Effective Communication Skill

useful colloquy Skills A Compilation of Lecture Notes for DEN 5048 Edited variant 3 2011 1 rogue DEN 5048 CONTENTS Introduction to parley Non- literal Verbal scripted Development of egotism pen Communication physical compo puzzleion condescension fructify acrosss .. tot al 1yowter-writing .. Curriculum vitae (resume) Memorandum Formal deal Electronic institutionalize . unscripted and Visual Presentation Oral Presentation .Visual Presentation .. dialogue Skills . Teleph un disturbable Skills Procedures in Meetings 2 13 19 25 31 34 37 41 44 48 55 57 61 2 page INTRODUCTION TO reproof What is Communication? Communication is the process of transmitting and receiving of in figureation d ane and only(a)ness with(predicate) verbal or nonverbal behavior. At the center of more than than or less(prenominal) definition of parley must be the intention of conveying a capacity, fifty-fifty if the put across is abstract (e. g. juvenile poe render).Why We Communi cate The heading of every(prenominal) spreadn discourse whitethorn be To initiate some action To impart in signifieration, ideas, attitudes, whimseys or tintings To es study, ac experience or view as links or relations with a nonher(prenominal) hoi polloi. How We Communicate utile confabulation is a dickens- instruction process, perhaps outdo expressed as a cycle. Signals or ? depicted objects ar ? sent by the communicator and ? authentic by the early(a) party. He ? sends back some phase of confirmation that the ? communicate has been received and unders likewised this is c e genuinelyed ? feedback. stringents SENDER Feedback RECEIVER 3Page The Stages of Communication ProcessSENDERS ACTIVITY RECEIVERS ACTIVITY momentum to befall Encoding the Message Relay of Message Decoding the Message Feedback Impulse to communicate Deciding to communicate and deciding what to communicate is the introductory stage of the process. Messages should ideally be re watch out ed and put into some working coif in the brain in the lead mouth, consistence or machinery argon utilize to articulate and lay the idea for some unrivaled elses benefit. Encoding the tornado At this stage, the transmitter puts his pass on into manner of speak, gestures and nominateulations in the form that two transmitter and pass catcher comprehend.We assignment to bear in mind however, that a type that we use and understand whitethorn be ambiguous ( meet to a greater extent than 1 assertable sum) or inculpate something divers(prenominal) to a somebody of different age, nationality, experience or beliefs. Just because we understand what we rigorous, it does non unavoidably mean that someone else allow for. Relaying the centre Once the idea has been encoded as a sum, the sender indispensablenesss to pack how to ? transmit, or arse to the highest degree(predicate) it across to the receiving system. The special(a) route or path, via which the co ntent is sent, connecting the sender and receiver, is dealed the deport of communication. (e. g. nonice board, untesteds make-up column, online bulletin board). The tool which is use to communicate is called the long grounds which often wages the form of i. Visual communication e. g. gesture, chart, picture or screen display ii. Written communication e. g. a earn, memorandum, none, report or list or iii. Oral communication which allow ins both face-to-face and remote communication e. g. by sound or video. 4Page Choice of median(a) The choice of medium allow depend on over such(prenominal)(prenominal)(prenominal) factors as the Time, depending on its urgency. the Complexity, which medium depart enable it to be closely easily understood. he Distance, the communicate is required to travel and in what condition it must arrive. the penury for a relieve record, e. g. for legal documents. the need for interaction, immediate exchange or flash feedback. the need for as currentdiality or conversely, the sp skunkvassing of discipline all-embracingly and quick. Sensitivity to the lay out of the message on the recipient the need for private involvement, persuasive actor or im record. Cost, for the best possible result at the least possible expense. Decoding the message The offshoot step in communication from the receivers demonstrate of view is the ? ecoding of the message i. e perceptiveness what it adduces. The receiver must grasp the meaning of the denominations or symbols used by the sender interpret the message as a whole. What it says is not necessarily what it federal assurance. Reading among the lines or inferring may be demand to establish the underlying meaning of the message Giving feedback Feedback is the reaction of the receiver which indicates to the sender that the message has (or has not) been roaringly received, understood and interpreted. T here(predicate) argon 2 types of feedback cast out & absolute.Fee dback is vital to success in communication because in that respect atomic number 18 so galore( berthnominal) strength barriers and breakd features to guard against confirmatory feedback i. ii. iii. implement learnn as entreated A letter/memo/note sent substantiate receipt of message, or responding to question/invitation Smile, nod, thumbs up. Negative feedback i. ii. iii. No action, or ill-treat action guardn No written response at all or written request for more knowledge, repetition etc. Silence, gesture, coffer look, shrug. 5Page Types of communication Intra someoneal communication Communication with oneself eg. f you command to remind yourself to do something, Inter in-person communication Communication between both respective(prenominal)s, or between a number of respective(prenominal)s on a personal train a. individual to individual. b. individual to group address the group as a whole. c. group to individual transmit message on behalf of an scheme/group et c. The medium of social communication may be written, oral, visual, non-verbal or may mix of them, through channels much(prenominal) as face-to-face intervention, shout out or postal systems, notice boards and so on.Impersonal communication/Mass communication ? mass communication, in which the message is directed to large, administer generator, with no direct railway lineber between source and receiver. Like interpersonal communication, it suffer be oral, visual or non-verbal, employ written, pictorial, or faux interpersonal messages. eg. someone ? talking to the earshot in a TV or radio advertisement. Public communication happen upons slip when the organization communicates with a number of receivers. For visualisecase mental faculty newsletter, reports, meetings etc.Potential Problems In Communication Two technical foul wrong used to describe problems or breakdowns, which occur in communication, be distortion and affray. (a) Distortion Distortion pertains to the path in which the meaning of a communication is lost in ? handling i. e during the encoding and decoding stages of communication. (b) Noise Noise refers to distractions and interference in the environment in which communication takes place, obstructing the process of communication by affecting the accuracy, clarity or even the arrival of the message. a. Physical noise, eg. ther community talking, passing traffic. b. Technical noise, eg. painful handwriting, cracklew be on a telephone line. c. Social noise, eg. interference created by differences in personality/culture or outlook of the sender and recipient. 6Page d. Psychological noise, eg. excessive emotion (anger, hero-worship), prejudice or nervousness crowd out as well interfere with rigive transmission of a message. The problem of noise place be reduced by redundancy using more than one channel of communication so that if a message fails to raise through one channel, it may succeed by some other.Personal differen ces at that place argon m any(prenominal) factors in an individuals personality, mentality, experience and environment which tar rise cause distortion or noise in the communication process. For fashion model racial, ethnic or regional origins religious beliefs and traditions social class and socio-economic fosterage and training age sex occupation personality traits and types- a wide range of characteristics which shape attitudes and behaviour introvert/ extrovert, stable/neurotic, active/ hands-off etc. ntelligence- in terms of mental ability and understanding, linguistic or numerical ability Perception Perception is the process by which the information ga in that respectd by the sniff outs is selected, sorted, organized and interpreted by the brain in arrange to form meaningful and coherent messages or information. Selective light The sub-conscious mind ? decides which stimuli/information argon (subjectively) relevant and which be irrelevant and basis be safely ignore. When we focus on selected stimuli, we say we give them our attending. This is meaning(a) for the communicator 1. s listener and endorser, because of the need to minimize potential distractions and to be awake(predicate) that some parts of a message may be ignored thus, distorting the overall meaning. 2. as creator and sender, because the need to attract and hold the recipients attention to the key points and meaning of the message. 7Page NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION What is non-verbal communication? Non-verbal communication is basically anything that conveys a message without using words or symbols. It may be linked to words (eg. a sense of smell of voice), or it may be independent of any verbal message.Movement is super communicative. Think what you whoremonger convey through, for example, frowning or smiling, nodding, scratching your head, move your head in your hands or slamming a door. There be two broad categories of non-verbal communications First, Non-verbal communicatio n linked to verbal communication, which adds meaning over and above what the speaker is saying in the words themselves ? between the lines of a message. Words Really, Im fine. Other factors Quivering lips, crazy face, curled up in chair, arms folded al more or less body. Sarcastic smile, implike nip.Meaning Im upset, or ill, and either trying to be merry or not needing your wait on. You and I both spot Im right. Correct me if Im wrong. Second, Non-verbal communication independent of any verbal message, so that meaning is conv shopping malld by non-verbal cues. If you forget a allys birthday, for example, this in itself may be enough to communicate that you pop outnert c atomic number 18 rough them any more, or that you ar choleric with them for some reason. Channels/Types of Non-verbal Communication Because so much of human interaction is non-verbal, this system take ons many kinds of communication.There atomic number 18 9 forms of non-verbal behaviour and to each o ne is used to establish personal identity, relational messages and express personal identity and pagan note values. i. Kinesics Kinesics refer to body define and body motions including facial expressions. Our bodies communicate a great deal or so how we see ourselves. For instance, someone who walks briskly conveys tendency someone who moves without decide (or ? weed never sit still) signals nervousness, vexation or distractions. Our faces in any case communicate messages we foundation indicate happiness (smiles), dis confidence (raised eyebrows) or anger (stares).How we position ourselves relative to others also expresses our touch sensationings toward them friends often sit together age competitors typically primary(prenominal)tain distance. 8Page ii. Haptics Haptics refer to physical touch. Touching or contact communicates c retreatness as sanitary as power and status. People with high status touch others and beleaguer others spaces more than those with low statu s. Between the two genders, women tend to engage in touch while men more typically rely on touch to assert power and incorporate. iii. Physical Appearance High value is often placed on physical step upance.People form initial evaluations establish on individuals appearance. We first notice physical qualities such as gender, skin colour and features. Then we form judgements of how attractive others are and make inferences approximately their personalities. For example, plump, rounded bodies are often associated with laziness and helplessness while thin, angular physiques are thought to reflect youthful, stubborn personalities. though these associations use up no factual basis, they stooge affect decisions about(predicate) hiring, emplacement and promotion. iv.Artifacts Artifacts are personal objects we use to announce our identities and personalize our environments. We craft our human body by how we dress and what objects we carry and use. For instance, doctors wear white an d drape stethoscopes around their necks while the military requires uniforms with stripes and medals to signify rank and accomplishments. Artifacts communicate meaning(a) relational meaning we use them to perform our identities and express how we discriminate and feel about others. v. Proxemics Proxemics refer to space and how we use it. office reflects intimacy e. . when we are angry with someone, we tend to move a expression from him and resent it if he approaches us. Space also announces status with greater space creation assumed by those with higher status. How stack arrange space reflects how close they are and whether they want interaction. E. g. Those who enjoy interaction arrange furniture to invite conversation and eye contact. For less interaction, chairs may be far apart and face the television instead of each other. vi. Environmental factors Environmental factors are elements of settings that affect how we feel and act.We respond to architecture, colours, temperat ure, sounds, smells and lighting. e. g. dimly-lit room can enhance romantic feelings while sad rooms can be depressing. Rooms with comfortable chairs invite residual while stiff chairs prompt dinner dressity. Thus, environmental factors influence not just patterns of interaction but also feelings and moods. 9Page vii. Chronemics Chronemics refer to how we perceive and use age to define identities and interaction. E. g. cultural rule stipulates beta people with high status can keep others waiting. Its standard drill to wait to see a doctor even if you give birth an appointment.Chronemics also express cultural attitudes toward clock meter. In western societies, for example, time is valuable so, amphetamine is highly valued but Malaysian require more relaxed attitudes toward time and punctuality. viii. Paralanguage Paralanguage refers to vocal sounds such as murmurs and gasps and vocal qualities such as volume, rhythm, pitch and intonation. These vocal cues act as signals for others to interpret what we say as a joke, threat, debate, question etc. Voices can also be used to communicate feelings eg whispering indicates secrecy and intimacy while yelling conveys anger. x. Silence Silence can communicate powerful messages. It can communicate different meanings. For instance, it can signal awkwardness we deliberately ignore others when were angry with them. VERBAL COMMUNICATION What is verbal communication? Verbal communication is anything that conveys a message using words or symbols. It is the spoken, oral, and unwritten way of communicating. It makes use of words, vocabulary, rime and symbols and is organized in sentences. Therefore, speaking is a form of verbal communication. Why is undecomposed verbal communication so strategic?In the vexation knowledge base, verbal communication is real important because you are dealing with a variety of people throughout the day. In some cases you may deal with people who deport different culture, ages a nd with different levels of experience. at a time take for example the way you converse with a family member or friend around your equal age, you interact with them with a lot of cartel, there is without doubt that verbal communication is expressed with much ease, and perhaps you may speak differently from the way you speak with a person link up to occupancy. 10 P a g eImagine if you expressed yourself the same way with a customer who has different culture, is much elder than you and have many categorys of experience in his field. Most likely your thoughts leave alone be difficult to express. Thus it is unavoidable to have proper skill when using verbal communication while dealing with different people. How to acquire weaken verbal communication First of all you need to be aware(predicate) of the fact that you must be flexible with people depending on the circumstances. Let us say you are presenting a speech in trend of an audience at work, and you express your thoughts using chore vocabulary.Now what if your audience where to be unfamiliar with the terms you are using, it is without question you ordain notice the audience lose focused attention to what you are saying , so thus you must be flexible and change the way you are expressing your thoughts by using words that are more comprehendible to the audience. You could also realise skills by attending a course related to to traffic communication. When you are attending the class, you entrust then be essenced to communicate in a more organized way.Try to use the opportunity to over pursue the fear of talking to a big crowd and a stranger while you are in class. Besides attending a class that teaches pipeline communication, you may also want to consider working in a job-field that involves working with strangers, such job can be a form of practice to gain confidence in yourself and help reduce backwardness and intimidation. Another form of practice can be talking to older relatives and fri ends, about a topic that involves expressing emotions and strong feelings or a discussion that may concern experiences.Such communication helps you to accumulate skills to express yourself in a more formal and proper manner. When practicing with your relatives or friends it is important for you to back up your opinions or statements with facts. In order to have credit ratings about your subject it is suggested to read and study about it. Like for example, if you where to discuss the issue that we are all facing today such as the worlds economy for instance, then you may obtain the facts from the news paper, the news, Internet, and you can even get it from books. 1 P a g e WRITTEN COMMUNICATION Advantages The advantages of written messages let in the following They provide a permanent record of transaction or agreement for confirmation and recollection of expound. Evidence may also be necessary for legal purposes. They provide supporting confirmation and clarification of verbal m essages, again in case evidence should be needed, but also an aid of memory. They are easily duplicated and sent out to numerous recipients this en surelys that everyone receives the same message.It also enables office personnel to indite one message (to reconcile or copy) instead of making numerous phone calls. They are fitted of relaying complex ideas, aided by suitable layout and the permanence of the record, which allows the recipient to condense over it at aloofness if necessary. They can be stored and later retrieved for reference and analysis as required. They are perceived as impersonal, and can be used in situations where un everyday formality or ? distance need to be established within an otherwise personal blood (for example, formal disciplinary proceedings). Disadvantages Time.A written message can be take time to produce, and to send, especially if it has to go by post and if expensive engineering science is beyond the users reach. Because of the time factor, swi ft ? interactive exchanges of opinion, attitude and so on are impossible. Inflexibility. Once sent, the message cannot immediately be alter or amended, even if circumstances change or errors are discovered. Impersonality. Written communication also tends to more across as formal and impersonal, so in situations requiring greater sensitivity or persuasion, the personal presence or voice of the sender may be more effective.Accessibility. Peoples ability to read and interpret written messages allow foringing vary gibe to background, education, knowledge of the topic and so on. Eg. If the vocabulary is difficult, the reader may not understand the message. Distance. Non-verbal signals (eg. gesture, facial expression) are not available to help in interpreting the message the receiver is left over(p) with provided the words, presentation and written style. Instant feedback is also not available which means errors in interlingual rendition may not be corrected immediately. 12 P a g eDEVELOPMENT OF SELF Introduction What constitutes the self has been pondered by philosophers, poets, artists, and others for millennia. More recently, psychologists have sought to define and research a range of self constructs. Self in the 20th Century Previous to the 20th century, social institutions, including reading and psychology (which barely existed) did not emphasize the outgrowth of positive beliefs about self. There was greater emphasis, for example, on organizeing relationship to divinities and organized systems of government.With the expel of religion as the dominant organizational culture in occidental society, and the rise of chapiterism with its emphasis, particularly in North America, on expression and valuing of personal remedydom, a cult of the self has blossomed. Indeed, self-constructs seem to be positively associated with other desirable qualities, such as better whole step of life, higher schoolman performance, and so on, but there is a debate about whether up self- preen, self-concept, etc. causes improved performance, or vice-versa. Whats more, there is evidence that high self-consciousness when combined with prejudice can lead to sum upd aggression.Developing oneself At the level of self-improvement one can potentially elaborate personal bustment to include such areas as becoming the person one aspires to combine social identity with self-identification increasing awareness or defining of ones priorities increasing awareness or defining of ones values increasing awareness or defining of ones chosen life-style increasing awareness or defining of ones ethics strategizing and realizing dreams, aspirations, career and lifestyle priorities developing professional potential developing talents developing individual competencies l watching on the job meliorate the quality of lifestyle (in such areas as health, wealth, culture, family, friends and communities) learning techniques or methods to elaborate awareness learning te chniques or methods to gain control of ones life 13 P a g e learning techniques or methods to fulfill wisdom Developmental Patterns In The Development Of Self-Constructs Early on in development, children tend to have a vague, general concept of themselves, which gradually diversifies nto concepts about themselves as students at school, in relation to peers, in relation to family, emotionally, physically, and so on. It is unclear whether self-concepts are formed top-down (specific beliefs flow from general beliefs) or bottom-up (general beliefs flow from specific beliefs). Definitions Of Self-Constructs (a) self-assertion What is Self-Esteem? Its the way you feel about yourself. It comes from within. Self-esteem is how we feel about ourselves. It is our thoughts and feelings about ourselves. For example I am good looking. I feel good about myself. I am kind. I am suitable. The level of our self-esteem determines how we contain in life how we interact with others, spouse, childr en, friends, and strangers.It determines our goals and what we strive for, our actionments, and our satisfaction and happiness in life. The importance of self-esteem can be seen when we look at the relationship between healthy self-esteem and other psychological traits. Self-esteem and personality are closely related. It is enkindle how we define self-esteem. We define it by declaring feelings. We talk about how we feel. High self-esteem is associated with positive feelings and low self-esteem with veto feelings. Healthy self-esteem is related with ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Creativity Rationality Flexibility Willingness to accede mistakes Openness Honesty Acceptance Cooperativeness Independence 14 P a g ePeople with low self-esteem have negative thoughts about themselves, both physically and mentally see others as better or worse are easily pressured to conform to peers People with high self-esteem involve themselves, despite their shortstopcomings, mistakes and disabilities are resp onsible for their actions do not succumb to peer pressure tend to be more ambitious in what they want to experience in life have a purpose to express themselves and to communicate up to(p)ly and honestly about their needs and confides come the value of relationships treat others with respect, non judgmental attitude, and fairness How to increase your self-esteem? be assertive learn to like yourself be responsible. earn to deal with denunciation in positive way learn to give and receive gaze easily Building Positive Self-esteem to Achieve Success Self-esteem can cut across a wide variety of concepts and situations. It occurs in every facet of life. It is the force behind most success and failure, the force behind peak performance, successful achievement, living your dream living your world Self-esteem is the feeling of be happy with your character and abilities. It is manifested in a wonderful feeling of inner balance, grounded on self acceptance and a healthy, comforting se lf-respect towards you. This is entirely different from self-confidence which is deeply grow in what you believe you can achieve.There are several cases of self-confidence acts without Self-esteem. Positive Self-esteem is knowing who we are and living in harmony with ourselves without needing to have the approval of others. Really, other peoples opinion about yourself does not have to be your reality. The definition of positive Self-esteem is that of a life of happiness, of sound mind, of health. When we are happy about ourselves, not caring about what people say about us, we live a happier life, a healthier one, a more successful one Best of all, we live in peak performance. Happier lifestyle comes from within, it enables happy and relaxed cells, and it controls stress.Happy cells lead to a prolonged life swayancy which means extended period to lead a even 15 P a g e happier life What a great proportion if you can only come to terms with who you are, heedless of whatever any person says about you. Remember, lifes too short to live other peoples opinion and reflections. Live yours It go out take courage though, but its worth living. Its the best. (b) dominance What is self-confidence? Most of us now what self-confidence means we parking lotly define it in relation to what we want to do, but feel too anxious, nervous or worried about In the end, we will not do it. For one person, self-confidence might be about speaking in public. For another, it might be about being footsure in social situations.Whatever the situation that reveals our neediness of confidence, the definition of confidence that is implicit here is always something about being self-assured, showing self-reliance, or not being anxious or nervous. Another common definition of self-confidence centres on being assertive, on getting what you want. This is about standing up for yourself, about having the presence, the personal power, if you like, to regard yourself as equal to others and to b ehave in a way that reflect this. Self-confidence is essentially an attitude which allows us to have a positive and realistic perception of ourselves and our abilities. It is characterised by personal ttributes such as assertiveness, optimism, enthusiasm, affection, pride, independence, trust, the ability to handle review and emotional maturity. Confidence is learnt it is not inherited. If you lack confidence, it probably means that, as a child, you were criticised, undermined, or suffered an mystifying tragic loss, for which you either blamed yourself or were blamed by others. A lack of confidence isnt necessarily permanent but it can be if it isnt addressed. Our religion, the influence of the culture which formed our perspectives, our gender, social class and our parents, in particular, are all factors which influence and contribute to our level of confidence and esteem. confident(p) people have deep faith in their future and can accurately assess their capabilities.They also h ave a general sense of control in their lives and believe that, within reason, they will be able to do what they desire, image and take, no matter what the foreseeable obstacle. But this faith is control by more realistic expectations so that, even when some of their goals are not met, those with confidence continue to be positive, to believe in themselves and to accept their current readyations with renewed energy. However, having high self-confidence does not mean they will be able to do everything they want. That view is unrealistic, one for the perfectionists. A desire to be good at everything we do in order to take others stems from a competitive instinct and lack of personal reinforcement.Any truly successful life has both rewards and the ability to learn from any setbacks, which increase our resilience, self- belief and determination. Real confidence 16 P a g e requires that we face the possibility of failure constantly and deal with it. However, if we consistently lose out on both achievement and validation, even our identity is called into question. research has suggested that athletes can also gain confidence from viewing the successful performances of others at a similar level. This second source of information is known as ? modelling or ? vicarious experience. For example, a tennis pseudo lacking confidence in her volleying might find it useful to have a peer who has overcome similar difficulties demonstrate the skill.By viewing others, we begin to see that, with effort, success is attainable. The very common use of celebrities in seaworthiness videos is an example of modelling. Confidence can also be built through verbal persuasion. By means of careful reasoning, athletes can be shown that other people (ie the coach) have confidence in their abilities and believe they can achieve set goals. Coaches may even use deception to persuade their athletes that goals can be achieved of which more later. Verbal persuasion can also take the form of ? self-talk, whereby the athlete convinces himself that success will follow. Finally, emotional arousal can influence confidence as well.Although this is the least influential factor, it is important that physiological symptoms are perceived positively alternatively than negatively. Confidence can be enhanced by perceiving increases in heart and respiration rate as the bodys natural preparation for top performance currentlyer than as triggers for anxiety. Clearly, confidence is enhanced by good preparation, homework and a sense of optimism. Conversely, negative guessing and pessimism can undermine performance and limit progress. By expecting failure, we set our belief system to a negative channel and start favouring information that is consistent with these beliefs. Lack of confidence People who lack confidence may be shy and quiet, although this isnt always the case.Those with little confidence may pass up opportunities because they assume they wouldnt stand a luck competing a gainst others. They doubt themselves and their abilities. They dont have enough confidence to even try. They fear rejection and failure. These people often dont achieve their potential in life simply because they have already viewed themselves as failures. When people lack self-confidence they are too preoccupied with what others think. They need to build confidence and take charge of their lives, although it is not slack for someone who suffers from low self-esteem. Over-Confidence Confidence is a necessary component part in reaching our goals but over-confidence can be interpreted in negative ways.Simply stated, over-confidence is confidence that is unwarranted. For example, a person may be very confident in an area that he actually has little knowledge and expertise. Over-confidence can be projected as an inflated ego. A person may appear egotistical, 17 P a g e arrogant and somewhat of a braggart. Over-confidence may also be a smokescreen for lack of confidence. People often try to build their own confidence by tearing others down. In this way, they feel better about themselves. It doesnt mean that they are bad people it simply means that they dont know how to build their own level of confidence. Attitude Self-confidence is an attitude.It is about how you view yourself, not how others view you. A confident person is comfortable with the person he is. He knows he is not perfect and he doesnt try to act perfect. He accepts himself as he is, along with his imperfections. He is confident enough to admit his mistakes. He can laugh at himself. A confident person can accept rejection and criticism, and learn from them rather than taking them personally and wallowing in self-pity. A confident person believes in himself and his abilities, hitherto he knows there is always room for improvement and therefore continually strives to improve. Positive Outlook A confident person has a positive outlook.He doesnt dwell on his failures. If he doesnt get a promotion, h e views it not as a loss but as an opportunity for something better. Confident people often do get what they want because self-confidence is an important element in accomplishing their goals and manifesting their desires. They know that self-confidence is an ingredient in the convention for success. Respect A confident person likes himself. If you dont like yourself, how can you expect others to like you? Confident people also respect themselves. Anyone can develop self-confidence but it can take time, especially if you are steeped in negativity. People arent born with self-confidence.They learn to put fear and doubt diversion and to trust their own instincts. They trust their abilities and choose to react positively rather than negatively. Self-confidence hears the voice of doubt but chooses not to listen to it. 18 P a g e WRITTEN COMMUNICATION writing BUSINESS MESSAGES Introduction Messages are constantly being sent by people all over the world. They can be verbal through talki ng, or written through mail. In blood world, the style in sending a message is different. Here you are dealing with executives of the companies, gross sales agents, managers, employees and clients. universally a job message has precise content related to the line of credit.It can be a message for internal purposes such as the employees or board of directors or external for clients, creditors and service providers. Whoever the recipient of the business message is, it is necessary to comply with a degree of formality in conveying the message to achieve the goal of disseminating the message to the recipients. There are two types of business messages (a) Verbal billet Messages Verbal messages are the indigenous mode of passing a message. There is no need of much organise and strict compliance compared to written messages. Verbal Messages are a great deal passed on in-order to carry out routine business activities. b) Written care Message Written messages are used whenever the information being passed on needs to be compiled and filed. This is where some of the employees may commit mistakes while drafting a written business message. In case any mistakes occur in the written business message, it can become permanent and get filed. It is important to be extremely careful when writing a business message. Written business message is not just an ordinary message but a message that will either make or break the business. Due diligence should be considered so that there are no mistakes and loss of money arising out of incorrectly written business message.Understanding the Three-Step Writing Process Business messages are very important when it comes to business communication. For a person who knows English language very well, does not mean that he will write a business message perfectly. There is a structure, standards or guidelines that needs to be followed in order to come up with a business message which conveys the correct meaning. 19 P a g e A well-struct ured business message can go a long way and can even earn millions to the conjunction in return. This is a matter of knowing how to structure the business message to give the reader a sense of professionalism and being tough well as a person with whom the familiarity is doing business.To ensure that the message is conveyed effectively, and is well-organised, follow these threestep writing process Step 1 Planning a business message Planning is a very vital step, and if one commits an error in this stage, it will create an irreversible error that can cause the business to lose millions in the worst case scenario. It is necessary that all the steps are taken into full consideration along with adequate emphasis on planning a business message. Do not begin writing until you have planned what you want to say. This avoids writers thrust and poorly developed messages. When planning on how to write a business message, one should ask the following question, Who is this business message de signed for?Is it for a client, a service provider, a creditor, government agency or an employee? It is important to identify who is the recipient of the business message so that certain precautionary measures should be adopted in order to structure the message that will fit for the person who is receiving the message. Second question is for what purpose is this business message written for? Is it to give appreciation, a constructive criticism or to persuade the reader? If the purpose is identified then the content of the message will be designed in relation to the purpose. The answers to these questions will serve as a guide with regard to writing a good business message.Among the other important factors to consider in the planning stage include the following (a) Know your audience When you write a business letter, you are trying to persuade the reader (the audience) to either take an action or change the way they think. Therefore, a business message aims to convince the audience t hat what is written is true. Knowing your audience is only the first step. The information you get about your audience can help you develop and organize the content of your message so that the message can be easily read. (b) Audiences expectations When you know your audience, you will know what they expect from you. Your message will be most successful if it matches the readers expectations. Generally, your audience will have three expectations (c) Get to the point state the main point(s), including bad news, immediately. 20 P a g e d) Keep it saucer-eyed(a) Do not feel compelled to use big words or complex sentences in order to impress your audience, or to build your believability with them. The reason is, when you do this, you might confuse the audience. Furthermore, the audience might think that you are a con artist. (e) hold active and nonoperational voices fittingly persona the passive voice to sound more diplomatic. Sentences in the passive voice sound less confrontatio nal, so these sentences do not appear to blame someone. On the other hand, active sentences put the subject in front of the sentence. Thus, they appear more harsh to a reader. (f) means Content refers to information included in the message.By knowing your audience, you will know what to include in the content of your message. In addition, you should include enough information to maintain the readers interest, while at the same time not too much information until it bores the audience or wastes their time. There are three common methods of determining content brainstorming outlining clustering (g) Organisation The order in which you present your messages (or information) is called organization. You need to know what information that you want to include in your message. Only then can you decide how to organise it. In general, present the main ideas first, followed by the supporting elaborate and finally, conclusion.A good organization facilitates the readers understanding of your me ssage. Step 2 Writing a business message afterwards planning comes the actual writing stage of a business message. This is most the crucial stage, since one mistake of a word may give a wrong impression to the reader. Make sure that the reader will read the business message and understand its purpose. Writing a business message is the same as writing an ordinary letter, but there are some modifications that need to be considered. 1. The salutation, make sure that the draw of the recipient is correctly spelled. 2. It should be justified or in retard form, to make it look neat and organized. 3.The message should contain brief and cryptic information with regard to the information being partake with. 4. Always, check the message for grammar and spelling mistakes. It is very important that the message is proof-read so that the message will convey the correct meaning to the reader. 21 P a g e 5. The font size or style should be in a manner that is readable to the normal eye so that the reader will not need eyeglasses to read the message. It does not mean it should be in bold or large font size, but just enough to be read without straining the eyes. Step 3 Completing a business message A business message does not end at the writing stage it needs to be sent to the correct recipient in order to serve the purpose for which it was written.If it is a post mail, the address of the recipient should be clearly written and double checked the recipients address. It is important that the address is written correctly so that the message will definitely reach the recipient and will get the message across. It is also important to update and keep proper reference of changed address whenever the recipient so that mails are addressed to the latest address. If it is through e-mail, be sure the e-mail address is correctly entered and the subject is right on designated. As a matter of assurance purposes, send a coke copy to the person who instructed the letter to be sent. This will give a signal to the people within the business organization that an e-mail is being sent to a certain person.Improving Readability in Business Messages Writers can adopt the following techniques to make messages easier to skim (a) Vary sentence continuance Keep paragraphs short phthisis lists and bullets extend headings and subheadings (b) Varying sentence length helps readers skim your message Use both short and long sentences to increase interest. Avoid too many short sentences, or your writing will be choppy. Keep sentences to an average length of 20 words or fewer. (c) Keeping paragraphs short helps readers skim your message Avoid long paragraphs that may intimidate readers. tranquilize paragraphs of 100 words or fewer. Use one-sentence paragraphs only occasionally and only for emphasis. 2 P a g e (d) Using lists and bullets helps readers skim your message Set off important ideas in a list to help readers find key points. Introduce a list clearly so that readers know what theyre about to read. Add further discussion after a list to peg your thoughts. Compose list items in parallel form. (e) Adding headings and subheadings accomplishes the following Cues readers into the content of the following partitioning Helps reader determine how a document is organized Grabs reader attention Makes copy easier to read Indicates shifts from one idea to the next (f) Use one of two categories of headings Descriptive headings identify a topic.Informative headings guide readers to think in a certain way about the topic. Tone in Business Writing When we speak, our words form only a portion of the message we convey. Our meaning is also relayed through our body language and eye contact, as well as the intonation, pitch and speed of our voice. This is called annotation. In business writing, the spirit of our message refers to the meaning between the lines and the meaning conveyed in the words we choose rather than just in the message we are sending. Thus, when yo u write a business message, choosing the correct disembodied spirit is important because the same words could be interpreted differently by two different readers.The overall purport of a written message affects the reader just as ones tone of voice affects the listener in everyday exchanges. Business writers should consider the tone of their message, whether they are writing a memo, letter, report, or any type of business document. Tone is present in all communication activities. Ultimately, the tone of a message is a reflection of the writer and it does affect how the reader will perceive the message. Here are some ways to write a business message with good tone (a) Be confident You can feel confident in writing business messages if you have guardedly prepared, and are knowledgeable about the material you wish to express. The way you write should assume a confident tone as well.As you prepare business documents, you want the reader to do as you ask, or to accept your decision. I n order to make the document effective, you must write confidently because a confident tone will have a persuasive effect on your audience (the reader). Employers are inclined to hire individuals that appear confident and 23 P a g e sure of their abilities. However, this does not mean that you should appear over-confident. Over-confidence can easily be interpreted as being arrogant. Bad ? You must have noticed from my resume that I am very qualified for the job.? Good ? My qualifications in the areas of information technology and multimedia meet your job requirements.? b) Be courteous and sincere A writer builds friendliness and trust by using a tone that is polite and sincere. Consider the words and phrases you use in your document, and how your reader will likely receive them. If you are respectful and honest, readers will be more willing to accept your message, even if it is negative. Bad ? If you have read the conditions carefully, the company would have gained profit.? Good ? The company could gain profit provided that the conditions are met.? (c) Use non- loaded language Avoid biasness when you write. Do not use any discriminatory words, remarks or ideas that might offend the reader. It is very important to communicate in a way that expresses equality and respect for all individuals.Discriminatory language can come between your message and your reader. Make sure your writing is free of sexist language and free of bias based on such factors as race, ethnicity, religion, age, sexual orientation and disability. Bad ? Women who do not have marketing skills will be assigned desk jobs instead.? Good ? Employees without marketing skills will be assigned desk jobs instead.? (d) Stress the benefits for the reader Write from the readers perspective, or point of view. That means, write from the perspective of what you can do for the reader. A reader will often read a document wondering Whats in it for me? or ? How do I benefit from thisAs such, it is your job to customize your message to suit the reader. Bad ? I would like to see your paper qualification.? Good ? Your paper qualification would help us speed up your job diligence process.? (e) Write at an appropriate level of difficulty Consider your audience and prepare your writing so that the reader will clearly understand what it is that you are saying. In other words, prepare your style of reading to match the reading abilities of your audience. Do not use complex passages or terms that the reader will not understand. Accordingly, do not use simple terms or insufficient examples if the reader is capable of understanding your writing.A competent writer will match the needs and abilities of their reader and find the most effective way to communicate with a particular reader. It is important to withdraw that it is not possible to gratify all the people all the time with the right tone. Writing is an art, not a science, and tone is the most subjective, dispute part of writing. Exercise caution when you write. 24 P a g e letter WRITING Types Of Business Letter Enquiry and reply Enquiries for information about goods or service are sent and received in business all the time. They should be acknowledged as soon as possible or business may be lost. disorder and adjustment Complaints about goods or services are inevitable and need to be investigated immediately.Steps should be taken to rectify matters if goodwill is to be retained. duty application, offer and reference A wide variety of garner pass back and forth in the recruitment process. Financial Collection letters, credit requests and credit rating enquiries all come under this heading. Circulars and mailshots To promote goods, services or special events, an organisation may send a letter simultaneously to many recipients. Word processors may be used to modify such messages. Sales letters Attracting potential customers in future promotions, new products or services, and special writing techniques have to be ad opted in order to put over the products or services in an interesting and enthusiastic way.Congratulations, sympathy, thanks Maintaining goodwill is important in business. Thank you letters are often sent after a dinner or other function. Messages of condolence may be sent on the destruction of a business associate or colleague. Congratulations may be sent to associates on promotion or other achievements. Fully out of use(p) Layout With Open punctuation The fully-blocked layout is now the most astray used method of display for all business documents. In the business letter, it is only necessary to leave one clear line space between each section of the letter. 1. Letterhead Companys name, address and telephone/fax numbers 2. Reference Initials of writer/typist (often a filing reference) 25 P a g e 3. watch in order day/month/year 4. Inside address shows name, full postal address, name of state (in lowercase) 5. salutation Dear Sir/Madam, Dear Ms Wong 6. Heading Use ALL c apital letters only without underlining. 7. Body of Letter Separate into paragraphs with a new idea each, with one line spacing between each paragraph. 8. favorable Close match ? Dear Sir with ? Yours faithfully & ? Dear John with ? Yours truly (leave 4/5 lines for signing) 9. Senders Name 10. Title or Department 11. Enclosure indication (attachment/s) ? Enc, if more than one, use ? Encs Open Punctuation Open punctuation is often used with the fully blocked layout.All punctuation marks (mainly commas and periods) that are not necessary to ensure grammatical sense are omitted. Some examples of the use of open punctuation are shown on a lower floor Dates 12 December 2002 Names Mr & Mrs J Sirley Mr Rahimi Yusof Mdm Kavitha Balakrishnan directes Mr Aris Yahya Department of ADP multimedia system University Jalan Ayer Keroh Lama 75450 Melaka Salutation and Complimentary close Dear Mr Rahimi Yours sincerely Abbreviations e. g. BA MA PhD ie am pm PS NB dignitary 26 P a g e In the body of a message, open punctuation should be used when appropriate Our engineer, Mr D Yew, will be visiting you on Tuesday 14 July at 2 pm in order to investigate the cause of the malfunction.If this appointment is inconvenient, please telephone him on 062523456, ext 123, to make alternative arrangements. Paragraph Division 1 INTRODUCTION (Background and basics) Reason for writing, in reply to a preceding letter, contact or document DETAILS (Details and figures) Give instructions, Ask for information, Provide all relevant details (separate into paragraphs for separate themes) RESPONSE Action for recipient to take, Action you will take, A conclusion CLOSE A simple, relevant decision sentence (one-liner) 2 3 4 WRITING THE LETTER OF finishing I) II) Essential qualities Format the most widely used is the complete block format, all principal parts of the letter begin at the left hand margin. Principal parts of a letter.Punctuation- block format requires open punctuation st yle. That is, no punctuation used except for the body of the letter. III) IV) LETTER OF APPICATION- Your letter should sound like you, conveys something of your own personality. It creates attention and leads the reader to the attach to resume. The aim of the letter is to show enthusiasm and interest in the company and the position. The start paragraph designs to create attention. Like analysis name request and question. The middle paragraph creates desire namely discusses your academic Qualification/educational back ground, work experience in various companies and 27 P a g e responsibilities, ability to work, interest in your field.Elaborate on the strongest traits and reemphasize listed points of resume, additional facts not covered. The closing paragraph shows action. State clearly when you are available for a talk with the employer/ for an Interview. Be specific, give reachable telephone numbers. The stationary used should be of high quality and similar to that of your re sume. In the signature, just print your name not your designation. Keep a speed of light copy of your letter for further reference/follow- up. REMEMBER- 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8) Use good quality paper Should be Type-written Use simple English Date in full, check your spelling, punctuation and grammar errors Should contain all relevant information.Spell the advertisers name and name of the firm correctly Dont amplify your achievements Stress your willingness to attend an interview THE OPENING PARAGRAPH creates attention. Use one of the following 1) summary rise 2) name opening 3) request opening 4) question opening Here you state your interest in applying for the post and also the source and date of advertisement. Few possible expressions are 1) I would like to apply for the position of ________ as advertised in the _______ go out _______. I would like to be considered as a candidate for the __________ position advertised in the ________ go out _________. With reference to your advertisement in the __________, I have much pleasure in applying for the position of _________.I am very interested in the vacancy you have advertised in the ______ dated _____ for a _______ and wish to offer my service. 2) 3) 4) 28 P a g e The CLOSING PARAGRAPH calls for Action/Asks for action. You ask for an interview and show willingness to attend one. Leave your phone number for them to contact you or say you will call for an interview. And lastly show gratefulness and thank the recipient. assertable useful expressions are- 1) 2) 3) I hope you will call me for an interview. I am enclosing a resume and look forward to a call from you. I trust you will consider my application favourably and grant me an interview etc. 29 P a g e LETTER WRITING FORMAT ReferenceST/zj Multimedia University Jalan Ayer Keroh Lama 75450 Melaka 29 January 2010 General Manager Flexibletron Sdn Bhd Cheng Industrial Area 73200 Melaka Dear Sir/Madam Recipients address Senders address Date Salutation iss uing COMPLAIN ABOUT STAFF ATTITUDE Introduction or opening I am writing this letter to complain about how my staff and I were treated by your customer service officers when we visited your celerity two weeks ago. When one my staff asked the clerk for help, she ignored him. Instead, she continued gossiping to her colleague, pretence not to hear. When I interrupted, one of them stared at me, while the other one filed her fingernails.I politely asked her for assistance, and she unwillingly gave me a form and told me to fill it up quickly as she was about to have her tea break. Our university has been regularly visiting your facility as part of our collaborative effort for our students. The bad experience I had obviously shows that your customer service needs a lot of retraining. It is hoped that the attention will do something about it, or we will consider collaborating with another company in the future. Thank you. Yours faithfully Complimentary Close The details The response or ac tion SThemoli Prof Dr Sharmila Themoli Director of Academic affairs Signature, full name & position 30 P a g eWRITING A CURRICULAM VITAE (Resume) A resume is a highly personal and individual summary of a persons background, experience, training and skills. The French word RESUME means ? a summary? , OR ? a short history. It contains certain amount of essential information, which may vary from individual to individual, depending on his experience and qualification. Dos and Donts for compiling your CV Make sure your CV is ? ? ? ? ? relevant easy to read and easy to follow selling your achievements and skills accurate and detailed truthful Make sure your CV is not ? ? ? ? ? full of irrelevant information jumbled up, secure and untidy a list of job titles and duties vague and lacking in details dishonestParts of the resume- Personal Particulars 1) 2) 3) 4) HEADING The name of the individual ADDRESS Your complete address CONTACT NO Your telephone number where you can be reached easi ly. PERSONAL DETAILS Where ever appropriate add date and place of birth, I. C Number, Nationality, Race, Religion, weight, Height, Marital Status etc). THE POSITION sought-after(a) An objective statement that clearly describes the type of position you hope to obtain. 5) 31 P a g e 6) PROFILE A profile is your banner- a summary of your selling points. The aim of a profile is to hold the readers attention and give a brief overview of who you are, mainly to ? highlight your main skills and experience ? emphasise your personal attributes ? otivate the reader into wanting to know more Write in short note form and use ordinal person. E. g ? A flexible and well- motivated individual who takes great pride in her work. Excellent communication skills at all levels. Able to form effective working relationships quickly. Excellent administrative skill, well organised and good time Manager. ? An experienced and qualified trainer with experience in business, administrative and management ski lls. Able to develop a rapport with people easily. high-powered presenter with a lively and humorous style which creates a highly stimulating learning environment. 7) statement A detailed record of your education, both formal and informal.Start with the highest qualification first. QUALIFICATIONS List all your academic qualifications individually. WORKING own A detailed record of your employment history in subvert chronological order- the present job first. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Any information relevant to the job sought after, anything you have published if relevant to the job objectives, hobbies, special achievements etc. REFEREES At least two names are to be mentioned with complete address and contact numbers. They can be your previous employer, teacher etc. Prior permission must be obtained from the referees before quoting their names. 8) 9) 10) 11) 32 P a g eSkeleton Layout- Using such a simple display your CV will look neat and attractive, and a potential employer w ill be able to see all your details at a glance CURRICULAM VITAE Personal Details Name Address Telephone Nationality Date of Birth Marital Status POSITION SOUGHT The vacant position you are stressing Compose a summarised personal profile Tabulate in 3 columns in chronological order List them all individually Present job first, working rearwards Hobbies? Special achievements? Results awaited? Previous employer, teacher etc. PROFILE EDUCATION Dates QUALIFICATIONS School/College Course Dates Examining Body Subject WORKING EXPERIENCE Dates Employer smirch/Duties ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REFEREES 1 Month and year only Date 2 3 P a g e roll Memorandum, or memos as they are usually called, form a widely used communication channel throughout an organisation, operating in all directions- vertically, horizontally and diagonally. Purposes of a Memorandum ? ? ? ? ? to convey information, instructions or requirements to put forward suggestions or ideas for consideration to ask for assistance or co-operation to seek information to clarify some details etc. To instruct or to inform staff MEMO to make suggestions To request action to report on progress To remind something to provide information 34 P a g e Tips for Better Memos 1. Make a plan first before writing your memo.Group your points together into a logical sequence. 2. go through your message is as clear as possible, stating all the background information and putting forward all the facts without being long winded. 3. Separate the message into points, grouping related points together in paragraphs. Make sure the paragraphs are organised in a logical sequence for easier reading and understanding. 4. Take time to improve your presentation so that the message looks good. 5. Use numbered points and sub-headings where appropriate. 6. Use simple, clear and business-like language. 7. Keep your message brief and to the point, without any unnecessary information. 8.Make sure the tone of your message is appropriate, conside ring the reader, sender and the topic. 9. Adopt the personal ? you and ? I, with a natural, conversational style. 10. Keep your tone positive where possible. 35 P a g e Example of a memo MEMO Use typical memo heading TO All Staff at Rennaisance effect Burger King FROM Johnson Muthu, Manager DATE 13 December, 2009 SUBJECT New educational Incentives Plan Open with the specific information Do not include inside address or salutation Beginning January 2010, you can take advantage of an exciting new education programme for all employees of our Rennaisance concenter Burger King. The programme will allow you to receive free books and tuition to Bukit Beruang fraternity College.Anyone who works at least 10 hours a week is eligible although you are not required to participate. The programme is open to all employees regardless of how long theyve worked at this centre. Those who participate will continue to earn their usual salary for the time they work. All participants are encouraged to do their best in their courses. Salaries wont be affected by the academic performance in their courses. Ill be happy to answer any questions you might have about how working for Burger King can help you earn free college tuition jus