Part 2 – Skills for Part 2 – Skills for SuccessSuccess

Chapter 5Chapter 5Communicating Communicating

on the Jobon the Job

CommunicationCommunication

The process of conveying The process of conveying a message, thought, or a message, thought, or idea so it is accurately idea so it is accurately received and understood.received and understood.

Communication skills Communication skills needed in the workplace needed in the workplace are listening, reading, are listening, reading, writing, and speaking.writing, and speaking.

Employers also want Employers also want workers to be skillful in workers to be skillful in using communication using communication technology.technology.

Communication ModelCommunication Model

SenderSender – starts communication – starts communication EncoderEncoder – forms mental picture – forms mental picture MessageMessage – something – something

understood by the senses understood by the senses (written, spoken, printed)(written, spoken, printed)

ChannelsChannels – how message is – how message is delivereddelivered

ReceiverReceiver – gets message – gets message DecoderDecoder – forms mental – forms mental

picturepicture FeedbackFeedback – reveals what – reveals what

message was receivedmessage was received NoiseNoise – anything that – anything that

interrupts messageinterrupts message

Effective CommunicationEffective Communication

The communication process is more complex The communication process is more complex than just speaking or writing to another than just speaking or writing to another person.person.

The way the receiver reacts conveys what The way the receiver reacts conveys what message they understood.message they understood. If the reaction is not what you expected, the If the reaction is not what you expected, the

receiver may have misunderstood the message.receiver may have misunderstood the message. Aside from interference you hear, noise is a Aside from interference you hear, noise is a

psychological factor that affects psychological factor that affects conversations.conversations.

Conflict between the sender and receiver can Conflict between the sender and receiver can result in psychological noise.result in psychological noise.

Listening SkillsListening Skills

Sometimes mistaken for the same, Sometimes mistaken for the same, listening and hearing are completely listening and hearing are completely different.different.

When you When you hearhear something, you something, you simply recognize the sound.simply recognize the sound.

When you When you listenlisten to someone, you to someone, you understand what you hear.understand what you hear.

Communication does not take place Communication does not take place if the person is not listening when if the person is not listening when the message is sent.the message is sent.

Failure to ListenFailure to Listen

The following situations often The following situations often lead to people not listening:lead to people not listening: Being interrupted.Being interrupted. Thinking they know what will Thinking they know what will

be said.be said. Disagreeing with what is said.Disagreeing with what is said. Having difficulty hearing.Having difficulty hearing. Being distracted by the Being distracted by the

speaker.speaker. Not understanding the words.Not understanding the words. Thinking about something else.Thinking about something else.

Reading and Reading and Comprehension SkillsComprehension Skills

At your job you will be expected to At your job you will be expected to read many types of printed material.read many types of printed material.

Aside from simply being able to Aside from simply being able to sound out the words, you need to be sound out the words, you need to be able to able to comprehendcomprehend, or understand, , or understand, the information.the information.

Good reading and comprehension Good reading and comprehension skills will help you do well on the job.skills will help you do well on the job.

Becoming a Better ReaderBecoming a Better Reader

Use the following Use the following guidelines to improve guidelines to improve reading skills:reading skills: read with purposeread with purpose look over the material look over the material

you are reading firstyou are reading first try to read for meaningtry to read for meaning try to improve your try to improve your

vocabularyvocabulary

Writing and Keyboarding SkillsWriting and Keyboarding Skills

Both writing and Both writing and keyboarding are keyboarding are important skills for an important skills for an employee. employee.

Good writing is critical Good writing is critical to present clear and to present clear and logical thoughts. logical thoughts.

Basic keyboarding skill Basic keyboarding skill will help you compose will help you compose workplace workplace communications and communications and key-in key-in data.data.

Business LettersBusiness Letters

Letters written in the workplace are Letters written in the workplace are more formal than personal letters.more formal than personal letters.

Business letters have different parts, Business letters have different parts, use specific styles, and have a use specific styles, and have a distinct appearance.distinct appearance.

It is important to keep a copy of It is important to keep a copy of every business letter you write.every business letter you write.

Parts of a Business LetterParts of a Business Letter

Return addressReturn address DateDate Inside addressInside address SalutationSalutation BodyBody Complimentary Complimentary

closeclose SignatureSignature Reference initialsReference initials

Types of Business LettersTypes of Business Letters

Business letters are usually written Business letters are usually written for one of three reasons:for one of three reasons:to request information, merchandise, or to request information, merchandise, or

serviceserviceto send good news or a neutral messageto send good news or a neutral messageto deliver bad newsto deliver bad news

Request LettersRequest Letters

Three main points to coverThree main points to coveryour request and why you are making ityour request and why you are making itdetails necessary for the reader to details necessary for the reader to

respond to your request correctlyrespond to your request correctlywhat action you want the reader to what action you want the reader to

take and whentake and when

Good News and Neutral-Good News and Neutral-Message LettersMessage Letters

Three important Three important points to tell the points to tell the readerreaderthe news or the main the news or the main

ideaideaany details, facts, or any details, facts, or

reasons that relate reasons that relate to itto it

an ending with a an ending with a positive, friendly positive, friendly notenote

Bad-News LettersBad-News Letters

Four important points to tell the Four important points to tell the readerreadersomething positive that interests the something positive that interests the

reader, yet relates to the bad newsreader, yet relates to the bad newswhy the request cannot be granted or why the request cannot be granted or

why the situation must be different from why the situation must be different from the way the reader wants itthe way the reader wants it

a constructive suggestion or an a constructive suggestion or an alternativealternative

an ending with a friendly, positive notean ending with a friendly, positive note

Appearance of a Business Appearance of a Business LetterLetter

A letter needs A letter needs marginsmargins, or blank space, at , or blank space, at the top, sides, and bottom of the paper.the top, sides, and bottom of the paper.

In the In the block-form letterblock-form letter, all parts begin at , all parts begin at the left margin with no indentation.the left margin with no indentation.

In the In the modified block-form lettermodified block-form letter, the , the paragraphs may be indented and all parts paragraphs may be indented and all parts begin at the left margin except the return begin at the left margin except the return address, date, complimentary close, address, date, complimentary close, name, and signature.name, and signature.

Appearance of a Business Appearance of a Business EnvelopeEnvelope

The inside address needs to be repeated The inside address needs to be repeated slightly above the center.slightly above the center.

The return address, with the full name of The return address, with the full name of the sender, goes in the upper left corner.the sender, goes in the upper left corner.

Printing the customer address in full Printing the customer address in full uppercase letters works best in U.S. Postal uppercase letters works best in U.S. Postal Service scanners.Service scanners.

Always include the zip code and two-letter Always include the zip code and two-letter state abbreviation developed by the postal state abbreviation developed by the postal service.service.

MemosMemos

A memo is a short informal written message A memo is a short informal written message to or from people or departments in the to or from people or departments in the same company. same company.

Standard parts of a memo includeStandard parts of a memo include datedate toto fromfrom subjectsubject bodybody

Business ReportsBusiness Reports

Business reports are written to Business reports are written to present a new idea, explain a present a new idea, explain a problem, or summarize work. problem, or summarize work.

When planning your report, you When planning your report, you shouldshoulddefine the purpose.define the purpose.consider who will receive the report and consider who will receive the report and

how much detail they need.how much detail they need.determine what ideas need to be determine what ideas need to be

included.included.

Formal and Informal Formal and Informal ReportsReports

Formal reports are usually long and Formal reports are usually long and about complex problems.about complex problems.

Informal reports are short and Informal reports are short and include the body of the message, like include the body of the message, like the body of a letter or memo.the body of a letter or memo.

Nonverbal CommunicationNonverbal Communication

Any message that Any message that does not use written does not use written or spoken words.or spoken words.

Nonverbal Nonverbal communications communications should reflect what should reflect what you are saying in you are saying in written or verbal form.written or verbal form.

The meaning of what The meaning of what you say can be altered you say can be altered by facial expressions, by facial expressions, gestures, and posture.gestures, and posture.

Speaking SkillsSpeaking Skills

Employers usually consider speaking skills Employers usually consider speaking skills one of the basic skills needed by effective one of the basic skills needed by effective workers. workers.

When speaking to others, follow these When speaking to others, follow these guidelinesguidelines speak clearly and distinctlyspeak clearly and distinctly speak to the listenerspeak to the listener speak with a friendly, courteous tonespeak with a friendly, courteous tone use standard Englishuse standard English talk “with” the listener, not “to” the listenertalk “with” the listener, not “to” the listener

Talking on the PhoneTalking on the Phone

One of the quickest ways to communicate One of the quickest ways to communicate in the workplace is with the telephone.in the workplace is with the telephone.

Pointers to improve work-related Pointers to improve work-related telephone skillstelephone skills answer the phone immediatelyanswer the phone immediately greet the caller pleasantlygreet the caller pleasantly give the name of your company, your give the name of your company, your

department, or your own namedepartment, or your own name speak clearly and say each word distinctlyspeak clearly and say each word distinctly end the conversation pleasantlyend the conversation pleasantly

Taking a Phone MessageTaking a Phone Message

Be prepared with pen and Be prepared with pen and paper so you can write down paper so you can write down messages.messages.

Record the following:Record the following: datedate time of the calltime of the call name of callername of caller name of person who should name of person who should

receive the messagereceive the message the message itselfthe message itself

Read the message back to Read the message back to the caller to make sure it is the caller to make sure it is correct.correct.

Communication TechnologyCommunication Technology

Methods of communicating are rapidly Methods of communicating are rapidly changing in the workplace.changing in the workplace.

The speed of communicating is also much The speed of communicating is also much faster due to technology.faster due to technology.

Technology used in the workplace includesTechnology used in the workplace includes computers and access to computers and access to e-maile-mail voice mailvoice mail cellular phonescellular phones walkie-talkieswalkie-talkies headsets which allow you to headsets which allow you to multitaskmultitask teleconferencingteleconferencing and and videoconferencingvideoconferencing

Informal Communication Informal Communication ChannelsChannels

Unscheduled communication with coworkers Unscheduled communication with coworkers that occurs by chance is informal that occurs by chance is informal communicationcommunication. .

Sometimes more information is Sometimes more information is communicated in the workplace informally communicated in the workplace informally rather than formally. rather than formally.

It is important to distinguish facts from gossip. It is important to distinguish facts from gossip. These communications take place in a variety These communications take place in a variety

of settingsof settings while while commutingcommuting while on a shift changewhile on a shift change during work breaksduring work breaks

Thinking BackThinking Back

What skills are What skills are required for required for effective effective communications?communications?

What new What new technologies are technologies are employed in employed in communications?communications?

What are some What are some differences between differences between formal and informal formal and informal communications?communications?