M-05 Business Communication Skills - Final

Business Communication Skills
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Content
• What is Communication?
• The Communication Process
• Factors Influencing Communication
• Forms of Communication
• Body Language
• Seven Cs of Written Communication
• Seven Cs of Oral Communication
• Common Barriers to Effective Communication
• Other Barriers to Effective Communication
• Speaking/ Oral Communication
• Advantages of Oral Communication
• Limitation of Oral Communication
• Skills for Speaker
Content
• Listening Skills
• The Purpose of Listening
• What Do Good Listeners Do?
• Types of Listening
• What is Active Listening?
• Difference Between Active and Passive Listening
• Skills for Listener
• Presentation Skills
• Purpose of Oral Presentation
• Planning Visuals and Other Devices in the Presentation to
Involve the Audience
• How Can I Create a Strong Opener and Close?
• Skills for Effective Presentation
Content
• Preparing Effective Presentation
• Written Communication
• Purpose of writing
• Principles of Effective Writing
• Merits and Limitation of Written Communication
• Key Forms of Business Writing
• Communication Styles
• Characteristics of Assertiveness in Communication
• Manage Criticism Assertively
• Techniques of Paraphrasing
• Mastering Body Language
• Build Rapport Using Body Language
Communication Process
What is communication?
Communication is the transfer of information between people, which usually results in an
action.
• It involves a sender and one or more receivers with the

use of a medium in which the communicated
information is understood by both sender and receiver.
• A message, which is transferred or shared between two
or more people.
• It is a two-way process – the transfer of the
message results in some kind of response.
The Communication Process
The elements of the communication process are:
1. Sender: A person who sends information to

one or more persons.
2. Receivers: One or more individual receiving
the information sent by the sender.
3. Message: Information sent from a sender to
the receivers.
4. Encode: The form of sending information.
5. Decode: The way that a receiver interprets the information.
6. Feedback: The way in which a receiver lets a sender know how the information
is understood.
7. Noise: such as loud voices, emotion, setting.
Factors Influencing Communication
Business communication is the expression, channeling, receiving and interchanging of ideas
in commerce and industry.
This exchange becomes fruitful when the receiver understands the meaning of the message
in the way the sender encoded.
However, several factors distort the meaning of a message in business.
1. Context 6. Past Experiences

2. Cultural Diversity 7. Educational and Intellectual Difference
3. Misunderstanding of Message 8. Group Affiliations
4. Emotional Difference 9. Positional Differences among the Personnel
5. Personal Perception 10. Functional Relationship between Sender
and Receiver
1. Context:
The context is the situation in which your message is delivered. This may include the
surrounding environment or broader culture.
These factors affect the process of

exchanging information, it may create a
feeling of annoyance and frustration
which makes the process of
communication abrupt with benefit to
anyone, or it may create a feeling of
comfort and security which makes the
process of communication effective and
full of useful information.
Example:
Samia had an interview for a job. When she
arrived to the interview location , she was kept
waiting for 30 minutes without an excuse for the
delay. Finally she was interviewed by one of the
managers in a hall connecting to many rooms.
During the interview, employees went from one
office to another through the hall where Samia
was and the interviewer was interrupted every
now and then by a phone call that he had to
answer, or by one of his subordinates who
needed his signatures or advice.
If you were Samia how would you feel? What will

you fair in your interview?
2. Cultural Diversity:
When people from different cultural backgrounds communicate the chance of

misunderstanding and wrong interpretation of the message is higher.
Understanding how to communicate effectively with people from other cultures has
become a priority and a part of the daily work environment of many organizations.
The factors that most often create misunderstanding in a multicultural team are:
 Stereotypes - To make conclusions and judge

others based on the previous experiences.
These experiences directly relate to ability to
communicate.
 Language/ Accent - Some people react
negatively to different accents.
 Differences in communication styles
and non-verbal communication can also
affect the workforce experiences
3. Misunderstanding of Message:
Communication in business also fails when people assign different meanings to the
same word. Such a misunderstanding happens when technical words or jargons are
used. Moreover, people may intentionally misinterpret the inner meaning of words.
Messages must be prepared properly and there should be a feedback system.

4. Emotional Difference:
Emotions (such as happiness, sadness, anger, disappointment) influence
both the sender and the receiver. A person having positive emotion tends
to receive the message more actively than one having negative one does.
Example:
The message:
“There are some unreasonable points in your
presentation.”
A positive-mood person might reply:
“Well, will you please tell me what are the
unreasonable points”
A negative-mood person might react:
“You are always picking on me!”
5. Personal Perception:
Personal perception is the way a person perceives or sees his
environment through a personal viewpoint. Due to their differences
in value, belief, living experience, education, their perception about
the environment is not the same. Personal perception determines
the way she/he understands a delivered message.
Example:
The message from a charity organization
“Please contribute an amount of money ….. to help flood victims.”
A kind-hearted person: It’s a chance to help flood victims.
A business man: It’s a chance to promote the company image.
A doubtful-minded person: How can I know the money go to the
flood victims?
6. Personal Experiences:
The experience of previous communication strongly determines the effectiveness of
further communication between the same sender and receiver. If either of the parties
has a bitter experience, further communication between them is likely to be
ineffective.
7. Educational and Intellectual Difference:
The difference in the informal educational and intellectual level of the sender and
receiver also influences the meaning of communication.
If they have similar educational qualifications,

communication will be effective. Because they
are likely to hold similar perceptions,
understanding, feeling, thinking, view, etc.
8. Group Affiliations:
Differences in group-affiliation also affect communication in business. If sender and
receiver belong to different formal or informal groups, communication between them
may become less effective.
Example:
Communication between trade union leaders
and managers may fail simply because of their
hostile attitude to each other.
Similarly, informal group relationships based on

religion, gender, and region, age, etc. can affect
business communication.
9. Positional Differences Among the Personal:
If the sender and receiver hold different positions in the hierarchy, communication
between them may fail. Sometimes we see that for the purpose of maintaining the
formality in the organization, some people go too far.
Example:
Superiors usually pay less attention to
any message from their subordinates.
Also, subordinates try to avoid any
instruction from the superiors to avoid
the workload and responsibilities.
10. Functional Relationship between Sender and Receiver:
The functional relationship between the sender and receiver significantly affects the
meaning of communication in business. If the sender and receiver belong to different
functional departments or areas, the receiver may not understand the sender’s
message.
Example
The Finance Manager may not clearly
understand the message of the
Product Design Manager likewise
Quality Control Manager may not
understand the message of
Accountants.
Forms of Communication
COMMUNICATION
On the Basis of Regulation On the Basis of Expression
Formal Informal Verbal Non Verbal
Vertical Single Chain Oral Body Language
Downward
Horizontal Star Chain Para Language
Written
Upward
Consensus Cluster Signs & Symbols
Probability
Communication is divided into external and internal communication.
External communications are those communications which are occurring outside the
organization like communication with other companies, with government, general public
etc.
Internal communications are those which are inside the organization. Internal
communications are further divided into two parts:
 Formal
 Informal
 Formal Communication:
In formal communication, certain rules, conventions and principles are followed while
communicating message. Formal communication occurs in formal and official style.
• Downward Communication:
When the communication flows from higher level to lower level, it is called
downward communication. For example; order, individual instructions, policy
statements, circulars, feedback, informing working conditions etc.
• Upward Communication:
This communication flows the message from subordinates to superiors. It is
reverse of the downward communication or communication flows from lower
level to upper level.
From Staff to Management: Reporting their problems, asking for information
and directions.
• Horizontal/Lateral Communication:
This communication flows between persons at the

same hierarchy level either of the same or other
department or division of the organization.
Among Colleagues or Working Department:
Cooperation of tasks, sharing information,
supporting.
• Consensus:
When a number of people irrespective of their

status, sit down and confer with one another to
arrive at a decision acceptable to all, it is called
consensus. The format of these communications is
predetermined and can not be altered.
 Informal Communication:
Informal communication doesn’t follow authority lines. It’s just a casual talk. In an
organization, it helps in finding out staff grievances as people express more when
talking informally. Informal communication helps in building relationships.
• Single Chain:
In this type of chain ‘A’ tells something to ‘B’ who tells it to ‘C’ and so on it goes down the line. This
type of communication flows from one person to another person through single chain. One
interesting fact comes out from this type of communication that when one person passes certain
information to other and they treat the message as confidential or secret which further
communicated by another with same feeling of confidentiality and secrecy.
• Star Chain:
In this type of chain person speaks out and tells
everyone the information he/ she has obtained. This
chain is often used when information or a message
regarding an interesting but non job related nature is
being conveyed. Sometimes it also called gossip chain.
• Star Chain:
In this type of chain ‘A’ tells something to a few selected
individuals who again inform a few selected individuals.
And the information flows in similar manner to other
individual.
• Probability Chain:
The probability chain is a random process in which a transmission of the information to other in
accordance with the laws of probability and then these tell still others in a similar manner. The
chain may also be called random.
 Verbal Communication:
The Verbal Communication is a type of oral communication wherein the
message is transmitted through the spoken words. Here the sender gives
words to his feelings, thoughts, ideas and opinions and expresses them in
the form of speeches, discussions, presentations, and conversations.
Verbal communication has two forms

Spoken: discussions, exchange of information, meetings, presentations.
Written: correspondence, contract, email, announcement, instructions etc.
 Non verbal Communication:
Successful communication is not
always the result of what you say.
It’s also a result of how you say it,
taking into account your eyes,
your posture, your overall body
language, even your appearance
and tone of voice at the time the
communication is exchanged.
Non-verbal signals are so powerful they don’t only influence the success of your
communication with others, but they also give you signals about the reaction of
the receivers. For example, if during a meeting, the attendants begin to doodle or
chat amongst themselves which means they are no longer paying attention to you.
You should know that your message has become boring or your delivery is no
longer engaging.
Non-verbal communication means that you do not require talking or writing.

Body Language
Body language consists of several elements.
• Eye contact: can be important in sending and

receiving messages. It can be a signal of interest,
recognition, honesty, credibility etc.
• Voice: Every time we speak, our voice reveals

our gender, age, geographic background, level of
education, native birth, emotional state, and our
relationship with the person spoken to. When
we speak, we “encode” important information
about ourselves; when we listen to others, we
can "decode" important information about
them. The tone of your voice inspires
listlessness, boredom, liveliness or enthusiasm.
Body Language
• Postures and gestures: be mindful of your

these because they can compliment of
contradict you message.
• Facial expressions: It is said that the face is

the index of the mind. A cheerful or
appreciative smile, displeased frown, a look
of surprise and several other expressions of
the face can convey, with or without words,
the attitude, feelings and reaction of the
communicators.
Body Language
• Body Movement: The body movement may convey how confident or diffident,
energetic or withdrawn a speaker is. For gracefully a speaker should remember to
move his or her legs freely, walk in straight line, avoid stride or taking tiny steps.
The weight of the body on the legs while speaking and to learn where to place his
or her hands.
A Little Story About Communication
Seven Cs of Written Communication
1. Clarity:
 Clarity of thought:
It comes from a careful consideration of the
objective, content and medium of communication.
 Clarity of Expression:
1. Use simple word, easy to understand words:

Avoid them Use them
Compensate Pay
Facilitate Help
Utilize Use
2. Use Single Words for Long Phrases:
Long Phrases Single Words
At all Times Always
For the Purpose of For
Previous to Before
On Account of Because
3. Use Verbs for Nouns (it brings simplicity

and clarity):
Using Nouns (Difficult) Using Verbs (Simple)
Come to a Conclusion Conclude
Make a Decision Decide
Submit a Proposal Propose
Take into Consideration Consider
4. Avoid Double Entry:
Double Entry Simple
Actual Fact Fact
End Result Result
Period of One Week One Week 5. Avoid ambiguity: If your message can
mean more than one ambiguous. Faulty
Previous Experience Experience
punctuation causes the ambiguity.
Go. slow work in progress
Go slow. work in progress
6. Use short sentences:

Use one sentence to express only one idea. If a sentence runs beyond 30 words, it is
better to break it up into two sentences.
2. Completeness:
While answering a letter or in communication with other make it sure that you have
answered the all question.
Checking for the five W’s:
• Who
• What
• When
• Where
• Why
3. Conciseness:
• Include only relevant facts

• Avoid repetition
• Organize your message well
4. Consideration:
• Adopt the You - Attitude:
We - Attitude You - Attitude
I want to express my sincere Thank you for your kind
thanks for the good words.
words…..
• Avoid Gender Bias:

Avoid Use
Chairman Chair Person
Policeman Police Sir/Madam
5. Courtesy:
In business we must create friendliness with all those to whom we write. Friendliness is
inseparable from courtesy.
• Answer the letters promptly.

• Omit irritating expressions. (You
neglected, you irresponsible, you
are unaware).
• Apologize sincerely for an
omission/thank enormously for
a favor.
6. Correctness:
• Give correct facts.

• Send your message at the correct time.
• Send your message in the correct style.
7. Concreteness:
• Always use specific fact and figures.

• Message should be definite and vivid.
• Avoid exaggeration.
Seven Cs of Oral Communication
According to Francis J. Bergin, a person engaged in Oral Communication must remember
seven Cs. And these are as follows:
1. Clear:
An oral communication become effective when the message is clear for the audience
or receiver as the sender wants to convey. Oral messages are often misunderstood
because the speaker does not talk distinctly. So, for this purpose clear pronunciation
is very much required. To minimize this kind of problem a speaker tries to workout on
different, lengthy and unusual words for clear pronunciation.
2. Concise:
Many people enjoy while talking and

sometimes oral communication suffers
from the problem of over communication.
But when the speaker keeps on talking for
long, his/her message will be distracted.
So it will be advisable to speakers to try to
keep the message as brief as possible
without changing the real message.
3. Complete:
Like written communication in oral communication

also, completeness required. While communicating
with others make sure that you have paid attention
on below questions. Checking for the five W’s
questions:
• Who
• What
• When
• Where
• Why
4. Correct:
In oral communication correctness means the

source of information or from where you get
information is right or trustworthy source. Because
if your source of information is correct than the
others generate faith on the speakers and listen
them carefully.
5. Concrete:
For making oral communication

effective, speakers should use specific
fact and ideas and also avoid
exaggerating of any information. They
try to choose appropriate words which
are not affecting a particular individual,
society, culture or nation.
6. Courtesy:
Courtesy involves you-attitude. Use polite words

for oral communication. Tries to avoid irritating
expression, sincerely apologies for any mistake,
do not use any discriminatory expressions which
are related to individual people, race, ethics,
origin, physical appearance etc.
7. Candid:
When the speaker chooses the candid approaches, its

mean that their message should be straight, open,
frank, outspoken. But not hurting particular individual.
Common Barriers to Effective Communication
1. Wrong Choice of Medium:
Each communication must be transmitted through an appropriate medium.
An unsuitable medium is one of the biggest barriers to communication.
Examples: When communication takes place in big organization where
departments or division are far from each other. For confidential matter
manager should opt written communication as compared to other medium
of communication. So, it is required that medium should be accurate.
2. Physical Barriers:
• Noise - In factory, oral communication is rendered difficult by the loud noise of machines.
• Electronic noise interferes in communication by telephone or loud speaker system.
• The word noise is also used to refer to all kind of physical interference like illegible hand writing,
bad photo-copies etc.
• Time and distance:
 Congestion in telephone and network facilities.
 People working in different shifts.
 Faulty seating arrangement in a hall
3. Semantic Barriers:
• Interpretation of Words:
A person interprets same word in a different meaning
and this will cause barrier between the communications.
•Bypassed Instructions:
Bypassing is said to have occurred if the sender and the receiver
of the message attribute different meanings to the same word or
use different words for the same meaning.
For example; “Take it to be our stockroom and burn it”
In official language burn it means to make more copies of the same document.
• Denotation & Connotations

Words have two types of meanings denotative and connotative.
Denotative - It must inform and names objects without indicating any positive or negative.
Connotative - It allows qualitative judgments and personal reactions. Like; honest, cheap, sincere etc.
For Example; “He gave us cheap material”.
“At this shop, they sell things cheap”
First one is favorable connotation and second is unfavorable.
4. Socio – Psychological Barriers:
• Attitude and Opinions:

The information which agrees with opinion and attribute
of the individual is favorable for that particular individual.
•Emotions:
It plays an important role in the act of communication.
If the sender is perplexed, worried, excited, afraid, nervous
then he will not be able to organize his message properly.
• Closed Mind
A person with a closed mind is very difficult to communicate
with. We hold our opinion so rigidly that we just refuse to listen.
• Status - Consciousness:
Over-conscious of lower
or higher rank and do
not express candidly.
•The Source of Information:
• Faulty Transmission: We react according to the trust we
Most of part in the message is lost in repose in the source from which the
transmission. (In oral communication, communication originates.
something in the order of 30% of the
information is lost in each transmission.)
• Poor Retention:
Oral message in
particular are lost due to
poor human retention
ability. (Employees
retain only about 50%)
Other Barriers to Effective Communication
1. The use of jargon. Over-complicated, unfamiliar and/or technical
terms.
2. Emotional barriers and taboos. Some people may find it difficult to

express their emotions and some topics may be completely 'off-limits'
or taboo. Taboo or difficult topics may include, but are not limited to,
politics, religion, disabilities (mental and physical), sexuality and sex,
racism and any opinion that may be seen as unpopular.
3. Lack of attention, interest, distractions, or irrelevance to the receiver.
4. Differences in perception and viewpoint.
5. Physical disabilities such as hearing problems or speech difficulties.

Other Barriers to Effective Communication
6. Physical barriers to non-verbal communication. Not being able to see the non-verbal
cues, gestures, posture and general body language can make communication less
effective. Phone calls, text messages and other communication methods that rely on
technology are often less effective than face-to-face communication.
7. Language differences and the difficulty in understanding unfamiliar accents.
8. Expectations and prejudices which may lead to false

assumptions or stereotyping. People often hear what they
expect to hear rather than what is actually said and jump
to incorrect conclusions.
9. Cultural differences. The norms of social interaction vary greatly in

different cultures, as do the way in which emotions are expressed.
For example, the concept of personal space varies between cultures
and between different social settings.
Speaking/ Oral Communication
What is Oral Communication?
In oral communication, spoken words are used. It includes face-to-

face conversations, speech, telephonic conversation, video, radio,
television, voice over internet. In an organization face to face
communication can be done through conference, seminar, group
discussion, personal interview, etc.
In oral communication, communication is

influence by pitch, volume, speed and clarity of
speaking.
Advantages of Oral Communication
•Speed:
Once you make contact with your audience, there is no time
lag between the transmission and reception of massage
•Speaker is Able to Get Personal Attention of the Listener:
You might spend hours drafting a memorandum, letter or report only to have recipient scan if
superficially or not read it at all. In a personal contact, however, you have much more command over
the receiver’s attention.
•It Saves Time:
Where action is required to be taken immediately, it is advisable
to communicate orally.
•It Saves Money:
At one time you can communicate with more then one person
and it saves money as compared to the written communication
when it is within the organization.
Advantages of Oral Communication
•It Allows Instantaneous Feedback:
When you speak directly to one or more listeners, you can
respond to questions as soon as they arise. You can revise quickly
if you have used the wrong word and offended or confused your
audience.
•Supplemented by Non-verbal Clues:

The person receiving oral communication can combine it
with the expressions and other non-verbal clues around
the speaker, the message can be better understood.
• It is extremely useful while communicating with groups

at meetings, assemblies, etc.
Limitation of Oral Communication
•No Evidence:
There is no documentary proof of oral communication and as such the impact of oral
communication is purely temporary.
• The lengthy messages are not suitable for such type of

communication, because of poor retention power of human being.
• Expensive and time consuming when the communicator and

receiver are far removed from each other or when the people
who need to communicate are separated by longer distance,
personal contact is expensive and time consuming. Even a
cross-town trip for a half-hour meeting can take most of the
morning or afternoon, depending upon traffic or weather.
•Not appropriate when the matter is controversial.

Limitation of Oral Communication
•Serious deliberation is not possible:
A serious thought is not possible on the subject because
the receiver has to take an immediate decision in response
to the communication received.
•More Prone to Physical Noise:

An oral message has more probability of getting distorted because of
physical noise of speech, somebody interfering in between, and
likewise.
• Oral massages do not have any legal validity

unless they are taped and made a part of
permanent record.
Skills for Speaker
1.Command Over the Subject - Matter:
For effective discussion we should know how to state our points that
require specific attention and consideration. We should know how
to explain, elaborate, compare, describe, illustrate, relate summarize
and review matters. We should be well prepared for discussion
having knowledge and information about the subject matter.
2.Remarkable or Impressive Voice:

A participant should have a pleasant and amusing voice
quality. He or she pronounces words with proper stress and
accent. An impressive voice attracts other participants to
hear what we speak.
3.Finding Your Voice:
Most of us are not used to hearing our own voices and these feelings
are totally normal. Get past the initial, ‘Do I really sound like that?’
stage and develop a better understanding of your voice. When relaxed
you will feel more confident, therefore by listening to your voice at
home you will have an idea of how you sound to other people.
Although you cannot hear your voice in the same way that others
hear you, you can develop an awareness of its impact on others.
Understanding the physical nature of your voice will give you more
control over the way that you use it.
4.Accents:
Gradually, over the years, through the migration of
people and exposure to the media, accents are being
broken down and neutralized. In some ways this is a
shame because accents can add a dimension and
distinctiveness to voice and emphasize individuality.
5.Pronunciation:
The participants should know how to
modulate his or her voice with effective
pronunciation combining stress on
syllables pronunciation.
6.Effect of Breath on Voice and Speech:

The voice is responsive to emotions and sometimes gets 'blocked',
which can prevent or hinder the expression of a range of feelings.
However, it is possible to use physical exercise to help produce a
more flexible voice, in the same way that people who use vocal
sounds professionally take lessons, to ensure that their voices are
kept in a versatile condition and ready to vocalize a range of sounds.
7.Vocal Production:
The following three core elements of vocal production need to be understood for anyone wishing to
become an effective speaker:
Volume - to be heard.
Clarity - to be understood.
Variety - to add interest.
8.Poise:
A general poise and bearing makes us to maintain our cool. A
poise doesn’t allow us to pronounce someone or on some point
of view. The poise includes our attentiveness, calmness, a brevity
attitude and confidence. All these help us participate efficiently
in a discussion.
9. Effective Body Language:

For effective participation in a discussion we should avoid too many gestures or body movements
while speaking. Our body language should not display any antagonism, irritation, fatigue, panic,
hurry or hesitation.
10. Variety:
To make speech effective and interesting, certain techniques can be applied. Vocal variety can be
achieved by variations in:
a. Pace: This is the speed at which you talk. If speech is too fast then the listeners will not
have time to assimilate what is being said. Nevertheless, it is a good idea to vary the
pace - quickening up at times and then slowing down – this will help to maintain
interest.
b. Volume: By raising or lowering volume

occasionally, you can create emphasis. If you
drop your voice to almost a whisper (as long as
it is projected) for a sentence or two, it will
make your audience suddenly alert, be careful
not to overuse this technique.
c. Pitch - Inflection - Emphasis: When speaking in public, try to convey the information with as
much vocal energy and enthusiasm as possible. This does not mean your voice has to swoop
and dive all over the place in an uncontrolled manner. Try to make the talk interesting and
remember that when you are nervous or even excited, vocal chords tense and shorten causing
the voice to get higher. Emphasize certain words and phrases within the talk to convey their
importance and help to add variety.
d. Pause: Pauses are powerful. They can be used for effect to highlight the preceding statement or
to gain attention before an important message. Pauses mean silence for a few seconds.
Listeners interpret meaning during pauses so have the courage to stay silent for up to five
seconds – dramatic pauses like this convey authority and confidence.
Listening Skills
In interpersonal communication, hearing denotes perceiving sounds. Listening means
decoding and interpreting them correctly.
A research shows that an average of 45% is spent listening compared to 30% speaking,
16% reading and 9% writing.
Listening is even more crucial on the job

than it is in classes, but it may also be more
difficult. Because people routinely listen—
to voices, to music, to nature—they can
overestimate their skills.
Listening Skills
The Purpose of Listening
• To specifically focus on the messages being
communicated, avoiding distractions and
preconceptions.
• To gain a full and accurate understanding into the
speakers point of view and ideas.
• To critically assess what is being said.
• To show interest, concern and concentration.
• To encourage the speaker to communicate fully,
openly and honestly.
• To arrive at a shared and agreed understanding and
acceptance of both sides views.
Listening Skills
What Do Good Listeners Do?
Good listeners consciously follow four practices:
1. Pay Attention:
• Before the meeting, anticipate the answers you need to get. Make a
mental/ paper list of your questions. When is the project due? What
resources do you have? What is the most important aspect of this
project from the other person’s point of view? During a
conversation, listen for answers to your questions.
• At the end of the conversation, check your understanding with the
other person.
• After the conversation, write down key points that affect deadlines
or how work will be evaluated.
Listening Skills
2. Focus on the Other Speaker(s) in a
Generous Way:
• Focus on the substance of what the speaker
says, not his or her appearance or delivery.
• Spend your time evaluating what the speaker
says, not just planning your rebuttal.
• Consciously work to learn something from
every speaker.
3. Avoid Making Assumptions:

• Don’t ignore instructions you think are unnecessary. Before you do
something else, check with the order giver to see if in fact there is a
reason for the instruction.
• Consider the other person’s background and experiences. Why is this
point important to the speaker? What might he or she mean by it?
• Paraphrase what the speaker has said, giving him or her a chance to
correct your understanding.
Listening Skills
4. Listen for Feelings as Well as Facts:
• Consciously listen for feelings.
• Pay attention to tone of voice, facial expression, and body language.
• Don’t assume that silence means consent. Invite the other person to speak.
Types of Listening
As you prepare to communicate, educate yourself about the listener. Prioritize your
audience and customize your message and delivery. Take a look at the individual or the
audience and ask yourself if they fit into one of the several categories of listener. Stop,
think and formulate a message to strike the heart of the individual listener. If there is
more than one person in the audience, then your message will have to be delivered to
reach each person as you speak to them all.
Here is the list of most useful 10 different listening types:
1. Detective Listening:
These types of listeners listen to get unknown information and details. Detective
listening usually happens when the listener suspects a lie or dishonesty from the
counterpart.
Types of Listening
2. Defensive Listening:
Anything said is taken personally by defensive listener.
For example,
when a manager asks, “Why is the task incomplete?”
A defensive listener would say, “It is not my fault”.
Though the manager was talking about the task, the

subordinate took it personally. Often, defensive
listening should be consciously voided. A good listener
would listen to issues rather than taking things
personally.
Types of Listening
3. Judgmental Listening:
During judgmental listening opinions and
critics are made on the counter part rather
than concentrating on the issue.
For example,
Judgmental listening is when a person says, “I
was hurt”
and the other person thinks, “You deserve
it”.
One of the traits of good listening skills is to

have a neutral attitude and outlook towards
the issue.
Types of Listening
4. Active Listening:
Active listening is one of the most effective
listening techniques. Listening to feeling,
emotions, beliefs, attitude, and action
“nonverbal cues” is active listening. Active
listening involves both heart and brain.
Active listeners encourage the other person
to talk, show keen interest to understand
and identify the issue.
Types of Listening
5. Selective Listening:
Only a part of information is absorbed during
selective listening. This could be due to various
reasons such as noisy place, too many
interruptions like phone calls, or low volume by
the speaker, or disinterest from the listener.
However, selective listening, sometimes, is also
effective.
For example,
When a manager is blasting, the subordinate
selectively listen the issue rather than focusing on
the harsh words.
Types of Listening
6. Passive Listening:
Passive listening is one-way communication where the receiver doesn't provide
feedback or ask questions. It is listening without reacting. Allowing someone to
speak, without interrupting. Not doing anything else at the same time.
Examples when Passive Listening works well,

Listening to a lecture, watching a TV show , or listening to the radio.
Types of Listening
7. Pseudo Listening:
Listeners of this type seem to be listening but they are not. Nodding head,
looking interested, or uttering words such as ‘ahan..ok..’ are some verbal cues
that are contradicting to the fact that they are actually thinking about something
else rather than listening.
Types of Listening
8. Emphatic Listening:
Empathetic listening is similar to active listening. In a conversation, when the
person puts himself/herself in the place of other person accounts for empathetic
listening.
Common phrase used during empathetic listening include, “I understand”, “I

know how you feel”, and “How can I help you”.
Empathetic listening is one the most effective listening skills, which is prominent
among successful sales professionals, corporate trainers, and winning leaders
and managers.
Types of Listening
9. Evaluative Listening:
Analyzing the issue, getting deep in
the challenge to understand and to
find the solution are some of the
characteristics of evaluative
listening. Though critics are made
to see whether the issue is good or
bad, right or wrong, finding the
solution is the focus during
evaluative listening.
Types of Listening
10.Reflective Listening:
Reflective listeners are waiting for the other person to stop talking so that the
listeners can proceed talking. In fact, sometimes they are not actually listening
but mentally preparing the content and waiting for an opportunity, such as a
pause from the other person, to continue with their issues.
Active Listening
What is Active Listening?
In active listening, receivers actively demonstrate that they’ve heard and understood a
speaker by feeding back either the literal meaning or the emotional content or both.
Other techniques in active listening are asking for more information and stating one’s
own feelings.
Five strategies create active responses:
• Paraphrase the Content. Feed back the meaning
in your own words.
• Mirror the Speaker’s Feelings. Identify the
feelings you think you hear.
• State your Own Feelings. This strategy works
especially well when you are angry.
• Ask for Information or Clarification.
• Offer Help to Solve the Problem.
Difference Between Active and Passive Listening
Active Listening Passive Listening
1. Definition
Active Listening is when the listener is Passive Listening means exhibiting like
fully engaged and reacts to the ideas listening to the speaker nonetheless not
presented by the speaker. trying to know the meanings.
2. Communication
Active Listening is a two-way Passive Listening is a one way
communication. communication.
3. Connectivity Level
Listener connects with the world and Listener disconnects himself from the
actively participates with the target of outsiders and has minimal interaction with
problem-solving others
4. Self Responsibility
Take obligation for his or her personal Avoids obligation for learning and
learning and progress problem-solving
5. Mental Approach
Sharp ideas, alert to find, replicate on Accepts and retain information as-is with
information no intention to question or downside the
idea for enhancement
6. Self Motivation Level
Strong Weak
7. Engagement Level
High Low
8. Reactions of the Listener
In Active Listening the listener reacts using
nonverbal cues, comments, and In Passive Listening, the listener does not
react.
questioning
9. Other Activities Involved
In Active Listening, the listener analyzes, In Passive Listening, the listener merely
evaluates, and summarizes. listens.
10. Will Power
Strong willed, eager on new ideas, open Narrow-minded, low or no will power,
minded unreceptive to new ideas
Listening Skills
Skills for Listener
1. Eye Contact:
Do your conversational partners the courtesy of turning to face them. Put aside papers,
books, the phone and other distractions. Look at them, even if they don't look at you.
Shyness, uncertainty, shame, guilt, or other emotions, along with cultural taboos, can
inhibit eye contact in some people under some circumstances.
Listening Skills
2. Be Attentive, but Relaxed:
You don't have to stare fixedly at the other person. You can look away now and then and
carry on like a normal person. The important thing is to be attentive. The dictionary says
that to "attend" another person means to:
• Be Present
• Give Attention
• Apply or Direct Yourself
• Pay Attention
• Remain Ready to Serve
Listening Skills
3. Keep an Open Mind:
• Listen without judging the other person or

mentally criticizing the things she tells you.
• Listen without jumping to conclusions.
Remember that the speaker is using language to
represent the thoughts and feelings inside her
brain. You don't know what those thoughts and
feelings are and the only way you'll find out is by
listening.
• Don't be a sentence-grabber. Occasionally my
partner can't slow his mental pace enough to
listen effectively, so he tries to speed up mine by
interrupting and finishing my sentences.
Listening Skills
4. Listen to the Words and Try to Picture What the Speaker is Saying:
Allow your mind to create a mental model of

the information being communicated.
Whether a literal picture, or an arrangement
of abstract concepts, your brain will do the
necessary work if you stay focused, with
senses fully alert. When listening for long
stretches, concentrate on, and remember, key
words and phrases.
Listening Skills
5. Don’t Interrupt:
Interrupting sends a variety of messages. It says:
• "I'm more important than you are."
• "What I have to say is more interesting, accurate or relevant."
• "I don't really care what you think."
• "I don't have time for your opinion."
• "This isn't a conversation, it's a contest, and I'm going to win.”
When listening to someone talk about a problem, refrain

from suggesting solutions. Most of us don't want your
advice anyway. If we do, we'll ask for it. Most of us prefer
to figure out our own solutions. We need you to listen
and help us do that.
Listening Skills
6. Ask Questions:
Ask questions to clarify if you don’t understand or miss something.
Listening Skills
7. Empathize
Empathy is the heart and soul of good listening.
To experience empathy, you have to put yourself in

the other person's place and allow yourself to feel
what it is like to be the other person at that
moment. This is not an easy thing to do. It takes
energy and concentration. But it is a generous and
helpful thing to do, and it facilitates communication
like nothing else does.
Listening Skills
8. Give the Speaker Regular Feedback:
Show that you understand where the speaker is coming from by reflecting the speaker's
feelings. If the speaker's feelings are hidden or unclear, then occasionally paraphrase the
content of the message. Or just nod and show your understanding through appropriate
facial expressions and an occasional well-timed "hmmm" or "uh huh."
Listening Skills
9. Taking Notes:
• Don't write down everything you read or

hear. Be alert and attentive to the main
points.
• Notes should consist of key words or very
short sentences.
• Take accurate notes. You should use your
own words, but try not to change the
meaning.
• Omit descriptions and full explanations.
Keep your notes short and to the point.
Listening Skills
10. And Lastly …..
Active listening is exactly that. Active! It is a conscious process of constantly checking and
rechecking – mentally and with the speaker – that we comprehend everything that the
speaker is wanting us to internalize. Use these concepts and you will see an immediate
uptick in how much you gain from this training.
Presentation Skills
Making a good oral presentation is more than

just good delivery. It also involves developing a
strategy that fits your audience and purpose,
having good content, and organizing material
effectively. The choices you make in each of
these areas are affected by your purposes, the
audience, and the situation.
Giving a presentation is in many ways very similar to writing a message. On analyzing

your audience, using you-attitude and positive emphasis, developing reader benefits,
designing slides, overcoming objections, doing research, and analyzing data—remain
relevant as you plan an oral presentation.
Presentation Skills
Purpose of Oral Presentation:
Oral presentations have the same three basic purposes:
1. To Inform
2. To Persuade
3. To Build Goodwill
Most oral presentations have more than one purpose.

Presentation Skills
1. Informative Presentation:
Inform or teach the audience. Training sessions in
an organization are primarily informative.
Secondary purposes may be to persuade new
employees to follow organizational procedures,
rather than doing something their own way, and to
help them appreciate the organizational culture
Presentation Skills
2. Persuasive Presentation:
To motivate the audience to act or to believe. Giving
information and evidence is an important means of persuasion.
Stories, visuals, and self-disclosure are also effective. In
addition, the speaker must build goodwill by appearing to be
credible and sympathetic to the audience’s needs.
For example,
• Speakers making business presentations may try to persuade the audience to approve their proposals, to
adopt their ideas, or to buy their products.
Sometimes the goal is to change behavior or attitudes or to reinforce existing attitudes.

For example,
• A speaker at a church meeting may talk about the problem of homelessness in the community and try to build
support for community shelters for the homeless.
• A speaker at a meeting of factory workers may stress the importance of following safety procedures.
Presentation Skills
3. Goodwill Presentation:
To entertain and validate the audience. In an after-dinner speech, the audience wants to be
entertained. Presentations at sales meetings may be designed to stroke the audience’s egos
and to validate their commitment to organizational goals.
Make your purpose as specific as possible.

Presentation Skills
Planning Visuals and Other Devices in the Presentation to Involve the
Audience:
Visuals can give your presentation a

professional image. Well-designed visuals
can serve as an outline for your talk,
eliminating the need for additional notes.
Don’t try to put your whole talk on visuals.
Visuals should highlight your main points,
not give every detail.
Presentation Skills
Following are the guidelines to create and show visuals for presentations:
• Make only one point with each visual. Break a complicated point down into several
visuals.
• Give each visual a title that makes a point.
• Limit the amount of information on a visual. Use 35 words or less in seven lines or
less; use simple graphs, not complex ones.
• Don’t put your visual up till you’re ready to

talk about it. Leave it up until your next point;
don’t turn the projector or overhead off.
• Use animation schemes such as fades, zooms,
and wipes to control the information displayed
in a way that supports the main points.
Presentation Skills
How Can I Create a Strong Opener and Close?
The beginning and end of a presentation are positions of emphasis. Use those key positions to
interest the audience and emphasize your key point.
The more you can do to personalize your opener for your

audience, the better. Recent events are better than things
that happened long ago; local events are better than
events at a distance.
Ways to open or close a presentation include:
• Startling Statement
• Narration or Anecdote
• Question
• Quotation
Presentation Skills
Skills for Effective Presentation:
1. Have a Message:
This one may seem self evident, but the reason that many speakers sound stiff and
without any passion or confidence is because they do not know their central message.
Keep your focus on what you want to convey to the audience, and you will find your
voice!
Presentation Skills
2. Structure of a Presentation:
1. A presentation should start with an introduction that includes a brief outline of
what you are going to talk about.
2. Next you start talking about your topic in details. Support your information
with visual aids, comparisons and facts
3. Close your presentation by a conclusion that includes a brief summary of what
you have said and the point that you are trying to make.
1. Say what you are going to tell
2. Say what you are telling
3. Say what you have told

Presentation Skills
3. Maintain Eye Contact:
Just as we would not engage someone in one on one conversation without eye
contact, we should not engage groups while reading off our notes or presentation
slides, such behavior is for dullards…….
Speakers who looked more at the audience

during a informative speech were judged to be
better informed, more experienced, more
honest, and friendlier than speakers who
delivered the same information with less eye
contact.
Presentation Skills
4. Vary Your Voice Tone:
Again, just as in a normal conversation you would vary your voice tone to convey
anger, disappointment, happiness etc. You need to do the same to convey
emotions effectively in a presentation. If someone spoke to you in a monotone,
you would doze off. Don’t put your own listeners to sleep!!
Presentation Skills
5. Get the Audience on Your Side With Your Non Verbal Cues!
Studies show only 7% of

communication is verbal. Read up
on body language. Use an open
posture and open palms to convey
your confidence and ease. Move
around your space to engage all
sections of your audience. Smile
and use humor when possible.
Presentation Skills
6. Use Personal Anecdotes:
Connect your topic with your own personal experiences. The research and
preparation you do on your topic is crucially important, but it is something
someone else could also have done. Your own experiences with your content are
what will make your presentation completely unique.
Presentation Skills
7. Use of Visual Aids:
Visual Aids include flipchart, board, computer
software, video, transparencies, and slides.
Visual aids are powerful tools in making the
presentation more interesting not boring.
• Visual should be readable, simple, and consistent.
• They should not be wordy.

 One main point per visual.
 One thought per line.
Presentation Skills
• Graphics are the solution for wordy visual aids, yet they should not be graphics that are
used hundred of times by you or other presenters.
 Use images pertinent to your message. Don’t use images simply because you
have them.
• When designing a graph, data should be the very first thing that catches the eye of
your audience when a visual is presented. Next should be the accompanying text and
last should be the grid lines of the graph. Remember you are trying to communicate
your information so make sure that information is the most visible part of any visual
you create.
Presentation Skills
8. Handling Questions:
• Anticipate questions.
• Listen carefully then summarize
or repeat the question.
• Be calm.
• Answer briefly.
• Answer privately if a question
may lead to unnecessary
arguments.
• Be honest, if answer not
known… state that you will
check matter and come back
with answer.
Presentation Skills
Preparing Effective Presentation:
1. The most important question to ask before any working on any presentation is, "What do I
want my audience to do and how do I convince them to do it?" or “How do I convince my
audience to use the information I am giving them?”
2. You should know as much as you can about who you are talking to. What are their
interests and expectations? What is the level of their knowledge about your topic? What
is the level of their education and culture etc?
3. Decide on the key points that you need to convey to your audience in order to achieve
your objectives.
4. Create a sensible and logical structure incorporating the points you are going to make,
with a beginning (an introduction), a middle (the body of the presentation), and an end
(summary and conclusions).
Presentation Skills
5. Make a brief outline of what you are going to say (if not using power point use cards),
to use as guide and to ensure your not missing any point.
6. Select the equipment that you will use to help you convey your message to your
audience and prepare the slides and diagrams that will be used with them.
7. Practice your presentation and make sure that you know how long each part will take.
8. Apply the rules of verbal and non-verbal communication.

Official/ Business Writing Skills
Written Communication:
Written communication is best suited when the communicator and the receiver
are beyond oral communication medium. The executives in all organizations can
maintain effective inter departmental and intra departmental connection
through messages by written words. Written communication covers all kinds of
subject matter like notices, memorandums, reports, financial statements,
business letters etc.
Purpose of Writing:
The systematic filing of written communication is one of the important aspects of
communication. Filing along with indexing is necessary because of the poor retention
power of human being. The purpose of preserving written messages is to provide
necessary information readily and without any delay and when it is needed. However,
the following gives the main purpose of writing the messages.
1. Future References:
The systematic filing of written communication is one of the
important aspects of communication. Filing along with
indexing is necessary because of the poor retention power of
human being. The purpose of preserving written messages is
to provide necessary information readily and without any
delay and when it is needed. However, the following gives
the main purpose of writing the messages.
2. Avoiding Mistakes:
In transmitting messages, earlier
records help in reducing mistakes and
errors and also prevent the
occurrence of fraud.
3. Legal Requirements:
Written communication is acceptable as a legal
document. That is why some executives think that
even if some messages have been transmitted
orally, they should later be confirmed in writing.
4. Wide Access:
Communication media having become very fast, written
communication enjoy a wide access. If the communicator
and the receiver are far from each other, written
communication sent through post or e-mail is the
cheapest and may be the only available means of
communication between them.
5. Effective Decision-Making:
Old documents help effective decision-making in a
great way. Decision-making process becomes easier
if old records are available. Because the messages
provide the necessary information for decision-
making purpose.
Principles of Effective Writing:
1. Unity:
Unity of writing implies a condition of being one. The
principle of unity applies on three levels. First, the
individual sentences must be unified. Second, the
individual paragraph must be unified. Third, the
totality of the message must be unified.
2. Coherence:
To achieve clarity in a written communication the principle of
coherence should be there. Relation and clarity are two
important aspects of coherence. The principle of coherence
applies to sentences, paragraphs and to the message as a
whole..
3. Avoid Jargon:
As far as possible, the writer should avoid jargon. Jargon is a
language which is special to science, commerce, technology,
trade or profession. In private language with persons in the
field, jargon may be incorporated. In other cases, jargon can be
used, but the only thing is that the words used must be clear
to others as well.
4. Accuracy:
The subject matter must be correct and accurate. The manner in
which the message is transmitted must be correct. Accuracy in
writing can be achieved by careful checking and editing
5. Brevity:
A writing should be shorter by using few
words for many. Brevity not only saves the
time but also gives grace to the writing.
Business communication must be brief and
direct.
6. 7 Cs of Communication:
Clarity, Completeness, Conciseness, Consideration,
Courtesy, Correctness & Concreteness. (Refer Slide
Number 29-37)
Merits & Limitations of Written Communication:
Written Communication
Merits Limitations
Accurate Time Consuming
Precise Expensive not only in terms of postage
but of the time of so many people
Permanent Record Quick clarification not possible
Legal Document
Can reach a large number of people
simultaneously
Helps to fix responsibility
Key Forms of Business Writing:
Some of the various forms of written Examples of written communications
communications that are used internally generally used with clients or other
for business operations include: businesses include:
Memos Emails Contracts
Reports Internet Websites Advertisements
Bulletins Letters Brochures
Job Descriptions Proposals News Releases
Employee Manuals Telegrams
Emails Faxes
Instant Messages Postcards
• Emails
Busy business people have very little time to read
emails. Use your introduction to clearly and
quickly state your purpose and then elaborate.
Keep your style conversational while remaining
professional. At the end your email you can add a
personal touch.
• Reports
Your writing style needs to be formal and academic. Use
your introduction to introduce your topic and your point of
view on it. Each succeeding paragraph should elaborate one
point proving the overall point of view. Finally, use your
conclusion to summarize and memorably close your report.
• User Manuals
Include detailed screenshots of your system and explain
procedures step by step. By aware of your audience and write
your explanations accordingly. For manuals to be effective do
not assume anything and do not omit any steps. Once complete,
test the manuals by getting someone who is completely new to
the system to use it with only your manual for assistance.
• Technical Specification Documents

These are documents in which you explain technical solutions
(developments, customizations etc.) which you have created. These
are difficult to write because it is often a problem to view your own
work objectively. Take a step back, and assume your work is
someone else's, now what information do you need to understand
and enhance the work done? Now, put that information in your TSD.
Communication Styles
In business situations, you may witness different communication styles. The three most
common styles are:
1. Passive (sometimes called non-assertive)

2. Aggressive
3. Assertive.
1. Passive:
A passive communicator is often tentative and lets others make choices for him or her.
Passive communication is conveyed to others by a hesitant, tentative voice with an

apologetic tone.
Some examples of what a passive communicator

might say include,
• “I don’t care; you decide,”
• “Forget I mentioned that,” and
• “Go ahead with Sean’s recommendation.
My idea wasn’t that good anyway.”
2. Aggressive:
An aggressive communicator disregards others’ rights and uses
intimidation to make his or
her point.
Aggressive communicators are often hostile, blaming,

demanding, and rude. They tend to use negative “you”
statements and speak in a loud voice.
You might hear the following from an aggressive speaker:

• “You are incompetent. How could you possibly expect
to be taken seriously when you submit a report like
that?”
• “You really blew it this time”
• “That is one of the most ridiculous ideas you have ever
come up with.”
3. Assertive:
Assertive communication achieves goals, is productive, and respects the
rights of all involved in the conversation.
Those who communicate assertively respect the rights and feelings of

others. They effectively influence, listen, and negotiate so others choose
to cooperate or communicate openly and willingly. Assertive
communicators use factual information, not personal judgments. They
avoid exaggeration; they use “I,” not “you”; their words reflect
ownership; and they speak in a firm voice.
Some examples of assertive verbal communication might include:
• “I would like to offer my suggestion without being interrupted,”
• “The figures in this report are from the second quarter; they should be third-
quarter figures,”
• “I get upset when you don’t do what you say you will do.”
Advanced Assertiveness Skills
• Assertive communication is the ability to express positive and

negative ideas and feelings in an open, honest and direct way.
• It recognizes our rights whilst still

respecting the rights of others.
• It allows us to take responsibility for

ourselves and our actions without
judging or blaming other people.
The Advantages of Assertiveness in Communication
• Assertiveness helps us feel good about ourselves and
others
• Assertiveness leads to the development of mutual
respect with others
• Assertiveness increases our self-esteem
• Assertiveness helps us achieve our goals
• Assertiveness minimizes hurting and alienating other
people
• Assertiveness reduces anxiety
• Assertiveness protects us from being taken advantage of
by others
• Assertiveness enables us to make decisions and free
choices in life
Characteristics of Assertiveness in Communication
There are six main characteristics of assertiveness in communication:
• Eye Contact: demonstrates interest, shows sincerity
• Body Posture: congruent body language will improve the significance of the
message
• Gestures: appropriate gestures help to add emphasis
• Voice: a level, well-modulated tone is more convincing and acceptable, and is not
intimidating
• Timing: use your judgement to
maximize receptivity and
impact
• Content: how, where and when
you choose to comment is
probably more important than
WHAT you say
Techniques for Assertiveness in Communication
1. Behavior Rehearsal:
Which is literally practicing how you
want to look and sound. It is a very
useful technique when you first want
to use "I" statements, as it helps
dissipate any emotion associated
with an experience and allows you to
accurately identify the behavior you
wish to confront.
2. Repeated Assertion:
This assertiveness technique allows you to feel comfortable by ignoring
manipulative verbal side traps, argumentative baiting and irrelevant logic while
sticking to your point. To most effectively use this assertiveness technique use
calm repetition, and say what you want and stay focused on the issue. You'll find
that there is no need to rehearse this technique, and no need to 'hype yourself
up' to deal with others.
Example:
"No thank you, I'm not interested“
"That may be true, but I'm not interested at
the moment“
"I don't want any of these products"
3. Fogging:
This technique allows you to receive criticism comfortably, without getting anxious
or defensive, and without rewarding manipulative criticism. To do this you need to
acknowledge the criticism, agree that there may be some truth to what they say,
but remain the judge of your choice of action.
An example of this could be,

"I agree that there are probably times
when I don't give you answers to your
questions.
4. Negative Enquiry:
This assertiveness technique seeks out criticism about yourself in close
relationships by prompting the expression of honest, negative feelings to improve
communication. To use it effectively you need to listen for critical comments,
clarify your understanding of those criticisms, use the information if it will be
helpful or ignore the information if it is manipulative.
An example of this assertiveness technique

would be, "So you think/believe that I am
not interested?”
5. Negative Assertion:
This assertiveness technique lets you look more comfortably at negatives in your
own behavior or personality without feeling defensive or anxious, this also
reduces your critics' hostility. You should accept your errors or faults, but not
apologize. Instead, tentatively and sympathetically agree with hostile criticism of
your negative qualities.
An example would be, "Yes, you're right. I

don't always listen closely to what you
have to say.”
6. Workable Compromise:
When you feel that your self-respect is not in question, consider a workable
compromise with the other person. You can always bargain for your material
goals unless the compromise affects your personal feelings of self-respect.
However, if the end goal involves a matter of your self-worth and self-respect,
THERE CAN BE NO COMPROMISE.
An example of this assertiveness technique would be, "I understand that you
have a need to talk and I need to finish what I'm doing. So what about meeting
in half an hour?"
Manage Criticism Assertively
Conflict is particularly difficult to resolve when someone else criticizes or attacks us
directly. When we are criticized, our natural reaction is to defend ourselves—perhaps
by counterattacking. The counterattack prompts the critic to defend him- or herself.
The conflict escalates; feelings are hurt; issues become muddied and more difficult
to resolve.
Just as resolving conflict depends upon identifying the needs each person is trying to
meet, so dealing with criticism depends upon understanding the real concern of the
critic. Constructive ways to respond to criticism and get closer to the real concern
include:
• Paraphrasing
• Checking for feelings
• Checking inferences
• Buying time with limited agreement
• Paraphrasing:
To paraphrase, repeat in your own words the verbal content of the critic’s message.
The purposes of paraphrasing are:
1. to be sure that you have heard the critic accurately

2. to let the critic know what his or her statement means to you
3. to communicate the feeling that you are taking the critic and his or her
feelings seriously.
Example
Criticism: You guys are stonewalling my
requests for information.
Paraphrase: You think that we don’t give you
the information you need quickly enough.
• Check for Feelings:
When you check the critic’s feelings, you identify the emotions that the critic seems
to be expressing verbally or nonverbally. The purposes of checking feelings are to try
to understand:
1. the critic’s emotions
2. the importance of the criticism for the critic
3. the unspoken ideas and feelings that may actually
be more important than the voiced criticism.
Example
Criticism: You guys are stonewalling my requests for information.
Feeling Check: You sound pretty angry.
Always ask the other person if you are right in your perception. Even the best
reader of nonverbal cues is sometimes wrong.
• Checking for Inferences:
When you check the inferences you draw from criticism, you identify the implied
meaning of the verbal and nonverbal content of the criticism, taking the statement a
step further than the words of the critic to try to understand why the critic is
bothered by the action or attitude under discussion. The purposes of checking
inferences are
1. to identify the real (as opposed to the presenting)
problem
2. to communicate the feeling that you care about
resolving the conflict.
Example
Criticism: You guys are stonewalling my
requests for information.
Inference: Are you saying that you need more
information from our group?
Inferences can be faulty. In the above

interchange, the critic might respond,
“I don’t need more information. I just think you

should give it to me without my having to file
three forms in triplicate every time I want some
data.”
• Buying Time with Limited Agreement:
Buying time is a useful strategy for dealing with criticisms that really sting. When you
buy time with limited agreement, you avoid escalating the conflict (as an angry
statement might do) but also avoid yielding to the critic’s point of view. To buy time,
restate the part of the criticism that you agree to be true. (This is often a fact, rather
than the interpretation or evaluation the critic has made of that fact.) Then let the
critic respond, before you say anything else. The purposes of buying time are:
1. to allow you time to think when a

criticism really hits home and
threatens you, so that you can respond
to the criticism rather than simply
react defensively
2. to suggest to the critic that you are
trying to hear what he or she is saying.
Example
Criticism: You guys are stonewalling my requests for information.
Limited Agreement: It’s true that the cost projections you asked for last week still
aren’t ready.
DO NOT go on to justify or explain. A “Yes, but . . .” statement is not a time-

buyer.
Techniques of Paraphrasing
Here are some techniques to use when paraphrasing.
Remember that these techniques should only be used once you have ensured you
fully understood the text; do not try to paraphrase a text you have not understood.
1. Using synonyms (words that mean the same)

Source Text Paraphrase
The need for investors to earn a commercial
The need of profit is likely to push up prices.
return may put upward pressure on prices.
Here; “may” is replaced with “is likely to” and “put upward pressure on” is replaced with “push
up”.
Be careful when using synonyms. Many words have several meanings, depending on context, and
you have to think about the synonym which expresses the right meaning for the particular context.
2. Changing the Form of Words:
Bayliss & McKinley (2007) point out that
Privatization has failed on several counts. the failure of privatization is due to many
factors.
The region (Sub-Saharan Africa) is widely Investment in the region is considered a
perceived as risky by investors. significant risk (Bayliss, 2003)
In the first paraphrase a verb has been replaced with a noun from the same word family. In the
second an adjective has been replaced by a noun.
3. Changing the Grammatical Structure:
According to the Bayliss (2003), although
While many governments have taken the implementation of privatization
steps to implement privatization programs has been a priority for many
programs, progress has been slower than governments, progress in the area has not
was anticipated in the early 1980’s. been as rapid as expected in the early
1980’s.
Here one grammatical structure for making a comparison (“slower than”) has been replaced with
another (“not as rapid as”).
4. Using Several Techniques:
… the privatization of such strategic Due to the vital role they play in a
country’s infrastructure, it is essential for
industries has raised a number of the operation of privatized water utilities
concerns. Firstly, these enterprises are
usually monopolistic and, in the absence to be regulated effectively. This is because
of competition, require effective they usually have a monopoly, and
without competition there is no incentive
regulation if private ownership is to be to keep tariffs low or provide a high
beneficial for the wider economy. standard of service. (Bayliss 2003).
In this final example, you will notice that:
• the order in which information is presented is different in the paraphrase
• different word forms in the same word family have been used (effective regulation
> regulated effectively)
• synonyms have been used (in the absence of competition > without competition).
Note that successful paraphrasing requires the use of multiple techniques each time.
It is not sufficient to simply replace the keywords with synonyms and in fact this is a
common mistake. Changing the structure of the sentence is also important to fit the
sentence into your paragraph effectively.
Mastering Body Language
1. Mirror the Person You're Speaking to:
Mirroring — or aligning your body to
match the position of whoever you're
speaking to — can be a tough skill to
master. But doing it shows admiration
and agreement.
It can be hard to do this subtly, without
looking like you're mimicking or mocking
someone, but this is definitely a good
trick to employ if you're really trying to
make a good impression.
2. Walk with Purpose and Energy:
Not everyone walks with
confidence. Some of us shuffle
through life with a slumping,
awkward gait.
And it can be tough to change the
way we walk. But if you take some
steps to improve it, you can help to
ensure that people don't make
snap judgments about your
confidence, attractiveness, and
trustworthiness
3. Maintain Eye Contact
People with a shaky gaze often come across as anxious, distracted, or dishonest. And
it can be tough to master the skill of maintaining eye contact, since it's a very
uncomfortable and unnatural thing for some people. But it's a practice that can help
you immensely in life.
4. Keep Your Hands Visible:
It's hard to know what to do with your hands sometimes, especially if you're a
somewhat nervous person.
As a result, you might take to compulsively jamming them into your pockets or
crossing your arms. Those are understandable moves, but they also project a
somewhat negative image.
5. Don't Fidget, But Don't Be Too Stiff
Some people are just a bit twitchy — always drumming their fingers, tapping their
feet, and twirling their hair. Some people are almost unnaturally still. The problem
is, others may mistake that for dishonesty or fear.
If you can strike a balance between swaying and stiffness, you'll be able to make a
better impression with others.
6. Sit Up Straight
"If you lounge back in your chair, recruiters interpret it as a sign of your disinterest in
the open position or that you're not taking the interview seriously, neither of which
will help you land the job," Amanda Augustine, a career advice expert . "In addition,
slumping over in the chair can indicate a lack of confidence."
Instead, she suggests sitting as if there was a string tied from the top of your head to
the ceiling. Sitting up straight is seen as a sign of intelligence, confidence, and
credibility, she explains.
Anyone with bad posture can tell you that correcting your slouch is not always easy.
But it's definitely worth it in the long run.
7. Work on your handshake
“A weak handshake equals a weak
person“.
When squeezing your hand you want
the grip to be tight enough to feel the
bones of the other person’s hand
lightly pressing into your skin and then
keeping the same amount of pressure
while you make two to three
moderately strong shakes in the
vertical plain. Maintain eye contact and
a smile throughout.
8. Slow down
When you're nervous, it can be easy to
speed everything up — your speech, your
movements.
However, it's far better to try to slow things
down: "When we have precision in our
movements, it's more powerful than simply
doing something for the sake of the action.
Our own brains know it, and the brains of
everyone else know it too."
So take a deep breath, slow down, and be
more deliberate about your movements at
your next meeting. You'll look far more
confident and competent.
Build Rapport Using Body Language
Rapport is fundamental to effective communication and influencing, and body
language plays a big part. The way you behave and act while around co-workers or
your supervisor actually sends lots of nonverbal cues. Unspoken communication is
surprisingly impactful in the way you might be considered for a promotion, or asked
to leave the job. Body language is a strong contributing factor to how others perceive
you, in both a positive and negative light. These tips can help you to adjust your body
language so that you make a great impression:
• Have an Open Posture:
Be relaxed, but don't slouch! Sit or stand
upright and place your hands by your sides
• Use a Firm Handshake:
But don't get carried away! You don't want it to become
awkward or, worse, painful for the other person. If it
does, you'll likely come across as rude or aggressive.
• Maintain Good Eye Contact:
Try to hold the other person's gaze for a few seconds at a
time. This will show her that you're sincere and engaged. But,
avoid turning it into a staring match!
• Avoid Touching Your Face:
There's a common perception that people who touch their faces
while answering questions are being dishonest. While this isn't
always true, it's best to avoid fiddling with your hair or touching
your mouth or nose, particularly if your aim is to come across as
trustworthy.
• Keep Your Head Up:

Your head should be upright and level. Leaning too far forward or
backward can make you look aggressive or arrogant.
• Practice and Perfect Your Posture:
You'd practice your presentation beforehand, so why not practice your body language,
too? Stand in a relaxed manner, with your weight evenly distributed. Keep one foot
slightly in front of the other – this will help you to maintain your posture
The ability to understand and to interpret body language can help you to pick up on
unspoken issues, problems or negative feelings that other people might have. You can
also use it in a positive way to add strength to your verbal messages.
Negative Body Language Includes Positive Body Language Includes

Folded arms Open body position (arms unfolded)
Tense facial expression Upright posture
Body turned away from you Relaxed and open facial expression
Poor eye contact Arms hanging relaxed by the sides
Regular eye contact
Conclusion
Top notch technical skills are crucial but in today’s fast paced
corporate world effectively presenting the work that you have done
is also very important. You need to be able to effectively showcase
the contribution you have made in as short a time as possible
Thank You

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M-05 Business Communication Skills - Final

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Business Communication Skills

• It involves a sender and one or more receivers with the

1. Sender: A person who sends information to

However, several factors distort the meaning of a message in business.

1. Context 6. Past Experiences

These factors affect the process of

If you were Samia how would you feel? What will

When people from different cultural backgrounds communicate the chance of

 Stereotypes - To make conclusions and judge

Messages must be prepared properly and there should be a feedback system.

If they have similar educational qualifications,

Similarly, informal group relationships based on

On the Basis of Regulation On the Basis of Expression

Formal Informal Verbal Non Verbal

Vertical Single Chain Oral Body Language

This communication flows between persons at the

When a number of people irrespective of their

Verbal communication has two forms

Non-verbal communication means that you do not require talking or writing.

• Eye contact: can be important in sending and

• Voice: Every time we speak, our voice reveals

• Postures and gestures: be mindful of your

• Facial expressions: It is said that the face is

1. Use simple word, easy to understand words:

3. Use Verbs for Nouns (it brings simplicity

6. Use short sentences:

Checking for the five W’s:

• Include only relevant facts

• Avoid Gender Bias:

• Answer the letters promptly.

• Give correct facts.

• Always use specific fact and figures.

Many people enjoy while talking and

Like written communication in oral communication

In oral communication correctness means the

For making oral communication

Courtesy involves you-attitude. Use polite words

When the speaker chooses the candid approaches, its

• Denotation & Connotations

• Attitude and Opinions:

2. Emotional barriers and taboos. Some people may find it difficult to

3. Lack of attention, interest, distractions, or irrelevance to the receiver.

4. Differences in perception and viewpoint.

5. Physical disabilities such as hearing problems or speech difficulties.

7. Language differences and the difficulty in understanding unfamiliar accents.

8. Expectations and prejudices which may lead to false

9. Cultural differences. The norms of social interaction vary greatly in

In oral communication, spoken words are used. It includes face-to-

In oral communication, communication is

•Supplemented by Non-verbal Clues:

• It is extremely useful while communicating with groups

• The lengthy messages are not suitable for such type of

• Expensive and time consuming when the communicator and

•Not appropriate when the matter is controversial.

•More Prone to Physical Noise:

• Oral massages do not have any legal validity

2.Remarkable or Impressive Voice:

6.Effect of Breath on Voice and Speech:

9. Effective Body Language:

b. Volume: By raising or lowering volume

Listening is even more crucial on the job

Good listeners consciously follow four practices:

3. Avoid Making Assumptions:

Here is the list of most useful 10 different listening types: