Communication (9/24/09)

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Communication (9/24/09)

					Communication is a management skill.

					Managers must give directions to the people who work for them.

					Managers must be able to motivate people.

					Managers must be able to convince customers that they should do business with them.

					Managers must be able to absorb the ideas of others.

					Managers must be able to persuade other people.

					Interpersonal communication is an interactive process between individuals that involves sending and receiving verbal and nonverbal messages.

					Many factors interfere with and cause the interpersonal communication process to fail.

					Conflicting or inappropriate assumptions can confuse communicators and cause ineffective communication.

					Semantics is the science of the meaning of words and symbols; words mean different things to different people.

					Perception deals with mental and sensory processes used to interpret information; people often perceive the same situation in different ways.

					Emotions can affect the communication process by affecting our disposition to send and receive communication.

					Learning to Communicate

					Understanding the audience is important to effective communication.

					Developing good listening skills is vital, especially for managers.

					Active listening means absorbing what another person is saying and responding to the person’s concerns.

					Active listening involves identifying the speaker’s purpose, identifying the speaker’s main ideas, and noting the speaker’s tone as well as his/her body language, and respond to the speaker with appropriate comments, questions and body language.

					Selecting feedback helps the sender know if the correct message has been received.

					Effective communication is a two-way process.

					Feedback is the flow of information from the receiver to the sender.

					Understanding the importance of nonverbal communication.

					Meaning is conveyed through nonverbal communication (e.g. gestures, body posture)

					Paralanguage includes pitch, tempo, loudness, and hesitation in verbal communication.

					Nonverbal communication is an effective way of communicating emotions.

					Oral Communication

					Most business communication is done orally, sometimes formally but often informally.

					Oral communication is important because successful managers give clear instructions, motivate their staffs, and persuade other people.

					Oral communication skills can be developed by following some thumb rules:

					Make emotional contact with listeners.

					Avoid speaking in a monotone.

					Be enthusiastic and project a positive outlook.

					Avoid interrupting others.

					Always be courteous.

					Avoid empty filler sounds or words.

					Written Communication

					Managers must be able to write clearly, concisely, and persuasively.

					Managers need to identify their purpose for writing, their audience, and their main message.

					Some principles of good writing include:

					Writing as simply and clearly as possible.

					Ensuring an appropriate tone for the audience.

					Proofreading the document.

					Choosing the Best Method of Communication

					Managers need to understand when to use oral communication alone, when to use written communication alone, and when to follow oral communication with written communication.

					Generally use verbal communication to relay sensitive information.

					Generally use written communication to relay routine information.

					To preserve a written record.

					Communicating within the Organization

					The organizational grapevine is the informal channels of communication within an organization.

					The grapevine does not follow the organizational hierarchy.

					The grapevine includes management, professional, and nonmanagement personnel.

					The grapevine is often accurate, and information travels more rapidly on the grapevine than with formal channels of communication.

					E-mail or electronic mail systems provide for the high-speed exchange of written messages; e-mail saves time, eliminates wasted effort, provides written records, and enables communication among individuals who might not otherwise communicate.

					Caution using the Internet!

					Beware anonymous communications

					You have no privacy on the Internet

					Careful not to send too quickly

					Have your proofread?

					Do you really want to send that email? Are you being too hasty? (Once it's out there, you can't take it back).

					Communication in International Business Activities

					Communication in international business becomes even more complicated in both the verbal and nonverbal communication processes.

					To overcome communication problems, managers should:

					Learn the culture of the people with whom they will be communicating.

					Write and speak clearly and simply.

					Key Terms

					Interpersonal Communication

					Semantics

					Perception

					Active Listening

					Feedback

					Paralanguage