Essentials of Business and Administrative Communication
For years, business leaders have made it clear that communication is an important component of professional success. The National Association of Colleges and Employers' (NACE) Job Outlook 2010 Survey found that communication skills are the most valued asset in any job applicant. With communication skills on a high pedestal, it is important to understand which aspects play the largest role in a business setting.
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Precision
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One of the most important qualities of business-caliber communication is precision. Precision in communication requires messages to be concise and clear in their content and structure. For example, instead of saying, "Reminder: assignment is due tomorrow," a precise message would say, "As per the May 21st correspondence, the Donovan assignment will be due tomorrow, February 5th, by noon in my inbox." The second description clearly identifies the specifics of the situation and the expectations involved.
This is important, especially in administrative roles, for several reasons. First, precise communication allows for the highest levels of understanding in information transmission, allowing for employees to better execute on the directives. It also clearly lays out expectations for a given task, creating a mutual understanding between administrators and employees. Finally, precise communication eliminates chit-chat and side-tracked messages, which can serve as a distraction from the tasks at hand.
Professionalism
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Effective communication in the business world will always be professional in nature. According to BusinessDictionary.com, professionalism is defined as, "Meticulous adherence to undeviating courtesy, honesty, and responsibility in one's dealings with customers and associates, plus a level of excellence that goes over and above the commercial considerations and legal requirements." In the context of communication, this means that communication between business contacts should adhere to company policy, should be backed with integrity and should represent themselves and their respective companies well. Professionalism is important in communication because it amplifies the ethos--or credibility--of the speaker, increasing the chances of the speaker's audience accepting the messages being presented.
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Transparency
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Effective business communication, especially on the administrative level, should always be transparent. This means that all messages should operate on a level of full disclosure, ensuring the highest levels of honesty on all levels of the company. This is important for two main reasons. First, transparency, by nature, guarantees that everyone has equal access to all information on a given topic. This helps people to make better decisions, which ultimately benefits the company as a whole. Second, transparency inspires trust from the base of employees. According to a 2009 edition of the Harvard Business Review, transparency communicates to the employees that they are valued, leading to better job focus, productivity and overall satisfaction.
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