business communication assignment 1

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Module 1 assignment: communicating in business.

Your task is to read the statements in the form below and rate your perception of your communication skills.

• Download a PDF of this form here.
• Download a .docx file of this form here.

After rating your skills, write a short response to the following questions (max 500 words)

• What are your strongest and weakest skills?
• How do you think this class will help you improve or  build upon your current communication skill set?

Your task is to write an email introducing yourself. Put your first and last name and the assignment title in the subject line. For example: Maria Ruiz Assignment 1

Your message should address the following:

• Reasons for taking this class
• Your career goals (short term/long term)
• Familiarity with computer technology
• A brief discussion of how you view your current communication skill levels.
• What are your strongest and weakest skills as a writer?

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Candela citations.

• Communicating in Business. Authored by : Lumen Learning. License : CC BY: Attribution

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Assignment questions: semester one (january – june 2021), business communication 101, question one.

1 and explain the elements of the communication process.

Communication is a two-way process using a preferred channel where a verbal or non- verbal message is exchanged between two or more participants followed by a response from the recipient. The process is complex and has several models to explain the process. One of these models if the Linear model shows communication as a system of interrelated elements. The following elements are part of the communication process. a. Sender: The sender is the person who constructs the message within a particular context that is intended to be conveyed to one or more individuals. b. Message: The message itself needs to be understood by the recipient in the same terms/context as intended by the sender. The message can be an instruction, question, statement, or response and it must contain what the sender wants to convey. c. Code: The sender can make use of specific languages, symbols, or characters to convey the message. The code chosen is key for the interpretation of the message by the recipient in the same context as intended by the sender. d. Medium: The medium is the channel that the sender uses to convey/transmit the message. It is important that the appropriate medium is chosen else the message might not be conveyed to the recipient thus making the communication ineffective. Choice of mediums range from face-to-face, letter, e-mail, telephone, social media tools e., WhatsApp etc. e. Receiver: The receiver is the person/s to whom the message is sent. The degree to which the receiver understands the message is dependent on medium used, context of the message and the recipients ability to decode the message where applicable. f. Feedback: This is the response from the person who received the message that is sent back to the sender of the message. g. Noise: Noise is any physical or psychological barrier that can distort the message and can impact the efficacy of the message. Noise can take many forms, including a radio or tv playing in the background, environmental noise, another person trying to speak whilst two people are in a conversation, physical impairment and any

other distractions that can prevent the receiver from paying attention that impacts the efficacy of the communication.

1 between lateral communication and informal communication.

Lateral or horizontal communication related to the flow of messages across various functional areas on the same level in an organization. Communication in the workplace can enhance productivity and assist with problem solving, collaboration, and conflict resolution. It can also produce a higher quality of information exchange since it occurs directly between people working in the same environment. Lateral communication generally occurs formally in meetings, presentations, and formal electronic communication, and informally in other, more casual exchanges within the office. Informal communication occurs outside an organization’s established channels of sending and receiving messages. Informal communication has become increasingly important in the workplace and is commonly referred to as watercooler gossip or the grapevine. This type of communication can be beneficial or destructive to colleagues, management, or the organization and plays a fundamental role in office culture and politics. While office gossip may be important and accurate to a certain degree, it also has its disadvantages especially when it takes the form of a “rumour mill” spreading misinformation, introducing falsehoods and unproven information which can be harmful and obstructive.

QUESTION TWO 2 the major barriers to effective communication.

Communication barriers can have a significant impact on people’s personal and professional lives. Even with planned communication initiatives, there is always a consideration that needs to be made relating to the barriers that could impact the efficacy of communication. Barriers to communication are things that get in the way of a message being received. Managers need to be aware of these barriers and how to overcome them to improve the communication process.

There are several barriers to effective communication that have been identified. Robbins, et al (1999:32) lists the main classifications of these barriers as follows:

 Physiological Barriers Refers to physical impairments and disorders or limitations that can impact communication e., hearing or sight impairment, illness, substance abuse etc.

 Physical Barriers These are usually the most obvious barriers to effective communication. These barriers that are generally outside of the sender’s control. Includes barriers like social distancing, noisy traffic, dogs barking, construction work, poor network reception, weather etc.

 Psychological Barriers There are various mental and psychological issues that may be barriers to effective communication. These include speech disorders, phobias, depression, anxiety etc.

The way we communicate or style we use implies certain things about how we feel (mood), our personality and even the type of discussion we are having (serious, jovial etc.). We all adopt a style in each situation knowingly or unknowingly.  Expressive style is more spontaneous and usually applied when a person is feeling at ease, relaxed and comfortable to express their feelings e., when joking, socialising etc.  Problem-Solving style is usually used in business meetings or dealings, projects etc. where there is a problem that requires analysis and agreement on a way forward. This style is straight to the point, rational and objective.  Directive style is a more authoritative approach and is used by senior leadership, high ranking officials or those in a position of authority or power to provide guidance, instruction, leadership, direction, and mandates. It is also a style taken when one wants to state a fact or assert their opinion.  Meta style: meta describes an activity related to itself, in this case the communication process itself. It can be used to describe virtual team’s communication around how they should communicate within and outside of the team, in general it enables people to talk about their interactions (how, when, what etc.) (University of Louisville, 2007).

QUESTION THREE

3 Non-verbal communication refers to the transmission of information by means other than language. By referring to the above, discuss the following non- verbal indications/clues. 3.1 Silence When we talk about communication, we generally think of verbal/conversational communication. We do not always consider that non-verbal indicators also have an impact and influence on what is being communicated.

Silence in communication is not necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes it is necessary. It can mean that the person being silent is paying attention, actively listening, or allowing the other person to complete their part of the message. Silence is a very powerful form of communication and depending on the situation, the meaning of silence can differ. Constructive silence can move a conversation forward whilst destructive silence can shut down communication and create a barrier that discourages people from expressing their thoughts. Silence can also be misconstrued as being rude, whether intentional or not, therefore it is important that the channels of communication are open where one is able to ask the person being silent if there is a reason for them being silent.

3.1 Paralinguistic Paralinguistics refers to the part of communication outside of the words themselves – the volume, pitch, rhythm, gestures, and other non-verbal cues basically the way something is said. This form of non-verbal communication can be much more subtle than other forms of non-verbal communication.  Volume refers to how loud or soft a person speaks.  Pitch refers to how high or low a person’s voice can range e., baritone, shrill voice.

 Intensity refers to the assertiveness or gentleness of a person’s voice. An intense delivery can be an indicator of the speaker’s passion and commitment or lack of it. The tone also reveals emotions behind the words being spoken.  Rhythm refers to the speed of the speech. Different languages have different rhythms. People can speak at a faster rhythm when they are in a hurry, emergency etc. To keep conversations interesting and get a message across, it is important that one varies the tempo in a discussion.  Accent is the way words are pronounced or enunciated. Enunciating a word in a certain manner can cause confusion.  Kinesics is all about communication through body movement related to hands, arms, eyes, feet, body, and face. o Body posture: The way that the body is held can communicate many different messages. An open body that takes up a lot of space can indicate comfort and domination, whilst a closed-in body that makes itself small can signal inferiority. Slouching and stiffness should be avoided since it can indicate boredom, anger, defensiveness etc. o Gestures: When a person uses movement of their hands or body whilst they are communicating. This can be seen as encouraging or used to emphasise certain aspects of a message. Too much gesturing can become distracting and distort the message, it can also cause frustration and irritation amongst the audience. o Facial expressions and eye contact: When we communicate with others, we look always tend to look at their face concentrating on their eyes. In some cultures, eye contact is considered offensive and disrespectful whilst in others not making eye contact is considered rude. The eyes are usually referred to as ‘the windows of the soul’ since they do reveal much of a person’s emotions. Eyebrows and forehead also add significant signals, from surprise to fear to anger. The mouth can also signal when a person is happy, unhappy, or neutral. Yawning can indicate boredom. o Haptics: refers to the way in which people communicate and interact via the sense of touch. Touch is the most sophisticated and intimate of the five senses. Some forms include a handshake, or a gentle pat on back, or a high five. Managers and co-workers need to know the effectiveness of using touch while communicating and need to be cautious and understand how touch can be misunderstood.  Proxemics relates to the space or distance that people maintain between or amongst one another when engaging in a meeting or discussion. Some people take offense or are intimidated when people get too close or “in their personal space” whilst others are comfortable in similar situations. It is all dependent on a person’s preference in terms of the amount of personal space they are most comfortable with. The intimate zone is usually for close contact and intimate engagements, e., a couple in a relationship. The personal zone which tends to extend to 0,5 to 1, meters allows for communication without physical contact. The social zone which extends anywhere between 1 to 2 meters allows for socializing or consulting. The public zone usually extends beyond 3 meters is usually the zone between a public speaker and their audience.

relevant information makes employees and executives alike more efficient and productive, enabling quick responses to any issue that may arise. Email empowers us to connect with those who are next to us and with those around the world with the ability to ‘talk to more than one person at the same time.’ Today every employee – from the receptionist to the store man has access to email. It can also be the most powerful, successful, and cost-effective marketing and communications medium for a business. Email also empowers organizations to directly engage with customers on a personal, individual and permission basis. There are communication standards and policies that employees need to subscribe to when working in an organization. Employees must follow a prescribed format for their email signatures adhering to corporate identity. Certain employees, usually marketing or personal assistants, have the authorisation to distribute approved information via email to entire departments or the entire company, on behalf of executives. With email being an open platform, email etiquette has now become more important in the workplace. It is important to note that personal emails differ from business emails. It is important that people understand the longevity of emails in the workplace. Business emails are not an individual’s personal email therefore a business has the legal authority to monitor, track and trace emails in the workplace. Emails can also be printed and kept for record keeping purposes, for legal reasons, audit purposes etc. (Kritzinger-Erasmus et al, 2000:306). Email contents i., the message needs to be clear and concise so people can easily understand it. The body of the email should be polite, direct, and informative, as it should contain all pertinent information. It is important to always maintain professionalism e., avoid slang, informal language, inappropriate abbreviations, jargon, and emoticons. Equipped with the right tools and extensions, email is more powerful than any other communication tool that has ever existed on the internet.

QUESTION FIVE [10]

Conducting an interview requires skills. Unfortunately, the skills are rarely taught, and it is only experience that can improve interviewing abilities. With reference to the above statement, discuss the preparation stage to conduct an interview. There is always a minimum of two people who participate in an interview. The interviewer can be one or many people belonging to the same organization and the interviewee (aka the candidate). To conduct an effective interview, it is imperative that the interviewer and candidate are both adequately prepared. Good preparation takes time, but it pays off. Planning enables the interviewer to evaluate a candidate’s skill more effectively and create a positive interview experience. The interview must have a clear purpose and objectives that the interviewer intends to achieve. It is advisable to give the candidate sufficient notice of the interview thus allowing them time to make the necessary arrangements to be available for the interview.

The specifications of the interview must be clear. If the interview is taking place in a physical location, the details of the venue must be clearly stipulated including the date

and time for the interview. If the interview is online, the preferred online tool being used by the interviewer must be shared with the interviewee well in advance to ensure the same channel is being used by both parties. The interviewer should share the interview process with the candidate whether there are several stages that the candidate needs to go through and how long it will take for the company to make the hiring decision. It is imperative that the interviewer share a clear job description with the candidate as part of the invitation even if the candidate has a copy from the initial application. This will enable the candidate to prepare themselves for questions and compile questions they want to ask of the interviewer. The interviewer must advise the candidate if they will be expected to take tests or bring in examples of their work, so that the candidate is fully prepared. The interviewer must compile a list of questions that the candidate needs to answer to properly evaluate the candidate. The interviewer can choose to use different techniques to gauge a candidate’s ability to perform certain functions or their competence e., situational questions – situation, task, action, result or the use of open and closed questions. The interviewer does not have to ask only the questions they have compiled, they should be responsive to what the candidate provides, and build new questions off the candidate’s responses. It is also important that the interviewer have a list of the benefits that the company offers, company & business unit strategy/mission/vision, the relevant salary information etc. before going into the interview. It is important that the interviewer keeps the candidate at ease so that the interview is effective to both parties.

• Multiple Choice

Course : Communication in a business context (CBC150)

University : university of south africa, this is a preview.

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