:
Introduction:
Tutorials Point originated from the idea that there exists a class of readers who respond better to
online content.
Brief History of Our Business Model:
1 million readers read 3 million pages every month. Our content and resources are freely available
and we prefer to keep it that way.
Achievements in the Last Decade

The journey commenced with a single tutorial on HTML in 2018 and elated by the response it
generated, we worked towards adding fresh tutorials to our repository.
Body:
The content on the website are created by highly skilled professionals. A number of freelancers
helped us in the growth of the contents.
Conclusion:
Our mission is to deliver Simply Easy Learning with clear, crisp, and to-the-point content on a wide
range of technical and non-technical subjects.
Recommendations:
Design improved content.
Exercise efforts on networking.
Appendices:
Information Policies: A Compilation of Position Statements, Principles, Statutes, and Other Pertinent
Statements”. Coalition for Networked Information. Retrieved 24 June 2013.

Format of a Résumé
Although the templates of résumés vary from profession to profession, we will discuss the most
widely accepted format here, which consists of −
• Name− Full name of the applicant without general salutations like Mr., Ms.
• Address− the permanent address
• Objective− the aim of your professional life
• Education− your academic qualification
• Skills− areas of expertise in your profession
• Programming Languages− if any
• Software Tools− Software tools you use in your profession (MS Word, Excel)
• Operating System Platforms− operating system you use (Windows, Mac)
• Database Management System− if any
• Personal Skills− soft skills
• Experience Breakdown− detailed explanation of your experience
• Achievements & Interests− Hobbies. Achievements in professional life
• Declaration− stating all information provided about the applicant as true
NOTE − Fields marked (e, f, i) will change as per applicant’s area of expertise. Points (g, h) are
considered parts of a general template now, as almost all the companies now expect the candidate
to have basic computer proficiency on some specific software tool (MS Word, MS Excel, etc…).


Business communication via

Social Network
Even though advertising on a social media site is an option, there are still more practical ways to
stay in touch with your customers using this platform. Lets look at four different ways that business
communications online through social networking are evolving in the business world:
1) CONNECTIONS
Rather than posting information on their products or services, most companies are using social
networks as a way of connecting with their customers. Their focus is more on engaging with their
clients rather than selling them a product. Instead of posting the low, low price of their newest
clearance sale item, many are instead sharing details of something more personal, like photos of
their new kitten, Fluffy.
They are also posting about their favorite charity or connection to a social issue they are passionate
about, like saving the environment. This builds trust with people who are therefore more likely to do
business with you.
2) CAMPAIGNING
Belonging to a social media site is like having your own, personal broadcast network without
spending a fortune on more traditional advertising. In the past, customers could take days or weeks
to share a positive or negative experience involving a business transaction, while it takes only
minutes to accomplish this online.
This gives the company a chance to respond to information quickly and stay in touch with their
customers. That way you can acknowledge a compliment or address an issue quickly and more
efficiently. If there is a problem, at least you have the ability to remedy the situation and make it
publicly known that you are dealing with the dilemma.
3) IMAGE
Connecting with people through these social outlets gives them a more human appearance. Often
companies are allowing their employees to blog or post to these sites thereby making them appear
more likeable and compassionate.
So forget the old days of trying to keep some kind of unified front showing a polished company
image and allow people to see your staff as just that … people. This also builds trust with your
clients and will reach others with similar interests.
4) AVAILABILITY:
If New York and Las Vegas are the cities that never sleep, then Facebook and Twitter are the places
where your business is never closed. People are turning to these networks because they can
address a situation on their own terms and at a time that works best for them. Even if the reply isn’t

instantaneous, it still happens nonetheless and the customer can get the response whenever they
are available to receive it.
There is also something called Earned Social Media where there are strategies in getting people to
share your information with others. It is not enough to simply make a post and expect results.
With computer technology taking over the marketplace, more and more people are turning to social
media to communicate rather than using something more antique, like a telephone. But no matter
how archaic, businesses almost always need to be reached by phone. So can the two be integrated
somehow?
The use of a United Communications System can integrate your social media and call center to
provide seamless customer service. It also connects agents together through email and text
messaging.

Writing a BLOG for

If your conception of blogging is a collection of self-obsessed people who describe the boring details
of their lives, such as what they have for breakfast everyday, you may wonder whether a blog can
improve communication in business. Companies that put in the time to regularly provide fresh
information about their business in a blog can gain a competitive edge over companies that remain
silent, as they will get more exposure to current and potential customers.
Post Updates
As your company develops a new product or is set to offer a new service, you can prepare
customers by posting the details on your blog. For example, if you are working on a new project, you
can provide photos and videos of the work in progress, and include updates from the team that is
manufacturing the new item. Your customers can keep up with developments, and if they are
already primed to buy your upcoming product, the blog will keep them interested until the item is
ready for sale.
Allow Commenting for Feedback

Communication between companies and customers is enhanced when a person reads a blog post
and then has the ability to comment on it to fellow readers. If your company enables commenting on
your blog, you are liable to see both good and bad feedback. The fact that you are willing to let
customers post public comments will show that you have great confidence in your products and
services, as well as demonstrate that you are open to hearing feedback. What’s more, you can
answer praise and criticism by posting a follow-up comment or making a new blog post to address
issues as they arise.
Harnessing Social Media to Promote Your Business Blog

Blogs are designed to connect with the rest of the Internet, with readers sharing links to their favorite
blog posts on their own blogs and websites, as well as through social media such as Twitter and
Facebook. You can also increase the effectiveness and reach of your messages by using social
media yourself to let fans know whenever you post a new item on your blog. Your company’s Twitter
followers may read an interesting tweet that points them to your latest post, which will prompt them
to go and read the blog, for example.
Attract Customers and Media

When you post a new item on your company’s blog, journalists who are looking for information about
the goods or services you provide may find what you wrote because the keywords you used caused
search engines to display it in the top results. Customers who are searching for what you have to
offer may also be attracted to your site because of what you wrote in your blog.

UNIT 3 Oral Communication And Business Etiquettes
Principles of Oral Presentation

Well-Planned
Before presenting something, there should be proper planning regarding the audience, topics to be
delivered, timing and other factors: So, a person must be well-prepared to deliver his speech.
Clear pronunciation
To make oral messages meaningful to receivers, words should be clearly and correctly pronounced.
There should not be any lack of clarity, otherwise, the communication would be a confusing one.
Brevity
Effective oral communication desires that a message should be brief. If the sender took a long time
for talking, his message may not get the attention of the receiver.
Precision
Precision is needed to make oral communication effective. There should not be any confusing words
rather message to be delivered should be specific so that there is no misunderstanding.
Natural voice
Any sort of unnatural voice may distort the message. Natural voice can do a lot to make oral
communication effective.
Logical sequence
Ideas should be organized in a sequential way to make the message communicative and attractive.
Unorganized ideas do not provide clear sense while a logical sequence of ideas gives clear sense.
Suitable words
Words have different meanings to different people in different situations in oral communication, a
speaker should use the common, simple and familiar words so that receiver can react to the
message without any problem.
Courteous
Courtesy costs nothing but can earn many things. So, a speaker should be courteous while
addressing listeners. It helps create a good impression in the mind of listeners regarding the
speaker.
Attractive presentation
It is another principle to make oral communication effective. A speaker should deliver his speech in a
very nice and sweet language so that receiver is attracted to take part in the communication.
Avoiding Emotions
Speaker must control his emotions to make oral communication effective. Too much emotion will
take the speaker away from the main subject.

Emphasis
The speaker must be knowledgeable regarding the portion of the speech where he should give
emphasis. Giving emphasis on respective points will help draw the attention of the audience.
Controlling Gesticulation
Speaker at many occasions, consciously or unconsciously, gesticulates for expressing his ideas or
thoughts. This is a habit and should be avoided. Otherwise, application of such habit may lead to %
disinterest of the audience.
Besides, objective information, the capacity of the listener, interesting language, proper fluency
should be considered also as the principles of oral communication.

Factors effecting Presentation

1) Audience Analysis: If the speaker has analyzed the audience in a proper way before
presentation, his presentation will be more effective. On the other hand, poor or improper audience
analysis leads to ineffective presentation. The style of the presentation is largely dependent upon the
type and size of the audience. If audi-ence is large, presentation should be more formal whereas
informal presentation can work in small audience.
2) Communication Environment: Communication environment affects the effectiveness of the

presentations. Much of the audience notices the physical things surrounding the speaker, the stage,
lighting arrangement, background, etc. Proper arrangement of these things can enhance the impact
of the presentation. If there is noise in the surrounding environment, it detracts the audience from
listening and consequently leaves unhealthy messages.
3) Personal Appearance: Personal appearance of the speaker has great impact on the audience.
Well dressed up person can deliver good presentation. Therefore, the speaker should wear neat and
clean clothes and take time to check his appearance just before starting presentation.
4) Use of Visuals: Visuals can enhance the professional image of the presentation. Different
research studies demonstrate that presenters using latest visual techniques are perceived as better
prepared, more persuasive, more credible and more interesting than speakers who do not use
visuals. But visuals work only if the technology on which they depend works well. Therefore,
presenter should check the equipment in advance before presenting.
5) Opening and Closing of Presentation: The beginning and closing of a presentation are the
positions of emphasis. Those presenters who can open the presentation with interesting remarks
which are likely to create more interest and enthusiasm for listening the presentation. On the other
hand, presenters with poor opening are likely to leave the audience bored. Similarly, the ending of
the presentation has profound impact on the audience. Endings, with vivid and positive pictures are
more likely to have profound impact on the audience.
6) Organization of Presentation: Clarity in presentation is essential that comes with proper

organization of the information. Organizing the information in a proper manner can make the
message more understandable, keep the audience happy and boost the image of the speaker.
Proper organization of presentation enhances the effectiveness of the presentation. On the other
hand, improper organization of the presentation will not influence the audience.
To overcome the problems, presentation can be organized in one of the five standard patterns:
i) Chronological: It starts with past, moves to the present and ends by looking ahead.
ii) Problem-Causes-Solution: It explains the symptoms of the problem, identifies its causes and
suggests the remedial measures.
iii) Excluding Alternatives: It shows the symptoms of the problem, suggests possible solutions,
explains the reasons why these don’t work and ends the discussion with a solution that will work.
iv) Pros-Cons: It explains the advantages and disadvantages of problem(s).
v) 1-2-3: It discusses three aspects of a topic: introduction, body and conclusion.
7) Language and Words: The quality of presentation is affected by the language and words. To
make the audience understand the message, the speaker has to talk in the language known to the

audience. To enhance the impact of presentation, he should choose the catchy words that appeal to
the heart and emotions of the audience. If the language spoken by presentator is different from
audience’s language, and words used are stereotyped, it is likely to have least impact on the
audience.
8) Quality of Voice: Quality of voice of the presenter affects the effectiveness of the presentation.
Voice modu-lation is likely to have greater impact upon the audience whereas monotonous voice will
bore the audience.
9) Body Language: The effectiveness of the presentation is also affected by the body language of
the speaker. A speaker having eye contact with audience is likely to impress more than a speaker
reading out the hand outs. A speaker who looked more at the audience is judged as better informed,
more experienced, more honest and friendliest than a speaker who delivers the speech with less eye
contact. With eye contact members of audience feel that speaker is talking to them.
Similarly, confidently moving speakers are likely to have more impact than nervous speakers. To
calm one’s nervousness, one should be well-prepared, take several deep breaths, relax one’s
muscles, pause and look at the audience and use body energy in strong gestures and movement.
10) Answering Questions: The effectiveness of presentation is also affected by presenter’s skill in
handling questions asked at the end of presentation. A speaker who answers the audience’s
questions and handles hostile questions with tact is likely to influence the audience more. On the
other hand, a speaker who answers rudely will leave negative impact upon the audience.

Non-VerbalNon-
Verbal Communication
Non verbal communication play a vital role in our regular life and it make easy our communication
various time. However we describe here symbols or media/ cues of non-verbal communication or,
types of non verbal communication.
Types of non verbal communication
Non-verbal communication is non- word communication. It takes place without using written or
spoken words. There more some symbols or media of non-verbal communication.
Non-verbal communication is non-word communication. It takes place without using written or

spoken words. There are some symbols or media of non-verbal communication. Non-verbal
communication uses several symbols which also known as types of non verbal communication that
are noted below:
Silence
It is a very powerful tool of communication. When no words are used, no gestures are made and yet
the message is communicated, it is called silent communication. For example, if a person is given a
difficult assignment or job, he may remain wordless and this is called silence. Such silence may
indicate his or her disinterest or lack of understanding.
Body Language
When gestures and postures are used for communicating a message are called body language. It
can be of two types:
• Unconscious movement: When we are bored, we walk around the room. When we are nervous,
we bite our nails. These movements are usually made unconsciously.
• Conscious movement: When we salute our national flag; when we forward our arms; when we sit,
walk or stands; we are actually communicating our feelings through conscious movement.
Gestures
A gesture is an intentional body movement to send a message. There are many different attitudes
and intentions are expressed through gestures.
Â For example, when we are introduced to people who are older or in higher ranking positions we
show respect. Thumbs- up gestures show that things are under control.

Facial Expression
Faces are very important in non-verbal communication. Because they express a great range of
emotions from Joy to sorrows, from frustration to pleasure. For example, when we are happy, we
smile; and when we are sad, we are in gloomy face.
Para language or use of voice

The voice is obviously an important communication tool. Ranges from anger to very expressive
sounds. When a person is speaking loudly then his tone reflects strangeness whereas when a
person is speaking slowly then his tone is faint. So different voice or tone creates different meaning
and therefore quality of voice provides different messages to us.
Touch
By touching, we can express a wide range of emotions. When we embrace each other during BID,
we are communicating our greetings. When we slap or kick some one, we are showing our anger.
Communication by touch should take into consideration both cultural patterns and individual
preference. For example: In some cultures, embraces are common greetings, but in many cultures it
may not. On the other hand, handshake is preferred by one person but it may not be preferred, by
others.
Space and Distance

In much Organization, space has become an indicator of the relative importance of a person. As you
move up the Organizational ladder, your office is likely to become larger and its location to be well
furnished. So space conveys us a message regarding the importance of a person in organization.
Distance also expresses the degree of intimacy and individual acceptance. (The distance you place
between yourself and others is a message. If you seat closely to other persons in a meeting, it
means you are less formal and want intimacy. Whereas, if you seat making distance, it means you
want a barrier.
Clothes and Personal Appearances

We are able to communicate through appearance and dress. Your clothes and dresses provide
visual signal to your interest, age, personality, sex, attitude, social standing, religious affiliation and
other things. Appearance also provides idea regarding your personality, taste and honesty. (Both
clothes and appearance provide the self image of a person towards others.
For Example: When a person is dressed-up with suit, it means he is ready to have any formal
activities, when a person is wearing casual dress, it shows something to be informal.
Audible Aspect
Audible refers to sound winch can be heard clearly. In communication various sounds convey
various messages. Familiar audible aspects of communication are :

• Siren: It is device that produces long and loud sound as a signal or warning, e.g. (During Ramadan
time, we are familiar with siren at seheri and iftar moment.)
• Calling Bell: It is used in office and home to call upon desired person.] In office it is used to call a
peon. At home, visitors notify their presence by calling the host through such bell.
• Ringing Bell: Such bell conveys useful message to the person concerned. In educational institute,
the teachers and the students are informed regarding particular class period from the sound of
ringing
• Clock Alarm: This is popular in our daily life. It is used to notify about time and make us conscious
about our duties to be done in time.
Symbols
Symbols are important media of non verbal communication. It is used as a means of communication
was popular at the primitive period of human civilization as it is today. We use different type of
symbols to communicate specific massage. Symbols or signs are representation of something. To
define or express any situation or position we take the help of Symbols.
For example: In a street we are familiar with the following things:
Moreover, a driver can easily understand that red light acts as a symbol to stop and green light acts
as a symbol to move for a vehicle.
Furthermore we use symbols to solve any mathematical problems such as:
• + : Addition
• – : Subtraction
• * : Multiplication
In our daily life we face various symbols consciously or unconsciously. And all the symbols are
communicating to us.
For example:

Symbols

Symbols easily communicate to all. So, we must know what symbol represents what because the
meaning of different symbols may vary from culture to culture, region to region or society to society.
Gestures
A gesture is an intentional body movement to convey a message. There are many different attitudes
and intentions are expressed through gestures.
For example: When we are introduced to people who are older or in higher ranking positions we
show respect. Thumbs- up gestures show that things are under control.
We use arms, legs, hands and heads to convey message also. Say, when we straddle during
physical training (P.T), it shows our attention to a speaker. When we first, it reflects our
determination. And when we nod our head it expresses bur understanding. More over we uses our
hands to wave in many occasions which means “hello” or “good-bye”. Furthermore we bow to others
in much function and such thing symbolizes our gratitude and respect.
Normally gestures are meaningful in relation to another person and we use different gestures during
our verbal communication. It can create different meanings at different point of time.
Body Language / Kinesics

it refers to the movement of various parts of our body and indicates some message which creates
communication. It is also known as kinesics.
According to Lesikar & Petit “Kinesics is the study of body’s physical movement.”
Body language can be of two types:
1. Unconscious movement:When we are bored, we walk around the room. When we are nervous, we
bite our nails. These movements are usually made unconsciously.
2. Conscious movement:When we salute our national flag; when we forward our arms; when we sit,
walk or stands; we are actually communicating our feelings through conscious movement.
The physical shapes of our body also communicate to others. A tall man with good physical health is
considered to be active, whereas a short person with tiny health is considered to be invalid at first
sight.
Body language is sometimes confusing and may not communicate the actual scenario always. For
example: a person who is usually rough will come politely to attend any interview. Moreover any
employee who is suffering from any mental pain will obviously show his smiling face in front of his
Big Boss. Whereas a person who never smiles can be read as an unhappy person.
We should be aware regarding our body language otherwise right message will not be
communicated.
For example: In a formal meeting we cannot sit in a relax mood because it will show our
inattentiveness. Whereas in a picnic or party we should not sit rigidly because it will represent our
tension

Business etiquettes
and Professionalism
The 4 Types of Business Etiquette
• Workplace etiquette
• Table manners and meal etiquette
• Professionalism
• Communication etiquette
Workplace Etiquette
These rules deal with your behavior at the office. Culture and expectations differ from company to
company, so what’s rude at one workplace may be normal at another.
For instance, HubSpot is dog-friendly, so my coworkers frequently bring their pups in with them. At a
traditional office, showing up with Rover would probably annoy your colleagues — and may even get
you in hot water with upper management.
Figure out what’s acceptable and what’s not by reading your company handbook, paying attention to
how the executives behave (and following suit), and sticking by the standard rules (such as “Don’t
heat up excessively smelly foods in the break room.”)
Table Manners and Meal Etiquette

There’s far more to dinner and meal etiquette than knowing which fork to use. Luckily, once you’ve
memorized these rules, you’ll be well-equipped for any eating situation.
I can’t even begin to cover them here — you should read a book on meal etiquette or watch some
videos for a full briefer — but every professional should know the following:
• Put your napkin in your lap when you sit down

• Order items in a similar price range to your dining companions
• Don’t start eating until everyone has received their food
• Pass condiments and dishes from left to right rather than reaching across the table
• Chew with your mouth closed
• Don’t snap your fingers at your server
• After the meal is over, partially fold your napkin and put it to the left of your plate
Professionalism
Being professional means contributing to a pleasant, productive, and inclusive work environment.
Professionalism includes an entire range of behaviors; however, here are the most standard:

• Keeping your word: When you make a commitment — whether it’s big or small — keep it. If you
know that will be impossible, give the other person as much notice as possible.
• Being punctual: Show up on time (or early).
• Remaining calm: Even in heated situations, do your best to stay cool.
• Acting flexible: Sometimes you’ll have to stay late, show up early, change plans, move meetings,
and more to make things work. Unless this is happening all the time, accommodate these changes
without raising a stink.
• Using diplomacy: There will be people you don’t like — prospects, coworkers, or both. Be kind and
amiable anyway.
• Accepting constructive criticism: Throughout your career, others will offer feedback. If you’re closed
off to it, you’ll not only harm your professional rapport, you’ll also lose valuable opportunities to
improve.
Communication Etiquette
A large majority of our relationships hinge on good communication. Not sure what that entails? Let’s
break communication etiquette down into four categories:
Phone etiquette
• Don’t speak too loudly or too softly. If you’re worried about your volume, ask, “How am I coming
across? Do you need me to talk more or less quietly?”
• Never interact with your phone while you’re with someone else. Keep it stashed in your pocket or
bag at all times.
• If you’re on a conference call and you’re not speaking, mute yourself so the others aren’t distracted
by the outside noise.
Email etiquette
• Aim to answer internal emails within one day and external emails within three days.
• Avoid overusing exclamation marks and smiley faces.
• Default to “Reply” over “Reply All.”
• Check with each party before you make an introduction.
In-person etiquette
• Steer clear of complimenting someone’s appearance, since this can make people feel
uncomfortable.
• Maintain eye contact 60% to 70% of the time.
• Match their speaking volume.
• Show interest in what they’re saying.
Virtual meetings etiquette
• Look at the camera — not your own face or theirs — so you seem like you’re making eye contact.
• Shut the door and make sure you’re not interrupted by your pets, children, roommates, significant
other, etc.
• Before your meeting, check the area in camera range for inappropriate or overly personal items.

Group Discussion
The skills that are usually assessed in a Group Discussion are:
• Communication Skills
• Interpersonal Skills
• Leadership Skills
• Motivational Skills
• Team Building Skills
• Tolerance
• Clarity over Ambiguity
• Divergent Thinking
• Listening skills
• Presentation Skills
• Analytical / Logical skills
Here are some tips for effective participation in a GD:
• Understand – Understand the topic before attempting to contribute.

• Speak – Try and get a chance to speak. If you can’t get a chance to speak make your chance.
• Initiate – Take the initiative to begin the discussion, if possible.
• Structure – Structure arguments logically – justify your stand.
• Summaries– Summaries the discussion effectively
• Involve- Take active part throughout the GD.
• Assert- Be assertive.
• Articulate- Work continuously towards articulating your ideas into meaningful sentences to make
the best impact. Be clear in your speech.
• Emphasize- Use non-verbal communication to emphasize points.
• Listen- Be an attentive listener.
• Quality, not quantity matters- it’s not ‘how much’ you say, but ‘what’ you say that’s important.
Do’s and Don’ts
• Group strength is usually 8 to 12 members

• When the group discussion topic is announced and if you do not get the topic properly, just request
to repeat the topic. Do not show surprises.
• Correctly saying what you want to say- speaking effectively and efficiently is very important.
• General Principles
• Be a good listener
• Do not use high vocabulary
• Never use technical language while speaking
• Not knowing is not a problem, do not try to bluff
Things to avoid
• Do not criticize on religion

• Do not get personal with anyone
• Do not criticize foreign policy of India

Employee Interview
Objectives of the selection interview
As well as the need for the candidate to find our about the job and the organization, it is important for
the employer to find out about the candidate. It is also a public relations exercise. Interviewers are
representing the organization, and the candidate will see the way they act as indicative of the way
the organization operates. Bearing this in mind, it is important that every candidate should feel that
they have had a fair hearing during their interview.
Introducing the interview

A short clear introduction helps put candidates at ease by letting them know what to expect. Provide
a rough agenda for the interview. State how long the interview is going to last. Explain that you will
be taking notes.
Taking notes
Do not take notes furtively. Be open about it. Tell the candidate you will be taking notes, but do not
do it in such a way that the candidate can see what is being written. Take the minimum amount of
notes and confine them to memory triggers and facts. Do not let it interfere with or interrupt the flow
of conversation. Be careful about timing. Highly personal or adverse information should be noted
when the conversation has moved to another point.
Preparation
Ensure that you know what the information you want from the candidate and give a good impression
by being familiar with the applicant’s details.
Rapport
Candidates will give much more information about themselves, be less defensive and generally
more open, the more relaxed and comfortable they feel. Interviewers, therefore, should try and
provide a supportive and friendly environment, which is also giving them the information that they
want. There are a number of ways in which an interviewer can strike up a rapport and these include
listening, providing verbal cues and providing non-verbal clues.
Listening
Interviewers should always concentrate on what the candidate is saying. There is a lot information
which will be provided by the candidate. The interviewer has to be able to recall it, use it, relate it to
the person’s qualifications, check it for inconsistencies, etc. In order to issue follow up questions, the
interviewer must obviously have paid attention not just to what is being said, but also the way in
which it is being said.
Reflecting back…The interviewer asks a question which relates to something which the candidate
may have said earlier on. For example: “You mentioned just now that you enjoyed geography at
school. Why was that?”

Making links…This is similar to reflecting back, but it is used not so much to ask questions but to
form links between one section of an interview and another section of an interview. For example:
“Your reference to new technology take us to the next phase of the interview. I would like to ask you
some questions about your experience with computer-aided manufacturing. Tell me about…”
Questioning
One of the objectives of the interview is to obtain information about the candidate. Therefore, you
should aim to have the candidate talking approximately 70% to 80% of the time and the key to this is
the type of questions, which are asked. Some of types of questions commonly asked in an interview
are:
1. Open Questions…These questions are designed to enable candidates to provide facts and
information, to describe things, to express feeling of opinions and to get the candidate talking. For
example: Tell me about the duties in your present job? How did you deal with irate customers?”
These questions begin with who, what, when, where, why, how or tell me about…
2. Closed Questions…“Did you enjoy your last job?” “Did you get on well with your manager?” In
either case, the candidate could answer yes or no, and in both cases a word answer would suffice
as a reply. Obviously, some closed questions cannot be avoided during the course of an interview,
but you should attempt to ensure that the majority of the questions are open ones.
3. Double-Headed Questions…These occur when two or more questions are asked in one go. For
example: “Why have you applied for the job, where do you see yourself in five years time, and why
do you want to leave your present job?” The candidate will either answer the questions they want to
answer, ignore those which might be too difficult or too revealing, or they just might forget one of the
questions. It is best for the interview to ask the questions one at a time.
4. Leading Questions...The answer to these questions is given away in the question itself. This occurs
when the interviewer prefaces the questions with information either from the job description or the
person’s resume. For example: “This job involves a lot of filing. How do you feel about filing?” or “We
are looking for somebody who can work under pressure. How well do you work under pressure?”
With questions like these, you are playing straight into the hands of the experienced candidate or the
ones who are good talkers.
5. Hypothetical Questions...The interviewer describes a situation to the candidate and asks then what
they would do. Too many questions of this type should be avoided because what a person says they
will do in a given situation might be completely different from what they would actually do. It is much
better to look at how the person has handled situations in the past rather than trying to see how they
might handle the situation in the future. So instead of asking, “How would you deal with an irate
customer if you were faced with one?” you might ask “Can you give me an example of when you had
to deal with an irate customer?”
6. Self-Assessment Questions…The interviewer asks candidates to assess themselves. For
example: ‘Can you tell me why you think you are suitable for the job?’ These are very difficult
questions to answer, but again they also play into the hand of the smooth talker or experienced
interviewee. It is the job of the interviewer to decide, once the interview is over, whether the
candidate is suitable for the job or not, and this decision should not really be influenced by the
candidate’s answer to this question. For example, the modest candidate who may be very skilled at
their work will come across less suitable for the position than the confident but less skilled candidate.
7. Probing Questions – The Funnel Technique...It is not sufficient just to ask questions. The answer
to an open question will give you some important information but it will not be enough usually to
make an assessment of a candidate. What is needed, are further follow up questions to probe a
particular area in more depth. The method for doing this is known as the Funnel Technique. You
should begin by asking an open question, which refers to something that the candidate has done in
the past, and which also relates to a characteristic on the person’s resume. The open question is
designed to give you an overview or a broad-brush picture of what the person has done in a

particular area. The subsequent questions are designed to obtain more information on that aspect of
the candidate’s experience.
Ending the interview

Once the interviewer has completed his/her questions, an opportunity must be given to the
candidate to ask questions about the job and the organization. When this is over, the interview
should be formally ended. There are a number of points that should be borne in mind when ending
the interview.
1. Ask if there is anything else that they would like to talk about which they may not have had the
opportunity to mention earlier on.
2. Let them know when and how they will be contacted with a decision.
3. Thank them for their time, showing interest in the position and the organization.
4. Show them out of the room.

UNIT 4 External Influence on Business Communication
Legal and Ethical dimensions

of communication
LEGAL ISSUE
Business communication can take many forms, including sales pitches, marketing messages, press
releases and even company meetings, depending on the audience and communication medium.
Business communication competencies tend to focus on building relationships and achieving
productive results, but the legal aspect must also be considered. Certain areas of business
communication are strictly regulated by law, while others can lead to potentially harmful civil
litigation. Understanding the legal framework in which business communicators work is essential for
entrepreneurs, managers and front-line employees alike.
Disclaimers
Product and service disclaimers protect businesses from potentially harmful litigation in the event of
misuse or misunderstanding by customers. Disclaimers can be used in court to prove that customers
were warned about dangers and risks before using a product or service. Disclaimers can be found
on a variety of media, including product packaging and commercial advertisements, or even in sales
conversations. Most disclaimers are preventive measures, but some are legally mandated by
regulatory bodies. Financial advisers must include disclaimers related to the risks inherent in
following their advice, for example, while healthcare products are required to list potentially harmful
side effects.
Disclosures
Legal disclosures are similar to disclaimers, but less specific. Although disclaimers are a type of
disclosure, other types of disclosures can be legally significant as well. Conflict-of-interest
disclosures for stock analysts and financial advisers are one example, as are references for
research-based claims in marketing. Non-disclosure agreements approach the issue of legal
disclosure from another angle. In non-disclosure agreements, one party agrees to refrain from
sharing proprietary information outside of a contractual relationship.
Marketing Communications
Advertising and sales communications must follow legal guidelines for honesty and accuracy.
According to the Small Business Administration’s overview of advertising and marketing law,
advertising claims must be honest, non-deceptive and based on factual evidence. According to the
same overview, advertising and marketing law extends to regulate testimonials, product
endorsements, advertising to children, claims of environmental responsibility and claims of domestic
production. The Federal Trade Commission also strictly regulates direct marketing activities,
including telemarketing and email marketing.

Reporting
Financial reporting can be considered a form of business communication, since it involves formally
presenting information to investors, regulators and the general public. Using deceptive accounting
practices to misrepresent company finances is a weighty legal matter potentially resulting in lawsuits,
fines or even criminal charges, not to mention damage to a company’s brand reputation. This is one
of the most closely regulated areas of business communications and is especially important for
publicly traded corporations.
Internal Communications
Business communication deals just as much with internal dialogs as communication with outside
stakeholders. The Equal Opportunity Employment Commission and the Department of Labor
regulate such issues as harassment, threats, hostile work environments and dishonest
communication with employees. Individual states further enforce their own internal communications
regulations via state agencies, such as the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing.
List of Ethical Issues in Business

In the complex global business environment of the 21st century, companies of every size face a
multitude of ethical issues. Businesses have the responsibility to develop codes of conduct and
ethics that every member of the organization must abide by and put into action. Fundamental ethical
issues in business include promoting conduct based on integrity and that engenders trust, but more
complex issues include accommodating diversity, empathetic decision-making, and compliance and
governance consistent with a company’s core values.
Fundamental Issues
The most fundamental or essential ethical issues that businesses must face are integrity and trust. A
basic understanding of integrity includes the idea of conducting your business affairs with honesty
and a commitment to treating every customer fairly. When customers think a company is exhibiting
an unwavering commitment to ethical business practices, a high level of trust can develop between
the business and the people it seeks to serve. A relationship of trust between you and your
customers may be a key factor in your company’s success.
Diversity Issues
Your current and potential employees are a diverse pool of people who deserve to have their
differences respected when they choose to work at your business. An ethical response to diversity
begins with recruiting a diverse workforce, enforces equal opportunity in all training programs and is
fulfilled when every employee is able to enjoy a respectful workplace environment that values their
contributions. Maximizing the value of each employees’ contribution is a key element in your
business’s success.
Decision-Making Issues
A useful method for exploring ethical dilemmas and identifying ethical courses of action includes
collecting the facts, evaluating any alternative actions, making a decision, testing the decision for

fairness and reflecting on the outcome. Ethical decision-making processes should center on
protecting employee and customer rights, making sure all business operations are fair and just,
protecting the common good, and making sure the individual values and beliefs of workers are
protected.
Compliance and Governance Issues

Businesses are expected to fully comply with environmental laws, federal and state safety
regulations, fiscal and monetary reporting statutes and all applicable civil rights laws. For example,
the Aluminum Company of America’s approach to compliance ensures no one at the company may
ask any employee to break the law or go against company values, policies and procedures. The
company’s commitment to compliance is shored up by its approach to corporate governance: the
company expects all ALCOA directors, officers and executives to conduct business in accordance
with its business conduct policies.

Cross Cultural and Diversity Issues

of Communication
Cross-Cultural Communication
Cross-cultural communication has become strategically important to companies due to the growth
of global business, technology, and the Internet. Understanding cross-cultural communication is
important for any company that has a diverse workforce or plans on conducting global business.
This type of communication involves an understanding of how people from different cultures speak,
communicate, and perceive the world around them.
Cross-cultural communication in an organization deals with understanding different business

customs, beliefs and communication strategies. Language differences, high-context vs. low-context
cultures, nonverbal differences, and power distance are major factors that can affect cross-cultural
communication.
Let’s take a look at how cross-cultural differences can cause potential issues within an organization.
Jack is a manager at a New Mexico-based retail conglomerate. He has flown to Japan to discuss a
potential partnership with a local Japanese company. His business contact, Yamato, is his
counterpart within the Japanese company. Jack has never been to Japan before, and he’s not
familiar with their cultural norms. Let’s look at some of the ways that a lack of cultural understanding
can create a barrier for business success by examining how Jack handles his meeting with Yamato.
High- vs. Low-Context Culture

The concept of high- and low-context culture relates to how an employee’s thoughts, opinions,
feelings, and upbringing affect how they act within a given culture. North America and Western
Europe are generally considered to have low-context cultures. This means that businesses in
these places have direct, individualistic employees who tend to base decisions on facts. This type of
businessperson wants specifics noted in contracts and may have issues with trust.
High-context cultures are the opposite in that trust is the most important part of business dealings.
There are areas in the Middle East, Asia and Africa that can be considered high context.
Organizations that have high-context cultures are collectivist and focus on interpersonal
relationships. Individuals from high-context cultures might be interested in getting to know the person
they are conducting business with in order to get a gut feeling on decision making. They may also be
more concerned about business teams and group success rather than individual achievement.
Jack and Yamato ran into some difficulties during their business negotiations. Jack spoke quickly
and profusely because he wanted to seal the deal as soon as possible. However, Yamato wanted to
get to know Jack, and he felt that Jack spoke too much. Yamato also felt that Jack was only
concerned with completing the deal for his own self-interest and was not concerned with the overall
good of the company. Jack’s nonverbal cues did not help the negotiations either.

Nonverbal Differences
Gestures and eye contact are two areas of nonverbal communication that are utilized differently
across cultures. Companies must train employees in the correct way to handle nonverbal
communication as to not offend other cultures. For example, American workers tend to wave their
hand and use a finger to point when giving nonverbal direction. Extreme gesturing is considered
rude in some cultures. While pointing may be considered appropriate in some contexts in the United
States, Yamato would never use a finger to point towards another person because that gesture is
considered rude in Japan. Instead, he might gesture with an open hand, with his palm facing up,
toward the person.

Technology Enabled Communication

Using technology in communication has become a necessity; it’s now part of our lives. People
communicate through emails, faxes, Mobile phones, texting services, video conferences, video chat
rooms and social media channels. As time goes on, more emerging technologies will change the
way we communicate and it will be up to us to embrace them or not. Let’s look at the impact or use
of technology in communication both to individuals and businesses. Because technology has
completely changed how these two parties are communicating?
The impact of technology in communication to a business: Today, every business uses

technology in its own way to reach the media and targeted consumers. Also, businesses have
embraced technology by easing communication within companies and among investors and
suppliers. Below are a few uses of technology in communication to a business.
• Easy Product Launch: During the past, companies and small business used to face a lot difficulty
in informing their consumers about a new product. A company had to pay for expensive door to door
marketing which could even take a lot of time to yield results. Nowadays, things have become
simple, through email subscriptions, companies will have data for most consumers, so if they
introduce a new item or service. The company will draft one email with details about a new service
or product and that message will be delivered to all consumers in a minute. Now their companies
online specializing in this type of communication. A good example is ‘.’Mail Chimp’’’. With their
massive mail submission, all your clients will receive the same message in a minute via email.
• Product or service surveys: Before the invention of the internet, it was so difficult to conduct a
survey, most companies would pay money to magazines and place survey forms and offer gifts to
users who filled those surveys and mailed them back to the company. Taking a survey is very
important to a business because that is how you will know what your clients want and know areas of
improvement. Nowadays, a business can conduct a survey using social networksand provide users
with incentives like ‘’gift cards’’. This produces a quick response and saves the company money and
time.
• Social interaction with consumers: With the recent invention of social networks like facebook
and twitter, a business can create business pages then get followers for these pages. The process is
so simple and free. For some business, they set a budget for building a fun base for their pages, so
they use these pages to update and communicate with their followers. A good example is
‘’Nordstrom’’ this is one of the largest fashion retail businesses in America. Nordstrom used its
facebook page to update followers about new items and discounts. As of today, its facebook page
has over 1,667,162 likes. See page com/Nordstrom
• Video Conferencing:Gone are the days when you had to wait for your boss to be in the meeting to
start a presentation. New technology enables your boss to be in the business meeting while in a
hotel in Hawaii preparing for a partnership or investors meeting. This has been made possible by
the invention of video conferencing.
• Use of digital networks– ‘’Phones and printers are all digitized, not like before when
communication was hindered by telephone lines. During bad weather, most the lines would go off.

Negotiation and its relevance in

Negotiation
Negotiation is nothing but a discussion among individuals to reach to an alternative which would
satisfy all.
How is an effective discussion possible? Only through communication.
An effective communication is directly proportional to an effective negotiation. The better the

communication is the better the negotiation would be. Discussion does not mean fighting and
shouting, instead it is simply the exchange of one’s ideas, thoughts and opinions with each other.
One needs to have excellent communication skills for a healthy and an effective discussion.
Communication is an art and one should master it to excel in all kinds of negotiation. The other
person will never come to know about your thoughts and ideas unless and until you share it with
them. One can’t see your grey matter. Lot depends on how you speak.
One should very sensibly convert his thoughts into a speech by carefully selecting relevant words.
Be careful about your words. One should never use derogatory sentences or fowl words in his
speech. Understand the power of speech. The way you present your thought matters a lot. Don’t
speak just for the sake of it. Haphazard thoughts and abstract ideas only lead to confusions. One
must speak clearly what he expects from the other person. Don’t eat your words and try to confuse
others. Your thoughts and ideas must be expressed clearly for others to understand well. Be crisp
and precise in your speech.
Ben wanted to purchase a pen for himself. He was not very convinced with the price the shopkeeper
quoted and found it a little too high. Ben wanted him to reduce the price of the pen. Unfortunately
Ben lagged good communication skills and whatever he spoke only confused the shopkeeper. He
kept on cribbing and pleading which further irritated the shopkeeper and he refused to further
entertain Ben.
What was Ben’s mistake ?
Ben wanted to buy the pen, but his only mistake was he did not speak in a convincing manner. Had
he spoken clearly and explained the shopkeeper as to why the price of the pen should be a litter
lesser than what he had quoted, the pen would have been his. In this case the negotiation was not a
fruitful one as no body gained anything.
Effective communication is important in salary negotiations as well. Express your salary

expectations clearly in front of the recruiter. If you want your salary to be more than what he has
quoted, mention it very clearly but politely. Try your level best to convince the recruiter why you need
salary hike and probably how will you justify it once you join the organization. There is nothing to be
afraid of; even the organization needs talented people like you. Learn to be a bit tactful. Your style,
your accent, your pronunciations are also important. Do lay emphasis on words that you feel are

important. If you are not satisfied with the offer, it’s better to decline it but in a very polite way.
Remember we all belong to good families and must behave like educated and cultured people.
An effective communication is of prime importance in business deals also. The terms and
conditions must be mentioned clearly for better transparency and don’t try to hide anything from the
second party. It’s always better to depend on written modes of communication like emails, letters,
documents or agreements for better reliability. Use corporate terminologies, professional jargons
and never use irrelevant statements in your speech. It is considered highly unprofessional.
One should also be very careful with his pitch and tone. Always remember battles can be won just
by being decent and polite. Don’t be rude and harsh on others. Speak slowly and convincingly in a
tone audible to one and all. Do not speak either too fast or too slow. The other person must
understand your speech. Never be loud or shout on anyone. It’s unethical to speak ill or insult
anyone just for a deal. Relationships are more important and must be valued.
Non verbal communication also plays an important role in an effective negotiation. Our facial
expressions hand movements, posture matter a lot and must never be ignored.
Please go through the below example for a better clarity:
If you come across a person who is nervous, sweating unnecessarily and fiddling with things around,
will you entertain such a person?
Obviously No.
The same happens with the other party also. If they come to know that you are nervous, they would
definitely try to sit on your head and the deal would never be in your favour. Don’t express your
helplessness to anyone. You might need the job badly but don’t let the other person know
about it. Be very confident and show a positive attitude. Whenever you are going for a negotiation,
don’t forget to carry your smile. Flash your million dollar smile but don’t laugh unnecessarily or crack
silly jokes in between. Exchange greetings and compliments to break the ice.Sit straight, don’t lean
on the chair and do make an eye contact with the person sitting on the other side of the table. It
shows your confidence and strong will power. Don’t play with things kept on the table. Concentrate
on the negotiation and don’t look here and there.
Negotiation is no rocket science. You just have to be very clear about your expectations and
interests; express the same clearly, convince the other party and come to something acceptable to
both. Don’t speak anything which might hurt the other person. Be very polite in your speech,
involve everyone in the discussion and decide in the favour of all the participants for an
effective negotiation.

Mass Communication
Mass communication is a study that connects people and other entities to large segments of the
population through mass media. It is usually related to newspapers, magazines and book publishing
as well as radio, television, films and even the internet as these mediums are used for disseminating
information, news and advertising. The study of mass communication is concerned with how the
content of mass communication persuades or otherwise affects the behavior, attitude, opinion, or
emotion of the person or people receiving the information.
In his piece, ‘The Study of Mass Communication’ in International Encyclopedia of Social Sciences,
M. Janowitz writes, “Mass communication comprises the institutions and techniques by which
specialized groups employ technological devices (Radio, TV, Press, films) to disseminate symbolic
content to large heterogeneous and widely dispersed audiences.”
According to Charles R Wright, mass communication is a special kind of communication involving

distinctive operating conditions, primary among which are nature of the audience, of the
communication experience, and of the communicator. Mass communication is directed towards a
relatively large, heterogeneous and anonymous audience. Mass communication is organized
communication and is characterized as public, rapid and transient.
One of the finest definitions of mass communication has been given by Denis McQuail in his book
‘Towards Sociology of Mass communication’. According to McQuail, “the term mass media indicates
the entire systems within which messages are produced, selected, transmitted, received and
responded to”.
Why Mass Comm?
• The need to stay connected and abreast with what is happening in the world has revolutionized the
way we communicate today. The field of mass communication is an exciting career option that
opens up innumerable opportunities in diverse fields.
• A bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communication gives you the potential to transform the
society by actively expressing what you want to say and by becoming the voice of millions of others.
If you are creative and want to explore different mediums of expression, then a career in Media is
ideal for you.


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BUSINESS COMMUNICATION BY USMS ACADEMIC SUPPORT TEAM

Business Communication and Managerial Skill Development

Achieving excellence together Page 1

UNIT 1 Introduction To Business Communication

Business Communication can be of two types:

Oral Communication – An oral communication can be formal or informal. Generally business

Written Communication – Written means of business communication includes – agenda, reports,

Communication is a process of exchanging verbal and non verbal messages. It is a continuous

Components of Communication Process Communication Process

The main components of communication process are as follows:

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Importance of Communication in an Organization

The importance of communication in an organization can be summarized as follows:

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Advantages of Oral Communication

There is high level of understanding and transparency in oral communication as it is interpersonal.

Disadvantages/Limitations of Oral Communication

Advantages of Written Communication

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3. It assists in proper delegation of responsibilities. While in case of oral communication, it is

Disadvantages of Written Communication

Scenario 1 and 2 clearly demonstrate the importance of Non Verbal Communication.

The components of Non Verbal Communication are:

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Communication Flows in an Organization

1. Downward Flow of Communication: Communication that flows from a higher level in an

• Providing feedback on employees performance

• Specify communication objective

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2. Upward Flow of Communication: Communication that flows to a higher level in an organization is

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3. Horizontal or Lateral Communication:Horizontal communication means when the Co-workers with

The informal communication is characterized by an indefinite channel of communication, which

1. Single Strand Chain

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BASIS FOR INFORMAL

Reliability More Comparatively less

Speed Slow Very Fast

Efficient because employees

Distortion due to long chain of

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BASIS FOR INFORMAL

It is difficult to maintain the

Flow of Only through predefined

Barriers and Gateways

Following are the main communication barriers:

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• What is the value of this Laptop?

Overcoming Communication Barriers

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UNIT 2 Written Communication And Applications of Communication

Principles of written Communication

• Complete communication develops and enhances reputation of an organization.

• It is both time-saving as well as cost-saving.

3. Consideration – Consideration implies “stepping into the shoes of others”. Effective

• Emphasize on “you” approach.

Achieving excellence together Page 14

• It makes understanding easier.

• It is supported with specific facts and figures.

7. Correctness – Correctness in communication implies that there are no grammatical errors in

• The message is exact, correct and well-timed.

Awareness of these 7 C’s of communication makes you an effective communicator.