Business Communication & Executive EffectivenessPage 1

ASSIGNMENT

PART I
Q1: Explain in detail Communication Process and Write a note on The Nature of Communication. Answer: Communication is an exchange of facts, ideas, and opinions, emotions by two or more persons. - Newman and summer Communication is the process by which information is transmitted between individuals and/or organizations so that an understanding response results. Peter Little From the above definitions it is clear that communication is a process. It is a continuous process. It is always two-way. Communication requires message. Unless, there is something to say or express, communication doesnt take place. Information, ideas and emotions are transmitted through communication process. Message may be transmitted through words, pictures, graphs, voice gestures, actions etc. Transmitted message must be understood by the communicate. He should respond in a given time. The process of communication can be shown as below COMMUNICATOR

Idea

Encoding Message

Source Media

Communicate

Response

Source Media

Message

Decoding

Management is an art of getting work done. In order to get the work done by specific person, communication is essential. In the initial stage ideas are formed and they are encoded. Encoded ideas take the shape of message, which is sent to communicate by using proper media. After receiving the message, a communicatee interprets and analysis it. It is called decoding of message. The quality and effectiveness of decoding is dependent on the message transmitted by communicate to original communicator. Therefore, process of Communication involves the following steps: The ideas are formed in the mind of the communicator. Formed ideas are encoded by the communicator.

Encoded ideas take the shape of message. The message is transmitted through proper media to communicatee. Message is received, interpreted and analyzed by the communicatee. The communicatee sends the reply to the communicator. It is called feedback. Here communication process of cycle completes.

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Following are the essential ingredients of communication process. Origin- Communicator Message- encoding Media- source Communicate Feedback

Nature of Communication Business communication is related with the study of communications between individuals and groups engaged in the process of administration and management of an organization. Therefore, it is always goal oriented. According to George Vardaman, effective communication is purposive interchange resulting in a workable understanding and agreement between the sender and receiver of a message. Communication is interchange of thoughts, opinions or information, by speech, writing of signs. The successful business communicator should know that Communication is a process of achieving understanding between people. Business Communication involves flow of information. One-way communication informs the receivers whereas two-way communications is exchange of information and ideas. Today there is no such thing as one- way communication. In fact, it is always a two way process involving transmission and reaction. Feedback is core part of every business communication, because it is necessarily an action-oriented affair. A two-way communication establishes and builds lasting relationships between people. The personal dialogue through words, telephone, fax, e-mail, TV, books, advertising etc. are all examples and means of communications in business. E Commerce has been emerging as powerful method of modern business. In any business organization choice of media depends on the following three conditions What is to be communicated? How many people have to be communicated? What is the cost of communication?

The personal preference of the communicator also plays an important role in selecting the media for communication. In most of the business communication, feedback is immediate. Feedback is the communicatees response to a message, whether favorable or unfavorable. The greatest advantage of getting immediate feedback to communication is that it provides an opportunity to see at once that we are understood properly. Business communication takes place within the setup of an organization. Therefore, it is governed by certain norms and conventions. The members of an organization communicate as insiders. Business communication is characterized by a serial reproduction of messages. Messages are sent from one person to another and person to still another, and so on to other persons of an organization. It remains interpersonal. Business communication has certain goals. It is primary responsibility of a manager to create conditions and establish the policies, procedures and practices, which will promote effective communication with employees and people outside. If it is not done, managing becomes very difficult.

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Q2: Write short notes on (i) Objectives of effective communication (ii) Barriers to effective communication (iii) The types of communication in Business Organizations. Answer: Communication is an exchange of facts, ideas, opinions and emotions by two or more persons. Communication is required for imparting ideas to others. In communication information and knowledge are transmitted. It is done with certain objectives. Objectives of Effective Communication Information Information always affects business decisions. In the business organizations information is required from every possible source. On the basis of information, change can be brought in the organization. Advice Advice is necessary to perform the specific job in desired manner. Manager devotes his major share of time for advising the various authorities in the organization. Suggestion Effective Communication promotes good suggestions. Suggestions go a long way in improving the quality of work of subordinates. Improved products are the result of effective suggestions by the work manager or plant supervisor. Persuasion Persuasion means to convince others. In daily life everybody is engaged in persuasion. The teacher is engaged in persuading his students to study. The manager is persuading his subordinates to work more and more. Education Education means imparting the instructions to others. Workers training is part of education. It enables them to increase the knowledge and skills to perform specific job. Motivation Communication is a very effective tool of motivation. It means to encourage the people who are responsible for undertaking organizational activities. Motivation is one of the most important functions of a manager. Communication and motivation are the two sides of same coin. They always go hand in hand. Warning Carelessness, gossiping, wastage of time and valuable material are dangerous for the organization. It should be curtailed at any cost. In order to maintain the discipline in the organization memos, notice etc. are issued. Dereliction of duties should be avoided by use of timely warning. Raising Morale -- The people with high morale is an assent for the organization. It is the duty of every manager to boost the morale of the people working under him. A salesman having high level of morale may increase the sale of the organization. Effective communication system helps to raise the morale of the people working in the organization. Communication increase confidence and courage of the personnel.

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Barriers to Effective Communication Barriers to Communication may be broadly classified as below Physical Barriers Following are the physical barriersThe Competing Stimulus It becomes very difficult to pass on the message orally, if another confirmation giving information simultaneously within hearing distance, sometimes-loud music or traffic noise creates barrier in the communication process. Environmental Stress A strong light puts hindrance in case of visual communication. Because of undesired strain on the eyes of the communicatee, message is not received properly. A high temperature, humidity, bad ventilation etc. contribute in the sending and receiving of message Subjective Stress Due to sleeplessness, ill health, consumption of drugs, mental strain etc. communicator cannot interpret the message in desired manner. Ignorance of Media User should be well conversant with media that is adopted for conveying the message. The use of a media with which the receiver is not familiar would turn the media itself into a barrier. For example, the uses of visual media like maps and charts to instruct workers, who have not been familiar with maps and charts would switch off their attention for lack of knowledge of the media. Psychological Barrier Every person has his own way to look at the world, at people, at events and situations. A way of thinking of a person many times takes a shape of strong base of communication. No two persons possess accurately similar frames of reference. Following are the psychological barriers Unjust Assumptions It creates a lot of misunderstanding. A manager, for example, incorrectly assumes that the subordinates understand the technical terms he adopts to give the instructions. Barrier of All ness Certain people think that they know everything about a subject. Usually they are not prepared to accept that they could be mistaken. Many make the generalized statements like women can not become superior to men or insincerity is the base of business. An attitude of all ness is an outcome of biased approach. Snap Reactions Some listeners tend to pass remarks or criticize the communicator even though his communication is not completed. Hurried interpretations are not needed. Audience needs to be patient enough to let the communicator finish his speech. Apathetic Listener One who is psychologically dead and indifferent to speaker. Receivers apathy is an intolerable condition, when the communicator tries to carry out effective communication.

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Sophisticated Role The receiver is not willing to learn from the communicator. That means he is unteachable. In such situations the communicator should try to create right impact. Defensiveness Man always tries to justify himself. He thinks that admitting the mistake means a Loss of face. Therefore, he tends to rationalize the mistake that he commits. This type of attitude of the communicatee is a great hindrance in the effective communication. Fear A fear gives rise to slow and narrow thinking. It is clearly destructive to communication. So the primary objective must be to eliminate fear. Linguistic and Cultural Barriers Language is perhaps the greatest barrier in communication area. A language is ambiguous by nature. The words of a language are mere symbols and they rarely represent only one meaning. The communicator and communicatee understand these symbols differently. Ultimately this results into misinterpretation. The words possess objective and subjective meaning. It should be kept in mind that the words carry numerous associations depending upon the political and cultural situation. Mechanical Barriers Mechanical barriers include any disturbances, which interfere with the fidelity of the physical transmission of the message. A telephone in poor working condition creates mechanical barrier. In mass communication, mechanical barriers also include smeared ink in the printed matter, a rolling screen on TV, a type too small to be read in the newspaper. A good business communication requires the communicator to try and ensure that the message is received properly by the communication. Mechanical devices used for the communication need frequent checking and proper maintenance.

The types of communication in Business Organizations Face to Face Communication Face-to-Face communication comes in many forms. Some are one to one meetings (either scheduled or spur of the moment), others involve small group of people, gathering spontaneously or in informed meetings. Still other face-to-face communications occurs in large groups, where one or more speakers make presentations to an audience. Whatever the setting and number of people, all types of face-to-face communication is its speed. Once you make contact with your audience, there is no time lag between the transmission of a message and its reception. A second advantage of face-to-face communication is the control it gives you as a speaker. You might spend hours drafting a memo, letter or report only to have the recipient scan it superficially or not read it at all. In a personal contact, however, you have much more command over the receivers attention. The listener at least has to pretend to pay attention. Another great advantage of face-to-face communication is that it permits instantaneous feedback. When you speak directly to one or more listeners, you can respond to questions as soon as they arise. You can rebuild your sentence or elaborate when your listeners seem confused. And you can speed up if details are not necessary. You can revise hurriedly if you have used the wrong word and offended or confused your audience. Because of largest amount of feedback available in face-to-face communication, it has been termed as the richest kind of communication channel.

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One more advantage of face-to-face communication is its personal quality. When a personal meeting goes well, the relationship that communication develop can help solve problems that might have been more difficult when handled at a distance Despite of its many advantages, face-to-face communication is not always the best approach. The biggest drawback of personal contacts is the difficulty in arranging them. Even when communicators are in same building, scheduling a meeting can be difficult and frustrating. When greater distances separate the people who need to meet, personal contacts are expensive and time consuming. Even a cross-town trip for a half-hour meeting can take most of the morning of afternoon when it involves transportation. A personal encounter might also be unproductive if the personalities or the subjects are likely to make someone angry or defensive. Teleconferencing Its promoters bill teleconferencing as the next best thing to meeting in person. Videoconferencing allows participants in two or more locations to see and speak with each other. Until recently, most videoconferencing required elaborate studios at each location, which make the technology unaffordable of all but the largest organizations. New desktop conferencing using personal computer is putting the medium in reach of more workers. Document of Computer Conferencing It is another form of teleconferencing. This technology replaces face-to-face meetings by allowing individuals to work on documents that are shared via computer. As one person makes suggestions or changes a document, the others can view that change on their own screen. Document conferencing can take place in real time, with participants interacting via their computer at the same moment, or over different period of time, with participants working independently but picking up on the comments and input of others in their ground. Communication experts have developed computer software that facilitates electronic conferencing. Telephone and Voice Mail Telephones can be a useful tool in group communications as well as one to one contacts. Audio conferencing allows a group of geographically separated people to speak via telephones. Real time communication isnt the only type of telephone communication. Voice mail is another facility, which is very interactive type of communication having its own advantage. It allows you to leave a message anytime of the day or night. You can feel confident that the recipient will actually receive the message in your own voice, just as you spoke it without the omissions and distortions. Many systems let you set up vocal mailing lists and send a spoken memo to several people at once. Written Communication Written communication comes in a variety forms. Letters, memos, bulletins and reports are familiar fixtures in almost everybodys career. Written message have a different set of advantages and drawbacks than their spoken counterparts have. Unlike speech, written communication is permanent. Once your words are down on paper, they are saved for future reference- either to your delight or to your undying embarrassment. While people may have trouble accurately recalling what you said a few

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hours ago, they can refer to your written remarks years later. Even if the receiver has lost or forgotten your message, you can always supply a copy from your files. Along with its permanence written communication can be easier to understand than speech. Readers can study complex passages as many times as necessary a luxury they do not have when the same message is delivered orally. The greatest advantage of written communication is that you can compose it in advance. You can take as much time as necessary to shape a message just as you want it, pondering every word if necessary and can make changes until you are satisfied. Finally, written messages are less prone to errors.

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Q3: Explain in detail Listening and what is the advantage of Body language in communication. Answer: The need and importance of listening is business organization is evident. A good listening increases efficiency at all levels and human relations are built strongly on this. Listening is a positive function, which includes understanding. It is not only physical process but requires psychological involvement of the listener. This is the basic difference between hearing and listening. Hearing is a passive and effortless activity whereas listening is an activity, which requires deliberate efforts, attention and concentration. It is a conscious positive act requiring will power. Principals of Good Listening Following are the principals of good listening Psychological Process Listening is the concept which includes psychological factors. Psychological efforts are required in understanding and to retain the verbal materials presented in spoken form. Attention Listening is much more than a mechanical switching on and switching off. It is turning into the wavelength of the person trying to communicate. Active Process Listening means alertness and interest visible in the posture and expressions. It is also seen in the questions raised and comments made by listener. Understanding Listening is not only making sense out of sound but also understanding what the speaker is saying. This is not as easy because words have many meanings and people understand the same words differently. Fact and fancy Listening means being able to distinguish between fact and fancy. It includes developing the ability of evaluating or judging statement objectively, without being affected by ones own bias. Lack of Selective Listening paying attention only to what focuses our point of view or our own attitudes and distorted interpretations of the speakers words cant be termed as good listening. There should not be selective listening. Tiring Process Listening is an active, physically and mentally tiring process. Listening efficiency is highest during the first 10-15 minutes and goes on decreasing. Sensitive to physical signs Listening involves the skill to mark out the signals. The listener should be sensitive to all physical signs. The nervous habits and gestures communicate the message which is non-verbal. Presence of Barriers There is common barriers to listening including prior hearing ability, distracting, burden, prejudice, snap reactions etc. Proper training and guidance can improve Training and Guidance listening efficiency. Fast Process Listening is a fast process. The rate at which we listen is more than the rate at which we speak. The listeners find time during which they analyze and evaluate the arguments.

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Types of Listeners Listening is the psychological process. We use the ear for listening, but it is really in the mind that the message is received. It is true that the mind itself decides whether to listen attentively, half attentively or critically. It also decides weather the message should be retained or forgotten. Following are the types of listeners Projective Listener Projective listener positively tries to understand the views and opinions of the speaker. The listener protects himself in the speakers point of view. It is not necessary to accept the point of view of speaker. Sympathetic Listener Sympathetic listener give time and patience to listen to the speaker. He listens attentively. He respects the speaker so that the speaker feels flattered and opens out much more. Sympathetic manager listens to a workers complaint attentively. Emphatic Listener Emphatic listener pays attention not only to the surface meaning of the words but tries to probe the feelings and emotions of the speaker. Such listening is called listening by a third ear. This listening is used in what is called the non-directional interview to enable management to find out what is going on in the mind of the worker. In this type of listening the listener tries to get maximum information from the speaker without interrupting. Fake Listener Fake listener pretends that he is listening sincerely. He fools the speaker by holding and keeping the eye contact with the speaker. Actually he doesnt listen carefully but he successfully shows that he is listening. In such case, it is very difficult to find out pretended listening. Fake listeners mind is involved in other matters. We can say that he is physically present but mentally absent. Prejudiced Listener This type of listener decides in advance that a subject is not relevant or useful. He also believes that a subject or matter is difficult to understand. Therefore, he does jot show interest in the subject and treats it as a boring topic. Sometimes on the physical appearance of the speaker, the listener thinks that he may not have anything significant to speak. Prejudice and bias are the great obstacles to good listening. Marginal Listener We listen three times faster than we speak. This acts as an obstacle to good listening. The listener in judging the quality of the lecture and preparing the reply spends the surplus time. Marginal listener sometimes engaged in taking the notes. Therefore he may not be able to listen the next argument of the speaker. While judging the quality of speaker, the attention of listener is diverted.

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Barriers in Listening Following are the major barriers in listening Emotional Disturbances Emotions like joy, sorrow, worry, excitement etc. acts as a barrier in listening. When we are happy, contended and secure, we ignore roomers. The workers are not prepared to listen to any good points about the management, when they are angry, frustrated, depressed or insecure. Excitement makes the listener impatient due to which listener cant listen to speaker properly. Abstracting In this the listener tends to focus his mind on some topics and omits other details. There is a possibility of omitting essential aspects of the speech. Selective listening is a barrier to communication. Dislike of the Speaker If you dont like a person, you are not prepared to accept and believe what he communicates. In such a case, it is possible that you adopt a negative attitude. Dislike may stem from the speakers physical appearance, knowledge of his past or his body language. Marginal Listening We listen three times faster than we speak. This acts as an obstacle to good listening. The listener in judging the quality of the lecture and preparing the reply spends the surplus time. Marginal listener sometimes engaged in taking the notes. Therefore he may not be able to listen the next argument of the speaker. Preconceived Notions If the listener decides in advance that a subject is too difficult for him to understand or he believes that it is very boring, then he will not be able to listen properly. Sometimes just by looking at the speaker face or by listening to his voice, listener decides that speaker cant have anything significant to communicate. Prejudice and bias are the great barriers to good listening. Pretended Listening There are two types of no listeners. Those who let you know that they are too busy or preoccupied to listen and the notorious fake listener. Dealing with the second is not easy, because the false listener fools the speaker by nodding and keeping eye contact with him. Halo Effect It is based on the trust or distrust that the listener has of the speaker. If the listener trusts the speaker then everything that he says appears true. If he distrusts the speaker then everything that he says appears untrue. Inattentiveness This is the great barrier to effective listening. People are inattentive when they are mentally and physically tired and preoccupied with other ideas and problems. All ness and the Closed Mind Some people believe that they know everything about a subject and will therefore close their mind to new facts or knowledge. This is one of the greatest barriers to good listening. Different Perception Each of us has a certain frame of reference, a kind of window through which we look out at the world, at people and events. People see things and react to situations according to their past experience. No two persons pose exactly similar frames of reference. Therefore the different perceptions of the speaker and listener create hurdle in the process of listening.

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Snap Reactions Sometimes the listener responds speedily to the communicators message, pronouncing it favorable or unfavorable. Snap reaction are a serious barrier as they interpret communication is hurry. Guidelines for effective listening A good listener shows keen interest in the speaker by looking at him. He observes the gestures, facial expressions and postures of the speaker. Do not allow yourself to be distracted by noise or entering of late comers. Do not distract the speaker.

Be present in time at the venue. It enables to settle you physically and mentally before the speech starts. Dont hesitate to ask the questions to clarify meaning of statements made by the speaker.

Let your listening always be sympathetic, alert and active. Try to understand the speakers point of view. Follow the trend of discussion so as to make the proper response when your turn comes. Use the extra time you get as a listener to analyze and evaluate the speech.

Avoid thinking too much about a part that has already been covered by the speaker as this will prevent you from paying attention to the next argument. Advantages of Good Listening It improves the quality of communication and makes people receptive to the view point of others It leads to positive attitude, cordial relations and better participation. It competes people to pay attention to each other. It provides valuable information for the purpose of decision-making. It enables to find the solutions to the complex problems.

Advantage of Body Language Body language is the most easily visible aspect of communication. It, therefore, helps the receiver of the message in decoding the message. Body language complements verbal communication. Especially in face-to-face communication, no message can be completely sent across without the accompaniment of facial expressions and gestures. It helps in establishing rapport.

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Body language adds intensity to the process of communication. In the absence of any gesture, change of posture, proper eye contact any face-to-face communication will look bland or insipid. Because people care for body language, it goes a long way to improve the overall atmosphere and looks of the organization. A resourceful message can make very effective use of it.

Q4: Visualize Answer: NOTICE Issuing notices is a routine affair with companies. Sometimes it is a statutory requirement to issue a notice. Notice are generally issue for the formal way of communication so it should have to be kept simple, brief and clear. The specimens given below will illustrate how to draft: Companys Name Address NOTICE This is to inform you that_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ {Body of the Notice} For & on behalf of _ _ _ _ (UNDERSIGN) Date: -

1. BROCHURES Brochure is a detail of company/firm or organization that want to give detail of some important information to some other party to communicate an idea or emotion of some special kind in some precise & attractive form. This is the specimen of a company who give brochure about the company achievement.
Details of Photo 1
Photo 2

Co. Logo

Phot o1
Details of Photo 2

Details of Photo 5 Companys Photograph

Photo 5

Name of the company

Address of company

Details of Photo 3 of 4

3
Details Photo 4

Captions Details of Photo 6 Photo 6

Objective or Important Details of Imp. Member firm

group Photograph

Chairman Photo

Words of chairman or Member BOD Photo

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REPORTS A report carries information to someone who needs it. A report is a basic management tool used in decision making as it provide information for the purpose of planning and control a good report is brief and accurate and must be relevant and clear. MINUTES OF THE MEETING Minutes are the official records of a meeting. Minutes have great importance for maintains a proper record of a business transacted at there various meeting. Once minutes are approved they act as an evidence of the discussions in the meeting. 2. HOUSE JOURNALS Among the various publications issued by large business houses house journals occupy a prominent place. All the copies of journal are means of internal communication although complementary copies are also sent to outsiders. It inform the employees about the new developments and achievements

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Q5: Prepare the Layout of Business letter for any consumer Products Company. Answer: Introduction: Every business big or small has to maintain contacts with its suppliers customers, prospects, govt. etc. In his regular work, a businessman has to exchange information of varied types with different parties. One of the way of communicates is BUSINESS LETTER. BUSINESS LETTER is the form of written communication. It is important where message is kept for a long time. It necessitates confirmation in writing. Business letter is important for the following reasons: 1. It is important to provide a convenient and inexpensive means of communication. 2. It is helpful in seeking or giving information. 3. It is useful to furnish evidence of transactions entered. 4. It is important to provide a record for future reference. Business letter can be of various types. It can be in the form of Enquiries & Replies. Order and their execution. Credit and Status enquiries. Complaints & Adjustments. Collection Letters Circular Letters Bank Correspondence Application Letter Sales Letter etc.

All these letters have their own importance and in business but has a same Layout. Layout of a Business Letter. 1. 2. 3. The Head- Address: - The address includes complete name, address of firm, telephone, telegraphic address etc. Some business use printed letterhead as the head address place at top center. Date: - Date is written five spaces below the heading in right hand side. According to British method i.e. DD-MM-YY. Outward No.: -It is the number given to the letter. It is usually written left side of the date.

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4. Inside Address: - It is the name & address of person or organization to whom letter is being sent. It is written below outward number. 5. the letter. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. Reference: Salutation: Subject (SUB): - After inside address it is important to write the purpose or subject of It is a normal practice to write the Business Letter with reference of earlier letter. It is the greeting to the receiver and comes after subject.

Body: - After salutation, body of letter, started .It is the main part of the letter. The Complimentary close: given to the sender. Signature: the sign. After the end of the body complimentary close corner, it is the respect

It corner below the complimentary close along with the signatory name typed below This is the list of items enclosed with the Business Letter. It comes after

Enclosures (Encl.): complimentary close.

Post Script (P.S.): Post Script is used to add sorry information, if left in between. It should come in last but not appreciable if information is very important. Layout of Business Letter The Head Telephone Outward No.___ Inside Address SUB: -___________________________________ Reference: Salutation, Body of the letter Address E-Mail Telegraph Date: -__________

Logo, if written on Letter Head

Complimentary close, (TYPED NAME OF THE SIGNATORY) Encl: -

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P.S.: -

LH

Live Happy Foods Plot 5, D-111 Mathura Road, Mathura-03 Tel: - 683496 Dated: -8/03/03

Clr:-/593/03 Khurana General Stores 2 Hazrat Ganj Lucknow. SUB: - LAUNCH OF NEW SQUASHES YPB: MJ/12/99

Dear Sir, You will be pleased to learn from the enclosed catalogue about our Live Happy Squashes prepared from good quality, fresh fruit in the most hygienic conditions. They are available in six delicious varieties: Lemon, Lemon Barley, Mango, Pineapple, and Orange & Lime of rice cordial. These days when aerated waters look so much beyond ones pocket, your customers will just love to switch over to these sparkling squashes. They get as many as 15 nutritious glasses from every bottle. So, you see there is economy in them and there is taste. You have always been satisfied with our jams and pickles. You will be more satisfied with our squashes. You get these squashes on the same terms and condition as our jams & pickles. Summer is ahead and you can have brisk sales .A bulk order of twenty dozen or more earns you an additional discount of 3%. We shall be looking forward to your response. Truly Yours Live Happy Foods (R.L. Gupta) Managing Director Encl: Catalogue

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PART II
Q1. Fill in the blanks from the following words (Yield, Vision, Potential, Evaluating, Goals, Productivity, Resource, Strain, Stress, Positive) Answer: 1 The greater the vision the greater the potential it gives. 2. Goals provide a valuable means of evaluating your progress. 3. The single greatest resource that each of us has to increase our productivity is other people. 4. Stress becomes strain when it is continuous. 5. Meet every person with positive anticipation and expect every encounter to yield positive results.

Q 2. What do you understand by the word vision? How it is useful for achievement of goals? Illustrate the vision statements of any company. Answer: VISION Vision is a mental picture of the future. Its an idea of what is possible but has not yet happened. Every individual human being has vision and it is something that is essential to life. Whatever we all are doing is the result of some vision. The people who have most powerfully and permanently influenced their generation have been seers men and women who see more and further than others i.e. people who make things happen are people who have vision. In literal sense, vision is the ability to see physical objects. But in deeper sense, vision is the ability to see significance, to see opportunity that may not be readily apparent to others. Vision brings great benefits and opens incredible doors of opportunity. It increases a persons potential. The greater the vision the greater potential it gives. Vision can be of following types: 1. Probable Future: What we can expect to happen if we continue as we are now. 2. Desired Future: What we would most like to have happened. 3. Catastrophic Future: What could happen if things get worse or something really bad occurs.

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IMPORTANCE OF VISION Vision provides meaning and purpose. Vision helps in building our own destiny. Vision gives new direction. Vision helps in making specific choices and decisions. It shows where we are heading. Vision provides motivation. Vision helps to move towards what we want. Vision helps in fulfilling our desires.

STEPS FOR DEVELOPING VISION Vision is natural talent with people, but this does not mean that it cant be developed. The steps discussed below helps in developing vision:

1.

Start with the Desired End and Shared Vision: The first step is to decide about the end in the mind of a person i.e. what do I/we want or what would I like to create/achieve? This may be a general idea or broad framework of what is desired. To achieve the desired end there is a need to share the vision with people. People must be involved from the beginning to make them internally committed. Everyone has come unique vision and it is important to combine him or her to create a share vision leading to share mission.

2.

Decide about the specific outcomes/results: Once the desired end is there, the next step is to make it more specific by developing pictures in your minds eye. Envision your physical conditions i.e. the infrastructure small or big office, factory and go down etc are to be envisioned. Envision your working conditions i.e. the type of working conditions you wish to create for the people the type of relationship between people etc. There is a positive correlation between the clarity of specific outcomes and the accomplishment that means accomplishments would be high if the clarity about the specific results is high and vice-versa.

3.

Creativity: The most important dimension of vision is moving away from logical thinking by opening the mind to new ideas. The right brain leads to creative ideas whereas left-brain is

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more rational and adopts linear thinking. Nobody can force the creative mind to work. It comes from within. People need to enlighten their inner self for achieving this.

4.

Generate alternative courses of actions to attain desired outcome: One should be able to evaluate the different perspectives of a particular issue that helps in developing different alternative courses of actions. Changing how you see things will change how you do things.

5.

Select actions to achieve the desired end: The next step is to select the actions that can help in achieving the desired results. Envision the process of actions required to achieve the desired end by doing it in your minds eye. The Computerized tools like computer Aided Design (CAD), virtual reality etc. are used to give a computerized image of what we have seen in our minds eye.

6.

Ensure compliance of selected action in right spirit:

The last step is to ensure the compliance of the selected action for which all the people involved must decide to implement the same with the right kind of spirit with positive attitude. . DEFINE YOUR VISION Realizing a vision always start with defining your vision. It is incredibly easy for some people as if they have been with a vision in their life but for others it takes a great deal of time, contemplation, prayer etc. If you wish to become successful, you must define the vision you have for your life. And you must define the vision you have for your life. And your vision cannot and should not come from someone else because if its not truly your vision, you will not have the drive and determination to pursue it. Your vision must be based on your talents, dreams, hopes and passions. Visions are extraordinary and impact others positively especially when a persons vision matches his destiny. Traits of an effective vision:

1. Inspiring: Effective vision asks for the best in one way or the other, which can be
attained only through everyone willingly taking risks in order to achieve the desired goals.

2. Clear and Challenging: Vision creates confidence in the minds of people that they are
capable of performing the necessary tasks. Vision statements should be challenging first, they enjoin people to understand and then drive them to achieve it. This instills drive in people towards goals.

Business Communication & Executive EffectivenessPage 20 3. Making sense and withstanding the test of time: Vision emphasizes creation of
enduring capabilities and is relatively stable. However, its dynamic enough to exhort for constant improvements and updating capabilities. Vision should stand the test of time by stressing flexibility and adaptability.

4. Remaining stable but being constantly challenged and changed: Core ideas do not
change but minor alterations add up to be substantial. Vision is like a compass in a choppy and stormy sea that may loose its value if it is not adjusted.

5. Serving as beacon and control: Vision should serve as the guiding beacon and ensure
consistent behavior by developing better understanding the basic concept and philosophy of the desired aim.

6. Preparing for the future by honoring the past: Vision is about the past as much as
about future. A German philosopher had said Whosoever supplies memory, shape concepts and interprets the past, will win the future.

7. Lived in details but broad in scope: Vision is a concise and encompassing picture of
sustaining excellence in ones life, it lives through the details of its execution. Achievements make life more enjoyable. There is nothing like the feeling you get when you have worked hard and done a job well. It gives you a sense of accomplishment. Similarly, when your work is part of the achievement of your vision, each task has value. Even then most mundane task can give you a sense of satisfaction, because you can see a greater purpose being accomplished. You do not need to be born with the ability to see opportunities and visualize a positive future. Vision is a quality that can be cultivated. And when you have a vision, and your work hard to accomplish it, your future is more likely to become a fulfillment of that vision. It is true that your failure is not guaranteed. No one is, but you increase your chances for success tremendously. It is often said, Where there is no vision, the people perish. Be prepared to dream big and then test your limits. Do not put a lid on you potential. If you believe strongly enough that you cannot succeed, then you will put limits to your vision, which can act as an obstacle in your way to achieve goals. Vision is useful (rather an indispensable component) for achieving ones goals because without vision, there is nothing to shoot for, no target, no greater task to give purpose and hope. Vision provides the creative spark that makes great achievements possible. Also, its vision which helps us to focus on our goals and also makes us realize that no one can achieve his dreams/goals with average energy and efforts. It takes dedication and continued efforts. It is one of the prices you must pay for success. Vision helps one to maintain a positive confident attitude. Even when one is in doubts, it tells to focus on remaining confidence. Outer confidence will bring inner confidence. If a person has vision, it allows him/her to dare to dream in spite of problems, circumstances and handicaps make him/her confident enough to overthrow all hurdles, all obstacles in achieving the desired goals.

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Q 3. Define goals and explain the pyramid? Answer: In the words of Earl Nightingale To achieve happiness, we should make certain that we are never without an important goal Goals are said to be the building block of success. To achieve success, you need to develop goals. It is also said that success is that progressive realization of a worthwhile, predetermined goals. A person who has no goal in its life is heading towards nowhere. A person who has made definite goals for him is never going to loose. The sense of accomplishing those goals makes him happy and he tries to work hard to achieve them as early as possible. The importance of goals can be judged from the following points:

1. Goals motivate us: The sense of accomplishing predetermined goals motivates

us a lot. There was a famous real life example an old woman who tried to swim the English Channel in both directions. That woman was almost at the end of her journey but she quits, as she was not able to see the land. Thus, the inability to see the goal i.e. land was the reason of her failure.

2. Goals give us purpose: People with goals have a purpose in their life and that
little purpose makes a big difference. A doctor found one common factor among the people over 100 years of age they all had goals.

3. Goals add value to work: Goals make every work valuable, which is done to
achieve those goals. For example a boy had a goal to become an opening batsman in Indian team. Now, when he was selected in the ranji trophy as opening batsmen, it gives him a great deal of happiness. Bring selected for ranji trophy is one of the goal, which was important to achieve his major goal.

4. Goals keep our priorities straight: Goals provide us a definite path, which
leads to success. Thus it helps to keep our priorities in right direction.

5. Goals channel and maximize our potential: Goals help a person to utilize his
potential in full. This helps a person to keep concentrate in areas of strength and high returns.

Business Communication & Executive EffectivenessPage 22 6. Goals give us power to live in present: Goals motivate and give power to a
person to live in present. It helps us to see larger tasks as a series of small tasks.

7. Goals promote enthusiasm in an organization: When employees of an

organization have a definite goal to be achieved they work with more enthusiasm and high morale.

8. Goals shifts our emphasis from activity to output : Goals not only makes us
to work hard but it also helps to transfer our hard work in real output . Goals periodically measure our success and shift our focus from activity to output.

Goals pyramid The goal pyramid consists of five sections. The top most section is the smallest and most focused. It contains the life long goals. The sections beneath it contains smaller goals that are necessary for the accomplishment of larger goals above them

Life Long Goals Long Term Goals Intermediate Goals Short-Term Goals GOAL PYRAMID

1. Life long goals: These are approx two to five goals, which we hope to
accomplish in lifetime. This section of pyramid is the most important and focused. 2. Long term goals: These goals help us to reach the life long goals . Setting long-term goals is very important because without long-term goals we are likely to experience short-term frustration. 3. Intermediate goals: These goals are set up to reach our long-term goals. These are the goals, which we desire to accomplish in 5 to 10 years. 4. Short-term goals: These goals are set up to reach the intermediate goals. These goals take 1 to 5 years to accomplish. Regular discipline: It include task completing on daily, weekly or monthly basis to achieve the short term goals.

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Q 4. What is meant by STRESS? What are the ways to reduce stress? Answer: Meaning of STRESS Stress means pressure, hardship and tension. In todays world, things are moving on at such a high speed that almost each and every person, whether successful or unsuccessful is suffering from stress of one kind or the other. Stress related problems have so much influenced our lives that it has become one of the greatest problems faced by the people of this generation. Stress can bring positive impact on some and can be of negative approach to others. Some times stress brings out the best in people. It can prompt a person to find a better, smarter way of doing things. But, sometimes stress can also be destructive. It is so because different people react differently to that kind of pressure. Stress causes some people to break and others to break records. It has also been noticed that most people worry unnecessarily about to many things. It is something like searching for things/events to give stress to themselves. Less than one problem in ten that causes stress in real concern. All the other things are such that we can learn to eliminate. Success becomes strain when it is continuous. According to Dr. Selye, human body reacts to stress in three stages, which are described as under:

1. Alarm Stage:
In the stage, our body recognizes the stressor and prepares for fight or flight, which is done by a release of hormones from the endocrine glands. These hormones will cause slowed digestion, raise in blood sugar level, increase in heartbeat and respiration etc. It is here that we have to choose whether to use this burst of energy to fight or flee. 2. Resistance Stage: It is in this stage that our body repairs any damage causes from the stress. But the body must remain alert, if the stress does not go away because in such a situation body cannot repair the damage. 3. Exhaustion stage: The continuance of second stage plunges you into exhaustion and if this state continues for long, one may develop one or the other disease of stress like mental illness, migraine,

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headaches etc. Also our body can run out of energy and may even stop bodily functions, if there is continuous exposure to stress at this stage. It is often said that Precaution is better than cure and that is why, the best way to deal with stress is to avoid it or relieve it quickly.

Twelve strategies for handling stress successful are: 1. Work in your areas of strength: Persons who work in their areas of strength are less likely to become victims of stress, even when they make mistakes. And if, you are not sure where your areas of strength are, here in something that will help you to identify them. If you make mistakes and they challenge you instead of causing you to experience stress, then you are probably working in an area of strength. If your mistakes make you feel threatened and tensed, you are probably working in the area of weakness. As you get older try to work more and more, in your areas of strength. If you do you are more likely to avoid stress and find success. 2. Reprogram your mind: The amount of stress we experience is directly related to our way of thinking. And our way of thinking is the direct result of what we put into our minds. Our brains are similar to a computer i.e. it works like a computer the output you receive from a computer is the result of the input it gets. Our output what we say, think and do is generated by out input what we read, watch, hear and see. Each of us chooses our input and basically we have two choices, things that add either static or stability to our lives. 3. Stop running from risks: Fear of risk remains a major cause of stress and a potential obstacle to success. There are no absolute guarantees and no fail safe plans. All who live risk something. Say no to courage and no to caution. Expect the worst. Since life is a risk, we need to learn to stop running away from risk and face it optimistically. Expect the worst. Since life is a risk, we need to learn to stop running away from risk and face it optimistically. Expect the worst, and that is what you will get every time. Expect the best, and that is what you will most often get. 4. Turn your focus outward: Discouraged people are the ones who focus too much on themselves. As a result, they experience stress. If you find yourself become preoccupied with your own concerns, spend time helping others. We often heal ourselves while we are helping others. 5. Find a fun way to release stress: Picking up something the one really enjoy doing, something fun, is one of the ways to release stress. e.g. some people eat a lot when they are undergoing stress, some people listen to music, some people dance etc, to forget everything which is giving stress to them. Whether or not you are able to survive stress is a result of how you handle it. Begin to change your thinking and your habits. Use health strategies to handle it when you cannot avoid it.

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6. Develop a proper perspective:

There is no substitute for perspective. Whenever one begins to feel stress because of minor difficulties, try to remember the bigger picture. It will help you to see the things as they really are instead of what you are afraid they might become. 7. Avoid the rat race: Competitive business world has been termed as a rat race (in recent years). Its an environment where people completely and fiercely compete against one another. When a person enters the rat race of competition instead of working towards his goals, he is subjected to unnecessary stress by competing in too many areas and is never satisfied. No dog has ever lost any sleep over the fact that he did not have enough bones laid aside for his declining years. Work hard strives to achieve your goals. But dont do it to the detriment of your family, your health or your fellow men. 8. Get off the road of overload: We keep taking on more and more responsibilities until we can possibly fulfill them all competently. And that causes stress. Sometimes one has to give up what is nearly good in order to do what is best. 9. Give up your rights: It is possible to find peace is not always demanding to have your way, in giving up your rights. Giving can bring great joy and can greatly reduce stress. 10. Have someone to talk to: Much of the stress often occurs because we bottle up our feeling instead of sharing with someone; we can be totally honest with. It should be someone who will not judge you and who will never use what you say against you. 11. Develop Strong Convictions: Convictions enable a person to face nearly any situation in life with courage and dignity. The deeper the convictions, the stronger the person is and the less likely he or she is to experience stress in face of adversity. 12. Success Strategy activities: Arrange to do some volunteer work like feed the homeless, visit ill people in hospitals, take toys to orphanage. Get out and help others, your perspective will improve this way. Identify, define and write your convictions. A conviction is a belief you would be willing to die for. Give time to yourself and determine whether you are filling yourself with enough positive materials or not. Ask a close friend/spouse to help you discover your strength and weaknesses, based on which you can spend more time in your areas of strengths and remove yourself from your areas of weakness.

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Q 5. Explain the benefits of Relationship in Business management. Answer: Benefits of Relationship in Business Management Relationships make us or break us. If one want to be a success in life no matter what goals you have or profession you choose you must learn to develop positive relationship with people. The ability to develop good relationships with others can be learned by following some guidelines, which are mentioned below: The potential of good relationships increases dramatically when you begin focusing on others. If you desire to build relationships, first care about the people with whom you come into contact. In a survey of 16000 executives, the top 13% who were identified as high achievers cared as much about people as well as they did about profits. Knowing a lot about people is a positive sign that you care, and it creates a positive, lasting bond. Few things have a more positive effect on others than finding out and remembering things about them. Meet each person with positive anticipation, and expect every encounter to yield positive results. Treat everyone as important and you will never underestimate anyone. Advancing yourself at the expense of others only gives the illusion of success. Whenever a person takes advantage of someone else, he is hurting his chances for the future. One of the best methods of building positive relationships with others is to ask for advice or a favor. People love the opportunity to show their expertise, and they enjoy the feeling that comes when they can help from a position of power or authority. But, for relationships to be positive and healthy, they have to be mutually beneficial. The best relationships are ones where both parties are constantly receiving from one another. Always make an effort to bring something positive to the table your meet with a friend. If you want to be successful in your relationships with people, be considerate of their emotions. If you look for opportunities to provide service to others, you will live a more satisfying life and develop many good relationships.

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It costs nothing to give another person praise and respect, to make him feel important but it does wonderful things for that other person. And also helps in building good relationship with that person. Be credible and consistent. Lost credibility not only damages, friendships, it also destroys business relationships. People must buy into you before they will buy into your vision or your product. One of the best strategies to use when initiating a relationship is to focus attention on other persons interests. Developing positive relationships with others really comes down to one thing. You must become a student of people. If you are really able to understand people to know their hope and dreams, you will have the ability to build those relationships. Avoid arguments because its a forceful attempt to change another persons point of view and are likely to cause some kind of damage and destroy your relationships with others. On the other hand, discussion between people is healthy and positive.

The benefits of relationships in business management are unlimited. It is a kind of key to success for every business. According to T Rosevelt, The most important single ingredient to the formula of success is knowing how to get along with people. If you learn how to deal with others, you will have gone about eighty-five percent of the way down the road to success in any business, occupation or profession. And you will have done about ninety-nine percent of the way down the road to personal happiness. The quality of our relationships with our co-workers, bosses and employees are largely responsible for our success or failure in business. All the technical expertise and skills in the world will not enable a person to achieve what he wants unless he can develop positive relationship with others. Relationships are important part of every business because the largest single cost in most businesses is people. The biggest and most valuable asset any company has is its people. The average executive spends threefourths of the working day dealing with people. And also, all the plans by an executive are carried out by or fail to be carried out by people. It is because of relationships and the importance attached to it, which helps not only the people at managerial level of company to get their work done by employees. But also enables employees to take their problems to their heads and get them solved. It is because of this art of getting along with people, which brings sense of belongingness, loyalty among employees and also increases their capability of working. If people/employees of a company get along in a positive manner, they work in teamwork, hence bringing out the best of their talents. In a competitive business world, good service is often the only quality that separates one company from another. Two out of three customers that a company loses, leave because they are dissatisfied with the service they receive. Positive service helps build positive relationships and hence bringing back the customers and making them regular visitors to the business. Another benefit of Relationship in business management is that, if a company maintains good relation within and outside it gains good will for itself.