Forms of Oral Business Communication

oral presentations
meetings
negotiations
Meetings
A. General aspects
one-to-one meetings
job interviews
employer-employee talks
sales meetings
various business dialogues
small-group meetings
discussions with colleagues/ co-workers/ co-members of certain groups
training sessions
instructions
large-group meetings
annual general meetings (AGM)
conferences
symposia
congress meetings
etc.
One-to-one meetings
formal/ informal
people tend to treat them superficially,
people give up preparing them in advance
these meetings require previous preparation too
to have your key points ready
to be able to adhere to a time schedule
to get and provide adequate feedback
to make it be efficient interaction
Small-group meetings
rarely follow a prescribed order very frustrating
- have a high level of informality
- are time-consuming
in discussing ideas:

detailed explanations/ comments

interrupt/contradict each other

introduce new information

give additional, long information

The leader serious responsibilities for conducting the meeting
to achieve the objectives

 to maintain the cohesion of the group

Most guidelines focus on the fact that the leader should:
show sensitivity (sympathetic to the participants ideas);
use opportunities wisely (to speak, to listen, to direct discussion);
be brief (say all that should be not all that could be);
use language discreetly (an informal atmosphere does not mean relaxation
of all barriers, positive professional image).
Large-group meetings
more formal
require prior preparation to be efficient
If a meeting is not well prepared it may lead to dissatisfaction.
Sources of dissatisfaction:

there are too many meetings;

meetings last too long;
meetings are often badly run;
meetings are held for the sake of meeting;
often the wrong people attend meetings;
participants often have inadequate preparation for the meeting;
there is too much paperwork associated with some meetings;
many meetings with a pre-arranged starting time begin late;
sometimes, discussion moves into irrelevant issues;
some of the those who attend meetings are not given adequate
opportunities to participate in the proceedings;
some meetings have hidden objectives

It takes some good work to make meetings productive, pleasurable and satisfying.
Both organisers and participants:
- should take on responsibilities
- should contribute to creating the necessary healthy environment for
meetings
B. Business meetings
Purposes of meetings
business activity difficult, if not impossible, to achieve without group effort
The purposes of meetings are extremely varied:
to co-ordinate activities
In many companies this is done on a regular basis.
certain people have to report on what they have been doing
progress of activities is monitored this way
any possibly overlapping of activities can be avoided
people can have a better picture of their own contribution to the
company
they may also understand the relative contribution of others
this may motivate people making them feel they are part of a team

Such meetings may be also used to build morale (Morale is

promoted when people can identify with what the company is
seeking to achieve.)
to make decisions especially, to provide a framework
within which risks can be shared
to transmit information
from time to time briefing on the current state of the
organisations affairs
to train people (new safety procedures or working methods are adopted etc.)
to solve problems
difficult problems solved better and faster
contribute a lot to motivate people
develop self-esteem
exchanging information
exploring an issue
persuading people
Apart from these legitimate purposes for which a meeting may be called, there
may be hidden objectives. So a person may call or attend a meeting in order to:
show superiority, perhaps through having a special report on the
agenda;
impress others who have not been invited to attend;
gain promotion by turning in a good performance to attract the
attention of superiors;
discredit a rival, especially if the rival is not present;
make life difficult for others in some way, possibly by calling the
meeting at an inconvenient time, etc.
Organisers should plan meetings carefully in advance good planning = part of any
business function
Preliminary work:
setting the objective(s) of the meeting;
working out the agenda;
determine the size of the meeting;
determine the date, time and place of the meeting
distribute the agenda; provide each member with a copy of the agenda and
with other relevant materials (reports, statistics, etc)
inform each member of the meeting objectives
Number of participants: between 5 and 9 the most desirable for many
purposes
However, the size of the meeting depends on its objectives.
for problem solving and decision making: 5 or fewer members
for training/ information transmission:15 -20 up to 30 members
Types of meetings
Meetings can be classified according to various criteria: content, degree of formality,
form, function etc. Most often they are classified according to their purpose into:

1. Executive/ command meetings

Purpose: to pass orders or instructions down the chair of command
The person who calls the meeting is usually the decision maker (accountable for
them). This person decides:
what works are to be carried out
the sequence in which they will be performed
who is responsible for having the task done
These meetings are:

authoritarian situations where little or no

discussion and debate are necessary

short
take place in business, industrial and public service companies every
day
2. Discussion/consultative/advisory meetings
small-group meetings
called for one of the following purposes:
to exchange info/ideas
to explore issues/problems
to talk around a subject (for its better understanding)
Everyone is encouraged to participate freely.
Possible dangers:

may escape control

degenerate into "talking shops

Need: should be carefully structured and intelligently conducted
3. Colleague meetings
organised by people of similar status/ expertise/ professional knowledge
Purpose:
to bring each other up-to-date
to resolve a common problem
to settle a difference of opinion on a course of action
Based on: facts and rational argument
decisions made by consensus rather than by vote or by an
authoritative person.
4. Committee meetings
Main characteristic of committees: put together people who represent various
interests/ groups.
Meetings directed towards making decisions on matters of common
concern
decision made on the basis of vote in which the majority side
wins the day. to solve the situations when the votes for and
against are tied, the chairperson has an additional casting vote, to
resolve the issue.
a traditional democratic method of making decision
Who operates on this basis?
local authorities
clubs
members are equally entitled to take decisions

societies
5. Bargaining/ negotiation/ trading meetings
These have the following characteristics:
people come together to discuss something of mutual advantage;
each side has to feel that it has something to gain;
the point of attraction is the win-win nature of the meeting; everyone should
feel that has achieved the better of the deal (regardless of the true outcome).
Participants:

have to support their positions by strong arguments

decisions usually based on a give-and-take basis
Sometimes need to meet several times before different points of dispute are
solved
In certain cases necessary to use a mediator if a deadlock has been reached
6. Progress/ review meetings
concentrate on analyses of the progress of work
designed to identify possible problems/difficulties early and to enable fast
remedial action
very common in business and industry
(best example the site meeting at construction works, where the
progress of work is regularly analysed)
often done in the form of reports on progress made by those responsible
for carrying out specific parts of a larger project
usually chaired by the most senior person present
Conducting of meetings formally or informally
Depending on:
the status of the company
the objectives of the meeting
the chairpersons personality
When invited to attend a meeting, one should get informed about the type of meeting
s/he is going to take part in/at as this will help to increase awareness of and
familiarity with the context within which the person will have to operate.
Organisational meetings: overlapping types, purposes and styles
Type

Primary purpose

Briefing

To deliver
information

Investigatory

To gather
information

Formal example
Informal example
Chief executive
Project manager
presents financial
explains the task to
results to
a newly-formed
investment analysis
team
Board of Inquiry
Architect and
interviews
structural engineer
witnesses to a
visit construction
serious accident
site to resolve
technical problem

Advisory
Consultative

Executive

To provide
information
Voice opinions

Make decisions

Panel of experts
advise government
department on new
legislation
Community leaders
speak at public
inquiry into new
airport runway
Board of trustees
agrees a new
strategic plan for
hospital trust

Human resources
manager consults
two colleagues on a
disciplinary case
Manager asks their
stuff how they feel
about a proposed
profit-sharing
scheme
Emergency workers
at the scene of a
fire decide on the
best course of
action.

C. Managing a Business Meeting

Managing a business meeting = important requirement of a business career
irrespective of ones position in the hierarchy of the company.
One may be a convenor, a chairperson or a participant in a meeting.
should know some clear things:
how a meeting proceeds;
to know ones responsibilities as a chairperson;
to know ones responsibilitites as a participant (speaker an /or
listener)
Roles and responsibilities
Prior action
Convernors should make sure that:
- the agenda and the other meeting materials have been distributed
enough time in advance;
- an adequate room selected according to the size of the meeting;
- the room has been prepared ahead of time, with adequate chairs, pads,
projection equipment, other presentation materials, refreshments;
Participants
1. Speakers oral presentation skills
speak from notes;
use simple words and not mumble;
use visual aids;
identify the common ground between their listeners and themselves and build
upon it;
make effective use of their body language (eye contact, open, expressive gestures,
appropriate facial expression, smile, head movements, mastering pauses, etc.).
Speakers:
linguistic and behavioural conventions
all contributions to a meeting are made through the chair
should preface their remarks with the words Mr Chairman
if addressing another person directly: Through you, Mr Chairman, .

2. Listeners (the audience)

an active role
Listening in a meeting dynamic process including four stages:

hearing

decoding,

evaluating

reacting
Purpose of active listening/critical listening comprehending, remembering,
discriminating, synthesizing and evaluating
If listening not properly done will cost the company a lot of money

listening accounts for half of the working day

training courses for developing effective listening skills of

the staff
Guidelines for effective listening focussing on the following points:
Good listeners:
constantly work at the listening process, by asking themselves questions like:
What is the speaker trying to say?
How can I use this information?
What is the speaker leading to?
are able to discrimate between relevant and irrelevant
information/gestures/attitudes;
make judgements on the overall content of the message itself;
are ready to react in the way that will serve their company best
Ten keys for Effective Listening:
1. Find areas of interest
2. Judge content, not delivery
3. Hold your fire (Dont judge until comprehension is complete)
4. Listen for ideas
5. Be flexible
6. Work at listening
7. Resist distractions
8. Exercise your mind (Fight or avoid distractions; tolerate bad habits and learn to
concentrate)
9. Keep your mind open (Interpret colour words, do not hung up on them)
10. Capitalize on facts thought is faster than speech (try to anticipate, summarize
mentally, weigh the evidence, listen between the lines to tone of voice)
D. How a Meeting Proceeds
Prior action
Participation: to confirm participation
if you decide not to participate, you need to apologise for
your absence
for informal meetings
to do this orally or by telephone;
ask someone to give apologies for you;
for formal meetings
to apologise in writing;

to stay without saying anything

discourteous

Objectives
aims and objectives
Aims are rather vague and general (like hopes and aspirations)
Objectives are specific and measurable/ quantifiable (like targets)
An aim direction in which you intend to proceed
An objective how far in that direction you want to proceed
Agenda
Secretary/meeting administrator will draw up the first draft for the chairperson to
approve; (consensus)
There has to be an agenda for all the meetings (except for the most informal).
Reasons:
no item of importance is overlooked;
the business can be dealt with in a proper and appropriate order;
all members are informed, in advance, about all the items to be considered
by the meeting, ensuring that things cannot be sprung on them without
warning.
General principles:
1. minutes of the previous meetings should be taken first;
2. major items will be taken next
latecomers & early leavers
important matters are discussed when there is the best chance of maximum
number of members present
3. minor matters can then follow;
4. "Any other business" (AOB) for minor matters which do not have a place
anywhere else on the agenda.
Opening a meeting
the meeting should begin at the time appointed;
the chairperson should see that the quorum is present;
quorum = minimum number of people needed for the meeting to take
place;
the chairperson will call the meeting to order and declare it open
will ask if any apologies for absence has been notified to the secretary/ if
anyone has asked someone present to give apologies for them;
Working through the agenda
the meeting will work its way through the items in the order in which they
are listed;
if the chairperson wants to take an item out of sequence, they should only
do this with the approval of the rest of those present;

 amount of time on each item; some will need lengthy, thoroughgoing

discussion, others can be quickly agreed;
once a matter has been dealt with by a meeting, it may not be raised again
at that meeting;
a meeting should not have too many items on the agenda; the organization's
capacity to proceed business should be taken into account
Framing motions
Motion = a proposal before it has been decided upon;
Once a decision has been made, it becomes a resolution.
Notice of motion = a proposal which is to be put at the following meeting so that
members have time to consider it properly;
Emergency motions = should be done when there is genuine urgency;
Motions
should be in writing to enable everybody to be clear about what is being
proposed;
if necessary, the chairperson should allow time for a motion to be written
out and read aloud to the meeting
Amendments
When a motion is being discussed, it can be changed or amended
During the debate, comments may be restricted to the amendment.
The wording of an amendment can change the meaning of the motion, but it cannot
contradict it
Amendments propose changes like:
- omitting words;
- substituting words;
- inserting words;
- combining any of these;
Reaching decisions
Five ways of reaching and recording decisions:
by a show of hands;
by ballot;
by a generally expressed consensus of views;
by allowing the chairperson to judge the sense of the meeting;
by allowing the chairperson to take its silence as agreement with the
proposal under discussion