COMMUNICATION IN THE PROFESSIONAL WORLD

In the professional and business worlds, good communication is absolutely essential for
success. Any communication between or among professionals, whether of similar or different
activities, has successful outcome as the objective.

In this day and age, there are many ways of communication in the professional world.
VOIP, or Vonage’s Voice over Internet Protocol, is a revolutionary communication method that
lets businesses communicate all over the world at reduced costs. This is especially indicated for
small businesses looking for ways to reduce costs.
Although no longer high tech, there is no better method than emails to send important
information, to make plans, to send attachments, to store files and to contact groups.
Tele and video-conferencing are methods of communication which allow firms to build firm
relationships with distant partners without spending too much money. One definite advantage
of this method is that connections are dependable anywhere in the world allowing businesses,
employers and employees to communicate effectively wherever they are.
Although the voice call seems to be less important now, and in spite of all the methods of
communication available, you must admit it is much easier making a voice call to express any
humour or to change your tone of voice than to send an email or a message.

Social networking sites have made communications so simple nowadays, and Facebook is an
excellent instantaneous way to get in contact with employees, workers or businesses, and
also to make a personal presence being in contact with customers - Fax machines can be
needed to send copies of documents from one place to another. The document is scanned and
printed and sent by way of the telephone system to another fax machine. The downside of
this method is that not everyone has a fax machine.

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The great advantage of sending a fax is that it can be sent to any part of the world and that it’s
much quicker than using the post office.

In this world of ours, there are important changes in every field, and no different is the
workplace. Whether they are changes in installations or changes in work methods or changes
in employees’ positions, the workplace is ever changing in different ways.
Prior to job interviews, when applying for a job, the traditional cover-letter and experience
resumé, in many cases has been substituted by a job application online. A disadvantage of this
method of application is the employers’ lack of opportunity to meet the applicants in person
before being actually employed.
With regards to the vetting process, when the more successful of the candidates usually
provide the names of three referees who are contacted by phone, now in many cases an
employer will use Linkidin, another technological invention, to find a prospective employee
with all the essential information available.
Whereas new employees are actually taken round the workplace for the actual workers to
meet, in many workplaces a memo in the form of an email is sent to all departments with a
request to the staff to welcome the new member.

It seems that the typical boss no longer appears to be a mature-aged white-haired gentleman
with years of experience in his field,; but there seems to be a tendency for a much younger
person, man or woman in the 35-45 age group in charge of the factory or office floor, and in
other areas. This is good in that it gives more of a chance to a younger person to reach a
position of authority. On the other hand, it seems that the much older person, perhaps nearing
retirement, will be dispensed with, perhaps by being offered early retirement, being
transferred to another department, or simply by being laid off.

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There used to be, and there still is in many workplaces, a conservative dress code –a suit and
blouse for women and suit, shirt and tie for the men. Now dress codes are much more casual,
and in many workplaces jeans are acceptable. This must please the workers but if they come
into contact with the public while working, being so casually dressed might.
give the wrong impression to outsiders and create displeasure.
As regards office management, the faithful typewriter seems to have been largely substituted
by the PC or Mac. The big advantage is that work on the PC is quick but the disadvantage is
that working efficiently and quickly on the PC is a skill that has to be learned.

Relative to negotiating skills, there are a number of points to be taken into consideration.
Firstly, the problem in focus must be analyzed in order to be sure of the matter to be
discussed. One must be a good listener. It is not enough to just state your case. The
negotiators from both sides must be patient enough to listen to what the other side says alicts

that appear. One must be patient but persuasive.

It is also extremely important to be able to make decisions without hesitation.
One must have learned interpersonal skills, to be ethical when making decisions, and to be
reliable. The latter skill is essential so that the opposing side in the negotiating will know they
can trust you when you make promises.

Teamwork skills are more important than many people think.

First and foremost, you need to be able to work with others. Clear communication of your
ideas to the group is an essential skill by way of phone, email and in person. Your tone of voice
should be friendly but professional, and non-verbal communication like gestures and facial
expression are also important.

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Conflict management, which is settling problems –or at least trying to- between group
members is an important skill. Negotiating with the other group members to bring an end to
disagreements will make sure that everyone is happy with the choices made.
Listening is another good communication skill- You must listen to the ideas of the others to be
a good group member. By asking questions and showing you care and communicating non-
verbally shows understanding.
You need to show reliability for the other group members to trust you. You must complete
tasks and keep to deadlines to earn the trust of others.

Respect for others will make people want to communicate with you. Using first names and
making eye-contact will show appreciation.
An employee with good negotiating skills is capable of making decisions while negotiating and
might have to make a quick compromise in order for a compromise to be made.
Patience and the ability to persuade without manipulation are necessary skills and keep a
positive atmosphere while negotiating.
Acting ethically and being reliable produce a positive environment during a negotiation and
both parties must be able to trust the other to carry out promises and commitments when
negotiations end.

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Language skills are important in intercultural communication, but not the only requirement. It
is also essential to understand that different cultures have different customs, and so on. Good
intercultural communication is to accept differences and adapt to them. After knowing and
understanding these differences, this knowledge should be applied to communication across
cultures and languages. If English is not the working language, one must be willing to learn a
few phrases in the other language. One must also adapt one’s behavior and not always expect
that others will adapt to you.

When interacting it is necessary to check understanding on both sides by asking questions.

Although English has become the global language of trade and commerce, only in the last few
decades has it affected many aspects of business in the world. English has become standard
for official communication in a very large number of countries with many native languages.
Due mainly to internet, English is spreading s the major medium when large and small firms do
business.

As it is the most commonly used language in business, knowing English provides opportunities
for people to meet others and to create relationships; it helps people understand new cultures
and provides access to new experiences. Finally, and not the least important, knowing English
gives better job opportunities in this very competitive world of work.

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