Effective Business Communication

As a vehicle for the transfer of ideas and notions, effective communication is key to success within business, social and personal environments. Many jobs require strong communication skills for both entry, for example during job interviews, and for career progression, when one might be expected to relay ideas and opinions in a multifaceted way. In fact, the majority of our daily interactions within the workplace depend on effective communication for ongoing business impact, professional growth and holistic success. Furthermore, even in our daily lives success cannot be easily achieved without this fundamental competency and trait of building strong relationships and connections with our listeners. However, effective communication is always desired but rarely achieved due to the complexity of human interactions and the challenges encountered therein. These challenges can prevent even the most skilled and competent speaker from maintaining consistent and effective communication.

Effective communication requires the utilization of both productive skills and receptive skills. First, the challenge of effective communication concerns productive skills, whereby a message must be conveyed clearly and concisely to an audience in the interest of both engagement and buy-in. Other required abilities include, charisma, panache, interpersonal skills, diplomacy, body language, eye contact, listening skills, presentation skills, clarity of thought, coherence and, in the modern era, technology utilization to maintain attention and avoid monotony.

Second, as effective communication is a two-way process of mutual benefit to communicator and audience alike, an audience must always be given an opportunity to interact and exchange views. In order to be effective in business communication, it is not enough to be only a good speaker; without sharpened listening skills and an interest in understanding the message being delivered, the complex web of communication will not be woven and the very purpose of the interaction is jeopardized.

The business communicator only becomes truly proficient in understanding and transferring notions and ideas when a range of these skills are well utilized and practiced. Upon mastering these skills, productive and receptive, effective business communication will truly be achieved.