Understanding the

Foundations of
Business
Communication

Defining Communication
Communication is the process of transferring
information and meaning between senders and
receivers, using one or more written, oral, visual,
or electronic media.
The essence of communication is sharingproviding data, information, in an exchange that
benefits both you and the people with whom you
are communicating.

 The message may be sent by one

person and received by another, but
until the message is understood by
both, no communication has occurred.
This applies to all forms of
communication, including verbal,
nonverbal, and written

Effective Communication
Communication by itself is not necessarily effective
communication. Effective communication means
that the message is received, understood, and
acted on in the desired manner.
Effective communication is a higher order of
communication. It involves receiving,
understanding, and acting on the message. This
means that effective communication may require
persuasion, motivation, and monitoring.

Communication is important to your

career
You can have the greatest ideas in the world,
but theyre no good to your company or
your career if you cant express them
clearly.
Some jobs, such as sales and customer
support, are primarily about communicating.
In fields such as engineering of finance, you
often need to share complex ideas with
executives, customers, and colleagues.

Communication is important to your

career
As you take on leadership and
management roles, communication
becomes even more important. The
higher you rise in the organization,
the less time you will spend using the
technical skills of your particular
profession and the more time you will
spend communicating.

Communication is important o your

company
Aside from the personal benefits, communication should be
important to you because it is important to your company.
Effective communication helps businesses in numerous
ways. It provides;
Closer ties with important communities in the
marketplace.
Increased productivity and faster problem solving.
Earlier warning of potential problems.
Stronger decision making.
Greater employee engagement with their work, leading to
higher employee satisfaction and lower employee
turnover.

Understanding the unique challenges

of business communication
Although you have been
communicating with some success
your entire life, business
communication is often more
complicated and demanding than the
social communication you typically
engage in with family and friends.
Thus we must understand why
business communication requires a
high level of skills and attention.

why business communication requires

a high level of skills and attention.
1) The globalization of business and
the increase in workforce diversity.
2) The increasing value of business
information.
3) The pervasiveness of technology.
4) The evolution of organizational
structures and leadership styles.
5) Heavy reliance on teamwork.

1) The globalization of business and the increase in workforce diversity.

2) The increasing value of business information.

3) The pervasiveness of technology.

4) The evolution of organizational structures and leadership styles.

5) Heavy reliance on
teamwork.

Understanding Communication As a
Process
Communication is a process with several components.
These components are the message, the sender, the
receiver, and the medium.
- The sender: is the originator or source of the message.
- The receiver: is the person or group for whom the
message is intended.
- The message: is the information, idea, and feeling that
is to be conveyed, understood, accepted and acted on.
- The medium: the vehicle used to convey the message.

How Employees Receive Information?

Monthly meeting between the CEO and staff

Monthly departmental meeting
Email
Members of the inner circle
Company newsletter
Memos
External customers who call with questions
Voice mail
Verbal and/or written feedback from a manager or
superior

Methods of Communication
Verbal communication either between
individuals or groups, using direct or indirect
methods, such as public address and other
broadcasting systems and recordings.
Written communication in the form of notices,
bulletins, information sheets, reports, e-mail and
recommendations.
Visual communication such as posters, films,
video, internet/intranet, exhibitions, demon
strations, displays and other promotional features.
Some of these also call for verbal and written
communication.

Communication is important to your

career
1. Closer ties with important communities in the
marketplace.
2. Increased productivity and faster problem solving.
3. Better financial results and higher return for
investors.
4. Earlier warning of potential problems such as
(raising business costs & safety issues).
5. Stronger decision making based on timely, reliable
information.
6. Greater employee engagement with their work,
leading to higher employee satisfaction and lower
employee turnover.

What makes business communication

effective?
To make your communication efforts as effective
as possible, focus on making them practical,
factual, concise, clear and persuasive:
1- Provide practical information.
2- Give facts rather than vague impressions.
3- Present information in a concise, efficient
manner.
4- Clarify expectations and responsibilities.
5- Offer compelling, persuasive arguments and
recommendations.

Understanding what employers expect

from you
1. Organizing ideas and information logically and
completely.
2. Expressing ideas and information coherently and
persuasively.
3. Actively listening to others.
4. Communicating effectively with people from diverse
backgrounds and experiences.
5. Using communication technologies effectively and
efficiently.
6. Following accepted standards of grammar, spelling,
and other aspects of high-quality writing and
speaking.

Communicating in an organizational
context
Information flows in three directions:
1. Downward Communication: flows from executives
to employees, conveying executive decisions and
providing information that helps employees do their
job.
2. Upward Communication: flows from employees to
executives, providing insight into problems and
make intelligent decisions.
3. Horizontal Communication: flows between
departments to help employees share information,
coordinate tasks, and solve complex problems.

Using technology to improve Business

Communication
Todays business rely heavily on technology to enhance
communication.
But using technology can sometimes hinder
communication more than it helps.
To communicate effectively;
1. learn to keep technology in perspective.
2. Guard against information overload and information
addiction.
3. Using technological tools productively
4. Reconnecting with people (leave your computer)

Committing to Ethical and Legal

Communication
What is Ethics?
Ethics is the manner by which we try to live our
lives according to a standard of right or
wrong behavior - in both how we think and
behave toward others and how would we like
them to think and behave toward us.

Committing to Ethical and Legal

Communication
Unethical communication can distort the truth or
manipulate audiences in a variety of ways.
1. Plagiarism: is presenting someone elses
words or other creative product as your own.
2. Omitting essential information.
3. Selective misquoting.
4. Misrepresenting numbers
5. Failing to respect privacy of information
security needs.

Ensuring ethical communication

Ensuring ethical communication requires three
elements:
1. Ethical individuals.
2. Ethical company leadership.
3. The appropriate policies and structures to support
employees.
These three elements need to work in harmony. If
employees see company executives making unethical
decisions and fluting company guidelines, they should
emulate their bosses unethical behavior.

Conclusion
Communication is the process of
transferring information and meaning
between senders and receivers.
Ambition and great ideas arent enough;
you need to be able to communicate with
people in order to succeed in business.
Strong communication skills give you an
advantage in the job market.
Effective messages are practical, clear and
percussive.