Welcome to BA205

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• Welcome to BA205
• Business Communication using Technology

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Topics for Week 1

• Introductions
• Course Syllabus and Course Outline
• Communicating at Work
• Culture and Diversity

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Introduction Activity

• Form 9 groups.
• Introduce self.
• Identify at least 5 things that you all have in
  common.
• Identify a spokesperson to report out.

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Building Your Communication Skills
Instructor
Textbook

• http//www.sba.pdx.edu/
• PowerPoint presentations covered in class
• Assignments
• Study Guides
• http//guffey.swlearning.com
• Review quizzes
• Glossary of key terms
• http//guffeyxtra.swlearning.com
• Online exercises to strengthen language skills

Useful Resources
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What is Communication?
Transmission of information and meaning from
one person or group to another.
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Why do YOU need good communication skills?

• Communication skills are essential for
• Job placement
• Job performance
• Career advancement
• Success in the new world of work

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The Process of Communication
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The Process of Communication
Verbally or nonverbally. By speaking, writing,
gesturing.
How may the sender encode a message?
Letters, e-mail, IM, memos, TV, cell phone,
voice, body. Others?
What kinds of channels carry messages?
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Hearing, listening, reading, observing.
How does a receiver decode a message?
When a message is understood as the sender
intended it to be.
When is communication successful?
Ask questions, observe responses, check for
reciprocity of communication.
How can a communicator receive feedback?
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Understanding is shaped by

• Communication climate
• Context and setting
• Background, experiences
• Knowledge, mood
• Values, beliefs, culture

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A Classic Case of Miscommunication

• In Center Harbor, Maine, local legend recalls
  the day when Walter Cronkite steered his boat
  into port. The avid sailor was amused to see in
  the distance a small crowd on shore waving their
  arms to greet him. He could barely make out their
  excited shouts Hello Walter, Hello Walter!

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A Classic Case of Miscommunication

• As his boat came closer, the crowd grew larger,
  still yelling. Pleased at the reception, Cronkite
  tipped his white captain's hat, waved back, even
  took a bow. But before reaching dockside,
  Cronkite's boat abruptly jammed aground. The
  crowd stood silent. The veteran news anchor
  suddenly realized what they'd been shouting
  Low water, low water!

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Analysis of Flawed Communication Process
Sender has idea Warn boater
Sender encodes message Low water!
Channel carries message Message distorted
Receiver decodes message Hello Walter!
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Barriers That CausedCronkite Miscommunication

• Frame of reference
• Language skills
• Listening skills

• Receiver accustomed to acclaim and appreciative
  crowds.
• Maine accent makes "water" and "Walter" sound
  similar.
• Receiver more accustomed to speaking than to
  listening.

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Barriers That CausedCronkite Miscommunication

• Emotional interference
• Physical barriers

• Ego prompted receiver to believe crowd was
  responding to his celebrity status.
• Noise from boat, distance between senders and
  receivers.

Which of these barriers could be overcome through
improved communication skills?
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Balancing between Speaking and Listening
Speakers responsibility Listeners responsibility
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Activity

• Form groups of 3. . . . .
• Individually, recall an incident in which you
  experienced communication difficulties. Identify
  the barriers and the problems in understanding.
• As a group. . .
• Share the experience with the group.
• Identify one of the incidents to share with
  the class.
• Identify a spokesperson.

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Barriers to Effective Listening
Physical barriers Hearing disabilities, noisy surroundings
Psychological or emotional barriers Tuning out ideas that counter our values
Language problems Unfamiliar or charged words
Nonverbal distractions Clothing, mannerisms, appearance
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Thought speed Our minds process thoughts faster than speakers express them
Faking attention Pretending to listen
Grandstanding Talking all the time or listening only for the next pause
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So True!

• One of the best ways to persuade others is with
  your ears by listening to them.
• --- Dean Rusk
• The reason why we have two ears and one mouth is
  that we may listen the more and talk the less.
• ---Zeno of Citium

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Tips for Becoming anActive Listener

• Stop talking.
• Control your surroundings.
• Establish a receptive mind-set.
• Listen for main points.
• Listen between the lines.
• Provide feedback.

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Nonverbal Communication

• Eye contact, facial expression, and posture and
  gestures send silent messages.
• Time, space, and territory send silent messages.
• Appearance sends silent messages.
• business documents
• people

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Tips for Improving Your Nonverbal Skills

• Establish and maintain eye contact.
• Use posture to show interest.
• Improve your decoding skills.
• Probe for more information.
• Avoid assigning nonverbal meanings out of context.

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Diversity in the Workplace
Diversity will continue to increase.

• Why is effective communication more important
  with an increasing diverse workforce?

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Diverse U.S. Labor Force

• Workforce 2020, Hudson Institute

Population Percentage 1995 Percentage 2005 Percentage 2020
Whites, non-Hispanics 76 73 68
Women 46 48 50
Hispanic 9 11 14
African-American 11 11 11
Asian-American 4 5 6
The civilian labor force is projected to increase
by 17 million over the 2000-2010 period, reaching
158 million in 2010.
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Diverse U.S. Labor Force
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics
Age group Growth in the Workforce
16-24 age group Will grow more rapidly than the overall population
35-44 age group Will be the only group to decrease in size
55-64 age group Will increase by 11 million people over the 2000-2010 period more than any other group
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Diversity in the Workplace

• Form groups of 3. . . .
• Discuss the benefits of diversity.
• Identify an example of when diversity lead to a
  positive outcome.
• Identify a spokesperson to report out.

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Group think
GROUPTHINK
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Culture and Communication

• Good communication demands special sensitivity
  and skills when communicators are from different
  cultures.

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Workplace Culture for Different Ages
Workplace Culture according to Career Strategies
Pre-Boomer 1934-1945 Boomer 1946-1959 Cusper 1960-1968 Busters or Gen X 1969-1978 Netster 1979-1988
Work first Work first Work and lifestyle Lifestyle first Lifestyle first
Loyal to employer Loyal to employer Loyal to employer and skills Loyal to skills Loyal to skills
Value working well with others Want others to work with them Want others to work with them Prefer to work alone Like small groups
Technically challenged Technically challenged Technically challenged Technically savvy State-of-the-art
Strong chain of command Chain of command Individual and chain of command Individual first Individual first
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Comparison of High- and Low-Context Cultures
High-Context Cultures High-Context Cultures Low-Context Cultures
Relational Linear
Collectivist Individualistic
Intuitive Straight forwardness
Contemplative and relaxed Action-oriented and driven
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High-Context and Low-Context Cultures

• Japanese
• Arab
• Latin American
• Spanish
• English
• Italian
• French
• North American
• Scandinavian
• German
• Swiss

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Comparing U.S. and Internationals Views
U.S. Persons Views of Themselves Internationals Views of U.S. Persons
Informal, friendly, casual Undisciplined, overly personal
Equality advocates Insensitive to status
Direct, aggressive Blunt, rude, oppressive
Efficient Obsessed with time opportunistic
Goal/achievement-oriented Promise more than they deliver
Profit-oriented Materialistic
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U.S. Persons Views of Themselves Internationals Views of U.S. Persons
Resourceful, ingenious Work-oriented deals more important than people
Individualistic, progressive Self-absorbed, equating new with best
Dynamic, find identity in work Driven
Enthusiastic, prefer hard-sell Deceptive, fearsome
Open Untrustworthy
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Activity

• Individually, identify an experience in which you
  interacted with someone from a different culture.
• External differences
• Internal differences
• Your impression/reaction
• Form groups of 3. . . .
• Discuss your experiences and compare and contrast
  the interaction/communication
• Identify the communication issues, if any and how
  they could be addressed.

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Improving Communication With Multicultural
Audiences

• Oral Messages
• Use simple English.
• Speak slowly and enunciate clearly.
• Encourage accurate feedback.

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• Oral Messages (continued)
• Check frequently for comprehension.
• Observe eye messages.
• Accept blame.
• Listen without interrupting.
• Remember to smile!
• Follow up in writing.

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• Written Messages
• Adapt to local formats.
• Use short sentences and short paragraphs.
• Avoid ambiguous wording.
• Strive for clarity.
• Cite numbers carefully.

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Effective Communication With Diverse Workplace
Audiences

• Understand the value of differences.
• Dont expect total conformity.
• Create zero tolerance for bias and stereotypes.
• Practice focused, thoughtful, and open-minded
  listening.
• Invite, use, and give feedback.

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• Make fewer workplace assumptions.
• Learn about your own cultural self.
• Learn about other
  cultures and
  identity groups.
• Seek common
  ground.