The Art and Etiquette of Business Conversation Midterm Research Paper Michael Singletree Liberty University Professor Dry. John Breadboard Abstract In order for the business professional to begin bridging the gap between the interest of the firm, and the interest of second and third parties during the negotiation process, communication has to be effective, concise and clear.Effective communication help the negotiating parties come to some common compromise that will benefit all parties, thus, enhancing the business relationship between the parties ND effectively steering the negotiations in the right direction. This paper will attempt to examine ways to improve the etiquette of business conversation in the workplace and boardroom, and focus on the dos and don't in business conversation as it relates to the business professional at work and abroad. Enhancing and Expanding Business Conversation Skills Developing effective communication skills is not as easy as it may seem.
Some people have the natural ability to converse with others and be the profound life of the party, but in order to be a good business communicator, one has to be comfortable talking o people and in some cases, the business professional should brush-upon his or her skill in order to become a superior business communicator. The article I researched, " 6 Skill-Enhancing tips to be better at Conversation" states that, to improve business conversation skills one has to be engaging, prepared, attentive, open, considerate and careful (Bergmann, 2012).Developing interpersonal relationships in regard to business is the single most vital activity a business professional can do to be successful. "Building strong interpersonal relationships begin with a conscious effort o learn and develop a set of key skills and behaviors that can make those relationships happen (Valiant, Perfecting Interpersonal Skills, 2008). The business professional should concentrate on being friendly, courteous and considerate of other people's feelings.Valiant contends that, " It's all about respect" (2008).
Making small talk and getting to know your customer or business counterpart is good way to "break the ice". The article, Interpersonal Skills-supervision penned by Patricia Bubbler says Tanat, "Walkout Telnet developed people Skills, teen, a managers performance Ana ability to be successful is substantially hindered" Lully, 2005). So developing the conversation skills necessary to interact effectively with others in every aspect of business and work related dealings.Some of the other ways business professional can enhance their interpersonal skills according to Bubbler is to develop their emotional intelligence, learn to recognize the uniqueness of each employee, acknowledge the impact of the details (and the "small stuff), learn to listen, empower others, and build trust Lully 2005).
Business professionals who learn to develop these kills run a better chance at being successful in the careers and personal lives.Making a Good First Impression When two parties are in the process of developing a business relationship, those parties have to eventually meet to get to know one another and dispel any misconceptions and make the appropriate assessment of each other before talks begin, rather it's a business deal or Job interview, first impression are extremely important to rather you get the account or get the Job. "Practicing proper business etiquette is significant important for a number of reasons.First, it is critically important for making a great first impression', but more importantly, it demonstrates to a potential employer your abilities to positively represent their company in business scenarios should you be hired (Bruce, 2007). First impressions are vital in setting the platform and atmosphere for any future business activities.
The business professional that practices the proper etiquette standards in reference to his or her attire, neatness and proper hygiene depict the person as a serious professional with serious career aspirations.There is a role over effect in that, people will respect how o carry yourself and will be willing in the future to continue to do business with you. Smiling, entering a room with purpose and displaying a positive attitude is priceless in the business world. A positive attitude and enthusiasm go a long way to develop effective relationships in today's business environment (Bubbler, 2005). Smiling creates a relax atmosphere for all those involved, and helps ease the anxiety that may be in the room during the business proceedings.Smiling creates social barriers to the communication process rather than creating a roadblock to negotiations.
Handshakes are also a pivotal part of making a good impression in the business world. A firm handshake displays the willingness to communicate and shows warmth and friendship, openness, it says, "hello how are you? " this is powerful a make a hell of an impression on people, especially those in power. According to Business Etiquette For Dummies, "people tend to forget the importance of simple human contact and kindness, and greeting people with a firm handshake"(2008). You only have one chance to make a first good impression.
Not knowing or having the proper business etiquette skills can make this process disastrous and can undermine he intended message, and sabotage the business relationship all together. First impressions good or bad, can make or break a business relationship. A prerequisite to becoming successful is practice, institutional coaching and support will help the business professional develop the skills needed to be effective at communicating what the firm is trying to accomplish without harming relations between employees, customers and business counterparts. Barriers to Communication The communication process does not have to be complicated.Clarity has to be conclave Detente Don ten sender Ana ten receiver. I en Dustless professional won is sending the message must be clear with the content of message he or she is trying to convey.
Sometimes the persons sending the message may think that his or her method of communication was clear to the receiver, but the person who the message was conveyed to might not have understood what was being conveyed. Rather you're talking to a customer about a product or trying to win an account from a business counterpart, the sender should make sure that the message is clear and concise.One of the ways to improve the entire communication process is to present new audiences with enough background material to make sure they know the basics (Schoenberg, 1990). Language is a big part of the communication process. Different people have a way of getting their message across to an audience, and some people like to use Jargon to make oneself look smarter than what they are.
Business professional should refrain from using language that other can't understand. Noise can be a big hindrance in the communication process. Noise may be anything physical from music, a baby crying or someone talking when someone else is trying to talk.Interruptions can cause the listener to lose his or her focus on the conversation.
Different cultures may interpret noise differently from us here in the United States. Headgear states that, "In some countries, like Malaysia, people expect communication to be polite and indirect. In others, like America, people appreciate straightforwardness" (2001). E-Mail Etiquette Using email to convey messages have become the wave of the new millennium. Email has become an excellent tool to communicate with people within your organization, and those outside of the firm also.In order for the business professional to be effective at using electronic communication methods he or she needs to understand owe utilize professionalism and caution when sending email messages.
While email is certainly powerful and popular, it's not always the most effective way to get your ideas across. Between the limitation of SACS text, odd line breaks inserted by email servers, clients who use bizarre terms, spamming, never-get-to-the-point-authors, tedious email list, and hard to decipher inscribe routines, it's amazing that anything gets communicated electronically at all (Cosponsor, 2002).When using email, the sender should follow guidelines that will ensure your message is clearly understood by the receiver. A subject line should accompany all messages so that the receiver knows what it is the sender is trying to convey. "Therefore, even though your message may be important for the recipient, if you make the subject line vague or leave it blank, there's a good chance the message will never get read" (Cosponsor, 2002). After an email has been sent, the sender should give the responder enough time to answer the message.
Sometimes people may be away from their computers or Just may not have checked their message due to something else going on during the day. "Depending on your recipient's workload, log-on-habits, and time restraints, espousing to your message may take several days" (Cosponsor, 2002). Be sure to use proper grammar and punctuation when sending emails. Try and refrain from using sarcasm and even humor if you can avoid it, some people don't take to kindly to Jokes and may not understand how you are trying to convey a particular message. While you may enjoy receiving Jokes, photos, and silly cartoons throughout the day, others may not appreciate such items taking up space on their server" (Cosponsor, 2002). So mastering tense sleep email etiquette techniques, ten Dustless professional can avoid problems when using email.
Be sure to proofread your message before sending and always be polite and concise when communicating electronically. Phone Etiquette One of the most utilized tool used in today's business environment is the telephone.For any person doing business, answering the phone can mean making a sale. Not answering the phone can also mean losing a sale. The telephone is very important for the customer service representative. People like to hear a friendly voice on the other end of telephone when conducting a business deal.
Rotarian says that, muff need to answer the phone with a bright, cheery, happy voice. Tone is very important n customer service, especially in small business. And the biggest weapon a small business has against the big guys is customized service" (May, 2003).When using the telephone, you should speak clearly and refrain from using slang and Jargon that someone can't understand.
Even though the person on the other end can't see whom it is they are talking to, the persons speaking tone creates an image for the person on the other end of the line, and you want give your customer a positive experience which give the firm a positive image thereof. Remember, the telephone is a powerful and essential tool in the business world today. It's very important that you use professionalism and integrity when using the phone.The success of the organization depends on good phone etiquette.
Cross-cultural Business Communication Communication is sometime more challenging with those who are different from us (Aka, 2006). In order to be an effective cross-cultural communicator, one needs to get to know the people with whom he or she is trying to communicate with. When dealing with people of different cultures, you need to get familiar with customs of the parties you are dealing with and try to respond to those barriers with patients and aspect. Aka states, " To communicate effectively, it is necessary to avoid stereotyping" (2006).
Cultural sensitivity helps us understand the value systems of people from different backgrounds, and to communicate successfully in another person country we should learn those value systems. "To communicate successfully, we may need to be willing to accept the discomforts of unfamiliarity and uncertainty "(Kate, 2006). Doing business across the globe has transformed how we communicate with those who speak a language that is different from ours, and who ethical beliefs differ from ours as well. People in India tend to come off arrogantly at times, people in Saudi Arabia treat women in ways we in the United States would consider discriminatory.And it's always polite to bow your head when dealing with people of Asian decent. Aka contends that, " it is important to remember that there is a dynamic social context for every individual's culture (2006), and we may not agree with some of the beliefs systems employed by those we are trying to conduct business with, there is a certain level of respect that should be imposed when dealing with people from unfamiliar and socioeconomic backgrounds.
Developing sensitivity to cultural perversity in others and ourselves is one step towards achieving effective communication (Kate, 2006).Racism, prejudice and stereotyping are horrific barriers to the communication process. These feelings must be dealt with swiftly before the opinions and views of someone irrational though process hinders business negotiations and relationships. "However, recognition of our attitudes towards those won appear Deterrent Trot us, Ana an awareness AT our collects tattletales, are equally important" (Aka,2006). Conclusion Developing effective communication skills are vital to an organization and individual business professional success.
Understanding how to deal with communication barriers will help enhance the business professionals communication skills, and help build strong interpersonal relationships as well. Professional who practice and understand the importance and expectations from developing phone etiquette skills, email etiquette skills and learning how respect the cultural difference of our friends around the globe have a much better chance with accomplishing the business objective of the company's they work for, and have a successful career more-the- same.Your verbal and written skills should always be on the top list for improvement and innovation. Non-verbal communication is Just as important for success in the business world.
Smiling, and the handshake are all relevant when it comes to making a good first impression during business meetings, negotiations and Job interviews. Effective communication techniques, help dissolve any preconceived ideas or misconceptions about the messages the sender is trying convey and gives the receiver a better chance to understand the message altogether.In addition, there will always be some professional setbacks when dealing with customers, business associates, and co-workers. Learning how to be sensitive to one's cultural beliefs, the engage barriers that might be present and ethic backgrounds of others will help the business professional enhance the profitability of the firm and ultimately improve corporate efficiency for all those involved.
Reference: Rotarian, J. Special to the Tribute. (2003, May 05). Phone etiquette pays in business; tone of voice, attitude critical.
