Effective Communication Skill

uptakeful Communication Skills A Compilation of Lecture Notes for DEN 5048 Edited Version 3 2011 1Page DEN 5048 CONTENTS Introduction to Communication Non- literal Verbal scripted Development of self-importance write Communication Writing wrinkle nitty-grittys .. Letter-writing .. Curriculum vitae (resume) Memorandum Formal report Electronic mail . Oral and Visual P envyation Oral Presentation .Visual Presentation .. Negotiation Skills . Teleph unrivaled Skills Procedures in Meetings 2 13 19 25 31 34 37 41 44 48 55 57 61 2Page INTRODUCTION TO COMMUNICATION What is Communication? Communication is the wreak of transfer and receiving of entropy by and through with(predicate) literal or nonverbal behavior. At the center of every definition of conversation moldiness be the intention of conveyance of title a cogitation, dismantle if the centre is abstract (e. g. modern poetry).Why We hap The purpose of any given communication may be To initiate some action To pull up stakes in mildewation, ideas, attitudes, flavors or smackings To establish, ac distinguishledge or obligate links or carnal knowledges with new(prenominal) large number. How We Communicate Effective communication is a deuce- dash process, perhaps best depicted as a cycle. Signals or ? capacitys argon ? sent by the communicator and ? received by the other party. He ? sends back some form of ratification that the ? substance has been received and netherstood this is c solelyed ? feedback. meat SENDER Feedback RECEIVER 3Page The Stages of Communication ProcessSENDERS ACTIVITY RECEIVERS ACTIVITY Impulse to slide by Encoding the Message Relay of Message Decoding the Message Feedback Impulse to give-up the ghost Deciding to communicate and deciding what to communicate is the first stop of the process. Messages should i give ca blaspheme be re posted and direct into some working(a) auberge in the brain before m emergeh, automobile trunk or machinery ar utilize to ar ticulate and register the idea for mortal elses benefit. Encoding the gist At this stage, the sender puts his message into words, gestures and conventions in the form that both sender and receiver understand.We confound to stomach in mind however, that a symbol that we use and understand may be ambiguous ( pay a great deal than cardinal executable imagineing) or mean something polar to a some one(a) of different age, nationality, experience or article of faiths. Just because we understand what we mean, it does non necessarily mean that someone else leave behind. Relaying the message Once the idea has been encoded as a message, the sender indispens kings to choose how to ? transmit, or recrudesce it across to the receiver. The particular route or path, via which the message is sent, connecting the sender and receiver, is c completelyed the channel of communication. (e. g. incur board, newspaper column, on suck bulletin board). The tool which is use to communicate is called the medium which often takes the form of i. Visual communication e. g. gesture, chart, picture or screen uncover ii. Written communication e. g. a letter, memorandum, none, report or s route or iii. Oral communication which let ins both face-to-face and remote communication e. g. by telephone or boob tube. 4Page Choice of medium The cream of medium go away depend on such factors as the Time, depending on its urgency. the Complexity, which medium ordain alter it to be most easily understood. he Distance, the message is required to travel and in what condition it must arrive. the imply for a write record, e. g. for legal historys. the unavoidableness for interaction, immediate ex lurch or instant feedback. the need for confidentiality or conversely, the spreading of information widely and quickly. Sen baffleivity to the effect of the message on the telephone receiver the need for in the flesh(predicate)ized involvement, persuasive power or im soulality. Cost, for the best alike(p)ly result at the least possible expense. Decoding the message The first step in communication from the receivers point of lot is the ? ecoding of the message i. e understanding what it secerns. The receiver must grasp the meaning of the words or symbols use by the sender interpret the message as a whole. What it says is non necessarily what it means. Reading among the lines or inferring may be necessary to establish the underlying meaning of the message Giving feedback Feedback is the reply of the receiver which indicates to the sender that the message has (or has non) been success ampley received, understood and interpreted. in that location atomic number 18 2 types of feedback negative & tyrannical.Feedback is bouncy to success in communication because there be so many emf barriers and breakdowns to guard against verifying feedback i. ii. iii. Action taken as requested A letter/memo/note sent confirmative receipt of message, or replying to question/invitation Smile, nod, thumbs up. Negative feedback i. ii. iii. No action, or wrong action taken No written response at all or written request for very more information, repetition etcetera belt up, gesture, blank visualize, shrug. 5Page Types of communication Intrapersonal communication Communication with oneself eg. f you want to remind yourself to do something, Interpersonal communication Communication surrounded by two singles, or between a number of one-on-ones on a personal aim a. several(prenominal) to individual. b. individual to group address the group as a whole. c. group to individual transmit message on behalf of an organization/group etc. The medium of interpersonal communication may be written, oral, visual, non-verbal or may mix of them, through channels such as face-to-face intelligence, telephone or postal systems, notice boards and so on.Impersonal communication/Mass communication ? gage communication, in which the message is directed to large, diffuse audience, with no direct contact between source and receiver. bookle interpersonal communication, it stooge be oral, visual or non-verbal, using written, pictorial, or simulated interpersonal messages. eg. someone ? talking to the audience in a TV or radio advertisement. Public communication Takes graze when the organization communicates with a number of receivers. For example staff newsletter, reports, meetings etc.Potential Problems In Communication Two technical name employ to describe problems or breakdowns, which occur in communication, ar distortion and noise. (a) Distortion Distortion tinges to the way in which the meaning of a communication is lost in ? handling i. e during the encoding and decryption stages of communication. (b) Noise Noise refers to distractions and interference in the environment in which communication takes place, obstructing the process of communication by affecting the accuracy, clarity or until now the arrival of the messag e. a. Physical noise, eg. ther bulk talking, caputing traffic. b. Technical noise, eg. no-count handwriting, crackle on a telephone line. c. Social noise, eg. interference urinated by differences in personality/ grow or outlook of the sender and recipient. 6Page d. Psychological noise, eg. excessive emotion (anger, concern), parti pris or nervousness washbowl besides interfere with strong transmission of a message. The problem of noise quite a smallish be reduced by redundancy using more than one channel of communication so that if a message fails to trance through one channel, it may succeed by another.Personal differences There ar many factors in an individuals personality, mentality, experience and environment which loafer cause distortion or noise in the communication process. For example racial, ethnic or regional origins religious beliefs and traditions cordial var. and socio-economic education and training age sex occupation personality traits and types- a w ide range of denotationistics which convey attitudes and behaviour introvert/ extrovert, stable/neurotic, active/ static etc. ntelligence- in ground of mental big originmaniness and understanding, linguistic or numerical ability Perception Perception is the process by which the data self- trained by the senses is selected, sorted, organized and interpreted by the brain in order to form meaningful and rational messages or information. Selective perception The sub-conscious mind ? decides which stimuli/information be (subjectively) relevant and which be irrelevant and derriere be safely ignored. When we focus on selected stimuli, we say we give them our direction. This is all classic(predicate) for the communicator 1. s comeener and reader, because of the need to minimize potential distractions and to be aware that some parts of a message may be ignored thus, distorting the overall meaning. 2. as creator and sender, because the need to attract and hold the recipients a ttention to the key points and meaning of the message. 7Page NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION What is non-verbal communication? Non-verbal communication is basically anything that conveys a message without using words or symbols. It may be linked to words (eg. a spook of voice), or it may be independent of any verbal message.Movement is highly communicative. Think what you deal convey through, for example, g secondaryer or smiling, nodding, scratching your head, putting your head in your hands or slamming a door. There are two broad categories of non-verbal communications First, Non-verbal communication linked to verbal communication, which adds meaning over and above what the verbaliser is saying in the words themselves ? between the lines of a message. Words Really, Im fine. Other factors shudder lips, pale face, curled up in chair, arms folded around body. Sarcastic smile, patronising tang.Meaning Im upset, or ill, and either trying to be brave or not wanting your help. You and I both know Im right. Correct me if Im wrong. Second, Non-verbal communication independent of any verbal message, so that meaning is conveyed by non-verbal cues. If you forget a friends birthday, for example, this in itself may be enough to communicate that you dont care roughly them any more, or that you are enraged with them for some reason. Channels/Types of Non-verbal Communication Because so a great deal of human interaction is non-verbal, this system embroils many kinds of communication.There are 9 forms of non-verbal behaviour and each is used to establish personal indistinguishability, relational messages and express personal identity operator and cultural values. i. Kinesics Kinesics refer to body carriage and body motions including facial expressions. Our bodies communicate a great deal well-nigh how we see ourselves. For instance, someone who walks briskly conveys determination someone who moves without purpose (or ? behind never sit still) signals nervousness, impat ience or distractions. Our faces as well as communicate messages we can indicate happiness (smiles), doubt (raised eyebrows) or anger (stares).How we position ourselves relative to others excessively expresses our feelings toward them friends often sit together spot competitors typically maintain distance. 8Page ii. Haptics Haptics refer to physical touch. Touching or contact communicates c drowse offness as hygienic as power and status. wad with high status touch others and invade others spaces more than those with low status. amidst the two genders, women work to engage in touch while men more typically rely on touch to assert power and control. iii. Physical Appearance High value is often fixed on physical come to the foreance.People form initial evaluations based on individuals show upance. We first notice physical qualities such as gender, skin colour and features. Then we form judgements of how attractive others are and set roughly inferences about their personali ties. For example, plump, rounded bodies are often associated with laziness and weakness while thin, angular physiques are estimation to reflect youthful, stubborn personalities. Though these associations have no factual basis, they can affect decisions about hiring, attitude and promotion. iv.Artifacts Artifacts are personal objects we use to announce our identities and personalize our environments. We craft our image by how we dress and what objects we prevail and use. For instance, doctors wear white and drape stethoscopes around their necks while the military requires uniforms with stripes and medals to signify rank and accomplishments. Artifacts communicate important relational meaning we use them to perform our identities and express how we perceive and feel about others. v. Proxemics Proxemics refer to space and how we use it. Space reflects intimacy e. . when we are angry with someone, we tend to move away from him and resent it if he approaches us. Space also announces status with greater space organism assumed by those with high status. How people arrange space reflects how close they are and whether they want interaction. E. g. Those who enjoy interaction arrange article of furniture to welcome conversation and eye contact. For less interaction, chairs may be far apart and face the television instead of each other. vi. Environmental factors Environmental factors are elements of settings that affect how we feel and act.We respond to architecture, colours, temperature, adepts, smells and lighting. e. g. dimly-lit room can enhance romantic feelings while dark rooms can be depressing. Rooms with comfortable chairs invite relaxation while stiff chairs prompt formality. Thus, environmental factors regulate not simply patterns of interaction just also feelings and moods. 9Page vii. Chronemics Chronemics refer to how we perceive and use sequence to limit identities and interaction. E. g. cultural line up stipulates important people with high s tatus can keep others anticipateing. Its standard do to wait to see a doctor even if you have an appointment.Chronemics also express cultural attitudes toward clip. In horse opera societies, for example, cartridge clip is valuable so, speed is highly valued merely Malaysian have more relaxed attitudes toward time and punctuality. viii. Paralanguage Paralanguage refers to free-spoken sounds such as murmurs and gasps and vocal qualities such as volume, rhythm, pitch and intonation. These vocal cues act as signals for others to interpret what we say as a joke, threat, enunciatement, question etc. Voices can also be used to communicate feelings eg whispering indicates secrecy and intimacy while shouting conveys anger. x. Silence Silence can communicate powerful messages. It can communicate different meanings. For instance, it can signal awkwardness we advisedly ignore others when were angry with them. VERBAL COMMUNICATION What is verbal communication? Verbal communication is a nything that conveys a message using words or symbols. It is the spoken, oral, and unwritten way of communicating. It makes use of words, phrase, numbers racket and symbols and is organized in sentences. Therefore, s prime of animationing is a form of verbal communication. Why is proficient verbal communication so important?In the line of transaction world, verbal communication is very important because you are relations with a renewal of people throughout the day. In some cases you may deal with people who have different culture, ages and with different levels of experience. Now take for example the way you converse with a family member or friend around your same age, you interact with them with a lot of self-reliance, there is without doubt that verbal communication is expressed with much ease, and perhaps you may speak differently from the way you speak with a person related to barter. 10 P a g eImagine if you expressed yourself the same way with a customer who has diff erent culture, is much older than you and have many years of experience in his field. Most likely your thoughts leave behind be difficult to express. Thus it is necessary to have straitlaced skill when using verbal communication while dealing with different people. How to acquire bankrupt verbal communication First of all you need to be aware of the fact that you must be flexible with people depending on the circumstances. Let us say you are presenting a speech in front of an audience at work, and you express your thoughts using air vocabulary.Now what if your audience where to be unfamiliar with the equipment casualty you are using, it is without question you ordain notice the audience lose focused attention to what you are saying , so thence you must be flexible and compound the way you are expressing your thoughts by using words that are more comprehendible to the audience. You could also shit skills by attending a course related to headache communication. When you are at tending the class, you allow for then be forced to communicate in a more organized way.Try to use the opportunity to get over the fear of talking to a big crowd and a stranger while you are in class. Besides attending a class that teaches business communication, you may also want to overturn working in a military control-field that involves working with strangers, such job can be a form of practice to gain bureau in yourself and help reduce shyness and intimidation. Another form of practice can be talking to older relatives and friends, about a topic that involves expressing emotions and strong touch sensations or a discussion that may concern experiences.Such communication helps you to accumulate skills to express yourself in a more formal and proper manner. When practicing with your relatives or friends it is important for you to back up your opinions or statements with facts. In order to have references about your subject it is suggested to read and study about it. Like for example, if you where to discuss the issue that we are all facing right away such as the worlds economy for instance, then you may obtain the facts from the news paper, the news, Internet, and you can even get it from books. 1 P a g e WRITTEN COMMUNICATION Advantages The advantages of written messages include the side by side(p) They provide a permanent record of transaction or agreement for confirmation and recollection of details. severalize may also be necessary for legal purposes. They provide supporting confirmation and clarification of verbal messages, again in case evidence should be needed, but also an aid of memory. They are easily duplicated and sent out to numerous recipients this en indisputables that everyone receives the same message.It also enables office personnel to write one message (to adapt or copy) instead of making numerous phone calls. They are capable of relaying complex ideas, assisted by suitable layout and the permanence of the record, which allows th e recipient to pore over it at length if necessary. They can be stored and later retrieved for reference and analysis as required. They are perceived as impersonal, and can be used in situations where unusual formality or ? distance need to be established within an other than personal relationship (for example, formal disciplinary proceedings). Disadvantages Time.A written message can be take time to produce, and to send, especially if it has to go by post and if expensive technology is beyond the users reach. Because of the time factor, swift ? interactive exchanges of opinion, attitude and so on are impossible. Inflexibility. Once sent, the message cannot immediately be altered or amended, even if circumstances change or errors are discovered. Impersonality. Written communication also tends to more across as formal and impersonal, so in situations requiring greater sensitivity or persuasion, the personal presence or voice of the sender may be more effective.Accessibility. Peoples ability to read and interpret written messages entrust vary according to background, education, knowledge of the topic and so on. Eg. If the vocabulary is difficult, the reader may not understand the message. Distance. Non-verbal signals (eg. gesture, facial expression) are not available to help in interpreting the message the receiver is left with simply the words, presentation and written style. Instant feedback is also not available which means errors in interpretation may not be constituteed immediately. 12 P a g eDEVELOPMENT OF SELF Introduction What constitutes the self has been pondered by philosophers, poets, artists, and others for millennia. More recently, psychologists have sought to define and research a range of self constructs. Self in the twentieth Century Previous to the 20th century, social institutions, including schooling and psychology (which barely existed) did not emphasize the development of positive beliefs about self. There was greater emphasis, for ex ample, on developing relationship to divinities and organized systems of government.With the ousting of religion as the dominant organisational culture in Western society, and the rise of capitalism with its emphasis, particularly in North America, on expression and valuing of personal freedom, a cult of the self has blossomed. Indeed, self-constructs seem to be positively associated with other desirable qualities, such as better prize of lifetime, higher faculty member performance, and so on, but there is a debate about whether improving self-esteem, self-concept, etc. causes amendd performance, or vice-versa. Whats more, there is evidence that high self-esteem when combined with prejudice can lead to increased aggression.Developing oneself At the level of self-improvement one can potentially work personal development to include such areas as becoming the person one aspires to integrating social identity with self-identification increasing awareness or defining of ones priorit ies increasing awareness or defining of ones values increasing awareness or defining of ones chosen lifestyle increasing awareness or defining of ones ethics strategizing and realizing dreams, aspirations, passage and lifestyle priorities developing professional potential developing talents developing individual competencies information on the job improving the quality of lifestyle (in such areas as health, wealth, culture, family, friends and communities) encyclopaedism techniques or methods to expand awareness learning techniques or methods to gain control of ones life 13 P a g e learning techniques or methods to achieve wisdom Developmental Patterns In The Development Of Self-Constructs Early on in development, children tend to have a vague, general concept of themselves, which gradually diversifies nto concepts about themselves as students at school, in relation to peers, in relation to family, emotionally, physically, and so on. It is unclear whether self-concepts are forme d top-down ( circumstantial beliefs flow from general beliefs) or bottom-up (general beliefs flow from specific beliefs). Definitions Of Self-Constructs (a) self-esteem What is Self-Esteem? Its the way you feel about yourself. It comes from within. conceit is how we feel about ourselves. It is our thoughts and feelings about ourselves. For example I am good looking. I feel good about myself. I am kind. I am competent. The level of our self-esteem determines how we operate in life how we interact with others, spouse, children, friends, and strangers.It determines our goals and what we strive for, our achievements, and our satisfaction and happiness in life. The importance of self-esteem can be seen when we look at the relationship between healthy self-esteem and other psychological traits. Self-esteem and personality are closely related. It is participationing how we define self-esteem. We define it by declaring feelings. We talk about how we feel. High self-esteem is associated w ith positive feelings and low self-esteem with negative feelings. Healthy self-esteem is related with ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Creativity Rationality Flexibility Willingness to concord mistakes Openness Honesty Acceptance Cooperativeness Independence 14 P a g ePeople with low self-esteem have negative thoughts about themselves, both physically and mentally see others as better or worse are easily pressured to conform to peers People with high self-esteem accept themselves, condescension their suddenlycomings, mistakes and disabilities are responsible for their actions do not succumb to peer pressure tend to be more ambitious in what they want to experience in life have a drive to express themselves and to communicate openly and honestly about their needs and desires recognize the value of relationships treat others with respect, non judgmental attitude, and lividness How to increase your self-esteem? be assertive learn to like yourself be responsible. earn to deal with rebuke in posi tive way learn to give and receive compliments easily Building plus Self-esteem to Achieve Success Self-esteem can cut across a wide compartmentalisation of concepts and situations. It occurs in every facet of life. It is the force behind most success and trial, the force behind peak performance, successful achievement, living your dream living your world Self-esteem is the feeling of existence happy with your character and abilities. It is manifested in a wonderful feeling of inner balance, grounded on self acceptance and a healthy, solace self-respect towards you. This is entirely different from self- self- assertion which is deeply rooted in what you believe you can achieve.There are several cases of self-confidence acts without Self-esteem. unconditional Self-esteem is knowing who we are and living in harmony with ourselves without needing to have the approval of others. Really, other peoples opinion about yourself does not have to be your reality. The definition of posit ive Self-esteem is that of a life of happiness, of sound mind, of health. When we are happy about ourselves, not caring about what people say about us, we live a happier life, a healthier one, a more successful one Best of all, we live in peak performance. Happier lifestyle comes from within, it enables happy and relaxed cells, and it controls stress.Happy cells lead to a pro broaded life expectancy which means extended period to lead a even 15 P a g e happier life What a great attribute if you can only come to terms with who you are, supposeless of whatever any person says about you. Remember, lifes too short to live other peoples opinion and reflections. Live yours It will take courage though, but its worth living. Its the best. (b) self-confidence What is self-confidence? Most of us now what self-confidence means we usually define it in relation to what we want to do, but feel too anxious, nervous or worried about In the end, we will not do it. For one person, self-confidence business leader be about speaking in public. For another, it might be about being confident in social situations.Whatever the situation that reveals our overleap of confidence, the definition of confidence that is implicit here is forever something about being self-assured, showing self-reliance, or not being anxious or nervous. Another customary definition of self-confidence centres on being assertive, on getting what you want. This is about standing up for yourself, about having the presence, the personal power, if you like, to regard yourself as equal to others and to behave in a way that reflect this. potency is essentially an attitude which allows us to have a positive and realistic perception of ourselves and our abilities. It is characterised by personal ttributes such as assertiveness, optimism, enthusiasm, affection, pride, independence, trust, the ability to handle criticism and emotional maturity. Confidence is learnt it is not inherited. If you lack confidence, it in all probability means that, as a child, you were criticised, undermined, or suffered an inexplicable tragic loss, for which you either accuse yourself or were blamed by others. A lack of confidence isnt necessarily permanent but it can be if it isnt addressed. Our religion, the influence of the culture which formed our perspectives, our gender, social class and our parents, in particular, are all factors which influence and contribute to our level of confidence and esteem. sure-footed people have deep trustingness in their future and can accurately assess their capabilities.They also have a general sense of control in their lives and believe that, within reason, they will be able to do what they desire, plan and expect, no amour what the foreseeable obstacle. But this faith is guided by more realistic expectations so that, even when some of their goals are not met, those with confidence continue to be positive, to believe in themselves and to accept their current limitations w ith renewed energy. However, having high self-confidence does not mean they will be able to do everything they want. That view is unrealistic, one for the perfectionists. A desire to be good at everything we do in order to impress others stems from a competitive instinct and lack of personal reinforcement.Any truly successful life has both rewards and the ability to learn from any setbacks, which increase our resilience, self- belief and determination. Real confidence 16 P a g e requires that we face the possibility of failure constantly and deal with it. However, if we consistently lose out on both achievement and validation, even our identity is called into question. Research has suggested that suspensors can also gain confidence from viewing the successful performances of others at a equivalent level. This second source of information is known as ? modelling or ? vicarious experience. For example, a tennis player lacking confidence in her volleying might bring forwards it us eful to have a peer who has overcome similar difficulties demonstrate the skill.By viewing others, we begin to see that, with effort, success is attainable. The very reciprocal use of celebrities in fitness videos is an example of modelling. Confidence can also be built through verbal persuasion. By means of careful reasoning, athletes can be shown that other people (ie the coach) have confidence in their abilities and believe they can achieve set goals. Coaches may even use deception to run their athletes that goals can be achieved of which more later. Verbal persuasion can also take the form of ? self-talk, whereby the athlete convinces himself that success will follow. Finally, emotional arousal can influence confidence as well.Although this is the least authoritative factor, it is important that physiological symptoms are perceived positively rather than negatively. Confidence can be deepen by perceiving increases in heart and respiration rate as the bodys natural conceptu alisation for top performance rather than as triggers for anxiety. Clearly, confidence is enhanced by good preparation, planning and a sense of optimism. Conversely, negative thinking and pessimism can undermine performance and limit progress. By expecting failure, we set our belief system to a negative channel and start favouring information that is consistent with these beliefs. Lack of confidence People who lack confidence may be shy and quiet, although this isnt always the case.Those with little confidence may pass up opportunities because they assume they wouldnt stand a chance competing against others. They doubt themselves and their abilities. They dont have enough confidence to even try. They fear rejection and failure. These people often dont achieve their potential in life simply because they have already viewed themselves as failures. When people lack self-confidence they are overly preoccupied with what others think. They need to build confidence and take charge of their lives, although it is not easy for someone who suffers from low self-esteem. Over-Confidence Confidence is a necessary broker in reaching our goals but over-confidence can be interpreted in negative ways.Simply stated, over-confidence is confidence that is unwarranted. For example, a person may be very confident in an area that he actually has little knowledge and expertise. Over-confidence can be projected as an inflated ego. A person may take care egotistical, 17 P a g e arrogant and somewhat of a braggart. Over-confidence may also be a smokescreen for lack of confidence. People often try to build their own confidence by tearing others down. In this way, they feel better about themselves. It doesnt mean that they are bad people it simply means that they dont know how to build their own level of confidence. Attitude Self-confidence is an attitude.It is about how you view yourself, not how others view you. A confident person is comfortable with the person he is. He knows he is n ot perfect and he doesnt try to act perfect. He accepts himself as he is, along with his imperfections. He is confident enough to admit his mistakes. He can laugh at himself. A confident person can accept rejection and criticism, and learn from them rather than taking them personally and wallowing in self-pity. A confident person believes in himself and his abilities, yet he knows there is always room for improvement and therefore continually strives to improve. Positive Outlook A confident person has a positive outlook.He doesnt dwell on his failures. If he doesnt get a promotion, he views it not as a loss but as an opportunity for something better. Confident people often do get what they want because self-confidence is an important element in accomplishing their goals and manifesting their desires. They know that self-confidence is an ingredient in the recipe for success. Respect A confident person likes himself. If you dont like yourself, how can you expect others to like you? Co nfident people also respect themselves. Anyone can develop self-confidence but it can take time, especially if you are steeped in negativity. People arent born with self-confidence.They learn to put fear and doubt aside and to trust their own instincts. They trust their abilities and choose to react positively rather than negatively. Self-confidence hears the voice of doubt but chooses not to listen to it. 18 P a g e WRITTEN COMMUNICATION WRITING BUSINESS MESSAGES Introduction Messages are constantly being sent by people all over the world. They can be verbal through talking, or written through mail. In business world, the style in sending a message is different. hither you are dealing with executives of the companies, sales agents, managers, employees and clients. Generally a business message has precise gist related to the business.It can be a message for internal purposes such as the employees or board of directors or external for clients, creditors and helping providers. Who ever the recipient of the business message is, it is necessary to comply with a degree of formality in conveying the message to achieve the goal of disseminating the message to the recipients. There are two types of business messages (a) Verbal railway line Messages Verbal messages are the primary mode of passing a message. There is no need of much structure and strict compliance compared to written messages. Verbal Messages are frequently passed on in-order to carry out routine business activities. b) Written care Message Written messages are used whenever the information being passed on needs to be compiled and filed. This is where some of the employees may commit mistakes while drafting a written business message. In case any mistakes occur in the written business message, it can become permanent and get filed. It is important to be extremely careful when writing a business message. Written business message is not just an ordinary message but a message that will either make or break the business. Due diligence should be demanded so that there are no mistakes and loss of money arising out of in coverly written business message.Understanding the Three-Step Writing Process Business messages are very important when it comes to business communication. For a person who knows English language very well, does not mean that he will write a business message perfectly. There is a structure, standards or guidelines that needs to be followed in order to come up with a business message which conveys the correct meaning. 19 P a g e A well-structured business message can go a long way and can even earn millions to the company in return. This is a subject field of knowing how to structure the business message to give the reader a sense of professionalism and being case-hardened well as a person with whom the company is doing business.To ensure that the message is conveyed effectively, and is well-organised, follow these threestep writing process Step 1 Planning a busi ness message Planning is a very critical step, and if one commits an error in this stage, it will create an irreversible error that can cause the business to lose millions in the worst case scenario. It is necessary that all the steps are taken into full consideration along with adequate emphasis on planning a business message. Do not begin writing until you have planned what you want to say. This avoids writers block and poorly essential messages. When planning on how to write a business message, one should ask the following question, Who is this business message designed for?Is it for a client, a benefit provider, a creditor, government agency or an employee? It is important to notice who is the recipient of the business message so that certain precautionary measures should be adopted in order to structure the message that will fit for the person who is receiving the message. Second question is for what purpose is this business message written for? Is it to give appreciation, a constructive criticism or to persuade the reader? If the purpose is identify then the contents of the message will be designed in relation to the purpose. The answers to these questions will administer as a guide with regard to writing a good business message.Among the other important factors to consider in the planning stage include the following (a) Know your audience When you write a business letter, you are trying to persuade the reader (the audience) to either take an action or change the way they think. Therefore, a business message aims to convince the audience that what is written is true. Knowing your audience is only the first step. The information you get about your audience can help you develop and organize the content of your message so that the message can be easily read. (b) Audiences expectations When you know your audience, you will know what they expect from you. Your message will be most successful if it matches the readers expectations. Generally, your audienc e will have three expectations (c) Get to the point state the main point(s), including bad news, immediately. 20 P a g e d) Keep it simple Do not feel compelled to use big words or complex sentences in order to impress your audience, or to build your credibility with them. The reason is, when you do this, you might confuse the audience. Furthermore, the audience might think that you are a con artist. (e) Use active and passive voices appropriately Use the passive voice to sound more diplomatic. Sentences in the passive voice sound less confrontational, so these sentences do not appear to blame someone. On the other hand, active sentences put the subject in front of the sentence. Thus, they appear more harsh to a reader. (f) Content Content refers to information included in the message.By knowing your audience, you will know what to include in the content of your message. In addition, you should include enough information to maintain the readers interest, while at the same time not too much information until it bores the audience or wastes their time. There are three common methods of determining content brainstorm outlining clustering (g) Organisation The order in which you present your messages (or information) is called organization. You need to know what information that you want to include in your message. Only then can you decide how to organise it. In general, present the main ideas first, followed by the supporting details and finally, conclusion.A good organization facilitates the readers understanding of your message. Step 2 Writing a business message After planning comes the actual writing stage of a business message. This is most the of import stage, since one mistake of a word may give a wrong impression to the reader. commit sure that the reader will read the business message and understand its purpose. Writing a business message is the same as writing an ordinary letter, but there are some modifications that need to be considered. 1. The salut ation, make sure that the name of the recipient is correctly spelled. 2. It should be justified or in block form, to make it look neat and organized. 3.The message should contain brief and concise information with regard to the information being partake with. 4. Always, check the message for grammar and spelling mistakes. It is very important that the message is proof-read so that the message will convey the correct meaning to the reader. 21 P a g e 5. The font size or style should be in a manner that is readable to the common eye so that the reader will not need eyeglasses to read the message. It does not mean it should be in bold or large font size, but just enough to be read without straining the eyes. Step 3 Completing a business message A business message does not end at the writing stage it needs to be sent to the correct recipient in order to serve the purpose for which it was written.If it is a post mail, the address of the recipient should be clearly written and double ch ecked the recipients address. It is important that the address is written correctly so that the message will definitely reach the recipient and will get the message across. It is also important to modify and keep proper reference of changed address whenever the recipient so that mails are addressed to the latest address. If it is through e-mail, be sure the e-mail address is correctly entered and the subject is properly designated. As a matter of assurance purposes, send a carbon copy to the person who instructed the letter to be sent. This will give a signal to the people within the business organization that an e-mail is being sent to a certain person.Improving Readability in Business Messages Writers can adopt the following techniques to make messages easier to scurry (a) quit sentence length Keep paragraphs short Use lists and bullets Add headings and subheadings (b) Varying sentence length helps readers skim your message Use both short and long sentences to increase interest . Avoid too many short sentences, or your writing will be choppy. Keep sentences to an average length of 20 words or fewer. (c) Keeping paragraphs short helps readers skim your message Avoid long paragraphs that may intimidate readers. Compose paragraphs of light speed words or fewer. Use one-sentence paragraphs only occasionally and only for emphasis. 2 P a g e (d) Using lists and bullets helps readers skim your message Set off important ideas in a list to help readers find key points. Introduce a list clearly so that readers know what theyre about to read. Add further discussion after a list to complete your thoughts. Compose list items in parallel form. (e) Adding headings and subheadings accomplishes the following Cues readers into the content of the following section Helps reader determine how a document is organized Grabs reader attention assumes copy easier to read Indicates shifts from one idea to the next (f) Use one of two categories of headings Descriptive headings ide ntify a topic.Informative headings guide readers to think in a certain way about the topic. Tone in Business Writing When we speak, our words form only a luck of the message we convey. Our meaning is also relayed through our body language and eye contact, as well as the intonation, pitch and speed of our voice. This is called line. In business writing, the smack of our message refers to the meaning between the lines and the meaning conveyed in the words we choose rather than just in the message we are sending. Thus, when you write a business message, choosing the correct tone is important because the same words could be interpreted differently by two different readers.The overall tone of a written message affects the reader just as ones tone of voice affects the listener in everyday exchanges. Business writers should consider the tone of their message, whether they are writing a memo, letter, report, or any type of business document. Tone is present in all communication activitie s. Ultimately, the tone of a message is a reflection of the writer and it does affect how the reader will perceive the message. Here are some ways to write a business message with good tone (a) Be confident You can feel confident in writing business messages if you have carefully furbish upd, and are knowledgeable about the material you wish to express. The way you write should assume a confident tone as well.As you put up business documents, you want the reader to do as you ask, or to accept your decision. In order to make the document effective, you must write confidently because a confident tone will have a persuasive effect on your audience (the reader). Employers are inclined to hire individuals that appear confident and 23 P a g e sure of their abilities. However, this does not mean that you should appear over-confident. Over-confidence can easily be interpreted as being arrogant. big ? You must have detect from my resume that I am very qualified for the job.? Good ? My qu alifications in the areas of information technology and multimedia meet your job requirements.? b) Be courteous and sincere A writer builds friendliness and trust by using a tone that is polite and sincere. Consider the words and phrases you use in your document, and how your reader will likely receive them. If you are respectful and honest, readers will be more willing to accept your message, even if it is negative. Bad ? If you have read the conditions carefully, the company would have gained profit.? Good ? The company could gain profit provided that the conditions are met.? (c) Use non-discriminatory language Avoid biasness when you write. Do not use any discriminatory words, remarks or ideas that might offend the reader. It is very important to communicate in a way that expresses equality and respect for all individuals.Discriminatory language can come between your message and your reader. Make sure your writing is free of discriminatory language and free of bias based on such factors as race, ethnicity, religion, age, sexual orientation and disability. Bad ? Women who do not have marketing skills will be assigned desk jobs instead.? Good ? Employees without marketing skills will be assigned desk jobs instead.? (d) Stress the benefits for the reader Write from the readers perspective, or point of view. That means, write from the perspective of what you can do for the reader. A reader will often read a document wondering Whats in it for me? or ? How do I benefit from thisAs such, it is your job to customize your message to suit the reader. Bad ? I would like to see your paper qualification.? Good ? Your paper qualification would help us speed up your job application process.? (e) Write at an appropriate level of difficulty Consider your audience and prepare your writing so that the reader will clearly understand what it is that you are saying. In other words, prepare your style of reading to match the reading abilities of your audience. Do not use comple x passages or terms that the reader will not understand. Accordingly, do not use simple terms or short examples if the reader is capable of understanding your writing.A competent writer will match the needs and abilities of their reader and find the most effective way to communicate with a particular reader. It is important to remember that it is not possible to please all the people all the time with the right tone. Writing is an art, not a science, and tone is the most subjective, challenging part of writing. Exercise caution when you write. 24 P a g e LETTER WRITING Types Of Business Letter Enquiry and reply Enquiries for information about goods or go are sent and received in business all the time. They should be acknowledged as briefly as possible or business may be lost. Complaint and adjustment Complaints about goods or aids are inevitable and need to be check intod immediately.Steps should be taken to rectify matters if free grace is to be retained. Job application, of fer and reference A wide variety of letters pass back and forth in the recruitment process. Financial Collection letters, credit requests and credit rating enquiries all come under this heading. Circulars and mailshots To promote goods, services or special events, an organisation may send a letter at the same time to many recipients. Word processors may be used to personalise such messages. Sales letters Attracting potential customers in future promotions, new products or services, and special writing techniques have to be adopted in order to put over the products or services in an interesting and enthusiastic way.Congratulations, sympathy, thanks Maintaining goodwill is important in business. Thank you letters are often sent after a dinner or other function. Messages of condolence may be sent on the death of a business associate or colleague. Congratulations may be sent to associates on promotion or other achievements. Fully Blocked Layout With Open Punctuation The fully-blocked layout is now the most widely used method of display for all business documents. In the business letter, it is only necessary to leave one clear line space between each section of the letter. 1. Letterhead Companys name, address and telephone/fax numbers 2. Reference Initials of writer/typist (often a filing reference) 25 P a g e 3.appointment in order day/month/year 4. Inside address shows name, full postal address, name of state (in lowercase) 5. salutation Dear Sir/Madam, Dear Ms Wong 6. Heading Use ALL capital letters only without underlining. 7. Body of Letter Separate into paragraphs with a new idea each, with one line spacing between each paragraph. 8. Complimentary Close match ? Dear Sir with ? Yours faithfully & ? Dear John with ? Yours sincerely (leave 4/5 lines for signing) 9. Senders figure of speech 10. Title or Department 11. Enclosure indication (attachment/s) ? Enc, if more than one, use ? Encs Open Punctuation Open punctuation mark is often used with the fully blocked layout.All punctuation marks (mainly commas and periods) that are not necessary to ensure grammatical sense are omitted. Some examples of the use of open punctuation are shown below Dates 12 December 2002 Names Mr & Mrs J Sirley Mr Rahimi Yusof Mdm Kavitha Balakrishnan Addresses Mr Aris Yahya Department of automatic data processing Multimedia University Jalan Ayer Keroh Lama 75450 Melaka Salutation and Complimentary close Dear Mr Rahimi Yours sincerely Abbreviations e. g. BA MA PhD ie am pm PS NB VIP 26 P a g e In the body of a message, open punctuation should be used when appropriate Our engineer, Mr D Yew, will be visiting you on Tuesday 14 July at 2 pm in order to investigate the cause of the malfunction.If this appointment is inconvenient, please telephone him on 062523456, ext 123, to make alternative arrangements. Paragraph Division 1 INTRODUCTION (Background and basics) Reason for writing, in reply to a previous letter, contact or document exposit (Det ails and figures) Give instructions, Ask for information, Provide all relevant details (separate into paragraphs for separate themes) RESPONSE Action for recipient to take, Action you will take, A conclusion CLOSE A simple, relevant closing sentence (one-liner) 2 3 4 WRITING THE LETTER OF APPLICATION I) II) Essential qualities Format the most widely used is the complete block format, all principal parts of the letter begin at the left hand margin. Principal parts of a letter.Punctuation- block format requires open punctuation style. That is, no punctuation used except for the body of the letter. III) IV) LETTER OF APPICATION- Your letter should sound like you, conveys something of your own personality. It creates attention and leads the reader to the tended to(p) resume. The aim of the letter is to show enthusiasm and interest in the company and the position. The opening paragraph designs to create attention. Like thick name request and question. The middle paragraph create s desire namely discusses your academic might/educational back ground, work experience in various companies and 27 P a g e responsibilities, ability to work, interest in your field.Elaborate on the strongest traits and reemphasize listed points of resume, additional facts not covered. The closing paragraph shows action. aver clearly when you are available for a talk with the employer/ for an Interview. Be specific, give reachable telephone numbers. The stationary used should be of high quality and similar to that of your resume. In the signature, just print your name not your designation. Keep a carbon copy of your letter for further reference/follow- up. REMEMBER- 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8) Use good quality paper Should be Type-written Use simple English Date in full, check your spelling, punctuation and grammar errors Should contain all relevant information.Spell the advertisers name and name of the firm correctly Dont exaggerate your achievements Stress your willingness to atten d an interview THE OPENING PARAGRAPH creates attention. Use one of the following 1) sum-up opening 2) name opening 3) request opening 4) question opening Here you state your interest in applying for the post and also the source and date of advertisement. Few possible expressions are 1) I would like to apply for the position of ________ as advertised in the _______ dated _______. I would like to be considered as a candidate for the __________ position advertised in the ________ dated _________. With reference to your advertisement in the __________, I have much pleasure in applying for the position of _________.I am very interested in the vanity you have advertised in the ______ dated _____ for a _______ and wish to offer my service. 2) 3) 4) 28 P a g e The CLOSING PARAGRAPH calls for Action/Asks for action. You ask for an interview and show willingness to attend one. dedicate your phone number for them to contact you or say you will call for an interview. And lastly show than kfulness and thank the recipient. Possible useful expressions are- 1) 2) 3) I hope you will call me for an interview. I am enclosing a resume and look forward to a call from you. I trust you will consider my application favourably and grant me an interview etc. 29 P a g e LETTER WRITING FORMAT ReferenceST/zj Multimedia University Jalan Ayer Keroh Lama 75450 Melaka 29 January 2010 General Manager Flexibletron Sdn Bhd Cheng Industrial surface area 73200 Melaka Dear Sir/Madam Recipients address Senders address Date Salutation bow COMPLAIN ABOUT STAFF ATTITUDE Introduction or opening I am writing this letter to complain about how my staff and I were treated by your customer service officers when we visited your installing two weeks ago. When one my staff asked the clerk for help, she ignored him. Instead, she continued gossiping to her colleague, pretending not to hear. When I interrupted, one of them stared at me, while the other one filed her fingernails.I politely asked her for a ssistance, and she unwillingly gave me a form and told me to fill it up quickly as she was about to have her tea break. Our university has been regularly visiting your facility as part of our collaborative effort for our students. The bad experience I had obviously shows that your customer service needs a lot of retraining. It is hoped that the management will do something about it, or we will consider collaborating with another company in the future. Thank you. Yours faithfully Complimentary Close The details The response or action SThemoli Prof Dr Sharmila Themoli Director of Academic Affairs Signature, full name & position 30 P a g eWRITING A CURRICULAM VITAE (Resume) A resume is a highly personal and individual epitome of a persons background, experience, training and skills. The French word RESUME means ? a summary? , OR ? a short history. It contains certain amount of essential information, which may vary from individual to individual, depending on his experience and qualifi cation. Dos and Donts for compiling your CV Make sure your CV is ? ? ? ? ? relevant easy to read and easy to follow selling your achievements and skills accurate and detailed truthful Make sure your CV is not ? ? ? ? ? full of irrelevant information jumbled up, cramped and untidy a list of job titles and duties vague and lacking in details dishonestParts of the resume- Personal Particulars 1) 2) 3) 4) HEADING The name of the individual ADDRESS Your complete address CONTACT NO Your telephone number where you can be reached easily. in-person DETAILS Where ever appropriate add date and place of birth, I. C Number, Nationality, Race, Religion, weight, Height, Marital Status etc). THE slur SOUGHT An objective statement that clearly describes the type of position you hope to obtain. 5) 31 P a g e 6) PROFILE A profile is your banner- a summary of your selling points. The aim of a profile is to hold the readers attention and give a brief overview of who you are, mainly to ? sidle up your main skills and experience ? emphasise your personal attributes ? otivate the reader into wanting to know more Write in short note form and use third person. E. g ? A flexible and well- motivated individual who takes great pride in her work. Excellent communication skills at all levels. Able to form effective working relationships quickly. Excellent administrative skill, well organised and good time Manager. ? An experienced and qualified flight simulator with experience in business, administrative and management skills. Able to develop a rapport with people easily. self-propelling presenter with a lively and humorous style which creates a highly stimulating learning environment. 7) didactics A detailed record of your education, both formal and informal.Start with the highest qualification first. QUALIFICATIONS List all your academic qualifications individually. operative EXPERIENCE A detailed record of your employment history in reverse chronological order- the prese nt job first. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Any information relevant to the job sought after, anything you have promulgated if relevant to the job objectives, hobbies, special achievements etc. REFEREES At least two names are to be mentioned with complete address and contact numbers. They can be your previous employer, teacher etc. Prior licence must be obtained from the referees before quoting their names. 8) 9) 10) 11) 32 P a g eSkeleton Layout- Using such a simple display your CV will look neat and attractive, and a potential employer will be able to see all your details at a glance CURRICULAM VITAE Personal Details Name Address Telephone Nationality Date of Birth Marital Status POSITION SOUGHT The vacant position you are seeking Compose a summarised personal profile Tabulate in 3 columns in chronological order List them all individually Present job first, working backwards Hobbies? circumscribed achievements? Results awaited? Previous employer, teacher etc. PROFILE EDUCATION Dates QUALIFICATIONS School/College Course Dates Examining Body Subject WORKING EXPERIENCE Dates Employer Position/Duties ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REFEREES 1 Month and year only Date 2 3 P a g e MEMORANDUM Memorandum, or memos as they are usually called, form a widely used communication channel throughout an organisation, operating in all directions- vertically, horizontally and diagonally. Purposes of a Memorandum ? ? ? ? ? to convey information, instructions or requirements to put forward suggestions or ideas for consideration to ask for assistance or co-operation to seek information to clarify some details etc. To instruct or to inform staff MEMO to make suggestions To request action to report on progress To remind something to provide information 34 P a g e Tips for improve Memos 1. Make a plan first before writing your memo.Group your points together into a logical sequence. 2. warrant your message is as clear as possible, stating all the background information and putting forward all the facts without being long winded. 3. Separate the message into points, grouping related points together in paragraphs. Make sure the paragraphs are organised in a logical sequence for easier reading and understanding. 4. Take time to improve your presentation so that the message looks good. 5. Use numbered points and sub-headings where appropriate. 6. Use simple, clear and business-like language. 7. Keep your message brief and to the point, without any unnecessary information. 8.Make sure the tone of your message is appropriate, considering the reader, sender and the topic. 9. Adopt the personal ? you and ? I, with a natural, colloquial style. 10. Keep your tone positive where possible. 35 P a g e Example of a memo MEMO Use typical memo heading TO All Staff at Rennaisance nucleus Burger King FROM Johnson Muthu, Manager DATE 13 December, 2009 SUBJECT New Educational Incentives Plan Open with the specific information Do not include inside address or salutation Beginning January 2010, you can take advantage of an exciting new education programme for all employees of our Rennaisance Centre Burger King. The programme will allow you to receive free books and tuition to Bukit Beruang Community College.Anyone who works at least 10 hours a week is eligible although you are not required to participate. The programme is open to all employees regardless of how long theyve worked at this centre. Those who participate will continue to earn their usual salary for the time they work. All participants are encouraged to do their best in their courses. Salaries wont be affected by the academic performance in their courses. Ill be happy to answer any questions you might have about how working for Burger King can help you earn free college tuition jus