Copyright © 2008 by Nelson Education Ltd. 1 PowerPoints to accompany Essentials of Business Communication for English Language Learners 1 st Canadian Edition Mary Ellen Guffey, Richard Almonte, Ausra Karka

Copyright © 2008 by Nelson Education Ltd. Ch. 1-2 Chapter 1 Today’s Communication Challenges

Copyright © 2008 by Nelson Education Ltd. Ch. 1-3 The Changing World of Work ÊCreative communication technologies ËFewer levels of management ÌMore involvement in management ÍIncreased emphasis on self-directed work and project teams ÎMore global competition ÏNew work environments

Copyright © 2008 by Nelson Education Ltd. Ch. 1-4 The Changing World of Work Communication Skills: Essential for succeeding in the new world of work.

Copyright © 2008 by Nelson Education Ltd. Ch. 1-5 The Process of Communication Sender forms idea Sender encodes message Receiver decodes message Feedback travels to sender Possible additional feedback travels to receiver Channel carries message

Copyright © 2008 by Nelson Education Ltd. Ch. 1-6 The Process of Communication

Copyright © 2008 by Nelson Education Ltd. Ch. 1-7 Barriers to Effective Listening l Physical barriers—hearing impairments, noisy surroundings l Personal barriers—ideas do not agree with our fixed thoughts l Language problems—unfamiliar words, thick accent or pronunciation mistakes l Nonverbal distractions—clothing, mannerisms, appearance

Copyright © 2008 by Nelson Education Ltd. Ch. 1-8 Barriers to Effective Listening l Thought speed—we process thoughts faster than speakers express them l Faking attention—pretending to listen l Seeking attention—talking all the time or just waiting for the next pause

Copyright © 2008 by Nelson Education Ltd. Ch. 1-9 Tips for Becoming an Active Listener l Stop talking. l Control your surroundings. l Accept information willingly. l Keep an open mind. l Listen for main points. l Listen for nonverbal clues. l Judge ideas, not appearances.

Copyright © 2008 by Nelson Education Ltd. Ch Tips for Becoming an Active Listener l Be patient. l Take selective notes. l Provide feedback.

Copyright © 2008 by Nelson Education Ltd. Ch Nonverbal Communication l The eyes, face, and body send silent messages. Eye contact Facial expression Posture and gestures l Appearance sends silent messages. Appearance of business documents Appearance of people

Copyright © 2008 by Nelson Education Ltd. Ch Nonverbal Communication l Time, space, and territory send silent messages. Time (structure and use of) Space (arrangement of furniture in) Territory (privacy zones)

Copyright © 2008 by Nelson Education Ltd. Ch Tips for Improving Your Nonverbal Skills l Establish and maintain eye contact. l Use posture to show interest. l Improve your decoding skills. l Search for more information. l Associate with people from diverse cultures.

Copyright © 2008 by Nelson Education Ltd. Ch Tips for Improving Your Nonverbal Skills l Appreciate the power of appearance. l Observe yourself on videotape. l Enlist friends and family.

Copyright © 2008 by Nelson Education Ltd. Ch Culture and Communication Good communication demands special sensitivity and skills when communicators are from different cultures.

Copyright © 2008 by Nelson Education Ltd. Ch Culture and Communication Key North American Beliefs: Informality Less emphasis on rituals, ceremonies, rank; preference for casual dress, direct business dealings Communication style Straightforward, literal, uncomfortable with silence Time orientation Precious, equates with productivity and money

Copyright © 2008 by Nelson Education Ltd. Ch Culture and Communication Understanding and accepting people from other cultures is often difficult because of: l Ethnocentrism belief in the superiority of one’s own culture l Stereotype an oversimplified behavioural pattern applied to an entire group

Copyright © 2008 by Nelson Education Ltd. Ch Culture and Communication l Overcome misunderstanding by developing tolerance. Practise empathy. Try to see the world through another’s eyes. Accept others’ contributions in solving problems.

Copyright © 2008 by Nelson Education Ltd. Ch Improving Communication With Cross-Cultural Audiences l Conversation Use simple English. Speak slowly and enunciate clearly. Encourage accurate feedback. Check frequently for comprehension. Observe eye messages.

Copyright © 2008 by Nelson Education Ltd. Ch Improving Communication With Cross-Cultural Audiences Conversation (continued) Accept blame. Listen without interrupting. Remember to smile. Follow up in writing.

Copyright © 2008 by Nelson Education Ltd. Ch Improving Communication With Cross-Cultural Audiences l Written communication Adopt local formats. Consider hiring a translator. Use short sentences and short paragraphs. Avoid unclear wording. Cite numbers carefully.

Copyright © 2008 by Nelson Education Ltd. Ch Effective Communication With Diverse Workplace Audiences l Understand the value of differences. l Don’t expect sameness. l Create zero tolerance for bias and stereotypes. l Practise focused, thoughtful, and open- minded listening. l Invite, use, and give feedback.

Copyright © 2008 by Nelson Education Ltd. Ch Effective Communication With Diverse Workplace Audiences l Make fewer assumptions. l Learn about your cultural self. l Seek common ground.

Copyright © 2008 by Nelson Education Ltd. Ch End