1. Chapter 1, Slide 7
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 1, Slide 7
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
The Process of Communication

2. Chapter 1, Slide 8
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Verbally or nonverbally.
By speaking, writing,
gesturing.
How may the sender
encode a message?
Letters, e-mail, memos,
TV, telephone, voice,
body. Others?
What kinds of
channels carry
messages?
The Process of Communication
The Process of Communication

3. Chapter 1, Slide 9
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
The Process of Communication
The Process of Communication
Hearing, reading,
observing
How does a receiver
decode a message?
When a message is
understood as the sender
intended it to be.
When is
communication
successful?
Ask questions, check
reactions, don’t dominate
the exchange.
How can a
communicator
provide for feedback?

4. Chapter 1, Slide 10
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Barriers to Effective Listening
Barriers to Effective Listening
Physical
barriers
hearing disabilities, noisy
surroundings
Psychological
barriers
tuning out ideas that counter
our values
Language
problems
unfamiliar or charged words
Nonverbal
distractions
clothing, mannerisms,
appearance

5. Chapter 1, Slide 11
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Barriers to Effective Listening
Barriers to Effective Listening
Thought speed our minds process
thoughts faster than
speakers say them
Faking
attention
pretending to listen
Grandstanding talking all the time or
listening only for the next
pause

6. Chapter 1, Slide 12
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Ten Misconceptions
About Listening
1. Listening is a matter of intelligence.
FACT: Careful listening is a learned
behavior.
2. Speaking is more important than
listening in the communication process.
FACT: Speaking and listening are
equally important.

7. Chapter 1, Slide 13
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
3. Listening is easy and requires little
energy.
FACT: Active listeners undergo the
same physiological changes as a person
jogging.
4. Listening and hearing are the same
process.
FACT: Listening is a conscious,
selective process. Hearing is an
involuntary act.
Ten Misconceptions
About Listening

8. Chapter 1, Slide 14
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
5. Speakers are able to command listening.
FACT: Speakers cannot make a person
really listen.
6. Hearing ability determines listening
ability.
FACT: Listening happens mentally—
between the ears.
Ten Misconceptions
About Listening

9. Chapter 1, Slide 15
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
7. Speakers are totally responsible for
communication success.
FACT: Communication is a two-way
street.
8. Listening is only a matter of
understanding a speaker’s words.
FACT: Nonverbal signals also help
listeners gain understanding.
Ten Misconceptions
About Listening

10. Chapter 1, Slide 16
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
9. Daily practice eliminates the need for
listening training.
FACT: Without effective listening
training, most practice merely reinforces
negative behaviors.
10. Competence in listening develops
naturally.
FACT: Untrained people listen at only 25
percent efficiency.
Ten Misconceptions
About Listening

11. Chapter 1, Slide 17
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Keys to Building
Powerful Listening Skills
Keys to Building
Powerful Listening Skills
 Stop talking.
 Control your surroundings.
 Establish a receptive
mind-set.
 Keep an open mind.
 Listen for main points.
 Capitalize on lag time.

12. Chapter 1, Slide 18
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
 Listen between the lines.
 Judge ideas, not
appearances.
 Hold your fire.
 Take selective notes.
 Provide feedback.
Keys to Building
Powerful Listening Skills
Keys to Building
Powerful Listening Skills

13. Chapter 1, Slide 19
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Nonverbal Communication
Nonverbal Communication
Eye contact, facial expression,
and posture and gestures send
silent messages.

14. Chapter 1, Slide 20
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Time, space, and territory send
silent messages.
 Time (punctuality and structure)
 Space (arrangement of objects)
 Territory (privacy zones)
Nonverbal Communication
Nonverbal Communication

15. Chapter 1, Slide 21
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Nonverbal Communication
Nonverbal Communication
Appearance sends silent
messages.
 Appearance of business
documents
 Appearance of people

16. Chapter 1, Slide 22
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 1, Slide 22
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Four Space Zones for Social
Interaction Among Americans

17. Chapter 1, Slide 23
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 1, Slide 23
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Four Space Zones for Social
Interaction Among Americans

18. Chapter 1, Slide 24
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Keys to Building
Strong Nonverbal Skills
 Establish and maintain eye contact.
 Use posture to show interest.
 Improve your decoding skills.
 Probe for more information.
 Avoid assigning nonverbal meanings
out of context.

19. Chapter 1, Slide 25
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
 Associate with people from diverse
cultures.
 Appreciate the power of appearance.
 Observe yourself on videotape.
 Enlist friends and family.
Keys to Building
Strong Nonverbal Skills

20. Chapter 1, Slide 26
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Culture and Communication
Culture and Communication
Good communication
demands special
sensitivity and skills
when communicators
are from different
cultures.
© 2008 Image Source Black/Jupiter Images

21. Chapter 1, Slide 27
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Time
Orientation
Communication
Style
Formality
Individualism
Context
Culture
Dimensions of Culture

22. Chapter 1, Slide 28
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Dimensions of Culture
High-context cultures (those in Japan,
China, and Arab countries) tend to be
relational, collectivist, and contemplative.
Context

23. Chapter 1, Slide 29
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Dimensions of Culture
Context
Low-context cultures (those in North
America and Germany) tend to be logical,
linear, and action-oriented.

24. Chapter 1, Slide 30
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Dimensions of Culture
Individualism
 High-context cultures tend to prefer
group values, duties, and decisions.
 Low-context cultures tend to prefer
individual initiative, self-assertion, and
personal achievement.

25. Chapter 1, Slide 31
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Dimensions of Culture
Formality
 North Americans place less emphasis
on tradition, ceremony, and social rules.
 Other cultures prefer more formality.

26. Chapter 1, Slide 32
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Dimensions of Culture
Communication Style
High-context cultures rely on
nonverbal cues and the total
picture to communicate.
Meanings are embedded at
many sociocultural levels.

27. Chapter 1, Slide 33
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Dimensions of Culture
Communication Style
Low-context cultures
emphasize words,
straightforwardness, and
openness. People tend to
be informal, impatient, and
literal.

28. Chapter 1, Slide 34
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Dimensions of Culture
Time Orientation
 Time is precious to North
Americans. It correlates with
productivity, efficiency, and
money.
 In some cultures time is
unlimited and never-ending,
promoting a relaxed attitude.

29. Chapter 1, Slide 35
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Proverbs Reflect Culture
Proverbs Reflect Culture
1. The squeaking wheel gets the grease.
2. Waste not, want not.
3. He who holds the gold makes the rules.
4. If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.
5. The early bird gets the worm.
What do these U.S. proverbs indicate
about this culture and what it values?

30. Chapter 1, Slide 36
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
What do these Chinese proverbs
indicate about the Chinese culture and
what it values?
1. A man who waits for a roast duck to fly into his
mouth must wait a very long time.
2. A man who says it cannot be done should not
interrupt a man doing it.
3. Give a man a fish, and he will live for a day;
give him a net, and he will live for a lifetime.
Proverbs Reflect Culture
Proverbs Reflect Culture

31. Chapter 1, Slide 37
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Proverbs Reflect Culture
Proverbs Reflect Culture
What do these proverbs indicate about
their respective cultures and what they
value?
1. No one is either rich or poor who has not
helped himself to be so. (German)
2. Words do not make flour. (Italian)
3. The nail that sticks up gets pounded down.
(Japanese)

32. Chapter 1, Slide 38
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Improving Communication With
Multicultural Audiences
Improving Communication With
Multicultural Audiences
Oral Messages
 Use simple English.
 Speak slowly and
enunciate clearly.
 Encourage accurate
feedback.
 Check frequently for
comprehension.
©
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Photolibrary
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Index
Stock
Imagery

33. Chapter 1, Slide 39
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
©
Creatas
/
Photolibrary
Group
/
Index
Stock
Imagery
Oral Messages
 Observe eye messages.
 Accept blame.
 Listen without
interrupting.
 Smile when appropriate.
 Follow up in writing.
Improving Communication With
Multicultural Audiences
Improving Communication With
Multicultural Audiences

34. Chapter 1, Slide 40
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Written Messages
 Consider local styles.
 Consider hiring a translator.
 Use short sentences and
short paragraphs.
 Avoid ambiguous wording.
 Follow up in writing.
 Cite numbers carefully.
Improving Communication With
Multicultural Audiences
Improving Communication With
Multicultural Audiences

35. Chapter 1, Slide 41
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Improving Communication Among
Diverse Workplace Audiences
Improving Communication Among
Diverse Workplace Audiences
 Understand the value of differences.
 Seek training.
 Learn about your own cultural self.
 Make fewer workplace assumptions.
 Build on similarities.

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