Chapter 1 - Leadership Communication, Barriers, and Success Strategies

Business Communications:
BSMM 8000A
Professor Diana Sarkis
1-1
Business Communication: Polishing Your
Professional Presence
Canadian Edition
&
SmartThinking
Tutor Programs
Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc. 1-2

1.1 Why Should You Study Business
Communication?

Effective Business Communicators Have a
Competitive Edge in the Job Market (1 of 3)



You Will Need to:
• Persuade people
• Explain decisions
• Solve problems
• Ensure everyone shares
the same understanding
• Maintain productive
working relationships

Communication Skills Will Help You, and
Your Employer, Succeed
Improve your salary

Employers may reward employees who communicate well
• Increased status and salary
• Easier to advance within an organization
Communication Skills Will Help You, and
Your Employer, Succeed
Improve your personal life

Enhance your personal business interactions
1.2 What is Communication and
Why is it Challenging?
Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc. 1 - 10

Communication
The process of planning, creating, delivering, and
interpreting messages both verbally (through writing and
speaking) and nonverbally (through gestures and symbols).
It is a success when:
When information and intended meaning of messages have
been received.

1.2 Why is it Challenging?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yR0lWICH3rY

Basic Communication Is a Complex Process

Barriers Often Block Communication
• Physiological /
Physical
• Psychological
• Semantic
• Linguistics /
Language Skills
• Mixed messages:
Verbal to Nonverbal

Question:
How do we Overcome these Barriers?
• Physiological /
Physical
• Psychological
• Semantic
• Linguistics /
Language Skills
• Mixed messages:
Verbal to Nonverbal

Context Adds to the Complexity
Influences purpose, medium choice, and interpretation.
Some elements of context to consider:

• Audience’s background and knowledge
• Relationship with the audience
• External influences that affect the audience
To achieve your goal, consider all the variables.

Multiple Audiences Have Different Needs
Multiple audiences:
• Encode and decode messages differently
• Have different contexts, backgrounds, concerns, and
agendas
Be a More Valuable Employee
Use social media to improve employee satisfaction and

build brand awareness.
Social Media Expands Communication
Opportunities and Responsibilities
Businesses are working to:
• Engage their customers in
dialogue
• Create a community of
customers who discuss their
brands and increase product
awareness

Social Media Expands Communication
Opportunities and Responsibilities
Important Benefits:
• Gain customer feedback and
insight
• Increase sales - those who
engage are more likely to
purchase

1.3 What Characteristics Do Successful
Business Communicators Share?
The best communicators are…

Effective Communicators Are Strategic
Planning what and how to communicate to achieve the
purpose.
Important to be:

Audience-
Oriented
Good communicators understand:
• that their message must target a
specific audience
• what the audience needs and
wants
• how to compose a comprehensive
and persuasive message to
address those needs and wants

Persuasive
Good communicators can

persuade.

Effective Communicators Are Professional
Project a business-like image by being…
• An active listener
• Appropriate to the
situation
• Clear and concise
• Ethical

Active Listening

Appropriate to the Situation…
Etiquette and respect, without being overly formal.
Etiquette errors
can interfere
with your
audience’s
perception of
you.

Clear and Concise…
Clarity is the quality of being unambiguous and easy to

understand.

Clear and Concise…
Conciseness means using no more words than necessary

for a message to accomplish its purpose.
All things considered, Connecticut's woodlands

are in better shape now than ever before.
All things considered, Connecticut's woodlands

are in better shape now than ever before.

Ethical…
Ethics are principles you use to guide decision making,

leading you to do the right thing.
Ethical…
Do not be this person!

Failing to share vital information is a poor ethical choice.
Effective Communicators Are Adaptable
• Current with technology and

social media
• Able to work with other cultures
• Collaborative

Current with Technology…
• What is the best technology

for the task?
• How can I use technology to
enable more effective
communication?
• How can I avoid the
technology traps that get in
my way?

Able to Work with Other Cultures…
Culture—
the learned and shared
patterns, beliefs and
values in a society.
Work to become
interculturally proficient

Collaborative…
Collaboration—working together to achieve a common goal
• Adapt to the
working styles of
others
• Coordinate,
compromise,
negotiate, and
manage conflict

Information Flow in Organizations -
Formal Channels
Managers Supervisors
Upward flow
Coworkers
Coworkers
Horizontal flow
Downward flow
Subordinates Supervisees
19
Guffey M., Rhodes, K., Rogin P. (2016) Business Communications: Process and Product.. 5 th Brf Cdn Ed.
Formal Channels
Downward
Job plans
Managers Policies Supervisors
Instructions
Procedures
Reviews
Vision
Flows from
decision
makers
to workers
Formal Channels
Obstacles to Downward Flow
Distortion with long lines of
communication –
Top Heavy
Lack of information being

shared by Decision Makers
Closed Communication
Climate
Formal Channels
Improving Downward Flow
Restructure into smaller work
teams with direct management
contact
Increase communication and

use multiple formal channels
Communications training
Formal Channels
Upward
Feedback
Suggestions
Customer Info
Financial Info
Flows from
workers to
decision-makers
Formal Channels
Obstacles to Upward Flow
Distrust of Employees
Fear of Reprisal for honest

communication
Lack or Fear of Adequate

Communication Skills
Differing Frames of
Reference
Formal Channels
Improving Upward Flow
Hire Communication Coaches
Encourage regular meetings with

staff
Provide a trusting, non-threatening

environment
Offer incentive programs to

employees for reporting customer
complaints, efficiency ideas, etc..
Hotlines/Ombudsman Program
Formal Channels
Horizontal flow
Coworkers
Shared information to
Coworkers
coordinate tasks, solve

problems, resolve conflict
Flows among workers
at the same level
Formal Channels
Obstacles to Horizontal flow
Coworkers
Poor Communication Skills
Coworkers
Prejudice
Ego Involvement
Turf Wars
Hoarding information for personal gain
Uneven reward systems
Information Flow in Organizations
–
Formal Channels
Improving Obstacles to Horizontal flow
Coworkers
Teamwork & Communication Training
Coworkers
Team Achievement Reward Systems
Encouraging Full Team Participation
Information Flows in Organizations -
Informal Channels
The grapevine, gossip from the break room to
the water cooler
 Carries unofficial messages
 Flows haphazardly
 Can be remarkably accurate
 Is mostly disliked by management
 Thrives where official information
is limited
In Summary
• Effective business communicators have a competitive edge
in the workplace.
• Business communication is complex; barriers, context, and
multiple audiences.
• Successful business communicators are strategic,
professional, and adaptable.
• Organizational communication presents its own challenges,
but is essential to company health and prosperity

Chapter 1 - Leadership Communication, Barriers, and Success Strategies

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Chapter 1 - Leadership Communication, Barriers, and Success Strategies

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Business Communications:

Professor Diana Sarkis

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Improve your salary

Improve your personal life

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Some elements of context to consider:

To achieve your goal, consider all the variables.

Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc. 1 - 16

Use social media to improve employee satisfaction and

Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc. 1 - 19

Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc. 1 - 20

Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc. 1 - 21

Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc. 1 - 22

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Good communicators can

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Clarity is the quality of being unambiguous and easy to

Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc. 1 - 28

Conciseness means using no more words than necessary

All things considered, Connecticut's woodlands

All things considered, Connecticut's woodlands

Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc. 1 - 29

Ethics are principles you use to guide decision making,

Do not be this person!

• Current with technology and

Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc. 1 - 32

• What is the best technology

Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc. 1 - 33

Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc. 1 - 34

Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc. 1 - 35

Lack of information being

Increase communication and

Fear of Reprisal for honest

Lack or Fear of Adequate

Encourage regular meetings with

Provide a trusting, non-threatening

Offer incentive programs to

coordinate tasks, solve

Team Achievement Reward Systems

Encouraging Full Team Participation

Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc. 1 - 47

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