Business Communication – Session 1

Chapter 1: Professional Communication

in a Digital, Social, Mobile World
 Course Overview
S No Topic Learning Outcomes
1 Professional Communication in
Digital, Social, Mobile World Understand the importance of
 Importance of Communication effective communication in
organizational context.
 Communication Model Describe the communication process
 Barriers to Communication model and the ways social media are
changing the nature of business
 Ethics of Communication communication.
Outline the challenges and
opportunities of mobile
communication in business.
 Course Overview
S No Topic
2 Writing & Completing Business
Messages
 Overcoming bias in language
 Adapting to the audience
 Composing effective messages
 Writing messages for mobile
devices
3 .Digital Media
 Composing messages for digital and
social media
 Content for mobile devices
 Writing effective Emails
 Preparing effective messages
Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to
comprehend how to prepare
effective business messages
Students will be able to
Identify the major digital media formats
available for business messages, and list
nine compositional modes used in digital
media.
Describe the evolving role of email in
business communication, and explain how
to adapt the three step writing process to
email messages.
Identify the advantages and disadvantages
of business messaging systems.
 Course Overview
S No Topic
4 Social Media
 Writing strategies for social
media
 Using social networks for
business communication
 Blogging and its business
applications
Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to understand:
Describe the business communication
applications of social networks.
Explain how information- and content-
sharing sites are
used in business communication.
Describe the role of blogging in business
communication
today, and explain how to adapt the
three-step writing process to blogging.
Describe the business uses of Twitter and
other
micro blogging systems.
 Course Overview
S No Topic
5 Writing Routine & Positive
Messages
 Writing routine requests
 Process for writing routine
and positive messages
 Examples of positive
messages
Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to
understand
Effective strategy for writing
routine business
requests.
Describe three common types of
routine requests.
Outline an effective strategy for
writing routine replies
and positive messages.
Describe six common types of
routine replies and positive
messages.
 Course Overview
S No Topic Learning Outcomes

6A
Writing Negative & Persuasive
Messages
 Writing negative messages
 Using direct approach
 Using indirect approach
 Negative messages for routine
matters
Apply the three-step writing
process to negative
messages.
Effectively use the direct
approach when conveying
negative news.
Effectively use the indirect
approach when conveying
negative news.
Describe successful strategies
for sending negative
messages on routine business
matters.
 Course Overview
S No Topic
6B Writing Persuasive Messages
 Steps to write persuasive
messages
 Strategies for preparing
persuasive messages
 Avoiding common mistakes
in persuasive messages
 Writing marketing
&promotional messages
Learning Outcomes
Apply the three-step writing process
to persuasive
messages.
Describe an effective strategy for
developing persuasive
business messages, and identify the
three most common categories of
persuasive business messages.
Identify steps you can take to avoid
ethical lapses in marketing and sales
messages
 Course Overview
S No Topic Learning Outcomes
7 Writing & Completing Reports Use strategies to strengthen a
& Proposals proposal argument,
and identify the topics commonly
Drafting report content covered in the
Drafting proposals introduction, body, and close of
Writing request for proposal proposals.
Summarize the four tasks
involved in completing
business reports and proposals.
Identify the elements to include
in a request for
proposals (RFP).
 Course Overview
S No Topic Learning Outcomes
8 Developing Presentations in Five steps for delivering a
Social Media Environment successful
 Planning a presentation presentation.
Six steps for giving effective
 Crafting content for presentations online.
presentation .
 Developing and delivering
presentation
 Using technology for
Presentation
 Course Overview
S No Topic Learning Outcomes
9 Building Careers and How to plan your résumé,
Writing Resume including how to choose the best
résumé organization.
 Planning & Organizing The major sections of a traditional
resume résumé.
 Composing resume The six most common formats in
 Formats of resume which you can produce a résumé.
 Creating online or social
media resume
 Course Overview
S No Topic
10 Applying & Interviewing for
Employment
 Writing effective application
letters
 Interview process
 Preparing for interview
 Appearing for interview
 Following up after interview
Learning Outcomes
Student will be able to understand
purpose of application letters, and
describe how to apply the AIDA
organizational approach to them.
The typical sequence of job
interviews, the major types of
interviews, and the attributes
employers look for during an
interview.
How to prepare for a successful job
interview.
How to succeed in all three stages of
an interview.
Identify the most common
employment messages that follow an
interview and explain when you
would use each one.
 Session Plan
Slide
S. No. Reference No. Topic Name
From-To

1 Learning Objectives 14

2 Topic 1 What is Communication 15-17

3 Topic 2 Importance of Communication 18-19

4 Topic 3 Tenants of Effective Communication 20-21

5 Topic 4 Communication Model 30

6 Topic 5 Barriers to Effective Communication 31-32

 Session Objectives
Develop an understanding of:
• Importance of communication as a professional
• Tenants of effective business communication
• Process of communication
• Barriers to communication
• Using social media and mobile communication
• Using technology for effective business
communication
• Ethics in communicating as a professional
 Learning Outcomes
After completing this session students will be able to:
• Understand the importance of effective
communication in organizational context.
• Describe the communication process model and the
ways social media are changing the nature of business
communication.
• Outline the challenges and opportunities of mobile
communication in business.
 Scenario 1
• Company X, during the peak of pandemic
triggered by the spread of Novel Coronavirus
Covid-19, had to take some difficult steps
affecting a large number of employees across
the organisation spread over 200 locations in
India. In such a scenario the company’s
leadership team relied on the middle
managers to communicate with the employees
and implement the changes.
 Scenario 1
• Middle managers of company X engaged in
minimal face to face one – way communication
to inform their subordinates about the
impending changes and its consequences. This
lead to fear, uncertainty and resulted in
rampant panic among the employees. This led
to loss of motivation, productivity. Employees
at the receiving end tried to approach the top
management but the top leadership remained
aloof and unwavering to go head with tough
decisions.
 Scenario 2
• An FMCG company, during the peak of
pandemic triggered by the spread of Novel
Coronavirus Covid-19, had to take some
difficult steps affecting a large number of
employees across the organisation spread over
250 locations in India. In such a scenario the
top management before going ahead with the
decision, invited suggestions to reduce costs
and boost productivity via the internal
communication app, SpeakUp.
 Scenario 2
• The CEO had a conference call with Senior and
middle management employees to understand
their point of view about the impending changes.
During the call they were encouraged to share the
grievances and apprehensions of the lower
management employees related to the upcoming
change. In order to improve the sales, President –
Marketing & Sales, asked the employees who
were not using the company products about the
reasons for the same and sought suggestions for
improvements.
Which out of the two scenarios do
you like and WHY?
 What is Communication?

Source: https://adamasuniversity.ac.in/communication-management/
 What is Communication?
• Process of transferring information, emotions,
ideas between two or more people
 What is Communication?
• Process by which information, ideas and opinions are
exchanged between individuals through a common
system of symbols, signs or gestures.

• Sharing is the essence of communication

Importance of Communication for
Professional Success
• Technical professional
• Entrepreneurs
• Executives
• Freelancers
Importance of Communication
• A stronger sense of trust between individuals and organizations
• Closer ties with important communities in the marketplace
• Opportunities to influence conversations, perceptions, and trends
• Increased productivity and faster problem solving
• Better financial results and higher return for investors
• Earlier warning of potential problems, from increasing business
costs to critical safety issues
• Stronger decision making based on timely, reliable information
• Clearer and more persuasive marketing messages
• Greater employee engagement with their work, leading to higher
employee satisfaction and lower employee turnover
 Tenants of Effective Business
Communication
• Provide practical information
• Give facts rather than vague impressions
• Be concise and clear
• Offer persuasive arguments and recommendations
Tenants of Effective Business
Communication

Source: https://businessjargons.com/7-cs-communication.html
 Communicating as a Professional

Source:
https://schoolwires.henry.k12.ga.us/cms/lib/GA01000549/Centricity/Domain/7220/Professional%20Communicating%20Assignment.pdf
Communicating as a Professional

Source:: Bovee & Thill

Communicating in an
Organization
 Quiz I
• Communication that flows along the
organisational hierarchy is:
• A) Horizontal Communication
• B) Upward Communication
• C) Downward Communication
• D) Vertical Communication
 Quiz I
• Answer:
D) Vertical Communication
Time for a Break!

Source: Google Images

Audience Centered Approach
 Audience Centered Approach
• You Attitude
• Trying to get into the shoes of your audience
• Etiquette
Communication Model/ Process
 Barriers to Effective
Communication

Source: https://www.jobmonkey.com/employer-insights/break-communication-barriers-
workplace/
 Barriers to Effective
Communication
• Noise & distractions
• Competing messages
• Filters
• Channel breakdowns
 Quiz II
• Rahul writes an email to his subordinate Chitra
informing her to share inputs for preparing the
monthly sales report. What role does Rahul play in
the communication process, that of:
• A) Sender
• B) Encoder
• C) Receiver
• D) Both A and B
 Answer to Quiz II
• Correct answer is
• D) Both A and B
 How to craft Noticeable
Messages?
• Audience Expectations
• Ease of Use
• Familiarity
• Empathy
• Compatibility
 How Audiences Decodes
Messages?
• Selective Perception
• Individual Thinking Styles
 Using Technology to improve
Businesses
• Keeping technology in perspective
• Beware of information overload
• Beware of relying too much on technology
 Technology Tools for Effective
Communication
• Web based meetings
• Video conferencing
• Shared online workspaces
• Voice technologies
• Instant messaging
• Wikis
• Data visualization
• Crowdsourcing
• Internet of things
 Technology Tools for Connecting
with Stakeholders
• Applicant Tracking System
• Blogs
• Podcasting
• Content creation
• Online video
• User generated content
• Gaming
• Micro blogging
• Social Networking
• Community Q & A sites
 Improving Conversations
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1vskiVDwl4
Source: