18Unit 1: Business Communication Foundations
■Look for feedback, but interpret it carefully. Nods and smiles don’t necessarily indicate understanding.
■Rephrase if necessary. If someone doesn’t seem to understand you, rephrase using simpler words.
■Clarify your meaning with repetition and examples. Use concrete and specific examples to illustrate difficult or vague ideas.
■Don’t talk down to the other person. Don’t blame the listener for not understanding. Say, “Am I going too fast?” rather than “Is this too difficult for you?”
■Learn important phrases in your audience’s language. Learning common greetings and a few simple phrases simplifies initial contact and shows respect.
■Listen carefully and respectfully. If you do not understand a comment, ask the person to repeat it.
■Adapt your conversation style to the other person’s. For instance, if the other person appears to be direct and straightforward, follow suit.
■Check frequently for comprehension. After you make each point, pause to gauge the other person’s comprehension before moving on.
■Clarify what will happen next. At the end of a conversation, be sure that you and the other person agree on what has been said and decided.
Finally, remember that oral communication can be more difficult for audiences because it happens in real time and in the presence of other people. In some situations, written communication will be more successful because it gives the recipient the opportunity to translate in private and at his or her own pace.
6 LEARNING OBJECTIVE
List four general guidelines for using communication technology effectively.
Figure 1.7 Reaching Audiences and Building Communities with Social Media
Toyota’s user-generated content campaign on Facebook, AutoBiography, invited owners to submit stories, photos, and videos that describe their favorite moments and memories with their Toyota vehicles.
Source: Toyota USA Facebook page. Copyright © 2011 by Toyota Motor Corporation. Reprinted with permission.
Using Technology to Improve Business Communication
Today’s businesses rely heavily on technology to facilitate the communication process. In fact, many of the technologies you might use in your personal life, from Facebook to Twitter to video games, are also used in business (see Figure 1.7). The
Chapter 1: Understanding Business Communication in Today’s Workplace |
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four-page photo essay “Powerful Tools for Communicating Effectively” (pages 20–23) offers an overview of the technologies that connect people in offices, factories, and other business settings.
The benefits of technology are not automatic, of course. To communicate effectively, you need to keep technology in perspective, use technological tools productively, guard against information overload, and disengage from the computer frequently to communicate in person.
Keeping Technology in Perspective
Remember that technology is an aid to communication, not a replacement for it. Technology can’t think for you, make up for a lack of essential skills, or ensure that communication really happens. For example, you might have a presence on every new social media platform that comes along, but if the messages you are sending are confused or self-serving, none of that technology will help. No matter how innovative or popular it may be, a technology has value only if it helps deliver the right information to the right people at the right time.
Using Tools Productively
You don’t have to become an expert to use most communication technologies effectively, but to work efficiently you do need to be familiar with basic features and functions. Conversely, don’t worry about learning advanced features unless you really need to use them. Many software packages contain dozens of obscure features that typical business communicators rarely need.
Don’t let technology overwhelm the communication process.
Guarding Against Information Overload
The overuse or misuse of communication technology can lead to information overload, in which people receive more information than they can effectively process. Information overload makes it difficult to discriminate between useful and useless information, inhibits the ability to think deeply about complex situations, lowers productivity, and amplifies employee stress both on the job and at home—even to the point of causing health and relationship problems.46
As a sender, make sure every message you send is meaningful and important to your receivers. As a recipient, take steps to control the number and types of messages you receive. Use the filtering features of your communication systems to isolate high-priority messages that deserve your attention. Also, be wary of following too many blogs, Twitter accounts, and social networking feeds, and other sources of recurring messages. Focus on the information you truly need to do your job.
Everyone has an important role to play in reducing information overload.
Reconnecting with People Frequently
Even the best technologies can hinder communication if they are overused. For instance, a common complaint among employees is that managers rely too heavily on email and don’t communicate face-to-face often enough.47 Speaking with people over the phone or in person can take more time and effort, and can sometimes force you to confront unpleasant situations directly, but it is often essential for solving tough problems and maintaining productive relationships.48
Moreover, even the best communication technologies can’t show people who you really are. Remember to step out from behind the technology frequently to learn more about the people you work with—and to let them learn more about you.
For the latest information on business communication technologies, visit http:// real-timeupdates.com/bce6 and click on Chapter 1.
No matter how much technology is involved, communication will always be about people connecting with people.
Powerful Tools for Communicating Effectively
The tools of business communication evolve with every advance in digital technology. The 20 technologies highlighted on the next four pages help
businesses redefine the office, collaborate and share information, connect with stakeholders, and build communities of people with shared interests and needs. For more examples of business uses of social media tools in particular, see pages 133–141 in Chapter 6.
Web-Based Meetings
Web-based meetings allow team members from all over the world to interact in real time. Meetings can also be recorded for later playback and review. Various systems support instant messaging, video, collaborative editing tools, and more.
Andresr/Shutterstock
REDEFINING THE OFFICE
Thanks to advances in mobile and distributed communication, the “office” is no longer what it used to be. Technology lets today’s professionals work on the move while staying in close contact with colleagues, customers, and suppliers. These technologies are also redefining the very nature of some companies, as they replace traditional hierarchies with highly adaptable, virtual networks.
Videoconferencing
and Telepresence
.shock/Fotolia
Videoconferencing provides many of the benefits of in-person meetings at a fraction of the cost. Advanced systems feature telepresence, in which the video images of meeting participants are life-sized and extremely realistic.
Mobile Business Apps
As the range of business software applications on smartphones and tablet computers continues to expand, almost anything that can be accomplished on a regular computer can be done on a mobile device (although not always as efficiently or with the same feature sets).
Shared Online Workspaces
Used with permission from Microsoft.
Online workspaces help teams work productively, even if they are on the move or spread out across the country. In addition to providing controlled access to shared files and other digital resources, some systems include such features as project management tools and real-time document sharing (letting two or more team members view and edit a document on screen at the same time).
Voice Technologies
© Fancy/Alamy
Speech recognition (converting human speech to computer commands) and speech synthesis (converting computer commands to human speech) can enhance communication in many ways, including simplifying mobile computing, assisting workers who are unwilling or unable to use keyboards, and allowing “one-sided” conversations with information systems.
Antun Hirsman/Shutterstock
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Instant Messaging |
Wikis |
Used with permission from Microsoft.
Instant messaging (IM) is one of the most widely used digital communication tools in the business world, replacing many conversations and exchanges that once took place via email or phone calls. Enterprise IM systems are similar to consumer IM systems in many respects but have additional security and collaboration features.
Data Visualization
“DataReprinted ofVisualizationtweetgo.com.with a ©Copyrightpermission. Tweet.” by2012 wheredoesmyLabs.MFG
Data visualization is a powerful tool for presenting and exploring sets of data that are very large, complex, or dynamic. As more companies rely on “big data” to identify and capitalize on market opportunities, the ability to extract insights from these large data sets can be an important competitive advantage.
COLLABORATING AND
SHARING INFORMATION
The need to work with and share information quickly and easily is a constant in business. A wide variety of tools have been developed to facilitate collaboration and sharing, from general purpose systems such as instant messaging to more specialized capabilities such as data visualization.
Interactive Websites
Copyright © 2011 by F5 Networks, Inc. Reprinted with permission.
Interactivity can make online communication much more engaging and effective, such as by personalizing the presentation of information or allowing website visitors to isolate and focus on specific topics.
Fool. |
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Motley |
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2012 by The |
permission. |
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Reprinted with |
Wikis promote collaboration by simplifying the process of creating and editing online content. Anyone with access (some wikis are private; some are public) can add and modify pages as new information becomes available.
Crowdsourcing and
Collaboration Platforms
Copyright © 2012 by InnoCentive, Inc. Reprinted with permission.
Crowdsourcing, inviting input from groups of people inside or outside the organization, can give companies access to a much wider range of ideas, solutions to problems, and insights into market trends.
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Applicant Tracking
Systems
Copyright © 2012 by ZOHO Corporation. Reprinted with permission.
Applicant tracking systems now play a huge role in employment-related communications. At virtually all large companies and many medium and small companies, your résumé and application information will be entered into one of these systems. Recruiters use various tools to identify promising candidates and manage the interview and selection process. After hiring, some firms use talent management systems to track employee development through workers’ entire careers at the company.
Online Video
Provided courtesy of H&R Block Inc.
The combination of low-cost digital video cameras and video-sharing websites such as YouTube has spurred a revolution in business video. Product demonstrations, company overviews, promotional presentations, and training seminars are among the most popular applications of business video. Branded channels allow companies to present their videos as an integrated collection in a customized user interface.
Media Curation
and Content Sharing
CONNECTING WITH
STAKEHOLDERS
Electronic media and social media in particular have redefined the relationships businesses have with internal and external stakeholders. Any groups affected by a company’s decisions now have tools to give voice to their opinions and needs, and companies have many more conversational threads that need to be monitored and managed.
Blogging
Copyright © 2012 by Xerox Corporation. Reprinted with permission.
Blogs let companies connect with customers and other audiences in a fast and informal way. Commenting features let readers participate in the conversation, too.
Bovee and Thill, LLC website.
Media curation, selecting videos and other items of interest to followers of a website or blog, has become one of the most popular ways to connect with stakeholders. Pinterest and Scoop.it are among the leading technologies in this area.
Podcasting
Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press
With the portability and convenience of downloadable audio and video recordings, podcasts have become a popular means of delivering everything from college lectures to marketing messages. Podcasts are also used for internal communication, replacing conference calls, newsletters, and other media.
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User-Generated
Content Sites
Copyright © 2012 by Segway, Inc. Reprinted with permission.
User-generated content sites let businesses host photos, videos, software programs, technical solutions, and other valuable content for their customer communities.
Microblogging permission.with ReprintedInc. Patagonia,by 2012© Copyright
Microblogging services (of which Twitter is by far the best known) are a great way to share ideas, solicit feedback, monitor market trends, and announce special deals and events.
BUILDING COMMUNITIES
One of the most significant benefits of new communication technologies is the ease with which companies can foster a sense of community among customers, enthusiasts, and other groups. In some instances, the company establishes and manages the online community, while in others the community is driven by product champions or other enthusiasts.
Gaming Technologies
Copyright © 2012 by Foursquare Labs, Inc.
Encouraging people to play games, even games as simple as “checking in” at various retail locations, can build interest in a company and its brands.
Social Networking
Copyright © by Biznik.com. Reprinted with permission.
Businesses use a variety of social networks as specialized channels to engage customers, find new employees, attract investors, and share ideas and challenges with peers.
Community Q&A Sites
Copyright © 2012 by Autodesk, Inc. Reprinted with permission.
Many companies now rely heavily on communities of customers to help each other with product questions and other routine matters.
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