Dr S.

Naveen Prasath
Unit 1-Elements of Communication
• Meaning, Importance, Objectives & Principles of Communication, ,
Process, impediments of effective
• communication, Strategies for effective communication. Types and
forms of communication
• Nonverbal Communication- Body Language, Gestures, Postures, Facial
Expressions, Dress codes, The
• Cross Cultural Dimensions of Business Communication, Listening &
Speaking, Techniques of Eliciting
• Response, Probing Questions, Observation, Business and social
etiquette
 What is Communication?
• Communication is a process whereby information is enclosed in a package
and is channeled and imparted by a sender to a receiver via some medium.

• The word communication is derived from the Latin word ‘communicare’,

which means to share, impart, participate, exchange, transmit or to make
common. It emphasizes on sharing common information, ideas and
messages. It is not merely issuing orders and instructions.

• Communication is a process whereby information is enclosed in a package

and is channeled and imparted by a sender to a receiver via some medium.
• American Management Association defines, Communication is any
behaviour that results in an exchange of meaning‘.
Five elements of communication
 Who is a Sender?
• The sender plays the specific role of initiating communication. To
communicate effectively, the sender must use effective verbal as well
as nonverbal techniques.

• Speaking or writing clearly, organizing your points to make them easy

to follow and understand, maintaining eye contact, using proper
grammar and giving accurate information are all essential in the
effectiveness of your message.
• The sender may want to ask him/herself questions like: What words
will I use? Do I need signs or pictures?
 The Message
1.A message can come in many different forms, such as an oral
presentation, a written document, an advertisement or just a
comment.
2. In the basic communication model, the way from one point to
another represents the sender's message traveling to the receiver. The
message isn't necessarily what the sender intends it to be.

3.Rather, the message is what the receiver perceives the message to

be. As a result, the sender must not only compose the message
carefully, but also evaluate the ways in which the message can be
interpreted.
 Channel
• The message travels from one point to another via a channel of
communication. The channel sits between the sender and receiver.
Many channels, or types, of communication exist, from the spoken
word to radio, television, an Internet site or something written, like a
book, letter or magazine.
• Every channel of communication has its advantages and disadvantages.
• For example, one disadvantage of the written word, on a computer
screen or in a book, is that the receiver cannot evaluate the tone of the
message. For this reason, effective communicators word written
communications clearly so they don't rely on a specific tone of voice to
convey the message accurately.
 Feedback

• Feedback The last element of effective communication, feedback,

describes the receiver's response or reaction to the sender's message.

• The receiver can transmit feedback through asking questions, making

comments or just supporting the message that was delivered.

• Feedback helps the sender to determine how the receiver interpreted

the message and how it can be improved
 Context
Communication does not take place in an emptied environment.

The context of any communication act is the environment

surrounding it.

This includes, among other things, place, time, event, and attitudes
of sender and receiver.
 Objectives of Business Communication
1.Information reach: The main objective of a business is to pass on information
and making people more informed,
2. Motivation- Employees working at a lower level in the hierarchy of the
organization should be encouraged to provide suggestion and inputs on how to
improve the working of an organization, this type of communication creates a
sense of participation and belonging, it also develops more loyalty towards the
company.
3. Raising Morale Another very important objective of business communication
(internal) is to keep the moral of the workers high so that they work with vigor
and confidence as a team. This is a major factor that can have very serious impact
on the success of a business house.
4. Order and instructions – An order is an oral or written command directing the
start, end or modifying an activity. This form of communication is internal and is
carried out within a business house.
 Importance of communication
1.To socialize with people:
2.Changes or updates need to be communication:
3.To get what you want from others.
4.Fame and name.
5.Base for Action:
6.Planning Becomes Easy:
7. Means of Coordination:
8.Aids in Decision-Making:
8. Boosts Morale and Motivation:

• “A Face-to-Face Request Is 34 Times More Successful Than an Email”-

Source:HBR
Situations and Strategic communication
• New product /New users of existing product categories:
• Stimulate demand by communicating the benefits that tie the
product category to consumer’s needs and wants.

• If consumers used brand:

• Ads ---> repeat purchase
• If products are infrequently purchased or purchased once and used
infrequently:
• Ad ----> Emphasize on need for the product.
 A Case Study
• I was working with a group that had complained of communication problems.
It was a fast-growing organization, and a number of new employees had been
taken on, but their job descriptions were vague. When the company was
small, it had been easy to onboard new employees with vague job
descriptions, because they would be able to observe what was happening
across the company. Now that the organization was bigger, that was no longer
the case, and the new employees felt that they could not get their work done.

• But the problem was not, as the organization first thought, that people
weren’t communicating. The problem was that there was no clear structure
defining what employees could and could not do. The real culprit here was
that the HR process needed to be updated to be clearer about job
responsibilities, not that the organization as a whole needed to spend more
time and effort communicating.
• Questions:1.Analyze the case study and suggest alternatives for challenges in
the case study?
 Solution
• While poor communication is often, in my experience, the scapegoat
people point to most readily, it’s not the only one. That’s why it’s
important to understand the limitations of people’s ability to report
what is bothering them, whether it’s in a one-on-one conversation or
in a feedback survey.

• When you ask people a question, they typically want to give an

answer. How good that answer is, though, depends on what access
people have to the information that forms the basis of the answer.
Most of us do a pretty lousy job of figuring out what’s actually
bothering us.
 Situational Analysis
• Terry: "I won't make it to work again tomorrow; this pregnancy keeps me
nauseous and my doctor says I should probably be reduced to part time.

• Boss: Terry, this is the third day you've missed and your appointments
keep backing up; we have to cover for you and this is messing all of us .

• In this case the boss heard far more than a simple message that Terry won't
be at work today. The boss "heard" hostility from Terry, indifference, lack of
consideration, among other emotions. Terry may not have meant this, but
this is what the boss heard.
 Principles of communication
1.Crystal clear:
2.Adequacy and Stable communication:
3.Strategic Integration :
4.Economical communication:
5.Feedback:
6.Essential for communication network:
7.Attract for attention:
The impediments of effective communication
• Semantic Barriers:This barrier is concerned with problems and
obstructions in the process of encoding and decoding the message
into words or other impressions.
• i.Different languages ii.Different context for words and symbols.
• For e.g: You have got Ocean of thoughts and we can view Indian
ocean as we fly from Australia to India.
• iii.Poor Vocabulary: Inappropriate words and inadequate words
hinders an effective communication channel.
 Physical barriers
• 1.Noise:Late arrival of students (visual
noise),Bad handwriting (Written noise) and
Physical noise(loud noise by machines)
• 2.Improper time:A student calling a faculty in the
midnight to clarify doubts.
• 3.Distance:The distance between Sender and
Receiver.
• 4.Inadequate or over loaded information:It
distracts the readers’ attention.
Organizational Barriers
• 1.Organizational rules and regulations: Do not speak in work
stations:
• 2.Non conduction of staff meetings:
• 3.Wrong choice of channel: Written communication is formal
and pictures as well as demonstrative acts for illiterate
members.
• 4.Hierarchical Relationship: A dominant boss and
subordinate relationship gets an impact on communication.
 Psychological barriers
1.Selective perceptions: Our sensory receptors have their own
boundaries and we perceive based on needs ,experience and
background …..
What are our sensory receptors ?
• Chemoreceptors. stimulated by changes in the chemical
concentration of substances.
• Pain receptors. stimulated by tissue damage.
• Thermo receptors. stimulated by changes in temperature.
• Mechanoreceptors. stimulated by changes in pressure or movement.
• Photoreceptors. stimulated by light energy.
Non verbal communications -types
• It is a process of communicating through wordless messages.
• What is Kinesics?
• It is the study of body mobilities to judge inner state of emotions expressed through
different parts of the body.
• 1.Facial expressions: Side way glance-Suspicion, Eyecontact-Active listener, Half raised
eyebrow-worry, Half closed eyes –boredom, Shifting eyes-Hiding ,Roving eyes-Arrogance
and power, closed eyes-desire for privacy and Veiled eyes –Boredom and disinterest.
• Gestures: the physical mobility of body parts to convey certain moods and feelings.
• Postures: How do you conduct yourself to different moods and attitudes.
• 2.Proxemics:
• 3.Paralanguage:
• 4.Haptics:the study of touching in communication situations
• 5.Chronemics:the study of quality time spent and punctuality along with waiting time for
each other.
• 6.Artifactics:Artifacts are physical objects, such as clothing, homes, and cars, that
indicate to others a person's personal and social beliefs and habits. Messages are thus
conveyed in a nonverbal manner (DeVito, 2005).
Gestures
Postures
Proxemics
Paralanguage
Chronemics
Artifactics
Cross Cultural dimensions of Business
Communication
• What is a Culture?
• Culture is a set of beliefs,Values,eating habits, Customs,
dressing style and codes that lead the people to define
themselves as a distinct group.
• The norms and values people learn as part of their cultural
conditioning shape their perceptions about the world and
the way they interact with each other.
• It is also culture heritage imbibed for decades.
Cultural diversity in International business
1.Social customs:
Social customs, Style of Dress and Time
Management
1.In China and Japan gifts are exchanged in a first encounter with a
person.
2.Thailand pressed palm with a head bow and handshakes in Europe
and America.
3.Exchanging business cards are also an important ritual in many
countries.
Style of Dress: Standard business suits are common and Muslim
countries do expect women to wear large sleeves and skirts.
Americans and Europeans are time conscious and people are less
concerned in India,Africa and Middle East.
Gender equality and roles
1.In US and UK women must play equal role in business matters.
2.In Asian countries and Muslim countries ,women may find
themselves overlooked in negotiations because of designated gender
roles in these countries.
Gender roles
 Religious Values
• What is Puritan ethics?
• If you work hard and smart to achieve success ,you’ll find favours in the
eyes of God.
• Who are socialistic countries?
• Creating jobs are more significant than extracting work from others.
Downsizing is a common practice after technological interventions in
the world.
• How about Lending money on interest?
• Sinful in some countries and many countries view it as an opportunity
to increase wealth.
Concept of Time

The time is a top priority to

US executives and Japanese
exploit it so that they’ll agree
to anything after long waiting
hours.
Body language in different countries.
Decision making customs
• US people make decision very slowly and confidently and ignorant
decision making persons are not trust worthy perceived by Greeks
and Americans.
• Decisions are made by single person with yes or no in U.S or U.K.
whereas Japan it is a shared responsibility.
• Negotiation in Japan is really slow and time consuming affairs in the
business world.
• The process needs to stretch for long otherwise Japanese will become
uncomfortable.
 Listening and Speaking
• Define Listening?
• The cognitive process that involves hearing,understanding,integrating
and responding.
• Steps in Cognitive Listening skills:
• 1.Sensing:Elicit useful information from speaker.(Avoid interrupting
others, non-judgemental mind, nodding ,smiling and responding
through non-verbal message, Eye-contact and remove physical
distractions.
• 2.Interpreting:Be emphatic,Note down verbal and non-verbal cues
and don’t do premature evaluation and hold emotions in check.
• 3.Evaluating:Think the message in mind, Take notes,avoid biases and
assumptions,message than style and report the message.
• 4.Responding:Use body language ->Yes/No,open-ended
questions,paraphrase and Indicate->Yes/No.
Contd…
• Listening for Mutual creativity: What do you most want? And How
can I help you get what you most want?”Integration of body,mind and
spirit in total support of others”.
• Intuitive listening: Detachments with Internal dialogues and full focus
on speech of the speakers.
• Ethical listening:Pay full attention to know the ethical problem and
encouraging the person to talk about it in depth by narrating one’s
lived experiences.
1.Maintain eye contact:
2.Remains in reaction free consciousness:
3.Alert and attentive:
4.Focused:
5.Calm,collected and connected:
6.Asks relevant questions:
7.Positive body language:
8.Humble:
9.Avoids distraction:
10.Patient and open to new ideas.
11.Emphatic:Putting oneself in others point of view.
1.Maintain eye contact:
2.Remains in reaction free consciousness:
 Bad listeners
• 1.Hyper reactive and least effective behavior:
• 2.Megalomania personality: Self centred manner,manipulate,create fear
in others and expect high respect and compliance of orders.
• 3.Bullying tendencies: Rudeness,foul language and harsh words,
importance to their actions and words, damn care for others.
• 4.Distracts the talks to irrelevant matters: Disrespect to speaker and
unconscious or deliberate attitude.
• 5.Absent minded persons: Not present in that moment but somewhere
else.
• 6.Closed headed persons: Inflated egos, hyper expectations and a line of
thoughts after that they don’t pay attention.
 Eliciting response types
• We ask questions to understand better and showing that
we are listening attentively to somebody who speaks to
us.
• Types of questions:
• Closed ended questions:Short response or single word
response about factual information.
• Will you come for a cup of coffee?
• Are you comfortable with me?
• Where do you reside?
Contd…
• Open ended questions: Long answers and questioned to
respondent’s Knowledge, feelings and opinions.
• What do you think about Karnataka’s situation?
• How do you feel about Business Process?
• Funnel questions: Initiates with generic queries (Open) and boils
down to accurate facts(Closed).
• Probing questions:Follow up questions in ambiquity and chaos.
• Could you please elaborate on it?
• Explain about your way of handling the complaints with customers?
 Business Etiquette
1.Honesty:Impact of the message through honesty.

2.Senstivity:Observe foreigners and understand needs and feelings of the

others.

3.Warm and friendly behaviour.:Body language,eye contact and soothing

words.

4.Diplomacy:Ungenuiness must be handled professionally rather agile

response and using thoughtless words.

5.Appearance:Dress code speaks louder and it impacts body language.

Informal meetings:
1.Senior person chairing in the meeting.
2.Meeting agendas communicated in a nut shell by the senior
person.
3.Punctuality.
4.Back bitting and loose talks or grape vine are eradicated in the
meeting.
5.Meeting on track with agendas and time.
6.Optimistic note is essesntial at the end.
 Formal meeting
Formal meetings:
1.Prepare in advance:
2.Dress well and arrive in time:
3.Sit at the appropriated sitting arrangement:
4.Switch off the mobile:
5.Recognition of chair person and other participants in the meeting.
6.Don’t interrupt with interrogation even if you don’t say yes.
7.Be brief and relevant to the agendas.
Business Phone Etiquette:
1.Before ringing the phone,decide the message.
2.Keep the message short and structured.
3.Wishing before you start…
4.Speak politely and professionally.
5.Moderate volume of voice.
6.Active listening to the other person.
7.Privacy and security around furtive must be
considered significant during the conversation.
Business Lunch/Dinner etiquette:
1.Carry your guest to cadre to their requirements.
2.Present the menu card to the guests.
3.Switch off your mobile.
4.Always eat slower than your guests.
5.Attend the guest till the meal arrives.
6.Better to keep quite while eating.
7.Serve for the guests.
8.Don’t eat too much and it may blemish youre image.
8.Request for the bill concealed in menu so that wiaters’s tips
are also included.
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVcYwPa4uDU.
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTViAugjjRg&t=309s.
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDGGv7z5r2c.
 Unit II Importance of public speaking
• 1.Increase in self esteem: Hiked in confidence levels with gained self respect.
• 2.Supportive to persuade people: Effective delivery increases impact to influence
audience.
• 3.Being comfortable with others: Circle expands with others for your comfort
levels.
• 4.Formation of circle of friends: Networking builds over a period of time.
• 5.Check on personal biases: Pin-pointers from audience changes our bias.
• 6.Allow to make a difference: Differences in public and professional life.
• 7.Feeling of satisfaction: People listening leads to satisfaction.
• 8.Demonstration of Knowledge: Show casing expertise in a specific field.
Speech compositions
1.Clarity:Command over a language.
2.Length of speech: Golden Mean principle
(ideal moderate of two extremes).
3.Informative and illuminating speech:Known facts turns out to deaf ears.
4.Fascinating not only to minds perhaps hearts too:Match with emotions of
listeners.
5.Avoid jargons:Use technical terms to business leaders and avoid in delivery
to stakeholders or general public.
6.Concrete facts and figures rather than vague and abstract.
7.Naturalness in speaking to the audience which could lead to a complete
involvement of listeners.
 Principles of Effective speech
1.Creating an effective introduction:Raise a query,story,striking
quotation,explain topic significance and highlight shocking facts.
2.Making the speech easy to understand:Repeat crucial points and buzz words.
3.Helping audience to listen:Too complicated sentence:The book which was
written by Dr.Michael Porter in 1980 and which was in market approximately
one year later, is still sold well.
Simple sentence:Dr.Porter wrote the book in1980 and introduced to market
one year later and book is still on sale .
4.Taking care of visual elements of speech:Eye contact and stand, move
effectively.
5.Taking of verbal elements of speech:Short sentences,active voice,vocabulary,
enunications and pronunciations.
6.Taking care of vocal elements of speech:
7.Keeping the interest of the audience alive:
8.Creating an effective conclusion:
Presentations
• Objectives:
• 1.To inform (New products)2.To persuade(Sales presentation) 3.To
build goodwill(Entertain and positivity).
• Types of Presentations:1.Monologue-Speakers speaks without
interruptions and Q”s & A’s session at the end.
• 2.Guided Discussions:Participative audiences,detailed analysis and
More commitment to the results.
• 3.Sales presentations:Negotiate and convince for a product or a
service.
Effective presentations
• What’s the problem you’re solving?
• Why now?
• Have you simplified the structure?
• Have you included a story?
• Have you included a call to action?
• 4s formula of presentation?
• Strategy
• Structure
• Support
• Speech
Presentations
• O = Organized
P = Passionate
E = Engaging
N = Natural
U = Understanding Your Audience
P = Practice, Practice, Practice.
“A successful talk is a little miracle—people see
the world differently afterward”.
 Presentations structure
• 1. Choose speech content that contains just the right amount of just the right type of
information
• 2. Create a powerful flow of information.
• 3. Find your narrative
• Think of a familiar or archetypical plot or storyline that you can structure your speech. This will
help your speech to be more memorable to your audience. Here are 4 of the most common
speech narratives:
• Melodrama Structure:
• A story personal to the speaker with a similar structure to many movies. We meet the
character and see their circumstances. Then a tragedy occurs. And finally tell how your
character overcomes and triumphs over the tragedy. This speech structure creates a journey
that will emotionally engage your audience and build credibility.
• Mystery Structure:
• Structure your speech around asking a question or presenting a problem to the audience that
they are desperate to know. Keep them on the edge of their seats by their desire to hear your
crucial message.
• Ping Pong Structure:
• Another fun way to structure a speech is to present both sides of the argument in such a way
that the audience wants to find out "Who wins?".
 Contd..
• 4. Look for a speech structure that compels your audience to act on
your words.
• Organise your thoughts so that you don't have to make snap decisions
while presenting.
• Structure your speech so that you send your audience home
remembering your key messages rather than wondering "what was
that all about"?
• Don't be afraid to edit your speech down to the simplest possible
structure. If your structure is simple (without being over simplistic)
you will keep everyone on board.
How to give an introduction to a speech
• Introduction:
• 1.Attention gaining statements.
• 2.The main theme.
• 3.Asking questions.
• 4.Telling a story.
• 5.Making startling statement.
 Presentation sequence
• Attention: Introduction-As summer is approaching do you want to keep your
home cool?
• Body
• Need: You need to install airconditioner to keep your home cool.
• Satisfaction:Our airconditioners ventilate the air, exhaust the stale air and
keep the temperature of the area down to a significant degree.
• Visualization:With air installation of air conditioner, you will feel your home
like living in Switzerland.Your efficiency will improve at very low budget,you
will enjoy of cool environment in summer.
• Conclusion:Hurry up! Buy our air conditioner and feel winter at home.
Vote of thanks
• The first is refer to the central message of the speech topics
of the lectures or presentations given by the previous public
speaker(s).
• Emphasize only positive statements, ideas and thoughts of
the keynote speaker(s).
• Consider my Sample Vote of Thanks Speech as a frame
structure, a speech format outline, and transform the 18
different vote of thanks samples to your occasion.
 Vote of thanks structures
• OPENING STATEMENT:Honorable Principal Ma’am, Honorable Manager Sir,
Honorable Professors, Respected Parents and My Dear College Mates!
Honorable Chief Guest, Honorable Manager Sir and My Dear Friends!
• THANK THE SPEAKER:A big ‘Thank You’ to [name speaker], for her / his efforts
towards [speech topic]. Refer and respond to just one central idea of the
speaker that you found particularly interesting.
• THANK THE ORGANIZATION VOTE OF THANKS EXAMPLES:Finally, I would like
to take this opportunity to place on record our hearty thanks to [name],
[function] for the perfect logistic support and guidance she/he has extended to
all of us at [occasion].
• FINAL CONCLUDING WORDS
• Mr. Chairman, ladies and gentlemen, once again I want to state that we are all
most grateful to all speakers on this stage. We thank you for being with us this
evening and it’s been a great pleasure to be with each and everyone of you.
Occasional speech writing method
• Ask yourself the following questions:
• 1. What does the occasion require?
• 2. What does the audience expect?
• 3. What tone or feeling should this topic convey? Is it formal or informal?
• 1. Focus on what is important.
• 2. Keep it simple, direct and clear!
• 3. Support what you say with specifics … (evidence) • Definition • Illustration •
Example • Statistic • Analogy • Quote/Testimony • Restatement
• 4. Pay attention to structure • Opening – capture audience, state purpose and
preview points • Body – order of main pts (bang*bing*boom) using evidence and
use transitions •
• Conclusion – restate and relate to capture with final punch, tag line or asking to
take action
• 5. Pay attention to choice of words that it is appropriate for the occasion
 Types of speech
1.Manuscript that involves reading word by word from a
prepared matter.
2.Memorised that involves reciting word for word from
memory.
3.Extemporaneous which is planned with broad ideas but not
written or memorized.
4.Impromptu which is unexpected, sudden and on the spot.
Technology Acceptance Model
UTAUT
• Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) ...
According to UTAUT, the four key constructs that influence behavioral
intention to use a technology and/or technology use are
performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, and
facilitating conditions.
UNIT 3 Interview Techniques
1.What is Interview?
Interview can be defined as a conversation between two parties that is
structured and prepared to achieve a purpose involving the exchange
of information.
Conversation is informal and Interview is formal and professional way
of interactions between two parties.
2.Interviewers asks more questions or Interviewee takes that job?
Former is the answer.
The importance of Interviews
1.To get a Job.
2.To fulfill vacancies.
3.To recruit potential employees.
4.To enable organization with effective resources being deployed
in an organization.
5.To make new changes with new people.
6.Interview helps to know a candidate well before hiring takes
place.
7.Interview makes candidates to get a job.
8.It supports to know Strenghts and weaknesses of a candidate.
9.It helps Interviewees to know latest technogical expectations of
the corporate world.
How do you conduct Interviews
 Contd….
• 1.First greet the other person in interviewee’s cultural manners and introduce
himself.
• 2.Explain the reason for conducting the interviews.
• 3.Explain the information needed by him.
• 4.Tell him the duration, it will take.
• 5.Privacy of information will be maintained and inform the same.
• 6.Ask questions and motivate to answer them correctly.
• 7.Give ample of time to the Interviewee to explain him.
• 8.Never Interrupt him, but listen him empathically.
• 9.Indirect way of asking questions to unveil his or her inner self.
• 10.Thank him at the end of his sincere cooperation.
 How do you prepare for
Interview
• 1.Know the organization ..
• 2.Know your hobbies.
• 3.Anticipate possible questions and ponder over them.
• 4.Prepare a file where all required documents like
• interview letter,certificates are well structured.
• 5.Dress suitably for Interview.
• 6.Arrive before time for the interview.
• 7.Regain confidence before entering the interview soon.
 Interviewee’s conduct during Interview
1.Greet the Interview board with polite wish.
2.Sit in natural way when asked to sit.
3.Pay attention to the questions asked by interviewer and
respond them naturally but consciously.
4.Be honest in answering questions.If you do not know,admit
it politely.
5.Answer in brief and to the point.
6.Be optimistic and demonstrate with enthusiasm to serve.
7.Do not shift seats, biting nails, playing with paper weight,
adjusting knot of neck tie,,,that reflects your anxiety or fear.
8.Never annoy or offend the interviewer.
9.Don’t criticize previous employer and not to be funny or too serious.
10.Thank the interviewers at the end and move out in a confident manner.
Placement Interviews
• Communication Skills
• Possessing good communication skills is a must these days if you wish to grab
a seat in one of the big corporates. Communication skills are not limited to
being good at verbal and written communication and delivering a message
clearly that can be easily understood by others. It covers much more such as
choosing the right words, knowing when to take a pause, watching one’s tone,
listening to others intently, and displaying a positive body language.
• You can cultivate this quality while you are still in college by practicing
effective communication with your friends and batch mates when working on
group projects and assignments. During college internships, observe how
professionals communicate with each other closely, figure out what works and
what doesn’t, and try to incorporate these learning into your communication
style. It will help you a great deal especially during the group discussion
rounds.
 Placement Interviews
• Problem-Solving
• Problem-solving skills are among the top employment-worthy skills. Companies prefer
hiring freshers who are problem solvers rather than those who wait for others to come
up with solutions for work-related challenges. This particular soft skill can give you a
much-needed edge over the competition. For it means that you are capable of
identifying & defining a problem, coming up with alternative solutions, evaluating &
choosing the best alternative, and implementing the chosen alternative effectively.
• Team Player
• Let’s take an example from college life. Most engineering colleges give group projects
to students and to ensure completing these projects successfully needs effective
teamwork and unity among the team members. Lack of it won’t allow the team to
complete the project successfully and achieve desired results. The same can be linked
to an organizational setting where people working in a particular department or on a
project have to work in harmony towards one common goal.
• Companies don’t wish to hire people who will later face difficulty in working with
teams. Develop teamwork skills and become a great team player while you are still in
college by taking each college project and group activity with utmost care.
 Placement Interviews
• Leadership Skills
• Companies wish to hire leaders hence, leadership skills are a must for them. Moreover,
good leadership skills is an amalgamation of a number of qualities such as planning &
organizing skills, strategic thinking skills, management skills, entrepreneurial skills,
change management, and persuasion & influencing skills.
• It is often said that leaders are born, but one can definitely develop leadership skills
over time. To become a successful leader, you need to improve your communication
skills, maintain a positive attitude, have a clear vision, set definitive goals, follow
concrete action plans, motivate others, have strong values & morals, and be
passionate.
• Honesty
• Although we have covered honesty as one of the qualities that come under leadership
skills, it is still important to address it separately. Personal credibility and integrity are
highly valued qualities in a workplace. Companies look for candidates who are honest
and have strong principles during campus placements. They seek candidates who they
can trust completely knowing they will never compromise the company’s standards.
• The best way to demonstrate this quality is by giving honest answers to interview
questions asked during campus placements and giving correct information while filling
in your job applications.
 Placement Interviews
• Openness to Learning
• Knowledge and skills are the most important factors companies use to assess freshers
during campus placements. Your learning should neither end with the completion of
your college nor restricted only to what was taught there. Workplaces come with a
competitive learning environment that will require you to constantly keep up with the
changing technologies and customer demands. Possessing an attitude that allows you
constantly learn new skills can win half the battle for you.
• Expand your knowledge outside the academics and seek what new things you can
learn within your area of interest or the job profile you want to get into. You can take
up individual projects, online courses, internships or adopt other ways to gain valuable
work experience to further widen your horizons.
• The chances of getting a fresher job in your campus placements will increase manifold
if you are able to demonstrate the above-mentioned skills to the companies. Simply
saying that you have these skills won’t help. The way you conduct yourself during the
campus placement interviews, your behavior, your answers, and most importantly your
resume will clearly reflect whether you have these employable skills or not. Prepare to
put your best foot forward.
Appraisal Interviews
Appraisal Interviews are conducted for multiple purposes and one of
them to encourage and motivate employees, needs of improvements &
to induce the same.
1.Interviewer and Interviewee should meet in synergistic environment.
2.Shortcomings should be pointed in a constructive manner.
3.Free and frank discussion should be there.
4.Future course of action should be decided collectively as in case of
win-win situation of negotiation.
5.Eye opener for low performers.
Why do employees Quit?
• The most frequently encountered reasons given by workers for leaving
their employment include:
• Lack of recognition or feeling unappreciated.
• Poor quality of supervision or unhappiness with how one is treated by
superiors.
• Personality conflicts or stressful differences with coworkers and
supervisors.
• Lack of opportunity, or the perception of few or no options for promotion
and growth.
• Money, either the desire for more or unhappiness with perceived
inequities.
Exit Interviews
• An exit interview is a wrap-up meeting between management
representatives and someone who is leaving an organization, either
voluntarily or through termination. ... In a corporate
environment, exit interviews are usually conducted by human
resources (HR) personnel.
• Exit interviews in business are focused on employees that are leaving
a company or when employees have completed a significant project.
The purpose of this exit interview is to gain feedback from employees
in order to improve aspects of the organization, better retain
employees, and reduce turnover.
How to conduct an exit interview
1. Focus on good employees who resign.
2. Have every interview conducted by someone other than the employee's
immediate supervisor.
3. Explain the purpose of the exit interview to the departing employee.
4. Explain the confidential nature of the process.
5. Keep the process simple.
6. Make the interview one-on-one, conducted in private.
7. Be sensitive to potential differences between persons leaving for other
employment and those resigning for "personal reasons."
8. Encourage the departing employee to summarize his or her employment
experience.
9. Assure the individual employee that all information provided is anonymous
and no permanent record will be kept.
10. Assess exit interview information.
Sample questions for exit interview
• How do you feel you were treated by your supervisor and coworkers?
• Do you believe your work was recognized and appreciated?
• Do you feel you were given adequate training and assistance in
learning your job?
• Did you see opportunities for transfer or promotion within this
business?
• How would you describe the morale of your fellow employees?
• How fairly was the workload distributed among you and your
coworkers?
• What could be done to make this company a better place to work?
Discipline Interviews.
• A disciplinary interview is a meeting between at least one manager
and an employee (who may be accompanied by a colleague or trade
union representative) to investigate and deal with an employee's
misconduct or performance in a fair and consistent manner.
Disciplinary interviews are conducted in the context of a Company’s
formal discipline procedure. Make sure that you are familiar with the
procedure. Ensure that the employee has been given written details
of the aspects of his conduct or performance which will be the
subject of discussion and that he has had adequate time to consider
them (normally at least 48 hours.).
How do you prepare Disciplinary Interview
• 1.Make suitable arrangements for the employee to be accompanied by a work colleague or trade
union representative, if this has been requested.
• 2. Arrange for another member of the management team to be present and to take notes.
• 3.Have all documents related to the case to hand and in order. Read any papers again
immediately before the interview, so that they are fresh in your mind.
• 4. Ensure that you will not be disturbed. Leave strict instructions that you will not be available to
answer the telephone during the interview. If this is impossible, conduct the interview in a room
with no telephone.
• 5. Make sure the seating arrangements are adequate.
• 6. By their nature disciplinary interviews are stressful. Try to be calm. Allow time to clear your
desk and your thoughts. Do not rush around at the last minute. You should appear focused not
fraught.
• 7. Start on time and take breaks as and when required.
• 8.When the employee enters, ask whether he/she understands that the interview about to be
conducted is of a disciplinary nature. Note the answer.
 How do you conduct Disciplinary Interview
• 1.Start the interview by introducing yourself and the person who is accompanying you.
• 2.Review the nature of the complaint against the employee. If you are at a later stage of
the discipline procedure, review the previous discussions and the warnings issued.
• 3.Give the employee precise details of the complaint against him/her that has lead to
this particular interview. Note what is said.
• 4.If necessary, adjourn briefly (for perhaps 10 or 15 minutes) to consider what the
employee has told you.
• 5. Make sure that the employee understands what he is required to do or refrain from
doing in the future. If his/her conduct is to be reviewed, confirm when this will take
place.
• 6. Tell the employee that he/she has the right to appeal against the decision, to whom
he/she should address the appeal and any time limit to be imposed.
• 7. Confirm everything to the employee in writing, including a summary of the interview,
the decision and the right of appeal. If the employee makes a request, let him/her have
a copy of the interview notes.
Unit 4: MEETINGS
The importance of meetings:
1.Conflicts are resolved:
2.Better decisions are made:
3.Team members realize their importance
4.Time,effort ,money are well spent.
5.To plan ahead for organizational requirements.
6.To understand various challenges within an organization.
7.Strategize every aspect of business units.
8.Formal decisions are taken at a meeting.
9.To exchange and evaluate valuable information.
10.4D’s of meetings-Discuss, Decision, Decree and Demolish.
Opening meeting
• Greet the attendees and open the meeting. ...
• State the purpose of the meeting. ...
• Review past business. ...
• Use the agenda and introduce each item. ...
• Keep things moving:Avoid wasting time on only
one context.
How do you close a Meeting
• The last item on the agenda is often “A.O.B.” or “Any other business”.
It’s important to ask if there is any other business at the end of the
meeting to give all the people in the meeting a chance to mention any
other issues they feel are important and are related to the topic of
the meeting.
Closing meetings
• It is a need to do three things at the end of a meeting: summarize
everything that’s been discussed, thank everyone for coming, and
then dismiss the meeting. It’s not hard, though! To summarize, use:
“To sum up…” Example: “To sum up, we’ve determined the sales
figures could be better and discussed solutions.” Then, thank
everyone for attending: “Thank you all for attending/coming.” Let
everyone know it’s okay to leave with, “The meeting is finished.”
Finally, if there’s a follow-up meeting say, “We’ll see everyone next…”
Closing meeting
• Wrapping Up
• There are different reasons why a meeting comes to an end. Time may run
out, or all of the items in the agenda may be checked off.
• Reminders
• There is almost always one last thing to say, even after the closing remarks.
A chairperson might close the meeting and then make a last-minute
reminder. Instructions for tidying up the room may also be mentioned.
• Thank You's and Congratulations
• The end of the meeting is also the time to thank anyone who has not been
thanked at the beginning of the meeting, or anyone who deserves a second
thank you. Congratulations or Good-luck can also be offered here to
someone who has experienced something new, such as receiving a
promotion, getting married, or having a baby.
What is a minutes of the meetings?
• The minutes are the official record of transactions,discussions held
and decisions taken in a meeting.
• As per Companies Act every company should maintain minutes of the
meetings with Directors and Shareholders.
• These verified and signed minutes are the prima facie of proceedings.
How do you write minutes of Meeting
1.Nature of the meeting in the beginning.
2.It should mention date, time and place of the meeting.
3.The names of presents and absents as well.
4.Each minute should have serial number and title for reference.
5.Language must be clear and concise to the context of meetings.
6.No emotional or feelings references in the minutes of the meetings.
7.Minutes should be recorded immediately after meetings.
8.Minutes must be verified, approved and modified in the forthcoming
meetings.
Purpose of Group Discussion
1.Solving Problem:Creative ideas to solve a problem.
2.Building consensus:Agreement for commitment by the
members
3.Assessment of candidate Leadership Qualities and
Communication Skill:GD’s are used to test communication skill
and power of convincing people around the group.
How do you participate in GD?
• 1.Plan the topic in advance by searching the material with facts and figures.
• 2.Listen patiently and emphatically to others.
• 3.Try to strike the problems than personalities.
• 4.Ensure that the voice is audible to other participants.
• 5.Try to build consensus with co-operative and collaborative approach.
• 6.Positive body language, gestures and mannerism.
• 7.Be a cool minded person.
• 8.Show the leardeship qualities to motivate others to speak and steerting
towards a common goal.
How do you conduct Group Discussion
• The theme should be informed in advance.
• There should be facilities for cozy sitting arrangements,sound
systems…
• The environment should be conducive at every stage of GD.
• The members should behave in responsible and responsive way.
• They should ensure that GD should not be side tracked at any point of
time.
• Main theme has to be followed and solutions must be generated after
discussions.
Brain storming
1.Brain storming is a group creativity technique designed to solve
problem in a group where people freely and spontaneously present
their ideas, build upon each other’s visions and intuitions, until
something new and unique emerges.
Success factors for brain storming:
I.Large quantities of ideas to choose from the best of all.
II.Non judgemental at the level of judgement.
III.Positive environment and creative energies dissipated in the same
direction.
 Rules of Brain storming
1.Focus on quantity:Number of ideas being generated
through BS.
2.With hold criticism:Don’t criticize before realizing it.
3.Welcome unusual ideas:No idea is too ridiculous….
4.Combine and improve ideas:Each idea belongs to a
group not an individual.
Methods of brain storming
1.Problem is defined in clear and concise manner.
2.Participants and facilitators are selected.A group of 10 or fewer
members are generally more productive.
3.Facilitator presents the problem and gives further explanation if it is
required.
4.All participants presents their ideas and ideal collector records them.
5.The facilitator encourages for creative ideas for discussion.
6.The facilitator arranges all the ideas into relate categories to prioritize
and evaluate them.
E-meetings and agendas
1.Electronic medium of meeting rather than a traditional meetings.
2.VOIP(Voice Over Internet Protocol) is a common software platform
for a meetings to happen across locations irrespective of distances.
3.Many e-meeting packages include virtual whiteboards, which allow
participants to write and draw models and charts in real-time. As well,
many packages allow participants to record and save the e-meeting so
that it can reviewed at a later date or viewed by those who were
unable to attend the original meeting.
Unit V
• What is a Business letter?
• The business letter is a formal type
of communication that is usually typed on 8 1/2 by
11-inch white stationery paper. Business letters must
be targeted to a specific individual or group, have a
clear and concise purpose, be convincing and end
with a specific objective, like a meeting date.
Parts of business letter
1.