CHAPTER 1

Career Success
Begins With
Communication
Skills

Multimedia Instructor Version

© 2010 Thomson South-Western
 Communication Skills:

Your ticket
to work...

OR

Your ticket out the door!

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e 2
 Good communication skills
are essential for

Job placement
Job performance
Career advancement
Success in the new world
of work

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e 3

 The Process of Communication

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e 4

The Process of Communication

How may the sender Verbally or nonverbally.

encode a message? By speaking, writing,

What kinds of Letters, e-mail, memos,

channels carry TV, telephone, voice,
messages? body. Others?

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e 5

The Process of Communication

How does a receiver Hearing, reading,

decode a message? observing

When is When a message is

communication understood as the sender
successful? intended it to be.
How can a
Ask questions, check
communicator provide
reactions
for feedback?

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e 6

Barriers to Effective Listening

Physical hearing disabilities, noisy

barriers surroundings
Psychological
ideas that counter our values
barriers
Language unfamiliar or charged words
problems
Nonverbal clothing, mannerisms,
distractions appearance

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e 7

Barriers to Effective Listening

Thought speed our minds process

thoughts faster than
speakers say them
Faking pretending to listen
attention

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e 8

 Ten Misconceptions
About Listening

1. Listening is a matter of intelligence.

FACT: Careful listening is a learned
behavior.
2. Speaking is more important than listening
in the communication process.
FACT: Speaking and listening are
equally important.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e 9

 Ten Misconceptions
About Listening
3. Listening is easy and requires little
energy.
FACT: Active listeners undergo the same
physiological changes as a person
jogging.
4. Listening and hearing are the same
process.
FACT: Listening is a conscious, selective
process. Hearing is an involuntary act.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e 10

 Ten Misconceptions
About Listening

5. Speakers are able to command listening.

FACT: Speakers cannot make a person
really listen.
6. Hearing ability determines listening
ability.
FACT: Listening happens mentally—
between the ears.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e 11

 Ten Misconceptions
About Listening

7. Speakers are totally responsible for

communication success.
FACT: Communication is a two-way
street.
8. Listening is only a matter of
understanding a speaker’s words.
FACT: Nonverbal signals also help
listeners gain understanding.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e 12

 Ten Misconceptions
About Listening
9. Daily practice eliminates the need for
listening training.
FACT: Without effective listening training,
most practice merely reinforces negative
behaviors.
10. Competence in listening develops
naturally.
FACT: Untrained people listen at only 25
percent efficiency.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e 13
 Keys to Building
Powerful Listening Skills
Stop talking.
Control your surroundings.
Establish a receptive mind-
set.
Keep an open mind.
Listen for main points.
Capitalize on lag time.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e 14

 Keys to Building
Powerful Listening Skills

Listen between the lines.

Judge ideas, not
appearances.
Hold your fire.
Take selective notes.
Provide feedback.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e 15

 Nonverbal Communication

Eye contact, facial expression,

and posture and gestures send
silent messages.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e 16

 Nonverbal Communication

Time, space, and territory send

silent messages.

Time (punctuality and structure)

Space (arrangement of objects)
Territory (privacy zones)

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e 17

 Nonverbal Communication

Appearance sends silent

messages.

Appearance of business
documents
Appearance of people

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e 18

 Four Space Zones for Social
Interaction Among Americans

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e 19

 Four Space Zones for Social
Interaction Among Americans

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e 20

 Keys to Building
Strong Nonverbal Skills

Establish and maintain eye contact.

Use posture to show interest.
Probe for more information.
Avoid assigning nonverbal meanings out
of context.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e 21

 Keys to Building
Strong Nonverbal Skills

Associate with people from diverse

cultures.
Appreciate the power of appearance.
Observe yourself on videotape.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e 22

 Culture and Communication

Good communication
demands special
sensitivity and skills
when communicators
are from different
cultures.
© 2008 Image Source Black/Jupiter Images

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e 23

 Dimensions of Culture

Context

Time Individualism
Orientation
Culture

Communication Formality
Style

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e 24

 Dimensions of Culture

Context
High-context cultures (those in Japan,
China, and Arab countries) tend to be
relational, collectivist.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e 25

 Dimensions of Culture

Context
Low-context cultures (those in North
America, Scandinavia, and Germany)
tend to be logical and action-oriented.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e 26

 Dimensions of Culture

Individualism
High-context cultures tend to prefer
group values, duties, and decisions.
Low-context cultures tend to prefer
individual initiative, and personal
achievement.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e 27

 Dimensions of Culture

Formality
North Americans place less emphasis
on tradition, ceremony, and social rules.
Other cultures prefer more formality.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e 28

 Dimensions of Culture

Communication Style
High-context cultures rely on
nonverbal cues and the total
picture to communicate.
Meanings are embedded at
many sociocultural levels.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e 29

 Dimensions of Culture

Time Orientation
Time. It correlates with
productivity, efficiency, and
money.
In some cultures time is
unlimited and never-ending,
promoting a relaxed attitude.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e 30

 Comparison of High- and
Low-Context Cultures
High-Context Low-Context
Cultures Cultures
Relational Linear

Collectivist Individualistic
Intuitive Logical
Contemplative Action-oriented

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e 31

 Improving Communication With
Multicultural Audiences
Oral Messages
Use simple English.

© Creatas / Photolibrary Group / Index Stock Imagery

Speak slowly and
clearly.
Encourage accurate
feedback.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e 32

 Improving Communication With
Multicultural Audiences
Oral Messages
Observe eye messages.

© Creatas / Photolibrary Group / Index Stock Imagery

Accept blame.
Listen without
interrupting.
Smile when appropriate.
Follow up in writing.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e 33

 Improving Communication With
Multicultural Audiences
Written Messages
Consider local styles.
Use short sentences and
short paragraphs.
Avoid ambiguous wording.
Follow up in writing.
Cite numbers carefully.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e 34

Improving Communication Among
Diverse Workplace Audiences
Understand the value of differences.
Seek training.
Learn about your own cultural and others.
Build on similarities.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e 35

 END

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© 2010 Thomson South-Western