CHAPTER 1
Career Success
Begins With
Communication
Skills
Multimedia Instructor Version
© 2010 Thomson South-Western
Communication Skills:
Your ticket
to work...
OR
Your ticket out the door!
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 1, Slide 2
Good communication skills
are essential for
 Job placement
 Job performance
 Career advancement
 Success in the new world
of work
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 1, Slide 3
Writing skills are increasingly
significant.
"Businesses are crying out—they
need to have people who write
better.”
Gaston Caperton, business
executive and president,
College Board
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 1, Slide 4
Information
as a
corporate asset
New
work
environments
Flattened
management
hierarchies
More
participatory
management
Trends in
the new
workplace
Innovative
communication
technologies
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Increased
emphasis
on teams
Heightened
global
competition
Chapter 1, Slide 5
Career Success Starts With
Communication Foundations
The video describes the changing business
world and why communication skills are
important in today’s information-based
economy.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 1, Slide 6
The Process of Communication
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 1, Slide 7
The Process of Communication
How may the sender
encode a message?
Verbally or nonverbally.
By speaking, writing,
gesturing.
What kinds of
channels carry
messages?
Letters, e-mail, IM,
memos, TV, telephone,
voice, body. Others?
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 1, Slide 8
The Process of Communication
How does a receiver
decode a message?
Hearing, reading,
observing
When is
communication
successful?
When a message is
understood as the sender
intended it to be.
How can a
Ask questions, check
communicator
reactions, don’t dominate
provide for feedback? the exchange.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 1, Slide 9
Barriers to Effective Listening
Physical
barriers
hearing disabilities, noisy
surroundings
Psychological
barriers
tuning out ideas that counter
our values
Language
problems
unfamiliar or charged words
Nonverbal
distractions
clothing, mannerisms,
appearance
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 1, Slide 10
Barriers to Effective Listening
Thought speed
our minds process
thoughts faster than
speakers say them
Faking
attention
pretending to listen
Grandstanding
talking all the time or
listening only for the next
pause
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 1, Slide 11
Ten Misconceptions
About Listening
1. Listening is a matter of intelligence.
FACT: Careful listening is a learned
behavior.
2. Speaking is more important than
listening in the communication process.
FACT: Speaking and listening are
equally important.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 1, Slide 12
Ten Misconceptions
About Listening
3. Listening is easy and requires little
energy.
FACT: Active listeners undergo the
same physiological changes as a person
jogging.
4. Listening and hearing are the same
process.
FACT: Listening is a conscious,
selective process. Hearing is an
involuntary act.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 1, Slide 13
Ten Misconceptions
About Listening
5. Speakers are able to command listening.
FACT: Speakers cannot make a person
really listen.
6. Hearing ability determines listening
ability.
FACT: Listening happens mentally—
between the ears.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 1, Slide 14
Ten Misconceptions
About Listening
7. Speakers are totally responsible for
communication success.
FACT: Communication is a two-way
street.
8. Listening is only a matter of
understanding a speaker’s words.
FACT: Nonverbal signals also help
listeners gain understanding.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 1, Slide 15
Ten Misconceptions
About Listening
9. Daily practice eliminates the need for
listening training.
FACT: Without effective listening
training, most practice merely reinforces
negative behaviors.
10. Competence in listening develops
naturally.
FACT: Untrained people listen at only 25
percent efficiency.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 1, Slide 16
Keys to Building
Powerful Listening Skills
 Stop talking.
 Control your surroundings.
 Establish a receptive
mind-set.
 Keep an open mind.
 Listen for main points.
 Capitalize on lag time.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 1, Slide 17
Keys to Building
Powerful Listening Skills
 Listen between the lines.
 Judge ideas, not
appearances.
 Hold your fire.
 Take selective notes.
 Provide feedback.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 1, Slide 18
Nonverbal Communication
Eye contact, facial expression,
and posture and gestures send
silent messages.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 1, Slide 19
Nonverbal Communication
Time, space, and territory send
silent messages.
 Time (punctuality and structure)
 Space (arrangement of objects)
 Territory (privacy zones)
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 1, Slide 20
Nonverbal Communication
Appearance sends silent
messages.
 Appearance of business
documents
 Appearance of people
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 1, Slide 21
Four Space Zones for Social
Interaction Among Americans
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 1, Slide 22
Four Space Zones for Social
Interaction Among Americans
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 1, Slide 23
Keys to Building
Strong Nonverbal Skills
 Establish and maintain eye contact.
 Use posture to show interest.
 Improve your decoding skills.
 Probe for more information.
 Avoid assigning nonverbal meanings
out of context.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 1, Slide 24
Keys to Building
Strong Nonverbal Skills
 Associate with people from diverse
cultures.
 Appreciate the power of appearance.
 Observe yourself on videotape.
 Enlist friends and family.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 1, Slide 25
Culture and Communication
Good communication
demands special
sensitivity and skills
when communicators
are from different
cultures.
© 2008 Image Source Black/Jupiter Images
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 1, Slide 26
Dimensions of Culture
Context
Time
Orientation
Individualism
Culture
Communication
Style
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Formality
Chapter 1, Slide 27
Dimensions of Culture
Context
High-context cultures (those in Japan,
China, and Arab countries) tend to be
relational, collectivist, and contemplative.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 1, Slide 28
Dimensions of Culture
Context
Low-context cultures (those in North
America, Scandinavia, and Germany)
tend to be logical, linear, and actionoriented.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 1, Slide 29
Dimensions of Culture
Individualism
 High-context cultures tend to prefer
group values, duties, and decisions.
 Low-context cultures tend to prefer
individual initiative, self-assertion, and
personal achievement.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 1, Slide 30
Dimensions of Culture
Formality
 North Americans place less emphasis
on tradition, ceremony, and social rules.
 Other cultures prefer more formality.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 1, Slide 31
Dimensions of Culture
Communication Style
High-context cultures rely on
nonverbal cues and the total
picture to communicate.
Meanings are embedded at
many sociocultural levels.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 1, Slide 32
Dimensions of Culture
Communication Style
Low-context cultures
emphasize words,
straightforwardness, and
openness. People tend to
be informal, impatient, and
literal.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 1, Slide 33
Dimensions of Culture
Time Orientation
 Time is precious to North
Americans. It correlates with
productivity, efficiency, and
money.
 In some cultures time is
unlimited and never-ending,
promoting a relaxed attitude.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 1, Slide 34
Comparison of High- and
Low-Context Cultures
High-Context
Cultures
Low-Context
Cultures
Relational
Linear
Collectivist
Individualistic
Intuitive
Logical
Contemplative
Action-oriented
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 1, Slide 35
Proverbs Reflect Culture
What do these U.S. proverbs indicate
about this culture and what it values?
1. The squeaking wheel gets the grease.
2. Waste not, want not.
3. He who holds the gold makes the rules.
4. If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.
5. The early bird gets the worm.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 1, Slide 36
Proverbs Reflect Culture
What do these Chinese proverbs
indicate about the Chinese culture and
what it values?
1. A man who waits for a roast duck to fly into his
mouth must wait a very long time.
2. A man who says it cannot be done should not
interrupt a man doing it.
3. Give a man a fish, and he will live for a day;
give him a net, and he will live for a lifetime.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 1, Slide 37
Proverbs Reflect Culture
What do these proverbs indicate about
their respective cultures and what they
value?
1. No one is either rich or poor who has not
helped himself to be so. (German)
2. Words do not make flour. (Italian)
3. The nail that sticks up gets pounded down.
(Japanese)
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 1, Slide 38
Improving Communication With
Multicultural Audiences
Oral Messages
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
© Creatas / Photolibrary Group / Index Stock Imagery
 Use simple English.
 Speak slowly and
enunciate clearly.
 Encourage accurate
feedback.
 Check frequently for
comprehension.
Chapter 1, Slide 39
Improving Communication With
Multicultural Audiences
Oral Messages
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
© Creatas / Photolibrary Group / Index Stock Imagery
 Observe eye messages.
 Accept blame.
 Listen without
interrupting.
 Smile when appropriate.
 Follow up in writing.
Chapter 1, Slide 40
Improving Communication With
Multicultural Audiences
Written Messages
 Consider local styles.
 Consider hiring a translator.
 Use short sentences and
short paragraphs.
 Avoid ambiguous wording.
 Follow up in writing.
 Cite numbers carefully.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 1, Slide 41
Improving Communication Among
Diverse Workplace Audiences
 Understand the value of differences.
 Seek training.
 Learn about your own cultural self.
 Make fewer workplace assumptions.
 Build on similarities.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 1, Slide 42
Intercultural Communication
at Work
The video illustrates numerous clashes
between American and Asian cultures,
expectations, and etiquette.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 1, Slide 43
Understanding Teamwork:
Cold Stone Creamery
The Cold Stone Creamery case study shows
how teamwork can be part of the corporate
culture. The video discusses the structure,
types, and functions of teams.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 1, Slide 44
END
Multimedia Instructor Version
© 2010 Thomson South-Western