Effective Communication in Business

This assignment delves into the critical role of communication in the business world. Students are expected to analyze different communication models, understand their strengths and weaknesses, and demonstrate how they can be applied in real-world business scenarios. The analysis should encompass various aspects of business communication, including interpersonal, intercultural, and organizational communication.

Running head: EFFECTIVE BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
Effective Business Communication
Name of Student
Name of University
Author Note

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Table of Contents
Diagnosis and Reflection...........................................................................................................2
Literature review........................................................................................................................6
Concept of communication and its issues..............................................................................6
Models related to communication..........................................................................................7
Conceptual and behavioural skills needed...........................................................................10
Action Plan...............................................................................................................................12
Reference..................................................................................................................................15
Appendices...............................................................................................................................17
Appendix 1...........................................................................................................................17
Appendix 2...........................................................................................................................17
Appendix 3...........................................................................................................................18
Appendix 4...........................................................................................................................19
Appendix 5...........................................................................................................................20

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Diagnosis and Reflection
The purpose of the report is to analyse the different communication skills that can be
used by individuals for improving the level of communication. The focus of the report is on
the set of skills that are required for gaining success at a professional level. The report
analysis certain tools that help an individual to understand own flaws and make rectifications
based on those flaws. Apart from this, the report provides a literature review that highlights
the possible solutions to the issues related to communication. Models related to
communication are also discussed that provides a detailed analysis of the methods of
communication. The report provides a self-reflection of the researcher that deals with ways to
improve the communication techniques.
I have taken the assistance of five diagnostic tools that can help me to determine the
level of communication that I possess. These tools can help me analyse my communication
skills and make rectifications based on the results. As stated by Cardon (2015)
communication tools is essential in order to identify any type of error of an individual. The
rating given while solving the questionnaire provides an understanding of the areas of
improvement that is required. It helps in understanding the personality of the people by
solving questionnaires that help in identifying the level of confidence that an individual
possesses. The five tools that have been used in this case include:
1. The Non-verbal Immediacy Scale Self-report (NIS-S)
2. Self-Perceive Communication Competency Scale (SPCC)
3. Confidence level while making presentation
4. Soft skills test

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5. Verbal Communication test
These skills are essential as it helps me to understand the areas in which I need to
develop myself and the style of communication that is adopted by me. Every communication
tool has a different set of questionnaires that help in the assessment of these factors and make
rectifications based on the results of the questionnaires. For example, the Non-verbal
Immediacy Scale-Self-analyses are used to understand the positive nature of the individuals
and the manner in which they perceive other people. In similar fashion, the Self-Perceive
Communication Competency Scale is used to analyse the communication skill that is required
in various situations. It has been seen that the reaction and the communication style of people
changes in every situation (Argenti, 2015).
The third tool is used to assess the confidence level an individual possess while
making presentations. This tool helps in understanding the confidence and the relaxation
level of an individual while making a presentation. The fourth tool that has been analysed is
known as the soft skills test. In the modern days, it is one of the most important tools as it
helps in assessing the level at which one can analyse people (Shwom & Snyder, 2015). It is
important in every profession to have a skill that can help in the conversation with people for
effective purposes. The fifth tool is the verbal communication test that helps to understand
the ease with which a particular task can be carried out without the help of other people.
The tools that have been used have produced different results that have helped in a
proper analysis of my skills. The clarity of the analysis has helped me to understand the
communication level that I possess. For example, after conducting the test on Non-verbal
Immediacy Scale-Self it has been seen that my positive feeling towards people is low. The
score that I received that is 78 indicates the low level of trust that I have on people. Thus, it
can be concluded that I have a tendency to not trust people and feel that they may not

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influence me in a positive manner. This is one of the reasons behind my low score in this test.
As suggested by Tuna, Gulez & Gungor (2013) trusting people or feeling a sense of positivity
towards the people is an essential factor particular in a professional field. The test suggests
that I need to improve this skill (Refer to Appendix 1 for test result).
The second test that I undertook is the Self-Perceive Communication Competency
test. This test is used to understand the competency level required to communicate at every
aspect of life. These aspects include public, meeting, group, dyad, stranger, acquaintance and
friend. My test result varied in the competency level after every aspect. The lowest rating that
I got was in the meeting aspect while my overall rating was 65.8. This indicates that I have a
medium competency level and that other people can easily distract me. A higher value of
competency level indicates that the self-perceived communication of the individuals is strong.
In my case, I need to be guided by other people but at the same time, I can be competent
enough to make decisions in any of the aspects of life and profession (Refer to Appendix 2
for test result).
The next test that I undertook included the understanding of my level of confidence
while making a presentation. This is an important aspect in a professional field as most
business meetings and deals are done with the help of making a presentation. In this test, the
scoring pattern ranged from 14-70. My test results showed that I secured a score of 48. This
indicates the fact that my presentations will be appreciated for only a brief moment. I have a
typical average presentation style and people can appreciate with at the same time criticising
it due to lack of clarity of the messages (Refer to Appendix 3 for test result).
The next test that I had undertaken is the soft skills test. This test helped me to
understand the level at which I can manage people. This is important particularly for applying
for jobs at the managerial level or being a leader of a group. The skill level in this test ranges

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from 16-80 and my test result was showed to be 54. This is again an indication of the
mediocre nature of my communication skills. This indicates that I tend to remain under
pressure in critical situations by like to work and collaborate with groups (Refer to Appendix
4 for test result).
The fifth test is the verbal communication test that indicates the level at which I need
to depend upon my co-workers for carrying out a particular task. The test scores range from
20-110 and my score was 104. This indicates that I am willing to work with other people but
I have to refine my skills to match the skills of my co-workers. The areas that I need to
improve include paying attention to non-verbal cues, accurately paraphrase work and ability
to remain calm during challenging situations (Refer to Appendix 5 for test result).
After analysing the results of the tests, I can analyse my drawbacks and work on
improving the skills. For example, I need to work on three aspects of the verbal
communication that can help me to be more successful in future. The ability to remain calm
during challenging times is important to ensure that I can handle the situations smoothly.
Apart from this, I also need to improve my NIS-S level, as I need to trust people more often.
This can be considered as a contrast as based on the analysis of the verbal communication
and the soft skills test I tend to work well with other people. Hence, I need to ensure that
contrasting characteristic of my communication level is solved effectively. In this regard, two
incidents can be described that failures of my communication.
The first issue that I encountered was my inability to understand the non-verbal cues.
The incident occurred during a programme in which my companion was asking me to move
an object by providing hand signals as verbal communication was inaudible at the time. The
situation occurred about a month ago in which I was to move a stray nail that was left on
stage due to some casualness. My inability to understand the gestures made to me had a

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negative effect as one of the performers suffered serious injury due to the stray nail. This
caused a lot of commotion and I was reprimanded for my incompetence of understanding
non-verbal gestures. This incident made me realise the importance of non-verbal
communication and the reaction that I need to provide during such challenging times.
The second issue that occurred was during a presentation at my institution. I was
unable to present a presentation that can create a lasting impression in the mind of my
assessors. This created problem in my grade as the average marks that I received was not
enough for a quality result. The presentation lacked clarity and the information provided was
based totally on general research. Hence, it is another aspect that I need to work on so that I
can make better and more detailed presentation in the future. This is important for me in the
future, if I am to be manager or leader someday. Hence, I need to develop both the skills for a
successful career growth.
Literature review
Concept of communication and its issues
McQuail & Windahl (2015) stated that one of the most convenient ways of
transferring information, feelings and thoughts from one place to another is communication.
People need to communicate with one another in order to ensure that their thoughts are
cleared and that they can add a sense of purpose in their lives. Communication can be done
either by verbally transmitting the messages or by non-verbal communication. Both are a
common form so communication, however, the non-verbal form is used in situations that
prevent the occurrence of verbal communication. The verbal communication, on the other
hand, is more common as people can use words to communicate any messages. To
understand the areas in which communication can be improved tools are developed that
provide clarity of the situations. According to Hampf and Müller-Pohl (2013), it is important

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to understand the flaws so that proper communication takes place at the local and global
level.
One of the most forms of communication flaws is the ability to understand sign
languages (Peleckien & Polajeva 2016). Most people fail to understand the sign languages
mainly because they are not trained on that subject. However, the basic gestures can be
understood clearly and actions can be taken by understanding the sign language. The issue
highlighted in the first example provides an idea of the inability to understand sign languages.
It is an important form of development that an individual need to make as in most occasions
verbal communication is not possible between the people.
The second issue that I faced was my lack of confidence to provide a proper
presentation. Popp, Raneburger & Kaindl (2013) observed that making a proper presentation
is an important form of communication medium, as most people cannot express their feelings
in words. Pictorial presentation of thoughts can help people understand the messages that are
provide to them and accordingly they can provide responses. To solve the issues it is
necessary for individuals to maintain the manner by understanding the nature and importance
of the messages. Hence, certain models can be used that highlight the manner in which
transferring of messages can take place between individuals.
Models related to communication
According to Chaney and Martin (2013), communication needs to be developed
between the individuals so that flaws in understanding do not take place. In this regard, it is
essential to develop certain models that can help in addressing these issues. One such model
of communication that can be used is Belo’s model. Belo’s model provides evidence that the
sender and the receiver need to be alert so that they can intercept the messages with ease.
Commonly this model is referred to as the SMCR model as the factors that are required for

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the effective transmission of messages is analysed with the help of the common components.
The factors include a basic understanding of the messages that are required for the proper
transmission and interpretation of messages.
The channels used for maintaining communication includes the assistance of the basic
senses of human beings (Evans et al., 2017). These include sight, hear, feel, smell and taste.
The five senses need to function together for the proper transmission of messages and for the
development of an individual. The skills required for intercepting the messages need to be
such that the receiver and the sender need to operate together in a manner so that
organisations do not have any problems with depicting the messages. Thus, it can be said that
proper training needs to be provided to the people before delegating the tasks to encode or
decode messages.
One of the advantages that Belo’s model provides is the fact that the messages are
precise and consist of codes. This is an advantage as the receiver can easily decode the
comprehensive nature of the messages. The short messages can be easily understood and
responses can be provided using any one of the channels of communication. Another
advantage of this model is that it can help in the development of interpersonal communication
skills. Practically this model can be applied to individuals seeking to improve their
communication pattern at every level. For example, decoding the messages and presenting
them to the people requires proper presentation skill. The skill level of every individual is
analysed in a manner so that people can develop proper communication technique and ensure
a successful career in the future. However, despite the advantages, Thill & Bovée (2013)
stated that Schramm’s model could be used more effectively than Belo’s model for
communication.

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Figure 1: Belo’s model
(Source: Evans et al., 2017)
To develop an effective system among individuals it is necessary to identify a proper
source of communication. This source of communication can provide a systematic manner in
which developments can take place in the communication system (Rentz & Lent, 2013). To
understand the communication systems in a proper manner it is necessary to use the
Schramm’s model of communication. This model is effective as it helps to identify different
segments that can be related to different components of communication. These components
are important to maintain a steady flow of messages from a sender to a receiver. The sender
transmits cryptic messages to the receivers so that the messages cannot be hacked by other
people. The receiver then decodes these messages and the proper message is revealed. This
form of communication is effective as organisations involved in such communication styles
use internal facilities. Hence, Fleisher & Bensoussan (2015) considers this as an ultimate
model for communication purposes.

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Schramm considered communication as a continuous process. Communication is one
of the essential tools that people use to survive. Hence, the aim of the model is to ensure that
communication between people is maintained in an effective manner. In this regard, it can be
said that the model developed by Schramm can help in maintaining communication in every
sphere of life. The benefit of this model is that this can help in developing the listening ability
of individuals. This is mainly because the messages are provided in an encrypted manner and
it is important for individuals to understand the message clearly so that it can be decoded in a
proper manner. This model provides a continuous flow of messages from both ends and it is
essential that the people taking up the roles of receiver and sender posses he abilities to be
effective business scenarios.
Figure 2: Schramm’s model
(Source: Peleckien & Polajeva 2016)
Conceptual and behavioural skills needed
Individuals need to apply theoretical as well practical knowledge so that they can
develop their skills. The theoretical aspect can help in the understanding of a topic in a

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broader manner. A detailed analysis of a particular topic can be done so that individuals can
gain in-depth knowledge about a topic. Similarly, the practical aspect can help in the
development of experience. In the modern world, it is necessary that individuals remain
experienced in different fields so that they can get proper jobs at organisations (DiSanza &
Legge, 2016). These can help individuals to understand the level of improvement required so
that they can gain success in the business.
The development of professional skills can help in understating the issues that
individuals face. Thus, to mitigate this it is necessary to maintain both verbal as well non-
verbal communications. The lack of skill of the individuals can be solved by practical
implication of the models and carry out analysis using the communication tools (Argenti,
2015). It can be said that interpersonal communication between the individuals can be
maintained with the help of proper analysis of the models. The emotion of people often forms
a negative factor, as the mind is a strong organ in the human body. Hence, it can be said that
misunderstanding can create a huge problem in the workplace.
Sadia et al., (2016) is of the opinion that people with strong emotional competence
and proper listening skills can have a successful career in business. This is mainly because
both these characteristics are helping individuals to develop talents that can help in the
development of a career. It has been seen that leaders and managers need to deal with the
problems of the employees. Hence, it is important to maintain a proper soft skill so that the
employees can be encouraged. The demand for the employees needs to be understood before
taking any decisions that may hamper their progress. Communication issues can be solved by
being confident and remaining aware of the surroundings. Learning non-verbal
communication is not essential for most people, however, understanding the simple sign
languages can help in the growth of an individual in a proper manner. Hence, it can be said
that the manner in which people tend to develop the communication abilities depend upon the

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qualities possessed by the person. The communication skill tests can help in identifying the
flaws, however, rectifying the flaws need to be done by the individuals using proper
techniques.
Action Plan
After analysing the issues that exist in my method of communication, I have
developed an action plan that can help me to continue to work effectively for my
improvement. The action plan clearly identifies the issues and focuses on the ways to rectify
it. For example, in order to develop a proper presentation, I need to develop my observational
skills so that I can incorporate real-life experiences and relate it to the topic. I have been
maintaining a journal entry that can help me to keep a record of the activities that I am
undertaking and the development I have encountered in the past 6 months. Reflecting on my
actions and progress can help me plan for a future course of action. Hence, the journal entry
can help me to assess my talents and set up a timeline within which I aim to improve myself.
To develop my talents I need the guidance of an experienced teacher. Hence, I had
sought the help of Violet Dhu, to help me in improving my communication abilities. Mrs Dhu
has over 15 years of experience dealing with people suffering from communication issues
such as the inability to talk properly and confidently, remaining focused on one topic and so
on. She is a Diploma holder in the professional field and had agreed to help in an eight-week
communication-counselling course. The professional advice of Mrs Dhu can help me to
identify the flaws that I have more vividly and help me to develop my communication skills.
Apart from taking training classless from Mrs Dhu, I need to consult books that can
help me to develop my communication skills. These books can be either purchased or
referred to from any library and the internet. For the improvement of my skills, I have started
reading books that deal specifically with communication issues. Some of the books that I

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have been reading include “Active listening 101: How to turn down your volume to turn up
your communication skill” written by Emilia Hardman, 2012. “Communication
Apprehension, Avoidance, and Effectiveness” by Richmond, Wrench and McCroskey,
"Power Listening: Mastering the most critical business skill" written by Bernard, T. Ferrari,
2012. By reading these books, I have managed to understand the manner in which I can
communicate with others. I can address my flaws such as the flaw in a presentation in order
to ensure that I provide a quality presentation of any topic that leaves a long impact on the
people. Apart from reading books, I have also taken of evaluative classes that can enhance
my knowledge and skills even further. I have taken up courses such as Diploma in
Communication Management and Skills in managing people effectively using
communication techniques. The advantage of these courses is that my issues of not trusting
people or being nervous in challenging situations have been solved effectively.
Activity January February March April May June
Make a journal
entry of the
progress and
activities
Find a
professor to
guide me in
my course
Gain access to
relevant books
required for

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improvement
Take up
courses that
provide
authentic
manner of
communicatin
g with people
Table: Gantt chart
(Source: Created by author)

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Reference
Argenti, P. A. (2015). Corporate communication. McGraw-Hill Higher Education.
Cardon, P. (2015). Business communication: Developing leaders for a networked world.
McGraw-Hill Higher Education.
Chaney, L., & Martin, J. (2013). Intercultural business communication. Pearson Higher Ed.
DiSanza, J. R., & Legge, N. J. (2016). Business and professional communication: Plans,
processes, and performance. Pearson.
Evans, D. R., Hearn, M. T., Uhlemann, M. R., & Ivey, A. E. (2017). Essential interviewing:
A programmed approach to effective communication. Nelson Education.
Fleisher, C. S., & Bensoussan, B. E. (2015). Business and competitive analysis: effective
application of new and classic methods. FT Press.
Hampf, M., & Müller-Pohl, S. (Eds.). (2013). Global communication electric: business, news
and politics in the world of telegraphy. Campus Verlag.
McQuail, D., & Windahl, S. (2015). Communication models for the study of mass
communications. Routledge.
PeleckienÄ, V., & Polajeva, T. (2016). Towards sustainable entrepreneurship: role of
nonverbal communication in business negotiations. Entrepreneurship and
Sustainability Issues, 4(2), 228-239.
Popp, R., Raneburger, D., & Kaindl, H. (2013). Tool support for automated multi-device GUI
generation from discourse-based communication models. In Proceedings of the 5th
ACM SIGCHI symposium on Engineering interactive computing systems pp. 145-150

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Rentz, K., & Lentz, P. (2013). Lesikars Business Communication: Connecting in a Digital
World. McGraw-Hill Higher Education.
Sadia, A., Salleh, B. M., Kadir, Z. A., & Sanif, S. (2016). The Relationship between
Organizational Communication and Employees Productivity with New Dimensions of
Effective Communication Flow. Journal of Business and Social Review in Emerging
Economies, 2(2), 93-100.
Shwom, B. G., & Snyder, L. G. (2015). Business communication: Polishing your
professional presence. Pearson.
Thill, J. V., & Bovée, C. L. (2013). Excellence in business communication. Pearson.
Tuna, G., Gulez, K., & Gungor, V. C. (2013). The effects of exploration strategies and
communication models on the performance of cooperative exploration. Ad Hoc
Networks, 11(7), 1931-1941.

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Appendices
Appendix 1
Test result 1:

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Appendix 2
Test result 2:

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Appendix 3
Test result 3:

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Appendix 4
Test result 4:

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Appendix 5
Test result 5:

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