business-communication

1. Unit 2
Speaking, listening and non-verbal communication

2. Overview
 Why are communication skills important?
 Oral communication in the workplace
 Speaking skills
 Listening skills
 Non- verbal communication
 How to improve your non-verbal communication skills
 The telephone
 Voice processing

3. Why are communication skills
important?
To secure an
interview
To get the
job
To do your
job well
To advance
in your
career

4. Oral communication in the workplace
 Private discussion
 Conversation over lunch
 Gossip in the lift
 Telephone conversation
 Chance meeting in the corridor
 Informal gathering of staff
 Instructing subordinates
 Dealing with clients
 Formal meetings
 Interviews
 Training sessions
 Giving a presentation
 Conferences/seminars

5. Speaking skills
 Most people find talking easier than writing because phrases
can sometimes be used in speech that would not be
appropriate in written communication.
 However, if understanding is to be complete and effective,
the spoken language needs to be chosen carefully

6. Listening skills

7. Listening skills
 Listening is half of oral communication
 All effective leaders and managers realise the
importance of acquiring good listening skills
 Consequences of not listening carefully could be
disastrous.

9. The listening process
• Physically hear message and take note
• Affected by external factors i.e noise
1.Receiving
• Infer speaker’s meaning based on own experiences
• Need to understand speaker’s frame of reference
2. Interpreting
• Store message for future reference
3. Remembering
• Consider points mentioned and assess their
importance
4. Evaluating
• Reacting to speaker’s message
5. Responding
• In certain occasion, action is vital. Put all promised
action in writing and make sure to deliver promises
6. Acting

10. Barriers to effective listening
 Pre-judgement
 Selfishness
 Selective listening

11. Non- verbal communication
Posture
Facial
expressions
Gestures
Eye contact Touching

12. How to improve your non-verbal
communication skills
 1. Be honest, especially when communicating emotions
 2. Use a firm, friendly handshake
 3. Maintain eye contact
 4. Reinforce your words with tones and gestures
 5. Be aware of your posture
 6. Use appropriate gestures to support your points
 7. Imitate the posture and appearance of people you want to
impress
 8. Show respect for speakers and listeners
 9. Touch people only when appropriate and acceptable
 10. Smile genuinely, as a fake one will be obvious

13. The telephone
 Most people use the telephone several times a day; calls are
usually straighforward and require little planning
 However, using the telephone for business purposes is very
different
 The person on the telephone represents the company
 Important to use tone of voice, inflections and attitude
carefully to show professionalism, your readiness to listen
carefully, and your ability to communicate clearly

14. Making effective telephone calls
Before calling
 Choose the right time to call
 Check the number
 Plan your call
 Be prepared
 Avoid interruptions

15. Making effective telephone calls
During the call
 Be courteous and establish a rapport
 Put a smile in your voice
 Check your notes
 Obtain feedback
 Close in a positive, courteous manner

16. Making effective telephone calls
After the call
 Make notes
 Take action

17. Taking messages
 Requires both oral and written communication skills
 A pencil and telephone message pad should always be kept
by the telephone
 When taking messages, remember that the caller cannot see
you; need to give verbal signals to know the message is being
understood
 A telephone message should be passed to its recipient
immediately, or placed on the person’s desk if the recipient is
out

18. Voice processing
 Voice mail
 Allows one to send, store and retrieve verbal messages. Often used in
business to replace brief inter-office notes or emails and messages that
need no response
 Recording your voice mail greeting
 Keep it brief – no longer than 20-30 seconds
 State action clearly
 Be professional – businesslike voice
 Leaving a voice mail message
 Effective voice mail message: keep it brief, speak precisely and
clearly