Communication plays an important role in any relationship, personal as well as professional. In business, communication is the key to effectively share ideas with the other parties. In order for businesses to grow and succeed, they must be able to communicate – both, internally and externally. This is why communication specialists is a very lucrative job profile.
International Business Environments and Operations 16th Global Edition test b...
A Complete Guide For Effective Business Communication – A Course from Eduonix
1. Communication plays an important role in any relationship, personal as well as
professional. In business, communication is the key to effectively share ideas with
the other parties. In order for businesses to grow and succeed, they must be able
to communicate – both, internally and externally. This is why communication
specialists is a very lucrative job profile.
2. The process of understanding and sharing
In a workplace or business environment
Used to relay a message.
promote a product or service.
Coordinate work / Accomplish a business goal
Any interpersonal interaction in communication
3. To simplify the key points of communication that needs to exist in a business,
experts have devised the 7 – Cs Method.
These 7 words should define the foundation for any communication in a business
setting.
The following slides break down the 7-Cs that is covered in the Eduonix’s
course
5. Key to ensuring an
understanding of what was
intended to be said
Too often forgotten these days,
especially online
Transfers meaning and creates
tone
6. Clarity should be your #1
priority
If your message isn’t clear, it
isn’t getting through
Clarity trumps all
Use simple language and
sentence structure.
Have a single, direct purpose
for each communication.
8. Communication must flow logically
If a message doesn’t make sense, clarity and cohesion are lost
All points are relevant and connected to the core message
Use a checklist or plan in spoken communication
Reread all written communication
9. Time is money in business
Unless concise, the core message
is lost
Get straight to the point
No filler language
Effective communication triggers
efficient action
10. Message comes alive through details and tangible information
Center through relevant detail and examples
Maintain a laser-like focus
Don’t sacrifice conciseness in making communication concrete
11. The message is lost without courtesy
Be polite, diplomatic and tactful
Courteousness ensures that emotions do not get in the way of
conveying the key message
Anything can be said courteously
12. Incorrect information is
never effective
Edit for typos,
grammatical errors, and
incorrect facts or data
Correct yourself
immediately
14. –Sydney Harris
“The two words information and
communication are often used
interchangeably, but they signify quite
different things. Information is giving out;
communication is getting through.”
Thank You
Notes de l'éditeur
Communications must also be complete. If you only manage to convey half of the vital information, you may as well not have communicated any at all. Effective business communications contain the whole message. Consider business communication to be an all or nothing endeavor. If you don’t manage to communicate all the salient details, you have delivered a message that will only confuse or obscure the point. You’ll have to start from scratch in a new communication.
In order to avoid this, make sure that your communications always address the who, what, when, where, why, and how of an issue. Contextualize your information with these basic things—even if you assume your listener should know. It may be tempting to send a quick one-line email that says “Hey everyone, don’t forget the meeting today!” but it’s better to include all the relevant information, by saying “ Hey everyone! Don’t forget that everyone from the Sales Department has a meeting about the Technology conference in April today at 2pm in Conference Room B. We will be discussing proposals for the booth, so please bring everything you’ve been working on so far. Thanks!” The details ensure that everyone is informed and prepared. Never assume people will or should know what you’re talking about. Everyone is busy and your message may not be a priority, so it must be complete.
Make sure to allow for questions as well. Every once in a while a message simply will be missing something despite your best efforts. That’s ok. Just make sure to encourage questions and answer them fully.
Next, business communication should be coherent. Communication must flow logically or your audience won’t be able to follow your train of thought.
After all, if a message doesn’t make sense, clarity and cohesion are lost, despite your best efforts. A coherent message simply makes sense and is easy to follow in a logical, step-by-step way.
To do this, make sure all points are relevant and connected to the core message. This will allow you to keep to what is important, while ensuring that everyone else understands.
In spoken communication, a checklist or a plan can keep you on point. In a presentation setting, this is what Powerpoints are for, but even a simple piece of paper with the main points jotted down in a logical order can help.
In written communication, it’s easier to create a coherent message. Just make sure to reread the message before sending it. You’d be surprised at how many errors and miscommunications can be avoided by the simple expedient of reading a message before putting it before another person.
Also, be concise. Time is money in business. No one has time for a rambling meeting or a ten-page email.
Unless you are concise, your core message is lost, because you’ve simply lost your audience’s attention.
Get straight to the point without including anything secondary to the core message.
Avoid filler language as well. If you can say something in one sentence or two, always say it in one. The faster you get to the point the more your point will stick with the reader or listener.
Effective communication triggers efficient action in business communication—and effective communication must therefore be efficient itself.
Next, be concrete. It may be tempting to hedge a message or keep information vague, but this only serves to confuse the intent. Make every message concrete. A message comes alive through tangible information and necessary detail.
Anchor your message in the relevant details in order to center your message. This means that examples are a must in business communication. It serves no purpose to say that some customer service calls are rude. Instead show two calls—one that is rude and one that is polite, so that the message is concrete and the audience understands.
Being concise is still important however. You need to maintain a laser-like focus when making your message concrete. A few examples are good. Thirty are overkill—and your purpose is hidden in extra information beyond what they needed to understand.
Don’t sacrifice conciseness in making communication concrete. Balance is key.
Be courteous. Remember—two cornerstones of business communication boil down to courtesy, so never neglect this C. The message is lost without courtesy, no matter how clearly and concisely you say something rude.
At all times, be polite, diplomatic and tactful.
Courteousness ensures that emotions do not get in the way of conveying the key message. You don’t hurt feelings or anger your audience. you simply say what must be said in a way that is polite.
Anything can be said courteously—even criticism—so don’t ever neglect it, whether you are writing a memo or presenting in front of a group. Courtesy makes sure your meaning lands on receptive ears.
Finally, business communication must be correct. Incorrect information is never effective.
Most of the time incorrect information is simply due to a lack of editing, which is why it is so vital to the success of any venture. Always edit for typos, grammatical errors, and incorrect facts or data. If this requires a little extra research, it’s always worth the time.
Sometimes, of course, errors slip by or will be learned after the fact. In these cases, it’s ok. Just make sure to correct yourself immediately. Remember, though, this is usually a new communication, so don’t forget the rest of the 7 C’s, even in a correction. If you follow these 7 C’s you will always give your message the best chance of understanding and receptiveness, no matter the medium or meaning. That doesn’t mean that everything you say at work will be well received, but it does give you the best possible chance for success.