1. Oral communication

Oral communication is generally face to face besides using the telephone. Each day, instructions are given, explanations are made, and oral reports are given. Speeches are made to win approval of policies, to promote sales of products and services, to inspire others, to create goodwill and to praise people.

It has been studied that more than half of a business person's day is oral communication. Thus, it's easy to see the importance of making a good verbal impression. In the organisation, almost all oral communication will involve improving operations, inspiring staff or encouraging sales staff to meet their targets.

The reasons for meetings or conferences centre on management's need for two-way communication for more information. Many important business matters are handled in a meeting and what is said by the participants is influential in setting policy. A skilful interviewer can get more information from a willing, knowledgeable individual in a few minutes of conversation than from several hours of reading and research!

How are your meetings? Are they successful in getting a good information exchange or are there hidden agendas and fears? How could you make your meetings more positive?

2. Nonverbal communication - Part 1

Behavioural research has found agreement that most of our emotional expressions occur on nonverbal levels and are communicated by facial and body languages.

Although nonverbal clues are not totally identifiable, research conducted reveals that whenever we are sitting, walking or talking, we communicate information about ourselves.

Managers must learn to be more sensitive and responsive to such nonverbal signals. Nonverbal communication not only affects our business and personal relationships, it also affects our sending and receiving of messages.

We communicate with words, but not with words alone. Studies show that in 100% of communication, 7% is words, 38% is tone and inflection and 55% is facial expression, body position and gesture. Hence our nonverbal messages convey our thoughts with much greater accuracy than most of our selected words.

Every move we make can reveal our attitudes or psychological states. Things like furrowed brows, pursed lips, pointing fingers reveal a mine of information. We are constantly reacting in a conversation but words are only a portion of it.

So today, look at the people around you and observe how their nonverbal communication affects the meaning of their communication.

3. Nonverbal communication - Part II

If you're looking at trying to work out what someone is saying solely on their body language, remember that it cannot be isolated from the total communication process. Nonverbal behaviours either support or contradict verbal behaviours. Whenever there is a contradiction, people will typically believe the actions. Remember that you cannot NOT communicate!

Although managers vocalise the right words to represent certain attitudes, the manager's real attitude is likely to show through. Therefore silent feelings conveyed by managers must be consistent with words expressed. So the meaning of communication is the response you get.

The latest evidence suggests that managers who are seen as encouraging tend to reveal their interest in employees through their listening behaviours, responsiveness and their emotional support. And managers who display unfriendly behaviours are viewed as distant and uninterested in informal talks with employees. For example managers who are never available for consultations communicated nonverbally that they have little interest in their employees.

How's your nonverbal language? Is it appropriate for what you are trying to achieve? Do you communicate effectively using nonverbal language when supporting your intent and words?

4. Attitudes, Values & Beliefs

Almost all problems in organisations are people problems. Communication has a very profound effect on people's behaviour. Any change in attitudes, values and beliefs will have major significance for the role the manager plays. For example, attitudes have a potential impact on job performance because they affect how people perform in their jobs.

An attitude is a physical or mental position on a subject. A belief is something that a person holds to be true. A value is something that someone strives for.

If managers understand the attitudes, values and beliefs of employees, these managers will be better able to communicate appropriately. For example, if an employee holds a "social" value (i.e. he/she loves people) it would be fruitless to try and convince the person of the need to disregard and ignore others to climb up the corporate ladder. The social person would not like cold and inhuman treatment of others and would try and behave in an empathetic way to her peers.

As a manager, why don't you get to know your employees better on a person to person? Once you discover and understand their attitudes, values and beliefs you will find that the task of achieving business goals is made easier because your employees will relate to you better and you will know the best way to approach them.

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