Business Communication Guide PDF

**Digital Technologies for Business Communication 2024 2025** ============================================================= ### **1. Communication model. Best practices for remote work:** #### **1. Communication Model** - **Definition**: Communication is the imparting or exchanging of infor...

**Digital Technologies for Business Communication 2024 2025** ============================================================= ### **1. Communication model. Best practices for remote work:** #### **1. Communication Model** - **Definition**: Communication is the imparting or exchanging of information through speaking, writing, or other mediums (Oxford Dictionary). - **Communication Channels**: The number of channels increases with participants, e.g., 2 participants = 1 channel, 4 participants = 6 channels. - **Process**: - **Encoding**: Translating thoughts into a language understood by others. - **Message**: The result of encoding. - **Medium**: The method of message delivery. - **Noise**: Anything that interferes with message transmission. - **Decoding**: Translating the message back into meaningful content. - **Best Practices**: - Use simple and clear language, adjust to the receiver. - Encourage feedback and questions. - Listen actively and paraphrase to ensure understanding. #### **2. Communication Methods** - **Interactive**: Multidirectional exchange (e.g., direct conversations). - **Push**: Send information to specific receivers without guaranteed acknowledgment (e.g., email). - **Pull**: Information made available for large audiences (e.g., publishing in repositories). #### **3. Choosing Communication Methods** - Consider: - Number of participants. - Required feedback speed. - Volume of information. - Need for confirmation. #### **4. Types of Communication** - **Formal (written)**: Critical cases, legal documents. - **Formal (verbal)**: Meetings, status updates. - **Informal (written)**: Emails, simple documents. - **Informal (verbal)**: Quick updates, basic cases. #### **5. Best Practices for Remote Meetings** - Treat remote meetings as regular ones: dress appropriately, avoid distractions, and use a proper workspace. - Turn on the camera for face-to-face interaction. - Ensure audio and video quality. - Engage participants with interactivity (e.g., polls, quizzes). - Prepare an agenda and stick to it. - Rotate facilitators when relevant. #### **6. Remote Work Advice** - Maintain a routine similar to office work, including dressing appropriately. - Designate a specific workspace to create clear boundaries. - Use dynamic lighting to distinguish work and non-work hours. - Disconnect by changing environments and clothing after work. ### **2. E-mail communication:** #### **1. Introduction** - **Main Idea**: Emails are often perceived negatively and should not be the primary channel of communication. - **Characteristics**: - They come with the advantages and disadvantages of written communication. - Emails should ideally serve as a **secondary communication tool**. #### **2. \"Do Not\" in Email Communication** - Avoid sending unnecessary emails---think if it\'s really needed. - Only include relevant attachments. - Carefully choose recipients; avoid overusing \"CC:\" for everyone. - Avoid excessive back-and-forth communication (email \"ping-pong\"). #### **3. Best Practices for Email Communication** - **\"Social Sandwich\"**: Start and end with friendly small talk. - Clearly explain: - The purpose of the email. - Your role in the matter. - Shared goals (use language like \"We aim to\...\"). - **KISSS Rule**: Keep it Short, Simple, and Structured. #### **4. Additional Best Practices** - Clearly state your **intentions** and, if necessary, what your intentions are **not**. - Before jumping to conclusions or solutions: - Ask questions and gather information. - Seek confirmation to ensure understanding. - Express openness (e.g., \"I might be wrong, but\...\"). #### **5. Key Advice** - Encourage suggestions. - Avoid blaming others. - Propose alternative communication channels (e.g., meetings or phone calls) when necessary. - Always reread emails before sending, especially in emotional situations, to cool down. - Confirm receipt of important emails. ### **3. Stakeholders managment:** #### **1. Communication Management** - Involves creating, collecting, distributing, storing, retrieving, and disposing of information. - Ensures timely and appropriate communication. #### **2. Dimensions of Communication** - **Internal vs External**: Within or outside the organization. - **Formal vs Informal**: Official vs casual communication. - **Vertical vs Horizontal**: Across hierarchical levels or between peers. - **Official vs Unofficial**: As part of policy or ad hoc communication. - **Written vs Oral**: Documented or verbal communication. - **Verbal vs Non-Verbal**: Spoken words vs body language. #### **3. Stakeholders** - **Definition**: A person or organization actively involved in a situation whose interests may be positively or negatively affected. - Typical stakeholders: - Managers. - Team members. - Internal and external customers. - Cooperating organizations. - Suppliers, neighbors, and others. #### **4. Stakeholder Management Process** - **Identify Stakeholders**: - Document interests, involvement, and impact. - Use a stakeholder registry for identification and classification. - **Plan Communication**: - Determine information needs and define the communication approach. - **Distribute Information**: - Make information available as planned. - **Manage Stakeholder Expectations**: - Active negotiation and addressing concerns before they escalate into issues. - Solve existing issues. #### **5. Stakeholder Qualification and Matrix** - **Qualification Dimensions**: - Power/Interest. - Power/Influence. - Influence/Impact. - Power/Urgency/Legitimacy. - **Stakeholder Matrix**: - **High Power, High Interest**: Manage carefully. - **High Power, Low Interest**: Keep satisfied. - **Low Power, High Interest**: Keep informed. - **Low Power, Low Interest**: Monitor with minimal effort. #### **6. Communication Plan** - Includes: - Who needs what information. - When and how information should be distributed. - Who will handle distribution. - Techniques, tools, and escalation processes. - Constraints like confidentiality. ### **4. How to communicate a change:** #### **1. Examples of Changes** - Implementation of new systems (e.g., ERP, CRM). - Changes in working conditions (e.g., return to office, relocation). - Organizational restructuring. - Workforce reductions. - Other major organizational changes. #### **2. Kübler-Ross Change Curve** - Framework for understanding emotional responses to change, often moving through stages such as denial, resistance, exploration, and acceptance. #### **3. Building the Message** - **What are we doing?**: Clear summary or \"elevator pitch.\" - **Why?**: - Explain the reasons for the change. - Provide timelines and next steps. - **What?**: - Define what is happening, when, and the facts. - **How?**: - Outline benefits, outcomes, and the impact on various stakeholders. - **Call to Action**: End with clear next steps for the audience. #### **4. Define Purpose and Goals** - Describe the business objective and desired outcomes. - Communicate the purpose of the change: - What do you want the audience to **know**, **feel**, and **do**? - Desired reactions: acceptance, engagement, or support. #### **5. Rehearsal for Elevator Pitch** - Practice delivering the pitch. - Gather feedback on how others perceive it and what emotions it evokes. - Continuously refine the message. #### **6. Communication Channels** - Options include email, posters, news, town halls, blogs, webinars, team meetings, and feedback sessions. - Tailor channels based on the degree of involvement needed: - **Awareness**: General communication. - **Support**: Engagement-focused channels. - **Commitment**: Direct, dialogue-based interactions. #### **7. Create Communication Setup** - **Identify stakeholders**: Determine key audiences. - **Select channels**: Match communication methods to audience needs. - **Frequency**: Define how often updates should be delivered. #### **8. Everyday Communication Management** - **Responsibilities**: Clarify roles and expectations. - **Follow-Up**: Ensure feedback and evaluation. - **Individual Needs**: Show care and attention. - **Vision and Strategy**: Communicate direction and goals. - **Engagement**: Foster collaboration and involvement. ### **5. Giving feedback:** #### **1. Feedback Definition** - A mechanism where the effect of an action is communicated back to improve future actions. #### **2. Who Can Give Feedback** - Managers to teams. - Team members to managers. - Anyone within the organization. #### **3. Consequences of Ignoring Feedback** - Severe outcomes, such as those illustrated by the **Challenger disaster (1986)**, where dismissed feedback led to catastrophic consequences. - Other impacts: - Reduced employee engagement. - Decline in performance and productivity. - Increased turnover. - Lower quality of work and missed development opportunities. #### **4. Components of Feedback** - **Stop**: Actions the recipient should stop. - **Start**: New actions the recipient should adopt. - **Continue**: Positive behaviors the recipient should maintain. #### **5. Main Rules for Feedback** - **Care**: Show that the feedback is meant to improve the recipient\'s outcomes. - **Expectations**: Clearly state what changes are expected. - **Solutions**: Collaboratively propose how to address the issue. - **Consent**: Ensure the recipient agrees with the proposal. - **Help**: Offer assistance to help implement changes. #### **6. Preparing for Feedback** - Set aside adequate time for the session. - Provide specific examples to support feedback. - Avoid giving feedback when emotionally stressed. #### **7. Pendleton's Model of Feedback** 1. Confirm the recipient is ready to receive feedback. 2. Allow the recipient to share their view of the situation. 3. Identify positive aspects together. 4. Discuss areas for improvement. 5. Collaboratively develop an action plan. #### **8. Praise and Criticism** - **Praise**: - Avoid comparisons or conditional praise. - Be objective and specific. - **Criticism**: - Focus on behavior, not the person. - Provide specific examples and avoid generalizations. - Be calm, empathic, and constructive. #### **9. Constructive Criticism** - Highlight positive elements alongside areas for improvement. - Be specific (e.g., \"You were late on Monday\" vs. \"You're always late\"). - Avoid labels and generalizations. - Focus on behavior in the \"here and now.\" #### **10. Feedback Summary** - Provide feedback privately, directly, and immediately after behavior occurs. - Be specific and focus on actions, not personality. - Balance positive and negative messages. - Ensure feedback is actionable and relevant. ### **6. Defining Priorities:** #### **1. MoSCoW Method for Prioritization** - **M (Must have)**: - Essential tasks or items that must be completed within a specific timeframe. - If not delivered, all activities should stop. - **S (Should have)**: - Important, but can be deferred to the next timeframe if necessary. - **C (Could have)**: - Nice-to-have features or tasks, not critical for project success. - **W (Won't have)**: - Desirable but will not be delivered in the foreseeable future. #### **2. Steps in Applying MoSCoW** - Identify and list all needs. - Determine dependencies: - Are some tasks mutually exclusive or dependent on others? - Check for duplicates or prerequisites. - Assess resources required: - Time, money, personnel, and equipment. #### **3. Re-Prioritization Dynamics** - Tasks may shift in priority: - \"Should\" may become \"Must.\" - \"Could\" may become \"Should.\" - New items may emerge during the process. #### **4. Assessing Importance and Urgency** - **Urgency**: - Consider deadlines, remaining workload, and time slots. - **Importance**: - Assess if required by regulations, or measure consequences of non-action: - Quantifiable impacts (e.g., financial losses). - Non-quantifiable impacts (e.g., reputation damage). #### **5. Eisenhower Matrix** - Four quadrants: - **Important & Urgent**: Tasks requiring immediate action (e.g., crisis management). - **Important but Not Urgent**: Long-term planning, strategy building. - **Not Important but Urgent**: Routine tasks, unnecessary meetings. - **Not Important & Not Urgent**: Time-consuming or low-value activities. #### **6. Impact Assessment Technique** - Evaluate tasks based on: - **Current Impact**: Immediate consequences (measured in objective values, e.g., money). - **Urgency**: Time left to start tasks before escalation. - **Future Impact**: Long-term consequences if action is delayed. - Scoring: - High (H), Medium (M), Low (L). ### **7. Defining Goals:** #### **1. Goal Definition** - A **goal** is a purpose or something you want to achieve. #### **2. When and Why to Set Goals** - **Defining agreements**: Internal and external (e.g., with customers). - **Making predictions**: Stock exchange, economic situations, budgets. - **Reward discussions**: Bonuses, promotions. - **Personal and business planning**. #### **3. Challenges in Goal Setting** - **Communicating the Target**: Ensure clarity and alignment. - **Common Understanding**: All stakeholders should interpret the goal similarly. - **Verification**: Establish clear ways to determine if the goal is reached. #### **4. SMART Framework** Goals should be: - **Specific**: Clearly understood by everyone. - **Measurable**: Easy to verify achievement. - **Ambitious**: Encourage real improvements. - **Realistic**: Prevent discouragement. - **Time-Bounded**: Define a clear deadline for checks. #### **5. Examples of Poorly Defined Goals** - \"Increase income.\" - \"Reduce costs.\" - \"Improve quality.\" - \"Finish the project by the end of 2019.\" #### **6. Examples of Well-Defined Goals** - \"Increase incomes by 10% by December 31, 2019.\" - \"Open 4 additional branches by the end of 2020.\" - \"Increase customer satisfaction by 5 points by June 30, 2019.\" #### **7. KPIs (Key Performance Indicators)** - Used to: - Measure performance. - Set and track goals. - Verify whether performance objectives have been achieved. ### **8. Knowledge Sharing:** #### **1. Knowledge Sharing Challenges** - Knowledge primarily resides in people's minds and comes from various sources. - Effective sharing involves the following steps: - **Inventory**: Identifying available knowledge. - **Storing**: Organizing and storing knowledge. - **Updating**: Keeping knowledge relevant and current. - **Sharing**: Ensuring accessibility and dissemination. #### **2. Transition from Data to Wisdom** - **Data**: - Discrete facts stored in structured databases. - Key activities: - Capturing accurate data. - Analyzing, synthesizing, and transforming data into information. - Focusing on capturing relevant data. - **Information**: - Contextualized data stored in semi-structured formats (e.g., documents, emails). - Key activities: - Managing content for ease of capture, querying, reuse, and learning from experiences. - Preventing repeated mistakes and duplicative work. - **Knowledge**: - Derived from tacit experiences, insights, and judgments of individuals. - Combines personal expertise, peer collaboration, and information analysis. - Dynamic and context-based, facilitating decision-making by putting information into actionable forms. - **Wisdom**: - Represents discernment and the ability to apply knowledge with context and common sense. ### **9. Communication in crisis situation:** #### **1. Crisis Definition** - A **crisis** is a serious, sudden, and unfavorable event causing a significant deviation from normal conditions. It is temporary but intensive and potentially dangerous to those involved. #### **2. Crisis Situations** - Events or sequences that arise unexpectedly and cannot be fully controlled, caused by: - Natural forces (e.g., disasters). - Catastrophes. - Human actions or omissions. #### **3. Losses in Crisis Situations** - **Intangible Losses**: Reputation, health, and life. - **Material Losses**: Property damage or loss. - **Financial Losses**: Direct and indirect monetary impacts. #### **4. Communication Plan for Crisis** - **Key Elements**: - Form a crisis team with clear roles. - Determine the information source for external stakeholders. - Identify the media and conflict sides, if applicable. - Prepare arguments and scenario-based action plans. - Establish emergency communication rules. #### **5. Crisis Team** - Includes top management and specific experts (e.g., lawyer, HR, PR chief). - Members should be planned in advance and available 24/7. - Must have authority to make quick decisions. #### **6. War Room** - A dedicated location for crisis management: - Separate spaces for specific purposes (e.g., press room, silent room). - Can be located inside or outside the company. #### **7. Single Point of Contact (SPoC)** - Ensures a consistent, trustworthy message is delivered. - Communication principles: - Openness without oversharing. - Avoid unconfirmed information. - Use clear and understandable language. #### **8. Media Management** - Maintain a database of journalists, portals, and bloggers, knowing their attitudes toward the organization. - Engage even with media that have a negative stance. #### **9. Preparing Arguments** - Base arguments on facts: - What happened, how, and why. - Preventative and supportive actions taken. - Be transparent about what was not done. - Avoid hiding the truth. #### **10. Scenario Planning** - Develop plans for: - Best-case, interim, and worst-case scenarios. - Actions tailored to each scenario. #### **11. Emergency Communication Rules** - **Internal and External Communication**: - Prepare ground rules in advance. - Start communication immediately and maintain it consistently. - Communication must remain fair, factual, and purposeful. - Ensure it fits the target audience and situation. ### **10. The Negotiation:** #### **1. Negotiation Definition** - A process involving at least two parties aimed at achieving common goals despite initially differing opinions. - Methods include: - Arguments. - Persuasion. - Resolving differences to find acceptable solutions for all parties. #### **2. Possible Scenarios in Negotiations** - **Win-Win (Ideal)**: - Ethical behavior, long-term perspective. - All parties benefit and are motivated to maintain cooperation. - **Win-Loss**: - One party wins at the expense of the other. - Leads to dissatisfaction and reluctance for future cooperation. - **Loss-Win**: - One party sacrifices for the benefit of the other. - Results in suppressed needs and unwillingness to cooperate further. - **Loss-Loss**: - Both parties lose, prioritizing harm to the other over personal benefit. - No benefits or cooperation follow. #### **3. Preparation for Negotiation** - Define clear objectives. - Set boundary conditions: - Worst conditions acceptable. - Minimum satisfactory terms. - Research the other party\'s expectations and possibilities. - Prepare alternative proposals and strong arguments. #### **4. Techniques for Effective Negotiations** - **Authority**: - Reference recognized experts or personal experience. - **Building Trust**: - Provide honest, non-recommended options to appear reliable. - **Hypothetical Questions**: - Explore scenarios casually without showing preferences. - **Price List**: - Present fixed prices to indicate concessions and options. - **Show Potential Losses**: - Highlight what the other party loses by declining. - **Adding Bricks**: - Present information gradually during negotiations. #### **5. Additional Techniques** - **Conditional Consent**: - Agree to one action in exchange for another. - **Small Steps**: - Address simple issues first to pave the way for complex ones. - **Auction**: - Plan parallel negotiations to increase competition. - **Postponing**: - Delay difficult topics to focus on simpler ones initially. - **Limited Mandate**: - Explain the need for higher-level approval for significant decisions. - **Blocking**: - Highlight external limitations (e.g., legal regulations or supplier deadlines).