BUSN 20017 Effective Business Communication

Interpersonal communication is the process of exchanging ideas and thoughts with other human beings. It is the kind of communication wherein the people communicate their thoughts, feelings, ideas and emotions to one another. The interpersonal communication can be in verbal or non-verbal form and encompasses the body gestures, facial expressions along with the statements of the person. The interpersonal skills are essential in the professional and personal growth of an individual.  A person who is not able to communicate properly struggles in expressing himself and his desires (Locker & Kaczmarek, 2011). Therefore, it is important to analyze the self-communication skills and develop them. In this regard, the present report has diagnosed the communication skills with the help of several communication diagnosis tools. These tools are Johari window, communications style questionnaire, assertiveness questionnaires, extroversion introversion test and communication skills test.

Diagnosis and Reflection

1. Analysis of Self-Communication Style

Recently, I have taken tests in several domains to analyze my communication skills and capabilities. The communication skills are essential in building relationship, establishing trust and motivating peers and remaining motivated. Several people struggles from different issues such as inability to assert oneself, issues in declining or statin  objection or remaining confident in situations of conflicts. The assessment tools suggest that I lose my confidence easily and avoid situations of conflicts. The Johari test reveals that I am intelligent, spontaneous, warm and helping. I am introvert and avid interacting a lot. My friends and colleagues perceive me as nervous and self-conscious. In other tests such as communication style test, I have been identified as a process person. I tend to focus more on the process and the success of the project. In order to complete a project successfully, I try to take systematic approach towards problem solving. I am logical and cautious.  I base all my decisions on facts and proofs.

In the assertiveness test, it has been identified that I lack assertiveness. I try to avoid conflicting situations and probably wait for others to raise issues in the workplace. I also hesitate to speak when someone speaks improperly to me and it becomes very difficult for me to confront people in complex situations (West & Turner, 2008).

The extroversion and introversion test reveals that my personality in inclined towards introversion. I avoid meeting with new people and leave parties almost as soon as possible. When I have free time, I enjoy spending time alone or with a few fast friends. I avoid crowd and situations with a number of people. Being an introvert person, I like to like to complete my work alone with minimal interference from other people. Although introversion is not a negative quality, it can negatively impact on the professional growth. I hesitate in leading presentation or taking charge of the groups.

The communication test revealed that I am insightful and focus on the understanding the viewpoint of other people. I try to put myself in someone else’s shoes and try to understand their perspectives before making a judgment.  I have high emotional quotient and have deep understanding.

1. Findings of the Communication Test

It can be deduced from other results of the communication test that I have high understanding and emotional quotient. I participated in various tests which revealed that I am highly nervous and find it difficult to present myself confidently. I realize that I need to work more on my presentation skills. I also have issues in demonstrating confident body language and gestures during conversation. While talking to my seniors, I find it difficult to show my objection and talking regarding negative issues. The overall test results show that although my communication style is adequate, I need to work on my confidence level and assertiveness. The assertiveness is the ability to put forward personal preference and choices to others.

1. Analysis of Recent Professional Encounters

In order to make a good impression in the workplace, it is important to have good communication skills. Recently, I participated in a PowerPoint presentation wherein I have to present a serious business issue to my seniors. However, I realized that as I was lacking confidence and assertiveness I was unable to make the impact on my seniors which I desired to make. Moreover, as I was lacking in assertiveness, I was unable to respond to the questions of the audience effectively. The senior team members were unable to grasp the concept and their overall response was negative. I also realized that I lacked body language and confident gestures.

As a result, I was unable to make successful impression on my seniors. Other than that, another professional encounter occurred wherein I had the opportunity to organize an office event. My seniors were skeptical to give me the responsibility of organizing the event and due to excessive insistence granted me the opportunity. I was thrilled and planned to organize the best event till date. I was the host of the event. It was a small event wherein the local employees were rewarded for outstanding performance. I planned to make it a fun event with a number of activities; however, the event did not go as planned. There were several communication issues in the management of the event. The suppliers were confused or decided that their numbers or approach is right. Several conflicts occurred; however, I was unable to present my stand in the situation which created several issues in the overall execution of the project.

The business communication skills of the employees are vital for the growth of business organization. Herring, Stein & Virtanen (2013) discussed that the success of the business organization and its ability to achieve its objectives depends on the business communication and the ability of employees to communicate with the suppliers and customers. The employers often seek to hire staff with strong interpersonal skills and the people who are willing to communicate effectively with the customers and the clients of the organization. The interpersonal skills are important in the workplace. Moreover, the social and the personal lives of employees also get benefited with strong interpersonal skills. The employers also seek job candidates with strong interpersonal skills as they are perceived as optimistic, calm, confident and charismatic in nature. These qualities are often charismatic and appealing to others.

According to Perrin (2015), the ability of an organization to communicate with its customers and clients depends upon the ability of employee to communicate effectively. The interpersonal skills can be defined as the tools which the people use to interact and communicate with the individuals in an organization. The interpersonal skills encompass verbal communication, non-verbal communication, listening skills, negotiation, decision-making, assertiveness and problem solving skills. The interpersonal skills are beneficial in a number of ways. It fosters effective communication which results in exchange of ideas, information and skills. It is also important in establishing mutual respect and consideration to the opinions and input of other people. The communication in the business organization ensures effective performance of duties and management of regular assignments.  

In the perspective of Oussi & Klibi (2017), the interpersonal skills are also important in creating a dynamic workplace and motivated workforce. Good interpersonal skills are also essential in creating a flexible and adaptable workplace. The interpersonal skills are also essential in increasing the credibility and the customer satisfaction of the organization. The organization shows its commitment towards the customers by increased level of customer satisfaction. The customers realize that the organization cannot compromise on the quality and productivity of the organization. It increases the trust of the customers towards the organization.

The interpersonal communication can build transparency culture in the organization. If an organization has well-developed business communication system, it can increase the transparency of the organization. The transparency of the organization is also essential in increasing the productivity and the performance of the individual employees and the overall organization. The interpersonal communication is also essential for the survival of the company. They are also important in maintaining friendly terms with the employer. Therefore, they are also important in the professional growth of the employees. The employees can discuss their agenda, operational issues and other workplace related problems with their coworkers.

Haslam et al. (2014) have stated that the face-to-face communication is considered as the best form of communication as the receiver can attain the facial expressions and gestures of the person with which they are communicating. The communication tone and manner is significant n leaving a deep impact on the listened or the individual on the receiver side of conversation. Several buines activites such ads debate, meetings and discussions cannot be carried without effective interpersonal communication skills.

In the perspective of Zaenuddin, Paramita & Fathoni (2016), the listening skills are also integral part of effective business communication. A person should be attentive listener in order to embrace the viewpoint of others and different theories. Listening skills are also essential in forming perception ad notions related to different aspects of life. It is important to establish a robust communication system in the organization as the business cannot flourish if there are issues in transmission of information. The listening skills are also important to send the message in a better way to the audience.

Zhao, Peng, & Sheard (2013) have stated that the interpersonal skills are also essential in other aspects of the professional lives. They are essential in solving issues in both professional and the personal lives. The interpersonal skills are also essential in taking decisions. They are also essential in critically analyzing the information and using it in taking business decisions. In order to take effective decisions, a person should have effective interpersonal skills. It is required for attaining the information from all the possible sources and using it to take the best decision for the organization.

Guffey & Loewy, (2015) have stated that the interpersonal skills are also essential in the negotiation skills which are essential for the business growth and development of the organization. Reaching an agreement between several negotiating parties is crucial for the business. The interpersonal skills are essential in expressing moods and feelings which is crucial in motivating others and inspiring other people.

According to Means (2009), due to the immense opportunity that business communication system and interpersonal skills of the employees provide to the organization, these organizations also provide interpersonal skill training. The employees and the staff members provide training to the employees to develop their communication skills and ability to negotiate and communicate with their colleagues and clients. Good interpersonal and communication skills are essential in keeping the customers satisfied which is important for the customers. In business organization, written skills are also essential for effective communication. The employees use written communication in several form of communication such as business emails or business newsletter. In the present technological era, the written communication is also used for digital marketing and blogging. The written communication is essential in building the online reputation of the organization and increasing the customer base. The message transmitted to the audience should be precise, focused on the audience and effective in delivering its message.

It can be summarized that the success and the growth of the organization is dependent upon the interpersonal skills of its employees. Without effective interpersonal communication, it is impossible to communicate with the peers and the customers. The interpersonal skills are important and essential in both verbal and nonverbal communication. A person should master both verbal and nonverbal communication for his own professional growth as well as the success of the organization.

Action Plan

The action plan refers to the series of actions which are targeted to address a business issue or problem. It is a document which outlines the steps or the necessary actions to achieve a particular goal. The primary purpose of an action plan is to identify which resources are needed to achieve the goal. It also establishes a specific timeline which assists a person in determining whether there is success in achieving particular goal and identifies the tools which can be used to measure the success in achieving that goal. In the above analysis, it has been identified that there are several weaknesses and shortcomings in m communication skills. One of the primary weaknesses in my business communication skills is the lack of confidence and lack of assertiveness. I also lack presentation skills and the effective use of body language and gestures. In this regard, I have to formulate a business communication action plan in which my weaknesses are mitigated.

Action plan for increasing assertiveness

1. Preparation: In order to become more assertive, it is important to be prepared according to the situation. A person should be prepared with all the relevant facts and the information. In addition to it, the person should also remain prepared according to the nature of the other person and practice to stand up to bullies. It is important to anticipate the behavior of other people and an individual should prepare the responses accordingly. It is also important to practice reactions to aggression to improve the responses (Magno, 2011).
2. Reading books and Magazines to boost Confidence:  In the market, there are a number of self-help books and magazines available which can boost the confidence level of the person. These books contain tactics and methods which can improve the confidence level of a person. Confidence is important in increasing assertiveness and presenting one’s desire and needs. Therefore, reading these books will help the person in improving is assertiveness (Dowson, 2015)
3. Participating in Cultural and Extracurricular Activities: It is important to participate in several activities to boost the confidence level of a person. Participating in cultural activities will increase the extroversion in the personality and an individual can practice to face different social situations (Montgomery, 2011).

The timeline for the action plan is six months.

Conclusion

It can be summarized that interpersonal skills are essential in the business communication system of the organization. The interpersonal skills of the employees assist them in distinguishing them from their peers and increasing the employability of the person. Therefore, interpersonal skills are essential in the professional development of a person. In this regard, in has been identified in the report that the major weaknesses in communication is the lack of confidence and self-assertiveness. An action plan has been developed to mitigate these issues. It includes reading books and participating more in cultural activities of the organization.

References

Herring, S., Stein, D., & Virtanen, T. (Eds.). (2013). Pragmatics of computer-mediated communication (Vol. 9). Walter de Gruyter.

Perrin, D. (2015, August). Investigating intercultural communication in the workplace: applied linguistics as research on, for, and with practitioners. In JACET International Convention Selected Papers Volume 3 (p. 26).

Oussi, A. A., & Klibi, M. F. (2017). Accounting students' perceptions of important business communication skills for career success: An exploratory study in the Tunisian context. Journal of Financial Reporting and Accounting, 15(2).

Haslam, S. A., van Knippenberg, D., Platow, M. J., & Ellemers, N. (Eds.). (2014). Social identity at work: Developing theory for organizational practice. Psychology Press.

Zaenuddin, M., Paramita, P. D., & Fathoni, A. (2016). EFFECT OF COMMUNICATION STYLES, PERSONALITY AND RELATIONSHIP TOCUSTOMER SATISFACTION OF MEDIATION BY THE PROFESSIONALISM OF EMPLOYEES AT INDO PERKASA RAINBOW TOUR AND TRAVEL SEMARANG. Journal of Management, 2(2).

Zhao, H., Peng, Z., & Sheard, G. (2013). Workplace ostracism and hospitality employees’ counterproductive work behaviors: The joint moderating effects of proactive personality and political skill. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 33, 219-227.

Guffey, M.E., & Loewy, D. (2015). Essentials of Business Communication. Cengage Learning.

Means, T. (2009). Business Communication. Cengage Learning.

Locker, K.O., & Kaczmarek, S.K. (2011). Business Communication: Building. Tata McGraw-Hill Education.

West, R., & Turner, l.H. (2008). Understanding Interpersonal Communication: Making Choices in Changing Times. Cengage Learning.

Dowson, P. (2015). Personal and Professional Development for Business Students. SAGE.

Magno, G. (2011). Developing Confidence and Personal Magnetism. BookBaby.

Montgomery, L. (2011). Developing Confidence for Yourself and Your Teen. AudioInk.