Business communication Flashcards
Effective communication
the exchange of information between people or groups with feedback
Feedback
the response to a message by the receiver
- without feedback the effectiveness of the communication cannot be judged
External effective communication
the processes responsible for communicating with people and entities outside your organisation
Internal effective communication
communication between different groups of people within the organisation
Why is effective communication important
- staff motivation
- the number and quality of ideas generated by the staff
- speed of decision making
- speed of response to market changes
- reduces the risk of errors
- effective coordination between departments
Communication media
the methods used to communicate a message
Oral communication
one-to-one conversations, interviews, appraisal sessions, group meetings or team briefings
Advantages of oral communication
- allows for two-way communication and feedback - encourages staff motivation
- instant communication and evidence of who attended the meeting
- allows reinforcing the message with appropriate body language
Disadvantages of oral communication
- no written record of what is said
- not appropriate for complicated and technical matters
- costly in terms of time
Written communication
any communication that involves writing in letters, memos, notices, boards, reports and diagrams for technical matters
Advantages of written communication
- can be referred to more than once
- should be an accurate record
- allow for the transmission of detailed data
Disadvantages of written communication
- eliminate supporting body language
- do not follow for immediate feedback
- no evidence of the message being received and understood
IT / web-based media
any form of communication that involves the Internet and email use, Intranets, video conferences and smartphones
Advantages of IT / web-based media
- great speed
- interactive
- messages can be sent to many people
- overcomes global boundaries
- good image for external communication
Disadvantages of IT / web-based media
- cannot always be received
- expensive in hardware
- security issues
- risk of information overload
Information overload
so much information and so many messages received that the most important ones cannot be identified and quickly acted on, most likely to occur with electronic media
Visual communication
the practice of using visual elements such as diagrams, pictures and charts to communicate information and ideas
Advantages of visual communication
more interactive
creates greater interest
demands attention
often easier to remember
Disadvantages of visual communication
needs close attention
sometimes too fast
not always clear
interpretation by receivers may vary
Communication barriers
reasons why communication fails
Failure in one of the stages of the communication process
- medium chosen is inappropriate
- receiver forgot part of a long message given to them
- a misleading message may lead to poor understanding
- too much information
- channel of information is too long
Poor attitudes of the sender or receiver
- sender is not trusted
- alienation of workforce
- those on the communication channel may decide not to pass the message
- poor opinion or perception of the receiver that no effort is made to ensure clarity of message
Physical reasons
- noisy factories are not good for communication
- geographical distance may restrict effective communication
Three broad reasons to communication barriers
- failure in the communication process
- poor attitudes of the sender or receiver
- physical reasons
How to reduce communication barriers. (Name the six steps)
- message is clear and precise
- communication channel as short as possible
- channels of communication are clear to all involved
- build in feedback for the communication process
- establish trust between sender and receiver
- ensure physical conditions are appropriate
Formal communication network
the official communication channels and routes used within an organisation
The chain network
One person starts off the communication message and this is passed down to the next person in the lower level
The vertical network
the owner has a number of subordinates and communicates with them directly but individually
The wheel network
leader is in the centre of the wheel, two way communication between the leader and each part of the wheel
The circle network
each person or department can only communicate with two others
The integrated network
full two-way communication between any of the individuals or departments
Which of the formal communication networks are centralised and decentralised
Centralised
- chain
- vertical
- wheel
Decentralised
- circle
- integrated
One way communication or two way communication
1WAY
- do not allow the receiver to question the orders
- do not allow the receiver to ask for further explanation
- no assurance for the sender that the message is received and acted upon
2WAY
- staff motivation
- can be time consuming
The effect of effective communication on motivation
motivation -> effective communication
- if staff is more motivated they are more likely to give feedback to messages and have more accurate communication with the manager
effective communication -> motivation
- if there is more effective communication, staff feels more involved and will receive constant feedback which increases motivation
Vertical and horizontal communication
Vertical - when people of different levels of hierarchy communicate with each other
Horizontal - when people of the same level of hierarchy but different areas of responsibility communicate with each other
Informal communication
unofficial channels of communication that exist between informal groups of an organisation
FOR and AGAINST informal communication
FOR
- creates sense of belonging and social cohesion
- managers can use this to test out new ideas for the business
- clarifying official messages with friends
AGAINST
- wastes valuable working time
- spreads gossip and rumours which leads to feeling insecure
- informal groups may band together and resist the formal management
