The Art of Successful Business Communication (Iet Management of Technology)

Contents......Page 8
Preface......Page 14
1.1 A common thread......Page 16
1.3 The management dimension......Page 17
1.4.1 Negative effects......Page 18
1.4.2 Positive impact......Page 19
1.5.3 The messenger......Page 21
1.6 Seeking after excellence......Page 22
1.7 Summary......Page 23
2 What makes for effective communication......Page 26
2.1.1 Inherent problems......Page 27
2.2.1 The ‚What about me?™ factor......Page 29
2.2.3 The ‚I can relate to that™ factor......Page 30
2.3 Positioning your communication......Page 31
2.4 Projecting the right impression......Page 32
2.5 Amplifying communications......Page 33
2.6 Summary......Page 35
3.2 Listening......Page 36
3.3 Preparation: a moment's thought......Page 37
3.4 Setting objectives......Page 38
3.6 Putting it together......Page 39
3.6.3 Stage 3: Arranging......Page 40
3.6.6 Stage 6: A final check......Page 41
3.7 Summary......Page 42
4.1 The logistics......Page 44
4.2.1 Others™ feelings......Page 45
4.2.2 What others want......Page 46
4.2.3 How decisions are made......Page 47
4.3 The thinking involved......Page 48
4.4 Your manner......Page 49
4.5 Making a persuasive case......Page 50
4.5.2 Finding out......Page 51
4.5.3 The power of persuasion......Page 52
4.7 Securing agreement......Page 55
4.9 Options for handling......Page 56
4.10 Excuses......Page 57
4.12 What next? - follow-up action......Page 58
4.13 Summary......Page 59
5.1 They have their uses......Page 60
5.3 Before meetings take place......Page 61
5.3.1 The agenda......Page 62
5.4 The role of leading a meeting......Page 63
5.4.1 The meeting leader™s responsibilities......Page 64
5.4.2 The conduct of the meeting......Page 65
5.5 The individual attendee's responsibility......Page 68
5.5.1 Maximizing the effectiveness of individual participation......Page 69
5.5.2 Well-handled discussion......Page 70
5.6.1 Are minutes necessary?......Page 71
5.7 Summary......Page 72
6.1 The importance of presentations......Page 74
6.3 The hazards of being 'on your feet'......Page 75
6.4.3 Not knowing what to do with your hands......Page 76
6.4.10 Misjudging the timing......Page 77
6.5 Preparing to present......Page 78
6.5.1 Do not try to read verbatim......Page 79
6.5.5 How you see the audience......Page 80
6.5.6 Before you speak......Page 81
6.6.1 The beginning......Page 82
6.6.2 The middle......Page 84
6.6.3 The end......Page 87
6.7 Speaker's notes......Page 88
6.7.1 The format of notes......Page 89
6.8.1 The most important visual aid......Page 91
6.8.3 Using an overhead projector......Page 92
6.8.4 Beware gremlins......Page 93
6.9 Summary......Page 94
7.1 A means to an end......Page 96
7.3 A special form of communication......Page 97
7.5 The nature of negotiation......Page 98
7.6.2 Time......Page 99
7.7 A constructive process......Page 100
7.8 The process of making the right deal......Page 101
7.9 First things first......Page 102
7.10 The core element......Page 103
7.12 The tactics of negotiating: key techniques......Page 105
7.13 Interpersonal behaviour......Page 107
7.14.1 Questioning......Page 108
7.14.2 Listening......Page 109
7.15.1 Checklist 1: Summarizing the principles......Page 110
7.15.2 Checklist 2: Summarizing the tactics......Page 111
7.16 Summary......Page 112
8.1 The nature of voice-only communication......Page 114
8.2 An inherent fragility......Page 115
8.4 The switchboard......Page 116
8.5 Taking a call......Page 118
8.6.2 External image......Page 120
8.8 Making the voice work for you......Page 121
8.10.1 Speak slightly more slowly than normal......Page 122
8.10.5 Ensure clarity......Page 123
8.10.9 Be descriptive......Page 124
8.11 Use of language......Page 125
8.13 Creating a dialogue......Page 126
8.15 Summary......Page 127
9.1 A fragile process......Page 128
9.3 What makes good business writing?......Page 129
9.3.1 Serious, and very serious......Page 130
9.4.2 Reader preference......Page 131
9.4.3 The readers' perspective
......Page 132
9.6.1 The rewards of excellence......Page 133
9.8 Summary......Page 134
10.1.1 Understandable......Page 136
10.1.4 Natural......Page 138
10.2 Readers' dislikes......Page 139
10.4 The use of language......Page 140
10.5 Making language work for you......Page 141
10.6.1 Blandness......Page 142
10.6.3 Language of 'fashion'
......Page 143
10.7 Following the rules......Page 144
10.8 Personal style......Page 145
10.9 Summary......Page 146
11.2.1 Example......Page 148
11.3 Letters with specific intention......Page 149
11.3.1 Example......Page 150
11.4 Reports......Page 152
11.5 Formats demanding special approaches......Page 153
11.6 Summary......Page 154
12.1 Email versus snail mail......Page 156
12.3 Some basic guidelines......Page 157
12.4 Time-wasting emails......Page 160
12.6 Viruses......Page 161
12.7 'Email-speak' - the role of language......Page 162
12.9 Attachments......Page 163
12.11 Staying organized......Page 164
12.12 Summary......Page 165
13.2 Action to help......Page 168
13.3.1 Graphs and charts......Page 169
13.4 Language......Page 173
13.5 Summary......Page 175
Afterword......Page 176
Index......Page 178