Business Communication Homework 1

BUSINESS COMMUNICATION Homework 1 Juan Anton C. Cadano 1. Communication Style and Process Communication – sending and receiving symbols in the minds of the participants; not just an important activity but it also allows organizations to exist (lifeblood) The communication process is broken down into several components: A. Sender – initiates the message (verbal / non-verbal); also known as the communicator B. Reciever – receives the message from the communicator; also known as the interpreter. C. Message – is the content being sent / received D. Channel – the means by which the message is being sent – can be in the form of spoken or written E. Context – setting or environment where the message is being conveyed F. Feedback – the response of the receiver that denotes success of the communication 2

Forms of Communication A. Oral – spoken / speech / auditory – meetings, interviews, group discussion, etc. B. Written – visual in the form of reports, manuals, books, etc.

2. How do you communicate using the 5 senses? A. Sight – communication done through the eyes (facial expression, gestures and posture / body language) B. Hearing – communication through speech; one person speaks while the other listens / hears C. Taste – communication through the sense of taste which enables us to distinguish different sensations through our tongue (sweet, sour, bitter and salty) D. Touch – communication through physical touch (hugging, touching, shaking of hands, etc); feeling through the touch receptors E. Smell – sending / receiving signals through our sense of smell whether pleasant or unpleasant (from cologne to cigarette smoke) 3. Insights for the detailed model The communication is a 2 way process wherein there is a sender and a receiver. Clarity of the message is crucial to the success of the communication process. Also, it is also important that the correct medium is used to convey the message. For example, simple messages should be conveyed through speech / oral communication while complex messages should be conveyed through written communication (memos, notes, etc).

4. What are the 3 roles and functions of the encoder? Encoder - is the sender of the message - makes use of different symbols such as words / visual aids to convey a particular message - may be a group or individual in an organization - factors like the views, background, knowledge will have a great impact on the message that will be or is being sent 5. What are the 3 roles and functions of the decoder? Decoder -

is the receiver of the message how the message is interpreted depends on the knowledge of the decorder noise can be quite disruptive and may affect how the message is understood; so the decoder has to be careful in dealing with these types of messages

6. Define the following: input, channel, feedback and output. A. Input - is the content / message that is being sent - the verbal and non-verbal symbols used are important factors on how the receiver interprets the message B. Channel - is the means by which the message is being sent - can be in the form of spoken or written C. Feedback - is the response of the receiver to the sender to show the success of the communication - non-responsiveness to a message can also serve as feedback D.

Output -

receives the input how the output is understood / interpreted depends on how knowledgeable the receiver is to the message

7. What is the relationship between feedback and output - Feedback is essential component to communication because it shows whether or not the receiver (output) was able to understand / interpret the message as intended by the sender 8. What are the Barriers to Communication? The common barriers to communication are the following: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Perception / Bias Information Overload Inattentiveness Time Pressure Outside Noise Emotions

7. Complexity of the Organizational Structure 8. Poor Memory Retention 9. Cite concrete examples on the Barriers to Communication in the workplace and explain how they affect the communication. How do you cope with these barriers? Barriers to Communication in the Workplace VERBAL Scenario 1: Barriers found: 1. Information Overload 2. Time Pressure 3. Poor memory retention Handling escalations or irate customers over email - Because of the complexity of the situation of the project, details had been missed in the previous meetings with the client. - Tight deadlines set by the client - Use of strong words to assert themselves to the service provider and exclamation points (negative tone) - Long sentences or statements are being used to explain the situation

NON-VERBAL Scenario 2: Barriers found: 1. 2. 3. 4.

Emotions Outside Noise Inattentiveness Perception / Bias

Handling very loud / short tempered people over a conference call or face to face conversation -

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Handling these types of persons can be very stressful and should be handled with the utmost care Emotions are very high at this point so paying attention to detail is key Also, the inability to understand the situation can make things worse.

Coping Mechanism(s): 1. Use Simple Language 2. Avoid Information Overload 3. Flexibility when meeting targets -

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Thank the customer for raising their concern (positive tone) Discuss with them your proposed solution Come to an agreement on the solution Set a deadline for the solution Be more responsive and proactive in handling the situation Conclude the discussion

Coping Mechanism(s): 1. Listen Actively 2. Stabilize the Emotional State 3. Flexibility when meeting targets 4. Eliminate bias -

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Diffuse the situation first by communicating in a more positive tone by lowering vocal tone and slow down the pace of talking Put yourself in the situation of the other person Ask what they need and propose a solution to the problem Set a deadline for the solution Be more responsive and proactive in handling the situation Conclude the discussion

References: (2013). Overcoming Communication Barriers. The Management Study Guide. Retrieved from http://www.managementstudyguide.com/overcoming-communication-barriers.htm (2013). Importance of Communication. The Management Study Guide. Retrieved from http://www.managementstudyguide.com/importance-of-communication.htm (2013). The Communication Process. The Management Study Guide. Retrieved from http://thecommunicationprocess.com/the-communication-process/ Hayes, P.H., & Baird Jr, J.E. (1999). Communication for Business and the Professionals (7th Edition). McGraw-Hill