Acquiring Business Communication Skills Necessary for Business Graduates - Coursework Example

Executive Summary While still learning in the academe, business trying to target a significant place in the business environment must learnto master their communication skills that must be primarily focused on the business context. In the first place, the first step for them will be to understand the types of general communication skills and those communication skills that are commonly employed in the business environment. This in great detail is a remarkable consideration of this report. This must provide the opportunity for the students to learn and evaluate their skills for them to satisfy the requirements in the actual business particularly on how to initiate the right communication process in the actual business setting. In general, the report seeks to provide the opportunity for its readers to learn the essential roles of communication skills in the business environment. Introduction Communication is part of being human. This is the reason that this cannot be totally eliminated, especially in the context of the business environment. Communication is vital in every business activity. Thus, having the appropriate communication skills is one essential requirement in order to be successful in business. The work at hand is a report that introduces types of general communication skills and types of business communication skills. In this report, the importance of mastery in communication skills employed in business environment has potential implication. This is the actual established point of this report. Types of general communication skills Ordinary or normal individuals have the capacity to talk, speak, write and listen. This means each person has the ability to acquire or improve their verbal and non-verbal communication skills or make it somewhere in their written communication skills. It is however a choice which of these general communication skills a person must develop. In the case of verbal communication, one’s capacity for oral communication skills must be thoroughly developed. This requires advanced or developed vocal skills that must have become the actual output of a complete mental transition of thoughts to a highly audible voice (Young and Travis, 2011, p.179). Verbal communication therefore is a way for people to express themselves, allowing them to use words that may have to make sense to the target audience. This communication skill is therefore necessary in events when the audience is ready to lend their ears, but this form of communication may have to require consistency, because of the probable noises along the way prior to or during the actual conveying of information or message. After all, communication is a two-way communication process, but there are potential barriers to communication that at some point will minimize the effective transfer of information or message (Means, 2009, p.11).However, verbal communication skill is commonly applied in daily activities, so almost everyone is expected to implement this in order to make sense and impart substantial point. One of the important things required in understanding or implementing verbal communication is on how to convey information the best way as possible without being distracted by any forms of barriers to communication. Non-verbal communication on the other hand involves the body language and cues (Knapp et al., 2013, p. 22). These can be responsible for the ability of an individual to understand signals such as facial expressions, hand gestures and more. In psychology, there are important behavioral considerations that can be clearly observed by studying a person’s non-verbal communication. For this reason, it is important to consider that non-verbal communication is closely link to a person’s behavioral output that can clearly observed by the other party’s point of view. Non-verbal communication is therefore closely linked to one’s behaviour (Key, 1980, p. 2). This means that individuals with strong non-verbal communication skills are sensitive in understanding the human body language and cues. Although everyone uses non-verbal communication, the meaning associated with each non-verbal action may vary across culture (Jandt, 2010, p. 112). This means that non-verbal communication must be effectively learned through times. The written communication skill on the other hand pertains to the capacity of an individual to put the words or ideas into writing instead of producing audible voice with words that may have to convey particular meaning or thought. Everyone may have the capacity to write, but not all have the potential to be much more effective in writing activities. This means that not all individuals are able to convey their point effectively through writing, because this is a skill that requires more ability to put the words into life in a form of written communication. Many people are good at in either of these skills, but there are also some who might be deficient in the other. For instance, there are some individuals who are good in written communication, but may also poorly express their ideas once they will be given the chance to explicate their point through oral communication. This only means that each person is unique when it comes to their communication skills. There are those who are fortunate for being able to master more than one of these skills, leading them to professionally deliver their point of views and various perspectives on certain issues or situations. Types of business communication skills There are many options to consider when it comes to business communication skills. Many business-oriented companies for instance will have to place more emphasis on the importance of writing, presentations and public speaking, marketing, social media and networking in their entire business, as these are some of the most common types of business communication skills required to be initiated in their business. Writing for instance is a common practice in almost all businesses, not just it is required, but it is one of the most formal approaches in dealing with various business opportunities (Surrey, 1998, p.1). Through writing, a certain business will be able to create an impression of the level of its formality and professionalism in conducting business process. This form of business communication skills will therefore show the level of professional that a business person possesses. Presentations and public speaking are integral components of verbal communication skills. These business communication skills are necessary for conducting a massive approach in order to convey information directly to the target audience. Considering that these involve the capacity to make the points or thoughts as clearly as possible, individuals or businesses employing presentations and public speaking should learn to understand the value of the right words to say in order to make a difference. For example, in the case of product presentations, a certain business should learn to consider the importance of understanding the human needs (Ehrnreich, 2004, p.244). Marketing, social media and networking nowadays are combined approaches considered in the midst of advancing media and technology, especially in the advent of social networking sites. These are communication skills required in order to promote product or service offerings successfully to the target audience, for instance. In other words, these business communication skills are specifically integrated into the advancing technology in contemporary time. This means learning to possess them will have to require a close contact with the advancing communication technology. Communication skills in business environment Obviously, communication skills cannot be overlooked in a business environment. Although these skills are taught in the academe, it was found that having them from the academic institution might not be enough, because the business environment requires outcome-based skills, the skills that are in greatest need in business organisations (Conrad and Newberry, 2012, p. 112). Knowing this point of view it is relevant to learn more about communication in detail that may be specifically in line with the business environment. Various companies are requiring their personnel to establish a good foundation in communication skills in business environment. For instance, this is necessary in a line with business where the nature is to convey product or service offerings (Peter and Olson, 2007). In the case of Apple Incorporated and the rest of other brands that try to create a remarkable image, communication is vital for them, and they have successfully made it through effective marketing technique, a communication technique that requires essential understanding of the human behavior, needs and wants. This leads to the birth of advertising and promotion initiatives (Belch and Belch, 2009). Recommendation To the undergraduate students of WBS, this report just presented the required communication skills and those that are essential in business. Understanding these skills is just the first step in being able to advance in a business career. Therefore, it is necessary that while students of WBS are still studying different modules of their course, the need to explore the business environment and how in particular the business communication skills work here is the first step relevant to the recognition and appreciation of what business communication skills are all about. In addition, students must also have to find relevant time and effort to start practicing their communication skills the way how they have to be implemented in the actual business environment and not just on the specific styles commonly applied in the academe. After all, there is a relevant difference when it comes to the actual implementation of communication in business and the way it has to be initiated in the academe as for instructional and learning purposes. Students are therefore required to explore more on this point. Conclusion In a nutshell, the work at hand just presented the relevant points concerning the communication skills and their strong link into the business environment. This report provides the opportunity for the students to learn and evaluate their skills, so as they will be able to satisfy the requirements in the actual business on how to initiate the right communication process in the business setting. In general, the report seeks to provide the opportunity for its readers to learn the essential function of communication skills in the business environment. References Belch, G. E, and Belch, M. A. (2009) Advertising and Promotion. 8th ed. New York, NY: McGraw Hill. Conrad, D. and Newberry, R. (2012) ‘Identification and Instruction of Communication Skills for Graduate Business Education.’ Journal of Education for Business. Vol. 87(2): 112-120. Ehrnreich, K. (2004) Like People: The Underutilisation of People’s Qualities, Capabilities and Skills in Large Business Organizations. Amsterdam: Rozenberg Publishers. Jandt, F. E. (2010) An Introduction to Intercultural Communication: Identities in a Global Community. London: SAGE. Knapp, M., Hall, J., and Horgan, T. (2013) Nonverbal Communication in Human Interaction. 8th ed. Mason, OH: Cengage Learning. Key, M. R. (1980) The Relationship of Verbal and Nonverbal Communication. Walter de Gruyter. Means, T. (2009) Business Communication. 2nd ed. Mason, OH: Cengage Learning. Peter, J. P., Olson, J. C. (2007) Consumer Behavior & Marketing Strategy. 7th ed. New York, NY: McGraw Hill. Roberts, J. (1998) Business Letter Writing: Your Questions and Answers. Surrey: Crimson Publishing. Young, K. S., and Travis, H. P. (2011) Oral Communication: Skills, Choices, and Consequences. 3rd ed. Long Grove, IL: Waveland Press. Read More