Effective Business Communication

1. Effective BusinessCommunication Philip B.H. Kelly, MPA Deputy Director, Administration and Operations Department of Financial Services Adjunct Professor, Business and Law Department Schenectady County Community College

2. Presented for the Albany-Capital Region Chapter IPMA-HR

3. Overview of Key Points • What is Communication? • Tools for Effective Communication • Adapting to your audience • Producing and Proofreading the message.

4. Step 1 Sender Has An Idea Step 6 Receiver Sends Feedback Feedback also needs to be encoded, transmitted, and decoded Step 2 Sender Encodes Idea Step 3 Sender Transmits Message Step 4 Receiver Gets Message Step 5 Receiver Decodes Message Channel The Communication Process

9. Planning Messages

10. Business Messages Purposeful Audience-Centered Efficient

11. Analyze Situation Revise Gather Information Produce Select Medium Proofread Distribute Three-Step Writing Process Planning Writing Completing Compose the Message Analyze the Audience

12. To Inform Your Goals To Persuade Audience Thoughts To Collaborate Audience Actions Define Your Purpose General Purpose Specific Purpose

13. Primary Members Size and location Composition Profile Your Audience

14. Knowledge Level Expectations Probable Reaction Profile Your Audience

15. Informal Methods Viewpoints of Others Company Documents and Reports Supervisors, Colleagues, and Customers Audience Input Gather Information

16. Accurate Ethical Pertinent Provide Information

17. Select the Right Medium Oral Media Written Media

18. Analysis of Oral Media Advantages Disadvantages • Immediate feedback • Ease of interaction • Rich non-verbal cues • Emotional content • Limited participation • May not be permanent • Reduced control • No editing or revision

19. Analysis of Written Media Advantages Disadvantages • Planning and control • Permanent record • Wide audience • Minimal distortion • Delayed feedback • Few nonverbal cues • Distribution issues • Preparation time

20. Richer Leaner Notes, Letters, Memos Face-to-Face Telephone E-mail Fliers, Bulletins, Standard Reports Choosing the Best Medium A Continuum of Media Richness

21. Organizing the Message Promotes Productivity Boosts Understanding Increases Acceptance Saves Audience Time

22. Defining Your Main Idea Business Message The Topic The Main Idea Broad Subject of the Message Specific Statement About the Topic • Budget Constraints • Service Problems • Cash-Flow Problems • Seeking Larger Budget • Training Service Workers • Seeking Salary Increase

23. Length Limitations Support Points Limiting The Scope Audience Attitude Research Depth

24. Sequencing Messages Direct Approach (Deductive) Indirect Approach (Inductive) Audience Reaction Message Length Message Type

25. Audience Reaction Eager/Interested/ Pleased/Neutral Displeased Uninterested/Unwilling Message Opening Main idea, good news, or request Neutral buffer statement Attention-getting statement/question Message Body Necessary details Reasons/justification, bad news, positive suggestion Arousing interest, building desire Message Closing Cordial comment or statement about specific action Cordial close Request for action Choosing the Approach

26. Adapt to the Audience Sensitivity Relationships Style and Tone

27. Audience Sensitivity Adopt a “You” Attitude Demonstrate Business Etiquette Emphasize the Positive Use Bias-Free Language

28. Instead of This Instead of This Use This Use This To help us process this order, we must ask for another copy of the requisition. So that your order can be filled promptly, please send another copy of the requisition. You should never use that type of paper in the copy machine. That type of paper doesn’t work very well in the copy machine. The “You” Attitude

29. Emphasize the Positive Instead of This Use This • Cheap Merchandise • Fake • Used Cars • Failing • Elderly Person • Pimples and Zits • Bargain Prices • Imitation or faux • Resale Cars • Underperforming • Senior Citizen • Complexion Problems

30. Age Gender Disability Racial or Ethnic Bias-Free Language

31. Writing Messages

32. Analyze Situation Revise Gather Information Produce Select Medium Proofread Distribute Three-Step Writing Process Planning Writing Completing Compose the Message Analyze the Audience

33. Straightforward Easy to Understand Conversational Writing in Plain English

34. Pompous or Obsolete Language Preaching or Bragging Emotion or Intimacy Humor or Satire Conversational Tone Business Messages Avoid Using Use Carefully

35. Direct Indirect Concise Tactful Vigorous Reserved Using the Right Voice Active Voice Passive Voice Object + Verb + Subject The car was rented by Joe. Subject + Verb + Object Joe rented the car. Characteristics Characteristics

36. Use Strong Words Use Familiar Words Avoid Clichés Minimize Jargon Finding WordsThat Communicate

37. Completing Messages

38. Analyze Situation Revise Gather Information Produce Select Medium Proofread Distribute Three-Step Writing Process Planning Writing Completing Compose the Message Analyze the Audience

39. Wordy Constructions Long Words or Phrases Redundant Wording “It is/There are” Starters Editing for Conciseness

40. White Space Margins Justification Typefaces Type Styles Design Techniques

41. Proofreading Advice • Make multiple passes • Use perceptual tricks • Focus on high-priority items • Get some distance • Stay focused and vigilant • Exercise caution

42. Reviewing Key Points • Applying the three-step process • Analyzing the situation • Adapting to your audience • Producing the message • Proofreading the message

43. Questions?

44. Philip Kelly Philip.Kelly@dfs.ny.gov

45. Resources: • Business Communication EssentialsCourtland Bovee, John Thill