Module 2 Business Communication

Ms. Archana Vijay

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Topics to be covered
Oral communication : What is oral Communication Principles of successful oral communication Barriers to communication What is conversation control Reflection and empathy: two sides of effective oral communication
4/28/12 Effective listening

Question

What is meant by Oral Communication?

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Definition
Oral

Communication , also known as verbal communication , is the interchange of verbal messages between sender and receiver. Anything that emanates from the mouth is referred to as oral communication. Within this component would fall words and the manner in which those words are pronounced.
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In

business transactions that involve face to face interaction between individuals or groups of individuals, it is not enough to be able to talk, speak, discuss, converse, argue or negotiate an issue.A manager should be able to converse or discuss persuasively, effectively and convincingly.
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Oral communication
The man who can think and does not know how to express what he thinks, is at the same level who as the person cannot think. It is said that it does not matter what you say, what matters is how you say it.
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question
What

are the principles of successful oral communication?

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Principles of successful oral communication

Our

communication should have the rhythm and tone of a living voice.To achieve this quality we should use the language that is free from long winding sentences, cliches, old fashioned words and phrases.Our language should have the ease of commonly used words, and short and simple sentences.
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Contd.
Think Be Be

about the interest level of the receiver. sincere and honest. brief and precise.

Avoid Give Use

vagueness and generalities. full facts.

4/28/12 out insulting messages.

polite words and tone.

Leave

Maintain Exhibit Avoid Dont Hear Try

eye contact.

positive gestures and body language. making the speech monotonous and boring. be repetitive. the other person too.

to summarize the discussions 4/28/12 for clarity.

Barriers to successful communication

Barrier is any obstruction or negative force preventing the free flow of information from the sender to the receiver. Verbal Barriers Related to what you write or say.
Inadequate

knowledge or Vocabulary A speaker must 4/28/12 know enough about both the

Contd.
Language

Differences - There are so many languages being spoken with different dialects.Words have different meanings in different languages.International businesspeople often say that you can buy in your native language anywhere in the world, but you can sell only in the language4/28/12 of the local community.

Over

abstraction and Ambiguity An abstract word identifies an idea or a feeling instead of a concrete object. If there would be much of abstract words used in the communication, it will lead to ambiguity. For eg. Communication is an abstract word whereas letter is a concrete word, a word that identifies something that can be seen or touched. 4/28/12

Non Verbal Barriers

Inappropriate

or conflicting

signals Different signals carry different meanings from person to person as well as from culture to culture. For eg. Sitting at ease shows superiority in front of subordinates as well as lethargy. Joining hands means begging as well as greeting somebody. 4/28/12

Conversation Control
The art of conversation consists in our ability to listen with concentration and reply well. Conversation control involves skills of listening and talking in a positive and meaningful way at an appropriate time. It includes
1.

Techniques of changing the direction of conversation smoothly.

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Conversation control does not mean that you can control someones conversation. What it does mean is that with practice you can control your own conversation, and in time be able to influence others, and encourage them to respond in a positive and relevant way. The benefits of conversation control can be felt from observing the results of personal interactions 4/28/12 that involves discussions and

Interpreting

signs and signals Verbal and visual indicators.

Verbal indicators Cues and clues received Visual indicators signs given and signals received.like moving our hands, eyes , head, legs and other parts of the body.These body movements, gestures and actions communicate in a visible manner what lies concealed in our mind. Signs consist of visual indicators 4/28/12

Sequential

Conversation When we converse in a skillfully controlled way, we make statements that are in sequence to what is said by the other person.There is a logical link between the statements made by the speaker and listener. The listener receives carefully what is being said and waits for his proper chance to join in to say clearly and forcefully what he has to say. But he carries forward the 4/28/12

Reflection and Empathy

In oral communication, the most important skill is to impress upon the other person that you are genuinely interested in him and his statements.To do so, you should be able to pick up the cue words and reflect upon their meaning. Reflecting on someones statement needs to be done most carefully. First understand the underlying 4/28/12 feeling exactly and accurately.

Sense of time as a skill In oral communication, the speaker should always keep in mind the time taken to communicate.The time limits announced in formal oral activities should be strictly observed.To be able to observe it, plan your time judiciously to reach a properly evolved end.The audience should not feel rushed through any part of your conversation or presentation.
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Effective Listening
God gave us one mouth to do two jobs : eat and speak, but he also gave us two ears to do just one job : to listen. When you are listening to somebody, completely and attentively, you are listening not only to the words, but also to the feeling of what is being conveyed, 4/28/12

What is Listening
Listening

is the accurate perception of what is being communicated.It is the art of separating fact from statement and accusation. the following four major operations : Hearing Understanding
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Involves

Listening Process
Selection

Because one hears much more than one listens to, selection of the listening message initiates the process that involves a deliberate mental act. The complicated hearing mechanism picks up the chosen sound waves and 4/28/12

Reception

Types of Faulty Listening

Pseudo

Listening Sometimes it appears as if we are listening, engaging in all the right external behaviour, but at same time allowing our minds to travel elsewhere. Listening We allow ourselves to listen only to those parts of a message which are of 4/28/12

Selective

Barriers to Listening
Perceptual Barriers
Frames

of Reference People perceive stimuli according to their individual frames of reference. Although the speaker may want to convey a particular meaning, it s the listeners individual frame of reference, which determines the actual meaning assigned to the 4/28/12 message.

Speaker related barriers

Speaker Speaker

may speak too fast or too slow . may be too loud or too soft.

few speakers do not use pauses in their speech while others may use long pauses again and again.
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Criticizing

physical appearance or delivery Listener may not listen to an individual because the speakers looks , dress, age, mannerisms of speech or slight speech defect may bother him.

Environmental distractions
The

seat on which the listener is sitting is poor and uncomfortable.

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Chatting

with the next person

Critical Thinking skills for effective listening

Perceive

Ability to listen and observe, to compare and contrast observations so as to organize and interpret them. Ability to group ones perceptions,classify them, discover patterns in them and Place in order of importance.
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Arranging

Techniques for Listening

We can become better listeners by following a few techniques
1.

Selection of Listening mode One must make a rapid decision about the kind of listening one will do. Careful Listening Relates to comprehension and retention of the idea of the complete material. 4/28/12

5. Physical and psychological setting Proper hearing aids, proper acoustics, positive thinking, appropriate temperature is required for proper listening. 6. Retention Listening - Listening carefully and actively so as to remember what has been said along with 4/28/12 all stated facts. Use

Good Listeners Vs. Poor Listeners

Good Listeners Do not interrupt. Remain patient. Make eye contact. Show interest. Look attentive. Concentrate. Ask open questions. 4/28/12

Poor Listeners Over Talkative Inattentive Interrupt Impatient to talk Yes, but approach Very criticizing Poor concentration. 4/28/12

Non Verbal Communication

Communication through signs, body language, facial expressions, body movements, gestures etc. It does not involve speech or words. Characteristics
Instinctive Less

It indicates the attitudes, feelings, and instincts. conscious Most gestures 4/28/12 and expressions are

Classification of NonVerbal Communication

Kinesics

or Body Language Body movements, gestures and body language.

Eg. Nodding our head, blinking eyes, waving hands, and shrugging shoulders.Reflection of thoughts, feelings and position. Facial expressions Whatever we feel deep within ourselves is at once reflected in our face making 4/28/12

Proxemics or Space Language Study of how we communicate with the space around us.
1.

Feature-fixed space Buildings and wall Higher the building, higher will be the status of the organization.

2. Semi-fixed feature space 4/28/12 Placement and arrangement of

Time

Language Communicate with others in terms of time by showing them, in our own cultural way, what time means to us. Time Management, an important aspect. Like Language.

Paralanguage

Type of non verbal communication 4/28/12 that includes articulation,

Sign

Language

Visual Signs Maps, Red Light outside the operation theatre, revolving light on VIPs vehicle. Audio Signals Whistles, Hooting, Drumbeats etc. Fire alarms, casualty alarms, machine breakdown alarms etc.
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