This document discusses effective communication skills for business managers. It covers the importance of communication, models of communication, verbal and nonverbal communication, ethics, and staying connected. The key points are: 1) Effective communication is important for business and improves relationships with audiences. It should be objective, relevant, clear, concise and consider the audience. 2) The social communication model shows how messages are encoded, transmitted, decoded and feedback given. Understanding audiences is critical. 3) Verbal communication allows for feedback but can be emotional, while written communication is more formal but impersonal. Nonverbal cues like facial expressions and eye contact also impact messages. 4) Ethical communication follows guidelines like honesty,

1. Business Communication Skills for
Managers
Module 1: Communicating in Business

2. Why learn to effectively communicate in
business?

3. Effective Communication in Business

4. Learning Outcomes: Effective Communication in
Business
1.1 Discuss the importance of effective communication in business
1.1.1 Discuss how effective communication improves you as an employee
1.1.2 Identify characteristics of your audience in business communication
1.1.3 Discuss the process of the social communication model
1.1.4 Identify key features of effective writing in business
1.1.5 Discuss the overlap between professional and personal
communication

5. Effective Communication: OUR 4 C’s
When business professionals make contributions to the uncovering and
understanding the communication process, you should strive to be the following:
• Objective
• Understanding of Audience Knowledge
• Relevant
• Clear
• Concise
• Consistent
• Complete
These are the seven pillars of business communication.

6. Discussion
Read the captions on this
image. What do you think went
wrong with this project? Why?

7. The Business Audience
Why is it important to understand primary and secondary audiences?
What are the differences between them?
Reminder:
Primary audience
• the audience that your communication is intended for
Secondary audience
• the group of people that aren’t real stakeholders in your
communication

8. The Social Communication Model

9. Writing in Business
Rely on seven principles of business communication
• clear
• concise
• objective
• consistent
• complete
• relevant
• considerate of audience knowledge
Personal vs. Professional communication
• What is the level of formality between the communicator and the
intended audience?

10. Activity
If you had to write a communication to your team about a system outage
that you rely on to complete work as an organization, what seven principles
would make your message effective?
With a partner or in a small group, list what you would write using the seven
principles of communication.

11. Methods of Communication

12. Learning Outcomes: Methods of Communication
1.2 Differentiate between different methods of communication
1.2.1 Discuss the importance of listening
1.2.2 Discuss verbal communication and its role in business
1.2.3 Discuss nonverbal communication and its role in business

13. Five Keys Skills For Active Listening

14. Practice Question 1
An associate is sharing a story of how the CEO has pushed back for
additional information before a decision can be made on a capital
purchase.
What is the most appropriate response if you are practicing being an
active listener?

15. Verbal and Nonverbal Communication
Spoken Communication
• Less Formal
• Synchronous
• Build a sense of trust
Written Communication
• More Formal
• Asynchronous
• More impersonal

16. Verbal Communication
What are the benefits of spoken communication?
• easier to understand
• allows chances for feedback
• may be emotional
• allows for input
• creates relationships and bonds to listeners
• creates a higher degree of certainty

17. Nonverbal Communication
Here are some types of nonverbal communication and the effects they can
have on the success of your communication:
• Facial expressions
• Gestures
• Proximity
• Touch
• Eye contact
• Appearance

18. Ethics in Business Communication

19. Learning Outcomes: Ethics in Business
Communication
1.3 Discuss the importance of ethical communication
1.3.1 Identify key guidelines for ethical business communication
1.3.2 Describe how to communicate ethically online

20. Guidelines for Ethical Communication
Follow the seven principles with your communication:
Clear
Concise
Objective
Consistent
Complete
Relevant
Understanding of Audience Knowledge

21. Guidelines for Ethical Communication
I am honest—my actions bring respect for and trust in the communication
profession.
I communicate accurate information and promptly correct any errors.
I obey laws and public policies; if I violate any law or public policy, I act
promptly to correct the situation.
I protect confidential information while acting within the law.
I support the ideals of free speech, freedom of assembly, and access to an
open marketplace of ideas.
I am sensitive to others’ cultural values and beliefs.

22. Guidelines for Ethical Communication (Continued)
I give credit to others for their work and cite my sources.
I do not use confidential information for personal benefit.
I do not represent conflicting or competing interests without full disclosure and
the written consent of those involved.
I do not accept undisclosed gifts or payments for professional services from
anyone other than a client or employer.
I do not guarantee results that are beyond my power to deliver.

23. Practice Question 2
As a communicator, you are nearly assured of composing an ethical
communication if you
a)stick to the seven principles of communication
b)use tricky language that your audience might not understand
c)give credit to your sources

24. Principles of Ethical Decision Making
Some common principles:
• Legal and regulatory
requirements
• Long-term self-interest
• Personal virtue
• Utilitarianism
• Individual rights
• Distributive justice
• Religious injunction

25. Being Ethical Online
When posting create factual information and ensure confidentiality
When using materials, be sure to check the integrity of the source and the
copyright

26. Staying Connected

27. Learning Outcomes: Staying Connected
1.4 Discuss the importance of staying connected with colleagues, other
professionals, and customers in the digital age
1.4.1 Discuss the importance of staying connected with colleagues
and other professionals in the digital age
1.4.2 Discuss the importance of staying connected with customers in
the digital age

28. Staying Connected: Colleagues
List document and work sharing tools
Describe private messaging and “chat” tools
Share ideas of quality video communication

29. Staying Connected: Customers
Digital communication tools can provide those avenues, but they also need to
facilitate various methods of communication and complete the social
communication model’s circuit if they’re going to be effective.
Here are some tools:
Project and document sharing tools
Websites
Blogging and Social Media
Private message and “chat” tools
Video chat

30. Quick Review
• What are some ways that you can evaluate conversations using the seven
principles of business communication?
• How would you describe the features of the Social Communication Model?
• What are the positive and negative consequences of verbal
communication?
• What are the positive and negative consequences of nonverbal
communication?
• Why is ethical communication?
• What are some ways that you can stay connected with coworkers and
customers?