The Art of Successful Business Communication (Iet Management of Technology)

184 Pages·2007·0.77 MB·English

by  P. Forsyth

IETMANAGEMENTOFTECHNOLOGYSERIES24
The Art of
Successful Business
Communication
Othervolumesinthisseries:
Volume15 Forecastingfortechnologistsandengineers:apracticalguideforbetter
decisionsB.C.Twiss
Volume17 HowtocommunicateinbusinessD.J.Silk
Volume18 Designingbusinesses:howtodevelopandleadahightechnologycompany
G.Young
Volume19 Continuingprofessionaldevelopment:apracticalapproachJ.Lorriman
Volume20 Skillsdevelopmentforengineers:innovativemodelforadvancedlearningin
theworkplaceK.L.Hoag
Volume21 DevelopingeffectiveengineeringleadershipR.E.MorrisonandC.W.Ericsson
Volume22 Intellectualpropertyrightsforengineers,2ndeditionV.Irish
Volume23 Demystifyingmarketing:aguidetothefundamentalsforengineersP.Forsyth
The Art of
Successful Business
Communication
Patrick Forsyth
with Frances Kay
TheInstitutionofEngineeringandTechnology
PublishedbyTheInstitutionofEngineeringandTechnology,London,UnitedKingdom
©2008TheInstitutionofEngineeringandTechnology
Firstpublished2008
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ISBN978-0-86341-907-2
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One should not aim at being possible to understand, but at being impossible to
misunderstand.
Quintillian,Romanrhetorician

Contents
Preface xiii
1 Communication:itsnature,scopeandpurpose 1
1.1 Acommonthread 1
1.2 Thespecialingredient 2
1.3 Themanagementdimension 2
1.4 Thenatureofcommunication 3
1.4.1 Negativeeffects 3
1.4.2 Positiveimpact 4
1.5 Thebonusofmessageplusmethod 6
1.5.1 Themessage 6
1.5.2 Themethod 6
1.5.3 Themessenger 6
1.6 Seekingafterexcellence 7
1.7 Summary 8
2 Whatmakesforeffectivecommunication 11
2.1 Thedifficultiesofmakingcommunicationeffective 12
2.1.1 Inherentproblems 12
2.2 Aidstoeffectivecommunication 14
2.2.1 The‘Whataboutme?’factor 14
2.2.2 The‘That’slogical’factor 15
2.2.3 The‘Icanrelatetothat’factor 15
2.2.4 The‘Againandagain’factor 16
2.3 Positioningyourcommunication 16
2.4 Projectingtherightimpression 17
2.5 Amplifyingcommunications 18
2.6 Summary 20
3 Prerequisitesforsuccess:preparationandlistening 21
3.1 Afundamentaltruth 21
3.2 Listening 21
3.3 Preparation:amoment’sthought 22
3.4 Settingobjectives 23
3.5 Decidingthemessage 24
viii Theartofsuccessfulbusinesscommunication
3.6 Puttingittogether 24
3.6.1 Stage1:Listing 25
3.6.2 Stage2:Sorting 25
3.6.3 Stage3:Arranging 25
3.6.4 Stage4:Reviewing 26
3.6.5 Stage5:Preparethe‘message’ 26
3.6.6 Stage6:Afinalcheck 26
3.7 Summary 27
4 Beingpersuasive:gettingagreementfromothers 29
4.1 Thelogistics 29
4.2 Dountoothers 30
4.2.1 Others’feelings 30
4.2.2 Whatotherswant 31
4.2.3 Howdecisionsaremade 32
4.3 Thethinkinginvolved 33
4.4 Yourmanner 34
4.5 Makingapersuasivecase 35
4.5.1 Firstimpressionslast 36
4.5.2 Findingout 36
4.5.3 Thepowerofpersuasion 37
4.6 Feedback 40
4.7 Securingagreement 40
4.8 Anticipatingobjections 41
4.9 Optionsforhandling 41
4.10 Excuses 42
4.11 Reachingaconclusion 43
4.12 Whatnext?–follow-upaction 43
4.13 Summary 44
5 Meetings:makingthemwork 45
5.1 Theyhavetheiruses 45
5.2 Unnecessarycosts 46
5.3 Beforemeetingstakeplace 46
5.3.1 Theagenda 47
5.4 Theroleofleadingameeting 48
5.4.1 Themeetingleader’sresponsibilities 49
5.4.2 Theconductofthemeeting 50
5.5 Theindividualattendee’sresponsibility 53
5.5.1 Maximizingtheeffectivenessofindividual
participation 54
5.5.2 Well-handleddiscussion 55
5.6 Afterthemeeting 56
5.6.1 Areminutesnecessary? 56
5.7 Summary 57
Listofcontents ix
6 Presentations:speakingsuccessfully‘onyourfeet’ 59
6.1 Theimportanceofpresentations 59
6.2 Asignificantopportunity 60
6.3 Thehazardsofbeing‘onyourfeet’ 60
6.4 Presenters’nightmares 61
6.4.1 Butterfliesinthestomach 61
6.4.2 Adrymouth 61
6.4.3 Notknowingwhattodowithyourhands 61
6.4.4 Notknowinghowloudtospeak 62
6.4.5 Ahostilereaction 62
6.4.6 Nothavingsufficientmaterial 62
6.4.7 Havingtoomuchmaterial 62
6.4.8 Losingyourplace 62
6.4.9 Dryingup 62
6.4.10 Misjudgingthetiming 62
6.5 Preparingtopresent 63
6.5.1 Donottrytoreadverbatim 63
6.5.2 Youraudience 64
6.5.3 Clearpurpose 65
6.5.4 Howthegroupseesapresenter 65
6.5.5 Howyouseetheaudience 65
6.5.6 Beforeyouspeak 66
6.6 Thestructureofapresentation 67
6.6.1 Thebeginning 67
6.6.2 Themiddle 69
6.6.3 Theend 72
6.7 Speaker’snotes 73
6.7.1 Theformatofnotes 74
6.8 Visualaids 76
6.8.1 Themostimportantvisualaid 76
6.8.2 Generalprinciplesofusingvisualaids 77
6.8.3 Usinganoverheadprojector 77
6.8.4 Bewaregremlins 78
6.8.5 Anythingandeverything 79
6.9 Summary 79
7 Negotiation:makingthebestdeal 81
7.1 Ameanstoanend 81
7.2 Achangingworld 82
7.3 Aspecialformofcommunication 82
7.4 Theapplicationofnegotiation 83
7.5 Thenatureofnegotiation 83
7.6 Threekeyfactors 84
7.6.1 Information 84
7.6.2 Time 84
7.6.3 Power 85