Chapter 3 : EFFECTIVE 3.

Critical thinking and the ability to

COMMUNICATION OBJECTIVES function as part of a problem-solving
group.
To succeed at the workplace, you need more 4. Remain cool under pressure,
than just hard work. You need good adaptable to new technology and to
etiquette as well as good workplace a fast pace.
communication skills. In the office, you're 5. Simple conversational skills are also
an employee, someone who's supposed to go important in the workplace, such as
about his work in the most professional telephone etiquette as an important
manner. There is a way to talk to your 6. Ability to interview to get important
superiors, to your peers and your information is also a necessary skill.
subordinates. This mode of communication 7. Deliver at least some formal
is known as workplace communication and presentations. Those willing to
is typically formal and to the point. So how present proposals or recommend
does one get the required workplace strategies are those who are
communication skills and what is the positioned for advancement.
importance of communication skills in the
workplace? Non-Verbal Communication: body
language, gestures, how we dress or act -
WHAT IS COMMUNICATION? even our scent.
Communication is simply the act of
transferring information from one place Written Communication: letters, e-mails,
to another. books, magazines, the internet or via other
media.
Although this is a simple definition, when
we think about how we may communicate Written communication is the most
the subject becomes a lot more complex. common form of business communication.
There are various categories of It is essential for small business owners and
communication and more than one may managers to develop effective written
occur at any time. communication skills
and to encourage the same in all employees.
The different categories of
communication are: Oral communication is replaced by:
Spoken or Verbal Communication: 1. Voice mail
face-to-face, telephone, radio or television 2. Informal conversation
and other media. 3. E-mail or fax-mail and
4. Two writing tasks which are writing
Interpersonal or oral communication skills reports and filling out forms.
are the ones most prized by employers in
the new informal workplace atmosphere. Visualizations: graphs and charts, maps,
Some employers test their employees in logos and other visualization can
their ability to: communicate messages.
1. Follow oral directions
2. Working with teams that need skills
in empathy and feedback techniques,
especially in fields such as customer
service, criminal justice, medical and
legal.
GOOD WORKPLACE strong ethnic accent, you should
COMMUNICATION SKILLS make sure that you talk slowly so
1. Courteousness that the other person gets what you
● a person should always be courteous have to say. It is always good to ask “
while speaking to anyone in the have you understood?" just in case
workplace, whether senior or junior. someone doesn't get what you have
One should not speak disparagingly to say.
with juniors, speaking in a laudatory
way with seniors should be 6. Listen to Others
maintained in the workplace ● Most people think of effective
irrespective of rank. communication as a one-way thing.
But it is very important to also be a
2. Precision good listener and not just a good
● You're not supposed to sit and chat talker. Others too often have
in the workplace. Workplace something to say or to contribute to
communication is born out of a discussion hence, listening too, is
necessity and should be completed one of the effective communication
as quickly as possible. Workplace skills at work.
communication mostly consists of
delegating tasks and reporting 7. Posture and Body Language
results. So keep it short. ● They say action speaks louder than
words and the same can be
3. Language considered to be true at the
● One should never use any slang workplace. The body has a language
terms, while at work. Business of its own too, and at the workplace,
communication should be crisp and the body ought to be courteous.
clear so that everyone understands These are simple things to keep in
what you're saying. Slang terms mind, whether it is wishing everyone
bring in the eventuality of "good morning" at work, or having a
misunderstanding and also look courteous smile on your face, being
unprofessional. So one should avoid well-dressed in office or sitting erect
using slang in office. when someone is talking to you. All
these things too are included in the
4. Low Speaking Volumes superset of workplace
● one comes across so many loud communication skills.
talkers. Perhaps they are naturally so
or do so deliberately to drive some PRESENTATION SKILLS
point across. But speaking loudly is Presenting information clearly and
disturbing to other people around effectively is a key skill to get your message
you hence, a low speaking volume or opinion across, and today, presentation
should be maintained. skills are required in almost every field.

5. Clarity
● it is also essential to ensure that the
person you are speaking with has
completely understood what you
have to say. Hence, one should speak
very slowly and clearly. If you have a
What is a presentation? Managing your Presentắtion Notes
A presentation is a means of Few people are able to give a presentation
communication which can be adapted to without notes. You will need to know your
various speaking situations, such as own abilities and decide how best to make
talking to a group, addressing a meeting the presentation. You might manage your
or briefing a team. To be effective, step-by talk by using full text, notes on cue cards,
step preparation and the method and means keywords on cue cards, or mind maps.
of presenting the information should be
carefully considered. Working with Visual Aids
Most visual aids will need advance
Preparing a presentation preparation and should be operated with
Preparation is the most important part of efficiency.
making a successful presentation. This is Only use visual aids if they are necessary to
the crucial foundation and there should be maintain interest and assist comprehension;
no short-cuts. do not use them just to demonstrate your
technological prowess. If visual aids are
Organizing the Presentation Material used well, they will enhance a presentation
Irrespective of whether the occasion is by adding impact and strengthening
formal or informal , you should always aim audience involvement, but if not, they can
to give a clear, well-structured delivery. ruin a presentation.

You should know exactly what you want to Presenting Data

say and the order in which you want to say There are times when using data in a
it. Clarity of ideas and good organization presentation can really help you to tell the
should result in a lively, logical and story better. But it's important not blind
compelling message: your audience with statistics, and also to
remember that many people find numbers
Writing Your Presentation difficult to understand.
This page offers advice on how to write an
effective presentation. Before you write your Managing the Event
presentation, you should already have The practicalities of how you manage your
started to prepare by developing your ideas presentation can make a significant
and selecting the main points to include. difference to its success, and to your nerves!
Learn how to cope, and also about
Deciding the Presentation Method managing sound systems, audio visual
Once you have decided on your key equipment and lecterns.
messages, and thought about organizing
your material, your next need to think about Coping with Presentation Nerves
how you will present. Presentations range It is entirely natural to feel nervous before
from the formal to the informal, and your making a presentation. Fortunately, there
choice of presentation method will depend are some tried and tested strata and
on many factors, including the audience, the techniques to manage your nerves so that
venue, the facilities and your own you can concentrate on delivering an
preferences. effective and engaging presentation.
Dealing with Questions from the need of expression and
Decide in advance how and when you wish results in the exchange of ideas.
to handle questions. Some speakers prefer Communication is an integral part
questions to be raised as they arise during of daily life and plays a major role in
the presentation whilst others prefer to deal all walks of life. Effective office
with questions at the end. At the start of communication is a key factor in the
your presentation you should make clear success of an organization.
your preferences to the audience.
● Office communication includes the
Self-Presentation in Presentations communication between the
Finally, how you present yourself can affect employees as well as the business
how your audience responds to your talks and communications with the
presentation. clients of the company. The
You need to fit with your audience's interactions between company
expectations if they are not going to spend employees determine the work
quite a large chunk of your presentation environment and organization
dealing with the differences between culture. Communication involved in
expectations and reality. formal meetings, discussions with
clients or business negotiations has
TELECOMMUNICATIONS a direct effect on the company
DEFINITION business.

Telecommunications also called ● Office communication could be

telecommunication is the exchange of verbal or a non-verbal one. It could
information over significant distances by be a telephone conversation or one
electronic means. A complete, single using an electronic mode of
telecommunications circuit consists of two communication. The bottom line is
stations, each equipped with a transmitter that it needs to be effective. You
and a receiver. The transmitter and a need to express yourself clearly and
receiver at any station may be combined completely. The person on the other
into a single device called a transceiver. The end should understand you. An
medium of signal transmission can be effective communication is the one
electrical wire or cable, optical fiber of that includes clarity in expression
electromagnetic fields. The free-space and exchange of ideas and emotions.
transmission and reception of data by
means of electromagnetic fields is called Office Communication Over a Telephone
wireless. ● While conversing on phone,
remember to start the conversation
Effective Office Communication by introducing yourself. It is
● Communication is technically the important to convey to the receiver
process of the transfer of of your call who you are and the
information between the purpose behind you call. Remember
communicating entities. The that you are taking his precious
meaning implied by communication time.
is much more than mere transfer. It
is the sharing of one's thoughts and
feelings with the intention of being
understood. Communication results
 ● Keep your conversation brief and mailing them. Some may find it difficult to
precise. Make your point without express themselves through writing. They
wasting much time in coming to the might prefer personalized calls.
actual topic. A telephone talk is
quite impersonal, as it does not But emails are the best options for formal
involve a face-to-face communication. Of course, you need to be
communication. Gestures and facial careful in writing because electronic
expressions do not exactly support communication puts your expression into
communication because you are not black and white. Precision in expression and
visible to the person receiving your a thoughtful use of words are essential
call. constituents of written communication.
Do not respond to emails without
● If you do not happen to get to the considering the effects of your response.
person on the phone, you might Think before you write. In general, you will
prefer leaving a message. Clarify is have a mix of cultures at office, People
again of prime importance. To make around you will be of different ages and
it easy for the person to reply, leave educational as well family backgrounds.
your phone number with the Rememocs to consider these differences
message. while communicating with your colleagues
or clients. Your words have an impact in
● In case you have not been able to your relationships with co-workers. The
answer your calls, respond to them. office communication influences your office
The person who has been trying to work, thereby affecting the organization as
call you might have been in need to a whole.
communicate with you. It could be
urgent. So it is better to reply to the Business deals happen over phone,
unanswered calls. contracts are signed over the electronic
media, thus making these ways of
● Do not end the call abruptly. Make communication key players in business.
your point, give the person on the Learning to effectively communicate is the
other end, a chance to respond and need of the day.
end the call with a suitable greeting. Effective office communication is the vital
It is important to give due component of the corporate world.
consideration to the age and
position of the person on the call.

Effective Electronic Communication

Emails help in case of language barriers and
accent problems. They lack the audio
component, making them even more
impersonal. Emails are useful in case of a
time difference due to the varying time
zones of different countries.

Electronic communication increases the

turnaround time, as it lacks immediate
feedback. A phone call can actually take less
time than writing out the thoughts and