Business communication culture: general characteristics and specific features

A significant portion of the time in the schedules of organizational leaders, as well as employees whose activities include regulating the work of personnel, is spent on business conversations. These could be meetings, conferences, approvals and other formats of communication regarding production issues. Since the quality of such negotiations directly affects the efficiency and success of the company, it is necessary to comply with certain norms and rules that determine the culture of business communication and etiquette. The ability to adequately and correctly conduct a conversation is a key factor contributing to personal success in business. However, despite the obviousness of the elementary rules of behavior in society, the sphere of business relations still presupposes its own communication features, knowledge of which significantly increases the value of both a modest clerk and a major manager.

The concept of culture and ethics in business communication

The business world is quite strict in its definitions and by its nature excludes any inaccuracies and vague formulations. And yet, the norms of communicative interaction are the side of business where ethical principles prevail. In general terms, these aspects are reflected by the culture of business communication, the concept of which can be defined as a set of norms of moral behavior. Based on the developed principles of culturally appropriate behavior, the style of relationships between people in work processes is regulated.

In business culture, it is important to distinguish between two categories of norms – value and mental. The first group represents a certain set of traditions and defines the ethical component in the business environment. The value aspects of cultural regulation in business communication can also act as stereotypes, habitual behavior or current stylistic forms of corporate behavior. In contrast to the layer of values ​​that lays the foundation for cultural business communication, the base of mental factors is more effective for application. Such principles for regulating communication norms are developed as a response to a request to improve the quality of the business process.

That is, if traditional or customary norms become ineffective or completely inhibit the development of the organization, the mental foundations of a business communication culture are introduced, which allow them to more effectively cope with production situations. In modern countries where the level of economic development is above average, the principles of business culture are based on ethical soundness, an orientation towards freedom of creativity, interaction and independence.

Culture in business communication can also be represented as an element of the general moral development of a specialist who knows how to communicate productively and conflict-free with colleagues and partners, as well as create a favorable and friendly atmosphere.

Among entrepreneurs, etiquette and the culture of business communication are closely intertwined. The concept of ethics is often heard in the context of defining culture in a particular area. As a way of certain systematization, ethical standards help in regulating business relationships. Ethics in the business world is a set of moral rules that determine the behavior of managers and employees in production activities.

Although a significant proportion of the ethical rules adopted by the business world can be classified as generally accepted, there are also special cases of rules developed specifically as a means of regulating work relationships. By and large, etiquette and culture of business communication are based on mutual respect for economic and reputational interests between partners and colleagues. Moreover, the ethical laws of business require respect and consideration of the interests of competitors. This means that the company should not use techniques that go beyond the competitive market.

Formation of cultural communication skills

The problems of forming and developing business communication skills, which provide for a sufficient level of culture and etiquette, are associated with the organization of processes for mastering knowledge in this area. In addition, the professional tasks of employees are becoming more complicated, which necessitates non-standard approaches to the style of negotiations, speeches, etc. For the most part, organizations are not able to ensure the building of correct business relationships and successful teamwork. In turn, employees sometimes only have a basic understanding of speech etiquette.

Behavioral experience, which is acquired through special methods, is also of great importance. In modern companies, the formation of a culture of business communication occurs in the process of developing practical skills among team members. To achieve this, managers are working in the following areas:

• Organization of business communication games.
• Conducting training sessions that include democratic behavior.
• Trainings on conflict management with modeling of not only professional patterns of behavior, but also interpersonal ones.
• Individual, subgroup and collective development of practical skills that will allow you to work harmoniously in a team.

The use of training tools makes it possible to establish the process of forming a culture through practical training of behavioral skills in different situations. At the same time, not only a culture of business communication is developed on the professional side, but also personal development and self-knowledge occurs. From the point of view of benefits for the organization, this means higher employee dedication, focus on results and interest in the success of the company.

What is business communication?

Business communication is the kind of communication where people discuss specific issues, try to achieve their goals and interact, which is related to the main areas of their work activities in compliance with certain norms, rules and other areas of etiquette. Business communication is one of the types of communication between people, which is intended exclusively in business circles.

A subject or several subjects try to achieve their goals through agreements with other people who can give them what they need. Here, each party observes certain frameworks and norms in order to show their competence and efficiency.

If a person demonstrates business communication skills, then they are taken more seriously. Professionalism is manifested through a person’s ability to communicate in the right slang.

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Rhetorical principles and culture of behavior

When considering the means of communication in the business sphere, it is impossible not to touch upon the aspect of the effectiveness of the communicative impact on the listener. Still, the success of a specialist in business is largely determined by his ability to clearly, objectively and understandably convey his position. To do this, many use rhetorical techniques of business communication and rules of cultural behavior in a single complex. The effectiveness of negotiations using such means of communication, coupled with adherence to etiquette and good manners, is more likely to create a positive image for both the employee and the entire company. Rhetoric provides several psychological and didactic principles of influence that are used during speeches, interviews, conferences and presentations - these are associativity, accessibility, intensity and expressiveness.

The means of associativity are designed to evoke empathy in listeners and encourage them to think, starting from rational and emotional memory. Achieving this effect is achieved through such techniques as imagery, analogies, references to precedents, etc. Accessibility is a particularly important principle, due to which the speaker can be understood by colleagues and partners with different cultural and educational backgrounds. Accessibility can be increased by communicating obscure and original information in combination with diverse information. Means that increase expressiveness should be used by those who have a highly developed culture of business communication and communicative experience, otherwise you can get the opposite effect of unwanted theatricality. Expressiveness helps a person to emotionally and at the same time sincerely express his attitude towards the topic. Intensity in business communication is, as a rule, the ability to present information at a certain pace in the most complete and accessible way, taking into account the readiness of listeners to perceive it.

Psychological component in business communication

Psychology in the culture of business conversation allows us to determine patterns in the mental state of interlocutors and, in accordance with its characteristics, be able to create a favorable climate for negotiations. A person with psychological knowledge can defend himself against a partner’s incorrect behavior, use ways to defuse negative emotions, refute opponents’ arguments in a gentle manner, and calmly listen to criticism. The psychological culture of business communication is of particular importance in resolving conflict situations, since they often reveal the characteristics of different psychological types.

Among the techniques and methods of psychological behavioral culture in the process of a business conversation, the following can be distinguished:

• Forming a good opinion of yourself (or the company).
• Creating a psychologically favorable environment.
• Listening to the interlocutor and understanding his motives.
• Determining the partner’s internal state (by manners and voice).
• Neutralization of comments during a conversation.
• Ways to protect yourself from inappropriate behavior.
• Techniques for conducting conflict-free conversation.
• Self-calming technique.

Psychological culture of business conversation

oh climate. 1.1. Creating a favorable psychological climate.

In order to win over your interlocutor or negotiating partner, under no circumstances should you strive to achieve unilateral benefits for yourself. Having noticed the possibility of a “good outcome”, it is recommended to even tell your partner about it. Anyone who seeks too much benefit for himself risks falling into the category of uninteresting partners for subsequent negotiations. Therefore, first of all, you need to interest your partner in your offer. You need to conduct the conversation in such a way that your partner himself expresses what you would like to hear from him. To do this, you need to take his point of view and try to see things from his point of view.

There are several effective techniques developed by a major specialist in the field of human communication, D. Carnegie, which allow you to quickly win over your partner at the very beginning of a business conversation and, if necessary, painlessly persuade him to your point of view.

The essence of the first method is that at the very beginning of the conversation, in separate phrases, as if in passing, you should begin to instill in your partner an awareness of either his own importance or the authority of the company he represents. But this must be done sincerely, and not be fooled by cheap compliments. And then his favor towards you will be ensured.

There is no need to explain the effectiveness of this technique. The fact is that the deepest desire inherent in human nature is the desire to be significant. Every person passionately strives to be appreciated. This is one of the most important laws of human behavior.

Indeed, almost every person you meet considers himself superior to you in some way, and you will find the right way to his heart if you subtly let him know that you recognize his importance and acknowledge it sincerely.

Thus, in order to become a good conversationalist and immediately win the favor of a business partner, it is necessary first of all to instill in him a consciousness of his own importance.

During a business conversation, it is very important to show exceptional attention to your partner. This is one of the most important secrets of success in business relationships.

Remember that the person you are talking to is a hundred times more interested in himself, his needs and his problems than you and your problems. This is a must remember when entering into a business conversation. Therefore, talk about what your partner is interested in or what he knows well.

Ask questions that your partner will enjoy answering. Encourage him to talk about his company's achievements as well. Encourage others to talk about themselves.

D. Carnegie argued that all people love their names. In business communication, it is very important to address a person by name as casually as possible, making it clear that his name means a lot to us. He recommended writing down the names of all the people with whom you have business contacts in a special book and reviewing it regularly (for example, before going to bed). Then, having accidentally met an old acquaintance, greeted him and addressed him by name, you will not only give him pleasure, surprise him with your memory, but also receive an advance of trust for future cooperation.

In order to acquire the skills of quickly and firmly memorizing the names of partners and events and facts important for a business conversation, you should know, at least in the most general terms, the essence of the memorization process, the basic laws of which were very clearly formulated by D. Carnegie. In his opinion, there are three such laws: impressions, repetitions, associations.

During negotiations, it can be very difficult to defend your point of view. But in no way can this be done through a dispute, since, as is known, in nine cases out of ten, a dispute ends with each of its participants becoming even more convinced of their own rightness than before.

If you are in danger of a clash of views, then it is wiser to get ahead of your opponent by taking the initiative. It is much more profitable to subject yourself to self-criticism than to listen to accusations from others. Remember the offensive (for yourself) words that are appropriate for this case, which a heated opponent may say to you. But say them before he does. By doing this you will cut the ground from under his feet.

Indeed, all people want to establish themselves in the consciousness of their significance, and therefore, when you claim that your partner is absolutely right and you are wrong (and you do it immediately and sincerely), this will flatter your opponent’s pride and he himself will begin to mitigate your guilt. The essence of this situation is that you take your partner’s side, and he takes yours.

Only a fool tries to justify his mistakes and failures. A smart person, if he is wrong, always admits it quickly and decisively, remembering the saying: “You will never achieve much by fighting, but with the help of concessions you can get more than you expect.”

The conclusion from this in a more generalized form is as follows. If you are right, then try to convince your partner politely and tactfully. If you make a mistake (which happens surprisingly often), then immediately admit your mistakes, admit them quickly and willingly.

In business communication, two types of attitude towards the world around us can be distinguished: positive and negative. Positive thinking most of all contributes to the creation of a favorable psychological climate in any conversation and in the process of conducting any commercial negotiations.

In fact, the maximum gain from negative thinking is zero. You'll benefit more if you "stop looking for sunspots." You will achieve more if you use your mind to solve problems instead of lamenting their existence.

Numerous psychological studies have identified factors that provide any person with good psychological well-being. Briefly, the results of these studies can be formulated as follows: if you want your interlocutor (or partner, or client) to be in a good mood, you just need to:

- smile;

- look the client in the eyes;

- focus all your attention on it;

— establish positive contact with him using facial expressions and gestures;

- speak at the same speed and in the same voice register as your interlocutor;

- speak positively about the personality of the interlocutor, his actions and position, or show that you treat him with sympathy and respect as a person, regardless of his age, gender and social status;

— show that you respect your colleagues and your company;

- show by your behavior, facial expressions and gestures that you are a friendly person, enjoying life, who is in harmony with himself and others;

- behave calmly and at ease;

- look neat and rested.

1.2.Creating a good impression of yourself

In order to make a good impression of yourself during a business conversation, you must remember to comply with the generally accepted rules of conduct in such a matter. Their essence in the most general form lies in the set of recommendations given below.

First of all, you need to behave naturally. The best way to ruin your first impression of yourself is to act tense and awkward. But increased looseness, and especially familiarity, is also not good. You should also not pretend to be a very serious person, busy with important matters. Those around this false behavior are very quickly recognized.

To make a good first impression, you also need to get your bearings as quickly as possible in the environment and people around you. This leads to the formation of fairly stable impressions that do not disappear for a long time.

Further techniques for creating a favorable impression on others require the following actions:

1. Constantly express genuine interest in other people. Showing this interest is the best way to make a good impression. It should, however, be remembered that the most dangerous thing is to cross the boundaries of sincerity and turn into a flatterer. This happens when, trying to make a good impression, a person begins to pursue obvious goals in his words. In this case, the falsity becomes noticeable instantly. Restraint and tact are especially important when communicating with superiors and subordinates.

2. Maintain moments of community. Relationships are best built on those interests and affections that are common, i.e. unite.

3. Express sincere approval. All people love to be praised. In all situations, you need to find something to praise your interlocutor for - knowledge, skills, appearance, the state of the office or home, the personal qualities of relatives or friends. First of all, notice everything that you like about people and their behavior. Talk about their merits.

4. Give more compliments, i.e. words and expressions containing a slight exaggeration of a person’s positive qualities, when uttered, the psychological phenomenon of suggestion is triggered, as a result of which the person tries to “grow” into those qualities that are emphasized in the compliment.

Among the many compliments, there is a form that can evoke positive emotions even in those who are in extremely negative positions towards you. This form is called “a compliment against the backdrop of an anti-compliment to oneself.” The enhanced impact of such a compliment is due to the fact that it satisfies two needs of your interlocutor at once:

For any entrepreneur and any manager, winning over subordinates and business partners is a production necessity.

Rapport is the best type of relationship people can be in. Therefore, the concept of “rapport” is very important for making a good impression, since one of its important tasks is to create a rapport relationship with an interlocutor, partner or client. Being in a situation of rapport, people unconsciously adapt to each other.

The most effective means of creating rapport is pacing (i.e. reflection). Pacing (figuratively) means holding a mirror in front of someone. In psychology, pacing refers to any form of “reflection” of another person, i.e. creating an environment in which everything he sees, hears or feels appears to him to be right, good and “fair” from his own point of view.

Pacing means that you show the other person the aspects of your personality that are closest to them. People tend to like those who are similar to them and do not want to argue with those they like. We communicate best with people who look at the world the same way as we do, who have the same likes and dislikes. We choose our friends among the people who give to us and the signs can be criticism, contempt, ridicule, regret, distrust, ingratitude.

1.3.Listening to your interlocutor as a psychological technique

The ability to listen is one of the main indicators of culture. But this skill becomes especially important in business, since one of the most important principles of conducting business conversations and commercial negotiations is exclusive attention to the speaker. Showing him that you are an interested listener will be the greatest compliment. Listening means paying attention and interest in exchange for information and understanding.

Any interlocutor and partner will be pleased with the presence of a patient and sympathetic listener who listens silently while the partner expresses all his problems.

Listening is a difficult and stressful task, because your head is always busy with many problems and, in addition, you are tired or nervous.

If you don't listen to your partner very carefully, you miss many important points. As a result, you will not only lose precious time, but you will also irritate him and thereby complicate the further development of your relationship.

It is generally accepted that when establishing trusting contact, the main role is assigned to the speaker. But an analysis of communication shows that the listener is far from the last figure.

Psychologists' studies have found that no more than ten percent of people know how to listen to their interlocutor. Typical mistakes that are inherent in those who do not know how to listen are insufficient concentration on the essence of the conversation, subjective perception of individual facts and arguments, and irritability about what was said. To avoid this, you need to internally tune in to listen to your interlocutor, muffle your emotions in order to objectively evaluate the information received and draw appropriate conclusions based on this.

— While listening, smile more often, nod your head, look your interlocutor in the eyes and assent all the time.

— Try not to say anything while listening to your interlocutor. It is difficult to listen while talking or trying to comment on what you hear.

— Ask questions as often as possible and constantly clarify. Make sure that you clearly understand your interlocutor by addressing him with the words: “Do you want to say that...”, “Did I understand you correctly that...”.

- When listening, try to understand, and not look for inaccuracies or mistakes of the speaker. Never judge what you hear. Let the interlocutor speak out to the end.

- Try to empathize with your interlocutor. To do this, look at things through his eyes, trying to stand in his place. This is the only way to better understand the speaker and more accurately identify the meaning of his speech.

— During the listening process, be attentive and do not lose the topic of the conversation. Don't get distracted by the specific characteristics of the speaker. Just think about what he says.

— If the interlocutor is unpleasant to you, then try to restrain your emotions. If you give in to feelings of irritation or anger, you will not understand everything or will give words the wrong meaning.

- Be patient. Do not interrupt the interlocutor, do not look at your watch, do not make impatient gestures, do not look through your papers, i.e. Don’t do anything that shows your disrespect or indifference to your interlocutor.

- Always listen to your interlocutor to the end. Listening with due attention to what your interlocutor wants to tell you is not only a sign of attention to him, but also a professional necessity in business.

So, once again, as a conclusion, we emphasize: know how to listen to your interlocutor. This is often more valuable than the ability to speak. Give the other person a chance to speak first. And then speak based on what you heard.

1.4.Pose questions and answering techniques

To get an intelligible answer, you need to know the technique of asking questions. It is a well-known truth: whoever asks the right question gets the right answer. Thus, questions from your interlocutors are very useful. They allow:

— direct the process of information transfer in a direction that corresponds to your plans and wishes;

-seize and maintain the initiative in conversation;

- activate the interlocutor in order to move from a monologue to a much more effective dialogue, in terms of information transfer;

- to prove yourself to your interlocutor, show what he knows, and provide the information you need himself.

Most people are reluctant to answer direct questions for many reasons (lack of knowledge of the subject, fear of conveying incorrect information, business constraints, difficulties in presentation). Therefore, first you need to interest your interlocutor, i.e. Explain to him why it is in his best interest to answer your questions. In addition, it does not hurt to explain why you are interested in this or that fact and how you are going to use the information received from it. It must be remembered that your interlocutor is also asking himself: “Why do they want to know this? Why are they interested in this?

There are several groups of questions. Yugoslav psychologist Predgrag Micic, for example, identifies the following types of questions:

“Closed questions” are questions that can be answered with a “yes” or “no.” They lead to the creation of a tense atmosphere of conversation, since they sharply narrow the “room for maneuver” of your interlocutor. In posing such questions, there is a danger that the interlocutor gets the impression that he is being interrogated. The center of gravity of the conversation shifts in your direction, as a result of which the interlocutor is deprived of the opportunity to express his opinion.

It is recommended to ask closed questions not when you need to obtain information, but only in cases where you want to speed up obtaining consent or confirmation of a previously reached agreement.

“Open questions” are questions that cannot be answered with a “yes” or “no” and require some kind of explanation. They usually begin with the words: “what”, “who”, “how”, “how much”, “why”, “what is your opinion”.

With this type of question, you allow your interlocutor to maneuver and the conversation to move from monologue to dialogue. The interlocutor has the opportunity, without preparation, at his own discretion, to choose the information that he wants to tell you. This brings him out of his state of isolation and restraint.

Such questions are asked when you need additional information or when you want to find out the real motives and position of the interlocutor. The danger is that you can completely lose control of the conversation.

Rhetorical questions serve to delve deeper into issues. These questions are not given direct answers, as their purpose is to raise new questions and point out unresolved problems or to gain support for your position from the participants in the conversation through tacit approval. For example: “Can we consider such phenomena normal?”, “After all, we share the same opinion on this issue?”

Breaking points keep the conversation on track or raise new issues. They are asked in cases where you have already received sufficient information on one problem and want to switch to another, or when you have felt the resistance of your interlocutor and are trying to overcome it.

If the interlocutor answers such questions, then the answers usually reveal the vulnerabilities of his position. For example: “Do you think it is necessary...”, “How is it really happening for you...”, “How do you imagine...”

Thinking questions force the other person to reflect, think carefully, and comment on what has been said. He is given the opportunity to amend the stated position. As a result, a favorable atmosphere is created based on a common approach to the problem. Examples of such questions: “Do you think that...”, “Did I understand your message (opinion) correctly that...”

Before asking questions to those present, you need to put yourself in their place and think about what might interest them, what they would agree with and what they would not.

In conclusion, we will indicate the technique of answering questions from your interlocutors. The essence of this technique can be reduced to several fundamentally important rules. These are the rules:

1. Answer complex problematic questions if you have a thoughtful solution to this problem. If there is no such option, then it is better not to improvise, because it is very easy to get into trouble.

2. If the questioner uses negative, incorrect words or sentences in his question, then there is no need to repeat them when answering.

3. It is better not to answer provocative questions. Or turn the conversation to the questioner himself, or to the nature of the question.

4. The more emotional the question, the shorter the answer should be.

5. The more the questioner is filled with emotions, the calmer and more calmly you need to answer him.

Prepare in advance for any important conversation. If you need to learn a lot during a conversation, then write down all the most important questions in order. Set for yourself in advance:

- how I start a conversation;

- what arguments will I give;

- what objections should be expected;

- never.

1.5.Discharging negative emotions and self-calming techniques

Negative emotions, especially such as anger, aggression and irritation, take up a lot of mental strength, and therefore it is advisable to fall into such a state as little as possible, which seriously complicates entrepreneurial activity and naturally does not provide the opportunity to create a positive business image. In this regard, it makes sense to consider technical techniques and methods for their suspension. Let's look at them in the order they are listed.

1. Always separate the person and the problem. Focus on her. After all, she is more important.

2. Imagine another person in your place. How would he behave in this situation? Play the role of this person. This will help you forget about yourself and cool down your anger.

3. You can imagine such a picture. There is a glass wall between you and your partner. You see his irritated gestures, but you don't hear what he says. There will be no need to respond with a “growl.”

As you know, negative emotions have a greater impact on our hearing. Therefore, in tense situations, you should focus your attention not on negative auditory sensations, but on visually perceived objects.

The opponent who irritates you continues to say something that causes a negative emotion, and in order to isolate yourself from the effect of his speech, try to see his face - as clearly as possible, in all the details, as if you were then going to draw his portrait from memory .

You should look silently, very carefully, but not “stare”, but look at it in order to see. During this deliberate pause, when you are silent, try to see as many details of the situation around your heated opponent as possible.

Whoever your opponent is - boss or subordinate, senior or junior - your sudden, unexpected silence will certainly cause him bewilderment: his emotional tension will begin to weaken.

Consciously maintaining calm is always a manifestation of mental strength and therefore gives a huge advantage. That is why it has great impact. But for this it is necessary that your silence and consideration be without signs of hostility and irony.

1.6.Behavior with interlocutors of various psychological types

It makes sense to consider the main psychological types of interlocutors and the most appropriate tactics of communication with each of them.

A positive person . The most pleasant type of interlocutor, good-natured and hardworking. You can calmly have a conversation with such an interlocutor and sum up its results. In relation to him you need to take the following position:

— together find out and complete the consideration of individual issues;

- ensure that all other interlocutors agree with his positive approach;

- in controversial and difficult cases, seek support from interlocutors of this type.

A cantankerous person . This interlocutor often goes beyond the professional boundaries of the conversation. He is impatient, restless and agitated. You should behave towards him as follows:

— discuss controversial issues with him (if they are known) before the conversation begins;

- always remain cool;

- when possible, allow others to refute his statements, and then reject them;

- ensure that (if possible) his proposals are taken into account when making a decision;

- attract him to your side;

- talk with him during breaks and pauses in negotiations to find out the true reasons for his negative position;

- in extreme cases, insist that the conversation be suspended, and later, when the atmosphere becomes less tense, continue it;

- at the table or indoors, place it in a “dead corner”.

Know-it-all . This interlocutor thinks that he knows everything best. He has his own opinion about everything. He always demands the floor. When communicating with him, you should adhere to the following rules:

- sit him next to a positive interlocutor or with yourself;

- from time to time remind him that others also want

speak out;

- give him the opportunity to formulate intermediate conclusions;

- with minor and risky statements, give the other interlocutors the opportunity to express their point of view;

- sometimes ask him complex special questions that only you can answer.

Chatterbox. This interlocutor often interrupts the conversation tactlessly and for no apparent reason, not paying attention to the wasted time. You need to treat it like this:

- like the “know-it-all”, place him closer to a positive interlocutor or an authoritative person;

- when he starts to deviate from the topic, he needs to be tactfully stopped and asked what he sees as the connection with the subject of the conversation.

- Coward. This type of interlocutor is characterized by uncertainty in public speaking. He will willingly remain silent, afraid to say anything that, in his opinion, might look stupid. You need to deal with such an interlocutor very delicately:

— ask him simple, informative questions;

- contact him with a proposal to clarify your remark;

- help him formulate thoughts;

- resolutely suppress any attempts to ridicule him;

- address him approximately like this: “Everyone would like to hear your opinion”;

- specifically thank him for any contribution to the conversation, but this should be done tactfully.

A cold-blooded, unapproachable interlocutor. Such an interlocutor is closed, often feels outside of time and space, as well as outside the topic and situation of the conversation. All this seems unworthy of his attention and effort. What to do in this case? In any way you must:

— to interest him in sharing experiences;

- ask him something like this: “It seems you don’t quite agree with what was said just now. Surely we would all be interested to know why?”;

- during breaks and pauses in the conversation, find out the reasons for this behavior.

Uninterested interlocutor . The topic of the conversation does not interest such an interlocutor at all. He would rather “sleep through” the entire conversation. Therefore you need:

— ask him questions of an informative nature;

- give the conversation an interesting and attractive form;

- try to find out what interests him personally.

"Important Bird" Such an interlocutor cannot stand criticism - neither direct nor indirect. He behaves like a man with great self-importance. With such an interlocutor you should behave as follows:

- he should not be allowed to play the role of a guest;

- you need to quietly offer him and give him the opportunity to take an equal position with the rest of the conversation participants;

- do not allow any criticism of present or absent managers and other persons;

— it is very useful to practice the “yes-but” method in a dialogue with such a person.

Why? It seems that this interlocutor was created only to ask questions, regardless of whether they have a real basis or are far-fetched. How to deal with such an interlocutor? The following may help:

- ask all his questions related to the topic of conversation to all interlocutors, and if he is alone, then redirect the question

to himself;

— answer questions of an informational nature immediately;

- immediately admit that he is right if it is not possible to give him the desired answer.

Along with the classification of psychological types of interlocutors discussed above, there are other more detailed classifications. These include the classification of types of people encountered in work-related situations, which was proposed by the famous American sociologist and management consultant Jen Yager. Let's consider this classification, as well as the tactical methods of behavior that this scientist offers. This classification identifies the following categories of people with whom you can meet over a business breakfast, lunch or dinner, in your establishment or when working with clients and customers:

Lomaka. When meeting people of this psychological category for the first time, under no circumstances ask them to answer “yes” or “no.” Such people need to be courted for a long time before making any decision. It is better to meet with such people several times, so that some time passes between meetings, rather than trying to extract an answer right away.

For such a person, the process of courting, persuading, when he is persuaded for a long time to agree, is as important as the final decision itself. If you can overcome their indecision and give them more options to choose from, they will choose you over others.

He likes to solve everything on the fly. Such a person, in contrast to the breaker, must make a decision by the end of the meeting. If you intend to continue dealing with him, but would like to avoid making a final decision at the first meeting, make sure, using some excuse, to postpone the adoption of such a decision to another time.

Since the issue will have to be closed one way or another, you must be on guard, otherwise your partner may force you to answer “yes” or “no” to end the topic.

Show that you understand the aspirations of the interlocutor, but also let it be known that you look at the matter differently. At the same time, reassure him and confirm that a solution to the issue is not far off.

Scout. This is the kind of interlocutor who, under the guise of attention and concern for you, extracts specific information, but does not give anything in return, and if he gives out any information, it often turns out to be irrelevant to the case. He can use the facts and thoughts that you shared with him against you or transfer them to another company.

Beware of anyone who asks too many questions. If you understand that you shouldn’t give such an interlocutor too much information, simply change the topic of conversation or start taking an interest in his affairs, in turn, starting to bombard him with questions.

Mentor. This is someone who truly cares about the success of his neighbor, often even to the detriment of himself. If you can recognize such a person, you can greatly benefit yourself because the mentor will connect you with other people who will also be able to help you in your business.

How to identify such an interlocutor? The first sign is the words “but I’ll teach you,” or “I’ll give you a hint,” or “let me connect you with so-and-so,” etc.

Braggart. When talking with such a person, you will have to be patient and listen to his victories and achievements not only in the professional field, but also on the personal front. Try not to emphasize your successes: a braggart feels the precariousness of his position and strives to completely capture your attention. It is best to let such an interlocutor brag as much as he can. And when it runs out, move on to the task you have to do.

To raise the low self-esteem of a braggart, emphasize his successes and merits as much as possible, but do not do it deliberately. You can also ask his advice or ask his opinion about something not directly related to the subject of the business meeting.

Narrator. People of this psychological category strive to communicate everything down to the smallest detail, and even that which has nothing to do with the topic of the business conversation. For example, if the day before he had some particularly pleasant or sorrowful date, then he must certainly share with you everything that is connected with it.

In this case, you can simply sit back and enjoy the narrator’s narration. Show sympathy, support, do not judge him. However, you should not lose your vigilance: after all, in a conversation with others, such an interlocutor may present completely undesirable for you official or personal details of your life.

Manipulator. Such an interlocutor needs to control the situation at all costs: he is able to impose his will in everything, from the topic of conversation to the question of who should pay the bill. In fact, he is not confident in himself and cannot rely on his intuition as events unfold. Therefore, he tries to manipulate any phrase, any situation.

Such an interlocutor must be closely monitored. Maintain a calm and confident tone, because you have penetrated his simple tactics of behavior.

Drummer. This is the person whose purpose and attachment is work. So you'll probably hear that it "works like hell." Be sympathetic to him and express admiration for his dedication. Just don’t try to find out the reasons for such a one-sided view of life, because for those who are afraid of communication with people and free time, work is a hidden form of protection.

During the meeting, the drummer will constantly remind you that he does not have time to calmly talk with you, that he has to go to work, that he is in a hurry, etc., so accept any option he offers: there will be no better one. This interlocutor needs more to talk about his work than to learn about yours. So you have to be patient and listen.

An interlocutor with hidden plans. People of this category invite you on a business date under some pretext. And only if you are an insightful and attentive listener, will you to some extent guess that the true reason for the meeting was completely different. For example, if one of your colleagues invites you to lunch and at the same time discuss the report you are working on. And only when lunch is already in full swing, you suddenly realize that this hidden swindler just wants to find out something from you.

When meeting with this type, it is important to be able to switch the conversation from the underlying topic to the “stated” item on the agenda and throughout the rest of the conversation carefully monitor that the motive of the meeting does not change.

Homegrown psychologist. Such an interlocutor needs to continuously analyze everything that you say. Don't think that this concerns you alone. However, this person needs confirmation of his speculations. Therefore, you need to play along with such a home-grown psychologist by saying something like this: “How insightful you are, and I didn’t even think about it” or “How subtly you look at things! You would make a real psychologist.”

Conclusion

The psychological culture of a business conversation is the unity of knowledge that reflects the patterns of mental activity of interlocutors and the ability to apply this knowledge in specific business situations, which allows you to create a favorable psychological climate for a business conversation and the process of commercial negotiations, make a good impression of yourself, use techniques for discharging negative emotions and self-soothing , defend yourself from incorrect interlocutors and partners, pose and answer questions, refute your opponent’s arguments and listen to him skillfully, as well as use the technique of conflict-free communication with interlocutors of various psychological types.

Literature

Borozdina “Psychology of business communication” Moscow 2002.

Korneg “How to develop self-confidence” Moscow 1990

Speech culture

First of all, the culture of conducting a business conversation implies the ability to competently use literary language and choose appropriate rhetorical techniques depending on the situation. Speech culture includes communicative, normative and ethical aspects.

The normative factor presupposes the correctness of speech in compliance with the rules of the literary language. The concept of a language norm is a key factor that determines the speech culture of business communication in negotiation processes. The communicative aspect is a skill that allows you to use language during communication. The ethical component, in turn, is associated with the ability to use the rules of speech behavior depending on the situation. These rules may change, since among partners and colleagues there may be people with different moral and ethical guidelines.

Of particular importance for the success of negotiations is the communicative culture in business communication, determined by the rules of speech etiquette as a system of signs that people exchange during the negotiation process. Verbal speech etiquette provides behavioral culture and can constitute both a general set of communication stereotypes and a narrow niche within the framework of making requests, greetings, attracting attention, etc.

Types of business communication

Business communication occurs at many levels and through various channels, which is why there are several types of it:

1. Verbal – when partners convey their ideas verbally.
2. Nonverbal – when partners read each other’s gestures, facial expressions, and postures in order to understand the truth of what was said to them.
3. Direct – when partners communicate in close proximity. This happens, for example, during a personal meeting.
4. Indirect - when a business proposal is conveyed in writing, which also requires knowledge of writing an official letter.

Depending on how business communication takes place, its forms are distinguished:

• Business correspondence – written communication through requests, letters, statements, etc.
• Conversation - an oral discussion of exciting topics in a personal meeting.
• A meeting is a gathering of the working team to discuss pressing issues, where the main speaker is the boss.
• Negotiations – setting goals and resolving situations with persons of equal status. Opponents can put forward their demands, under which they agree to fulfill what is asked of them.
• Public speaking is a meeting where a leader gives specific information on a specific topic. Here, workers usually remain silent and receive information, only asking additional and clarifying questions at the end of the discussion.
• A press conference is an oral presentation by one person, who is listened to and asked questions by members of his team, journalists, etc.
• Dispute – when irreconcilable views or differences arise between opponents that now need to be resolved.

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Culture in a telephone conversation

A telephone conversation is a form of conversation within strict boundaries, which often leads to mistakes in business etiquette. On the other hand, the limited format has its advantages, one of which is the ability to model typical situations and ways to overcome them. For example, the rules of business communication culture in a telephone conversation can be reflected in several common examples of behavior:

• You cannot call your partner’s home number without prior approval.
• The optimal time frame for a possible call can be determined as follows: from 8 am to 11 pm.
• If the call is not answered, do not hang up immediately.
• If the connection is interrupted, the call initiator must resume it.
• You should not speak loudly unless the interlocutor asks for it due to poor hearing.
• The conversation should be short and to the point.
• You need to answer calls as quickly as possible, otherwise the interlocutor will think that the conversation is not of interest to your partner.
• It is undesirable to move away from the phone during a conversation, but if this is necessary, then you should warn the interlocutor in advance.

Also, do not forget that the generally accepted principles of business communication culture require a positive and at the same time meaningful greeting and conclusion of the conversation with a possible summary.

Business ethics in Russia

Russia has its own peculiarities of business ethics , taking into account the fact that domestic businessmen doing business at the international level still comply with generally accepted ethical standards in the world. These features include the following:

• As practice shows, communication in the Russian business sphere begins with a sincere greeting and an obligatory handshake. It is customary for us to address the interlocutor by his first name and patronymic;
• If all over the world the communication of business people is accompanied by a calm voice, then in Russia a slight increase in tone, gestures and even sharp intonations are acceptable;
• Abroad, a sign of respect is considered to be the call: “How are you?” A Russian, even if he is a business person, for some reason decides when asked such a question that he needs to be told about everything that concerns the state of his affairs;
• In Russia, business people practically do not smile, which is strange when compared with the behavior of business foreigners;
• Russian businessmen often communicate at close range, which should not be done when communicating with foreign partners. Foreigners may consider this behavior familiar;
• Only in recent years have business Russians begun to be more scrupulous about their appearance. But all over the world it has long been customary to follow certain standards of business etiquette, which determine what a businessman should look like;
• Business people from Russia, when communicating with foreign partners, may speak incorrectly and incomprehensibly, which is absolutely forbidden to do if very important business issues are clarified during the same negotiations.

Nonverbal culture in business communication

It happens that words, as such, in business negotiations do not correspond to the true attitude of the authors to the topic. Also, experienced partners may suspect the interlocutor’s insincerity, which affects decision-making. Non-verbal communication, that is, body language and gestures, allows us to eliminate this possibility and identify hidden motives. For example, by facial expressions you can determine the internal state of the interlocutor, his possible thoughts and messages. In this regard, the culture of business communication in an organization may also include non-verbal means of communication, which make it possible to establish trusting contact with a partner.

The ability to understand body language also allows you to anticipate the possible reaction of your interlocutor even before he verbally expresses his attitude to the received information. Accordingly, even in the process of conveying it, in parallel with the wordless language, it is possible to adjust positions in a certain direction.

It is generally accepted that nonverbal communication is accessible to every person, regardless of his cultural level and education. In reality this is not the case. Different people have different stock of gestures, and the higher the communication culture of a business person, the richer the opportunities for wordless communication. In negotiations, nonverbal language will allow you to express a skeptical attitude towards a proposal, emphasize dominant aspects, hide dissatisfaction with criticism, and much more, which will have no less a strong effect on the interlocutor than direct expression in words.

Features of business communication

A feature of business communication is regulation, that is, the presence of certain frameworks, norms, guidelines that must be observed by absolutely any person. There are norms and instructions:

1. Norms are rules that apply between interlocutors of the same status level.
2. Instructions are vertical communication, when a person of higher status can give instructions and recommendations to an individual of lower status.

Absolutely all people who are in business relationships must follow the regulations. The following rules are followed here:

1. Getting to know your opponent in order to understand his purpose of visit, name, etc.
2. Understanding the essence of the meeting when the interlocutor talks about why he contacted you.
3. Discussion of an issue where you express your opinion.
4. Resolution of the issue, if possible.
5. Ending the contact, that is, saying goodbye to the interlocutor.

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Conflict resolution

Conflict situations in the business sphere are not uncommon, and their consequences can be quite serious. In this regard, various means and ways to resolve them are used. Today, there are 5 basic concepts that determine behavior in conflict situations:

• Ignoring the actions of the other party.
• Adaptation to partners' conditions.
• Searching for a new format for cooperation.
• Finding a compromise.
• Competitive fight.

The choice of behavior style in a particular situation is determined by the specific interests of the participants in the conflict. The competitive style is most often chosen by people who have sufficient authority, will, and broad powers and are not very interested in partnering with the opposite side. This tactic can be used if the outcome of the conflict does not have a major impact on the interests of the organization. But it is important to remember that the ethics and culture of business communication still require compliance with certain laws of competition. That is, even with the obvious advantage of a large company over a small company, the manager who will seek a compromise resolution of the conflict, acting in the interests of the partner, will win. Even if you have to sacrifice your interests, in the future the reputational dividends will be able to cover the lost profits at the moment.

Standards of behavior for a leader

The practice of developing a business style of interaction within organizations has made it possible to develop the most effective norms of behavior for managers and subordinates. Thus, for managers, the following examples of a reference management style can be given:

• Work on uniting a team whose members have moral and ethical communication skills.
• Involving employees in the company’s tasks, which will allow them to feel more comfortable both morally and psychologically. This usually occurs in the process of identifying an employee with the team.
• All comments to employees should be made in full accordance with the rules that prescribe the ethics and culture of business communication within organizations.
• When conflicts arise, the manager must find out all the reasons. If the problem arose due to dishonesty or inappropriate behavior of a certain employee, then the boss’s task will be to help the subordinate change his behavior style.
• You should not give recommendations to subordinates in matters that go beyond the scope of professional duties.

Business communication styles

Business communication is used by all people who work. Communication between a boss and subordinates, communication between business partners, even a conversation between a client and a company employee requires compliance with business style. It in turn is divided into:

1. Manipulative style - when a partner treats the interlocutor as a tool to achieve his goal.
2. Ritual style - when partners observe certain rituals when communicating with each other to create the desired atmosphere and image.
3. Humanistic style – when partners try to understand and support each other in order to solve the situation together.

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Standards of behavior for a subordinate

An adequate and correct attitude towards the manager is also the key to an employee’s successful and effective professional activity. In this case, the culture of business communication is also based on the moral requirements that the manager makes of his subordinates.

Principles of employee behavior in relation to the manager:

• Contribute to and assist management in creating a benevolent moral climate within the organization.
• You should not try to impose your opinion on your boss - all comments and suggestions should be expressed extremely tactfully and politely.
• If any event that is significant for the team, sad or joyful, is planned, the manager should be notified about it.
• A categorical tone in a conversation with a manager is excluded. Moreover, the communicative culture in business communication also requires bosses to avoid a rigid style in conversation even with subordinates.
• The desire to please, as well as excessive flattery, do not contribute to improving relations with superiors and the team. Such an employee is perceived as a sycophant and a person not worthy of respect.

There are many controversial and ambiguous situations where it is not easy to choose a specific relationship style. For example, difficulties may arise in communication between colleagues from different departments who occupy positions of different status in the organization. In such situations, it is worthwhile to be guided by a simple ethical principle, which instructs a person to treat others the way he wants to be treated.