Business Communication

Module I

The term Communication is a derivation from communis,

communicatio and communicare which are two Latin words. Communis is a noun,
which means common, or sharing. Communicare is a verb, which means 'make
something common'. ‘Communicatio’ is also a Latin noun which means sharing or
imparting. The Oxford Dictionary defines communication as, “the transfer or conveying of
meaning”.

Communication as a term has a broad spectrum of definitions based on the context in

which it is used. It is signalling in the animal kingdom; it is sharing ideas in the human
world; it is transmission in the domain of engineers and technologists; it is an expression
of fantasies and feelings in the artistic universe; it is a behavioural transaction in
psychology; it is language in use for linguists; it is a tool to make decisions explicit in an
organisation. With so many facets, Communication is a field of study that is entangled with
all other fields of study. Thus, it is important for a manager to understand communication
as a process and its implication in the field of management.

What is communication?

Communication can be defined as a transactional process that involves an exchange of

ideas, information, feelings, attitudes, or beliefs and impressions; multi-level process in an
organization because it involves the organizational hierarchy, from the top to the bottom,
and across the horizontal levels; cultural interaction with people in groups for conversing
and sharing ideas in social gatherings; disseminating information to masses through the
media; transformational process that motivates and fosters growth and mutual
understanding; dynamic process that challenges 'what you say' and 'how you
say' at that particular moment;
Noise
mental/psychological process of Noise
Message
talking to oneself in mind, Channel Channel
and(an) interaction process
with the corporate.
Encoder Decoder
In a nutshell, Communication is Communication Process
Decoder Encoder
a process of sharing of ideas,
information, knowledge, attitude
Channel
or feelings among two or more Channel

persons through certain signs Feedback

and symbols or language. It is Noise Noise

the transfer of understanding

Figure 1
or meaning. An idea by itself
cannot be understood. It has
to be encoded either in words or in signs and symbols. Then it has to be transmitted to a
receiver or receivers. The receiver, in turn will decode the message and reciprocate to the

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encoder or the sender. A communication process comprises the following elements and
activities:

 The sender (Element)

 The sender has an idea (Activity)
 The sender encodes the idea into a message(Activity)
 Message (Element)
 Channel/Medium (Element)
 The message travels through the channel (Activity)
 Noise in the transmission process (Barriers)
 The receiver (Element)
 The receiver gets the message (Activity)
 The receiver decodes the message (Activity)
 The receiver provides the feedback (Activity)
 The frame of reference of the sender and the receiver (Individual Factors)
 The context (External Environment)
 Feedback (Element)
The process of Communication can be explained as under:
SENDER

The person who wants to send a message is called the sender. The person may have
an idea.
IDEATION

Ideation is the first stage of communication, and it consists of 'What" of communication.

As it refers to the formation of the idea or selection of a message to be communicated,
its scope is determined by the sender's knowledge, experiences, and abilities, as well
as the context of the communicative situation.

ENCODING

Encoding is the next step in communication. It is the process of changing the

information in some form of logical and coded message. Encoding involves selecting
language, selecting a medium of communication, and selecting an appropriate
communication form. As selecting the right medium involves making the right choice
out of many available options, it determines the effectiveness of encoding. It is vital
asthere are somany options for transmitting interpersonal messages available to
a communicator that heor she may get confused. Making the right choice is the
beginningof effective communication. There arethree basic options forsending
interpersonalmessages, i.e., speaking, writing and nonverbal signs and symbols.
The spoken word involves vocalization while nonverbal message cues are
generally visual (auditory and tactile). Nonverbal clues play a significant

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 role in oral communication. These clues include body movements, facial
expressions touching patterns and speech mannerisms writing.

TRANSMISSION

Transmission is one of the most basic aspects of communication. It is basically the

flowof message over the chosen channel. It is important to keep thecommunication
channel free from any interference or noise so that the message reaches the
receiver without any disturbance. Transmission, thus, involves choosing proper
time (when to communicate), proper place (where to communicate) and a proper
way (how to communicate). Choosing the right time. the right place and the right
way is essential for effective communication.

DECODING

Decoding involves interpretation and analysis of a message. Decoding in oral

communication includes listening and understanding while in written communication,
it refers to reading understanding a written message. Effective decoding is
very important for success communication as any misinterpretation of a
message leads to communication breakand creates confusion and
misunderstanding.

RESPONSE (FEEDBACK)

Response being the last stage of communication process refers to the action or
reaction of fur receiver to the message. It helps the sender know that the
message was received understood. The feedback that goes to the sender makes
it clear whether the receiver has accepted the information and filed it in his/her
memory or rejected it. He or She may ask for more information or clarification.
Feedbackis, thus, the key to communication as fur effectiveness of
communication depends on how congruent a receiver's response is with meaning
the sender intended.

Types Communication

Communication is a complex process yet people do not fail often. Perhaps,

communication succeeds because people develop skills to manage messages across
situations. In an organisation, managers need to be well-versed with art of communication
management since employees get connected with each other and with the management
only through communication. Employees communicate with their superiors, subordinates,
peers, customers and other stake holders in a formal manner. They also interact
informally within the office premises to get their ideas delivered. During this process both
verbal and non-verbal codes come into play. Therefore, communication acquires various

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forms while in action. For the purpose learning more about communication process,
communication is categorized into types. Please remember that these categories are not
mutually exclusive rather they are interrelated.

Category 1: verbal and non-verbal based

on use of language;

Category 2: oral or written or audio-visual

based on the medium used;

Category 3: formal and informal based on

the channel;

Category 4: upward, downward, horizontal

or diagonal based on formal organisational
structure;

Category 5: interpersonal, group or mass

based on number of people involved in the
process of communication.
Verbal and Nonverbal Communication
Verbal communication consists of words. It is not only oral but also written. Generally,
people consider oral communication synonymous to verbal communication. Well, it is
because one of the meanings of “verbal” is “oral” in the dictionary. Verbal communication
can be broadly categorized into speech and writing. Speech communication includes face-
to-face conversation, talking over the phone, public address, presentation, meetings and
so on. Written communication involves writing letters, emails, memos, proposals, reports
and the like. Both oral and written communications are important for a manager in the
organisation.

According to various surveys conducted across globe, about 80% of the time a manger in
the organisation spends communicating with others. And most of the communication is
oral in nature which is assisted by nonverbal communication. As discussed earlier, verbal
communication uses “words” or “language” for disseminating information whereas,
nonverbal communication does not. For example the expression “Parking Area” is verbal,
but “ ” is nonverbal as it is a symbol.

Oral and written expressions may be different in different languages. Therefore, it is

important to use language carefully. As it is said that “what we say is not important but
how we say is important”, so managers need to carefully craft their statements or draft
their documents while communicating. It is necessary to differentiate between oral and
written language in a formal setup. Oral expressions in writing could sound casual,
whereas written expressions in spoken language could be tagged as pompous or
ornamental. For instance, a manager may speak to the subordinate, “There is a meeting
today. You should be present”, and not “You are informed to attend the meeting today”.
However, the linguistic divide between oral and written communication is slowly

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diminishing due to the prevalence of the principle of directness in communication
especially due to acceptance of text messaging/ WhatsApp chats.
There are many benefits of oral communication.

 This form of communication is a quick and direct method of communication.

 Be it a criticism or praise or information, it helps to convey the message
immediately to the receiver.
 This method of communication enables in obtaining immediate feedback and hence
is a form in which two-way communication can be enabled.
 The other main advantage of this communication method is that it helps in
conveying the message with the desired pitch and tone that is needed for the
message.
 It also saves on time in a huge way and saves enormously on effort that is spent.
 Oral communication is a less formal method as compared to others and hence
adds a personal touch to your message.
 Combined with the right kind of verbal communication, oral forms can create
confidence and loyalty on the sender from the receiver „s side.
There are many ways to create an effective oral communication. It is important to ensure
that the words are framed properly and are delivered in the right pitch and tone. Clarity,
brevity and precision are mandatory features of an effective oral communication system. It
is advisable to avoid complicated sentences and jargons so as to make sure that the
message is conveyed across properly. It is important to establish an eye contact and to
modulate body language based on the message. For example, a strict order can be
conveyed better when communicated with a formal and stern body language as opposed
to a casual and friendly one.
Though it has many advantages, oral communication has its set of limitations also.

 This form of communication can be misinterpreted or misunderstood very easily.

 Communicating effectively through oral forms require high skills and is not
something that everyone can master.
 It is also not a form of communication that can be used as a form of documentary
evidence.

WRITTEN COMMUNICATION Next to oral communication, written communication is the

oldest known form of communication. Any form of communication which is written and
documented from the sender to the receiver is known as written communication.
Examples of written communication include letters, memos, research papers, reports, etc.
It is a very concrete form of documentary evidence and can also be used for future
reference purposes. As the information is written, it can be easily distributed to many
people thus making it a bulk communication method. As the information does not change
from person to person, the accuracy of the information conveyed is same across the entire
audience.

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To ensure an effective written communication form, it is a must to follow completeness,
clarity and correctness in your writing. As there is no immediate feedback that can be
received, it is important that written communication is detailed and accurate to ensure that
the write message is communicated. Keep the communication simple and without any
errors.

Written communication also has its limitations like lack of feedback, absence of
modulations to convey message effectively, etc. These can be overcome effectively by
mixing oral communication with written so as to combine the advantages of both along
with eliminating the disadvantages.
Nonverbal communication basically unveils an individual‟s behaviour. It reflects the
personality and temperament of a person. Therefore, managers are expected to
understand the meaning of nonverbal cues- singular and clusters. Nonverbal cues consist
of kinesics, proxemics, paralanguage, sign language, time language, object language,
action, silence, and demonstration.
Body Language

Often, people are judged by their looks. One who stands straight is considered to be
smart, and the one who has drooping shoulders and is slow in moving is tagged as lazy.
These kinds of judgments affect our communication pattern. For instance, people prefer to
listen to or talk to one who appears smart, rather than someone who looks lazy.

Body language is into two categories namely, Kinesics and Postures. Some scholars
from the U.S have tried to develop a vocabulary of body language called kinesics. This is
based on the supposition that body movements may also generate a vocabulary of
communication, unique to each culture. Thus, kinesics can be studied through facial
expression, gestures, eye contact, appearance, space, tactile and odour.

Facial expressions convey a lot more information than words can ever say. A frown on
the face shows discontent, a smile shows joy, engrossed look with palm on the chin
shows thinking and red face with a stern look and clipped lips under teeth conveys anger.
These instances prove how important are facial expressions for effective communication.

Gestures are expressions communicated through body movements especially with the
help of hands, neck and shoulder. Curling of the fingers in and out at someone means
“come here”, waving of hand means “good bye”, shrugging of shoulders shows “not aware
or not knowing”, thumbs up means “all the best” etc…. But these gestures are not
universal in nature. Gestures have different meanings in different cultures. Smile and cry
are the only universal gestures that human beings across globe use to express pleasure
and despair respectively.

Eye contact is quite helpful in learning about a person. Looking at someone in a face-to-
face discussion usually refers to looking into the eyes of person. The eyes along with the
eyebrows, eyelids and pupils convey feelings of people. For example, raised eyebrows
with dilated pupils show that the person is surprised, excited or frightened. On the other

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hand contracted pupils with eyelids in closing position convey that the person is in pain or
is angry.

Appearance includes the body structure, shape and posture. People with heads held high
with a straight body posture are considered to have a good personality. These people are
perceived as ones with great integrity, confidence and self-respect as against ones who
bow their heads down or keep leaning. Body shapes also create an impression on the on-
looker. Fat and soft people, often evoke laughter as they are perceived as lazy and
inactive. Tall, thin and youthful people are
accepted better in the society than their fatter Proximal Behaviour
counterparts.

Utilization of space is also a part of non-verbal Intimate: Physical contact to 18 inches

communication. The distance between people
while they are conversing face-to-face is an Personal: 18 inches to 4 feet
important aspect of communication. The distance
between persons conversing face-to-face can be Social: 4 feet to 12 feet
divided into intimate, personal, social and public
Public: 12 feet and above
space. According to Edward.T.Hall,social
scientist, intimate distance is from physical
contact to 18” (between close friends and relatives), personal distance is from 18” to 4‟
(between comrades, peers etc…), social distance is from 4‟ to 12‟ (between officials of
various cadres) and public distance is 12‟ and above (while communicating with a large
audience). This type of space distancing between people is called proxemics. Space also
includes the space around i.e. the area of the room, the height of the walls etc…. The
movable assets in an office also constitute space. This includes the furniture used, room
partitions etc… The space utilized and the ambience of an organisation communicates
nonverbally.

Touch (tactile) is also a non-verbal form of communication. This

referred to as haptics. While shaking hands with a stranger, one
can realize whether the person is tough, warm, gentle or
flirtatious. This can be made out through touch. A child
reciprocates well to its mother‟s touch, whereas it retaliates when
the touch sounds unfamiliar. Thus, touch is an integral part of
communication that can help understand a person better.
Many cultures in the world have often emphasized the importance of smell (olfactics) in
knowing about an individual‟s personality. This is included in the non-verbal
communication as odour. With the western corporate culture growing, people are getting
used to various kinds of deodorants to hide their body smell. In few cultures fragrance is
an important part of one‟s personality like in middle-east Asian countries. In India too,
women are supposed to possess sweet smell to depict their gentle nature. Heavy smell of
sweat denotes more of physical labour and sweet fragrance is related to femininity.

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Posture is a part of body language. It has been discussed in brief in the section
“appearance”. Posture is not just an aspect of appearance, but is an effective form of non-
verbal communication. Standing erect with straightened shoulders communicates that the
person is dynamic and active. At the same time, a person with leaning back and drooping
shoulders appears to be lazy. Similarly sitting postures also effect communication. These
examples can be visualized in a seminar situation. If the speaker is leaning or bending,
audience loses interest very easily. But if the speaker is maintaining a straight posture, the
audience appears active. This is true even while people are in a meeting. Here sitting
postures communicate the degree of attentiveness of an individual. Therefore it is
important to maintain right kind of posture for effective communication.
Paralanguage

Para means “like”. Paralanguage refers to the manner in which language is spoken. To
understand this better, let us consider this sentence- “She is clever”. This sentence can be
spoken in different ways-

a) |She is \clever. (Fall in the tone indicates a statement.)

b) |She is ⁄clever. (Rise in the tone indicates a question.)
c) |She is ˇclever. (Fall- rise tone indicates that the speaker is implying something that
is not spoken.)

Thus, paralanguage is the “how” in spoken language, while the words and sentences are
a part of “what” in oral communication. Paralanguage includes voice, volume, speed,
stress, intonation, pitch and pause. This is quite apparent when we listen to a speech.
The voice quality attracts us to the speaker. For example, voice of the famous film star
Amitabh Bachchan attracts audience due to its clarity, modulation and depth. This can be
contrasted with the voice of the famous comedian Johnny Lever; his voice evokes
laughter because of unwanted modulation in the voice.

Volume and speed are also important in oral communication. Loudness of voice, usually,
depends on the audience a speaker addresses. Any unusual use of loudness can lead to
poor communication. Proper use of volume is related to confidence, assertiveness and
effective communication, whereas wrong use of loudness in speech can lead to negative
discernment. For example a speech in an auditorium cannot be whispered, similarly an
interpersonal talk cannot be shouted out. Pace of the speech is considered an essential
aspect of effective speech. Being too fast can curb comprehensibility and being too slow
can make the speech boring. Though the
fastness and slowness in speech are relative Clocks, jewellery, hairstyle, interior
but, the human brain is capable enough to decorative items, ethnic wear of
judge it well.
people of different countries,
Object Language
uniforms of military personnel, attire
The objects that people possess have a of religious heads etc… are all
language of their own. This includes the dress
examples of object language.
that is worn, the accessories and other

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possessions that are carried or exhibited. For example, one can make out that a person is
a lawyer by his or her coat. The association of a stethoscope is always with a doctor, and
a pen with a literate. People wearing watch are considered to be time conscious and those
with gorgeous ornaments are perceived to be rich. Similarly, clean dress with polished
shoes is a symbol of smartness. Thus, objects and dresses communicate about a person
and cannot be neglected as petty things.
Time Language (Chronemics)

“Time and tide wait for none”- this an age old saying and so people who
respect time communicate sincerity, discipline and alertness. Time is also
equated with money. A latecomer is not perceived to be sincere and
people avoid giving such a person responsible tasks. Similarly
procrastination is considered to be a symbol of irresponsibility. Thus, time
communicates about a person‟s nature. It is also true that the importance that we attribute
to time is culture specific. In western culture, there is nothing more important than time.
But in Indian culture, we have a relaxed attitude to time.
Sign Language
Signs and symbols are the most primitive forms of communication. The cave paintings by
early man are examples that our ancestors used signs and symbols to express
themselves in times, as early as, the Stone Age. The sign language is a part of modern
day communication also. The visual or graphical signs like no parking, no smoking, traffic
lights etc… are good examples of modern day sign language. The following graphical
signs communicate better than words can say.

Sign language can be visual and audio. All the pictorial, graphical and physical
representations come under sign language. Even the gestures meant to communicate
with people who are hearing impaired come under sign language.

The jingle associated with a particular object, organisation or person is an example of

audio sign language. Fire alarm, police siren or siren of the ambulance communicate
emergency. Thus, signs and symbols are an important part of nonverbal communication.
Action, Silence and Demonstration

Action language is a combination of body language and other forms of non-verbal

communication. When we see a man, from a distance, with a spade in his hand and going
up and down with the spade, we can make out that he is digging. We guess that because
of his action. Various forms of dances and dramas are examples of action language. In a
corporate situation, effectiveness of communication is judged by the following course of
action. Thus, action is vital form of communication.

Silence is also a form of communication. Though silence is interpreted in different ways in

different circumstances, nevertheless it is very important for proper understanding. Silence
while working means concentration and discipline. Silence in a funeral is respect. Silence
in a work place without any work means protest. Silence of an accused in the court room

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is acceptance of guilt, and silence of the top management on the bonus issue means non-
acceptance. Thus, silence communicates.

Pictorial demonstration in the manual that is given with electronic equipment helps in
learning the operation of the equipment. Most of the time, pictorial instructions are
understood better than the written instructions. This is a form of non-verbal communication
that is demonstration. Demonstration can be of two types viz… pictorial or graphical and
physical. Physical demonstration is done under simulated situation. Demonstrating an
operation in the operation theatre or a director enacting a character for the benefit of the
actor, are examples of live or physical demonstration. Salespersons display and
demonstrate their products in kiosks along pedestrian paths, office exits and petrol pumps.
This is done to give customers a first-hand experience of the product and lure them into
buying the product. Test drives are excellent examples of live demonstration.

Formal and Informal Communication

Formal Communication

It is in the form of official messages and news that flow through recognized channels or
routes formally laid by the organization. This communication may take place between a
superior and subordinate, a subordinate and superior or among employees at same level
or departmental managers.

The formal network flow often follows a company„s formal organization chart, which is
created by management to control
individual and group behaviour and to
achieve the organization„s goals.
Formal communication refers to
interchange of information officially.
The flow of communication is
controlled and is a deliberate effort.
This makes it possible for the
information to reach the desired place
without any hindrance, at a little cost
and in a proper way. This is also
known as “Through Proper Channel
Communication.” The formal system is
dictated by the cultural, technical, political and economic environment of the organization.

Informal Communication It is in the form of unofficial messages (work related or people

related) that flow outside the officially designed channels. Technically called as grapevine
communication. Result of natural desire to communicate with each other freely and
frequently. The informal network flow develops as people interact within the formal
communication system and certain behaviour patterns emerge, patterns that
accommodate social and psychological needs. Because the informal network undergoes
continual changes, it generally cannot be depicted accurately by graphic means.

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FORMAL NETWORK FLOW
The direction in which communication flows formally within an organization may be
downward, upward, horizontal or lateral, diagonal and external. Although the concept of
flow seems simple, direction has meaning for those participating in the communication
process.
In an organization, communication flows in 5 main directions-
1. Downward
2. Upward
3. Lateral / Horizontal Internal

4. Diagonal
5. External

Internal Organisational Communication Channel

Downward Flow of Communication: Communication that flows from a higher level in an

organization to a lower level is a downward communication. In other words,
communication from superiors to subordinates in a chain of command is a downward
communication. This communication flow is used by the managers to transmit work-
related information to the employees at lower levels. Employees require this information
for performing their jobs and for meeting the expectations of their managers. Downward
communication is used by the managers for the following purposes –

 Providing feedback on employees„ performance.

 Giving job instructions.
 Providing a complete understanding of the employees„ job as well as to
communicate them how their job is related to other jobs in the organization.
 Communicating the organization„s mission and vision to the employees.
 Highlighting the areas of attention.

Organizational publications, circulars, letter to employees, group meetings etc. are all
examples of downward communication. In order to have effective and error-free
downward communication, managers must:

 Specify communication objective.

 Ensure that the message is accurate, specific and unambiguous.
 Utilize the best communication technique to convey the message to the receiver in
right form.

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Upward Flow of Communication: Communication that flows to a higher level in an
organization is called upward communication. It provides feedback on how well the
organization is functioning. The subordinates use upward communication to convey their
problems and performances to their superiors. The subordinates also use upward
communication to tell how well they have understood the downward communication. It can
also be used by the employees to share their views and ideas and to participate in the
decision-making process. Upward communication leads to a more committed and loyal
workforce in an organization because the employees are given a chance to raise and
speak dissatisfaction issues to the higher levels. The managers get to know about the
employees feelings towards their jobs, peers, supervisor and organization in general.
Managers can thus accordingly take actions for improving things. Grievance Redressal
System, Complaint and Suggestion Box, Job Satisfaction surveys etc. all help in improving
upward communication. Other examples of Upward Communication are -performance
reports made by low level management for reviewing by higher level management,
employee attitude surveys, letters from employees, employee-manager discussions etc.

Lateral / Horizontal Communication: Communication that takes place at same levels of

hierarchy in an organization is called lateral communication, i.e., communication between
peers, between managers at same levels or between any horizontally equivalent
organizational member. The advantages of horizontal communication are as follows:

 It is time saving.
 It facilitates co-ordination of the task.
 It facilitates co-operation among team members.
 It provides emotional and social assistance to the organizational members.
 It helps in solving various organizational problems.
 It is a means of information sharing.
 It can also be used for resolving conflicts of a department with other department or
conflicts within a department.

Diagonal Communication: Communication that takes place between a manager and

employees of other workgroups is called diagonal communication. It generally does not
appear on organizational chart. For instance - To design a training module a training
manager interacts with Operations personnel to enquire about the way they perform their
task.

External Communication: Communication that takes place between a manager and

external groups such as - suppliers, vendors, banks, financial institutes etc. For instance -
To raise capital the Managing director would interact with the Bank Manager.

INFORMAL NETWORK FLOW (the GRAPEVINE)

The grapevine is a communication system or process which is informal communication
system.More and wide information can be transmitted through grapevine.As people talk
casually during coffee breaks and lunch periods, the focus usually shifts from topic to

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topic. One of the usual topics is work – job, company, supervisor, fellow employees. Even
though the formal system has a definite pattern of communication flow, the grapevine
tends to emerge spontaneously and operates within all organizations.
It also comprises gossip and rumour. The grapevine, often called then rumour mill, is
perhaps the best – known part of the informal communication system. According to Prof.
Keith Davis, "Grapevine arises from social interaction, it is as fickle, dynamic and varied
as people are. It is the exercise of their freedom of speech and is a natural, normal
activity".

Characteristics Informal or grapevine communication has the following

characteristics:

(1) Formation through Social Relations:This communication is born out of social relations
who mean that it is beyond the restrictions of the organisation. No superior-subordinate
relationship figures therein. A more sociable superior can gather much information through
this channel.

(2) Two types of Information: Through this communication, information about the work and
the individual can be collected.

(3) Uncertain Path: Since it is beyond the restrictions of the organisation, it follows no
definite channel. Like a grapevine, it moves in a zigzag manner.

(4) Possibility of Rumour and Distortion: Responsibility for the true or false nature of
communication does not lie on any individual and, therefore, not much attention is paid to
its meaning while communicating. Consequently, the rumours keep floating.

(5) Quick Relay: Informal communication makes news spread like wildfire. Not only this,
people start adding something of their own which sometimes changes the real meaning of
the communication.
Types of Informal Networks:

Single-strand – It is like one

person giving information to
the second and the second
informing the third and the
chain continues.

Gossip chain – In this type

of informal network one
person spreads information to
all. Gossip chain is an
interesting phenomenon; its
topics can be varied and wild. Source: https://slideplayer.com/slide/13689818/https://slideplayer.com/slide/13689818/
The discussion may include

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topics like someone‟s personality, personal life, likes and dislikes etc… It can be harmful if
the person discussed in the circle is emotionally hurt due to such talks, or the gossip
tarnishes the image of the person who is discussed in the group.

Probability chain – One person informs, may be, other two randomly and they in turn
continue informing others following probability rules. Information spreads quite fast in this
manner and manypeople receive information (sometimes) without any indication of the
origin of such information. In this kind of a network, some people do not receive
information due to random dissemination of information and not due to lack of proximity or
closeness.
Cluster transmission– One person communicates information to two other employees,
who do so in turn, duplicating it throughout the organization. The information is
disseminated based on the choice of the sender. The selected receivers of the message
could be based on relationship or the nature of information. This practice is very common
in organisations. For instance, an employee is unhappy about his pay-hike, he may
communicate this to two of his colleagues, who may pass on this message to a few more
and so on.

E-Communication E-communication is a common form of interaction for many people.

The use of e-communication allows people to interact in different ways and combine many
forms of media in the process. E-communication makes it easy to interact with groups
through chat interfaces or video conferencing. Companies use electronic communications
to enhance their business and avoid obstacles, such as long-distance communication with
their clients or partners. The Internet and electronic communications (also called computer
mediated communications, or CMC) doesn't just mean new tools for communication; it
means new ways to communicate. Today an organization interacts with its various
constituents differently - employees, board members, customers, partners and others -
depending upon the nature of the message, the goals you are trying to achieve and the
strengths (and weaknesses) of the available media - telephones, voice mail, fax
machines, print, etc. Electronic communications helps us to combine numerous media -
text, graphics sound, video, etc. - into a single message. That can result in far more
meaningful communications tailored to the nature of your particular audience. In contrast
to broadcasting, narrowcasting reflects the ability to develop numerous communications
for subsets of your market or constituencies.

With the Internet you have the ability to transmit and receive large amounts of information
quickly to and from individuals and workgroups around the world. Many organizations are
using electronic communications facilities, such as the World Wide Web, as internal
communications tools to enhance team work. Many individuals at different locations can
work on the same documents, hold meetings and integrate research findings.

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Levels of Communication

When considering the intended audience, communication can be described as taking

place on five levels i.e. intrapersonal,
interpersonal, group, organizational, and
public. Intrapersonal Communication- It is
within oneself because it does not involve a
separate sender and receiver, some do not
consider intrapersonal communication to be true
communication. Others, however, believe that
intrapersonal communication when conceived of
as the degree of our self-awareness is an
important foundation of effective communication.
Accurate perception of our self and an
understanding of how others see us is the first building block of effective communication.
Self-awareness is generally achieved through self-reflection or what might be thought of
as intrapersonal communication.

Interpersonal Communication- It is the communication that occurs between two people.

Its goals are to accomplish the tasks and to help the participants to feel better about
themselves and each other because of their interaction. Examples of interpersonal
communication include that occurring between a supervisor and subordinate and that
occurring between two co-workers.

Group Communication- It occurs among more than two people, generally in a small
group. It„s the goal of group communication to achieve greater output through the
collaboration of several individuals than could be produced through individual efforts.
Examples of group communication include that occurring within a committee or within a
work team.

Organizational Communication- It generally involves large groups working together in

such a way as to accomplish complex, ambitious tasks. The goal of organizational
communication is to provide adequate structure communication flow, and channels and
media for communication to allow that to happen.
Public Communication- This type of communication is intended to help the organization
to reach out to its public to achieve its external communication goals. Examples of public
communication include advertisements, public relations, crisis management, and website
communication about the company and its products and services. Some forms of public
communication, such as advertisements and public relations, might be characterised as
mass communication since they are often transmitted using media.

BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

Communicating is not easy as some people think. It is a complex process, and it is
essential to take care of barriers to communication. These barriers may hamper the
smooth flow of effective communication as they cause confusion and

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 misunderstanding. They even may lead to communication breakdown. These barriers
may emanate form either the sender/receiver or the circumstances of communication.
However, we need to avoid them to become effective communicators.

Eric Garner gives 7 great barriers to effective communication. They are physical barriers,
perceptual barriers, emotional barriers, cultural barriers, language barriers, gender
barriers, and interpersonal barriers.
Physical barriers: Physical barriers in the workplace include:

 Marked out territories into which strangers are not allowed.

 Closed office doors, barrier screens, separate areas for people of different
status
 Large working areas or working in one unit that is physically separate from
others.
Research shows that one of the most important factors in building cohesive teams is
proximity. If the physical distance between employees is large, the communication gap
may increase.
Perceptual barriers: The problem with communicating with others is that everyone sees
the world differently. People develop their perception based on their own backgrounds and
this leads to an uneven understanding of messages. What may seem to one person as an
“impossible task”, can mean a “great challenge” to the other person.

Emotional barriers: One of the chief barriers to open and free communication is the
emotional barrier. It comprises mainly fear, envy, mistrust and suspicion.

Cultural barriers: When a child is born, it is born into a family, community, society etc…
There is always a cultural milieu to provide identification to the child. The child imbibes all
the cultural nuances of the community and becomes a part of that community or society.
Similarly, when people join a group and wish to remain in it, sooner or later they need to
adapt to the behavioural patterns of the group. These are the behaviours that the group
accepts as signs of belonging. Once a person gets adapted to particular group‟s culture, it
gets difficult on his/her part to adjust with other groups.

Language barriers: Language that describes what a person wants to say may pose
barriers to others who are not familiar with those expressions, buzz-words and jargon. For
instance, the word “surfing” for a net-user may mean going through various internet sites,
but for a person associated with adventure sports it would mean riding on a board across
sea waves.
Gender barriers: There are distinct differences between the speech patterns in a man
and those in a woman. A woman speaks between 22,000 and 25,000 words a day
whereas a man speaks between 7,000 and 10,000. Apart from this, men and women have
separate needs and they communicate according to their requirements. For example,
women may treasure jewellery but men may consider it as wastage of money. Both men
and women have their in-group languages that they use privately in their own circles.

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Interpersonal barriers: There are six levels at which people can distance themselves
from one another. One of them is withdrawal. Withdrawal is an absence of interpersonal
contact. It signifies refusal to be in touch and need to remain alone. This behaviour blocks
all communicative entries and thus leads to communication gap.
Removing Communication Barriers

Communication barriers can be removed (rather lessened) if the communicators are

aware of the existing barriers and also if they are open to the methods followed to bridge
communication gaps. The result of a communication with least number of barriers is
effective interaction, enhanced mutuality and cohesive team building. Following strategies
can help in reducing communication barriers:

 Carrying a positive attitude while communicating.

 Avoiding defensiveness as it interferes with communication.
 Developing good communication skills.
 Making communication goal oriented.
 Approaching communication as a creative process rather than simply part of the
routine. Experiment with communication alternatives.
 Empathizing with the communicating partner for “(s)he” is not “you” and “you” are
not “her/him”. Try to look at the issue at hand with the other person‟s perspective as
well.
 Being human at all times. Remember! Communication is a process that involves
“human beings” so be human and practice the ABC of communication viz…
accuracy, brevity and clarity. Do not forget to take feedback.

Principles of Effective Communication

The capacity to communicate effectively and clearly is an important skill. The speakers
have to make the message clear and easily understandable, both in work and outside. In
any profession, it is not possible to get through without communication. Communication is
highly valued in the modern day business world because it acts as a link between all the
stakeholders in a business. There are many principles that govern the art of effective
communication.
1. Brevity: A message to be delivered should be brief. It should neither be too short nor
too long. Lengthy sentences confuse and may lead to misunderstanding. Conversation in
short sentences gives the listener time and opportunity to follow what the speaker
endeavours to put across. Using precise words, simple and familiar words, and avoiding
superfluous words are important factors in effective communication.
2. Clarity: The essential of good communication is clarity. Before communicating, one
must think and rethink ideas till they are clear. Then, only can one put ideas in
conversation in clear-cut terms. Clarity can be achieved with simple words, short
sentences and common words.

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3. Choosing Precise Words: Using the precise words means speaking in exact terms
using the right words at right place and to the context. As far as possible, vague words
should be avoided.
4. Avoiding Cliché: Cliché means a phrase which is used often, and has no meaning. An
effective communicator avoids clichés. A speaker may use them unconsciously when he
is involved in a conversation. The strongest objection to its use is that as it is too
frequently used and in the wrong context, that it is hackneyed. Some of the clichés are:

 The supreme sacrifice.

 The order of the day.
 Conspicuous by his absence.
 Slowly but steadily.
 Last but not the least.
5. LogicalSequence: Presentation of matter in a logical sequence is yet another
important principle of effective communication. The communicator should not jump points
or change the sequence. Consistency, continuity, and logical development of the subject
matter should be there.

6. Avoiding Jargon: Jargon is an expression relating to a field, or a particular section of

profession. It means language or terminology relating to law, commerce, sports, defence
etc… Only people who are well-versed in a particular subject can understand it. It can
create communication gap if the receiver does not understand jargon.
7. Avoid Verbosity: To convey Seven C's of Effective Communication by Francis J.
meaning is more important than
Betgin:
using superfluous words. Verbosity
in oral communication is a great 1. Candid – Be honest
danger. Using more words dose not
2. Clear – Use familiar words
assure greater clarity. Using more
words will take more time and the 3. Complete – Provide all necessary information
time of audience is wasted. The 4. Concise - Avoid unnecessary repetition
listener may tire and may
5. Concrete - Use specific fact and figure
misunderstand the meaning.
6. Correct – Use the right language
8. AppropriatePrepositions: Use of
7. Courteous – Be sincere
unnecessary prepositions should be
avoided. For instance, all employees
must follow the safety regulations in
regard to work. Here the word 'about' can be used in place of “in regard to.” Some other
examples are: in connection with, with reference to, in relation to, with regard to etc…

9. Adjectives and Adverbs: Adjectives and adverbs should be used only when
necessary. They emphasise the meaning with the degree of importance. For instance, the
problem is under active consideration; a positive decision will be taken; definite results;
comparatively, the results are poor.
Filters and barriers

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When we communicate, our personal experience and view of the world has a strong
influence on the messages that we form in our minds and communicate to others. Each
one of us sees the world through a mental „filter‟, which colours our communication.The
Sender sees the world through one set of filters and the Receiver sees it through a
different set. Each message has to pass, therefore, through two sets of filters.

In this case, the filters are mental or psychological. But they can be cultural as well. An
American, for example, sees the world differently from an Indian, because of cultural
filters.Language itself acts as a filter, because each language forces its users to view the
world differently. We shall give some examples of this later. A filter can sometimes be so
powerful that it „blocks‟ or prevents communication altogether. The filter then turns into a
barrier.
Noise

Anything that hinders or obstructs communication is referred to as noise. Filters as well

as barriers, whether psychological, cultural or linguistic, constitute „noise‟. In addition,
„noise‟ can also be physical. For example, if two people are trying to talk to each other in
on a crowded street, there may be a lot of physical noise which prevents them from
hearing each other.
Information loss

Because of the presence of „filters‟ in every system of communication, the „message‟ that
the Receiver receives is seldom the same as the one which the Sender sends. Some
„distortion‟ of the message is almost inevitable.In some cases, some of the information
encoded into the message by the Sender may be lost during the process of
communication and may not reach the Sender, resulting in „information loss‟. It is also
possible for a Receiver to „add‟ or „interpolate‟ some information which was not present in
the original message sent by the Sender.
The Information Gap principle

In any kind of communication, information is transmitted from a Sender to a Receiver. If

the Receiver already has the information which the Sender is trying to convey, he/ she is
unlikely to be receptive to it. No one likes to be told things that they already know!

Communication works on the „Information Gap‟ principle. Transmission of information is

possible only if there is a „gap‟ between the information which the Sender intends to
transmit on any given topic, and the information that the Receiver already possesses on
the same topic.

The Sender must, therefore, try to make an „informed guess‟ about the Receiver‟s state of
knowledge or information.If the Senderbelieves that the Receiver already has the
information which he/she is about to transmit, he/ she should not attempt to transmit this
information.

Information which is already known to the Receiver is called „old‟ or „given‟ information,
while information which the Receiver does not have is referred to as „new‟ information.

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Every message must communicate some „new‟ information. However, if the information is
totally new, the Receiver will not be able to understand the message. The Receiver must
have some „background information‟ which helps him/her to decode the message.
Messages should, therefore be a mixture of „old‟ and „new‟ information.
Information overload

If too much new information is „fed‟ to the Receiver, he/she will be unable to take it in. It is
necessary for the Sender, therefore, not only to mix new information with old, but also to
break the information down into small „chunks‟ – just as a mother breaks food down into
small „bite-size‟ morsels for her baby. (If this is overdone, however, the Receiver may feel
insulted!)

After some information has been communicated, the Sender should seek feedback from
the Receiver, to make sure that the information has been taken in, before providing some
more information.‘Information Overload‟ also describes a situation where so many
different messages are received that the Receiver is unable to cope with the information.

EFFECTIVE LISTENING

Listening is a significant part of communication process. Communication cannot take

place until and unless a message is heard and retained thoroughly and positively by the
receivers/listeners. Listening is a dynamic process. Listening means attentiveness and
interest perceptible in the posture as well as expressions. Listening implies decoding (i.e.,
translating the symbols into meaning) and interpreting the messages correctly in
communication process.

Hearing is simply the act of perceiving sound by the ear. If you are not hearing-
impaired, hearing simply happens. Listening, however, is something one
consciously chooses to do. Listening requires concentration so that the brain
processes meaning from words and sentences.

Effective listening requires both deliberate efforts and a keen mind. Effective listeners
appreciate flow of new ideas and information. Organizations that follow the principles of
effective listening are always informed timely, updated with the changes and
implementations, and are always out of crisis situation. Effective listening promotes
organizational relationships, encourages product delivery and innovation, as well as helps
organization to deal with the diversity in employees and customers it serves.
Types of Listening
Active Vs Passive Listening
Passive listening is hearing. It is like being physically present without any
involvement.In passive listening, the listener pays little or no consideration to
everything that is being communicated. He or she pays attention to a few areas and
phrases.

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 Passive listening doesn‟t require much effort because the listener chooses what to pay
attention to or not. Passive listener hides or denies any form of reasonable
engagement and thus avoiding debates or giving options. Passive listener hides or
denies any form of reasonable engagement and thus avoiding debates or giving
options.

Active listening takes place when the listener has a positive attitude which is
demonstrated through body language, eye contact and reception. It is more than just
hearing. It requires more effort & Concentration.It involves much of Understanding.
Active listening is a two-way communication because both the listener and the
communicator are engaging one another. Active listening result in a clear and deeper
understanding of the topic under discussion.
Other Types of Listening(source: skillsyouneed.com/ips/listening-types.html)

Discriminative listening develops with normal hearing. As we grow older, our ability to
distinguish between different sounds is improved. We recognise different voices and also
develop the ability to recognise subtle differences and understand what these sounds
mean. Differences include many subtleties, recognising foreign languages, distinguishing
between regional accents and clues to the emotions and feelings of the speaker (like
laughing or crying or angry etc…).

Comprehensive listening involves understanding the message or messages that are

being communicated. In order to be able use comprehensive listening, the listener needs
appropriate vocabulary and language skills. Use of complicated language or technical
jargoncan act as a barrier to comprehensive listening. Comprehensive listening is further
complicated by the fact that two different people listening to the same thing may
understand the message in two different ways.

Critical listening means engaging in what you are listening to by asking yourself
questions such as, „what is the speaker trying to say?‟ or „what is the main argument being
presented?‟, „how does what I‟m hearing differ from my beliefs, knowledge or opinion?‟.
Critical listening is, therefore, fundamental to true learning. Many day-to-day decisions that
we make are based on some form of „critical‟ analysis. Our opinions, values and beliefs
are based on our ability to process information and evaluatei.e. weigh up the pros and
cons to make an informed decision.

Empathic listening involves attempting to understand the feelings and emotions of the
speaker – to put yourself into the speaker‟s shoes and share their thoughts.Empathy is a
way of deeply connecting with another person. Empathic listening can be particularly
challenging. Empathy is not the same as sympathy, it involves more than being
compassionate or feeling sorry for somebody else – it involves a deeper connection – a
realisation and understanding of another person‟s point of view. We are all capable of
empathic listening and may practise it with friends, family and colleagues.
Seven Deadly Sins of Active Listening

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 • Filtering: Filtering is based on our prior experiences, learning, personal needs and
motivations. The heard message is categorized as wanted or unwanted, useful or
useless. The unwanted message is discarded. The sense of judgement of the
individual comes into play, that is, the filtering process is subjective and a person
chooses to retain what makes sense to him or her.
• Second Guessing: Second guessing is a process of criticizing or advising or
remaking of something already done. Someone who is second guessing usually
misses important details because they are too busy (a) imagining someone has
hidden motives for saying what they're saying, and (b) trying to figure out what
those hidden motives might be.
• Discounting: This sin occurs when a listener lacks respect for a speaker. What the
speaker is saying could be 100% correct, but a Discounter will either internally or
publicly ridicule at what's being said. The sad thing about Discounters is that they
often miss the solutions to the problems before them, simply because they don't
like the source.
• Relating: It is a process where someone continually finds references from his or
her own background and compares or connects them to what the speaker is
saying. Relaters often appear self - centered, as everything they hear is compared
or contrasted to his or her own experiences; sometimes they are lost in their own
related thoughts.
• Rehearsing: This sin blocks much listening as it is simply waiting for the other
speaker to finish what he or she is saying so the one Rehearsing can start talking
again. While someone else is talking, the one Rehearsing is thinking about how to
say the next sentence.
• Forecasting: Someone who takes an idea from the speaker and runs light years
ahead of the topic at hand is forecasting. Forecasting can stem from being bored
with the subject matter, or simply because one's mind automatically thinks ahead.
• Placating: One of the worst of all listening sins, placating agrees with everything
anyone else says, just to avoid conflict.
Effective Listening Skills

 Discover your field of interest.

 Grasp and understand the matter/content.
 Remain calm. Do not lose your temper. Anger hampers and inhibits
communication. Angry people jam their minds to the words of others.
 Be open to accept new ideas and information.
 Jot down and take a note of important points.
 Work upon listening. Analyze and evaluate the speech in spare time.
 Rephrase and summarize the speaker‟s ideas.
 Keep on asking questions. This demonstrates that how well you understand the
speaker‟s ideas and also that you are listening.
 Avoid distractions.

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  Empathy- Step into the shoes of others, i.e., put yourself in the position of the
speaker and observe things from his view point. This will help creating an
atmosphere of mutual understanding and improve the exchange of ideas in
communication process.
To improve your communication skills, you must learn to listen effectively. Effective
listening gives you an advantage and makes you more impressive when you speak. It also
boosts your performance.

SPEAKING SKILLS

Speaking is perhaps the oldest and most natural form of communication between human
beings – the „mother‟ of all communication systems.

Although a lot of oral communication takes place now through various kinds of electronic
devices which enable human voices to be heard across vast distances, speech is still
associated, typically, with personal, „face-to-face‟ communication, in situations where two
or more individuals can not only hear each other‟s voices directly, without the intervention
of any technology, but also observe each other‟s body language at close quarters. This
gives to speech, at its best, a directness and intimacy which is difficult to re-create in other
forms of communication. Speech is said to be a „warm‟ medium, capable of conveying
feelings and emotions. It is possible to develop, through face-to-face oral communication,
a kind of bonding which no other form of communication allows. That is why, whenever an
important business deal or agreement has to be initiated or concluded, the parties
concerned insist on meeting and talking to each other, face to face.
What is required for effective oral communication

Any form of communication through language – spoken or written – requires knowledge of

the words (vocabulary) of the language as well as knowledge of the grammatical rules by
which words are combined to form sentences. Vocabulary and grammar form the
„foundation‟ or „core‟, without which no use of language is possible. Besides vocabulary
and grammar, two other kinds of knowledge are required for communication through
spoken English:
1. knowledge of the phonology (sound system) of English; and
2. knowledge of the rules of interaction through English (English discourse).

Since oral communication takes place through sounds, it is important to know which kinds
of sounds the English language uses and how these sounds are used in communication.

When Indians speak in English, there is a tendency to replace the sounds of English with
similar sounds from the „mother-tongue‟. This is referred to as mother-tongue
interference. The English spoken by Indians may therefore sound a little „strange‟ to

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people for whom English is the mother-tongue (e.g. people from Britain, America or
Australia) as well as to people from other countries whose mother-tongues are different
from ours (e.g., people from European, African or South American countries).

The term „accent‟ is used to describe the manner in which English is spoken when some
of the sounds of English are replaced by the sounds of a different language. We say that
Indian speakers generally speak English with an „Indian accent‟; in fact, it would be more
accurate to say that they speak with a Punjabi, Bengali, Oriya etc. accent, depending
upon which Indian language they have as their mother-tongue.

Discourse rules

Sentences, and not words, are the primary units of communication. Very little
communication is possible through language unless one has learnt the rules for forming
sentences.However, when we communicate, we use sequences of connected sentences
rather than isolated sentences. A sequence is made up of at least two sentences which
follow each other and are related to each other. The sentences may be uttered by different
speakers or by the same speaker.A sequence of sentences through which messages are
exchanged or communicated is known as discourse.
The discourse must have coherence and cohesion, must be pragmatic and have
appropriate function.

SPEECH MAKING
Speeches can be of various types Read-out, memorized, impromptu or extempore. It has
a beginning, structure and the end. (Source: Excerpts from Presentation Skills for
Managers by Gerard M Blair)
The Beginning
Get their attention

Too often in a speech, the first few minutes are lost while people adjust their coats and
finish the conversation they were having with the person next to them. You only have a
limited time and every minute is precious to you so, from the beginning, make sure they
pay attention.
Establish a theme

Basically, you need to start the audience thinking about the subject matter of your speech.
This can be done by a statement of your main objective. They will each have some
experience or opinions on this and at the beginning you must make them bring that
experience into their own minds.
Structure (Body)

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If you explain briefly at the beginning of a talk how it is to proceed, then the audience will
know what to expect. This can help to establish the theme and also provide something
concrete to hold their attention. Ultimately, it provides a sense of security in the promise
that this speech too will end.
The Ending

The final impression you make on the audience is the one they will remember. Thus it is
worth planning your last few sentences with extreme care.
The Techniques of Speech

Every speaker has a set of "tricks of the trade" which he or she holds dear - the following
are a short selection of such advice taken from various sources.
Make an impression

The average audience is very busy and although they will be trying very hard to
concentrate on your speech, their minds will inevitably stray. Your job is to do something,
anything, which captures their attention and makes a lasting impression upon them. Once
you have planned your speech and honed it down to its few salient points, isolate the most
important and devise some method to make it stick.
Repeat, Repeat

The average audience is very busy: they have husbands or wives etc, etc - but repetition
makes them hear. The average audience is easily distracted, and their attention will slip
during the most important message of your speech - so repeat it. You don't necessarily
have to use the resonant tonal sounds of the repeated phrase, but simply make the point
again and again and again with different explanations and in different ways. The classic
advice of the Sergeant Major is: "First you tell 'em what you are going to tell 'em, then you
tell 'em, then you tell 'em what you told 'em!"
The Delivery

Whatever you say and whatever you show; it is you, yourself which will remain the focus
of the audience's attention. If you but strut and fret your hour upon the stage and then are
gone, no-one will remember what you said. The presenter has the power both to kill the
message and to enhance it a hundred times beyond its worth. Your job as a manager is to
use the potential of the presentation to ensure that the audience is motivated and inspired
rather than disconcerted or distracted. There are five key facets of the human body which
deserve attention in presentation skills: the eyes, the voice, the expression, the
appearance, and how you stand.
The Eyes

The eyes are said to be the key to the soul and are therefore the first and most effective
weapon in convincing the audience of your honesty, openness and confidence in the
objectives of your presentation. This impression may of course be totally false, but here is
how to convey it.

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Even when in casual conversation, your feelings of friendship and intimacy can be
evaluated by the intensity and duration of eye contact. During the presentation you should
use this to enhance your rapport with the audience by establishing eye contact with each
and every member of the audience as often as possible. For small groups this is clearly
possible but it can also be achieved in large auditoriums since the further the audience is
away from the presenter the harder it is to tell precisely where he or she is looking. Thus
by simply staring at a group of people at the back of a lecture theatre it is possible to
convince each of them individually that he or she is the object of your attention. During
presentations, try to hold your gaze fixed in specific directions for five or six seconds at a
time. Shortly after each change in position, a slight smile will convince each person in that
direction that you have seen and acknowledged them.
The Voice

After the eyes comes the voice, and the two most important aspects of the voice for the
public speaker are projection and variation. It is important to realise from the onset that
few people can take their ordinary conversation voice and put it on stage. If you can, then
perhaps you should move to Hollywood. The main difference comes in the degree of
feedback which you can expect from the person to whom you are talking. In ordinary
conversation you can see from the expression, perhaps a subtle movement of the eye,
when a word or phrase has been missed or misunderstood. In front of an audience you
have to make sure that this never happens. The simple advice is to slow down and to take
your time. Remember the audience is constrained by good manners not to interrupt you
so there is no need to maintain a constant flow of sound. A safe style is to be slightly
louder and slightly slower than a fire-side chat with slightly deaf aunt. As you get used to
the sound, you can adjust it by watching the audience.

A monotone speech is both boring and soporific, so it is important to try to vary the pitch
and speed of your presentation. At the very least, each new sub-section should be
proceeded by a pause and a change in tone to emphasise the delineation. If tonal
variation does not come to you naturally try making use of rhetorical questions throughout
your speech, since most British accents rise naturally at the end of a question.
Expression
The audience watch your face. If you are looking listless or distracted then they will be
listless and distracted; if you are smiling, they will be wondering why and listen to find out.
In normal conversation your meaning is enhanced by facial reinforcement. Thus in a
speech you must compensate both for stage nerves and for the distance between yourself
and the audience. The message is quite simply: make sure that your facial expressions
are natural, only more so.
Appearance

There are many guides to management and presentation styles which lay heavy emphasis
upon the way you dress and in the last analysis this is a matter of personal choice. That
choice should however be deliberately made. When you are giving a presentation you

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must dress for the audience, not for yourself; if they think you look out of place, then you
are.

As an aside, it is my personal opinion that there exists a code of conduct among

engineers which emphasizes the scruffy look, and that in many organisations this tends to
set the engineer apart, especially from management. It conveys the subliminal message
that the engineer and the manager are not part of the same group and so hinders
communication.
Stance

When an actor initially learns a new character part, he or she will instinctively adopt a
distinct posture or stance to convey that character. It follows therefore that while you are
on stage, your stance and posture will convey a great deal about you. The least you must
do is make sure your stance does not convey boredom; at best, you can use your whole
body as a dynamic tool to reinforce your rapport with the audience.

The perennial problem is what to do with your hands. These must not wave aimlessly
through the air, or fiddle constantly with a pen, or (worst of all visually) juggle change in
your trouser pockets. The key is to keep your hands still, except when used in unison with
your speech. To train them initially, find a safe resting place which is comfortable for you,
and aim to return them there when any gesture is completed.
REHEARSAL

There is no substitute for rehearsal. You can do it in front of a mirror, or to an empty

theatre. In both cases, you should accentuate your gestures and vocal projection so that
you get used to the sound and sight of yourself. Do not be put off by the mirror -
remember: you see a lot less of yourself than your friends do.

CONVERSATION

An effective conversation involves relationship building between participants, content

and credibility of the discussion, preciseness and completeness of the message,
clarity, brevity and timeliness of the speech made.

We converse in various situations. Here are a few situations and the rule s governing
them:
Introduction:

 Rise when introducing or being introduced

 Offer a firm handshake to indicate you are confident and assertive
 Repeat the person‟s name when introduced so you can recall it later.
 Provide information that will inspire conversation
 Address someone by his or her title and last name
 Present a younger person to an older person
 Present a nonofficial person to an official person

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  Present a junior executive to a senior executive
 Present a colleague to a customer or client
Business Conversation:

 Greetings- Good morning, Good afternoon, good evening etc…

 Small Talk- Exchange pleasantries first then talk for a while on topics of mutual
like (not business talk) …use discourse markers to converge like “Well now” “Ok
let‟s” etc…
 Discussion- Discuss business
 Conclusion- Sum it up, repeat any commitments made
 Closure- Say Goodbye!
Exchanging Business Card:

 Never turn down a card someone gives you.

 Be selective with distributing cards.
 Include cards with business correspondence.
 Don‟t be anxious to distribute cards
 In social functions be unobtrusive while giving cards
 Business cards should not surface during meals , -be discreet
Using two hands to present and take the cards looks elegant
Conversation Control
It is the ability to carry out a conversation effectively. It includes:

 Ability to notice cues and clues

 Active listening
 Interpreting signs and signals
 Convergence in conversation and not parallel talk
 Avoiding cross-talking and premature judgment
 Reflection of similar information, thoughts, ideas and feelings
 Showing assertiveness
 Showing empathy
 Sense of time
 Using appropriate conversational devices like Discourse Markers (you know, I
mean, well, ok, yeah and so on), false Starts (repeating first word/ phrase/ line
while speaking), Turn-taking devices (words/phrases used to take turn while the
other person is speaking), Markers of participation and confirmation,Negation
markers and polite refusals
 Turn Taking- Turn-taking occurs in a conversation when one person listens
while the other person speaks. As a conversation progresses, the listener and
speaker exchange roles and continue talking to each other.

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Telephone Etiquette

 Introduce yourself, company or office (while opening a call)

 Find out (or tell) the purpose of the call
 Be considerate while putting the caller on hold
 Keep up the call back promise
 Listen, do not dominate
 Use time efficiently
 Listen Actively
 Be alert
 Stop talking
 Put the talker at ease
 Show the talker that you want to listen
 Remove distractions
 Be patient; hold your temper
 Go easy on arguments and criticism
 Ask questions
Telephone and Voice

 Use Friendly Voice

 Use Variation in pitch
 Adjust Speaking Speed
 Lay Vocal Emphasis
 Try a Pleasant Voice Quality
Mobile Etiquette

 Ringtone- Do not have peppy (frivolous) ringtones and callertunes

 Volume- Keep it low!
 Silent Mode- Maintain it as far as possible
 Missed Call- Return the call
 Network Failure- Apologize and text before calling
 Texting- Maintain formal language while texting officials
Video Conferencing(source:https://trueconf.com/what-is-video-conferencing.html)

Video conferencing is a visual communication session between two or more users

regardless of their location, featuring audio and video content transmission in real time.In
broad terms, video conferencing software is a solution that allows two or more persons to
talk and see each other remotely. Initially video conferencing software only enabled users
to make video calls or hold group video conferences. However, as technology advanced,
video conferencing software acquired plenty of helpful tools and features for remote
communication and learning.

Today, video conferencing is rather a tool for integrated into video collaboration and
unified communications platforms that also offer screen sharing, slideshow, recording,

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instant messaging, project management tools, telephony integration among other
features. As an increasing number of companies switch to remote work, video
conferencing is gradually becoming the new normal, shaping the way we communicate,
learn and work.

Points to Remember

 Logging in
 Mute/ Unmute
 Chat
 Video on/off
 Dress code
 Ambience
 Talking Style and Technical Know-how
 Handling Technical glitch
 Using White board
 Doodling
 Sharing the Screen
 Patience, Politeness
 Taking Notes
 Assistance and Support
Benefits

1. Remote Working
2. Saving Time
3. Saves Travel Cost
4. Essential in this Pandemic
5. Inclusive in nature

Books Referred (primarily):

1. TEACHING PROFESSIONAL ENGLISH AND SOFT SKILLS- A HANDBOOK

FOR TEACHERSby Dr. Bikram Das and others
2. Essentials of Communicative English by Dr. S. Subramanian
3. Business Communication by P.D. Chaturvedi & MukeshChaturvedi

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 Module II

Language Skills: Reading

Holistic communication cannot ignore any of the four skills: listening, speaking, reading and
writing (LSRW). Persons involved in business should be conversant with all the four. A poor
reader, for instance, who has not comprehended a written proposal, by close reading, can be
easily swayed by listening to an interested party. Persuasive talk motivated by self-interest could
compel a manager to accept a proposal which is not in the interest of the company, if the
manager is a poor reader. Therefore, reading skills are as important as the other three to a
business communicator.
The following points are important for understanding Reading Skills:
 One reads in order to understand.
 Comprehension is the most important reading skill.
 It is universally required.
 Reading comprehension may be described as a generic (or universal) skill.
 Reading in a specific context, such as in business communication, makes reading an
applied skill.
 There are 3 reading styles and 4 levels of reading comprehension that constitute reading
skills.

There are three styles of reading which we use in different situations:

1. Scanning: for a specific focus. The technique you use when you're looking up a name in
the phone book: you move your eye quickly over the page to find particular words or
phrases that are relevant to the task you're doing. It's useful to scan parts of texts to see
if they're going to be useful to you i.e. the introduction or preface of a book; the first or
last paragraphs of chapters; the concluding chapter of a book.

2. Skimming: for getting the gist of something. The technique you use when you're going
through a newspaper or magazine: you read quickly to get the main points, and skip over
the detail. It's useful to skim because it helps preview a passage before you read it in
detail; it refreshes your understand of a passage after you've read it in detail. Use
skimming when you're trying to decide if a book in the library or bookshop is right for you.

3. Detailed reading: for extracting information accurately. Where you read every word, and
work to learn from the text. In this careful reading, you may find it helpful to skim first, to
get a general idea, but then go back to read in detail. Use a dictionary to make sure you
understand all the words used.

Active reading: When you're reading for your course, you need to make sure you're actively
involved with the text. It's a waste of your time to just passively read, the way you'd read a
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thriller on holiday. Always make notes to keep up your concentration and understanding. Here
are four tips for active reading.
a) Underlining and highlighting: Pick out what you think are the most important parts of the
text and underline them.
b) Note key words: Record the main headings as you read. Use one or two keywords for
each point.
c) Proactive Questions: Before you start reading something like an article, a chapter or a
whole book, prepare for your reading by noting down questions you want the material to
answer.
d) Summarize: Pause after you've read a section of text. Then put what you've read into
your own words; skim through the text and check how accurate your summary is and fill
in any gaps.

Generic sub-skills of reading:

 Previewing: reviewing titles, section headings, and photo captions to get a sense of the
structure and content of a reading selection
 Predicting: using knowledge of the subject matter to make predictions about content and
vocabulary and check comprehension; using knowledge of the text type and purpose to
make predictions about discourse structure; using knowledge about the author to make
predictions about writing style, vocabulary, and content
 Skimming and scanning: using a quick survey of the text to get the main idea, identify
text structure, confirm or question predictions.
 Guessing from context: using prior knowledge of the subject and the ideas in the text
as clues to the meanings of unknown words, instead of stopping to look them up
 Paraphrasing: stopping at the end of a section to check comprehension by restating the
information and ideas in the text

Strategies for Reading:

Strategy (Style) Definition
It is the reading style that is slow and used for the careful reading of
important material which is to be thoroughly understood. We use this style
Slow Reading
for understanding important text books, or complex written matter, or
intricate arguments, or any serious content demanding careful attention.
When we read the text without leaving a single word, it is normal reading.
Normal Reading The more we read, the more we train our eyes to capture more words at a
glance.
Rapid reading is quick reading style it includes skimming a document for
general information (getting the gist). It also includes surveying and
Rapid Reading
scanning. Example of skimming: Going through the table of contents of a
book.
Surveying It is a process where we read the relevant part of the text that we require.

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 For Example: When we read a specific paragraph of a text and leave the
others.
It is a rapid reading method where we look for specific information.
Scanning
For Example: Looking for a specific terminology in a book or an article.
Reading cannot exist without comprehension. We need to read to
understand the facts, the ideas and the meaning of a written material.
Therefore, we follow different comprehension strategies like factual
comprehension, inferential comprehension, evaluative comprehension and
global comprehension.
Comprehension
For example: When we read companies‟ reports, the statistics presented is
for fact comprehension. From the graphs we can infer whether there is
growth or not. On the basis of given information we can evaluate the
company that has produced the report and can have an overall
understanding of their future prospects.

Reading Proficiency can be attained only if we read fast and with appropriate
understanding. Therefore, effective reading means reading with considerable speed and
comprehension.

Reading Mistakes (lessens speed)

 Eye-fixation- When we read our eye fixes itself to the word for a split of a second. If it
prolongs, we are unable to read fast.
 Regression- We sometimes re-read the same words or phrases for the fear of having
skipped it or because we have actually skipped it. This also slows down reading.
 Finger-pointing- Many of us use our finger/pen/pencil to focus on reading word by word.
This makes reading slow and inappropriate.
 Sub-vocalizing- When we read with a murmuring sound, we call it sub-vocalizing. Here,
we are trying to pronounce each word we are reading.
 Reading aloud- This is simply reading out the text loudly. Speaking speed is less than the
mental pace of assimilating the text. Therefore, we become slow readers.
 Indiscriminate use of dictionary- If we don‟t understand a text, we try to use the dictionary
to learn the meanings thus, making our reading slow and ineffective.

Correcting Reading Mistakes

1. Skimming- Not all the texts require critical reading; texts can be read to understand the
gist or get a general idea. Thus, skimming can help reducing reading mistakes.
2. Scanning- When we want specific information, we scan the text. For example, we are
searching for the venue in an invitation letter or the invite date.
3. Phrase reading- We read a group of words together rather than reading word by word.
4. Information words- Similar to scanning, we only look for words of importance or
keywords.

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5. Managing vocabulary- For being a good reader, one needs to build vocabulary. However,
we may also gather meaning of words and phrases through the context.
6. Paraphrasing- To remember the meaning of the text, and the original information in
details, in one‟s own language without any distortion.
7. Note taking- Taking down keywords or important information from the text also helps.
8. Reading with Others- When we read with others, we tend to develop better
understanding of the text.

While, the first 5 points are useful in speed reading, the last three help us in improving
our comprehension.

Sub-skills of Reading Comprehension

Understanding a written text improves with the mastery of several sub-skills. These are:
 Local or factual comprehension
 Inferential comprehension
 Evaluative or critical comprehension

Global comprehension
Local/Factual Comprehension
Factual comprehension refers to an understanding of details of the text in any of its parts, after
one has read the text as a whole. These may be facts such as years, characters, places, events
and such others.

Inferential Comprehension
Inferential comprehension involves thinking to arrive at logical conclusions or inferences. Any
two facts or ideas in the text are compared, contrasted or otherwise associated to draw a
conclusion. Inferences are also drawn from cause effect relationships. Answer to inferential
question sometimes requires arguments.

Evaluation Comprehension
Evaluation or judgement includes inferential skills but it is not just inference. This skill sets up
external criteria to judge the content of the text. Evaluation may have many perspectives. One
may judge the thought or idea contained in the text to say whether it is logically sound or weak,
or another may judge it from the point of view of language and expression a third person may
look at it from the point of view of formal organization or its ethical content. Yet another may
judge it for its returns or value or utility.
Global Comprehension
Global comprehension means understanding the general meaning of what one is reading. It can
be compared to selective comprehension, which means understanding specific information in
the text, and detailed comprehension, which means understanding everything.

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Language Skills- Writing
Verbal communication consists of words. It can be broadly categorized into speech and writing.
While speech communication is ephemeral, written communication is concrete and permanent.
It renders language visible. While word of mouth can be easily distorted, anything written is
taken as gospel truth. There are many categories of written texts like creative, literary, social,
informational, business, legal and so on. But, in business writing we include letters, memos,
circulars, messages, emails, office orders, notices, reports, press releases, advertisements, web
pages, text messages etc….

The Writing Process

Guidelines for Creating Effective Business Messages:

 Use 7 Cs of effective writing
 Use Plain English (in memos, with customers and in day-to-day correspondences)
 Use appropriate style like KISS, BIF and BILL etc…
 Use appropriate format (memo, notice, circular, proposal, invoice, report etc…)
 In case of Emails, follow Netiquette

The following are the 7 Cs of effective writing:

1. Completeness - The communication must be complete. It should convey all facts
required by the audience. The sender of the message must take into consideration the
receiver‟s mind set and convey the message accordingly. A complete communication has
following features:
 Complete communication develops and enhances reputation of an organization.

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  Moreover, they are cost saving as no crucial information is missing and no additional cost
is incurred in conveying extra message if the communication is complete.
 A complete communication always gives additional information wherever required. It
leaves no questions in the mind of receiver.
 Complete communication helps in better decision-making by the audience/ readers/
receivers of message as they get all desired and crucial information.
 It persuades the audience.
2. Conciseness - Conciseness means wordiness, i.e, communicating what you want to
convey in least possible words without forgoing the other C‟s of communication.
Conciseness is a necessity for effective communication. Concise communication has
following features:
 It is both time-saving as well as cost-saving.
 It underlines and highlights the main message as it avoids using excessive and needless
words.
 Concise communication provides short and essential message in limited words to the
audience.
 Concise message is more appealing and comprehensible to the audience.
 Concise message is non-repetitive in nature.
3. Consideration - Consideration implies “stepping into the shoes of others”. Effective
communication must take the audience into consideration, i.e, the audience‟s viewpoints,
background, mind-set, education level, etc. Ensure that the self-respect of the audience
is maintained and their emotions are not harmed. Features of considerate communication
are as follows:
 Emphasize on “you” approach.
 Empathize with the audience and exhibit interest in the audience. This will stimulate a
positive reaction from the audience.
 Show optimism towards your audience. Emphasize on “what is possible” rather than
“what is impossible”. Lay stress on positive words such as jovial, committed, thanks,
warm, healthy, help, etc.
4. Clarity - Clarity implies emphasizing on a specific message or goal at a time, rather than
trying to achieve too much at once. Clarity in communication has following features:
 It makes understanding easier.
 Complete clarity of thoughts and ideas enhances the meaning of message.
 Clear message makes use of exact, appropriate and concrete words.
5. Concreteness - Concrete communication implies being particular and clear rather than
fuzzy and general. Concreteness strengthens the confidence. Concrete message has
following features:
 It is supported with specific facts and figures.
 It makes use of words that are clear and that build the reputation.
 Concrete messages are not misinterpreted.

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6. Courtesy - Courtesy in message implies the message should show the sender‟s
expression as well as should respect the receiver. The sender of the message should be
sincerely polite, judicious, reflective and enthusiastic. Courteous message has following
features:
 Courtesy implies taking into consideration both viewpoints as well as feelings of the
receiver of the message.
 Courteous message is positive and focused at the audience.
 It makes use of terms showing respect for the receiver of message.
 It is not at all biased.
7. Correctness - Correctness in communication implies that there are no grammatical
errors in communication. Correct communication has following features:
 The message is exact, correct and well-timed.
 If the communication is correct, it boosts up the confidence level.
 Correct message has greater impact on the audience/ readers.
 It checks for the precision and accurateness of facts and figures used in the message.
 It makes use of appropriate and correct language in the message.

Plain English
The objective of communication is to create understanding between the sender and the
receiver. Thus, language used for communication should be receiver centered. Thus, plain and
simple English should be used for effective business communication. The following are the
basic attributes of plain English:

Simple, concreteand familiar words: Use of simple words against more complex words. For
instance, write “so” for “accordingly”, “get” for “acquire”, “show” for “demonstrate”, “stop” for
“discontinue” etc…

Short sentences: Use short sentences instead of long ones. Long sentences can be confusing.
The following sentence runs into forty words
“According to many senior managers, a large percentage of newly recruited professionals who
in normal course would rise to senior positions in five or ten years, are unable to express
themselves clearly and convincingly in written reports, letters or discussions.”

This sentence can be re-written, “According to many senior managers, a large percentage of
newly recruited professionals are unable to express themselves well. They are neither clear nor
convincing in written reports, letters or discussions. In normal course, these professionals would
raise to senior positions in five or ten years.”

These three sentences break the monotony of reading a long sentence. They are also
easy to understand.

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Bias free language: Bias free language refers to avoiding words that create differences. These
differences can be based on caste, creed, colour, ethnicity and gender. Such words may be
offending to some, and so they should be avoided. For instance, Negro or Black or coloured are
words that show bias. Words like Chairman, Mankind, Manpower, Poetess, Lady Doctor,
Headmaster, Headmistress etc… show sexist bias. Word like physically handicapped is
offending. It can be re-written as physically challenged. Blind and deaf are substituted by
visually impaired and hearing-impaired respectively.
Consider this sentence, “If a customer pays promptly, he is placed on our preferred list.” This
can be re-written as: 1) A customer who pays promptly is placed on our preferred list. Or 2) If a
customer pays promptly, he/ she is placed on our preferred list (less preferred). Or 3) If
customers pay promptly, they are placed on our preferred list.

Active Voice: Passive voice should be avoided. Active voice will help establishing directness
with the reader. Like in the following sentence “Your work has been appreciated by the director”,
the passive voice takes away the impact of the message. The same message in active voice will
sound more direct and emphatic- “The director has appreciated your work.” Sometimes passive
voice cannot be done away with for instance, “The Meeting was attended by the Honorable
Board members.”(Minutes of Meeting).

Conversational style: This is a reader-centered style and helps the reader grasp the
information quickly. The You-I/ We approach to use of language is helpful in establishing rapport
with the reader and thus, the message is communicated in an effective manner. Less of
impersonal style and more of an informal approach are a part of conversational style. Compare
the following to know the difference:
1) “Announcement from the librarian. It has been noted that the stock of books in the library has
been declining alarmingly. Students are asked to remind themselves of the rules of borrowing
and return of books, and to bear in mind the needs of other users. Penalties for overdue books
will in the future be strictly enforced.”
2) Bring those books back! Books in the library have been disappearing. Please make sure you
know the rules of borrowing, and don‟t forget that the library is for everyone‟s convenience.
From now on, we‟re going to enforce the rules strictly. You have been warned!

Writing Routine messages using KISS (Keep It Short and Simple)

The KISS principle of writing encourages simple and short sentences so that the communication
is effective between the communicators. It is important that before one begins writing, there
should be some focus on “who, what, when, where and why”. This approach helps keeping the
text to the point.

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 MEMO

To: All the Marketing Personnel

From: VP, Marketing

Date: 21 Nov 2020

Subject: Aggressive Marketing Program

Now is the time to create a marketing program full of energy and vigour. This program would keep our name in
the minds of our customers, position our product as the ultimate product in our industry. And also, give us the
competitive edge.

In these tough times, our competitors are cutting their marketing budgets. By being aggressive, we will make new
customers and get a greater share of the market. For this, I request you all to contribute your ideas in the form of
a marketing plan for the next quarter. The plan can be submitted to me by email on or before 1 December 2020.

Writing Good-news messages using BIF (Big Idea First)

The BIF style focuses on the Big Idea First. In fact, it insists that if good news is to be delivered,
let the main idea be written in the beginning. Good news should never be given in a roundabout
or a camouflaged manner. The reader feels delighted to receive good news messages that are
direct and emphatic.

Page | 9
 Md. Asif Khan
Chandni Chowk
High Court,
Cuttack
Renewal of Maruti Insurance
Dear Sir,
Add value to your vehicle insurance with a handsome No Claim Bonus as Maruti Insurance provides
you a life-time tension-free driving experience!
In a few day‟s time, your vehicle insurance is to expire. Renew it under Maruti Insurance, which is
exclusively meant for the proud owners of Maruti like YOU. If you have already experienced our services, you
may like to strengthen our bond by renewing the insurance. In case, we haven‟t served you till date, give us a
chance to prove our commitment by renewing the policy under Maruti Insurance. We promise you all facilities
including No Claim Bonus. All you have to do is to keep the following documents ready.
Old Insurance policy of the preceding year.
Xerox copy of the Registration Certificate.
Mishap strikes without a notice. God forbidden, in case of a claim, you only pay the depreciation amount and
not the total repair cost. We take care of rest all claim related services like contacting the insurance office
immediately, getting the Insurance surveyor at no additional cost. We call it a one stop solution. Indeed, it is an
unbelievable Insurance facility!
Now call us at no….., and our insurance consultant will come and collect it from you.
Please feel free to contact us at no. *** or email us @… for any other clarification.
Remember, you get dedicated services and tension-free claim settlement only at Maruti Insurance. Your safety
is our strength!
We look forward to serving you
Yours faithfully,

Signature

Writing bad-news messages using BILL (Big Idea A Little Later)

Page | 10
 Sponge Iron Company

M/s. Kashiram & Sons

Durgapur, WB

Reg: Order for the Sponge Iron

Dear Sir,
Thank you for showing interest in our organisation, and placingthe order for Sponge Iron. We are deeply
indebted to you.
However, at present, due to over demand, we are unable to take up the challenge of supplying the materials.
We are sure that in the near future, we will be able to satisfy your orders.
Yours faithfully,
Managing Director

“BILL” means “Big idea a little later”. In case of a bad news, this formula prepares a reader to
take the shock by cushioning the first part; the next part is the regret statement, and finally the
minor points with a touch of empathy. This done to maintain the human touch that is so vital for
communication. Thus, BILL style is useful while communicating bad news like inability to do
something, unhappiness, displeasure and so on. However, this method should not be confused
with issuing of a warning letter that is for official record.

Business Writing Formats

Letters
Letters are used for interpersonal written communication. Letters can serve the purpose of an
Application (leave/ advance/ allowance etc…), Information Sharing (Customers/ Vendors/
Agencies etc…), Making Proposals, Reporting Events or Issues, or for Sales. We may write
General and Routine Letters for day-to-day workplace correspondence, or write persuasive
letters for Sales and Marketing. We can use letters to place an order for items, or write a Cover
letter to apply for a Job. We may write letters to warn an individual for indiscipline, or pacify
somebody who is aggrieved. Business Letters are written in Block style or Semi-block style. The
formats are given for reference:

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The following is a Block-style format of letter writing

The following is a Semi-block Style

Note: If you address someone by Name, write Yours Sincerely or use Yours Faithfully in
case of Dear Sir/Madam. You can also use Yours Truly as is used in many Business
Page | 12
Correspondences in the U.S. With Regards is semi-formal usually used in Emails and
correspondences between same or similar ranks. DO NOT USE IT IN APPLICATIONS; A
COVER LETTER FOR JOB APPLICATION OR WHILE REPORTING/ PROPOSING TO
SENIORS.
The following are some more formats that are annexed with a business letter like an Invoice and
a Purchase Order.
Model Invoice

Seller (Name, Address GST No. INVOICE

Invoice Number
Invoice Date Seller's Reference

Buyer Reference Other Reference

Consignee GST No. Buyer (If not consignee) GST No.

Place of origin of Good Destination

Terms of Delivery and Payment

Transport No. and Date Place of Loading

Place of Discharge Place of Delivery

Shipping Marks No. and Packages Commodity Code Total Gross wt. Total Cube
Containers No. of Goods (kg) (kg)

Total Net Wt. (kg)

Item/ Gross / net/ Description Quantity Unit Price Amount
Packages cube

Invoice
Total

Page | 13
Order Form

Telegram: RAM Store RAMA Stores

Inner Circle
Telephone: 37301111 Connaught Place
Fax: 3733012 New Delhi
Date:

No.______

To
______________
______________
______________

Dear Sirs,
Kindly supply the following:

S. No. Product No. Product Name / Description Quantity Cost Each Total

Please send invoice in duplicate

Yours faithfully,
(R. C. Goyal)
***

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 Sample
PURCHASE ORDER

Telegram: ASTHA School of Management ASTHA School of Management

Telephone: 2474138/48 Panchamukhi Vihar
Fax: 2474128 Bhubaneswar

No.: RS/54/23 Date: 20/10/2019

To,
M/S - Kapoor & Sons
Bhubaneswar

Dear Mr. Kapoor,

Thank you for your catalogue price list. We are glad to place order with you for the following
items.
As the goods are urgently required. We request to kindly get them delivered to us within 10
days.

Sl. Quantit Referenc Catalogue

Items Brand Amount
No. y e No. Quotation
Ball Rs. 60 (Pack of
1 Reynolds 045 1000 54321 Rs. 6000/-
Pens 10)
2 Refills Full Needle 1000 23451 Rs. 150 (Pack of Rs. 7500/-
Neutral Pen 20)
Refills
3 Pencils Faber Castell 1000 34512 Rs. 60 (Pack of Rs.
6) 10,000/-
Total- Rs. 23,500/-
Please send the invoice duplicate.

Yours faithfully,
ASM

***

Page | 15
 Proposal Format
(USE IT IF YOU ARE POSTING A TENDER RESPONSE, BANK LOAN FOR STARTING A
BUSINESS, CONSTRUCTION WORK, STARTING AN ENTERPRISE)
A proposal document may contain the following items:
1) Cover Letter
2) Proposal Document (The following are the contents)
a) Title Page- Name and Affiliation of the Proposer and the Recipient
b) Summary Page- Project Title, Name and Designation of the Proposer with Address, Place
of Execution of the work/project, Time Required to complete the work/ project, Budget and
ROI, Proposal Summary in 200 words
c) Introduction (Organisational Details)
d) Technical Approach (Process, Technology etc…)
e) Management Details (Project Team, People involved)
f) Cost Estimate (Budget) and ROI in case of a Start-up or business loan
g) Annexures

Tips on Functional Grammar

The written document consists of the words, the structure and the punctuation. These elements
provide the document a meaningful shape. Following are the mechanics of writing i.e. grammar
and punctuation:
Part of function example words example sentences
speech

Verb action or state (to) be, have, do, I like football. I play football every
like, work, sing, day.
can, must

Noun thing or person pen, dog, work, This is my teacher. He teaches in

music, town, my school.
India, teacher,
Kevin

Adjective describes a noun a/an, the, 69, My dog is big. I like big dogs.
some, good, big,
red, well,
interesting

Adverb describes a verb, quickly, silently, I eat quickly. When I am

adjective or adverb well, badly, very, very hungry, I eat really quickly.
really
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Pronoun replaces a noun I, you, he, she, Tara is an Indian. She is beautiful.
some

Preposition links a noun to to, at, after, on, We went to school on Monday.
another word but

Conjunction joins clauses or and, but, when I like dogs and I like cats. I like
sentences or words cats and dogs. I like dogs but I don‟t
like cats.

Interjection short exclamation, oh!, ouch!, hi!, Ouch! That hurts! Hi! How are
sometimes inserted well you? Well, I don't know.
into a sentence

Punctuations
Terminal Punctuation: The three punctuation symbols that are used to signal the end of a
complete thought are the period, the question mark, and the exclamation mark. The period (also
called stop) is the most frequently used ending mark of punctuation. It signals the end of a
declarative or an imperative sentence. A declarative sentence makes a statement; an
imperative sentence gives a command.
 The policy will take effect March 1. (declarative)
 The office will close at noon on Tuesday. (declarative)
 Lock the door when you leave. (imperative)
 Make three copies of the contract. (imperative)
A polite request, sometimes called a courteous request, requires action rather than an oral or
written response. The writer would rather have the reader devote time to doing what has been
requested than to writing or calling to say yes or no. A polite request ends with a period:
 Won't you take a few moments now to complete and return the survey. Will you
please speak slowly.
The period is also used when the writer asks an indirect question-a statement about a question:
 I wonder when the new server will be installed.
 Mr. Harpreet asked when I would be taking vacation.
A question mark should be used with an interrogative sentence. An interrogative sentence
asks for or requires a definite response.
 Have we determined when? where? why? Do you like to go?
 Did you select the print?
An exclamation mark is used with an exclamatory sentence-one that shows emotion. Because
of the dramatic effect it creates, the exclamation is sparingly used in business correspondence.
 Yes! The color matches perfectly.
 Hurry! Make your reservation today.
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 Excellent!
When deciding which terminal punctuation mark to use, ask these questions:
 Am I expressing a strong emotion? (If yes, use !)
 Am I asking the reader to give me a response? (If so, use ?)
 If you answer no to both questions, use the period.

Primary Internal Punctuation

Comma (,)
1. Use commas to separate items in a series.
Example: Our itinerary included Rome, London, and Madrid.
2. Use a comma before and, but, or, nor, for, so, and yet, when they join independent
clauses (unless the clauses are short).
Example: The story gets off to a slow start, but it gets exciting toward the end.
3. Use commas to set off nonessential clauses and phrases.
Example: My father, who started this company, really knows his stuff.
4. Use a comma after introductory elements.
Examples: Well, how do you do?
Before you leave, turn off the lights.
5. Use commas to set off an expression that interrupts a sentence.
Examples: The article in The Herald, our local paper, is about writing skills. Cabs in New York,
I'm certain, obey the speed limit.
6. Use a comma in certain conventional situations (to separate items in dates and
addresses, after the salutation and closing of a letter, and after a name followed by a title).
Examples: January 1, 2021
Bhubaneswar, Odisha
Dear Shirley,
Regards,
Albert Einstein, Ph.D.

Apostrophe (')
1. To form the possessive case of a singular noun, add an apostrophe and an s.
Examples: Bob's car; One's home.
If the addition of an "s" produces an awkward sound, add only the apostrophe. Usually, this is
when there is already a double "s" sound.
Examples: Moses'; for old times' sake; for goodness' sake.
2. To form the possessive case of a plural noun, add an apostrophe after the s.
Example: girls' teams.
If the plural form of the word does not end in s, add an apostrophe and an s.
Example: women's team.
3. Use an apostrophe to show where letters have been omitted in a contraction.
Examples: can't = cannot; it's = it is.
Semicolon (;)
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 1. Use a semicolon between independent clauses not joined by and, but, nor, for,
yet, and so.
Example: Read what you've written; don't just pass it on.
2. Use a semicolon between independent clauses joined by such words as for example,
besides, nevertheless, etc.
Example: I think he's right; however, it's difficult to know.
3. Use a semicolon between items in a series if the items contain commas.
Example: Winners in the competition were Bapu, first place; Anita, second place; and Jackie,
third place.
Colon (:)
1. Use a colon to mean "note what follows."
Example: When you go to training, take these items: paper, pencil, and an alert mind.
2. Use a colon before a long, formal statement or quotation.
Example: We remember Lincoln's Gettysburg Address: Four score and seven years ago....
Hyphen (-)
1. Use a hyphen to divide a word at the end of a line.
Example: If you are not sure where to hyphen-
ate a word, look it up in the dictionary.
2. Hyphenate a compound adjective when it precedes the word it modifies.
Examples: fast-moving train, long-distance runner.
Dash (--)
1. Use a dash to indicate an abrupt break in thought.
Example: The truth is--and you probably know it--we can't do without you.
2. Use a dash to mean namely, in other words, or that is before an explanation.
Example: It was a close call--if he had been in a worse mood, I don't think I'd still be here.
Quotation Marks (" ")
1. Put periods and commas inside quotes.
2. Put colons and semicolons outside quotes.
3. Vary placement of exclamation and question marks according to meaning.
Subject-Verb Concord
Subject-agreement of a verb is an important aspect in the tense usage. Whether regular or
irregular, every verb must agree with its subject, both in person (first, second, or third) and in
number (singular or plural):
FIRST PERSON SECOND PERSON THIRD PERSON
(Singular)I am; I write you are; you write he/she/it is; he/she/it writes
(Plural)we are; we write you are; you write they are; they write

Subject-Verb Concord Rules

 Two singular subjects connected with and are plural, and need a plural verb.
For example, “My mother and my father are visiting me” AND NOT “My mother and my father is
visiting me?”
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 Two singular subjects connected with the conjunctions or, or nor need a singular
verb.
For example, “My mother or my father is going to call me today” is correct, because only one of
them will be calling.
It works the same way with and…or and neither…nor: “Neither my mother nor my father is going
to call me today.”
If one of the subjects is plural, use a plural verb: “The general or his advisers are responsible for
the decision.”
 Put the plural subject last, closest to the verb to avoid confusion.
“My sister, along with her children, is visiting me next month;”
Here, “along with her children” is NOT the SUBJECT.
Words such as either, neither, everyone, everybody, anyone, anybody, someone, none or
each, are singular and need a singular verb.
For example, “each of my daughters,” “everyone who knows my daughters” should be followed
by the singular predicate “is impressed by them,” not “are impressed by them.”
 Fractions or portions of a plural noun are still plural.
Use a singular verb if the object of the preposition is singular, but a plural verb if it‟s plural. For
example, write “Some of the students are wealthy,” and “Half of the campus is covered with
trees.”
 Time and money are singular.
Five is plural, and the word yards is plural, but write “Five yards is all I need to finish my sewing
project.”

Time, Tense and Aspect

The time that is over is referred to as past; the time now is present, and the time to come is
called future. The reference point is generally the present. A verb (phrase) is used to show this
time in English language. This gives raise to another concept that is Tense. Time and Tense
are not the same. Tense is the correspondence between the verb and the referred
concept of time (present, past, or future). According to modern grammarians, English has two
simple tenses: the present tense and the past tense.The future depiction of time is done in
various ways in English. The most frequently used way for future reference in English is „will‟
and „shall‟ (traditionally called future tense). Aspect concerns the manner in which a verbal
action is experienced or regarded. Example:
The present tense: How are you today?
The past tense: Fine thanks, but yesterday I feltawful.
The Present Progressive Aspect: How are you feeling today?
The Present Perfect aspect: I have never felt better, thanks.
Thus, action at a particular time can be expressed using tense and aspect of the verb form.
Following are various combinations that refer to a particular time:
Present time:
 Simple present: The sky is clear.

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 Present progressive: He is writing a letter now.
 Present perfect: I have written a letter to the Commissioner of Police to redress my
grievance.
 Present perfect progressive: He has been writing a novel about the conditions of slum
dwellers.
Past time:
 Simple past: I wrote a letter yesterday.
 Past progressive: I was writing a letter when Sam came into the room.
 Past perfect: I had spoken to her over phone, but hadn’t met her in person.
 Past perfect progressive: We all had been complaining about the bad roads for a long
time.
There is no future tense in English corresponding to the time/ tense relation for present and
past. Nevertheless, there are a number of expressions to express future time.
Future time:
 Will/ Shall: Tomorrow the temperatures will be much the same as today.
 Be going to: She is going to visit the doctor tomorrow.
 Progressive aspect: We are inviting several people to the party.
 Simple present: The match begins at three tomorrow.(fixed and certain)
 Will/ Shall + progressive aspect: I shall be going to London for further studies.
 Be + to-infinitive: The Indian Prime Minister is to visit France. / The plane is about to take
off.
Modals
The modals are used to show emotions and belief like something is certain, probable or
possible:
Possibility:
You use the modals could, might and may to show that something is possible in the future, but
not certain:
They might come later. (= Perhaps/Maybe they will come later.)
They may come by car. (= Perhaps/Maybe they will come by car.)
If we don‟t hurry we could be late. (= Perhaps/Maybe we will be late)
You use could have, might have and may have to show that something was possible now or at
some time in the past:
It‟s ten o‟clock. They might have arrived now.
They could have arrived hours ago.
You use the modal can to make general statements about what is possible:
It can be very cold in winter. (= It is sometimes very cold in winter)
You can easily lose your way in the dark. (= People often lose their way in the dark)
You use the modal could as the past tense of can:
It could be very cold in winter. (= Sometimes it was very cold in winter.)
You could lose your way in the dark. (= People often lost their way in the dark)
Impossibility:
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You use the negative can‟t or cannot to show that something is impossible:
That can‟t be true.
You cannot be serious.
You use couldn‟t/could not to talk about the past:
We knew it could not be true.
He was obviously joking. He could not be serious.
Probability:
You use the modal must to show you are sure as to something is true and you have reasons for
your belief:
It is getting dark. It must be quite late.
You haven‟t eaten all day. You must be hungry.
You use must have for the past:
They hadn‟t eaten all day. They must have been hungry.
You look happy. You must have heard the good news.
You use the modal should to suggest that something is true or will be true in the future, and to
show you have reasons for your suggestion:
Ask Manisha. She should know.
It's nearly six o'clock. They should arrive soon.
You use should have to talk about the past:
It is nearly eleven o'clock. They should have arrived by now.
The modals are used to do things like talking about ability, asking permission making requests,
and so on.
Ability:
You use can to talk about someone‟s skill or general abilities:
She can speak several languages.
He can swim like a fish.
They can‟t dance very well.
You use can to talk about the ability to do something at a given time in the present or future:
You can make a lot of money if you are lucky.
Help. I can‟t breathe.
They can run but they can‟t hide.
You use could to talk about past time:
She could speak several languages.
They couldn‟t dance very well.
You use could have to say that someone had the ability/opportunity to do something, but
did not do it:
She could have learned Sindhi, but she didn‟t have time.
I could have danced all night [but didn't].
Permission:
You use can to ask for permission to do something:
Can I ask a question, please?
Can we go home now.
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could is more formal and polite than can:
Could I ask a question please?
Could we go home now?
may is another more formal and polite way of asking for permission:
May I ask a question please?
May we go home now?
You use can to give permission:
You can go home now if you like.
You can borrow my pen if you like.
may is a more formal and polite way of giving permission:
You may go home now, if you like.
You use can to say that someone has permission to do something:
We can go out whenever we want.
Students can travel free.
may is a more formal and polite way of saying that someone has permission:
Students may travel free.
Instructions and requests:
You use could you and would you as polite ways of telling or asking someone to do
something:
Could you take a message please?
Would you carry this for me please?
Could I have my bill please?
can and will are less polite:
Can you take a message please?
Will you carry this for me please?
Suggestions and advice:
You use should to make suggestions and give advice:
You should send an email.
We should go by train.
You use could to make suggestions:
We could meet at the weekend.
You could eat out tonight.
You use conditionals to give advice:
Danny will help you if you ask him.
Past tenses are politer:
Danny would help you if you asked him.
Offers and invitations:
You use can I… and to make offers:
Can I help you?
Can I do that for you?
You can also use shall I …

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Shall I help you with that?
Shall I call you on your mobile?
You sometime say I can ... or I could ... or I’ll (I will) ... to make an offer:
I can do that for you if you like.
I can give you a lift to the station.
I‟ll do that for you if you like.
I‟ll give you a lift to the station.
You use would you like (to) ... for invitations:
Would you like to come round tomorrow?
Would you like another drink?
You use you must or we must for a very polite invitation:
You must come round and see us.
We must meet again soon.
Obligation and necessity
You use must to say that it is necessary to do something:
You must stop at the traffic post when the light is red.
Everyone must bring something to eat.
You can wear what you like, but you must look neat and tidy.
I‟m sorry, but you mustn‟t make a noise in here.
You use had to if you are talking about the past:
Everyone had to bring something to eat.
We could wear what we liked, but we had to look neat and tidy.

Active-Passive Voice
In English, the verb form which indicates whether the subject (person or object) of a sentence
has done something or something has been done on the subject is called Voice. Voice can be
Active or Passive. Active voice means that a sentence has a subject that acts upon its
verb. Passive voice means that a subject is a recipient of a verb‟s action.
Active voice
When the subject of a sentence performs the verb‟s action, we say that the sentence is in
the active voice. Sentences in the active voice have a strong, direct, and clear tone. Example-
The cashier counted the money.

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Future Time

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Non-finite forms
By definition, a non-finite verb cannot serve as the root of an independent clause. In practical
terms, this means that they don‟t serve as the action of a sentence. They also don‟t have a
tense. While the sentence around them may be past, present, or future tense, the non-finite
verbs themselves are neutral. There are three types of non-finite verbs: Gerunds, Participles,
and Infinitives.

Gerunds
Gerunds all end in -ing: skiing, reading, dancing, singing, etc. Gerunds act like nouns and can
serve as subjects or objects of sentences. Let‟s take a look at a few examples:
Swimming is fun.
Here, the subject is swimming, the gerund.
The verb is the linking verb is.
I like swimming.
This time, the subject of this sentence is the pronoun I.
The verb is like.
The gerund swimming becomes the direct object.

Participles
The two types of participle in English are traditionally called the present participle (forms such
as writing, singing and raising) and the past participle (forms such as written, sung and raised).
The present participle, or participial phrases (clauses) formed from it, are used as follows:
as an adjective phrase modifying a noun phrase: The man sitting over there is my uncle.
adverbially, the subject being understood to be the same as that of the main clause: Looking at
the plans, I gradually came to see where the problem lay. He shot the man, killing him.
more generally as a clause or sentence modifier: Broadly speaking, the project was successful.
Past participles are used in a couple of different ways:
as an adjective phrase: The chicken eaten by the children was contaminated.
adverbially: Seen from this perspective, the problem presents no easy solution.
in a nominative absolute construction, with a subject: The task finished, we returned home.

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Infinitives
The infinitive is the basic dictionary form of a verb, usually preceded by to (when it‟s not, it‟s
called the bare infinitive, which we‟ll discuss more later). Thus to go is an infinitive. There are
several different uses of the infinitive. They can be used alongside verbs, as a noun phrase, as
a modifier, or in a question.

With Other Verbs

The to-infinitive is used with other verbs (we‟ll discuss exceptions when we talk about the bare
infinitive):
I aim to convince him of our plan‟s ingenuity.
You already know that he‟ll fail to complete the task.
You can also use multiple infinitives in a single sentence: “Today, I plan to run three miles, to
clean my room, and to update my budget.” All three of these infinitives follow the verb plan.
Other verbs that often come before infinitives include want, convince, try, able, and like.

As a Noun Phrase
The infinitive can also be used to express an action in an abstract, general way: “To err is
human”; “To know me is to love me.” No one in particular is completing these actions. In these
sentences, the infinitives act as the subjects.
Infinitives can also serve as the object of a sentence. One common construction involves a
dummy subject (it): “It was nice to meet you.”

As a Modifier
Infinitives can be used as an adjective (e.g., “A request to see someone” or “The man to
save us”) or as an adverb (e.g., “Keen to get on,” “Nice to listen to,” or “In order to win “).

Example of a Letter Style Report:

Prepare a report to be tabled before the board member of your company on the impact of
Chinese competitors selling similar products in the country.
Chinese Economy is Export Oriented. The consumer product segment has been well and truly
captured by China in India from decoration lights, toys to Ganapati idols to high-end mobile
phones, from tyres & steel plates & rods to sewing needles, from solar cells and modules to
copier paper and what not. Our trade deficit with China is almost 50 billion USD and the gap is
widening with each passing day.

To write this report following Assumptions have been made:

1. Product chosen is Toys. Chinese Toys are Popular in India.
2. Mr. Anil Kumar is working as Marketing Manager in Tooing Toys Pvt. Ltd.
3. He is writing this Memo-Style Report to his MD.

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 4. He has done a Retail Audit to check the availability of Chinese Toys vis-à-vis
Indian Toys.
5. The report is only suggestive and not strategic.

Tooing Toys Pvt. Ltd

Crafts Bazar, Bhubaneswar, Odisha
From: Anil Kumar, Marketing Manager
To: Mr. Atul Ahuja, Managing Director

Date: 30 December 2019

Subject: REPORT ON THE IMPACT OF CHINESE COMPETITORS SELLING TOYSIN INDIA

TERMS OF REFERENCE
Following the memorandum of 20/12/2019 we carried out a study to access the impact of
Chinese competitors selling similar products in the country.
ACTION TAKEN
The Indian sub-continent was divided into 4 zones (East, West, North, South)
5000 toy shops from each zone were considered for retail audit. Each shop was a part of our
channel network as they sold our toys. The collection of data, thus, was not difficult. The retail
audit took into account 11 months starting January 1, 2019 to 30 November, 2019. All the sales
records were verified and compiled for analysis. Detailed report based on the retail audit was
prepared for developing new strategies.

FINDINGS

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 The stores in the East (Assam, Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal and the
NE) sold 70% Chinese Toys, and 30% Indian Toys.
 The stores in the West (Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan) sold
50% Chinese Toys, and 50% Indian Toys.
 The stores in the North (Delhi, J&K, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, UP,
Uttarakhand and Bihar) sold 60% Chinese Toys, and 40% Indian Toys.
 The stores in the South (Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu
and Telangana) sold 60% Chinese Toys, and 40% Indian Toys.
 The prices of the Chinese Toys are low and their finishing is good.
 A cheap Indian Toy appears cheap due to its poor finishing. Those with finesse are
expensive and not for masses.
 The distribution network is also well developed and the retailer‟s margin is high.
 There is no MRP restriction with Chinese products. It is solely at the discretion of the
Retailer.

CONCLUSION
There is a need to improve our channel sales to penetrate further and increase our sales. The
Chinese network is not easy to combat. The consumers are less quality conscious. They are not
willing to pay much for toys. Variety and looks combined with cheap pricing is what the
consumers look for. Material and quality is rarely considered.
RECOMMENDATION
Consumer awareness is essential. Increasing awareness about the toxic substances used in
certain Chinese toys needs to be communicated. Channel sales needs to be improved.

Anil Kumar
20 December 2019

Email Etiquette
1. Subject Lines are Headlines- make it appropriate
2. Write point-wise (Even in a paragraph style)
3. ALL CAPS IS CONSIDERED SHOUTING
4. So is over punctuating!!!!!!
5. Not using capitalization or punctuation makes e-mail hard to read
6. Text messaging abbreviations r confusing 2 ur co-workers
7. Avoid emoticons
8. Explain Acronyms
9. Check spelling and grammar before sending
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 10. Keep slang away
11. Specify the response needed
12. End politely
(Think of these before you hit send)
13. Needed (Does the recipient need this to do their job)
 Timely
 Relevant
 Complete
14. Appropriate
 Compliant (e-discovery)
 Professional
 Inoffensive
15. Targeted
 Limit use of Reply to all
 Limit use of CC/BC
 Use Distribution Lists Carefully
 Best Channel

Persuasive Message (Using AIDA to write persuasive message)

Attention: Attention-getting statement or device
Interest: Statements that develop the reader‟s interest
Desire: Statements that overcome any objection the reader may have
Action: Request for action
Example

Pure Jewellery. Pure Joy.

A TATA Enterprise
THIS LETTER IS TO BRING HAPPINESS FOR THE SAMSUNG WOMEN IN
YOU…CONFIDENT, COMPETENT & CHERISHED

Dear Friend,

Now is the time for celebration. Wedding bells are ringing.

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To make this happy hour sweeter, more memorable, Tanishq, the most famous brand of
jewellery in India has planned some very special offers for you.

Tanishq „DAYTIMES‟. The All Day Diamonds have been specially priced, starting at
Rs.1960/-only. Get the latest Tanishq „DAYTIMES‟ and sparkle every minute of the day- All
through the year.

Irresistible Tanishq „PURE JOY‟ range of 22K gold sets start from Rs.27, 100/-only. Buy any
item together with a „PURE JOY‟ set and avail a bonus @ Rs. 25/-per gm an all items.

And, when your total shopping is Rs.35,000/-, you get an additional Gift Voucher ofRs. 3000/-
redeemable at Hindustan Electronics, Station Square, Bhubaneswar, against purchase of any
model of Samsung Microwave Ovens.

Ab, Kya Sochna, Hurry. The offer is valid for this wedding season only.

Wishing you pure joy.

Your truly

For Tanishq Family

Manager

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 Business Communication (Module III)
Presentation
Merriam Webster dictionary defines presentation as a descriptive or persuasive account (as
by a salesman of a product). A presentation is the process of presenting a topic to an
audience. It is typically a demonstration, introduction, lecture, or speech meant to inform,
persuade, or build good will. The term can also be used for a formal or ritualized introduction
or offering, as with the presentation of a debutante. (Wikipedia)
A business presentation is a formal speech about business topics, practices, services or
products. A business presentation is typically carried out using audio/visual presentation
material, such as projectors and statistical documents created with presentation software, or
more rudimentary materials such as flip charts and whiteboards. (wisegeek.com) Companies
and organizations often utilize business presentations as a means of selling an idea or
product, for training purposes, or to motivate the audience. (Anna Windermere)
A formal presentation is divided into two broad categories: Presentation Skill and Personal
Presentation. These two aspects are interwoven and can be described as the preparation,
presentation and practice of verbal and non-verbal communication. (G. Blair) Thus, business
presentation can be defined as a formal speech communication about a product, service or
an organisation or any business proposal/ report, intended to inform or persuade the
audience. A business presentation may use various aids to make the idea incorporated in the
speech more explicit. These aids could vary from flipcharts to white boards, from audio-
visuals to power-point.
Importance of Presentation
 Being an excellent presenter can give your career a boost and bring you opportunities:
Career growth necessitates presenting ideas to others Good presentations skills are
useful both internally and externally. There are times when you need to give
presentation to your superiors about various issues in relation to business activities or
performance.
 Presentation is Important for Individual Success in the workplace: For many
individuals the first important presentation they deliver might be to get selected as an
important member in an organisation.Besides, you may need to stand in front of
external audience or the clients. By virtue of good presentation skills, you can attain
professional development and success.
 Presentations are Important for Business Success: Business leaders are often
expected to present their message with confidence and clarity to staff, clients,
partners, investors and sometimes the public. Millions of rupees can ride on these
presentations.
 Presentations are Important for Stress Reduction: The financial cost of stress to
organizations can be devastating. Work related stress can be demoralizing to staff,
management and executives. Effective presentation skills reduce miscommunication,
which is likely the biggest cause of work related stress.
 Presentation Skills are important for timely communication:A prepared presenter will
always make their presentation in a timely manner.

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  Presentation skills are Important for Public Image & Opinion: It might seem unfair, but
people will often judge an organization by assessing the presenter of an institution.
Better presentations don't guarantee success but they give a stronger chance of
success.
 Presentation makes you a Leader: Narendra Modi ji is considered to be a great
presenter and a communicator. Leadership in community, association or organization
demands effective presentation skills. Every cause needs a leader. Every leader
needs to be able to stand up and deliver a clear and inspiring message.

Essentials for making a Presentation Work

The single most important objective of communication is not the transmission but the
reception of the message. The whole preparation, presentation and content of a
speech must therefore be geared not to the speaker’s convenience but to the
audience’s requirement. The presentation is to appeal to the audience and to hold
their attention long enough to sell the point.
A. The Plan Effective presentations: This requires significant planning. Take the time
to prepare from the day you know you will be presenting. Avoid procrastinating. You
will want as much time as possible to research and practice.
B. Formulate your Objectives: The starting point in planning any speech is to formulate
a precise objective. This should take the form of a simple, concise statement of intent.
For example, the purpose of the speech/ presentation may be to obtain funds, to
evaluate a proposal, or to motivate a team.
C. Identify the Audience: The next task is to consider the audience to determine how
best to achieve the objectives in the context of these people. Essentially this is done
by identifying their aims and objectives while attending the presentation.
D. Structure All speeches: should have a definite structure or format. If the presenter
does not order the thoughts into a structured manner, the audience will not be able to
follow them. For instance, the structure will determine the style, aids and script to be
used while making a presentation.
 Sequential Argument- One of the simplest structures is that of sequential
argument which consists of a series of linked statements ultimately leading to a
conclusion.
 Hierarchical Decomposition- In hierarchical decomposition the main topic is
broken down into sub-topics and each sub-topic into smaller topics until
eventually everything is broken down into very small basic units. These basics
units are explained and illustrated to the audience for better understanding.
 Audience Orientated- By considering your particular topic and your specific
audience, you can develop an interesting presentation. Not all information
lends itself to the same type of presentation or to the same group of people. A
serious subject would be treated differently from a lighthearted theme complete
with joking and laughing. Tailor the presentation and your delivery to the topic
and audience.
 The Meaty Sandwich- The simplest and most direct format of presentation is
the meaty sandwich. This is the simple beginning-middle-end format in which
the main meat of the exposition is contained in the middle and is preceded by

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 an introduction and followed by a summary and conclusion. This is really the
appropriate format for all types of presentations.
E. Create a rapport: Presenter should plan exactly how he/ she wishes to appear
before the audience and use the beginning to establish that relationship.
F. The Ending:The final impression presenter makes on the audience is the one they
will remember. Thus, it is worth planning the last few sentences with extreme care.
As with the beginning, it is necessary first to get their attention, which will have
wandered. This requires a change of pace, a new visual aid or perhaps the
introduction of one final culminating idea.
G. Visual Aids: Most people expect visual reinforcement for any verbal message
being delivered. It is useful to understand what the audience is accustomed to, for
two reasons: firstly, the presenter can meet their expectations using the overhead
projector, a slide show, or even a video presentation; secondly, if the presenter
departs from the framework of a speech, he/she may come back to track.
H. The Delivery: The presenter has the power both to kill the message and to
enhance it a hundred times beyond its worth. A manager’s job is to use the
potential of the presentation to ensure that the audience is motivated and inspired
rather than disconcerted or distracted.
There are five key facets of the human body which deserve attention in
presentation skills: the eyes, the voice, the expression, the appearance, and
how you stand.
 The Eyes- The eyes are said to be the key to the soul and are therefore the
first and most effective weapon in convincing the audience of the honesty,
openness and confidence in the objectives of presentation. During
presentations, it is important to hold the gaze fixed in specific directions for
five or six seconds at a time. Shortly after each change in position, a slight
smile will convince each person in that direction that the presenter has seen
and acknowledged them.
 The Voice- After the eyes comes the voice, and the two most important
aspects of the voice for the public speaker are projection and variation. It is
important to realise from the onset that proper voice modulation, intonation
and pitch can help make the presentation effective.
 Expression- The audience watches your face. If the presenter is looking
listless or distracted then they will be listless and distracted; if the presenter
is smiling, they will be wondering why and listen to find out. The
presentation is enhanced by facial reinforcement. Thus, in a speech one
must compensate both for stage nerves and for the distance with the
audience.
 Appearance- When giving a presentation, one must dress for the audience,
not for oneself. Thus, a formal dress code is preferable.
 Stance- A presenter has to adopt a distinct posture or stance to deliver the
presentation. The stance and posture will convey a great deal about the
presenter. Therefore, the stance should not convey boredom. The whole
body of the presenter should act as a dynamic tool to reinforce his/her
rapport with the audience. The perennial problem is what to do with the
hands. These must not wave aimlessly through the air, or fiddle constantly
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 with a pen, or (worst of all visually) juggle change in the trouser pockets.
The key is to keep the hands still, except when used in unison with the
speech.

Following points should help using right techniques of Speech—

1. Make an impression
2. Repeat key points
3. Draw to explain, if need be
4. Use humor, if need be
5. Plain speech is also welcome
6. Make it short and sweet i.e. manage time
7. Write the script for narration
8. Practice, practice and practice
9. Rehearse
10. Relax during the presentation
11. Conclude with main points of the presentation

Presentation tips for an Effective Presentation:

Presentation is very important while facing an interview or in professional life, we may be
asked to prepare a presentation of 5 to 20 minutes.The basic tips before a presentation are:
A. Practice: try to practice where you'll be delivering your talk. Some acting strategists
suggest rehearsing lines in various positions – standing up, sitting down, with arms
open wide, on one leg, or in front of a mirror.
B. Dress smartly: don't let your appearance distract from what you are saying.
C. Arrive early: it's always best to allow yourself plenty of time to settle in before your
talk and adapt in the environment
D. Speak clearly, firmly and confidently as this makes you sound in control. Don't
speak too quickly: you are likely to speed up and raise the pitch of your voice when
nervous. Give the audience time to absorb each point.
E. Say hello and smile when you greet the audience: your audience will probably look
at you and smile back: an instinctive reaction.
F. Transform nervous energy into enthusiasm: make sure that you are enthusiastic
and energetic before a presentation as an enthusiastic speech win over an
eloquent one
G. Don’t read, make an eye contact with the audience: look at everyone in the
audience from time to time, not just at your notes or at the power point slides. Don't
read out your talk, as this sounds boring and stilted, but refer to brief notes jotted
down on small (postcard sized) pieces of card
H. Work on your pauses: Don’t be afraid to slow down and use pauses in your
speech. Pausing can be used to emphasize certain points and to help your talk
feel more conversational. If you feel yourself losing control of your pacing, just take
a nice pause.

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I. Don’t load the information: presentations should be full of useful, insightful, and
actionable information, knowing what to include, and what to leave out, is crucial to
the success of a good presentation.
J. Be entertaining and actively engage the audience: including some jokes and light-
hearted slides is a great way to help the audience feel more comfortable. Asking
the audience what they think, inviting questions, and other means of welcoming
audience participation can boost engagement and make attendees feel like a part
of a conversation
K. Drink Water: Dry mouth is a common result of anxiety. Keep a bottle of water at
arm's reach while presenting in case you get dry mouth while talking.
L. Don't Fight the Fear: Accept your fear rather than trying to fight it. Getting yourself
worked up by wondering if people will notice your nervousness will only intensify
your anxiety.
M. Structure your presentation with an introduction, body and conclusion. In an
introduction brief about the aims and objectives, cover the story in the middle and
summarize the presentation in the end.
N. Admit You Don’t Have All the Answers: we all know that nobody can ever know
everything about a given topic, admitting so in a presentation can actually improve
your credibility.

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Power Point Presentation Tips

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Some Terms:
Glossophobia: Means fear of Public Speaking or Speech anxiety or stage fright. Almost
everyone faces that before making a speech in the public or making a presentation in a
business situation. The solution is to learn how to manage or overcome it. Here are some
tips:

1. Know your material: This doesn’t mean you should memorize your presentation, but you
should know what you want to say and have an outline of the key points. Give special
focus to the introduction, because this is when you are likely to be most nervous.
2. Script your presentation: Write down the script of your presentation. Read and practice
it many times so that you are confident with your speech.
3. Practice, Practice, Practice: You should continue practicing until you’re comfortable with
what you’re going to say. Then practice more. Your confidence will increase as you
realize that you know what you’re going to say.
4. Videotape your presentation: You can note if changes are needed. And make
necessary corrections.
5. Work on audience questions:Jot down a list of questions you might be asked and be
prepared to answer them.
Group Presentations:
A group presentation is presented by the members of a group. You should remember the
following in a group presentation:
Stage 1: Before the Presentation
a) Planning the presentation contents: Research the required topic and collect relevant
information. Analyse the data and decide what is important or unimportant.
b) Sharing the responsibility: Each member should contribute in the total process of
presentation from planning until the delivery and feedback stage.
c) Developing the content:Writing the script, choosing appropriate examples and aids for
delivering the presentation.
d) Organizing the content:Order the points and make a proper sequence of the contents.

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e) Creating transitions: Each member should know his or her role and sequence. Plan the
transition should be smooth and uninterrupted.
Stage 2: Practising the Presentation
a) Practice: Individual role
b) Practice: Turn-taking
c) Practice: Handling questions

Stage 3: Delivery
a) Introduction: Introduce all the members
b) When not speaking: Listen to the speaker and wait for your turn
c) Visual aids: In case you are handling the aids, be prompt in changing the slides as per
the requirement. Reduce technical glitches as much as possible.
d) Coordinate and Collaborate: Be a Team Player! During Q&A, be collaborative. Answer
questions if your friend goes clueless.
e) Conclude: Conclude as a Team. This does not mean each one speaks, but each one
faces the audience at the end.
Group Discussion
A GroupDiscussion is a formal discussion made by a group of individuals to bring up ideas,
solve problems or give comments. Business management is essentially a group activity and
working with groups is perhaps the most important parameter of career success as a
manager.
The four main areas tested in a GD include:
i. Content Analysis
ii. Communication skills
iii. Group dynamics
iv. Leadership
Content Analysis
Content is a combination of knowledge and the ability to create coherent, logical arguments
on the basis of that knowledge. Merely memorising facts is pointless. We need an in-depth
understanding of various issues as well as the ability to analyse the topic and build
arguments.
Communication skills
Communication is a two-way process, and the role of the listener is critical.
The listener has his/her own interpretation of what you say. Unless you listen, you cannot
figure out whether he or she has understood you.
Unless you listen, the points you make may not fit in with points made by others. It is easy for
an experienced evaluator (moderator) to realise you aren't listening.
Besides listening, you also need the ability to:
 Express your ideas in a clear and concise manner.
 Build on others' points.
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  Sum up the discussion made by the entire group.

Group dynamics
A GD is a formal peer group situation and tests your behaviour as well as your influence on
the group. Formal language and mutual respect are obvious requirements.
 You need to show willingness to listen and discuss various points of view.
 Do not take strong views in the beginning itself; try and analyse the pros and cons of a
situation.
 Learn to disagree politely, if required. In fact, it is far better to put forward your point of
view without specifically saying 'I disagree' or 'You're wrong'.
 Show appreciation for good points made by others. You can make a positive
contribution by agreeing to and expanding an argument made by someone else.
 Seize the opportunity to make a summary near the end or, even better, a part
summary.
 Partial agreement or part consensus is a sign of the group's progress.
 Complete agreement is impossible in the timeframe allotted.
Leadership
One of the most common misconceptions about leadership is that it is all about controlling
the group. However, for the GDs, leadership is all about giving direction to the group in terms
of content.
 It is about initiating the discussion and suggesting a path on which the group can
continue the discussion.
 A good leader is one who allows others to express their views and channels the
discussion to a probable decision or conclusion on the given topic.

Types of GDs
i. Topic-based
 Knowledge intensive: Here, the background knowledge of a subject is required for
effective participation (for example: Should India go in for full convertibility of the
rupee?).
 Non-knowledge intensive: Requires structured thinking, but subject knowledge is not
required (for example: Do women make better managers?)
 Abstract: Requires out-of-the-box thinking, analogy and example-based discussion
(For example: Money is sweeter than honey, blue is better than red).
ii. Case studies
A structured discussion of a specific situation is given as a case. Sometimes, you will be
asked to enact a role play where each participant is allotted a role to play, with relevance to
the case study.
iii. Group tasks

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These are an extension of case studies where specific objectives are to be achieved as a
group.

Conducting GDs
Normally 8-10 participants are taken as a group, though in some cases, up to 16 people may
be included in a group. The GD lasts for 10-15 minutes.
For a topic-based GD, 2-3 minutes of thinking time may be given; though the group is often
told to start right away. For case studies, however, about 15 minutes (or more) is given.
The evaluation is done by one or two experts. Please remember that these people are
experts with a lot of experience and can be counted upon to observe all details, even if
the GD is chaotic.
The candidates may be seated in a circle or in a rectangular arrangement, with or without a
table. Seating arrangements may be prefixed or there may be free seating.
The discussion may be stopped at the set time or even earlier. A conclusion or consensus
may be asked for, though it usually does not occur. A written or oral summary may be asked
for at the end from each candidate.
How to prepare?
i. Content
 Develop subject knowledge on current affairs, general awareness and business
trends.
 Structure arguments on selected topics, considering both sides to the argument.
 Plan for short and lucid points.
ii. Practice
 GD skills cannot be learned from books. Get into practice groups.
 Get skilled people to observe and give feedback.
Spend a lot of time analysing each GD performance. Plan specific improvements.

Debate is a process that involves formal discussion on a particular topic. In a debate,

opposing arguments are put forward to argue for opposing viewpoints.
A debate is a structured argument. Two sides speak alternately for and against a particular
contention usually based on a topical issue. The subject of the dispute is often prearranged
so that the participantshave to take a stand.
The Basic Debating Skills
Style: Style is the manner in which participants communicate their arguments.
Speed: It is vital to talk at a pace which is fast enough to sound intelligent and allow
time to say what one wants, but slow enough to be easily understood.
Tone: Varying tone is what makes the participants sound interesting. Listening to one tone
for an entire presentation is boring.

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Volume: Speaking quite loudly is sometimes a necessity, but it is by no means
necessary to shout through every debate regardless of context. There is absolutely no need
to speak any more loudly than the volume at which everyone in the room can comfortably
hear you. Shouting does not win debates. Speaking too quietly is clearly disastrous since
no one will be able to hear.
Clarity: The ability to concisely and clearly express complex issues is what debating is
all about. The main reason people begin to sound unclear is usually because they lose the
―stream of thought‖ which is keeping them going. It is also important to keep it simple.
Use of notes and eye contact
Notes are essential, but they must be brief and well organized to be effective. There is
absolutely no point in trying to speak without notes. Eye contact with the audience is very
important, but participants should keep shifting your gaze. No one likes to be stared at.
Content: Content is what is actually said in the debate.
Conclusion: At the end, once everyone has spoken, it is useful to briefly summarize what
has been said and why.

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