PROFESSIONAL
COMMUNICATION IN
A DIGITAL, SOCIAL,
MOBILE WORLD
CHAPTER 1
• The act of transferring
information/message/news
• Between multiple parties
• Sender utilizes an appropriate channel to
deliver
• Receiver receives the message and
WHAT IS decodes it
COMMUNICATION?
• A feedback/reply from the receiver
ensures that the message has been
delivered and understood
• Correct any misunderstanding/confusion
if required
COMMUNICATION IS IMPORTANT TO YOUR CAREER:
WHAT EMPLOYERS EXPECT!
• Ideas and ambitions are not enough; you need to be able to communicate with
people to succeed in business.
• Perspective employers- look for efficient and effective communicators when
employing
• Communication is important regardless of profession.
• Changing nature of employment putting new pressure on communication skills
too.
• Strong communication skills give you and advantage in the job market.
COMMUNICATION IS IMPORTANT TO YOUR COMPANY
Effective communication helps businesses in numerous ways, by promoting
• A stronger sense of trust between individuals and organizations
• Closer ties with important communities in the marketplace
• Increased productivity and faster problem solving
• Better financial results and higher return for investors
• Stronger decision making based on timely, reliable information
• Greater employee engagement.
WHAT MAKES BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
EFFECTIVE?
• Provide practical information.
• Information needs to be factual rather than supplying vague
impressions.
• Present information in a concise manner.
• Clarify expectations and responsibilities.
• Offer compelling, persuasive arguments and recommendation (when
and if required).
BASIC FORMS OF COMMUNICATION
• Nonverbal:
• Gestures
• Facial Expression
• Personal Appearance
• Body Language
• Sounds
• Verbal:
• Speaking , Writing
• Listening, Reading
THE BASIC COMMUNICATION MODEL
BARRIERS IN THE COMMUNICATION
ENVIRONMENT
A number of barriers can block or distort messages before they reach the intended audience
• Noise and distractions (uncomfortable meeting rooms, cluttered computer screens,
multitasking)
• Competing messages (undivided attention from your audience is rare)
• Filters (automatic filters, spam messages, human intervention)
• Channel breakdowns
• The need for expanded media literacy
• Increased global nature of the business
• Increased focus on ethics and social responsibility (negative publicity travels fast)
COMMUNICATION IN AN ORGANIZATIONAL
CONTEXT
Formal communication network:
• Well-established, stable, main lines of operational communication in an organization. Ideas and
information flow along the lines of command (hierarchy levels) in the company’s organizational structure.
• Information flow in three dimensions: Downward, Upward and Horizontal.
Informal communication network:
• Consisting mainly of personal communications which may or may not support the formal communication
• Referred to as Grapevine and Rumor Mill where information converges a long way by passing from one
person to another leaving no indication from which point it started
• May or may not be true
EXTERNAL AUDIENCES
Customers
Business
Regulators
Partners
Company
Industry Public
Partners Groups
ADOPTING AN AUDIENCE-CENTERED
APPROACH
• An audience-centered approach involves understanding and respecting the members of
your audience and making every effort to get your message across in a way that is
meaningful to them.
• This approach is also known as adopting the “you” (second person) attitude, in contrast
to messages that are about “me/we” (first person).
• Learn as much as possible about your receivers.
• The ability to relate to the needs of others is a key part of Emotional Intelligence.
• The more you know about the people you are communicating with, the easier it to
concentrate on their needs.
HOW AUDIENCE DECODE MESSAGES
• Decoding is a complex process, receivers often extract different meanings
from messages than senders attempt to encode in them.
• Cultural and personal believes and biases influence the meaning audiences
get from messages.
• Selective perception occurs when people ignore or distort incoming
information to fit their perceived notions of reality.
• Differences in language and usage also influence received meaning.
• Individual thinking styles are another important factor in message decoding.
HOW & WHEN DO AUDIENCE RESPOND TO
MESSAGES?
Audiences respond to messages only if three events occur:
• First, the recipient has to remember the message long enough to act on it.
The information needs to be retrieved when the recipient wants to act on it.
• Secondly, the recipient has to be able to respond to you (sender). (More
details on this in chapter 4)
• Third, the recipient has to be motivated to respond. By explaining how
audiences will benefit by responding positively to your messages, you’ll
increase their motivation to respond.
ETHICAL & UNETHICAL COMMUNICATION
• Ethical
• True in every sense
• Nothing is hidden
• Relevant information
• Unethical Practices
• Plagiarism
• Selective Misquoting
• Falsifying Numbers
• Distorted Visuals
THE MOBILE REVOLUTION
• Mobile communication has changed the nature of business and business
communication drastically.
• Mobile communication tools-note taking apps, wearable technology, tabs etc. many
more
• The biggest technology shift since the Internet.
• Businesses realize the importance of integrating mobile technology from
communication platforms to banking to retail.
• Mobile apps and communication systems can boost employee productivity, help
companies form closer relationships with customers and business partner, and spur
innovation in products and services.
HOW MOBILE TECHNOLOGIES ARE CHANGING
BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
• Rise of wearable technology.
• As mobile access overtakes computer-based access, some companies now
take a mobile-first approach.
• Mobile plays a major and ever-expanding role in this phenomenon by keeping
people connected 24/7.
• People who grew up with mobile technology expect to have immediate access
to information and ability to stay connected to social and business networks.
