Communication
the act or process of using words, sounds, signs, or behaviors to express or exchange information or to express your ideas,
thoughts, feelings, etc., to someone else
3 parts to Communication:
• Sender
• Message
• Recipient
The sender ‘encodes’ the message - usually in a mixture of words and non-verbal communication.
It is transmitted in some way (e.g. - by speech or writing), and the recipient ‘decodes’ it.
Recipients can be one / more thus the complexity of communication means that each one may receive a slightly different
message e.g., 2 people may read very different meanings into the choice of words and/or body language.
It is also possible that neither of them will have quite the same understanding as the sender.
In face-to-face communication, the roles of the sender and recipient are not distinct.
The two roles will alternate back and forth between two people talking.
Both parties communicate with each other, even if in very subtle ways such as through eye-contact (or lack of) and general
body language. In written communication, however, the sender and recipient are more distinct.

The Skilled Communicator
Communication Skills: Definitions and Examples
Communication skills allow you to understand and be understood by others. These can
include but are not limited to effectively communicating ideas to others, actively listening
in conversations, giving and receiving critical feedback and public speaking.
What are communication skills?
Communication skills are abilities you use when giving and receiving different kinds of
information.
E.g., include communicating ideas, feelings or what’s happening around you.
Communication skills involve listening, speaking, observing and empathizing. It is also
helpful to understand the differences in how to communicate through face-to-face
interactions, phone conversations and digital communications, like email and social media.

The Skilled Communicator: e.g. Communication skills
There are different types of communication skills you can learn and practice to help you become an
effective communicator. Many of these skills work together, making it important to practice
communication skills in different contexts whenever possible.
Active listening
Active listening means paying close attention to the person who is speaking to you. People who are
active listeners are well-regarded by their coworkers because of the attention and respect they offer
others. While it seems simple, this is a skill that can be hard to develop and improve. You can be an
active listener by focusing on the speaker, avoiding distractions like cell phones, laptops or other
projects, and by preparing questions, comments or ideas to thoughtfully respond.
Adapting your communication style to your audience
Different styles of communication are appropriate in different situations. To make the best use of your
communication skills, it’s important to consider your audience and the most effective format to
communicate with them in.
For example, if you are communicating with a potential employer, it’s better to send a formal email or
call them on the phone. Depending on the situation, you may even need to send a formal, typed letter
over other forms of communication. In the workplace, you may find it’s easier to communicate complex
information in person or via a video conference than in a long, dense email.

Friendliness
In friendships, characteristics such as honesty and kindness often foster trust and understanding. Same
characteristics are important in workplace relationships.
Whilst working with others, approach your interactions with a positive attitude, keep an open mind and
ask questions to help you understand where they’re coming from. Small gestures such as asking
someone how they’re doing, smiling as they speak or offering praise for work well done help foster
productive relationships with both colleagues and managers.
Confidence
In the workplace, people are more likely to respond to ideas that are presented with confidence. There
are many ways to appear confident, including by making eye contact when you’re addressing someone,
sitting up straight with your shoulders open and preparing ahead of time so your thoughts are polished.
You’ll find confident communication comes in handy not just on the job but during the job interview
process as well.
Giving and receiving feedback
Strong communicators are able to accept critical feedback and provide constructive input to others.
Feedback should answer questions, provide solutions or help strengthen the project or topic at hand.
The Skilled Communicator: e.g. Communication skills

Volume and clarity
When you’re speaking, it’s important to be clear and audible. Adjusting your speaking voice so you can
be heard in a variety of settings is a skill, and it’s critical to communicating effectively. Speaking too
loudly may by disrespectful or awkward in certain settings.
Empathy
Having empathy means that you can understand and share the emotions of others. This
communication skill is important in both team and one-on-one settings. In both cases, you will need to
understand other people’s emotions and select an appropriate response. E.g., if someone is expressing
anger or frustration, empathy can help you acknowledge and diffuse their emotion. At the same time,
look to understand, be positive and enthusiastic.
Respect
A key aspect of respect is knowing when to initiate communication and respond - allowing others
speak without interruption is seen as a necessary communication skill tied to respectfulness.
Respectfully communicating also means using your time with someone else wisely—staying on topic,
asking clear questions and responding fully to any questions you’ve been asked.
The Skilled Communicator: e.g. Communication skills

Understanding nonverbal cues
A great deal of communication happens through nonverbal cues such as body language, facial
expressions and eye contact. When you’re listening to someone, you should be paying attention
to what they’re saying as well as their nonverbal language. By the same measure, you should be
conscious of your own body language when you’re communicating to ensure you’re sending
appropriate cues to others.
Responsiveness
Whether you’re returning a phone call or sending a reply to an email, fast communicators are
viewed as more effective than those who are slow to respond. Consider how long your response
will take: is this a request or question you can answer in the next five minutes? If so, it may be a
good idea to address it as soon as you see it.
If it’s more complex request or question, you can still acknowledge that you’ve received the
message/mail and let the other person know you will respond in full later.
The Skilled Communicator: e.g. Communication skills

Improving Communication Skills
Start by identifying your strengths and then practice and develop those areas.
Ask a close friend or colleague for constructive criticism. It can be hard to know how you are
perceived as a communicator. Get an objective opinion, ask a trusted friend for their honest feedback.
Understand your areas of improvement for communication in order to identify what to focus on.
Practice improving communication habits. Communication skills are habits you have developed over
time. Improve those skills by practicing new habits that make you a better communicator. These could
include being more responsive to communications when they are sent, reminding yourself to give eye
contact, practice giving positive feedback and ask questions in conversations.
Attend communication skills workshops or classes. There are several online and offline seminars,
workshops and classes that can help you be a better communicator. These classes may include
instruction, roleplay, written assignments and open discussions.
Seek opportunities to communicate. Seek out opportunities both on and off the job that require you
to use your newly acquired communication skills. This will help you keep good skills fresh while also
allowing you the opportunity to practice new skills.

Effective Communication in The Workplace
Be clear and concise.
Make the message as easy to consume, thus reduce the chance of being misunderstood,
speed up projects and assist in quickly understanding your goals.
Practice reducing your message down to its core meaning.
Better to give the most necessary information when trying to communicate your idea,
instruction or message.
Practice empathy.
Understanding your colleague’s feelings, ideas and goals when you communicate with them.
E.g., you might need help from other departments to get a project started.
Practicing empathy to help position your message in a way that addresses their
apprehension.

Assert Yourself.
At times, it is necessary to be assertive to reach your goals whether you are asking for a raise,
seeking project opportunities or resisting an idea you don’t think will be beneficial.
Present with confidence but be respectful.
Keep an even tone and give sound reasons for your assertions will help others be receptive to
your thoughts.
Be Calm and Consistent.
In a disagreement or conflict, do not bring emotions into your communications.
It is important to remain calm when communicating with others in the workplace.
Be aware of your body language by not crossing your arms or rolling your eyes. Maintaining
consistent body language and keeping an even tone of voice can help you reach a conclusion
peacefully and productively.
Effective Communication in The Workplace

Effective Communication in The Workplace
Use and read body language.
Body language is a key part of communications in
the workplace.
Pay close attention to the messages people are
sending with their facial expressions and
movements.
Pay close attention the way you might be
communicating (intentionally or not) with your own
body language.

Categories of Communication
The different categories of communication include:
Spoken or Verbal Communication, which includes face-to-face, telephone, radio or television and
other media.
Non-Verbal Communication, covering body language, gestures, how we dress or act, where we
stand, and even our scent.
Many subtle ways that we communicate (perhaps even unintentionally) with others.
E.g., the tone of voice can give clues to mood or emotional state, whilst hand signals or gestures can
add to a spoken message.
Written Communication: includes letters, e-mails, social media, books, magazines, the Internet and
other media. - Today, we can all write and publish our ideas online, which has led to an explosion of
information and communication possibilities.
Visualizations: graphs and charts, maps, logos and other visualizations can all communicate
messages.

The Communication Process
A message or communication is sent by the sender through a communication channel to a receiver,
or to multiple receivers.
The sender must encode/ package the message being conveyed in a form that is appropriate to the
communication channel, and the receiver(s) decode the message to understand its meaning and
significance.
Misunderstanding can occur at any stage of the communication process.
Effective communication involves minimizing potential misunderstanding and overcoming any barriers
to communication at each stage in the communication process.
An effective communicator understands their audience, chooses an appropriate communication
channel, hones the message to this channel and encodes the message to reduce misunderstanding by
the receiver(s).
They will also seek out feedback from the receiver(s) as to how the message is understood and attempt
to correct any misunderstanding or confusion as soon as possible.
Receivers can use techniques such as Clarification and Reflection as effective ways to ensure that the
message sent has been understood correctly

Decode
Encode
Encode
Decode
Channel RecipientSender
The Communication Process

Common Barriers to Effective Communication:
The use of jargon. Over-complicated, unfamiliar and/or technical terms.
Emotional barriers and taboos. Some people may find it difficult to express their emotions and some topics
may be completely 'off-limits' or taboo. Taboo or difficult topics may include, but are not limited to, politics,
religion, disabilities (mental and physical), sexuality and sex, racism and any opinion that may be seen as
unpopular.
Lack of attention, interest, distractions, or irrelevance to the receiver.
Differences in perception and viewpoint.
Physical disabilities such as hearing problems or speech difficulties.
Language and linguistic ability may act as a barrier to communication.

Physical barriers to non-verbal communication. Not being able to see the non-verbal cues, gestures, posture
and general body language can make communication less effective. Phone calls, text messages and other
communication methods that rely on technology are often less effective than face-to-face communication.
Language differences and the difficulty in understanding unfamiliar accents.
Expectations and prejudices which may lead to false assumptions or stereotyping. People often hear what
they expect to hear rather than what is actually said and jump to incorrect conclusions. Our page The Ladder of
Inference explains this in more detail.
Cultural differences. The norms of social interaction vary greatly in different cultures, as do the way in which
emotions are expressed. For example, the concept of personal space varies between cultures and between
different social settings. See our page on Intercultural Awareness for more information
Attitudinal Barriers: may result from personality conflicts, poor management, resistance to change or a lack of
motivation. To be an effective receiver of messages you should attempt to overcome your own attitudinal
barriers to to help ensure more effective communication.
Common Barriers to Effective Communication: Contd’

Other Barriers to Communication
Psychological Barriers: The psychological state of the communicators will influence how the
message is sent, received and perceived. E.g Anger, anxiety, stress
Physiological Barriers: a receiver with reduced hearing
Physical Barriers: geographic distance between the sender and receiver(s).
Systematic Barriers: may exist in structures and organisations where there are inefficient or
inappropriate information systems and communication channels, or where there is a lack of
understanding of the roles and responsibilities for communication. In such organizations,
people may be unclear of their role in the communication process and therefore not know
what is expected of them.


Listening
Skills

Listening Principles
• When somebody else is
talking listen to what they
are saying, do not
interrupt, talk over them or
finish their sentences for
them. Stop, just listen!
• When the other person has
finished talking you may
need to clarify to ensure
you have received their
message accurately.
• Focus on the speaker.
• Clear your mind - The
human mind is easily
distracted by other thoughts
– what’s for lunch, what time
do I need to leave to catch
my train, is it going to rain –
try to put other thoughts out
of mind and concentrate on
the message being
communicated.
• Help the speaker feel free
to speak.
• Remember their needs and
concerns.
• Nod or use other gestures or
words to encourage them to
continue.
• Maintain eye contact but
don’t stare – show you are
listening and understanding
what is being said.
Stop Talking Prepare to Listen: Ease

• Focus on what is being said.
• Don’t doodle, shuffle
papers, look out the
window, pick your
fingernails or similar.
• Avoid unnecessary
interruptions - these
behaviors' disrupt the
listening process and send
messages to the speaker
that you are bored or
distracted.
• Understand your clients
person’s point of view.-Try
perceiving from your client
perspective
• Let go of preconceived ideas
– have an open mind in
order to empathize with the
speaker… If you disagree,
then wait and construct an
argument to counter what is
said whilst, you keep an
open mind to the views and
opinions of others.
• A pause, even a long pause,
does not necessarily mean
that the speaker has
finished.
• Be patient and let the
speaker continue in their
own time, sometimes it
takes time to formulate
what to say and how to say
it.
• Never interrupt or finish a
sentence for someone.
Focus Empathize Be Patient
Listening Principles

• Try to be impartial
• Don't be irritated and don't
let the person’s habits or
mannerisms distract you
from the message. -
Everybody has a different
way of speaking –
• Focus on what is being said
and try to ignore styles of
delivery.
• Volume and tone both add
to what someone is
saying.
• A good speaker will use
both volume and tone to
their advantage to keep an
audience attentive;
everybody will use pitch,
tone and volume of voice
in certain situations – let
these help you to
understand the emphasis
of what is being said
• Get the full picture, not
just isolated bits and
pieces.
• Maybe one of the most
difficult aspects of listening
is the ability to link
together pieces of
information to reveal the
ideas of others. With
proper concentration,
letting go of distractions,
and focus this becomes
easier.
Personal Prejudice Listen to the Tone Listen for Ideas
Listening Principles

• for Non-Verbal Communication
 Gestures, facial expressions,
and eye-movements can all be
important.
 Listen with our ears & eyes –
watch and pick up the
additional information being
transmitted via non-verbal
communication.
Wait and Watch
Listening Principles

HURIER Model of Listening
…model was developed by Judi Brownell of Cornell University
H – Hearing
‘Hearing’ is used here in a very broad sense. Not only does it refer to the physical act of
hearing, but also to picking up on non-verbal and other signals; tone of voice, body language
and facial expressions, for example.
U – Understanding
Once the message has been ‘heard’, the next step is to understand. This means tying together
all the element of ‘hearing’ to create a coherent understanding of what was
communicated. Factors like language and accent may affect your understanding.
R – Remembering
Remembering requires focus. An effective listener needs to be able to remember the message
they are receiving in its entirety.

HURIER Model of Listening
I – Interpreting
Interpretation of the message builds on, and enhances, understanding. Interpretation
means considering factors such as the context in which the message was sent. Importantly,
here the listener also needs to be aware of, and avoid, any preconceptions or biases that
they may hold that may affect how the message is interpreted.
E – Evaluating
Evaluating requires that the listener keeps an open mind on the messages they are receiving
and doesn’t jump to conclusions about what is being said. Evaluate all the information and
only then start to formulate a response.
R – Responding
Finally, your response should be well-measured and demonstrate that you have understood
what was communicated. It may be necessary to use techniques such
as clarification and reflection as part of the response.

Improving Business Language Skills
Increase Your Vocabulary
Improving vocabulary is key to mastering specialized words used in specific
business contexts.
You can easily improve your vocabulary through training software that offers
a comprehensive range of exercises.
Learning commonly-used business idioms and abbreviations also enhances
your vocabulary.
Furthermore, you can do research on the Internet in order to find the
terminology used in the specific field that you are currently employed in.
It is important that you adopt an inquisitive approach towards learning, and
find the meaning of any business word that you are currently unfamiliar
with.
A business dictionary can prove to be particularly helpful, since you'll be
able to find the complete meanings for new terms and their relevant usage
within business communication.

Improving Business Language Skills
Read Business-Related Material
Enhance your vocabulary by reading a wide
variety of material related to your field or
business.
Reading business information and current updates
will not only allow you to remain abreast with the
recent changes in the business environment but
also allow you to keep up with any changes in
terminology.
This knowledge can prove to be essential when you
are communicating with third parties or working on
customer contracts.

Play Games
You can even learn business language by playing games like crosswords and
word search games.
games can enhance your business vocabulary & ensure the learning process is fun
and engaging. Business-themed language games e.g. crosswords based on
financial terms and important concepts, or word search games with banking &
industry terms, use of free word-search puzzle generators to create your own
games, if you can't find one specific to your field.
Watch Business-Oriented Programs
Watch programs that focus on business. - people in those programs will be
using key terms frequently and correctly.
Experts in the field host these programs - f valuable information and
knowledge as well as vocabulary terms. Business terminology is naturally
used on these programs and merely watching them attentively can help you
grasp terms that are part of business communications.
these programs enable familiarity with new words but also learn their
correct pronunciation and usage.
Improving Business Language Skills

Improving Business Language Skills
Practice:
Learning new business terminology will not impact your
communication skills until and unless these terms are
used correctly in daily conversation.
Use as many relevant words as possible during
conversations with colleagues and peers.
Learned business terminology can and should be
incorporated into the presentations you give, so that you
are able to gain confidence in your ability to use the
terminology.
Practice your business language skills by writing business
letters (emails) and memos.

Marketing
Definition: Marketing is the activity, set of institutions, and processes for
creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for
customers, clients, partners, and society at large.
“Marketing is what you say and how you say it when you want to explain how
awesome your product is and why people should buy it.” ~ By Michael Brenner;
Insider Group
… includes advertisements, brochures, a press release, a Facebook page or a
Twitter account.
“The aim of marketing is to know and understand the customer so well the
product or service fits him and sells itself.” ~ Peter F. Drucker

Marketing Mix: 4Ps with 4Cs
The marketing mix is a blend of marketing variables that determine the level of
marketing efforts on the target market. 4P’s and 7P’s of the marketing mix are –
People, Product, Price, Promotion, Place, Process and Physical Evidence. 4C’s –
Customer, Cost, Convenience, Communication; fit marketing mix perfectly.
The marketing mix is the mixture of controllable marketing variables that the
firm uses to influence and pursue the sought level of sales in the target market.
It is the tools use to influence or persuade the wants, needs, and demands of
the customer for PSI (product, service, or information).
In simple terms; the marketing mix is the tool that is used to influence the
target market and its demand for product, service, or information.
Usually; the marketing mix describes the combination of the 4 inputs which
constitute the core of a company’s marketing system: the product, the price
structure the promotional activities, and the distribution system.

P’s of Marketing
Product.
Price.
Place.
Promotion.
Modern marketing has added 3 new P; making it 7p;
Place.
Process.
Physical Evidence.

Product
The product is something like good, service, information, etc. that satisfies the wants of a
company’s target market.
Products must follow a logical product lifecycle and marketers or producers need to
understand and plan for the stages of the product lifecycle and their core challenges.
The product must answer some questions, for example, what problem the product will solve, is
the consumer or customer needs the product, and/or what will be the components of the
product?
Price
Price means the number of dollar customers or consumers must pay to obtain/use the
product. It is the amount paid by the customer to a business.
For example, a bottle of Wine that may cost $100.
Prices set by the business depend on the business policy those it may be adjusted through
discounts, allowances, and/or credit terms.
P’s of Marketing

Place
Place indicates the company activities that ensure a product or service available to
target consumers.
It includes all activities like distribution channels, logistics, transportation, and locations
offered by the company.
A company may have many stores offering its products across the United States, but
there may still locations where customers or consumers will not access that company’s
products.
This is a great loss for the company. So that it must ensure that products are available
to target customers or consumers.
Promotion
Promotion refers to the activities that communicate the merits of the product to target
customers and influence to buy it.
One of the major factors of promotion for products or services is advertising.
P’s of Marketing

People: Indicates the employees representing the company. They interact with
clients or customers for various purposes.
Process: The process is the procedures, mechanisms, and flow of activities by
which the service is delivered to the clients/ customers.
Physical Evidence: Physical evidence refers to the area or space where the
company representatives will interact with the customer. It works as a tool for
reassuring our customers.
For example, a company might have impressive buildings, a well-trained staff,
great website. Considerations include furniture, signage, and layout.
P’s of Marketing

C’s of Marketing Mix
 Customer.
 Cost.
 Convenience.
 Communication.

Customer or Consumer is the king! The product has been created to satisfy consumer
demand. Consumer need and demand is studied/identified and a product developed to
satisfy it.
Price is only a subset of the total cost incurred to satisfy the want or needs of customers
or consumers. Cost is the most important element of marketing mix which affects the
decision of the customers. The marketers must need to give special attention to the cost
of a product or service.
Convenience is the most important tool for more sales. The convenience of purchase products
helps most of customers or consumers to choose that product. Take an example of heavy pieces of
machinery products like the fridge and air cooler. If the companies sell these products and do not
give you delivery and installation service. You may not buy the product as you won’t be ready to
pick up the machine and install it yourself. You will be looking for your convenience product.
A marketer should consider communication instead of a promotion. Promotion is
manipulative, it starts from the seller while Communication requires a give and take
between the buyer and seller.
Customer
Cost
Convenience
Communication
C’s of Marketing

The C’s & P’s Mixture
When the company/rep thinks about the product consider what solutions it is
providing for its customers/clients.
In thinking about the price, consider what cost the customer is willing to pay
how convenient is it for their customers to find, buy, and get the product.
In planning consider the type of communications customers prefer and through
which channels they will be most receptive.
Conclusion: P’s and C’s of the marketing mix are – People, Product, Price, Promotion,
Place, Process and Physical Evidence whilst the C’s – Customer, Cost, Convenience,
Communication; fit marketing mix perfectly.
The marketing mix is crucial for creating a plan that increases sales and profitability,
customer satisfaction and brand recognition

Relationship
Management

Fortuna Favi et Fortus Ltd.,
118 Old Ewu Road, Aviation Estate, Lagos.
+234 703 253 0965 (Nigeria), +1 416 262 7271 (Canada)
www.ffavifortus.com info@ffavifortus.com
Sourced & Compiled by: Olufemi Feyisitan