Effective Business Writing and Communications

Before you sit down to write a business letter, you should think carefully about your purpose, audience and tone. Your letter should be brief and to the point. You should keep in mind that the purpose of your letter is to convince your readers of the strength of your claims. Support your points with reasonable arguments. You need to be sure that you maintain a rational tone; it should be firm but reasonable. Then you have to revise your letter with your reader in mind: if your reader is unfamiliar with your case, begin with an overview; arrange events in logical order using transitions. Try to end in a positive note.

Comparing interpersonal and business communication there are differences in tone and audience. In business writing you use a stricter and firmer tone. Try to be as formal as possible and put all the information that you need to send in. You are not supposed to be so firm when communicating interpersonally because you might assume the person knows more than you do. The purpose and content can be much the same, except in business writing purposes are various, and more than one could be included.

Another areas that should be considered when writing an interpersonal letter is the use of different colored letters fonts, or emoticons. You should get straight to the point and not mess around. When I am writing a personal letter I seem to beat around the bush and don’t get straight to the point. I tend to use emoticons and may make my letters a different color or size.

First of all in order to overcome communication barriers one needs to develop self-esteem and self-confidence. It also helps to build up the ability to see every act of inadequate human manifestation of his psychological characteristics and perhaps psychological problems.

Typical communication mistakes:

• False expectations of the partner (the wrong expectations arise as a result of the following error: If we don’t know a person enough, but only some of his positive or negative things, we often complete his image as positive or negative, and then connect our expectations with the image we have created ourselves).

• We think that a partner must guess what we feel (it is better to clearly articulate our expectations, explain the reasons, etc.).

• We fail to grasp the subtext of the conversation (often we do not assume that our partners also might not directly express their wishes and true mood).

• If others’ behavior make us uncomfortable, we presume that they treat us bad, and even doing it to spite us (however, the reason can be quite different; people are usually saddened and irritated by the unjust accusations of abuse; it turns out that we ourselves provoke conflict)

• We try to meet the expectations of the interlocutor (in communication with a person, this leads to unnatural relationships, which are often found at the most inopportune moment; on the contrary if we are manipulated, the impact is even worse).

Life confronts us with different people. Very rarely it gives us the opportunity to communicate with those with whom barriers would not arise. Therefore, we should be lenient to manifestations of uncommunicativeness and be able to avoid conflicts. To overcome communication barriers, you need to diagnose yourself or your partner, and build your behavior so that will reduce or eliminate the barrier.

“He who asks a question may be a fool for five minutes, but he who never asks a question remains a fool forever.”

Tom J. Connelly

Question constitutes one of the logical forms. It includes the first baseline information, as well as an indication of its failure and the need to further complement and expand. It is impossible to ask a question without knowing the subject of discussion, as well as in order to answer a question, competence and the ability to properly assess the content and nature of the question is required.

The ability to formulate the questions correctly and efficiently responding to them in many ways help achieving a better understanding of business communication. Asking questions is another way to deepen understanding and thus to awaken awareness. Professional managers know how with the use of questions quickly and accurately obtain information. Here is where the proverb came: “He who asks, leads”. A partner who is not able to ask questions makes his interlocutors to guess his intentions and expectations, since questions can competently get the conversation and negotiations on the right track. With the right questions one can successfully convey his thoughts and build a chain of reasoning that leads to the necessary conclusions.

The following represents the importance of questions in business interaction:

• Question as a convenient form of motivation (“Could you?”)

• Using questions grabs your partner’s attention

• Implies certain information

• Could lead to a right answer (as contained in the question itself, for example, a question that requires consent)

• Immediately after the perception of the question it shows the relationship to the subject matter and between the person asking the question and the asker.

• Questions help involving the partner in a talk.

• Correctly formulated questions can diplomatically correct an error in reasoning or conduct.

• Questions provide a basis for trust.

Types of questions:

• Informational – to gather necessary information

• Controlling – to check whether a partner follows your ideas or thoughts

• For orientation – to check whether a partner maintains their previously expressed views

• Conformational – to arrive at a mutual understanding; to obtain approval

• Disseminative – to familiarize with the partner’s goals and point opinions

• Unipolar – to repeat the question a partner as a sign that you understand what is at stake and that he understood this, and to gain time

• Counter – with the right formulation lead to narrowing the conversation and bring a partner to the agreement

• Alternative – to provide a choice

• Guiding – if a partner has evaded the topic

• Provocative – to determine what actually the partner wants, and whether he truly understands the situation

• Opening – to keep the partner interested and comfortable to provide answers (may contain a reference to a possible solution to the partner’s problems)

• Wrapping – to cover the main points of business interaction

Business communication style is focused on the positive and constructive result. Business style eliminates the suppression of a different position. The main issue of business communication style can be formulated as follows: the parties’ positions are determined attitude to the problem under discussion (the disputed status) or attitude towards the opponent.

In everyday life, everyone in the communication process declares their selves, their judgment of various phenomena and their relatedness toward them. With experience, knowledge and abilities people have formed personal principles and rules of different depth and extent that allow something considered to be proved while something to be doubtful. But this stays as long as the dispute does not meet an opponent who owns the theory and practice of argumentation, all of its arsenal, or when their own arguments will not be subject to criticism, denial, or just serious consideration.

The practice of argument, of course is richer and more diverse than any theory could be, but theory must be an element of systematic and predictable results. One of the laws of communication reads as follows: the most readily accepted view is of a person who is likable, pleasant, and gives the impression of their «self». What is required? Quite a few, but, above all, be able to identify the communicator’s psycho type, be able to addapt and use his vocabulary terms and manners. Then he will subconsciously think that he deals with someone who is close to him in many ways.

The meaning of communication of any person results in the reactions that he/she evokes. Therefore, to get the desired response, one must be prepared to communicate with the partner.

Quite often in business communication criticism is a part of life, so it is important to correctly approach such questions as who has the right to criticize and who does not, about the extent of criticism and the co relatedness between critics and business, about beyond criticism zone and how to criticize without offending or losing connection with the criticized side.The word “criticism” is of Greek origin and has several meanings:

a) Discussion with a view to assess

b) A negative proposition to indicate the shortcomings

c) Validation of something

Positive criticism is always particularly appropriate, carried out in the presence of the object of criticism. Subject of criticism are the works and deeds, and not individually a person or his/her features, character and mental capacity. Objective criticism is based only on specific facts and arguments. The ultimate goal of criticism is the solution that helps to change the situation, specific proposals for remedial and removal of the problems. The purpose of criticism is to identify the real causes of errors. Nevertheless, criticism should be gentle!

Devastating criticism in its form of expression is monologged. It does not imply a constructive interaction between criticizer and criticized. It does not involve the two positions that are mutually clarified or produced in the process of criticism. The author of such criticism is only one position, one point of view arrogating to oneself the right to be right in advance.

Constructive criticism is not aimed to destroy the opponent, but the joint search of ways to overcoming the difficulties and challenges. Here we have two equal positions which interact with each other in the process of criticism. As a critical dialogue this is not just a means of detecting defects on which to then “take action”, but also the process of eliminating these shortcomings.

Business Communication is known as Communications encompasses a variety of topics, including Marketing, Branding, Customer relations, Consumer behavior, Advertising, Public relations, Corporate communication, Community engagement, Research & Measurement, Reputation management, Interpersonal communication, Employee engagement, Online communication, and Event management.

There are several methods of business communication, including:

• Web-based communication – for better and improved communication, anytime anywhere …
• e-mails, which provide an instantaneous medium of written communication worldwide.
• Reports – important in documenting the activities of any department.
• Presentations – very popular method of communication in all types of organizations, usually involving audiovisual material, like copies of reports, or material prepared in Microsoft PowerPoint or Adobe Flash.
• telephoned meetings, which allow for long distance speech.
• forum boards, which allow people to instantly post information at a centralized location; and
• face to face meetings, which are personal and should be succeeded by a written followup.

Organization and order are very important parts of writing. Without organization and order an author’s sentences appear to be haphazardly thrown together. A writer’s work should be created in a way that each sentence or paragraph flows in a smooth fashion from one to the next throughout the document from start to finish.

Another important part is access. A writer should provide easy access to different sections in order to find information on just the topic desired. A writer can accomplish this feat by including a Table of Contents (TOC), the use of headings, and numbering or bulleting certain topics and sub-topics throughout the document.

The use of variety is important in writing so a reader does not feel overwhelmed by all of the text. Variety adds interesting touches to the document. Not only by the use of headings and bullets but, incorporating the use of color (keep in mind the cultural differences), graphics, use of white space, and the use of different font sizes, resulting in a better looking more efficient document.

One of the most important, if not the most important factor in determining the chances of success in any business or professional activities is the ability to behave properly with people. Even in the early 1930s Dale Carnegie observed that the success of a man in his financial affairs, even in the technical field or engineering are fifteen percent dependent on his professional knowledge and eighty-five percent on his ability to communicate with people. In this context it is easy to explain the attempts of many researchers to formulate and justify the basic principles of ethical business communication or, as they are often called, the commandments of personal public relation or “business etiquette”.

Business etiquette or the process of survival and succeeding in the business world could be explained in the following six basic principles:

1. Punctuality (do everything on time). Delays affect the work and are a sign that a person cannot be relied upon. The principle to do everything on time applies to all service tasks. Experts studying the organization and distribution of working time recommend adding extra 25 percent to the time period that is required to perform the assigned task.

2. Privacy (do not reveal too much). In any institutions, corporations, or particular deals there are secrets that should be kept as carefully as the ones of a personal nature. There is also no need to recount anyone heard from a colleague, supervisor or subordinate about his or her performance or personal life.

3. Courtesy, friendliness and affability. In any situation it is necessary to behave politely, kindly and benevolent with customers, clients, customers and co-workers. This, however, does not require being friends with everyone whom you communicate in a work setting.

4. Attention to people (think of others, and not only of yourself). Attention to the people surrounding you should be extended to colleagues, superiors and subordinates. Respect the opinions of others; try to understand why they have formed a particular point of view. Always listen to criticism and advice of colleagues, superiors and subordinates. When someone questions the quality of your work, show that you value the views and experiences of other people. Confidence should not prevent you to be modest.

5. Appearance (dress as expected). The main approach is to fit in your environment at work, and within that environment – in your level of contingent workers. You should look the best way, which is to dress with taste, choosing matching colors.  Carefully choosing accessories is important.

6. Literacy (speak and write good language). Internal documents or letters to outside agencies should be composed paying attention to the proper language used, and all proper names transferred without errors. Do not use abusive words. Even if you only quote the words of another person around, they will be perceived as part of your own vocabulary.

One of the basic principles of modern life is the maintenance of good relations between people and the desire to avoid conflict. In turn, you can win the respect and attention only if being courteous and self-disciplined. Therefore, nothing can be more valued by people around us as courtesy and compassion. But in life we often find ourselves confronted with rudeness, harshness, and disrespect against a person. The reason here is that we underestimate the culture of human behavior and its manners.

Manners constitute a way to behave, the external form of behavior, treat people, used in speech, expression, tone, intonation, body language, gestures and even facial expressions.

In a society good manners are considered modesty and self-discipline, the ability to control oneself and carefully and tactfully communicate with other people. Bad manners are considered to be the habit of speaking aloud, without shame in terms of familiarity gestures and behavior, carelessness in dress, rudeness, revealed in a frank malevolence of others, in disregard of other people’s interests and needs, to shamelessly impose on other people’s will and desires, in the inability to control anger with the intention of insulting the dignity of people around, lack of tact, foul language, use of derogatory nicknames.

Manners are related to the culture of human behavior and are regulated by etiquette. Etiquette implies sympathy and respect to all people, regardless of their positions and social status. It includes the courteous treatment of women, respect for elders, forms of address to the elderly, forms of address and greetings, rules of conversation, table manners. In general, etiquette in a civilized society coincides with the general requirements of courtesy, which are based on the principles of humanism.

Compassion is an obligatory condition of communication. Delicacy should not be excessive or turned into flattery that could lead to unwarranted praise for anything seen or heard. There is no need to strenuously deny that it is the first time you see something, listen, eat, and fear because otherwise, you will be seen as an ignoramus.

Communication is the process of interaction between social factors, social groups, communities or individuals, in which is a performance of the exchange of information, experience and abilities. Specifics of business communication are due to the fact that it occurs based on a certain kind of activity related to any product or business impact. Like any form of communication, business communication is historical in nature; it manifests itself at different levels of social systems and in various forms. Its distinctive feature is that it doesn’t have a self-owned destination, isn’t self-targeted, but a means to achieve any other goals. In market relations communication’s goal is primarily to gain maximum profit.

Ethics of business communication should be considered in its various manifestations: in the relationship between the enterprise and the social environment, between enterprises or within a single enterprise. There are different specifics between the parties of each form of business communication. The challenge is to formulate such principles of business communication, which not only fits each type of business communication, but also don’t go against the general moral principles of human behavior. Moreover, these principles should be a reliable tool to coordinate the activities of people involved in business communication.

Regarding business communication, the basic ethical principles can be formulated as follows: in business communication when deciding what values should be preferred in a particular situation, act so to the maximum of your power is compatible with the moral values of others involved in communication, and allows coordination of interests of all parties.

Thus, coordination should be a basis for the ethics of business communication as well as harmonization of interests, of course, if it is carried out by ethical means, and in the name of morally justified goals. Therefore, business communication should always be checked by ethical reflection as the reasons justifying the entry into it. At the same time it’s not always easy to make the correct ethical choices and to take an individual decision. Market relations provides freedom of choice, but at the same time increases the number of options, gives rise to complex moral dilemmas that business people encounter at every step in the process of their activities and communication.