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Communications in Business

organization (open versus limited or closed communica- • Adhere to the deadline, when timing is important
tion patterns); (3) the way the business is organized (small • Be willing to use a communication strategy appro-
or large company, branch offices, subsidiaries); (4) the
priate to the situation; listen, negotiate, compro-
leadership styles of the organization’s managers and super-
mise, modify, and learn from feedback
visors (democratic, authoritarian, dictatorial, pragmatic);
(5) the number and types of personnel as well as the lev- • Avoid relying on the grapevine as a source of facts,
els of employees (hierarchy or status of positions, manage- even though it may have been an accurate commu-
rial or laborers, supervisors or team leaders); (6) the nication channel in the past
proximity of work units (closeness of departments, divi-
• Be sincere, empathetic, and sensitive to others’ feel-
sions, or groups that depend on information from each
ings; one’s voice, confidence, actions, and other
other); and (7) the need for communication (who needs
nonverbal cues speak loudly
to know what, when, why, where, and how for informed
decision making to take place. • Seek out information about unknowns, especially
when cultural and gender differences are involved
COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS • Be tactful, polite, clear, prepared, and, above all,
Every group (whether it is formal or informal, and regard- strive to display a positive attitude with all commu-
less of its size) has a communication system or network. nication
Some are very effective and efficient while others are just
the opposite. Even if communication appears to be (or is) COMMUNICATION LEGISLATION
dysfunctional within an organization or group, the group
Professional communicators should review federal legisla-
has a communication system. That is, poor or dysfunc- tion that provides strict parameters for direct-marketing
tional communication still conveys a message. When dys-
functional communication is taking place, there is a lack campaigns using unsolicited faxes, e-mail, and telephone
calls. The Junk Fax Prevention Act, the Can Spam Act,
of exchange of information or messages within the group.
and the Federal Trade Commission’s Do Not Call Lists are
all examples of such legislation. While direct marketing
COMMUNICATION STYLES
continues to be an effective sales tool, some consumers
Without realizing it, most people communicate with oth-
demand privacy protection from unwanted solicitors.
ers (verbally as well as nonverbally) according to a domi- Federal legislation of privacy protection also extends to
nant style. Essentially, people communicate in one of four employees who use company phones, computers, and
basic styles: (1) directly or authoritatively (an in-charge
Internet capabilities.
person or one who is a driving force to get things done);
(2) analytically or as a fact finder (a person who plans, Businesses must be clear and upfront about how
researches, and analyzes the facts and weighs the alterna- employees’ internal and external communications are
tives carefully); (3) amiably or as a coach (a supportive monitored. Equally, employees must realize that their e-
team builder who gets people to work together toward a mail correspondence, phone conversations, and other
common goal); or (4) expressively or flamboyantly (a communications may be used as evidence in a court of
cheerleader with a positive attitude who has an abundance law, pending legal action that involves their employer.
of ideas and motivates others toward taking action).
SEE ALSO Communication Channels; Electronic Mail;
Communication styles are developed over time and
Videoconferencing; Voice Messaging; Writing Skills in
with practice, and they can be influenced by many envi-
Business
ronmental factors. They also may reflect cultural norms. It
is important to understand one’s own preferred communi-
cation style as well as those of others in order to maximize BIBLIOGRAPHY
one’s communication interactions. Locker, Kitty O. & Kaczmarek, Stephen Kyo. (2007). Business
communication: building critical skills (3rd ed.). Boston, MA:
McGraw-Hill.
BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION
Guffey, Mary Ellen (2006). Business communication: process &
Effective communication relies in part on eliminating as product (5th ed.) Mason, OH: Thomson/South-Western.
many communication barriers as possible. Some ways to
avoid common barriers to communication include the fol-
lowing: Sharon Lund O’Neil
Jerry S. Evans
• Stay focused on the topic Heather Bigley

128 ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BUSINESS AND FINANCE, SECOND EDITION