Communication In A Business Environment essay

Written communication consists of letters, emails memos and reports. Verbal communication consists of presentations, face-to-face meetings and telephone calls. Non-verbal communication Involves the use and understanding of body language. Formal communication is more likely to be written and verbal communication is used when two or more people are together. The method of communication that you use will depend on the urgency and how complicated the information that you are communicating is. There are several patterns of communication:

The ‘chain’ represents the hierarchical pattern that characterizes strictly formal Information flow, from the top down’. In military and some types of business organization. The Wheel’ is found in a typical autocratic organization, meaning one- man rule and limited employee participation. The ‘star’ or ‘all-channel network’ allows free flow of communication In a group. Encouraging all of Its members to become involved in the group discussion process. The y pattern’ is a more complicated arrangement where the group is separated into three or more group members of the roof through the leader.

The ‘circle’ Is where the sender can communicate only with the group members next to them. Other group members cannot receive the sender’s message.

1.  describe the communication requirements of different audiences and
2. explain the importance of using correct grammar, sentence structure, punctuation, spelling and conventions In business communications.

Written communication

In a business environment consists of emails, letters, memos, agendas, minutes, notices and reports. Structure refers to the way that the content is laid out.

You have to consider hat you want the reader to learn from your message to learn from your message. Style and tone refer to the way that you write. Sentences should contain no more than thirty words, and paragraphs should be no more than ten lines long. Content refers to what you are writing about. You need to think about what the message Is, making sure the main points are developed and your argument is logical. Spelling, punctuation and grammar are all vital to effective communication. A badly spelt, colleagues.

If you are communicating over the internet, a form of convention known s ‘netiquette’ has developed which means that you should treat readers with respect, not harass or insult people, respect copyrights, not overuse capitals, not send spam, tell the truth and use correct grammar and punctuation. Verbal communication includes making presentations, using the telephone, speaking to people one-to-one and holding discussions with two or more people. The principals of effective verbal communication are the same.

• Speak clearly – make sure that you have prepared what you want to say, stick to the point and avoid repeating yourself.
• Speak properly – if your levels of grammar and vocabulary come across as below those expected by your audience you will be seen as lazy, undereducated or disrespectful if it is perceived that you are ‘dumping down’ your delivery.
• Speak thoughtfully – make a conversation about the people that you are speaking to, rather than about you, wherever this is possible as people much prefer to talk about themselves.
• Speak sincerely – show interest in your colleagues by congratulating them, but be careful not to be insincere. Avoid personal remarks, (sometimes moments on a colleague’s physical features can be misunderstood and lead to problems).
• Speak confidently – you can demonstrate confidence in what you are saying through the way you speak. Think about the pace, pitch and volume of your voice.

There are seven levels of listening

1. Passive listening – you are not listening, Just hearing background noise.
2. Pretend listening – you are giving all the outward signs of listening (nodding etc. ), but you are thinking about something else. Selective listening – you have already made up your mind what your response is going to be, so you have stopped listening.
3. Misunderstood listening – you are hearing what you want to hear, not what is actually being said.
4. Active listening – you are listening, understanding feelings and gathering facts.
5. Empathetic listening – you are understanding feelings and checking facts, with the speaker’s purpose in mind.
6. Facultative listening – you are listening completely.
7. Active listening requires you to:

• Stop what you are doing
• Look at the speaker
• Let others speak
• Be interested in what is being said
• Ask open-ended questions to clarify what you hear
• Spend more time listening than talking .Not finish the speakers sentences
• Not interrupt
• Avoid answering questions with questions
• Plan your response after the speaker has finished, not while they are talking  .
• Only give your own opinions after you have heard the speaker

Explain the importance of using appropriate body language and tone of voice when communicating verbally

The primary elements of body language are usually listed as: face, eyes, posture, gestures and voice. Your face is the most obvious source of control than your facial expression as your eyes can make or avoid contact with other people.

Eye contact is an indication of interest. Posture is the way that you hold your head, the way you stand and folding your arms all express your feelings towards other people. We all know and understand basic gestures (e. G. Waving for hello or goodbye), but there is a whole language of gestures that differ between nationalities and cultures. Speaking without gestures gives the impression of being uncomfortable with what you are saying. While what you say is verbal communication, how you say it (e. G. Tone, volume, pace, pitch, rhythm and inflection) is non-verbal.