Business Communication and Report-writing best practice and principles

1. WOMEN IN MINING
CONFERENCE
CHARLES COTTER
6 MARCH 2013
EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION SKILLS AND REPORT
WRITING

2. PRESENTATION OVERVIEW
 Introduction
 Key presentation topics
 Summary
 Questions

3. Defining Effective
Communication
 Effective communication is when the
intended message of the sender is
correctly interpreted, understood and
acted upon by the recipient/listener.

4. Interpersonal Communication
Process

5. Barriers to effective
communication
 Intra-personal
 Interpersonal
 Structural
 Physical/environmental and technological

6. Improving interpersonal
communication skills
 Plan what you want to say and how you will say it
 Use multiple channels and mediums
 Tailor the message to the audience
 Use clear, simple and understandable language
 Empathize with others
 Remember the value of face-to-face communication when
dealing with change
 Use two-way communication

7. Improving interpersonal
communication skills
 Practice active listening
 Match your words and actions (congruency)
 Ask for feedback/questions to confirm
understanding
 Use the grapevine (as a source of employee
issues)
 Use feedback
 Use assertive communication

8. Johari Window

9. Non-verbal communication
(NVC)
 Research also shows that 55% of interpersonal
communication comes from non-verbal cues like facial
expressions, body stance, and tone of voice.
 According to one study, only 7% of a receiver’s
comprehension of a message is based on the sender’s
actual words; 38% is based on paralanguage (the tone,
pace, and volume of speech), and 55% is based on
body language.

10. Report writing best practice
 Use plain, everyday words and expressions that everyone
understands
 Turn your nouns into verbs when possible (use active
voice)
 Efficiency – “less is more”
 Clearly define the purpose and objectives of your
communication
 Clearly define the purpose and objectives of your
communication
 Build a good, logical argument

11. Report writing best practice
 A-B-C
 Proper structure
 Build the readers’ interest - A-I-D-A
 Planning and organizing your intended message
 Use an inverted-pyramid writing order
 Use appropriate language and style
 Edit your writing
 Using proper grammar, punctuation and spelling

12. Format of a business report
 External structure (front-end)
 Internal structure
 External structure (back-end)

13. Report writing process
 Apply the 80-20% principle
 Step 1: Planning (defining the objective and performing
an audience analysis)
 Step 2: Research (data collection and analysis, sources of
data)
 Step 3: Organizing (outlining/structuring the report,
logical sequencing)
 Step 4: Writing the first draft (putting pen to paper)
 Step 5: Review (editing, revision, feedback and
consultation)
 Step 6: Writing and submitting the final draft

14. SUMMARY
 Key points
 Questions
 Contact details:
 Charles Cotter
 084 562 9446
 charlescot@polka.co.za
 Linked In
 Twitter @Charles_Cotter