QUESTION AND ANSWERS :

Q1. Describe a situation that you experienced where communication went wrong because the non-verbal behavior sent conflicting signals. Which aspect of non-verbal communications was responsible for the communication failure ? How would you rectify this? Ans: Non-verbal communication, defined as communication without words. It refers to any way of conveying meanings without the use of verbal language. The game of dumb charades is a perfect example. Non-verbal communication is generally unintentional, unlike verbal communication. All of us tend to communicate silently and unknowingly send signals and messages by what we do, apart from what we say. Gestures, facial expressions, posture and the way we dress, are all part of non-verbal communication. Non-verbal communication can have a greater impact than verbal communication, since how you say something is sometimes more important than what you say. Although non-verbal communication can affect both our personal and business relationships, it is particularly important in the workplace. While the spoken or written words may be perfect, the non-verbal aspects could convey the exact opposite meaning. Different aspects of non-verbal communication 1. Kinesics: This is the most often studied and important area of non-verbal communication and refers to body movements of any kind. Different body movements can express inner states of emotion. Facial Expressions can convey feelings of surprise, happiness, anger and sadness. If you meet a long lost friend and say Im very happy to meet you again, but with a sad facial expression, it conveys the exact opposite meaning. Eye Movements, such as wide open pupils express feelings of surprise, excitement or even fear. The importance of eye contact with ones audience was pointed out earlier. Direct eye contact is an indication of intensity and interest, while lack of it can convey feelings of nervousness and guilt. Gestures, such as movement of the hands while giving a lecture or presentation indicates a high level of involvement in what you are saying. On the other hand, shuffling of the feet is a sign of nervousness and speaking with ones hands in ones pockets is considered to be casual or even rude. Head Movements like nodding the head can convey interest, appreciation, agreement or understanding. Body Shape and Posture Body shape is not within ones control but can be stereotyped to convey certain meanings. For example, someone who is strong and muscular is generally thought to be athletic, as opposed to a person who is short and fat! Posture on the other hand is within our control. In formal settings such as job interviews or classroom settings, it is essential that you maintain an erect posture to convey that you are attentive, since slouching or a relaxed posture conveys a casual attitude. Physical Appearance Our outward appearance, including the way we dress and the jewelry and make-up that we wear can convey an impression of formality or informality. Going to a job interview dressed in blue jeans or not sticking to a stipulated dress code at the workplace can convey that you are a rebel, non-conformist or a very casual person. Therefore, it is important to take care of your appearance, so that you convey the right meaning to others.

2. Proxemics: Proxemics is derived from the word proximity or closeness and is the communication term for personal space and distance. The space and distance which we choose to keep from people is also part of non-verbal communication. Each of us has our own inner and outer circles, which differ for different people. Our inner most circle is an intimate space, into which we generally admit only select people such as family and close friends. Next comes a personal space which might include other friends and colleagues or coworkers. These two spaces involve communication of an informal nature. Most of us also have a social and public space, which includes official or workplace relationships, where the communication is of a more formal nature. In a business context, it is more relevant to understand the concept of fixed space and semi-fixed space. Fixed space means that the physical features of the work environment such as furniture, room size and seating arrangement are permanent. 3. Time Language: This refers to the meaning or importance attached to time and varies between different people. One person may value time more than another. Similarly, time language also varies across cultures. In most western cultures for example, punctuality is considered to be important. Arriving late for a business meeting is inexcusable. In other cultures, it is more relaxed and time is not given that much importance. We convey messages to others through the time we spend on a work related activity or by the importance that we give to time. Arriving early at work or for a job interview shows interest, involvement and seriousness. Spending time with an employee and giving him suggestions on how to improve his performance shows interest and involvement in his career growth. 4 4. Paralanguage: Para means like or similar to, therefore paralanguage means like language. Of all the forms of non-verbal communication, paralanguage is closest to verbal communication. It refers to the tone of voice with which something is said. In other words, it is how something is said, and not what is said. The tone of voice includes the pitch (high or low pitch), the pace (slow or fast) the emphasis on words and the volume (soft or loud) and can convey different moods and emotions, as mentioned earlier in this unit. Example: The statement I practice good business communication can be understood in different ways, depending on the emphasis on certain words. Saying I practice good business communication means that I alone practice it above anyone else. On the other hand, saying I practice good business communication could be interpreted to mean that you communicate particularly well in a business context, rather than in a general context. The important point to keep in mind regarding tone of voice is to avoid mixed signals that is, making sure that what you say is consistent with how you say it. 5. Physical Context: This refers to the physical environment or surroundings within which we communicate and includes two aspects 1) color and layout and 2) design. Colors are known for their symbolic meaning and have associations with different feelings. For example, colors like black and grey are associated with death, mourning and negative feelings. Yellow and green are associated with more positive feelings. Of course, these can also vary across cultures. The point to remember is that you can make the right impressions with use of the right colors.

Layout in a work environment refers to the size of an office, or the arrangement of furniture. Design refers to the type of chairs, desks or carpeting. All these can convey status, formality or informality. We have seen how the types of non-verbal communication outnumber the types of verbal communication. Non-verbal communication is an important supplement to verbal communication and can enhance verbal communication, if used in a positive way.

Q2. Explain why Public Relations is an important part of external business communication? Ans: Although many companies focus on sales as a measure of business success, public perception is just as important to the organization's bottom line. Communications are one way to shape and define a corporation's image to the community, clients, and potential investors. External communications such as newsletters, media stories and press releases let the public know about the company workplace, philanthropic and environmental efforts, and other image-related activities, all of which serve to strengthen the public relations efforts of a company.

Q3. Select a company of your choice in a sector that you would like to work in. Imagine that you have to make a brief presentation on this company to business school students. Develop a) A general and specific statement of purpose b) The key idea c) Your style of delivery ? The specific statement of purpose of a presentation should be like I wish to inform you all that making this presentation before you is to convey you about our company, its product and future job opportunities that would be of interest to you. The key idea should be to make them aware about the company and its products thus spreading a mouth to mouth promotional campaign amongst their fraternity about the company and its product aiming to increase the sales and revenue of the company and of course the reputation/popularity of the company. And the style of delivery should be such that the specific information/details should have to convey to the students in a proper manner with some entertaining tips and examples thus make them impressive rather than a boring one.

Q4. Discuss the principles of business writing? Ans: Initial Thoughts: Quite a number of writing principles have made the rounds over time and I hope my contribution helps to further sharpen these principles; first off, what I've found to add tremendous benefit to these principles is the art of passive vs. active writing. The Principles each of these will be explained in a few sentences... Stay Focused: First off, you need to adjust the scope and scale of your writing to influence the behavior of your readers. This is the first step towards sharpening the focus of your writing. Scope: Adjust the breadth (restricting yourself to the subject matter) and depth (level of detail included) of your material. Scale: Length of your writing. The larger your scale, the higher the need to plan your writing. Behavior: Action or inaction of your reader after reading your material. Identify your Purpose: Next is to identify the purpose of your writing and connect it to your readers expectations. Avoid buzzwords and simply use a purpose analysis model (usually sieved from questions asked when taking your initial brief) to gather your thoughts in 3 simple ways: Identify your personal values and ambitions Identify your readers' expectations Find areas of overlap emphasize recurring commonalities and address all discrepancies.

Explain your Meaning: Always explain the meaning of whatever you write, whilst making sure readers can also relate! For example, answering the question what does A mean to B in a business stakeholders' communication is a simple, yet effective way of connecting with your readers. If you are looking for a simple way to put this into writing, use the [Statement], meaning [consequence] format. Simple illustrations include: We are facing stiffer competition in our market, meaning we need to develop new products this logistics team achieved its set targets, meaning team members have earned a bonus. Substantiate, substantiate, substantiate!!! looking for a simple way to put this into writing, use the [Statement], meaning [consequence] format. Simple illustrations include: We are facing stiffer competition in our market, meaning we need to develop new products this logistics team achieved its set targets, meaning team members have earned a bonus. Substantiate, substantiate, substantiate!!! Your writing will gain credibility when it is substantiated with facts. Always make sure to verify your factual statements before 'publishing'. My approach will be to use focus as the lead principle. This will guide you when building a text from scratch. Once the main structure of the text has been prepared, your substantiating details can then be added.

Always build a Structure: Three useful indicators include the use of sequence, consistency and balance to build a structure that guides the reader though your text Sequence - order in which youre writing unfolds: Consistency - using the same style and the same words when referring to the same object. Balance - your sentence or paragraph must be long enough to maintain a readers' interest but not too long. Consider sentences that are around 2 to 3 lines and paragraphs that hover around 6 to 10 lines.

Provide enough writing Clarity: Ensuring clarity when you're writing is presenting your piece so that the readers thinking revolves around a compelling idea. Total clarity is therefore achieved during editing, since this is where you create a distance between yourself and the material; i.e. reviewing and re-writing it. This puts your writing into perspective and allows proper evaluation of the pros and cons of your work, a definite litmus test to check whether the initial five principles are self-evident. Remain Humble: Be humble while writing and editing, and always critically judge your work first. Though this has no effect on how good the technicality of your work is, the truth is that most people are sick of reading anything that has an arrogant or condescending tinge to it. A tinge you definitely want to avoid if your thoughts are to be heard via your writing.

Q5. Write a short note on the SQ3R technique of reading? Ans: SQ3R stands for the initial letters of the five steps in studying a text: SURVEY S QUESTION Q READ R RECALL R REVIEW -R A brief explanation of these steps in the given order is as under: 1. Survey: Survey refers to a quick flance through the title page, peace and chapter heading of a text. By surveying, you will be able to gauge the main ideas of the text. Besides, the author's name, date, place of publication and title page can give you an idea of the general subject area. The table of contents, preface or foreword in a book would give you an idea of the themes and how they are organized. A survey of the index or bibliography tells you immediately whether the book contains what you need. 2. Question: The second step in SQR3 technique of reading is question. A survey of the ext will surely raise a few questions in our mind regarding the text. IF we go through the individual chapters, you might have specific questions regarding the topic. This will surely lead to gaining some insights into the text, topic and the author's comments. You will be surprised to see how your questions are answered in the process of reading and understanding the text. Therefore, don't treat reading as an automatic process. It has to be conscious and deliberate. With a definite purpose, where you interact with the topic and the author. 3. Reading: After surveying and questioning, you begin the actual reading. You need to develop a critical approach to reading anything for that matter. Read the text over and over again, ach time with a different question and a different purpose in mind. I read it once and understand everything kind of attitude is nothing but a myth. Hence, while reading for the first time, you should just focus on the main points/ideas and supporting details. 4. Recall: The fourth stage in reading comprehension is recalling. Reading is not an isolated activity. Every reading exercise increases your background knowledge. You should be able to connect the information gained with the already existing back ground knowledge. Recalling whatever, you have read will enable you to connect and relate the content with the previous and future learning of the subject. This leads us to the next stage in reading i.e. review 5. Review: Review is nothing but checking whether we have followed the earlier stages promptly and efficiently. Have we surveyed the book, article or magazine properly? Have we asked the appropriate questions relating to the content have we read it critically and have we recalled the most significant details of information required for our stuffy? These are questions that should be asked in the final stage of reading. Review will sharpen your critical ability, enable you to form your own opinions on the topic and express them to others.

Q6. List the importance of effective communication in the workplace? Ans: Importance of effective communication in the workplace Effective communication in the workplace means improving employee communication skills Effective communication in the workplace is the backbone of any business. Without it, you could miss out on important opportunities, waste time and cause your employees and customers to become frustrated. But not everyone is a born communicator, and there is always room to improve. That's why it's important to train your staff to create effective communication in the workplace.

Removing roadblocks to effective communication in the workplace When a problem arises, it's often due to poor communication in the workplace. Particularly in this digital age when we rely so heavily on emails and phone calls to get things done, vital information can become lost or misinterpreted if not communicated clearly. Arming your staff with good communication skills enables them to work efficiently, effectively and navigate any potential issues that may arise.

Everyone is different People have different styles of communication in the workplace. And while there is no right or wrong way to go about it, you can ensure that your staff are understood by teaching them how to adapt their style to the needs of others. With appropriate training, your employees will be able to identify their own communication style in the workplace, understand how this influences the process, and develop strategies to get the best results.

Effective communication in the workplace is a two-way street Communication skills don't simply mean the ability to talk and write effectively - they also rely heavily on listening and negotiation. Through training, employees will be able to practice their active listening and problem-solving skills and develop the means to influence outcomes. A professional training organization can help your employees develop effective communication in the workplace by teaching:

The importance of effective communication: Different styles of communication Awareness of non-verbal communication, such as body language How to improve written communication skills How to communicate with confidence How to tailor communication for an intended audience How to manage workplace conflicts or issues Negotiation and influencing skills Active listening skills and how to ask the 'right' questions.

Benefits of training to improve communication in the workplace: By developing better rapport with co-workers, employees are likely to be happier and more successful in their roles. Improving employees' morale will make them more likely to remain loyal to your business. Improving communication between individuals, teams or departments within your organization will streamline business processes and activities. Customer retention will be improved through better customer service. Staff will learn how to handle difficult situations and resolve conflict before it becomes a problem.

Opening the channels By promoting better communication in the workplace, you'll not only increase the efficiency of your team, but your organization too. Talk to a training specialist today about how you can improve the communication skills of your staff to create a more successful business.

QUESTION AND ANSWERS :

Q1. Explain the purpose of keeping minutes of a meeting. What goes into the contents of minutes of a Meeting? Ans: Minutes forms an essential part of most meetings. Their purpose is firstly to record Action Points, i.e. what actions have been decided upon, who is responsible and what the milestones and deadlines are. Secondly they record summaries of the discussions held at the meeting. The contents of the minutes of a meeting should need to have followings: Record any decision made. Record any agreed actions to be taken. Record who has been allocated any tasks or responsibilities. Actions from any relevant attendees. Provide details of the meeting to anyone unable to attend.

Q2. Prepare a brief notice to be put up on official notice boards, informing employees of your organization about a newly introduced, official bus service. Ans: To, All the employees The management of the company with great pleasure hereby wishes to notify all its employees that with immediate effect we have put in place a new bus service for the sake of the employees to take care of their day to day to & fro travel requirement during working days, so as to minimize the inconvenience being caused while depending on the public transport service to reach the office on time and go back to home after the duty hours. Please note that the bus will reach at the designated stops as per the schedule given below in the morning hours to pick you and will also drop you there in the evening hours. Hope, everyone will find this new endeavor in good faith and are sure you will continue to put your best efforts, hard work to the company in order to achieve greater heights and reputation. Thanks & Regards, General Manager HR

Q3. Write short notes on: (a) Upward communication (b) Downward communication (c) Horizontal communication Ans: a) Upward Communication: Upward communication is the flow of information from subordinates to superiors, or from employees to management. Without upward communication, management works in a vacuum, not knowing if messages have been received properly, or if other problems exist in the organization. By definition, communication is a two-way affair. Yet for effective two-way organizational communication to occur, it must begin from the bottom. Upward Communication is a mean for staff to: Exchange information Offer ideas Express enthusiasm Achieve job satisfaction Provide feedback

b) Downward Communication Information flowing from the top of the organizational management hierarchy and telling people in the organization what is important (mission) and what is valued (policies). Downward communication generally provides enabling information which allows a subordinate to do something. e.g.: Instructions on how to do a task. Downward communication comes after upward communications have been successfully established. This type of communication is needed in an organization to: Transmit vital information Give instruction

Encourage 2-way discussion Announce decisions Seek cooperation Provide motivation Boost morale Increase efficiency Obtain feedback

Both Downward & Upward Communications are collectively called Vertical Communication c) Horizontal/Literal communication Horizontal communication normally involves coordinating information, and allows people with the same or similar rank in an organization to cooperate or collaborate. Communication among employees at the same level is crucial for the accomplishment of work. Horizontal Communication is essential for: Solving problems Accomplishing tasks Improving teamwork Building goodwill Boosting efficiency

4. Go through business magazines and daily newspapers and select a situation when a company was facing a crisis (e.g., Coke and Pepsi pesticide controversy). How did the company communicate with its shareholders and other stakeholders to overcome the crisis? Was the communication effective? Ans: Shareholders are important internal stakeholders of an organization, since they are the owners of the company. Since the capital required is huge, there are no proprietors and partners any more. As organizations grow, shareholding is widely scattered. Therefore, it is essential to retain the shareholder's confidence in the company's management, through effective communication with them on a regular basis. There are two situations when shareholder communication is extremely vital: 1. If a company is doing well and wants to expand its scope of operations, or diversify into unrelated areas. In this case, good shareholder relations can help to raise the required capital and minimize borrowing from banks and financial institutions. 2. If a company is going through a crisis or difficult times, more communication with shareholders is needed. Take the example of Coke and Pepsi during the pesticide controversy. In such a situation, the company should be open with its shareholders and explain the problem clearly, including the steps being taken to overcome the crisis.

Q5. Discuss the different types of business reports? Ans. Different Types of Business Reports: This particular article I located discusses the different types of reports used for communication in the business world. Choosing the right type of report also requires a smart analysis. The writer must decide what type to use based on the information that he or she is trying to communicate. Also the writer must take into consideration their intended audience. Is the audience expecting the report to be in a specific format? Are they used to receiving information in one way? And which format will convey the message in the most appropriate way? Finally, how formal or informal should the report be Reports, according to this article, can be classified as according to function or according to formality? Reports according to function can also be subdivided into the following: Informational reports. Analytical reports Research reports

Whereas reports according to formality can be subdivided into the following: Statutory reports Non statutory or voluntary reports

The article goes further into outlining other types or reports such as information, analytical, research, statutory, non-statutory, special, and routine reports. Information reports are solely to provide facts without suggestion or personal opinions. Whatever ones findings is that is what reported. These facts are given without personal explanation or, again, any suggestions. Analytical reports are one step further as they contain facts alongside analytical explanation of these facts. They contain a sort of a narration of facts and collected data. They also contain a conclusion or a set of interpretations reached by the writer.

Q6. List the different steps involved in report preparation Ans. Steps in writing a report 1. Define the purpose of your report 2. Define the readers of your report 3. Define your sources of data 4. Gather and analyze your data 5. Decide on your recommendations 6. Decide on the key points to include in the report 7. Decide on the best order for your points 8. Decide on the best structure for the report 9. Select data to support your key points 10. Write a draft 11. Prepare tables and graphics 12. Edit and proof-read the report 13. Write an executive summary 14. Format the report professionally 15. Make a title page and table of contents