Key Concepts for Understanding Business Communications

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Key Concepts for Understanding Business
Communications

• Goodall and Goodall, Chapter 1

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Business Communications Defined

• Basic business communications refers to all forms
  of speaking, listening, writing, relating and
  responding in the workplace from a human and
  technological perspective.
• Human communications includes informal
  conversations, interviews, group meetings,
  informative briefing, speeches, etc.
• Electronic communications includes telephone
  conversations, voice mail, teleconferences,
  internet communications, web sites, etc.
• A goal of the course is to provide an
  understanding of the knowledge professional
  standards for competent communications.

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Component of Business Communications

• Early models of communications assumed that the
  communications process was top down or from the
  boss to employees.
• New models assert that the process is a much
  more complex and recognizes that communications
  is top down, bottom up and lateral with infinite
  possibilities for misinterpretations and a need
  to include the context in which the
  communications occurs.

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Basic Components of the Model

• Sender The sender is the originator or source
  of the message. A message can be sent top down,
  bottom up, lateral, internally or externally.
• Receiver The receiver is the person to whom the
  message is initially intended. Anyone in the
  organization or external to the organization can
  be a receiver of a message. If it is more than
  one person it can be referred to as an audience.

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Components of Communications cont.

• Messages The message is what is said and done
  by the sender during the course of communicating.
  It includes both verbal (tone of voice, word
  usage, etc. ) and nonverbal communications
  (gestures, eye contact, attitude, body language,
  etc).
• Noise Influence, shape or disrupt what is
  said. Three types of noise include
• Physical Background noise
• Semantic - Differences people have for the
  meaning of words, typically based on culture.
• Hierarchical The meaning is interpreted based
  upon the status or power of the sender.

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Components of Communications Cont.

• Channels of Communications Refers to the mode
  or method of communications such as letter,
  email, face to face, telephone, etc. Choosing the
  best method of communications for a particular
  audience is crucial for success.
• Context - Communications occurs within an
  environment or context. The context shapes both
  how the message is sent and received.

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Communications in Contexts

• Physical Situation The physical surroundings
  impacts the communications process in terms of
  meeting the needs of the audience, effecting the
  quality of the communications, shaping the
  perceptions of the sender, and the timing.
• Cultural Context - Refers to the thoughts and
  feelings we have about a situation based upon who
  we are and our cultural background.
• Communication History Refers to the history of
  the people in the relationship. Includes the
  length of time, past patterns, problems and/or
  successes and individual differences.

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The Functions of Business Communications

• Organizing tasks and people Refers to
  organizing people to accomplish goals and
  objectives, as well as solve problems through a
  collaborative process.
• Creating identities An identity is shaped by
  the way people perceive and respond to you.
  Consists of three areas
• Organizational rank- refers to your role, rank,
  function and status in the company.
• Organizational credibility Refers to reputation
  and level of integrity.
• Organizational savvy Refers to the ability to
  navigate through the social and political
  boundaries of the organization
• Engage in sense-making and interpretation of
  meaning Communications assists us in
  understanding the organizational culture and make
  sense of the day to day messages of leadership,
  co-workers, and clients in order to engage in
  productive collaborative work.

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Conscious Communications in the Workplace

• A goal of the course is to encourage the
  development of a conscious communications
  strategy, which refers to being deliberate and
  strategic in formulating messages and being
  critically aware of the ethical and business
  consequences of delivering them.

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The CCCD Process