Business Communication Skills Concepts Cases & Applications

425 Pages·2018·4.289 MB·English

by  P. D. Chaturvedi, Mukesh Chaturvedi

Business
Communication
Skills, Concepts, and Applications
Third Edition
P. D. CHATURVEDI
Former Professor and Head
Department of Languages
Birla Institute of Technology and Science
Pilani
MUKESH CHATURVEDI
Professor
Birla Institute of Management Technology
Greater Noida
Copyright © 2013 Dorling Kindersley (India) Pvt. Ltd.
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ISBN 9788131775585
eISBN 9789332517592

Head Office: A-8(A), Sector 62, Knowledge Boulevard, 7th Floor, NOIDA 201 309, India
Registered Office: 11 Local Shopping Centre, Panchsheel Park, New Delhi 110 017, India
To the ever-loving memory of
Mrs Pramilla Chaturvedi
Brief Contents
Preface xvii
About the Authors xxiii
PART I COMMUNICATION SKILLS
1. Case Study: Profi le of an Eff ective Communicator 1
2. Reading Skills 7
3. Speaking Skills 17
4. Conversation Skills 39
5. Listening Skills 61
6. Writing Skills 77
7. Non-verbal Skills 95
PART II BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
8. Nature and Process of Communication 111
9. Organizational Communication 133
10. Cross-cultural Communication 149
11. Business Letters, Memos, and E-mails 167
12. Social Media 193
13. Business Reports 203
14. Eff ective Presentations 229
15. Business Etiquette 243
PART III STRUCTURED APPLICATIONS
16. Communication for Confl ict Management 257
17. Communication for Eff ective Negotiations 269
18. CVs, Personal Interviews, and Group Discussions 281
19. Summer Project Report 299
20. Written Analysis of Cases 309
Appendix 1: Grammar, Usage, and Style 317
Appendix 2: Th e Process of Research 357
Appendix 3: A Sample Report 367
Index 397
Contents
Preface xvii
About the Authors xxiii
PART I COMMUNICATION SKILLS
1. Case Study: Profi le of an Eff ective Communicator 1
An Analysis of the Case 3
Review Your learning 6
Endnote 6
2. Reading Skills 7
What is Reading? 7
Elements of Reading: Seeing and Instantaneous Understanding 7
How Do We Read? 7
How Do Our Eyes Move and Pause and Move? 8
Know Your Reading Speed 8
Enhancement of Reading Ability/Purpose of Reading 8
Th e Nature of Reading Material/Th e Reading Style 8
Styles of Reading 9
Slow Reading Style 9
Normal Reading Style 9
Rapid Reading Style—Skimming 9
Surveying—Process of Reading a Book, Long Article, or Report 9
Scanning 10
Know the Text Organization 11
Training of Eyes 11
Guidelines for Eff ective Reading 11
Do’s 11
Don’ts 13
Reading Effi ciency 13
Watch the Eye Movement 13
Summary 13
Case: Chorus Reading 13
Review Your Learning 14
Refl ect on Your Learning 14
Apply Your Learning 14
Self-check Your Learning 14
Reading Exercises 15
Endnote 16
vi CONTENTS
3. Speaking Skills 17
Speaking 17
Th e Art of Speaking 17
Goals of Speaking 17
Speaking Styles 17
Th e Speaking Process 19
Guidelines for Developing Speaking Skills 21
What is Oral Communication? 29
Importance of Oral Communication Skills 29
Choosing the Form of Communication 30
Principles of Successful Oral Communication 30
Guidelines for Eff ective Oral Communication 31
Barriers to Eff ective Oral Communication 32
Th ree Aspects of Oral Communication—Conversing, Listening,
and Body Language 32
Intercultural Oral Communication 32
■ INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION 33
Oral Communication and Electronic Media 34
Phones 34
Voice Mail 35
Conference Calls 35
Cell Phones 35
Video Conferencing 36
Summary 36
Case: Dealing with Outsourcing Backlash 36
Review Your Learning 37
Refl ect on Your Learning 37
Apply Your Learning 37
Self-check Your Learning 38
Endnotes 38
4. Conversation Skills 39
What is Conversation? 39
Social Conversation 40
Eff ective Conversation 42
■ EFFECTIVE CONVERSATION: AN EXAMPLE 43
Conversation Control 43
Controlling the Direction of Conversation 44
Managing Negative Responses 44
Noticing and Recognizing Cues and Clues 45
Interpreting Signs and Signals  47
Avoiding Parallel Conversation 48
Practising Sequential Conversation 48
Using Refl ection and Empathy 48
Cultivating a Sense of Timing 49
Summarizing 49
Transactional Analysis (TA) 50
Psychological Characteristics of Ego States 50
Applications of Conversation Control 54
Meetings 54
Being Assertive Without Being Aggressive 55
CONTENTS vii
Controlled Response to Conversational Attacks 56
Negotiating Th rough Conversation Control 56
Summary 56
Case: Discussing Vandalism 57
Review Your Learning 58
Refl ect on Your Learning 58
Apply Your Learning 58
Self-check Your Learning 59
Endnotes 60
5. Listening Skills 61
What is Listening? 61
How Do We Listen? 62
Listening as a Management Tool 62
Th e Process of Listening 63
Factors that Adversely Aff ect Listening 64
Lack of Concentration 64
Unequal Statuses 64
Th e Halo Eff ect 65
Complexes 65
A Closed Mind 65
Poor Retention 65
Premature Evaluation and Hurried Conclusions 65
Abstracting 65
Slant 66
Cognitive Dissonance 66
Language Barrier 66
Characteristics of Eff ective and Ineff ective Listeners 66
Guidelines for Improving Listening Skills 68
Responsive Listening 69
Basic Refl ective Response 69
Basic Clarifi cation Response 71
Summary 74
Case: Too Busy to Listen? 74
Review Your Learning 74
Refl ect on Your Learning 75
Apply Your Learning 75
Self-check Your Learning 75
Endnotes 76
6. Writing Skills 77
Th e Art of Writing 77
Th e Skills Required in Written Communication 77
Th e Purpose of Writing 78
Writing to Inform 78
Writing to Persuade 78
■ INFORMATORY WRITING 78
■ PERSUASIVE WRITING 79
Clarity in Writing 80
■ EXAMPLES OF CLEAR AND UNCLEAR WRITING 81
viii CONTENTS
Principles of Eff ective Writing 81
Accuracy 81
Brevity 83
■ REWRITING A LETTER 85
Language, Tone, and Level of Formality 85
Summary 92
Case: On Writing Well 92
Review Your Learning 92
Refl ect on Your Learning 93
Apply Your Learning 93
Self-check Your Learning 93
Endnotes 94
7. Non-verbal Skills 95
What is Non-verbal Communication? 95
Meta-communication 96
Kinesic Communication 96
Characteristics of Non-verbal Communication 97
Classifi cation of Non-verbal Communication 97
Ekman’s Classifi cation of Communicative Movements 98
Face Facts 98
Positive Gestures 99
Negative Gestures 99
Lateral Gestures 99
Responding to Power Posturing 102
Guidelines for Developing Non-verbal Communication Skills 103
Communication Breakdown 105
Summary 107
Case: Everest Textile mills 107
Review Your Learning 108
Refl ect on Your Learning 109
Apply Your Learning 109
Self-check Your Learning 109
Endnote 110
PART II BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
8. Nature and Process of Communication 111
Th e Role of Communication 111
■ AN INSTANCE OF UNCLEAR COMMUNICATION 112
Defi ning Communication 112
Classifi cation of Communication 113
Th e Purpose of Communication 113
Communication to Inform 114
Communication to Persuade 114
Th e Process of Communication 115
Th e Linear Concept of Communication 115
Th e Shannon–Weaver Model 116
Th e Two-way Communication Process 117
CONTENTS ix
Th e Elements of Communication 118
Th e Major Diffi culties in Communication 119
Barriers to Communication 120
Incorrect Assumptions 121
Psychosocial Barriers 121
Conditions for Successful Communication 122
Th e Seven C’s of Communication 123
Universal Elements in Communication 125
■ HOW SENTENCE STRUCTURE AFFECTS MEANING 126
Communication and Electronic Media 128
Communication and Social Media 129
Summary 129
Case: Communication Failure 130
Review Your Learning 130
Refl ect on Your Learning 130
Apply Your Learning 130
Self-check Your Learning 131
Endnotes 132
9. Organizational Communication 133
Th e Importance of Communication in Management 133
Some Important Functions of Management 133
How Communication is Used by Managers 134
Communication Concerns of the Manager 136
Human Needs 137
Th eory X and Th eory Y 137
Communication Training for Managers 138
Communication Structures in Organizations 139
Vertical Communication 139
Horizontal Communication 140
Line and Staff Management 141
Formal Communication 141
Informal Communication 142
Information to be Communicated at the Workplace 144
Summary 145
Case: Communication Breakdown at City Hospital 145
Review Your Learning 146
Refl ect on Your Learning 147
Apply Your Learning 147
Self-check Your Learning 147
Endnotes 148
10. Cross-cultural Communication 149
Globalization and Intercultural Communication 149
Th e New Global Mantra: Go Local 150
Cultural Sensitivity 151
Meetings and Social Visits 152
Group Behaviour 153
Paying a Visit 153
Addressing Others 153
Developing Cultural Intelligence 154