Lecture-1

Communication in the Workplace

Shafquat Rafiul Alam

BUS 251
Learning Objectives
1. Importance of communication
2. Three main forms of communication in the business
3. Formal and Informal communication networks in the business
4. Factors that affect the types and amount of communication
5. Contexts for each act of business communication
6. The Communication Process
7. Business Communication as a form of problem Solving
8. Basic Truths about Communication
9. Importance of adaptation to successful communication
The Role of Communication in Business
• Communication is an essential part of the work of business.

• Today’s employees must have good communication skills to advance professionally.

• High correlation between communication skills and income.

• Technologies help to strengthen one’s communication process.

• Your ability to communicate with other employees will determine your relationship
with them.

• It is vital to build trust and teamwork among employees.

Importance of Communication in Business

• “Top executives from Fortune 500 companies rate communications skills as the

most important quality for business leaders.”

--Business Section
New York Times

• “There may be no single thing more important in our efforts to achieve

meaningful work and fulfilling relationships than to learn and practice the art of
communication.”
--Max De Pree, Author
The Art of Leadership
Categories of Business Communication
3 categories of communication in business:
1. Internal-Operational communication.
2. External-Operational communication.
3. Personal communication.

• Internal-Operational: all the communicating done in conducting work within a

business. It is vital for business success.
• Operating plan: the process of doing whatever the business is supposed to do
• Orders, reports, emails.
• Intranet.
Categories of Business Communication

• External-Operational : all the work-related communicating that is

done outside the business.

• Public: Suppliers, Customers, Governments

• Direct selling - all the efforts for direct selling (advertising, telephoning)

• Image of the company.

• Vital for the success of the business.

Likely External Audiences For Today's Businesses
COMPA
NY
Business
Partners

Public The
Groups Public

Regulato Industry Figure 1-1: Likely External Audiences For Today's

ry Agents Partners Businesses, Lesikar’s Business Communication,
13e, pg 11
Categories of Business Communication

• Personal Communication: Non-business related exchange of

information and feelings among people.

• Non-operational

• Helps in sustaining relationship.

• Personal communication Attitude Performance

• Enhances external and internal business communication.

Communication Networks
• Business communication is comprised of complex information flow and human
interaction.

• Two kinds of networks:

1. Formal Network: main lines of operational communication.

• Stable.
• May vary from company to company. (Example: intranet, email, folders, weekly reports,
emails )
• Upward, lateral, downward
• Reports, memos, email.
Communication Networks (Continued)

2. Informal Network: based on personal communication.

• Complex and unstable.

• Grapevine (No management control – upside: flexible)

• Among groups of people, across departments.

• Carries more information (than formal network)

• Organizational hierarchy is not maintained

• Rapid Communication

• Chance of Distortion

• No record
The Formal and Informal Communication Networks in
a Division of a Small Manufacturing Company
Department
Manager

Supervisor Supervisor

Black Solid Lines = Formal Network

Coral Dashed Lines = Informal Network (at a moment in time, for they change often)
Figure 1-2, Lesikar’s Business Communication, 13e, pg 12
Communication and Organization
• Types of communication depends on:
• The nature of the business
• The operating plan
• Business Environment
• Geographic Location
• Human resource

• Communication is strongly related with organizational culture.

The Business Communication Process
Communicator 1: Communicator 2:
1. Senses a 7. Receives the
message
communication
needed 8. Interprets the
message
2. Defines the 9. Decides on a
problem response
3. Searches for 10. May send a
possible responding
message
solutions
4. Selects a course
of action
5. Composes the
message
6. Delivers the
message

Fig 1-3, A model of Business Communication, Lesikar’s Business Communication, 13e, pg 16

The Business Communication Process (Continued)

The contexts for communication:

1. Larger contexts

• culture, historical timing, business-economic climate

2. Relationship of the communicators

• meaning might change according to it

3. Particular contexts

• Organizational, professional and personal

The Business Communication Process

• The process of communication:

1. Communication need.
2. Defining situation
3. Possible communication strategies
4. Selecting course of action
5. Composing the message
6. Sending the message.
7. Receiving
8. Interpreting the message
9. Deciding on a response
10. Replying to the message.
Business Communication as Problem Solving

• Business communication is used for problem solving.

• Problem: “a gap between where you are and where you want to be.” (not

necessarily negative)

• In business problem solving is unique and complex. (Consider both short and

long term effects)

• Heuristics (communication plans need to be changed according to each problem)

Basic Truths about Communication

• One message can have different meaning to different people.

• There is no one right answer to a communication problem.

• Use symbols carefully. (! , facial expressions)

• Consider your relationship with the other person while writing messages.

(All communication involves ethics)

• Adaptation. (change your message according to recipients)

“Remember not only to say the right thing in the right place, but
far more difficult still, to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the
tempting moment.”

Benjamin Franklin
THANK YOU