What is business communication?

BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

What is business communication?

Communication is derived from the Latin word” Communis” which means “common”. Communication is a natural phenomenon and activity of all the human beings to convey their emotions, feelings, information, ideas though verbal, written or non-verbal methods. Business communication is the process of sharing information within the work place and outside the company with relevant people.

Types of business communication

In any organization, there are typically four types of business communication flow.

Within the organization

Upward communication: The communication flow will be bottom-up. Lower-level employees will use upward communication to communicate with superiors regarding reports, employee feedback, improvement areas, etc.

Downward communication: Downward communication happens in any organization when the top-level management communicates organizational announcements, policy changes, new strategies, instructions to employees, directives, feedback, etc.

Lateral communication: Lateral communication happens when communication is exchanged between the same levels in the organization. This form of communication can be used for cross-collaboration of teams, coordination with other departments, etc. The communication can be emails, face-to-face meetings, video conferencing, virtual meetings, etc.

External communication

External communication happens between the organization and all the entities outside the organization. The external entities can be vendors, suppliers, customers, the public, etc. External communication can be in the form of newsletters, emails, campaigns, press releases, marketing materials, social media communication, customer service communication, etc. Positive external communication can create a positive image of the company’s brand and build trust with all the investors and external stakeholders.

Objective of Business communication

The primary objective of business communication is to send and receive business information.

Information: The primary function of any communication is to transmit communication through a sender to the receiver in an intended manner and through the agreed communication channel. This information is gathered through various sources and transmitted via communication tools and channels. This collected information is essential for individuals, groups, and communities to make relevant information based on the information transmitted.

Control: The following primary objective of communication is control. Control in the context of business communication means member behavior. Every organization sets formal communication guidelines that clearly define the communication protocols that employees, leadership, customers, vendors, and external and internal stakeholders should follow.

Motivation: Communication helps to clarify queries regarding work-related issues. The organizational and personal goals are defined by communication. The employee performance and progress, organizational strategies, and overall growth are communicated through appropriate channels using communication protocols. Once the required information is obtained, employees can work in a positive atmosphere. This created a motivated atmosphere.

Emotional Expression and Interdependence: Communication fosters emotional expression between various groups and individuals. Communication helps to build trust and create interdependence.

Seven Important aspects of business communication

In any communication, the communicator should keep some essential points in mind. Some critical aspects of business communication are:

Clarity of thought: The sender should have absolute clarity. Business communication should never be ambiguous and vague.

Consideration: Leaders should emphasize the “we” feeling and give importance to the team's achievements rather than emphasizing the “I” feeling. Motivational communication and appreciation and morale-boosting communication enhance team productivity.

Courtesy: The communication (verbal or written) should be with a polite tone. Respectful and courteous communication builds goodwill and a good reputation with internal and external stakeholders.

Correctness: The communication message should be correct. By saying correct, we mean correctness of grammar, punctuation, spelling, etc. Apart from the punctuation and grammar, the content of the communication should also be correct.

Concreteness: The business communication should be clear, meaningful, to the point, and concise.

Consideration: This aspect says that you should always have the receiver of the communication in mind before communicating to him. When we are considerate, then the communication is empathetic, genuine, and respectful.

Completeness: A message communicated should be complete; otherwise, the message can be misunderstood and often lead to negative results and reactions.

Conclusion

Business communication is a crucial and critical aspect of any organization. It is a mandatory skill that anyone should possess. Join our course in Business communication to sharpen your skills and knowledge in Business communication.