Business communication: basics, types, principles and features

Communication can be different - personal, formal, business, ritual. All of them have certain differences from each other in terms of the relationships of the participants, goals and forms of behavior. A special type of communication is business. It is based on the interaction of people pursuing the goal of exchanging information in the process of their activities. In addition, business communication has a specific result, which is a product obtained as a result of joint activities. It can be power, career, information, as well as emotional experiences and intellectual analysis.

Definition of the concept

Business communication, like any other, has a historical character. Its manifestation takes place at all levels of the social system, and in a variety of forms. When studying the theoretical foundations of business communication, it becomes clear that it arises in connection with a certain type of activity taking place, the result of which is the release of a product or the receipt of a particular effect. Each of the parties entering into such relationships must adhere to standards and norms of human behavior, including ethical ones.

The fundamentals of business communication are processes that allow the exchange of work experience and certain information. In a market economy, this allows you to get maximum profit. What else underlies business communication? Such interaction is impossible without physical and psychological contacts, as well as the exchange of emotions. This is why the ability to build relationships with people and find an approach to a specific person is so important.

On the one hand, it may seem that business communication is not such a complex process. After all, from very early childhood people begin to become familiar with communication connections. Nevertheless, business communication, like any other that exists in society, is quite multifaceted. It has different types, has many directions and functions. Various sciences study its certain aspects, including ethology, sociology, philosophy and psychology.

Let's consider the basics of business communication, its types, principles, and features.

Stages

Despite the fact that types of business communications vary, they are almost always characterized by several stages:

Preparation. This is setting tasks, goals, collecting and analyzing information, determining behavior strategies. After all, a business meeting or negotiation is not organized in order to chat “about nothing” and find out how things are going in the personal lives of the interlocutors.
Planning. The meeting can be held spontaneously, but it is still believed that a professional must have a clear plan: what he will say, how to argue, what exactly he wants to get from the other party.
Discussion – discussing ideas, proposals, finding common points of interest, making a joint decision.

This scheme is most relevant for negotiations. Other types of communications may not include all stages. A cold call or issuing instructions, for example, may not involve any discussion.

What it is?

Business communication is an interaction in which each participant has his own status. So, he can be a boss, subordinate, colleague or partner. In the case when people at different levels of the career ladder (for example, a manager and an employee) communicate with each other, we can talk about a vertical relationship. In other words, such communication is subordinate. Business communication can also take place with equal cooperation. Such relationships are considered horizontal.

Business communications take place constantly in official institutions, schools, universities and at work. This is a dialogue between subordinates and superiors, students and teachers, competitors and partners. And the achievement of the goal depends on how familiar the interlocutors are with the basics of business communication, its methods, forms and rules.

Peculiarities

Business communication differs from all other types of communications in that it has:

Regularity. The basics of business communication are established rules for limiting communications. They are determined by the type of interaction, its tasks and goals, the degree of formality, as well as cultural and national traditions. At the same time, business etiquette, as the basis of modern business communication, serves as the main tool for organizing the process of business relations.
Strict adherence by all communication participants to their role role. It must meet the requirements imposed by a specific situation. Also, all participants in business communication need to fulfill their specific role (partner, subordinate, boss, etc.).
Strictness regarding the use of speech means. Each participant in business communication must speak professional language and know the necessary terminology. Speech should not contain colloquial expressions and words, dialectisms and swearing.
High responsibility for the results obtained. All participants in business communication must be punctual, organized, true to their word and obligatory. In addition, they should strictly adhere to moral and ethical standards of communication.

Forms of business communication

The two main forms of communication are contact (direct) communication and indirect (mediated).

In the first case, the interlocutors communicate face to face and have the opportunity to evaluate each other’s non-verbal behavior, so the effectiveness of such contact is higher. In the second case, interaction occurs using any means of communication - telephone, letters, etc.

More specifically, the most common forms of business communication are:

Meeting.
Presentation.
Business conversation.
Negotiation.
Telephone conversations.
Exchange of official business documents (application, agreement, power of attorney, memo).
Consultation.
Interview.
Public speaking, conferences.

In turn, using certain forms of business communication, participants can take a confrontational or partnership approach. The first option is a confrontation: each side intends to win. The partnership approach involves finding a solution that will be acceptable to all participants.

Functions

In production conditions, business communication allows each person to satisfy their need for communications, exchange experiences, learn something new, and evaluate their own professional qualities. The importance of such communications during negotiations is great. Knowledge of the psychological foundations of business communication allows you to maintain your reputation and image, as well as achieve success in business.

Among the main functions of this type of communication are the following:

Instrumental. This function views communication as a control mechanism.
Interactive. In this case, communication is a means of uniting colleagues, business partners, specialists, etc.
Self-expression. Conducted business communication allows a person to assert himself and demonstrate his psychological, personal and intellectual potential.
Socialization. By communicating, a person develops his business etiquette and communication skills.
Expressive. It is expressed in emotional experiences and demonstrations of understanding.

All of the above functions are closely related to each other. Moreover, through their implementation, they constitute the essence of business communication itself.

Terms of business communication

For business communication to be effective, a number of conditions must be met:

Communication must have a clear goal, in achieving which all persons involved in the process are interested. For example, networking, concluding an agreement, coordinating an event, developing terms of cooperation, etc.
Participants should contact each other regardless of likes and dislikes.
Observance of business etiquette, chain of command, job roles, and formal restrictions is mandatory.

Formal restrictions mean both various regulations, routines and protocols, as well as the banal need to control the strength of one’s own emotions and respect the interlocutor.

Also, the manager or other most interested participant must ensure that business communication is manageable. Participants need to be motivated to find a solution, otherwise they will simply be passive observers of the meeting who do not offer any ideas.

Principles

In order for negotiations to be as successful as possible, a certain atmosphere must be created. It is possible to achieve this goal only if the partners, communicating with each other, feel as comfortable as possible. And knowledge of the principles of the psychological foundations of business communication will help with this. These include:

Exercising control over emotions. This point is quite important. The fact is that surging emotions literally in a matter of seconds can destroy relationships that have been built over the years. After all, they will show a person from a clearly negative side. And even in the case when the interlocutor allows himself unrestrained behavior, you should not react to this. Every person must realize that emotions and work are incompatible.
The desire to understand the interlocutor. Adhering to the basics of the psychology of business communication, the parties need to be attentive to each other’s opinions. Indeed, in the case when one of the negotiating participants talks only about his own interests, without listening to the other side, this will not allow reaching a common agreement and obtaining positive results from the meeting.
Concentration. Business communication is often a monotonous process. This leads to the fact that a person is able to miss some fundamental points of negotiations. That is why during a conversation it is necessary to focus the partners’ attention on the topic when it becomes obvious that they have stopped concentrating their attention on really important things.
The truthfulness of the conversation. The success of a business is largely determined by trusting relationships. Of course, opponents may not say something or deliberately be a little disingenuous to enhance their own dignity. Nevertheless, as for the fundamental points, it is necessary that things be said that correspond to reality. This is how businessmen earn their reputation.
The ability not to express subjective opinions. The fundamentals of ethics and psychology of business communication imply the ability to separate the interlocutor from the object of negotiations. In other words, personal attitude towards a person should never influence work matters. This is the main difference between personal and business communication. It often happens that an opponent who is extremely unpleasant to the interlocutor can be very useful for the cause. In this case, you should not miss out on the benefits. After all, it often happens that very pleasant and good people turn out to be insolvent in business terms.

The principles listed above must be taken into account by every person who wants to acquire the skill of proper negotiation and earn a good reputation as a business partner.

Moral Foundations

In what case is there a high probability of achieving a positive solution during negotiations? To do this, a businessman needs to know the moral foundations of business communication. Communications between people pursuing commercial purposes must comply with the following principles:

The basis of business communication should be the interests of the business, and not one’s own ambitions and desires. Despite its obviousness, people violate this principle most often. After all, not every person is able to find the strength to sacrifice personal interests that conflict with the benefit that will be received for the business. This is especially evident in those moments when something can be done with impunity, and the only judge in this case will be one’s own conscience.
Decency. What is the basis of business communication? The organic inability of a person to commit a dishonest act. Decency is always based on such moral qualities as a heightened sense of conscience, when there is an awareness that silence or inaction will become dishonest, as well as a constant desire to preserve one’s honor in the form of nobility, incorruptibility and assertion of one’s own dignity.
The ability to behave equally with any person, regardless of his social or official status.
Integrity. A person must not only have strong convictions, but also actively strive to realize and put them into practice. This is manifested in the fact that he will never compromise his own principles, even in the face of a threat and obstacles to his personal well-being.
Goodwill. This principle lies in the organic need to do good to people, which is the main category of ethics. Any professional activity is aimed at satisfying a person’s social needs. And in this sense, he produces something useful, that is, he does good. By adhering to this principle, a professional does not only do what is included in his duties, but also does much beyond this, receiving emotional satisfaction and appreciation in return.
Respect for human dignity. Such a principle can be realized thanks to such moral qualities cultivated in a person as delicacy and politeness, caring, courtesy and tact. Moreover, all this must be combined with balance, restraint and correctness. Here, the ethical foundations of business communication are in close contact with morality. This should also take place in statutory relations, which in no way allow the leader to humiliate the dignity of a subordinate. Respect for a person, which underlies the ethics of business communication, allows people not to experience mutual offense, irritation and dissatisfaction. It protects against nervous shock, stress and other negative consequences of communication. Ignorance of the basic ethics of business communication by a person or inability to apply them in practice can negatively affect the opinions of others about him.
Expediency and reasonableness. This principle underlies all ethical rules and regulations. Moreover, it is especially necessary in those forms of human communication in which it is very important to adhere to etiquette. By observing expediency and reasonableness, a favorable moral and psychological atmosphere is created in the work team, which greatly increases the efficiency of employees.

Corporate culture of business communication

Author: Vitaly Tretyakov, Doctor of Psychology, Professor of St. Petersburg State University, Vice-President of the St. Petersburg Cultural Foundation. Elitarium.ru

Corporate communication is a process of communication and interaction during which activities, information and experiences are exchanged. The purpose of corporate communication is to set specific goals and specific objectives. This differs from communication in the broad sense of the word. A significant part of business communication is occupied by official communication, i.e. interaction of people carried out during working hours within the walls of the organization. All this cannot be accomplished without communicative communication techniques, the degree of proficiency of which is the most important criterion for the professional suitability of an employee.

Knowledge, abilities, skills in the field of organizing human interaction and interaction itself in the business sphere, allowing you to establish psychological contact with business partners, achieve accurate perception and understanding in the communication process, predict the behavior of business partners, direct the behavior of business partners to the desired result - all this includes communicative culture.

The basis of communicative culture are generally accepted moral requirements for communication, inextricably linked with the recognition of the uniqueness and value of each individual: politeness, correctness, tact, modesty, accuracy, and courtesy.

Politeness is an expression of respect for other people, their dignity, manifested in greetings and wishes, in voice intonation, facial expressions and gestures. The opposite of politeness is rudeness. Rude relationships are not only an indicator of low culture, but also an economic category.

Correctness is the ability to keep oneself within the bounds of decency in any situation, especially conflict situations. Correct behavior in disputes is especially important when new constructive ideas appear and opinions and beliefs are tested. However, if the dispute is accompanied by attacks against opponents, it turns into an ordinary quarrel.

Tactfulness is also one of the important components of communication culture. A sense of tact is, first of all, a sense of proportion, a sense of boundaries in communication, exceeding which can offend a person and put him in an awkward position. Remarks about appearance or behavior, sympathy expressed in the presence of others about the intimate side of a person’s life, etc. can be tactless.

Modesty in communication means restraint in assessments, respect for the tastes and affections of other people. The opposites of modesty are arrogance, swagger, and posturing.

Accuracy is also essential to the success of business relationships. Without the exact fulfillment of promises made and obligations taken in any form of life, it is difficult to conduct business. Inaccuracy often borders on immoral behavior - deception, lies.

Courtesy is the desire to be the first to show the courtesy to save another person from inconvenience and trouble.

A person with a high level of communicative culture has:

empathy - the ability to see the world through the eyes of others, to understand it the same way as they do;
goodwill - respect, sympathy, the ability to understand people without approving of their actions, willingness to support others;
authenticity - the ability to be oneself in contacts with other people;
specificity - the ability to talk about one’s specific experiences, opinions, actions, and the willingness to answer questions unambiguously;
initiative - the ability to “go forward”, establish contacts, readiness to take on something in a situation that requires active intervention, and not just wait for others to start doing something;
spontaneity - the ability to speak and act directly;
openness - the willingness to open up your inner world to others and the firm conviction that this contributes to the establishment of healthy and lasting relationships with others, sincerity;
receptivity - the ability to express one’s feelings and the willingness to accept emotional expression from others;
curiosity - an investigative attitude towards your own life and behavior, a willingness to accept any information from people about how they perceive you, but at the same time be the author of self-esteem.

No less important components of communicative culture are knowledge, skills and abilities related to speech activity, i.e. a culture of speech. In speech activity, three sides can be distinguished: meaningful, expressive and motivating.

The content side of speech is characterized by richness, significance and evidence of thoughts. The expressiveness of speech is associated with its emotional coloring: speech can be bright, figurative, energetic or, conversely, dry, sluggish, dull. The motivating side of speech activity is its influence on the thoughts, feelings and will of the listener. The degree of speech perception by listeners depends on the level of speech culture, covering the content, expressive and motivating aspects.

Indicators of speech culture in business communication are:

vocabulary (excludes offensive words (obscene), slang words, dialectisms);
vocabulary (the richer it is, the brighter, more expressive, more varied the speech, the less it tires listeners, the more impressive, memorable and captivating it is);
pronunciation (the norm for modern pronunciation in Russian is the Old Moscow dialect);
grammar (business speech requires compliance with general rules of grammar, as well as taking into account some specific differences; in particular, the central place in business speech should be occupied by nouns, not verbs);
stylistics (good speech style requires such requirements as the inadmissibility of unnecessary words, correct word order, and the absence of standard, hackneyed expressions).

The developmental features of each individual, the uniqueness of her inner world and business environment allow us to speak about the uniqueness of individual communicative culture. It is important to remember that communicative culture can be developed in the process of socio-psychological learning.

Types of corporate communication

Corporate communication is a process of communication and interaction during which activities, information and experiences are exchanged. The purpose of corporate communication is to set specific goals and specific objectives. This differs from communication in the broad sense of the word.

In business corporate communication, it is impossible to end a relationship with a partner (at least without losses for both parties). A significant part of business communication is occupied by official communication, i.e. interaction of people carried out during working hours within the walls of the organization.

However, business (corporate) communication is a broader concept than official communication, since it includes the interaction of both employees and owner-employers, which occurs not only in organizations, but also at various business receptions, seminars, exhibitions, etc.

Corporate communication can be divided into direct (immediate contact) and indirect (there is a spatio-temporal distance between partners). Direct business communication has greater effectiveness, power of emotional impact and suggestion than indirect one.

There are two types of corporate communication: verbal and non-verbal. Verbal communication (from Latin verbalis - verbal) is carried out using words. In nonverbal communication, the means of transmitting information are postures, gestures, facial expressions, intonations, glances, territorial location, etc.

Three main styles of corporate communication:

ritual style, according to which the main task of partners is to maintain connections with society, to reinforce the idea of themselves as a member of society. In ritual communication, a partner is only a necessary attribute, his individual characteristics are unimportant, in contrast to following a role - social, professional, personal;
a manipulative style in which a partner is treated as a means of achieving goals external to him. A huge number of professional tasks involve manipulative communication. In fact, any training, persuasion, management always includes manipulative communication;
The humanistic style, which is aimed at jointly changing the ideas of both partners, involves satisfying such human needs as the need for understanding, sympathy, and empathy.

Forms of corporate communication include business conversation; business meeting; dispute, discussion, controversy; business meeting; public speaking; telephone conversations; business correspondence.

Business conversation is the transfer or exchange of information and opinions on certain issues or problems. Based on the results of business conversations, making decisions and concluding deals is not necessary.

Business conversation serves a number of functions, including:

mutual communication of workers from the same business area;
joint search, promotion and prompt development of working ideas and plans;
control and coordination of already started business activities;
stimulation of business activity, etc.

A business conversation can precede negotiations or be an element of the negotiation process.

Business negotiations are the main means of coordinated decision-making in the process of communication between interested parties. Business negotiations always have a specific goal and are aimed at concluding agreements, deals, and contracts.
A dispute is a clash of opinions, disagreements on any issue, a struggle in which each side defends its point of view. The dispute is realized in the form of dispute, controversy, discussion, etc.
A business meeting is a way of open collective discussion of problems by a group of specialists.
Public speaking is the transmission by one speaker of information at various levels to a wide audience in compliance with the rules and principles of speech and oratory.
Business correspondence is a generalized name for documents of various contents, distinguished in connection with a special method of transmitting text.

Main functions of corporate communication:

organization of joint activities;
formation and development of interpersonal relationships;
people getting to know each other.

All this cannot be accomplished without communicative communication techniques, the degree of proficiency of which is the most important criterion for the professional suitability of an employee. An employee, as a professional, must be able to:

formulate goals and objectives of communication;
organize communication;
examine complaints and statements;
possess communication skills and techniques, tactics and strategies;
negotiate, manage a business meeting;
prevent conflicts and resolve them;
prove and justify, argue and convince, reach agreement, conduct a conversation, debate, dialogue, dispute;
carry out psychotherapy, relieve stress and fear in the interlocutor, manage his behavior.

Social and psychological methods of communication management

Contagion is an unconscious, spontaneous acceptance by a person of a certain psychological state.

Suggestion is the active influence of one subject on another. Suggestion occurs under conditions of authority of the source of suggestion, trust in the source of suggestion, and absence of resistance to the suggestive influence.

Imitation is the reproduction by one person of certain patterns of behavior, manner of speaking, etc. another man. The most widespread manifestation of imitation is following fashion, and especially the mindless copying of the manner of dressing, speaking and behaving like all sorts of idols among young people.

Persuasion is a purposeful influence exerted with the aim of transforming the views of one person into the system of views of another; it is the main method of influencing the conscious sphere of the individual. Its goal is to activate the individual’s thinking when assimilating information, to form his conviction.

Only when a person overcomes the horizons of everyday understanding and rises to a thorough meaningful knowledge of some phenomenon will beliefs begin to take shape in his consciousness, i.e. own position.

Persuasion is rarely used as a separate method of influencing people. It constantly interacts with imitation and suggestion. The difference between these concepts is that persuasion presupposes people’s conscious understanding of the information addressed to them, while imitation and suggestion are designed for their unconscious perception of this information due to the authority of the speaker, the mood of the audience, under the pressure of public opinion, and personal value orientation.

A similar psychological effect can be observed when listening to lectures, holding mass theater and sporting events. A striking example of the effectiveness of imitation and suggestion are such phenomena as fashion and rumors.

The use of the imitation method is based on the tendency of people to group psychological states. Aristotle also said that people differ from other living beings in that they are highly prone to imitation, and a person acquires his first knowledge through imitation. Imitation as a conscious or unconscious imitation of someone’s actions, behavior and thinking is widespread in life, including business practice.

The method of suggestion is more complex. This is bringing, by word or some other method, into a certain psychological state (mood, impression, actions) of another person while diverting his volitional attention and concentration.

The difference between suggestion and imitation is that when imitation, the goal is achieved by the visual expressiveness of the source of information or the increased attractiveness of the information emanating from it. Here the image effect is the basis for the perception of information. And with suggestion, the achievement of a goal is determined by a direct emotional impact, the main charge of which is carried by the word.

Coercion, compared to previous methods, is the most violent method of influencing people, as it involves the desire to force a person to behave contrary to his wishes and beliefs. Coercion is based on fear of punishment and other consequences undesirable for the individual. Ethically, coercion can be justified in exceptional cases, in particular, if it comes to violating the rule of law or moral norms established in society.

In communication, persuasion, suggestion, imitation and coercion are used as an interconnected system of methods. The manager is called upon to skillfully use them during work meetings, various public meetings, and conferences.

No matter how professionally prepared a leader is, he is obliged to constantly improve his technology for communicating with people, both at the mass and at the individual level. Finding your style in communicating with people is an important condition for success.

Factors influencing the choice of communication style

Audience composition. Here it is useful to take into account everything that characterizes her cultural, educational, national, age, psychological and professional qualities. Different audiences require specific approaches to achieve the best communication impact.

Content and nature of the speech material. For example, in a speech that discusses current issues of professional activity, an authoritarian tone and peremptory statements are unacceptable. It is necessary to show more trust in people and consult with them during the performance process. Here we allow a confidential exchange of opinions, an open desire to mutually enrich ourselves with knowledge - a reliable option for communication.

The speaker’s objective self-assessment of his personal and business qualities, scientific competence in the problems with which he came to people. It is important not to overestimate or underestimate your scientific, economic and practical preparedness. You should self-critically evaluate your communication skills. The speaker should seriously think about communication techniques and control himself during the communication process.

There are several types of business communication:

mentoring - instructive, edifying;
spiritualizing - elevating people, instilling in them faith in their spiritual powers and personal qualities;
confrontational - causing people to want to object and disagree;
informational - focused on transmitting certain information to listeners, restoring some knowledge in their memory.

You should strive in every possible way to free yourself from mentoring communication, and beware of the appearance of notes of instructive communication in your leader. There should be no posturing, any manifestation of one’s intellectual superiority over people, or ignoring their reactions to the material presented.

Modern people are reserved about information communication. They want to exchange thoughts, establish themselves in a scientific understanding of real factors, and develop their own beliefs. It is no coincidence that spiritual communication is popular now. In its process, people become imbued with the virtues of intellectual communication. They have an actualized need to improve their spiritual world. Inspiring communication is a clear indicator of a high culture of communication.

Confrontational communication in some cases is didactically necessary. There are passive audiences or audiences that, as they say, will not be surprised by anything. There are topics of speech that do not arouse keen interest among people for a variety of reasons. A confrontational manner of communication is used to activate people’s attention, drawing them into a discussion of a problem; it most predisposes to the emergence of discussions and confrontation between different points of view.

Norms of culture of behavior

Let us briefly consider the basics of business communication etiquette. Knowledge of the rules and norms of behavior, and, of course, compliance with them, brings pleasure and benefit to their owner. A person, if he is well brought up, will feel confident everywhere, easily overcoming psychological barriers of communication, without experiencing an inferiority complex and having the opportunity to constantly expand his social circle.

The rules of etiquette that underlie effective business communication are a set of norms necessary for treating people politely. In official communications, in this case, the correspondence of appearance, manners, gestures, speech, posture, posture, facial expressions, clothing and tone, as well as the social role inherent in a person and his social and business status, is considered. Such requirements become especially important when participating in any strictly regulated event that requires adherence to strictly established boundaries. Failure to follow the rules of etiquette in this case will be considered as an insult to the dignity of the participants in communications, which will cause their disapproval.

But it is worth noting that even with a thorough knowledge of the basics of professional business communication, it is not always possible to avoid some mistakes. After all, etiquette standards should not be applied mechanically. For each specific situation, they are subject to some adjustment. And this can be done with professional tact. Only it will protect the employee from errors.

Let's consider how the head of a company should behave during a business conversation. When greeting its participants, you need to greet them politely, shaking everyone’s hand (without squeezing it too tightly). Before starting the conversation itself, you should offer tea or coffee to your interlocutors. A similar tradition appeared not so long ago. Nevertheless, today almost everyone adheres to it. A cup of aromatic drink will allow a person to get rid of some tension and have a positive attitude towards the conversation.

Knowing the basics of business communication ethics will help prevent an unpleasant situation. If a mistake occurs during negotiations, you should apologize to your interlocutors for the inconvenience caused to them. And only after this the conversation can be continued.

Compliance with the ethical principles of business communication implies that when discussing business issues with partners, you should try to answer all their questions. In cases where, for one reason or another, it is impossible to do this directly during the conversation, you should apologize and ask for time to think, indicating a specific date.

When conducting negotiations, you need to keep a notepad and pen with you, writing down all the most important information voiced. You should not raise your voice. You need to speak clearly and clearly. The clothing style must be businesslike.

Appearance of a business man

Business ethics and business etiquette require demonstrating a high level of professionalism. This is manifested in the presentation of specific requirements to employees regarding their behavior, manners and clothing. In institutions it is customary to adhere to a restrained and strict style.

Business ethics and business etiquette are quite important for reputable organizations, so you cannot meet overly relaxed and noisy people in them. They employ people who have self-esteem, the ability to control emotions and composure. The etiquette of business communication involves conducting it professionally and informatively, in a closed form. The behavior of company employees and the way they dress speaks volumes. Based on these characteristics, one can judge the professional and intellectual qualities of a person.

Types of business communication

The main task of official communications is always to achieve a specific goal.

At the same time, work issues can be resolved using various types of business communication. Among them:

Business correspondence. This type of official communication is considered correspondence. When using it, all information is conveyed to the opponent in writing. No personal meeting is scheduled. Despite the fact that a lot of people are engaged in correspondence every day, composing business letters is a rather difficult task, because they must be prepared taking into account all the necessary requirements and sent within the current deadline. When presenting information in such a letter, it is important to adhere to the basics of the psychology of business communication and its ethical standards. The specificity of the text and its brevity are valued. It is worth keeping in mind that conducting such correspondence allows partners to draw some conclusions about each other.
Business conversation. This type of communication is the most common form of official communication. Managers of all companies must conduct conversations with staff. Such conversations should have a positive impact on the team and business development. This kind of business communication allows you to clarify some work issues, which makes it easier to complete the tasks facing the company.
Business meeting. This type of official communications allows you to increase the performance of the company. At meetings, urgent issues are resolved and the most effective interaction between employees or partners is achieved. Sometimes meetings are not held with the boss and his subordinates. Sometimes only heads of departments or organizations get together to discuss current problems.
Public speaking. This type of business communication is necessary to convey to listeners any information of a presentational or informational nature. And here special requirements are placed on the speaker. He must understand the subject of his report. The text he pronounces must be logical and clear. Self-confidence is equally important.
Business meeting. This type of communication is considered an integral part of doing business. Negotiations allow you to quickly eliminate any problems that have arisen, set goals and objectives, take into account the opinions of your interlocutors and draw the right conclusions. They are usually held between the heads of various enterprises. Each of them demonstrates their position during business negotiations. In this case, the parties must come to a common decision in order to satisfy the interests of all partners.

Basic rules of business etiquette

The degree of formality depends on the status of the delegation. Heads of enterprises or top managers come to conclude mutually beneficial agreements. In this case, a pre-drawn protocol is observed, which all participants must be familiar with. Even with a good knowledge of English, which is practically recognized as an international language, the presence of an interpreter is necessary at the meeting.

The moment of meeting the delegation at the airport is important. You should check the weather forecast in advance and, if necessary, prepare umbrellas. If the head of the company is visiting with his wife, then it would be good form to present her with a bouquet.

During the meeting, you should not take the place reserved for the head of the enterprise. When he appears, employees should greet him by standing up.

Good form is the ability to listen patiently to all speakers. This demonstrates respect for the opinions of guests and their employees. They will be flattered if they take notes in the notebooks thoughtfully provided. This habit is useful, since it is impossible to remember everything that was said, and the main points in your notes will help restore the flow of the discussion.

The speaker should respect other people's time. The report should be short, but interesting, not allowing you to be distracted by other thoughts. The pace of speech is important. It should be average, since those who think quickly are irritated by slow speech, and those who are leisurely will not be able to keep up with what is said in a tongue twister.

It is important to maintain distance between people present. Socially acceptable is 50 cm.

Social foundations of business communications

Business communication that occurs between people is derived from their activities. It fixes the content and social orientation of various types of production relations, the importance of communication for the life of the whole society, as well as for its individual social groups and individuals.

Business communication between people is a process that is quite universal and at the same time quite diverse. It arises in a variety of fields of activity and at all levels. This must be taken into account when mastering the social foundations of business communication, knowledge of which will allow a deeper understanding of the conditions under which interaction between partners will take place.

One of the main features of such communications is that the spiritual qualities of people find their manifestation in them. All interacting partners are subjects of interpersonal business relationships. They represent people of different ages with different moral, physiological, psychological and intellectual properties. Each of them has his own strong-willed and emotional attitude, worldview, value orientations and ideological attitudes. The manifestation of any of these properties allows, to a certain extent, to reveal the spiritual world of the partner and acts as an element of the content of interpersonal spiritual interaction.

Communication between professionals

Maintaining tolerance towards each other is quite difficult. Nevertheless, each of us must understand perfectly well that all people are different, and it is necessary to perceive another person as he is.

This is also indicated by the moral and psychological foundations of professional and business communication of a teacher, who, when contacting his student, must, first of all, show tolerance. The essence of such communication comes down to the application in the learning process of principles that make it possible to create optimal prerequisites for the formation of personal self-expression in children and for teaching a culture of dignity, while eliminating the factor of fear of an erroneous answer. Tolerance in the 21st century is one of the ways to create harmonious relationships that allow a person to more easily integrate into society.

Pedagogical communication with students should, first of all, be productive. Its main goal is the spiritual enrichment of both parties. That is, both the teacher and his student. But obtaining positive results is only possible if the teacher demonstrates:

respect for the child’s spiritual world;
interest in what the student considers valuable;
respect for the individuality of the student with all the qualities inherent in his personality.

Business communication of a teacher must adhere to the following principles:

non-violence (giving the student the right to be as he is);
respect for the child’s work of learning;
respect for the tears and failures of the pupil;
unconditional love for the child;
respect for the student’s identity;
compromise;
relying on the child’s positive character traits.

Business communication: ethics and features of business communication

Ethics of business communication is a list of rules that help a person show himself to be cultured and educated in a business environment. Its basics are:

Psychology of communication, management;
Organization of labor activity;
Ethics of conduct.

What is important? Culture and nationality of the opponent. By taking into account the traditions and morals inherent in people of a certain nationality, it is possible to show due respect for the interlocutor and win him over. In this case, you need to be able to:

Listen to the interlocutor;
Competently conduct and direct the conversation;
Create an atmosphere favorable for communication.

The following skills contribute to this:

Ability to clearly formulate thoughts;
Correct analysis of the interlocutor’s words;
Correct argumentation of your own opinion;
Ability to critically evaluate proposals and statements.

Whatever the position, you need to be able to communicate with different people. This helps strengthen your own skills and abilities. Communication between business people can then be called ethical when all parties benefit. If one of the parties loses or is damaged, then in this case we are talking about an unethical approach that has no prospects for organizing further interaction.

Business communication has a number of characteristics that are commonly called features. These include:

The importance of reputation;
Specificity, clarity;
Mutually beneficial cooperation.

The importance of reputation is one of the main characteristics of successful business dialogue. Reputation is important for a businessman. Its loss means the actual loss of its activities. A name developed over the years is a guarantee, the basis of success. Therefore, reputation is a value for any self-respecting leader or businessman.

Specificity and clarity are an important component of communication between business people. Every leader is required to accurately set goals and determine their significance. Then it is possible to move forward, the professional development that is required for successful activities. A clearly defined specific goal contributes to:

Building constructive positions;
Rapid self-organization, formation of a sense of responsibility.

Professional business communication is characterized by mutual benefit of cooperation . This is the goal that a successful businessman strives for. If he competently builds cooperation with business opponents, then he always manages to make sure that all parties win. A wise business man will not be content to satisfy only his own interests. It is important for him that his opponents are satisfied with the result of cooperation.

Healthcare sector

As an example of professional communications, let’s consider the basics of business communication in the work of a medical registrar. This person has to communicate with people seeking help. That is why it is so important that this specialist work as competently as possible. He should remember that any negotiation is a dialogue. When they switch to a monologue (on one side or the other), there can be no talk of any productive cooperation. And for this, the medical registrar needs to have the ability to listen, asking the right questions in a timely manner. They should not lead the conversation astray and will allow you to clarify the topic under discussion as much as possible.

In order to begin effectively listening to a visitor, the medical receptionist will need:

Stop talking. After all, it is simply impossible to give a speech and listen at the same time. The speaker should be helped to relax so that the person has a feeling of freedom.
Show the visitor your willingness to listen to him. In this case, you need to act with the utmost interest. When listening to a person, you need to try to understand him, and not try to look for reasons to object.
Eliminate irritating moments. To do this, you will need to stop tapping on the table, shifting papers, and not be distracted by phone calls.
Empathize with the speaker and try to put yourself in his position.
Be patient. At the same time, there is no need to try to save time and interrupt the person.
Contain your own emotions. If a person is angry, he will most likely begin to give words the wrong meaning.
Avoid criticism and controversy. Otherwise, the speaker will become defensive and simply fall silent.
To ask questions. They will reassure the visitor, as he will understand that he is being listened to. Moreover, it is necessary to ask questions during 30% of the conversation.

As we see, the nature and content of business communication in each field of activity has its own characteristics. All of them are studied by specialists working in the fields of philosophy, ethics, sociology and psychology. It is no coincidence that a discipline appeared in the program for university students, which is called “Business Communication”. It allows us to consider ethical and psychological, and to be more precise, organizational and moral problems of official communications. There are also textbooks for this discipline. One of them was written by A.S. Kovalchuk. This manual talks about the basics of business communication in a very accessible way.

The book identifies the conditions and factors for optimal work aimed at creating a charming image. Also in this work, which is called “Fundamentals of Imageology and Business Communication,” the author examines the possibilities of using the results of such activities. In addition to university students, such a manual may well be of interest to people who are looking for a path to self-expression, as well as representatives of professions whose success depends on the realization of creative abilities.