1. Chapter 1 Business Communication Foundations
2012 Business Communication I

2. Goals of Business Communication
Receiver Understanding
Message understood by receiver as the sender intended – “shared meaning”
The most important goal
Receiver Response
Positive, neutral or negative response possible
Conveyed through words, actions, or both
Goal achieved when response is appropriate
Sender should assist receiver in responding

3. Goals of Business Communication
Favorable Relationship
Sender and receiver should relate positively, personally, and professionally
Both sender and receiver benefit from a favorable relationship
Goal achieved by using positive wording, stressing receiver’s interests and benefits, and doing more than is expected
Organizational Goodwill
Goodwill is essential to the success of the organization
Sender should try to increase goodwill by emphasizing favorable aspects of the company’s products, services, and personnel

4. Patterns of Business Communication
Internal Communication Patterns
Vertical, horizontal, network
Vertical follows chain of command
Horizontal facilitates work cooperation and work coordination
Formal communication
Is business-related and planned; Follows in all directions
Is essential to effective business operations
Informal communication : Grapevine
Consists of business-related and personal info
Is typically oral, but technology enables written forms
Is unplanned, flows in all directions
Is essential for human relationships

5. Patterns of Business Communication
Serial
Chain transmission involving three or more individuals
Downward and upward flow
Messages change as passed
Special precautions are necessary
Senders should keep the message simple
Receivers should repeat the message
External Communication Patterns
Include communication with customers, suppliers, media, competitors and government agencies
Can be written or oral
Is typically formal but may be informal
Must be high quality

6. The Communication Process
A Communication Process Model

7. The Communication Process
A Communication Process Model
Components are sender, message, receiver, feedback, and barriers
Environment includes all things participants perceive; is complex and distracting;
Each organization has its own culture
Office politics (the competitive environment) created whenever three or more people work in one organization
Competition may be for tangible or intangible rewards
Actions will be informal attempts to protect self-interest, meet personal needs, or advance personal goals
May be positive or negative
Exists in every organization
Must be considered as you decide whether you should remain or change jobs

8. The Communication Process
Within organization political fundamentals
Be honest and ethical in all your dealings with people
Believe in yourself
Believe in your work
Do the best job you can
Keep your commitments
Be a pleasant person
Feel true respect for everyone

9. The Communication Process
Sender’s and Receiver’s Roles
Sender selects type of message, analyzes receiver, uses you- viewpoint, provides for feedback, and removes communication barriers
Sender has primary responsibility for success of message
Receiver listens or reads carefully, is open to different types of senders and messages, makes notes when necessary, provides feedback, and asks questions for clarification

10. The Communication Process
Communication Types and Channels
Verbal messages (written and oral) use words; nonverbal messages do not use words
Written message channels include memos, letters, , web pages, reports, and news releases – all of which may include diagrams, drawings, charts and tables.
Oral message channels include conversations, voice mail, meetings, and speeches
Channel based on audience and situation
Nonverbal messages can be powerful
Kate Hartman: The art of wearable communication

11. The Communication Process
The You-Viewpoint
Analyzing the receiver
Knowledge
Analyze the receiver’s education and experience
Compose the message at the proper level
Interests
Analyze the receiver’s concerns, needs, and motivations
Emphasize benefits to receiver
Consider receiver’s position and authority
Attitude
Analyze the receiver’s values, biases, and viewpoints
Consider receiver status, power, personality, expectations, and culture

12. The Communication Process
Emotional reaction
Analyze the receiver’s potential emotional reaction to the message
Determine approach – direct or indirect
Using the you-viewpoint
Means understanding the receiver’s point of view
Is key to achieving business communication goals
Is based on analysis of receiver
Enables sender to compose message at appropriate level
Directs message at receiver’s concerns, needs and motivations
Avoids negative situations
Helps choose message approach – direct or indirect
Is opposite of I = or We-viewpoint
Respects basic values; is honest, forthright

13. The Communication Process
Example
I-Viewpoint
You-Viewpoint
I think your report is excellent.
Your wrote an excellent report.
You simply do not understand what I am saying.
Perhaps an example will help make the instructions clearer.
We offer three service plans.
Choose the service plan that best meets your needs.

14. The Communication Process
Providing for Feedback
Ask for response (feedback) from receiver
Assist receiver in giving response
Is essential to achieving business communication goals

15. Potential Communication Barriers
Poor Word Choice – p. 17
Do not choose words that are too difficult, technical, or easy
Analyze receiver’s vocabulary
Compose and transmit message at appropriate level
Consider denotative versus connotative meaning
Realize receiver and sender may attach different meanings to words
Analyze receiver’s possible connotations
Define your terms or use other words
Consider idioms
Need context for meaning
May cause problems for people for whom English is not the first language
Used only when receiver will understand

16. Potential Communication Barriers
Distinguish between implications and inferences
Senders can imply and receivers can infer from both words and actions
Senders should use specific language; receivers should clarify meaning
Implications and inferences play a role in business; challenge is to ensure they are appropriate
Incorrect Grammar, Sentence Structure, Punctuation, and Spelling
Errors detract from receiver understanding; sender can lose credibility
Errors must be corrected before transmitting message
Wrong Message Type
Influence communication success
Choose appropriate type of message

17. Potential Communication Barriers
Poor Message Appearance
Affects acceptance of written message
Avoid smudges, wrinkled paper, and poor handwriting
Poor Appearance of the Sender
Affects understanding and acceptance of oral message
Maintain required standards
Distracting Environmental Factors
Include noise, light, temperature, furniture, equipment, distances, and colors
Eliminate environmental communication barriers in advance, if possible

18. Potential Communication Barriers
Receiver’s Capability
Includes any mental or physical challenge of receiver that interferes with the success of the message
Devise ways to overcome limitations of receiver’s capability
Ineffective Listening Skills
Are a common barrier to successful oral communication
Remove barrier by improving message quality
Other Communication Barriers
Lack of interest, lack of knowledge, different cultural perceptions, language difficulty, emotional state, and bias
Do everything possible to remove these barriers

19. Summary of Learning Objectives
Explain why business communication is important to individuals and organizations
List and explain the goals of business communication
Describe the patterns of business Communication
Explain the communication process
Identify communication barriers and describe ways to remove them