Business Communication Skills - Lecture Notes PDF

BUSINESS COMMUNICATION SKILLS By Dr/Mai Hosny Nasr WHAT IS BUSINESS COMMUNICATION?  Strong Business Communication skills are critical to the success of any organization despite its size, geographical location, and its mission.  Business communication is intertwi...

BUSINESS COMMUNICATION SKILLS By Dr/Mai Hosny Nasr WHAT IS BUSINESS COMMUNICATION?  Strong Business Communication skills are critical to the success of any organization despite its size, geographical location, and its mission.  Business communication is intertwined with the internal culture and external image of any organization.  good business communication practices assist the organization in achieving its objectives EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION  refers to the successful exchange of information, ideas, thoughts, and messages among individuals, teams, and departments within an organization, resulting in mutual understanding and the achievement of organizational goals.  It involves the use of clear and concise language, active listening, empathy, and appropriate communication channels to convey information accurately, facilitate collaboration, resolve conflicts, and maintain a positive and productive work environment. EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION  Communication skills are abilities you use when giving and receiving different kinds of information.  While these skills may be a regular part of your day-to-day work life, communicating in a clear, effective and efficient way is an extremely critical and useful skill.  Learning from great communicators around you and actively practicing ways to improve your communications over time can certainly support your efforts to achieve various personal and professional goals. EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION  Communication skills involve listening, speaking, observing and empathizing.  It's also helpful to understand the differences in how to communicate through face-to-face interactions, phone conversations and digital communications, like email and social media. SKILLS Skills are learned abilities or competencies that individuals acquire through training, practice, education, and experience. These abilities enable individuals to perform specific tasks, solve problems, or achieve goals effectively. Skills can encompass a wide range of areas and may be categorized into various types: 1. Hard Skills: These are specific, teachable skills that are often technical or related to a particular profession. Examples include programming, data analysis, accounting, or operating machinery. 2. Soft Skills: Soft skills, also known as interpersonal or people skills, are nontechnical skills that relate to how individuals interact with others and navigate social situations. Examples include communication, teamwork, leadership, and adaptability. WITHOUT EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION Goals cannot be achieved without effective communication  Leadership is unthinkable without communication  Decision making cannot be done without communication  Services cannot be provided without communication  You cannot come up with new ideas without communication  There cannot be creativity without communication  There can be no suggestions or complaints at work without communication  It cannot be a team without communication THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS  The communication process refers to a series of actions or steps taken in order to successfully communicate.  It involves several components such as (1) the sender of the communication, (2) the actual message being sent, (3) the encoding of the message, (4) the receiver and the decoding of the message. (5) There are also various channels of communication to consider within the communication process.  (1) Sender This is the person/ Manager / leader/ organization that is delivering a message to a receiver. Tips for Sender in communication processes 1. The sender develops an idea to be sent. 2. The sender must first determine the goal of the communication process 3. The sender must understand the personality of the recipient (age / gender / culture / education / psychological aspects / pressures / timing...). 4. A skilled sender must determine the best way to communicate with the recipient in order to influence others Tips for Sender in communication processes 1. A skilled sender chooses the most appropriate communication channels (written/read/audio/visual) to convey his thoughts and feelings to achieve a successful, influential communication process. 2. The sender must encode the message, where he chooses the words / hand movements / symbols / drawings / facial and voice expressions / appropriate clothing /.... in the form of a single message that the receiver can perceive, understand, and influence him greatly. Here are some tips for the sender to improve their communication skills:  Know Your Audience: Understand the background, preferences, and needs of your audience.  customize your message to their level of understanding and interests.  Clearly Define Your goal: Be clear about why you're communicating. Are you informing, persuading, instructing, or building a relationship? knowing your purpose will guide your message.  Organize Your Message: Structure your message logically. Start with an introduction, provide key points or details, and finish with a conclusion or call to action.  Use simple Language: Avoid jargon and overly technical language. Use clear and simple words to ensure that your message is easily understood. Here are some tips for the sender to improve their communication skills:  Be Concise: Keep your message brief and to the point. Avoid unnecessary information or redundancy.  Choose the Right channel : Select the appropriate communication channel for your message. Use written communication for detailed information and verbal communication for discussions and emotional messages.  Consider Non-Verbal Communication: Be aware of your body language, tone of voice, and facial expressions. They convey a lot of information beyond words.  Practice Active Listening: Good communication is a two-way process. Listen carefully to the feedback and responses of your audience and adjust your message accordingly.  Be Empathetic: Try to understand your audience's perspective and feelings. Empathy can help you connect on a deeper level.  Use Visual Aids: When appropriate, use visuals such as charts, graphs, or images to enhance your message and make it more engaging.  Avoid Interruptions: Choose a quiet and distraction-free environment when delivering important messages. This helps both you and your audience focus on the communication.  Ask for Feedback: Encourage your audience to ask questions or provide feedback. This ensures that they have understood your message and allows you to clarify any points of confusion.  Practice and Prepare: Rehearse your message before communicating, especially for important or complex topics. Practice can help you deliver your message more confidently and clearly.  Use Positive Language: Frame your message in a positive way when possible and avoid using negative or critical language that can lead to defensiveness.  Review and Revise: Proofread and review your written communication to eliminate errors, and make sure your message is well-structured.  Be Adaptable: Be prepared to adjust your communication style and approach based on the feedback and responses you receive. flexibility is key to effective communication.